Tell it to the Stars - Top Done!

I got through the five borders for this quilt last Sunday but then forgot to post my finish!

Not a very good picture.... Can't take photos outside as it is too cold!

The top is a little larger then I thought it would be but I still love it!

I bought some daisy patterned fabric for the backing and will use the dark green as the binding.

So it goes onto my list of tops to be quilted.  I will need at least a week on my aunt's Longarm to get them all done.

On to the next project

Tell it to the Stars - November clue done - Finally

I had started the Tell it to the Stars quilt along with Judy at Patchwork Times during 2014 but then hit a wall with the November clue

We had to make 32 pieced blocks and I struggled with the sizes for the flying geese and half square triangles.  So instead of trying to figure it out I just put it away

Earlier this week I decided to try again -  after reading the directions again and then looking at some online information I finally figured out how to make the pieces!

It took a couple of nights this week but I finally got the blocks done and put together for one of the borders.  

I like how the pieces blocks came out.  Maybe that is because they were so hard to do!

Now on to the December clue.  True to form Judy has us adding 5 borders!!!

Fall Table Runner

I have been fighting a sinus infection and did not get any sewing in for almost two weeks!!

Sunday afternoon I felt up to sewing and pulled out a mini charm pack that I had bought and made a quick fall table runner. 

I have the backing and binding picked out already. Just need to layer and machine quilt and then I willl have a new table runner for the fall!!

Little Quilts - Fun fabrics and Patterns

 A few weeks ago we visited friends in Atlanta, GA to celebrate a birthday.  Happy 60th to Linda and many more.  

We went out to dinner on Friday and right across the street was a quilt shop named Little Quilts!  So I talked my husband into going there on Saturday morning.

What a lovely shop!  They specialize in patterns for little quilts and civil war fabrics.  I found a pattern book (with fabrics for one quilt), a kit for a flag quilt and some new civil war fabrics for my stash!!   Also got a piece of Georgia Bulldog fabric for my future USA quilt.

If you ever are in the Marietta, GA area be sure to stop by Little Quilts

2014 Project Summary and 2015 Plans

Finally got around to reviewing my 2014 Project work.

During 2014 I had 57 projects on a list..... Suprise!!!  I did not get them all done.  Lol

Of the 57 projects:

15 totally done

8 tops done

4 projects have the blocks done but not assembled into a top

2 projects were removed from the list

So for 2015 my list is smaller - only 49 projects!!

8 of them are finishing the tips from 2014 and 4 are assembling/finishing the blocks done in 2014.  I hope that I don't bring any of these projects forward next year

I actually already got one finished this week and another one has binding ready to sew down!  (They are both small baby quilts!)

My other goal is to use as much fabric out of my stash as I can on these projects without buying more fabric.  That maybe hard to do but I am going to try.  

Wish me luck!!  

Happy New Year Finishes!!

Between the holidays, family issues and work I have been too much away from sewing and blogging.

I do, however, have three finishes to share. 

The first is a lap quilt that will be a gift to a friend and is the first that I quilted with the Pro Stitcher computer on my aunt's Longarm machine. 

Here is a closeup of the quilting - which was a swirling pattern with dots

The second and third are baby quilts for several other friends

I had fun making the backing for this quilt as I was trying to use up the fabrics that I had leftover and was able to do it!!  I even found a way to use the rest of the red and some of the brown for the binding!

Just found out that another friend of the family had a baby boy so now I am off to make yet another baby quilt!!

Watch for my 2014 Summary post and 2015 Goals - hope to do in the next day or so. 

Austen Family Album Quilt - Blocks 35 and 36 Done !!!!!

Block 35 is English Ivy for the Littleworths who were neighbors of the Austen Family.  Not really my favorite block in this quilt.  My center seam is a little off and I did not realize it until I saw the picture - maybe it will quilt out!!  LOL

Block 36 is Modern Envelope for Anne Sharp.  Anne was a pen pal of Jane's and one of her last letters was written to Anne Sharp.  The post on the Austen Family Album blog stated that in Jane's age they wrote letters on one piece of paper and then folded it to be the envelope also.  

And that is the last one of the blocks for this project.

Not sure yet how and/or when I will put these together into a quilt top.  I have a couple of other projects that I need to complete first.  I have enjoyed making all of these different blocks and may actually use some of them in future quilts.

Thanks to Barbara Brackman for putting this together and I really enjoyed all of the history about Jane Austen, her family and times.  

Also check out the Flicker Group for Austen Family Album to see the blocks made by other crazy quilters who have followed along on this project with me. 

Austen Family Album Quilt - Blocks 33 and 34 Done

Between work, family and vacation I have not been in my sewing room for quite a while.

However, today I got back to sewing and got Blocks 33 and 34 done.

Block 33 is Corn and Beans for the Digweed Family.  The Digweed Family had a neighboring farm to the Austen family.

Block 34 is Queen Charlotte's Crown for the Princess of Wales.   

Felt good to be sewing again.  Only two more blocks to go on this project.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!  I have so much to be thankful for: husband, children, granddaughter, parents, siblings, aunt, friends and a wonderful church family!!

Just finished this wall hanging last night.  Hung it in the window - so that is why there is light coming out around it.

Have a good day with family and friends.  

Storytime Squares Quilt #1 - Done

LA while ago I found a pattern for a quilt top called Storytime Squares at made-by-Rae.com.  It uses 8 fat quarters and a solid material and works great for a baby quilt.  

I had some fun boy fabrics that I bought at Material Girl in Crystal Lake, IL and so decided to make a baby quilt for my co-workers sister who just had her baby boy today (actually he is over one month early!) 

Got the binding sewn down tonight and will get it to the baby before he goes home.

I have another set of fat quarters picked out for another baby boy quilt using this pattern but I won't get to that quilt until the beginning of December.  

Austen Family Album Quilt - Block 32 done

This week's block is Ladies Wreath for Jane Austen's sister-in-law Elizabeth Bridges Knight.  Elizabeth died giving birth to her eleventh child.  

I am very happy with this block and the fabrics that I chose.  

Only four more to go!!!

Austen Family Album Quilt - Block 31 done

This week's block is called Lady of the Lake for Sir Walter Scott. Jane Austen used a reference to the  poem Lady of the Lake in her Persuasion novel and apparently had a professional relationship with Sir Walter Scott. 

The picture makes the tan fabric look yellow - must be the lighting in my sewing room!

Only five more blocks to go!!!

Getting it Done - October Status and November List

Getting it Done - October Status

Things I really want to get done

Finish Baby Girl Quilt for Kei - done 10/5/14

Sept/Oct Clue for Tell it to the Stars - done 10/8/14

Austen Family Album Quilt - make weekly blocks - 26,27,28,28 and 30 done

Start T-shirt Quilts - #1 top done 10/14/14 - #2  top started 

Work on baby quilt for Katie - done 

Things I might get done

Assemble Stained Glass quilt top - not started 

Assemble Re-Piecing the Past top - done 10/30/14 - also made backing and binding

Make pillowcase dresses for Haiti - not done

Getting it Done - October List

Things I really want to get done

Nov Clue for Tell it to the Stars

Austen Family Album Quilt - make weekly blocks

Complete t- shirt top #2

Baby boy quilt #1

Finish baby quilt for Katie - quilt and bind

Things I might get done

Turkey day banner

Baby boy quilt #2

Assemble Stained Glass quilt top

We will be gone on vacation one week so I may not get all of this done but I will give it a good try!!

Re-Piecing the Past quilt top done

I bought Kaye Englands class from Craftsy called Re-Piecing the Past.  The blocks are Civil War based and named and were fun to do. 

The pattern called for flying geese, four patches and other elements to be put in between the blocks to create the top. However I did not like how it looked so decided to just use a sashing material. The only complication is that two of the blocks were larger than the rest but with a little math I figured out how to add an additional piece of fabric to make everything even.

I really like how this quilt came out and may use the block patterns to make other quilt tops in the future.  

I used the leftover fabric to make a pieced backing and two of the red fabrics to make the binding material

So off this quilt top and backing go into my closet along with the number of other projects waiting to be quilted!!

Now I just need to find about two weeks worth of time to use my aunts Longarm quilting machine!!!

Austen Family Album Quilt - Blocks 29 & 30 Done

Due to family activities and then a sinus infection I did not get last week's and this week's blocks done until tonight.  

Block 29 is Lend & Borrow for James Stanier Clarke who was a royal librarian who encouraged Jane Austen and may be Jane's model for Mr Collins in Pride and Prejudice.  

Also my fathers family has lineage with the last name of Clarke ( and my fathers first name is Clarke) so maybe I am a long lost relative of James Clarke!!!

Block 30 is Caroline's Choice for Queen Caroline.  I love this block and may have to use it in a future quilt

That's 30 of 36 blocks done!  

I started to think about which layout to use for these blocks.  The Austen Family Album Quilt blog has several layout options and I am considering one of the 'on point' layouts but not sure yet

Austen Family Album Quilt-Block 28 Done

This weeks block is Crossroads for Harris Bigg-Wither, the man who once proposed marriage to Jane Austen.  While Jane at first accepted his proposal she then declined it and never married in her lifetime. 

I picked some brighter colors this week and I really happy with how the block turned out

Only 8 more blocks to go!!  Going to have to start considering how to out them together into a quilt top.

Tell it to the Stars - Clue 9 and 10 done

The clue for September and October is to assemble the blocks we have been making for the past eight months with sashing and cornerstones.  I decided to use the same block layout the Judy had on her blog as my blocks looked good in that layout

Apparently the next two months will be adding borders and Judy is famous for her border designs!  Looking forward to what she has designed for us to do.

Austen Family Album Quilt - Block 27 done

This weeks block is King's Crown for King George III who reigned during Jane's lifetime.  

My Bee group suggested I add more green into my blocks after viewing what I had done.  So I found a fun fabric with green accents and then also added a green fabric

Thanks to the comments added to the Austen Family Album blog with the corrections to the directions.  I did need the extra size on the triangle on the bottom to make the block work.

I am really enjoying the block a week project and may miss it when it is over!!!

Quilt Finishes

Recently I finished the binding on my Cabin in the Woods quilt.  

I found this pattern in a 'use your scraps' book and it was fun to do.  My Aunt Bonnie quilted this for me using a falling leaves pattern. 

Tonight I finished the binding on a baby girl quilt that I am making for a co-worker

The pattern is very easy and I think I got the top done in one night. Then it took me a couple of months to get it finished!!

Austen Family Album Quilt - Block #26 Done

Block #26 is Fanny's Favorite for Fanny Knight a niece of Jane Austen's.

This seems to have been the most intricate block yet but I am happy with how my block came out.  

Only a few more blocks left!  Then to figure out how to layout the blocks and if I need to remake any of them.