LOVE Block

Our MQG group does a block party where we trade blocks with everyone who wants to and everyone ends up with enough blocks to put together a quilt made by others in the group. We start with an inspiration block so participants get the idea of what to do. 

Block Party block for Zany Quilter   Jan. 2012

As you can tell I had some issues. I did that 'E' over 3 times! I have never done letters before so it was certainly a learning experience. She said I could do something a little different so there you have it. Hope she likes it.

Oh No, Granny Squares!

I went to my Farmers Wife group last night but I did not work on my Farmers Wife blocks. I was naughty and started a new project that I had cut with my friends Accuquilt Studio over the Christmas holidays. Lots of women in our group have finished or are working on this and I caught the bug.

Granny Square       Jan. 2012

Yes, it's the granny square! Not your typical granny square though. I made two last night so this will be an ongoing project. The second one took me about 2 hours. I hope to finish 30. The background is the black and white so it should be fun. My fabric therapy is coming along very well. 


It is amazing when you cut the fabric but don't start the project until a month later. It seems like the cutting (which is my least favorite part) was done by someone else! The Accuquilt cutting system really cuts down on cutting time.


Happy sewing!

Farmers Wife Night

Tonight is Farmers Wife night with the girls. Where do the weeks go? I needed some motivation to do some more blocks so I photographed each one that I have done so far.

Block #1. I know this is over the top with the prints but the one thing I do know is you won't find another one like it!

Block #2. I had not decided my sashing would be black when I did this block.

Block #6. I have to do #4 and #5 over. I forgot when you paper piece that you have to cut your strips much wider than I did. Oops!

Block #9. I decided to do mine a little different. Who would guess?

Block #9. The blue fabric is one that I LOVE, is old and I never wanted to use it up but it was perfect for this block. We all have those kind that we just hate to cut up.

Block #11. This is another I did before I decided on black sashing.

Block #19

Block #20

Block #21

Block #29

Block # 64


A total of 14 with the other 3 I posted some time back. For those of you who aren't familiar with Farmers Wife all these blocks are 6 1/2". Over the weekend a friend in another Farmers Wife group showed us her finished top! She added a few extra from the Insane quilt (we had started but discontinued) to enlarge her quilt. At this point I can't even imagine Farmers Wife finished.


Have a happy...

Duffle Bag

I just dropped my friend off at the airport for her journey back to Portland. We shared a lot of laughs, sewing, talking about old times and lots of new ones. She came armed with a pattern of which I would have never attempted on my own. It is in the Urban Sacs book by Sue Spargo. It was a challenge but we got them done.

Duffel Bags 1/19/12

Can you guess which one is mine???

Duffel 1/19/12

Lynne holding both of our bags and 'working'.

We put 'leather' on the bottom so there are no worries what you set your duffel on.

Last but not least I had to add the bling. I do live in Las Vegas.

Glass beads left over from my beading days.

I almost forgot the lining. There are so many layers of batting in it and it's so soft and thick nothing will be harmed while being transported in this bag. Thank you Lynne for kneeling on the cool deck and pounding the grommets in on the concrete.

With all the sewing gigs I am attending I can fill this up with project materials, throw it over my shoulder and be hands free to pull my other supplies that are on wheels.

Now it's time to cut fabric for my weekend project for my in town retreat starting tomorrow!

Thanks Lynne for the fun week. Happy sewing.

Why Do I Do These Kind?

I have been sewing, but mostly I have been organizing my already started projects and cleaning up for my friends visit on Sunday. We have a really cool project to work on while she is here and I will reveal what it is after she arrives and we start sewing. 


I know you have seen this one before but now all I have to do is sew the rows together. 

Pick Up Sticks  Jan. 2012

A friend let me borrow her Accuquilt Studio over Christmas break. She is a teacher and they have two weeks off so she went home to Michigan. I cut strips and squares and had a wonderful time. It really is as easy as they say and you can cut an entire project in no time. I needed to return it so I made her a zipper pouch to use when she goes to the gym as a little thank you.

Zipper Pouch Jan. 2012

I needed a break from cleaning my room so yesterday after reading a new book, Create Your Own Free-form Quilts by Rayna Gillman I got my old 'not motivated but want to sew' box of sewn together strips and made this!

Zipper Pouch  Jan. 2012

It started out as a journal cover but it was too big so I turned it into a zipper pouch. It was lined so that's why I couldn't just cut some off to fit the journal. Some of those sewn together strips were years old. You do look at them different when you haven't seen them for awhile. It needs more curves.

Have a great weekend.

Yikes, Scraps Everywhere

While I was in the east visiting my sister we found a sale that included some older pattern Marimekko shower curtains. Marimekko fabric has been a favorite of mine since my mom used to wear clothes made out of that fabric in the 70's. Some of their fabric is heavy cotton canvas but what I found is regular 100% cotton quilting weight for a very good price. A friend loaned me her Accuquilt Studio cutter and these were some of the scraps that were left over.

Marimekko shower curtains 2012

It is about 24"x 24" and I am trying to figure out if I should border it in black or not. I also need to figure out what I am going to do with it. Pillow or ??? Ideas are welcome.

Happy days!