Super Secret Project Revealed ~ Strip On!

Back in September I tested a pattern for GE Designs for Gudrun's new book Strip On! The book is now out and I have a copy in my hot little hands! Here is the quilt I made from the book. It's a twin size. It calls for medium dark strips, but I used light, medium, and dark pinks on a white background. It was challenging for me to work with scrappiness. I love how it turned out though. The quilt is called Angler's Choice.

The edge has a border that finishes out the blocks so it comes out even. I was surprised by how many pinks I actually had in my stash.

I plan to get it quilted when I get back from my trip.


Today in the mail I received this awesome box of fabric and the new book from Gudrun for testing the pattnern. I love all the fabric and can't wait to make something out of it.


This is probably my favorite piece. I love the colors and the texture of the stripes.

I absolutely love the new book and can't wait to make some of the quilts out of it.
Her Fast and Furious quilt book is one of my favorite new books this year and I'll be teaching the Lickity Split Baby quilt as a class out of it on December 8th. It's a very fast quilt as you go baby quilt and I hope I have a lot of students in the class.


100 Blocks 100 Days ~ 176 Blocks/ Day 39

Gobble Gobble Wall Hanging and Tablerunner

The Gobble Gobble Wall Hanging was one of my project goals for the month of October. I pulled it out last night and played with the lay out. I started sewing the sides. Tonight I put the top and bottom and both sides on it. I need to get some thread to quilt it with, but I'll probably wait until after I get back from my trip.

I had enough charm squares left to make a tablerunner. It's a quick tablerunner out of the Atkinson Design's Let's Do Lunch Book. I made the tablerunner top in less than an hour.



100 Blocks 100 Days ~ 176 Blocks/ Day 39

Disney Package

Yesterday was an exciting day! Each of us attending the Disney Institute received a special package from the South/Southeast Region, the hosts of the Leadership Meeting. We received A Mickey Mouse bag, a cup full of trinkets - pencils, erasers, notepad, and snacks, a Big Mickey stuffed animal, Mickey ears, a Mickey mug, and a box (in the center) bursting with small candy bars. It was so fun to open the box and receive all these fun gifts.
Today we received our tickets/luggage tags for the Disney Magical Express which will take our bags to the hotel for us. Only 6 Days till Disney World! I fly out Tuesday morning at 6:06AM!



100 Blocks 100 Days ~ 176 Blocks/ Day 38

Quilters ADD weekend

This weekend I felt like I was a Quilter with ADD. I jumped from project to project to project. I didn't finish anything, but I did get a lot accomplished. There is only one project I haven't touched on my October goals - Gobble Gobble. I have 8 days to at least try to work on it. Then I leave for Disney World and won't be back until the 31st!
Saturday I worked my first day at The Sewing Center. Since the quilt shop I worked at closed, I took a part time job at TSC. I'll also be teaching Janome Basics classes, Beginning Machine Quilting, and Fast & Furious Baby Quilt classes in Nov/Dec. The newsletter should come out this week, so I'm hoping lots of people sign up for all my classes. The day was great and I sold my first machine! It was definately a crazy busy day. Since they close earlier on Sat. I was home by 3 and ready to sew! I quilted a floor mat for my favorite toddler. It's a baby quilt size, so it quilted up quickly.
Later I helped Paul clean out the garage since the weather was in the 70's. I found a great table that would work for my cutting table. I just had to convince him to clean it off!
In the evening while Paul was watching the race I worked on the first Crown Royal quilt. I had it on my design wall as a large throw, so I needed about 10 more blocks. A quick text from my bro Ed and I realized he'd really like a double size, so my 52 blocks turned in to 3 1/2 rows and I now need to make 91 more blocks! Since they don't really have to be layed out, I sewed the first 4 rows together. Then I worked at laying out the Koi OBW. I got it looking a little better, but it was late so I quit for the day. Here's the layout I came up with.

Sunday after church, errands, and deep cleaning the house, I convinced Paul to let me use the table. I cleaned out the closet, cleaned up the cutting area and we moved the furniture. I got my cutting/ironing surface all cleaned up and I was ready for a new project. I trimmed up the 3 baby quilts I had quilted and put binding on each of them. Then I went back to working on the OBW. I got about half of the first two rows together. The one's on the far right in the picture below are sewn together. Then I went upstairs to watch Amazing Race and I did the hand stitching of binding on the first quilt. I got one side done in the hour I worked on it. Then it was back to working on the OBW again. I finished the first two rows before calling it a night. It's really easy to sew the pieces together, but more challenging to keep them in the right order.

My goals this week are to finish sewing the rows for the OBW and hopefully get the top together without borders. I'd like to get some more CR blocks fussy cut out and get them made up. Maybe I'll shoot for two more rows of blocks. I also want to pull out my Gobble Gobble fabric and start playing with it. I'm going to work on the bindings during my lunch hours this week.


100 Blocks 100 Days ~ 176 Blocks/ Day 36

Crown Royal Quilt Layout

The first Crown Royal Quilt is coming together. I made another 21 blocks tonight and then layed it out on the design wall. I think I'll do at least one more row to the right, but possibly 3 more rows depending on who claims it first and what size the recipient wants it.


I started these about 3 years ago, just collecting the bags. Two years ago friends of my dad and brother gave me a hundred or so. Last year they gave me another 50 or so. I plan to make 4 quilts, but I'm not sure of the size they want them. I'm thinking three throws and a queen size.

I saw a pattern, but completely reworked all the pieces to fit the size of my squares.

100 Blocks 100 Days ~ 176 Blocks/ Day 31

Baby Sign Language Quilt Blocks Done!

Last night Jenn invited me to quilt at her house. She was working on her crazy log cabin blocks wall hanging and I worked on the Baby Sign Language quilt. I had all the blocks cut out and in three hours I was able to complete all the blocks and help Jenn figure out her sashing/backing for her quilt. We had a great time visiting and catching up.
She made an awesome enchilada supper and her amazing husband Jake was on clean up duty and watched the kids, so we could sew. I always enjoy our sewing times together. We both got a lot done and had a ton of fun. Here's the baby quilt as I have it laying on her floor. I was able to add 20 more blocks to my block a day total.





100 Blocks 100 Days ~ 130 Blocks/ Day 31

Design Wall

Tonight I put the clean ironing board covers back on and recovered the design wall with freshly washed white flannel. Since I had the design wall out of it's usual space, I decided to work on my One Block Wonder. I have it all put up on the wall, but it needs some work before I start sewing it together. I took a picture so I could get a feel for how it would look and which pieces I needed to move. I'll probably have to have my quilting expert come out and help me one of these nights as she has an awesome eye for how this should look.

Today at lunch I cut out most of a new baby quilt I'm making. The only part I didn't get cut out were the main squares. I had forgotten my 6 1/2" square to fussy cut these for the center squares. I'll cut them out tomorrow and then I'm going to sew them together tomorrow night at Jenn's. We're having a girls sewing night and I figured this would be a fun and fast quilt to make.

These are two different angles of the main blocks. I believe there are 10 different signs, which is the perfect number for the quilt I'm making. Hopefully I'll be able to add some blocks to my total after tomorrow night.



100 Blocks 100 Days ~ 110 Blocks/ Day 28

Productive Weekend

I feel like I had one of the most productive weekends! I actually got to spend several hours each day quilting which I always enjoy. Last night I made this Tag-a-long bag for my Disney trip. I made it in a little over 3 hours starr to finish. It has a zipper in in which will be great for carrying my camera and wallet.



Today I had grand plans to quilt, but first I started by doing a thorough cleaning of my sewing studio. I re-organized my books and magazines, dusted, swiffered, and mopped. It feels great to be able to start quilting in a clean room. I started by quilting this Noah's Ark quilt. I had put the borders on it earlier in the week, so it was ready to be quilted. I was able to get it done in a couple hours.

It's for a very close friend who just had a little boy. I hope they like it. I still have binding to put on, but the quilting is done.

Then I loaded this baby quilt for my friend Angie's little girl Hannah. I quilted green in the borders and a multi all over the center. This one still needs binding, but it's completely quilted.

I used a light thermore batting, so it will be more snuggly.


Yesterday was my last day to work at the quilt shop. This week it will be moving. While I've really enjoyed it for the last year, it was so nice to have today off. On my last day I picked up some of the baby sign language fabric. I have a quilt planned and I think I may even start it this week. I'm sewing with Jenn this week, so it should be a fun, easy quilt to make while we catch up. I'm really looking forward to all the projects I can complete now.

100 Blocks 100 Days ~ 110 Blocks/ Day 27

Professional Tote Done!

Last night I was determined to finish my professional tote. I had the outside part done and just had to make the lining pockets and put it all together. It took me close to 3 hours, but it's done! I left out the center pocket and so far I really like it without that center pocket. The first time I made the bag it was something like 20+ hours. Jen's took around 16 hours. I spent about 12 hours on it this time. Leaving out the center pocket probably saved me a good 2 hours, a yard of fabric and a half yard of decor bond.
The outside:

The inside:

The other side:

The finished bag!



Tonight I cleaned out the fabric closet a bit. I cut out a baby quilt and would like to get it pieced this week so I can quilt it. I will have to pick up some thread to quilt it, but I need to get busy making baby quilts. I'm already two behind and I have two other friends having babies in the new year.


100 Blocks 100 Days ~ 110 Blocks/ Day 24

Spearfish Canyon

Today Paul and I took a drive to Spearfish. We did some shopping and looking. Then we drove through Spearfish Canyon. It was a beautiful drive and we got to see all the leaves changing. We drove mostly in rain, but by Roughlock Falls there was snow!


We stopped at Bridal Veil Falls and took some pictures.


See the snow in the upper hills? Hard to believe it's already October and there is snow!

It was so relaxing to have a day off to spend driving around enjoying the beauty of the hills with my wonderful husband. Paul loves to watch the MPG changing and the change between 3 and 6 cyl in the car while he's driving! We are both finding new things we love about it every day. Last night we figured out how to get the back seats to come down for more cargo room.



100 Blocks 100 Days ~ 110 Blocks/ Day 21

It's Official...

This week we found out the quilt shop that mom and I work at, Quilt Corral Too, will be closing October 11. It was made official during Strip Club on Sat. at the shop. It was so hard to say good-bye to all the amazing and wonderful customers I have met over the past year and a half I've worked there. The shop will be moving back to Mistletoe Ranch, but because of the 60+ mile drive, it's not feesible to drive there to work. I don't know what the future holds, but I've enjoyed working in the quilting industry and I'll find another niche to fill somewhere. I absolutely love teaching classes and helping beginners get into quilting. It has been my dream part-time job.
I have been getting behind on my quilting projects, so I should have plenty of stash stocked up to keep me busy while I decide if I want another part time job. I have two projects I know of that I hadn't bought fabric for, so on Sat. I got the fabric for both. When I decided to do the One Block Wonder I was too chicken to try it with full priced fabric, so I used sale fabric. Since I have the blocks done, I saw how easy it was to do, and I want to do it with the fabric I originally wanted to use. When we first got the cowgirls in, I fell in love with them. I wasn't sure what I was going to do, but with all the colors I figured they would make an awesome One Block Wonder. I picked up 5 yards on Sat, so I should be able to get a nice sized quilt out of it.

I'm also planning to make a wedding quilt for a very special cousin. She's getting married next year and I know what I want to do, but just hadn't gotten the fabric. I picked up this cool spiral fabric that I'll use as it's in colors I know she loves.

This weekend I have been busy making a professional tote for my trip to Disney World. I am using the purple/teal/navy batik that I used for my star quilt. The contrast is teal and the lining is purple. I have the front, back, and sides done. I was ready to sew it together tonight when our electricity went out. The whole neighborhood was out for almost 2 hours. I hope to be able to finish the professional tote this week. So far I haven't had any problems with it.
Front:

Back:





100 Blocks 100 Days ~ 110 Blocks/ Day 21