Five Quilts Given New Homes

Last week I was in gift giving mode. I had made several quilts for gifts and it just so happened that the time had arrived to gift them.
My co-worker Amy gave me a bunch of clothes and a toddler bed for Mikaela and I wanted to give her something in return. Amy loves orange, so I used a fat quarter bundle of Central Park paired with the bright orange from the line on the clearance rack to make her a Happy Hour quilt. I didn't want to leave her daughter Remy out, so I made her the Star Struck quilt top using the left over Central Park and another piece from the line. I love how both these quilts turned out and she loved them as well. Remy said it's her good dreams quilt and she hasn't had any bad dreams since she started sleeping under it. What a way to make me feel good!



This quilt was made for my mom for her 50th birthday. She didn't really care for it, she didn't want to be reminded she was getting older. It hung on the quilt rack Paul built for her. My co-worker friend Kim turned 50 this past week, so I gifted her the quilt. She loved it. She's excited to turn 50 and loves the color purple.

This weekend we went to my cousin Bryan's wedding to Cora. I wasn't sure what to make for them, since I don't really know their taste, but I know they both hunt and her family has land in northern MN, so I made this quilt and gifted it to them for their wedding. They both really liked it.

This quilt was one of mom's UFO's and she left it with 5 seams left to finish. She picked up the pattern in MN when we went shop hopping with her cousin Sue. I love the bright colors, but I have too many quilts, so I decided to give this one to Sue for her birthday this past week. She loved the quilt and it will be a reminder of my mom. Sue was my mom's closest cousin and good friend to my mom.


It feels great to give these quilts some new homes and it's time to find homes for some other quilts as well. I've got too many and want to make more for our home. I'll continue to gift quilts as I see the need/someone interested in one of my quilts. I've also decided to sell some to make room for more.

September Quilting Accomplishments

I set a lofty goal to finish the Big Fork Wolf for Paul for the Lovely Year of Finishes. I started working on it early in the month and got all the applique done. I didn't like the background that came with it, so I needed another. Paul and his mom picked out this one and I didn't really like it, so I stalled. Last night I decided it was just going to be that one and I set about piecing the borders at 10 last night and was done by 11! I didn't get a chance to link up, but the satisfaction of finishing the top of my longest ufo was worth the effort. My goal is to finish it by Christmas.


I set another goal to finish 1/4 of the Rubic Star. I have half of it done and have all the large sections pieced now, so I far surpassed that goal.

I forgot my stitching one day, so I worked on this one at work. It now has the 2nd row almost completely on. This is a slow project, but it is coming along nicely. I can't believe how much I finished in just a short day.

I started a couple new projects this month. I made 3 of the 4 blocks for the Star Surround quilt along. These are made of Frolic scraps and are turning out really cute. I hope to finish this top next month.





I also did a 32" Star Surround and finished it, start to finish. I also gifted it, but I'm going to do another post with all the quilts I gifted last week.

I finished this UFO - Central Park Happy Hour and it was gifted as well.

I made Mathew some cute shoes, which sadly do not fit. Baby gift for someone!

I spent time sewing with friends and finished 2 Swoon blocks. I only had 1 on my goal list.

I have 1 Swoon Block left to make.

I also made this sample for a class I am teaching in December.

I completed my goal to finish 2 Ahhhh's this month, but now I have no more ready to piece, so I need to prep a bunch for sewing.



All in all September was a very busy month moving my dad and travelling to MN for a wedding, so I feel great getting 90 hours of sewing time in. A lot of hand sewing was done! I'm looking forward to getting back to my machine and using my new to me cutting table. My October goals include:
Mom's Pink Ribbon Quilt UFO Top
Giveaway Bag
High Chair Sample
Pink/Purple Sample Quilt
Rubic Star Center
Swoon Block
Star Surround Top

I'm linking up for Fresh Sewing Day!

January Quilting Accomplishments

January was a very productive month for me. I'm really impressed with how much I got done, in addition to being in school. I did about half samples and half stuff for me, so considering the samples are my second job I didn't really do all that much for me, but it's sewing and I'm counting it.
I made the Texas Two Step for a Groovy Girls Sample. It's a quick and easy pattern!

I made the Farmyard Friends quilt for a sample for my Happy Hour class I'm teaching.

The Owl Yellow Brick Road was a sample for Groovy Girls as well.

The Wrenly ribbon blanket was a gift for Emilee's baby shower for her daughter Rosaliee.

I made the Sweet Treats sample quilt for the shop.

I quilted up this cute girls quilt for my friend Cindy for a donation to an auction for a cancer patient.

I made Jen a Winding Ways Schelp bag to match her SBS binder. It was a bit belated as birthday gift for her. She loves it and I think was a bit surprised.

I made this baby quilt for my co-workers new baby. It's called Dippity Daisy.

I quilted up this growth chart for Mikaela.

I used my scraps from the leftovers of my Buggy Barn HST's to make a couple fun blocks.

I made three different friendship blocks I will embroider and quilt for friends as wall hangings.



I made 2 of these quick Valentine blocks and plan to make wall hangings or table toppers.

I made 4 Friendship quilts for my quilting buddies.

I made the Waffle Time Table runner for a Groovy Girls sample.

I am in the process of finishing the binding on the Wave Table Runner made as a sample for Groovy Girls.


So I sewed 102 hours in January, celebrated Mikaela's 1st Birthday, made 5 samples, made lots of blocks out of HST's, used my 1/4" foot (I know what a shock!), quilted a couple quilts, did my first donated quilting, and wrote 2  1500 word papers and 8 300 word discussion posts. Whewww it's been a busy month. Good thing there is that 31 on the month and 2 holiday days off! I also did all 5 weeks worth of WIP Wednesday posts. They may be duplication for some, but they really keep me on track with posting and making sure I take pictures and upload them. I finished all my goals except the quilting binding on the Jim Shore quilt. I sure hope to finish it soon. I also didn't get all the blocks of the Crown Royal quilt done, but I did work on the blocks, so I'm proud of that fact!
I've started two new quilt tops, Little Confetti and Merry Go Round, both using scraps... I know please gasp again, but I've been making a lot of samples and have lots of bits and pieces left, so I'm working on cleaning them up. I also have a stack to cut for 5" charms. If anyone wants my little leftover bits that don't fit 5" charms or 2 1/2" strips let me know and I'd be glad to send them your way. I've just got to reduce the clutter a bit. I'm also so close to making a Winding Ways quilt. To the point that I have pulled all my dark jewel colored batik fat quarters and I'm going to pick up some light colored batiks for the opposite and do a quilt with those colors. I was just going to do a two color one, but I figured that might be kind of boring and I've had about 20 fat quarters in dark purple/green/blue/marroon that I want to use up, so this is the key. I'd like to have them cut out to sew at retreat.
Retreat is coming together awesome!! I have 10 for sure and we may be able to have a few more, so still open to a couple more if anyone is interested. I'm super excited! I'm planning to make the  Winding Ways, the Crown Royal top, the BOM top, a construction baby blanket, a Loralie quilt of my moms, sign language baby quilt, Mocha Meringue top, and who knows what else I will make, but lots of tops out of blocks I already have made with a few Winding Ways blocks for something different.

WIP Wednesday Week 2 1/11/12

This week was a busy one! I had lots to finish and I even forgot to take pictures of some finishes. I guess I was so excited to finish them.
I made the Texas Two Step top for Groovy Girls club.

I finished the Happy Hour Snapshots quilt for a class sample for a class I'll be teaching at the end of this month/beginning of Feb. This is also Mikaela's 1st Birthday present.

A close up of the quilting. I just love the Farmyard Friends fabric from Studio e.

A Yellow Brick Road top for Groovy Girls as well. I love this pattern and have made a lot of quilts from it.

I made this taggy blanket for Emilee's daughter Rosalie. We had a shower for Emilee at Groovy Girls, so I finished it this week.

She loves Wrenly, so I know she'll love the blanket.

I also finished the 4 friendship quilts I made for my quilty friends. I guess I forgot to take a picture of the finished quilts though. I was down the wire finishing them! This is what the pieced part looked like.

This is a picture Shonna took of hers hanging up. I'll have to get a close up, but I just love how it looks there. I can't remember the saying I embroidered on them for sure, but it was something like Good Friends are like quilts, they get old, but never loose their warmth.

This week I cut out this sample for the store. I think it's going to go together quicker than I expected. I'm excited, since I LOVE Valentine's Day!

Finished this week:
Texas Two Step Top - Groovy Girls Sample
YBR - Groovy Girls Sample
Farm Friends Baby Happy Hour Quilt
Ribbon Blanket
4 Friendship Quilts
Binding on Beach Balls Quilt
Ongoing projects:  (and progress this week on them)
Winding Ways Schlep Bag - On Hold
Jim Shore Quilt - Quilted and binding machine sewn on -  1 1/2 sides done - No Progress
Valentine's Quilt - Cut Out
Completed tops awaiting quilting:
Blush Quilt
No progress:
Pokey Little Puppy Book
Prayers Book
3 Mug Rugs
Buggy Barn Pink/Brown Extra Blocks
Ed's Crown Royal Quilt - 2/3 of the way done on the last set of blocks
Mocha Meringue Wonder Blocks

This week's stats:
Completed projects -7
New projects - 1
Currently in progress - 9
Finished this year - 5 , 3 Sample


I'm linking up for WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced!