Design Wall Monday

My design wall looks the same as last time except that I've switched out the focus fabric for another one.  I auditioned several that I found in my stash, but think I've decided on this one.  I have enough of it without buying more new fabric and I think it brightens up the quilt and makes it a bit more modern than the green flowered one. Someone at work told me the green looked like "old lady" choice of fabric !  Well, I am not a teenager, so I guess that explains my original choice of fabric.  I still like it, but maybe not for this quilt. :)

original fabric choice

2nd fabric choice

Of course it looks different when you get all the blocks and rows together on the wall, but I think this works better overall.  The green that I bought for the inner border will work well with this print too - whoopee, so I don't need to change everything.

Half of the rows are put together, so by next week I should have the top finished (if I can come up with a final border fabric).  Jump on over to Judy's and see other design walls.

Stash Report - Week 18 and More

I was in Paducah  for the AQS show this past week; and believe it or not, I was able to resist adding to my stash. In fact the only fabric I brought home with me was the half package of charm squares that AQS gave as a gift for renewing my membership.  Not sure what that equates to, but I'm not going to counting it. My totals are the same as last week. Fabric Added -0; Fabric Used -0; YTD Added - 15 yds, YTD Used - 20.338 yds.

Here are a few of the items that came home with me. The purse pattern uses a chenille technique and I bought the teal leather handles because they were on the sample they had and it really looked good on theirs. I guess that will limit my fabric choices, but I like most colors that will go with dark teals. They had so many cute designs I wanted one of each.  The eReader Wristlet pattern was a birthday gift from my friend who went with me.  I usually celebrate my birthday every year in Paducah since it falls during the show.  This works out nicely for me and also for my DH because he gives me $$ and says get what you want!

Have any of you seen the gal that demos how to mend holes or tears and cuts in all kinds of fabric?  Well every year I watch her and think, maybe I should get some of her 007 bonding agent.  You just never know when you might need it, right?  Then I talk myself out of it -- year after year.  Well, I gave in this year.  They even threw in some extra products to try.  What a deal!  I hope I don't need to use it too often, but I have a lifetime supply if anyone needs to mend a small hole accidentally cut or tore while quilting or appliqueing.

Click on over to Judy's and see what others did this week. 

Design Wall Monday

I'm working on my design wall today trying to layout the gift quilt I mentioned earlier.  Remember these fabrics?  I have them pressed and ready to strip piece the alternate block.  I love using my portable clothes dryer to arrange my strips when making lots of sets.  It keeps them organized and wrinkle free. It's especially pretty when you are doing a log cabin-type quilt with lots of colors for each block.

I got a bunch of the strips sewn and blocks cut and up on my wall.  I'm not real happy with the way it looks, though.  I love that floral with the pink cosmos flowers, but it looks almost too dark with the other colors.  I may have to re-think this choice.  Darn, and I wanted this to be a quick and easy project.  Back to the drawing table.

While I'm redrawing take a look at other design walls over at Judy's.

Stash Report - Week 17

This week's report is easy - nothing or out!!!  I'm still working on the fabric I bought for the graduation quilt.  I've started cutting and strip piecing. Check tomorrow on my design wall of my progress.

In the meantime, here is the robin-cam update.   All 4 babies are hatched and growing.  It's a very dark picture because of not using the flash and shooting into the light, but all 4 babies are craning their necks in anticipation for mom coming to feed them. Clicking on picture will make it more clear and enlarge it.

Here's mom bringing them lunch.

There wasn't enough to go around, and she made several trips with worms this big to feed the hungery crew.

 Even dad decided to help with lunch time.  In fact, he brought and shared with the Mrs.  Here they are together on the nest resting a bit after making the "Worms Dujour" delivery. 

The babies can't get enough.  Even after the parents flew away, any sound near their nest makes them open up their little beaks and ask for more! 

Won't be long now and they will outgrow the size of the nest and have to move out.  I worry about that day because if mom pushes them out of the nest too soon or they fall out because of over crowding, they have a long way down and it's not a soft landing below.  Hopefully they will make it fine and not break their necks or wings when they hit the ground.

Fly on over to Judy's and see what others have done with the stash this week. 

A Bright Finish

Taxes were finally finished Tuesday and mailed!   Now I'm back to catching up on quilting a few customer quilts.  This is a large t-shirt quilt from a friend for her granddaughter.  This is only her 2nd quilt she has ever made and she did a wonderful  job on it.  I love all the bright fabrics she used to border the shirts.  Her choice for the border fabric worked nicely with the colors in the quilt too.  It was fun to quilt and turned out flat, square and very heavy!!   Her granddaughter won't be able to turn over easily when she sleeps under it, but she will be very, very warm! :)

Robin's Nest Update

I try to check the nest several times a day, but momma is always sitting on her eggs and I've never been able to see what's under her.  Well, finally on Sunday she was gone for a few minutes when I looked, and this is what I saw!!!  She has 2 little bundles of joy, so far.  You can see there are still 2 beautiful blue eggs left to hatch.  It won't be long now since the weather has warmed up a lot and she will be busy keeping these two warm and fed.   It's about time for Mr. Robin to make his appearance and pitch in to help her, don't you think??

My First Blog Award !!!

 

Being relatively new to the blogging world, I was stunned to see that I have been awarded the prestigious Liebster Award by Teresa at A Quilt and a Prayer .  I am thrilled and honored to be chosen by someone that is an inspiration and help to me in so many ways to get into the swing of blogging.  

Not having heard of this award, I did a little research. and now I'm not only thrilled and delighted, but also a little intimidated -- I will try to live up to her expectations.  Maybe this is what it feels like for ball players when they get called up from the minor league to try their hand in the majors.  Thank you so much Teresa!!  It's a delight to be one of your blog friends.
This is what I found out:
The Liebster is awarded to up-and-coming bloggers that deserve to be recognized, but have less than 200 followers.  It takes it's name from the German word meaning "beloved, dearest or favorite".  And of course, the Award comes with just a few "rules" which are:

1) Post about your win on your blog.
2) Link back to the blogger who presented you with the award.
3) Copy and Paste the award to your blog.
4) Present the award to 5 blogs that have less than 200 followers
5) Let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

I have the first 3 covered .  Step #4 is a bit more difficult.  There are so many blogs that I read and enjoy, it's hard to only choose five.  Since the spirit of this award is partially aimed at newer, less establishsed bloggers, here are my nominees for the Liebster Award.

1. Laura at Sewing Out of My Comfort Zone - If you like flower gardening, you will love Laura's photos of her flowers.  They are so beautiful, they almost look artificial--like a photo from a seed catalog. Very inspiring and so beautiful.  She also makes scrap quilts, which is one of my loves too and you should see her Pineapple Passion quilt.

2.  Jennifer at Quilting Mom's Blog - Jennifer has lots of wonderful quilt projects and when she recently traveled to the IQF show in Cincinnati, she shared pictures.  Her blog is always a delight to read and view.  I usually am motivated to start a new project after reading her blog.

3. Susan at The Proficient Needler - Susan's blog is a feast for the eyes.  She is a woman of many talents and posts pictures of interesting places as she travels between her two homes.  I always learn something when I read her blog.  She is an accomplished seamstress and prize winning quilter and stitches embroidered samplers that take more patience that I have.

4.  Patti at Osage Bluff Quilter - Patti's blog is filled with family, activities around her home, baking, quilting and whatever is happening in her corner of the world.  She writes in such a friendly way that you feel you've been friends for a long time -- and you've never even met her!  I enjoy seeing what she's been up too lately.  You'll get a chuckle out of her "lawn ornament" that was just removed from her lawn.  Check it out on her video.

5. Julie Kaye at Happy To Be Scrappy - Julie's blog is filled with lots of quilt pictures and how she decorates with them.  She has just finished a scrappy quilt that is just perfect for the location she choice to display it on. 

Since I'm in charge of the microphone --- I would also like add 2 more to my list. My two good friends who have been very supportive in my quilting and blogging adventures.  They are more "established" bloggers, and were my first 2 followers.

Barb at Barbs Cats and Quilts - Barb is a feline foster mom to lots of kitties and an wonderful quilter. Her blog is filled with pictures of cats and quilts, hence her blog name.
Sandy at Sew...This is My Blog - Sandy is an award winning quilter and shares family pictures and adventures, and lots of quilts she has made for her friends and family.
Now I am passing the microphone on to these nominees and it's their turn to play it forward.

Design Wall Monday

My design wall has not changed much for a few weeks, so I haven't shown it to you.  Instead I'm getting started on a new quilt for a relative, and have picked her favorite colors. Can you guess what they are?

While I was at a quilt show in historical Hannibal, MO this week (you know the city where Tom Sawyer painted the picket fence), well would you believe there was a vendor with 3 yard cuts of 108" wide backs --and this one just jumped into my hands.  Don't you think it is perfect for the back of this quilt.  Now I won't have to worry about piecing a back and maybe can get this finished before her graduation party.

By next week's design wall I will have some of these blocks on my design wall for sure.  Who knows, maybe even the whole top!  Ha ha. I know you are laughing at that remark, but it "could" happen.  In the meantime, stop by Judy's to see what others have been up to this past week.

Stash Report - Week 16

I have been trying to be so good and not buy, but I finally couldn't stand it.  I picked up some beautiful coordinating fabrics at our LQS to make a quilt for a favorite relative (it's a surprise).  Then I went to a quilt show in historic Hannibal, MO on Friday and found the perfect backing fabric to go with it.  What luck - it's a 108" wide back--perfect for the colors I'm using on the front of the quilt.   I'll have pictures of them tomorrow.  Right now I've got to get back to finishing my taxes!!  Ugh!!  Why do I wait until the last minute?  Next year I will not procrastinate.

Used this Week:  0 yards
Used year to Date:  20.338 yards
Added this Week:  9 yards
Added Year to Date:  15 yards
Net Used for 2012:  5.338 yards

Stash Report - Week 15

This is a sign that Spring has really arrived at my house.  This nest is located outside our 2nd floor bedroom on the window sill.  It's a bit foggy because I'm taking it through a window and screen with my phone.  Aren't those 4 eggs a beautiful color of blue??  She came back so quickly I could only get one shot at it.
My stash report remains the same from last week.   I did work on attaching bindings to two QOV quilts, but the bindings were provided to me.

Used this week -  0
Used YTD - 20.338 yards
Added this week - 0 yards
Added YTD - 6 yards
Net Used for 2012 - 14.348

Jump on over to Judy's to see what everyone else did this week.

The Easter Bunny Came Early

Isn't this the cutest basket?  I must have been a good little quilter because the Easter Bunny filled it with good things!  A wonderful friend made up this basket for me and filled it with purple fat quarters,  my favorite color and dark chocolates.  Wasn't that sweet of her?  She's just that kind of friend to do something so unexpected and nice.

Design Wall Monday

My design wall is pretty much the same with a few more string blocks added, but I have been busy quilting.  I finished up a T-shirt quilt.  There were 30 volleyball t-shirts in this one.  The young lady it belongs to is a "star" volleyball player and is headed to college in the Fall . This will give her many good memories.

Look in on Judy's to see more design walls.



Stash Report - Week 14

My fabric stash is not reducing fast enough, but I did make some progress.  I pulled the red and white strip fabric from my stash to make a binding for a hand quilted QOV we finished on Wednesday.  I also finished quilting a friend's quilt, but nothing from my stash was used except for thread! 

Results for Week:
Used this week -  .5 yard
Used YTD  - 20.338 yards
Added this week - 0 yards
Added YTD - 6 yards
Net Used for 2012 - 14.348
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BnP - QOV

Check out what others have done this week over at Judy's.