WIP Wednesday 3-28-2012

Wednesday again!  The next few weeks need to slow down - I have lots to get done!
Finished

• On a Whim - Finished up sewing on the binding this weekend - ready for gifting :) - Blogged

On a Whim



In Progress

• I-Spy Pinwheel - Halfway through the quilting!! This is my #1 priority this week since the birthday girl's party is on Saturday.  Here's a sneak peek-

I-Spy Pinwheel

• Hometown Charity Quilt -  Well I finally got all of the solids cut so hopefully next week I can get the blocks put together!

New

• On a Whim #2 - I loved making this so much that I have to make one for myself!! I was fabric shopping this weekend and when I saw these I knew they'd be perfect :)  I'm thinking I'll pair them with white and a dark grey or navy...  Definitely won't get started for a few weeks though

What have you been working on this week? 

Linking up over at Freshly Pieced!  Be sure to go check out everyone else's progress.

Kelsey 

On a Whim

A quilty finish that I'm definitely going to have a hard time parting with!!  I decided to make a quilt for my cousin and his wife (to-be) as a wedding gift and I finished it up this weekend. 

The pattern is On a Whim by Camille and I made it out of Ruby with Kona White and Kona Khaki.

On a Whim in Ruby

AMAZING Quilting :)

I decided to send this one out to be quilted.  I found Sarah through the Swooning On a Hop Along group on Flickr and she did an AMAZING job with the quilting.  I honestly couldn't be more pleased!!!  She charges an affordable rate, had it back to me within a week, and had lots of pretty designs to choose from.  I will definitely be sending her some more quilts in the future :)

I also must sing the praises of Camille's pattern.  The instructions were easy to follow, comes together relatively quickly and makes a beautiful (and great sized) quilt!

Want to make an On a Whim quilt? Check out the Swooning On a Hop Along group on Flickr and join the quilt along for several of Camille's patterns.



Kelsey

WIP Wednesday - 3/21/12

It's been a slow week over here between St. Patrick's day and sickness, but I did have a finish this week!

Finished

• Sew.Happy.Quilt. QAL quilt top!!  I finished the blocks last week, and managed to sash and add the borders this weekend.  It's all out of the Little Apples and Kona White.

You can check out all of the tutorials over at Sew.Happy.Geek and be sure to check the Flickr group to see everyone else's blocks and tops.

Hope you have a great week!! Linking up at Freshly Pieced - go see what everyone else is working on!

Friday Finishes!

It's just been a busy quilt block kind of week! 

I finally finished the last two blocks for the Sew.Happy.Quilt. QAL (and took pictures of another).  I started on the sashing last night and my border fabric is on it's way to me now so I *should* be able to finish the top this weekend.  I'm bummed that the QAL is coming to an end.  The tutorial have all been great and I've learned some new techniques like the Dresden and foundation piecing!  Be sure to go check out the Flickr group and see how some of the other amazing tops are coming out! 

HST Diamond



QuatraStar



Dresden



I also finished my second block for this month's Heal @ Do.Good Stitches group!  I used this as an inspiration, took parts of it out and drafted some directions myself out of HSTs since I wanted it to have the grid look like my other block.



Pinwheel


Hoping to get some quilting done this weekend - I'm way behind on some projects with deadlines!  Happy St. Patrick's Day too - what are your plans?

Kelsey

WIP Wednesday 3-7-12

Are you having a good week?  We finally resolved the laptop issue and I am really enjoying the new one I got!  I also did some major damage fabric shopping this weekend - But in my defense, it was mostly backing and binding fabric that I needed to get to finish a bunch of projects :)

New Projects:

• Hometown Charity Quilt - Some close family members of ours are biking in the 24 Hours of Booty  bike ride to fight cancer.  As a fundraiser they're having a Scotch Doubles tournament and a silent auction.  They asked me to donate a quilt and I happily agreed.  I'm making Angela's Stary Eyed pattern from the Moda Bake Shop in Hometown.  I'm just plugging along at the cutting and piecing!



Progress!!

 In Progress:

• I-Spy Pinwheel Quilt - Woohoo!  I got the top finished last week and bought the binding and backing last weekend.  I'm planning to quilt it this weekend - my first time FMQing a whole quilt on my machine.  I also have the majority of my tutorial diagrams done so hopefully I can write that up soon too!
• On a Whim - I sent this one out to be quilted and it's getting delivered today!  I'm so excited to see it :)  I've got the binding fabric, I just need to turn it into binding, attach it, and embroider a little label for the back.

Finished:

• Heal @ Do.Good Stitches - I applied a few months ago and am now in a Do.Good Stitches group!!!  For the first month we're doing a pinwheel sampler and I finished my first block last night.  I drafted it myself so I'm thinking about making a little tutorial for this block and a tutorial to make it into a mini.

Interlocking Pinwheels

• Bookshelf Mini Quilt - Finished it this week!  Blogged here.



Bookshelf Mini


I'm linking up over at Freshly Pieced!  Be sure to go and check out what everyone else is working on this week.

Also, there are still spots available for the Charming Green Fabric Swap.  I'm considering extending the date you need to send your fabrics by to after Easter weekend to give people more time.

Kelsey

Bookshelf Modern Mini

I have a cousin who works for a big publishing company, and like me, loves to read.  So when I saw the tutorial for this mini over at Don't Call Me Betsy, I just knew that I had to make her one!  She's one of the few people in my personal life/family that would truly appreciate a mini quilt of books.  I'm mailing it out to her this week as a little surprise gift :) 

I followed Elizabeth's tutorial and raided my scrap basket for the book fabrics and for the selvage pieces for the titles on the spines.  I did some straight line quilting around each of the books and titles and then bound it in the same green solid as the shelf.  It finished at a nice mini 15" x 18".

This was the first time I've used selvages in a project and I really liked it!  I used to just throw them away but now I save them in a jar to use for other projects.

I'm going to enter this in the Ellison Lane Modern Mini Challenge.  Be sure to go check out everyone's entries!

Also linking up over at Sew.Happy.Geek. Manic Monday!

There are still spots available for the Charming Green Fabrics Swap! Sign up if you're interested.

Charming Green Fabric Swap

Anyone who knows me in real life can tell you that my favorite color without a doubt is GREEN!!!  I have green clothes, purses, bedroom, and even a green foyer.  I've decided to host my first charm square swap, and I knew that we had to swap green fabrics.

There are loads of beautiful green fabrics out there to choose from and I can't wait to see everyone's picks!

Info:

1.  The first 23 comments (w/email addresses) will be accepted to the swap.  You must have an active Flickr account.  #24 and #25 will be added as alternates in case anyone needs to drop out.
2. We are swapping 5" charm squares, each person will purchase 2 (1/2 yard) cuts of fabric and cut it  into 5" charm squares. 1/2 yard = 24 charms. You will have 48 total, 24 of each print.
3. Choose a fabric that has a small print suitable for a 5" charm square and whose main color focus is green.
4. Fabric should be designer label, 100% cotton, quilt shop quality fabric.  No Hancocks, Joanns or Michael's fabrics.
5. Upload pictures of your fabric to the swap Flickr group (you'll get an invite to join) and include the name of the fabric, designer, etc. This ensures that there are no duplicate fabrics chosen and allows everyone to find out more about the fabrics in case they would like to order more once they have received their charms. 
6. Fabric must be new and unwashed and must come from a smoke free environment.
7. Before mailing, cut your fabric into 5" x 5" charm squares.  Press your fabric before cutting.  Here's a great tutorial on how to cut fabric into charms. 
8. Put your fabric (48 charms) in a zip lock bag and include an index card with your name, email address and Flickr name. 
9. Mail to me prior to 3/31 and include a self-addressed, stamped envelope so I can return your charm squares back to you!

Since this is my first swap I'm going to keep it limited to US participants only.  To my international readers - if this goes well I'm hoping to do another color next month open to anyone!

If you'd like to participate just comment on this post!  Please be sure that I have a way to email you (either in your blogger profile or leave it in the comment if you are a no-reply blogger).  I'll then email you a quick info sheet to complete and then send you an invite to the Flickr group so we can get started.

Can't Wait!!


**Thank you everyone for your response, and to those who found the group on Flickr.  The swap is now full.  I'd like to do more in the future so be sure to check back.** 3/18/12

Kelsey

February in Review + Small Blog Meet Up

February just flew by - even with the extra day!

Another productive month!

Let's see what we have:

• 3 Sew.Happy.Quilt. QAL Blocks
• 1 Swoon Block
• A mini mixer (and my 1st FMQ project!)
• A valentines wall hanging (didn't blog about this)
• Finished my "On a Whim" top, and the backing and sent it out to be quilted
• Asterisk Block for Quilting for Kids
• I-Spy Quilt Progress- Got all the pinwheels together last night, hoping to put the top together tonight
• Made in Cherry QAL (no pic) The top is almost done, I just need to add some borders to up the size
• I did two charm swaps too!

The only bummer of February - my beloved Macbook died this week :( I've had it since I graduated high school and it's been on it's last leg for a while but it really bummed me out!  So now I'm on the hunt for a new laptop.

Hoping March is just as productive!! I'm starting a new quilt this weekend that's for a charity auction at the the end of April, and I have a few tops to quilt now that I have a free motion foot.

I'm linking up over at Lily's Quilts March Fresh Sewing Day and Small Blog Meet.  Be sure to stop over and check out all the links!

Kelsey