{Work in Progress}

For the past week, I set aside piecing and focused on my Cross Stitched label.


I last left you in suspense with my mistake. I’ll let you know it has been corrected and I’ll reveal my finished label on Friday…. the suspense!!

If this week wants to slow down some, I’ll start working on my quilt top again. I am ready to start making the star points and I am a little hesitant. Its my first time with the triangles and everything needs to go perfect!

As we speak, my pieces are nestled warm in their coffee filters (I figured out they make great piece dividers) under the protection of my 12×12 ruler. Call him my knight in shining armor! Why, you may ask, is my ruler protecting my pieces? Because my sweet little kitten is actually a Holy Terror.

I can just imagine Four-Patches everywhere… How to scare a quilter, that’s for sure!
What are you working on this week??

-Linking up to WIP Wednesday

Fabric FTW

I was able to hit the store over the weekend and got my fabrics for my Strike Out! quilt.

Blue: Background
Yellow: Accent Stripe
Red: Accent Stripe, Bowling Pin design
Gray: Binding, Accent Stripe, Ball design
Black Minky: Backing
Not Pictured-
Solid Black Cotton: Bowling Ball
Off-White: Bowling Pin

I’m really excited to start this quilt, but also a tad bit scared. This will be my first try at appliqué (freezer paper) and also my first time using minky? Any tricks or tips for either First??

P.S.- While driving, I passed a thrift store that had a sign outside advertising quilting stuff! Hopefully I have time to stop in someday this week to see what they have… I mean, who doesn’t like a deal?

Look Who Needs to Go Back to Kindergarten…

… And the sad thing is someone had to point it out for me…

Label Like Whoa!

I am probably the most scatter brained person you will ever meet. With that said, on Friday, I realized that my Tennessee Waltz quilt top was coming together rather quickly and once I had the top done, I would need to piece the back. The back is where the label goes. My label isn’t even started. I should get started on that. How am I supposed to do my label?? (Those were my thoughts in a nut shell.)

So I began thinking about what I was going to do. I mean I’ve never done a label before. Should I skip the label? Nope, way too important. Plus, I want to win first at State so I need to go all out. Should I use photo transfer paper stuff? That would be quite simple and that’s what the other quilters at State did last year. Nope, I have to go above and beyond. Embroider it? I’ve never done actual embroidery before… Should I chance it? What am I left with?? Ahhhh cross stitch! Now I know how to do that, and I’m rather good at it, but how would it look as a quilt label? To Google I went!

Oooo very nice! But can I do mine this neat, freehanded?

I can definitely do that! So that’s what I am doing.
I made my own pattern following an Alphabet pattern from the internet, then I auditioned some floss for the writing…

And after a few days, this is where I’m at.

I am very happy with how it looks. I just hope all the colors are perfect!

WIP Wednesday

Last night I was up late cutting into My California Girl and started making my Four Patches for the Tennessee Waltz quilt. Its coming out sooooo cute! Squeal-ably cute!!

There are 72 Four Patches total and there are a number of different color combinations. Most Patches are a peach-and-green combo.

My favorite color combo is the yellow-and-solid peach.

A cool trick i just learned was to use a spare ruler as a tray. I could carry probably twenty sets of Four Patches from the cutting table to my machine at once! Now I need to watch how many cookies I eat while sewing!

I was a little scared about the colors and that they would be a little drab. No thoughts about it now! I LOVE how its coming out!
What do you think?

-Linking up to WIP Wedneday
P.S.- Can I say its good to have some WIPs again??

Ah Sugar Sugar

Sugar, ah honey honey
You are my candy girls
And you’ve got me wanting you!

Yesterday, while shopping, I came cross the most gorgeous fabric I have seen for awhile.

To quote the ladies at the quilt shop, Honey Honey by Kate Spain for Moda is “sickeningly pretty.” I don’t know what I’m going to do with it, but I will have a piece of these beauties!

Don’t we all wish we were his pretty?!?

The only thing I don’t like about is line is the name; does anyone else think of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo when you hear Honey Honey?
Of course, I also think of that song Sugar Sugar.

…I can’t believe the loveliness of loving you…

Bag O’ Happy

My super fabulous Quilting Year is off to a rocky start. I’ve done absolutely nothing concerning quilting since the beginning of January and I’m in withdrawal! But with the holiday, I was able to head out to my local quilt shop and brought home a nice big Bag O’ Happy. I picked out all my fabrics for my Quilting Self-Determined for 4-H.

All but one of the fabrics is from the collection California Girl by Joanna Figueros, Fig Tree & Co. for Moda. The green polka dot is from Vintage Modern by Bonnie & Camille for Moda.

This grouping of fabrics will be used for four patches and the centers of stars.

The yellow and green fabrics will be used for star points and the cherry-like fabric will be used for the snowball blocks.

I love this large floral! This is destined to be the backing.

After a $130 bill, I’m super excited to start this quilt! Hopefully tonight I’ll get everything ironed out and start cutting. I am kind of scared to cut though because that cherry-like print is exactly how much I need and I emptied the bolt at the shop. Yikes! Does anyone else get cutting anxiety??

Bucket-List 2013

I want to make this a fabulous quilting year! My goal: 7

#1- Tennessee Waltz Quilt

For 4-H’s Quilting Self-Determined… Make it modern and win big! If it turns out good (let’s cross our fingers) I may put it in the County Fair.
Due: Beginning of June

#2- UnKnown Mini

For 4-H’s You Can Quilt! Most likely a rail fence or alternating 4-patch.
Due: Beginning of June

#3- Strike Out! X2

For my at-the-moment-Best Friend (unfortunately I flop between besties) and my Grandpa. This will be my first try at appliqué. You can buy the pattern here.
Due: End of May, Christmas Time

#4- Farmer’s Wife

For me!! I’ve been drooling over all the fabulous samplers on the internet, and gosh darn it I have to make one too!
Due: End of Year

#5- A Quilt Along
I want to do a quilt along as its actually going along. So, if you hear of any or are hosting one yourself, give me a little ring!

That’s all for specific quilts that I need to make this year. This list is not conclusive; I would be more than happy to make a few that I’ve pinned on Pinterest!
As you can see, I’m very near to my goal of seven quilts this year. With this all mapped out, I realized the first 6 months are going to be CRAZY trying to reach all the deadlines…unfortunately none of the deadlines can be extended. Let’s make this a wonderful, stitchy year anyway!

What are on your 2013 Buckt-Lists?