This Challenge WAS Mania!!

There was not enough coffee in the world for this challenge.

 It started with one inch half square triangles....which finished to half inch squares!!

Which made nine shoo fly blocks.

 Added some homemade piping and a loop.

 And chartreuse perle cotton.  Mania I tell you....mania!

I'm not getting sucked in again....no more one inch stuff for me!;)

I'm worried about the next challenge!

Keeping me smiling is Hermione the Chicken. Gotta love her...

...and these lovely eggs!  

Heheheh....no...did not get these from Hermione.  If I had I'd be rich!:)

~d

ps...thanks for all the wonderful comments on my Medley of Jen quilt!:)

Medley of Jen (Kingwell)...the quilt!

It started with Green Tea and Sweet Beans.  

No, not the foods....the quilt pattern.

Then I saw the quilt in person at the 2014 Fat Quarter Retreat in London while at a class with said enabler.  I learned some good tricks.  Enough that I felt comfortable giving it a try.

But then I saw Bring Me Flowers, The Circle Game,  Gardenvale Stars AND Jen's newest book Quilt Lovely (almost wrote loverly!)  I was torn.  There was no way I could (or would) ever do all those quilts. While pondering with itchy fingers something magical came to the shop!

 Gardenvale the fabric line arrived and I was a goner!

 Beginning of May the first stitches were sewn and teases were shown with the above peeks.

It was very easy combining Gardenvale with loads of other fabrics for that scrappy look.

Thought I was done then Quilt Lovely came to our shop. 

 Glitter, Mrs. Bannister's Stars, She Loves You, Home Run and Flea Market Dash called to me.

Make me....make me....make me...make me....make me too!

So I did.  Over half of all the blocks in this quilt were done using 

English paper piecing and applique. 

Next brilliant idea was to hand quilt it all.  Not one of my best since it's been averaging over 90 degrees (32.2C for you peeps across the pond) most days and we don't have our window air conditioners in yet!

Quilting it in sections using size 12  Perle cotton kept the quilt sandwiches smaller. This way I didn't have so much draped across my lap.

(Doe and Succulent on the back)

Before sewing on the bottom section I accidentally trimmed off the piece that was supposed to be turned under and blind stitched hence that loooooong skinny strip of yellow!  If anyone asks I'll say I meant to do that.  You'll keep my secret right?:)

Introducing...

 Medley of Jen!

 Had the MOST fun stitching and appliqueing.

 Putting the puzzle together in a pleasing way.

 Hand quilting, hand quilting, hand quilting and then of course a nice wash and dry up!

Crinkly goodness at it's very best!

Now she hangs in the shop and will be at Hershey end of July AND Houston end of October at the Webfabric.net booth.  

If you are there go say hi!!:)

~d

PS.....I'll be at Houston too!!!:)

Sixth Finish and progress

Yippie...several weeks before the end of the 2nd quarter Finish Along 2015 and I am DONE...for the moment!

 Here is the 6th finish...the lovely Modern Buzzsaw from Amy Smart's book 

Fabulously Fast Quilts.  I really like this quilt for so many reasons mostly the fabrics. It's like a snuggle from my carpenter hubby....not that I can't have the real thing all the time!

This was machine quilted with straight lines an inch or so from the seams and I tied the center of each square with some navy perle cotton.

 The back is a Kaffe that I have been hording until I could figure out what to do with it.

This is my new favorite way to finish the binding.  Sew it on the back then bring it to the front and use perle cotton to stitch it down.  Still hand stitching but takes a third of the time and adds a little extra detail.  Fun and Fabulously Fast!:)

 Kohlrabi is happening in the garden. That thing is five inches wide and ready to eat!

Amazing things also grow in our dirt/junk/rock pile.  Wineberries should be ready for July 4th celebrating.  This is just one of several patches in the yard!

There's the astronaut that joined the dinosaur league.

 Medley of Jen is growing too.  I have three large sections hand quilted...one more to go before joining them all together for the big reveal!

All the blocks came from Jen Kingwell's patterns and book.  Very fun!

Received a lot of lovely birthday wishes this year....this one is my favorite.

It is sooooo me!:)

~d

Second quarter 2015 finish along list.