Old Red Barn Co. Quilt Challenge Throwdown!!

 Yep!  Dana at ORBC has challenged us to be even  MORE creative!;)  She wants us to pick a color palette and make either a mini, lap/wall hanging or twin+ sized quilt and write a little blurbage about how your creation embodies (her word:) that palette...go HERE to check out the details AND the prizes!!;)

I picked a palette that spoke to me the minute I saw it and the name the palette maker gave it.  I'm not going to tell you what it is yet....but here is a peek at my initial drawing.  Now to pick my fabrics!
Hope you come play along!
~d

Seven of Sixteen....DONE!

September's weather has been perfect for finishing things...when the wind is blowing and it rains four inches in one day I have no problem snuggling with a quilt while stitching the binding!

Sunrise, Sunset is the name of this quilt....I love it so!  Scraps of Kaffe sewn together randomly...really....I didn't plan how it would come out!  Can you see the sun I quilted in the bottom half?:)

This quilt is going to Pennsylvania.  A childhood friend and college roommate of the girl is getting married next month...

....boy and girl met at West Virginia University...can you see the WV stitched in the corner....and the black-eyed-Susan hiding a hole I snipped in the backing?:)

The backing of the gift is flannel....this won't be the last quilt that gets flannel....so warm!!

Two more gifts given...to my sis-in-laws.  A runner made from favorite childhood books and another quilt out of scraps from work.  My coworker Penny long armed it....the all over leaf pattern is perfect!

 This was just for fun but will be heading to the UK with the girl for a friend's new baby.

Big prints by Jane Sassaman....leftovers from my With New Eyes quilt...

....I really need to stop buying so much fabric that I have enough leftover to make another!

This cutie was a joint effort of our ARRR8 Around the Bend Across the Pond group. We found out one of our own is expecting her 4th child....we had to make the baby something fun and colorful.  All I did is add the center block and put it together....easy peasy!  You can look here to see who helped out...Thanks gang!

Lastly is my favorite of the seven.  Is this not the most inviting spot?  My in-laws have the most lovely place looking out to the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Isn't that view gorgeous?!!

These blocks are from the Blogger's Quilt-Uberfest. One block a day for 16 days and I kept up....

 ....but it has taken me eleven months to finally put them all together and quilt it!  I'm really digging the orange, brown, aqua and pops of Grunge green!  This is the first quilt that I have successfully used quilting cottons and batiks. Definitely a keeper!

New total....three in the closet and six waiting for hand stitched binding!:)

~d

9+2+2+3 Does not equal 13!!

A while back I think I mentioned having thirteen quilt tops hanging in the closet waiting to be quilted....well....I totally finished this one and this one... three are still hanging in the closet...I made two more which  are pin-basted waiting for machine time and....

 ...nine are sitting here....waiting for the weather to get a little cooler so I can hand-stitch the bindings!
I do believe that is sixteen and not thirteen!:)  One day I'll show them all to you...but they have to be finished first!

 So how about these instead?  September's theme for Pattiann at The Bitty Block Bee is sunflowers....great timing since the little wild ones are blooming all up and down our dirt road!

It's Heather's turn this month at Sew Fun Bee....she picked a string block made from our scraps.....I made three!:)  I really think I need to try making a quilt with this block....I do have a lot of scraps!

Oh....and I have a confession Jo (sewjo)....

.....Slate really loved your ARRR8 quilt top!!!;)

~d

Train of Thought....thinking Graduation!!:)

My second entry for Amy's Texting While Sewing contest over at During Quiet Time is my favorite. I mean come on, a train, text fabrics, buttons, a pocket and some wee royal bendy dolls...you'd have to be hard-hearted not to like that!;)

 Book fabric caboose, typo fabric, Book titles, and Golden book train cars and of course the Little Engine That Could....I think I can, I think I can...I think I did!  Isn't it neat how the swirly design in the background fabric looks like smoke coming out of the smokestack?  Happy happenstance!

Finished a couple of other little quilts.

  The purple one is scraps from work the other is a baby quilt for the girl to give to one of her expecting friends.

 Did some wacky straight line machine quilting and gold perle cotton hand quilting on this one. I tried to curve the edges a bit but didn't do it enough.  It looks like I just can't trim straight!

 Had fun playing with all kinds of little kid novelties on this one and since it's going to the UK thought the backing fabric with park benches and bicycles would be perfect.

On the graduation front the girl is officially done!:) She graduated last month from Oxford Brookes University with a Master's Degree in Creative Writing!!

(Rose, the graduate, Rob and Jen)

This was the girl's stand in family since we couldn't be there.  Jen was mom, Rob was dad and Rose was the boy! Ha!!:)  Thanks so much for being there to hug her for us kiddos!  xoxo

Now...the girl is living her dream....

 ....she's working at The Story Museum....we don't think she is ever coming home!

~d

A Pencil, A Saber, and Three Helmets!

My talented pal Amy over at During Quiet Time is hosting this amazing contest (with equally amazing prizes) called....wait for it....Texting While Sewing!!!  Hahaha!  Isn't that wonderful?  Yep, she challenged us to come up with fun 12" blocks using fabrics with text in creative ways. Well....I'm up for a challenge!:)

 A little bit of Golden Book fabric, a smig of Sunkissed, a minute amount of quilting text (can't remember what it's called) and a bigger piece of scribble words fabric I found at Spoonflower and voila....a backward marble notebook! Hahahhaha!!  Ah...the trials and tribulations of paper piecing but I still like it!;)

In the world of the Bitty Block Bee it was Kandra's turn this month.  Her theme is Star Wars!!  Yeah...I can totally geek I mean get into that!

 How about a Royal Guard....he's about 4" tall, red and packing....saber power!:)  I don't think you can tell but I using some clear vinyl and a red Sharpie to make that helmet.

 For the second block I used some glow-in-the-dark Fairy Frost and embroidered  stormtrooper, Boba Fett and Mr. Vader helmets.  The lettering spells "Kandra" in Aurebesh!  Go Google that!!:)  Both blocks are 5.5x3.5.  You should head over to the flickr group and see the other Star Wars blocks!!!
Next month's theme is Sunflowers....I already have an idea!;)

Now...just for the fun of it...

I'm still stepping on these things and my youngest is 23!

~d

My online buds ROCK!:)

These past few weeks my mailbox has been happy,  happy, happy and not because I have been busy on Amazon or ebay!!;) No...my mailbox has been happy because of the wonderful and generous people I have met online!  

First package in the box contained these fantastic fat quarters and a copy of a UK magazine 

Molly Makes which has an article in it about the Fat Quarterly Retreat...yes...the same one I was lucky enough to attend.  

The marvelous Marguerite was sweet enough to get me a copy (without me asking) and send it to me with those extra treats! Thanks pal!!

Next package came from the wonderful Pam of Uberstitch...she asked me if I was interested in some Christmas fabric scraps. Well yes Pam...I love scraps!

Ummm....I think this is more than just scraps!  Not only were there Christmas fabrics there were quilt blocks, a huge baggie of 5"squares of solids, tiny 1" nine patches and this....

... NINE fat quarters of Kate Spain's Central Park!!! Oh Pam...you spoil me so!:) Thanks bud!!

Then last week, when I arrived home from work, hubby said I had a package from Portugal!

Portugal?  I know I'm expecting labels from France but nothing from Portugal.

 What?!!!! How about this!!  A little mini in grey and reds and a sweet as can be notebook and document holder!!  This looty is from Sandra....she won a giveaway I did AGES ago of fabric scraps and said she always wanted to thank me for my generosity! Who me....I mean this is so, so sweet...giving away scraps is one thing...making a wee bit of art is off the charts!;) Thanks so much!

So yes....my buds ROCK!  Ladies...consider yourselves hugged big time!!!

~d

Machine Power, Hand Power....and a Bit of Both!

This is what greets me when I go to work...don't you wish that was your stash?:)

Sewing has been happening...even more than what's below....high temps have kept me from finishing big things but slowly I'm scratching WIPs off my list! 

In the meantime...

 Bitty Block Bee June theme was Wine so from field to table these 3.5" were made for Julie.

July's theme Denise picked mushrooms!

For the Sew Fun Bee June is a Bottled Rainbow block for Amber.

July brings hexagon flowers for Wendi.

 I'm jumping ahead with Dena's choice for August....a Scrapbuster block!

 These were the things I made at the Fat Quarterly Retreat in London...the start of my love of English Paper Piecing!

(Both aprons have a top piece but it can be worn up or down...and reversed!)

 A couple of aprons made for some special young ladies who love to surprise their parents with baked goods and tasty dinners....and they clean up!:)  Gotta encourage that to continue!

An international Sunbonnet Sue made for a project my coworker Penny is working on....I chose the Eskimo since I was born in Alaska!

A little baby quilt for a pal of the girl.

Love this little quilt made for Lynz...or rather really for her spouse!:) It's his car, Stink Eric, love that moniker!  It was so much fun to make...once I figured out how to do it!

 But while I am trying to get through the 13 quilt tops waiting to be quilted this is my latest obsession....hexagons....546 of them basted to be made into 78 flowers.  So far 14 of them are finished.  Guess I should get off the computer and get on with it!

~d