Cowgirl block, D4P and D9P quilts-Get It Done Challenge

I worked on a block tonight to send off to the Cowgirl Museum in Fort Worth.  They are asking for blocks to make community service quilts. The blocks will be on display from January 18-March 1st.  Here's a link if you want more info. http://www.cowgirl.net/.  Go to the button that says Off the Wall: Maverick Blocks and you can get a submission form and make a block. You get a half price ticket to the museum for your efforts.  I have never been to the museum and plan on making a field trip to see it...

Here's some of the blocks I started out with for the D9P QAL. I used scrap 5" squares but red squares in each 9 patch. 

Here's what I have so far.  5 X 7 layout.  I'm going to make more blocks and add a little bit to this one. Then I'll make more blocks with black centers and do another one. 

I finished sewing up my D4P tonight and the top is complete except for the white border and the final border. I will get the fabric for the final border tomorrow and hopefully this top will be complete by Saturday and I can start quilting.  A birthday is coming quickly! 

Ok, I'm doing the Get It Done Challenge starting tomorrow. I'm picking 4 items to complete for the month.    Here are my four projects I've decided on...

                                            1. Bind my Thimbleberries Garden quilt

                                            2. Quilt and bind the Christmas Star Tablerunner

                                            3. Quilt and bind the Brown Bow Tie Quilt

                                            4. Quilt and bind the Red Scrap  Quilt

Now, I'm going to link up for this challenge. If you are interested in this challenge click on the green button on the sidebar and it will take you to Judy L.'s blog to read more about it. Til next time, happy quilting!

Get It Done and working on my D9P and D4P

Last night, I worked on my disappearing 4 patch quilt. I have all the rows together except for the last one.  I sewed them together wrong and figured it out when I went to sew it together.  I had to unsew this last row and will resew it together tonight and  finish up the quilt top.  It went together very well and I am really pleased with it so far.  I will put a white on white border around it to frame it then the final border.  I haven't bought the final border fabric yet.  I know what I want but needed to do some measuring first to figure out how much fabric I needed.  I'll probably do that tonight and get the fabric tomorrow if I can find it.  I was planning on using stash fabric but this one is for my granddaughter and it needs to be a certain fabric that I don't have...I'll take a pic tonight and show you my progress on it. 

I also sewed together all the D9P blocks I had ready and I now have 8 rows of it done.  I think it's looking good for a scrap quilt but is turning out darker than I thought it would.  I took a picture of it laid out on the floor but can't upload it until tonight.  I want to add a few more rows to this one before I call this one finished.  I don't plan on this being a big quilt, just lap size. I want to make some of these for the local nursing home.  I have enough fabric to make a few so this first one was an experiment to see if I liked the pattern. I had made the D9P before but not this setting.  I'm definitely making more of these...they are fun and quick and use up fabric that's been laying around far too long. 

I follow Susan at Desert Sky Quilting and she's doing a Get It Done Challenge this year. She lists 4 projects a month to work on. I like that number.  I always work better with a challenge too.  I have alot of tops that need finishing and alot of projects to work on so I'm going to be doing this challenge this year.  I think this challenge actually started over at Judy Laquidara's blog  called Patchwork Times and I'll link up with hers too. Now, to decide what 4 things I want to work on for the February challenge...I'll think about that and list those tonight or tomorrow. 

Sunday Sewing, DP4 quilt and DP9 Quilt and now for some slow Sunday stitching!

I decided to take your advice and make some more blocks.  I thought I would make a few blocks this afternoon and then do some binding or knitting to join in with the Slow Sunday Stitching over at Kathy's Quilts blog.Once I started sewing, I couldn't stop until all my blocks were ready for this quilt!  I cut out more white fabric for my blocks and started sewing the blocks together to make the 4 patches.  I got 52 four patches done.  Out of the 52 four patches I finished 20 DP4's.  I  have already started putting it together and it's going to look great, I think.   I called my husband in to help me put it the blocks on the top of the design wall and asked him about the color arrangement, if I needed to move any around or what have you...He said no, it was ok as is but he also said he didn't like the blocks or the quilt!!!  I told him it would look better once the borders were on it and he said, yeah, I hope so.  Well, I never!!! Imagine that! A quilt he doesn't like.  Oh well, it's not for him anyway.  He usually likes what I do but he doesn't like this one too much at all.  It will look good when the border is put on and quilted and I know he'll change his mind.  Here's a picture of the blocks on the design wall.  I went ahead and did 7 X 9, so it should be big enough with the borders too...

 

I did make more pink today and can't wait to find out what the new color for next month is...

 

 

Here's the leftover 4 patches ready to cut up to make more DP4's.  These are big 4 patches. I'm using 5" squares for them and once cut down they will end up being an 8" block.  I'm enjoying this block and I hope my granddaughters will enjoy the quilts too.

I also did some more big 9 patches for the DP9 QAL. I cut all of those up and  I laid a few blocks out on my cutting board just to see how they were going to look.  I think it will be ok for a scrappy quilt. I used red in the center just to bring them together. I've used all kinds of scraps in this and I can't wait to see what it's going to look like...

 

Ok, I'm through sewing for the day now. I'm going to grab my knitting and sit in front of the TV and watch some shows I've recorded.  I hope you've had a great weekend and have an even greater week.  Until next time, happy quilting!

Rainbow Scrap Saturday, DP4's and DP9's

Today is Rainbow Scrap Saturday and I've been up early working on some pink blocks!  I saw one like this over at Elle's blog and loved it. I've decided to make one like this every month this year with whatever colors Angela picks.  It is a fun and easy block to do and will be a cute little quilt.

 

I also made some more pink blocks for my DP4 patch quilt.....

I was able to do more blocks this week for this quilt too. I've almost got enough for the first quilt...

All the blocks are different so it will be a charm quilt.   It is 6 X 8 now.  These are 8 inch finished blocks.  This makes it 48 X 64 without borders.  This will be for a twin size quilt and I looked and the twin size quilts should be about 68 X 88...My borders will be 6" wide and I think I'll put a white strip all around it first before the outer border and it will be 2 inches.  If I didn't do anymore blocks, that would make it 64 X 80.  Hmm, I guess I better do more blocks.  I want it to hang off the sides a little but not be too big. This is for a 9 year old.  One more row for the sides are bottom?  What do you think?

Earlier in the week I worked on making big 9 patches too for the disappearing 9 patch QAL over at Freda's blog.  These are made with 5" squares I cut out from my Accuquilt Go. I have alot of 5" squares already cut out and I'm going to make several community service quilts out of them. I love the DP9 and thought I'd try it out.  I'm using red fabrics in the centers and anything else in the other squares.  I haven't cut any yet to see if I like them.  Come back later and we'll play!

 

Ok, gotta go for now.  I want to try to sew a little more today so have a fun and productive day!

til next time, happy quilting!

 

 

Playing with pinks and my DP4 quilts

I'm trying to get things done that I've put off for awhile. My husband asked me to make him a pillowcase to fit a little travel pillow earlier in the summer. I didn't put it off on purpose, I just forgot about it.   Anyway, I had some leftover fabric from another project I had done for my brother in law from many years ago and I pulled it out and finished the little pillowcase for my husband. I gave it to him yesterday and you would have thought I'd given him a real prize...He was so pleased with it and thought it was pretty special. I was pleased that he liked it so much.  Isn't it amazing how something so small can brighten someone else's day?  I wish I had done it a long time ago now...
Here's the little pillowcase. He was thrilled and loved the fabric too.

 

 

The green fabric at the bottom are 2 1/2" strips I cut for binding on another quilt. I'll show you that as soon as it's all together. 

I pulled out or should I say I found my pinks to play with for Angela's Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  After I found the pinks I had put back, I found more.  I didn't think I had very much pink but now I'm thinking pinks and reds for Valentine's Day...  I pulled out another little project to work on for it. I'll be doing that next week.  Anyway, I've been working on pinks today and pulled out the Disappearing 4 patch quilt (one of them- I have three that I'm working on) that needs to be finished for a February birthday....I put some pink blocks together for it and it is on my design wall to work on and finish. It will not come down until I'm ready to quilt it.  The birthday is February 11th so I have to get busy!

 

 

Here's a few DP4 patches for my 3 quilts.  One for each one...Two of the quilts will be just alike. The third is for me so it doesn't matter.  The other two are for my granddaughters and I'm making them the same.

 



 

Here's the DP4 quilt I'm working on...

 

Here's the new blocks. I've pulled out some more bright pinks since that's the challenge color.

I don't know why I don't work with pinks more, I love that color!

 

More pinks and projects to work on...

 

 

Some pinks to play with!

 

Ok, the baby is asleep so I have to get off and get busy.  Go sew and show us what you are doing too!  'til next time, happy quilting!

 

 

Tipnut article about heat and cold bags...

Several of you responded to my post about the heat and cold bags.  I had just read an article about making these last week and I racked my brain to remember where I saw it. I googled it this morning and came up with the article. It's from Tipnut, a great website with all kinds of sewing, knitting, crochet, food, tips of all kinds. I have been reading Tipnut for a long, long time and I love this site. If you've never gone there, don't wait, go now!   Here's a link to the article I read about the heat and cold bags.. I hope you enjoy it and Tipnut.com!

http://tipnut.com/make-your-own-microwave-heating-pad/

Heat and Cold Bags

Last night, I went to tatting. I worked on a tatted lanyard for awhile. I got bored with it and started knitting for awhile. I got bored with that and decided I would leave and come home. I got home and sewed up these three little pillowcases to cover another three little bags I made to hold field corn. the top one has some fabric that looked like the map of the United States on it. I fussy cut it so Texas would be on the front!  This one is going to my husband.  I made the other two with left over fabric from a quilt for my MIL...I love using scraps to make something functional and fun!  Anyway, I heated one of these up last night and put it at the bottom of the bed and I did not have cold feet last night!  I love these things.  My friend gave me the field corn in December.  She had bought a big bag of it and shared it with all of us.  She gave me enough for one bag then came back and gave me three more bags of it.  I made one and gave to my son, then after I got these other three bags of corn, I made these.  Great little gifts for athletes or anyone!  I gave one to my friend in the office today and she loved it. She says she's going to use it tonight when she goes to bed.

I don't know if you can read this but here's the instructions that goes with the bag.  I plan on making more of these soon.  I just don't want to buy a 50 lb bag!!!

Tonight, I'm working on putting the binding on one of my finished quilts.  I hope to show you that tomorrow or Friday.  Until next time, happy quilting!

A few finishes for the weekend.

This has been a cold weekend so I've stayed in. I had the grandbaby yesterday and didn't get to sew except for when she took a nap.  I sewed up a set of pillowcases for my friend. These go with the Love quilt that I showed you last week.  She loves penguins so these will be right up her alley.

Friday night, I finished up my Wingspan shawl.  Not sure how long it took me to knit this but I'm glad it's finished as I need to work on making some wash cloths for a friend of mine.  Here's the finished Wingspan. I just have to block it now.

 

 

Last night, I finished quilting a tablerunner I've had done since last year.   Today, I finished the binding on it and I'm so excited it's finished...

After I finished this up, I finished up another older project. I used this little quilt to teach a class of beginner quilters at my church and I decided it was time to quilt and bind this one too....

You can tell this one is older from the fabric used in it but I really like this one as it brings back some sweet memories.  I didn't quilt it too heavily but it's just right for me. I'll hang this one in my sewing room for awhile.  Ok, that's two more UFO's for me this year!  I can't tell you how excited I am to see my stack of UFO's going down just a little at a time but I am going to really work to have all of them done this year. 

I was going to work on some pink blocks for the Rainbow Scrap challenge for this year but I put my pink fabric up and couldn't find it!  I finally just gave up and worked on these old projects and my swap blocks and lo and behold, I found my pink fabric!  I don't have alot of pink and put it up so I wouldn't lose it...Ha, ha, you know how that is??  Well, now I can work on my pink this week....

The last thing I did was make my 5 swap blocks for this week.  We will swap these blocks this week and we only have one more month and the swap will be finished. I'll be able to start putting this one together.    I didn't have 40 nine patches to do this month like I thought. That swap was over last month and I got the last 40 blocks Tuesday night.  We swapped 480 nine patches!! Do you believe that?  Now you know why I was so burnt out on nine patches!  It was so good not to have to do anymore of those!  Here's my swap blocks for this month....

 

Ok, now for some TV time and knitting time.  I hope you have a good week and get to sew some.  Til next time, happy sewing.

Some great winnings!

Last night I went to my quilt guild meeting. It was rainy and miserable but I went anyway.  I didn't think we would have a very good turnout but alot of people came despite the weather...We didn't really have a program last night. We were working on making stilettos for the TAQG (Texas Association of Quilt Guilds) Rally Day.  So, we all laughed and glued together...it was actually pretty fun.   At this meeting, we were asked to bring 5 fat quarters to exchange.  We were to put them  in a container of some kind and we would have a game to exchange them.  Forty people participated in the exchange and it was so much fun.  There were all kinds of containers, baskets, glass jars,glass bowls, boxes, candle stick holders, you name it. The fat quarters had to be visible so people could see what they were getting.   I put my fat quarters in a glass mason jar and did some stitching on aida cloth to decorate the jar. I did not take pictures. I should have but didn't have my camera with me.  The game we played was take away.  When your name was called you could steal from anyone what they had or pick from the table.  An object was considered frozen after being stolen twice.  It was so much fun. I walked away with what I wanted...I was so lucky last night. I should have bought a lottery ticket!  I picked the cutest one....It was a box decorated to look like a bed and a Barbie doll and Ken doll were in bed together. Here's a pic of it.  Isn't this cute??? I'm not going to take it apart. I like the fabrics and will only take it apart if I just have to use them... I loved this. I thought it was too funny!

I also won some door prizes too.  Like I said, I was very lucky last night.  I won a Jelly Roll and a tool to put on your ruler. Duh, I can't think of the name of the tool right now but it's a pretty cool tool. 

Anyway, last night was fun and productive too.  Tonight, I'm actually going to get to sew. It is still raining here and I hope it doesn't take me forever to get home. I want to spend as much time in front of my sewing machine as I can.  Til next time, happy sewing!

A way around my picture problem!

I tried downloading Google Chrome and it kept stopping.  I have no idea why but it kept saying something about unreponsive pages and I just finally gave up.  I finally looked at my desktop screen and remembered I had Safari, I wondered if this would work. I thought I would give it a try... I opened my blog in this browser and uploaded my picture..It was alot quicker and easier to get to.  Safari is a browser that is on my Iphone and part of Itunes and part of Google...if you are having trouble, see is you have this browser already loaded like I did since I have an iphone and have updated my phone through my Itunes account. Anyway, I'll use this for now and maybe the computer guys can get the problems worked out on  the picture problems with Internet Explorer...


Here's the picture of the Love quilt I have been trying to load...this is for a friend of mine and I hope she likes it. This had crochet, tatting and applique.  It was a challenge to quilt but it is finished and ready to gift.

Picture problems

Well, I'm not the only one having trouble putting pictures on blogs....it's a blogger thing and an Internet Explorer conflict. What kind of browser do you use?  They are recommending changing to Foxfire or Google Chrome but I've only ever used IE...any info would be appreciated....thanks,

A New Year and a finished quilt!

Happy New Year everyone.  I hope it's been good to you so far!

  We had some wonderful holidays with family and friends.  I so enjoy the holidays but I hate to say this but I'm also glad they are over.  I love the holidays but it's always good to get back to normal. I still haven't put up all the decorations and I still have my holiday quilts out. I guess I'll put those away this Saturday.   I really enjoy seeing them and even looking at the bare tree after all the gifts are gone!  I come home and turn the lights on my tree on just to enjoy it! 

I have finished one quilt this week.  I don't know if it counts as a finish for last year or this year as I was putting the final stitches in the binding on New Years Eve while watching the Count down for the new year.  It was fun to be sewing and finishing this quilt up then.  My husband was asleep on the couch when the new year came in. I had to wake him up to kiss him!  Sounds like we lead an exciting life, huh??   Anyway, I did finish this quilt and I am really pleased with it. It is a love quilt for my friend going through chemo. My tatting group got together and made the blocks and I quilted it and finished it. I have enough backing fabric to make a pillowcase to go with it so I'm going to do that and put the quilt in it to give to her.  We'll be giving it to her next Tuesday and I hope she likes it.  I have to attach two more blocks to the back of the quilt.  They were received late and didn't get put into the top so they will be appliqued to the back of the quilt when I get them Saturday.  Another friend of mine has them and I have to pick them up from her....We'll be meeting up at the local quilt store Saturday for me to get the blocks and see what's going on at the LQS too!

Here's the quilt so you can see how cute it turned out... Well, I've tried and tried to upload it and blogger doesn't want to play right now. I'll show you later!

 I've got to go for now and get busy, the sewing machine is calling me.  Til next time, happy quilting!