Jelly Roll Race Finished

This past weekend while having too much fun relaxing with friends for Memorial Day, I was able to get this jelly roll race quilt bound.  This quilt has been waiting around since March to get finished.  Oops!  Although, I am happy with the final product.  The quilt got a scrappy binding and an all over stipple for the top-quilting.  My friend's sister laid claim before it was even finished.  I will spare her the embarrassing picture of her all wrapped up like a burrito, but you can enjoy the visual.

We also got to hang out with these crazy kids posing all nice for the camera!  All in all the weekend was a huge success.  

Sew long for now, 

PATCH & CHELS

Happy Easter!

Finally spring has sprung around here!  Its been so crummy out that I have been unable to get these tops photographed for weeks now!  Yard work is getting done and the sun is shinning, totally enjoying this beautiful Easter day.  

Two of these quilts are to help cut back on my scraps.  They are the same pattern just different size blocks.  I used the Swell pattern from the book Simply Retro by Camille Roskelley.  The first time, I followed the pattern using 2.5 inch squares from my scrap bin. 

The quilt came together super easy, as the pattern is just a 9 patch of squares.  I had to modify the pattern as I wanted to use up a bunch of 2.5 inch squares that were already cut.  

The second time, I used some some 4 inch squares that I had cut up long ago to make a larger block.  For the background I used a large piece of white print.  I think I liked the scrappy variety of white in the smaller block, but it still came out nice.

My Spell it with Moda also came together.  This one has been laying around for some time waiting to be photographed.  I am happy with my choice to use a wider sashing, although I am still debating if I should put a border or two on the edge?

Spring is in bloom.  After this long winter, it's nice to see flowers and know summer is coming soon.  Just a week until spring vacation!  Now I need to survive so I can sit on the front porch, enjoy a book, and get some sewing done before the end of the year gets crazy.

Sew long for now, 

CHELS

Epic Amounts of Finished

These poor quilts have sat on the couch for a few weeks waiting to be finished.  So, I guess it was time to start.  Typically I am pretty prompt with my binding. The anticipation of the finish and another project off the list really motivates me.  Not lately, I had THREE quilts patiently waiting to be finished!  I am so excited to have soooo much to share today! 

Odds & Ends

 48 inches x 60 inches

My Aunt Nona quickly laid claim to this one, so I made her pose with it :)

Funky Churn Dash

47 inches x 53 inches

Spring Weathervane 

48 inches x 60 inches 

Ok, that was a lot to share.  So happy that these three are now officially off my project list.  Now I can justify cutting more fabric and starting more quilts!  Yay.

Sew long for now, 

CHELS 

Girl's Day Out and a HUGE THANK YOU!

Look I made progress :)

Now for the real intent of this post.  I want to say thank you to those who have regularly visited my site, and those who are new welcome :).  These past two months have been a delightful experience for me, so many unexpected things have happened along the way.  I have meet so many great people and received such kind words of encouragement and appreciation for my work.  It's so refreshing to be part of such a positive environment :).  

Some firsts/highlights so far .... 

• Mary found me.  She is another blogger in NH, from Urban Quilter, who loves giraffes, was an architecture student, and quilts.  First person to have a ridiculous amount in common.  
• I got listed as a Blog Favs for Daughters of Dornida.  First, that I know of :)
• Cindi over at Today I ... who was my very first comment on the blog.
• Candace over at Saltwater Quilts was my first bloglovin' follower!
• Being able to link with Crazy Mom Quilts and Freshly Pieced on a regular basis.  
• All those who make every day here wonderful and much more than I expected (yeah, that's you too!).

So many thanks!

Last week my Aunt Bonnie and I had a little girls day out and took a trip up to Center Harbor, NH to visit Keepsake Quilting.  This place is epic in terms of quilt shops!  If you have no self restraint in terms of fabric or yarn, this place would not be recommended.  I could easily have told the woman at the cutting counter, yes one yard of everything :).  The place also has a yarn shop so double trouble.

My Aunt no longer quilts and has graciously given me her stash (insert a happy dance!).  Although she did request that I make a quilt from her favorite prints, of course I agreed.  Today we were on a mission to get all the materials necessary for this quilts completion.  She also got carried away and got material for a whole second quilt.  The fabric choices are not my typical but so pretty.  I am excited to have a project that will be in a unique pallet.  

Pattern ... check

Fireworks by Thimble Blossoms

Fabric ... check

Backing and Binding ... check

The binding is the second fabric down in the right pile, and the backing is the fabric right below the binding.

Started ... check pending

Being on a fabric fast and trying to be good financially was more than challenging today, but I made out with minimal damage.  I can feel good about that!  Things I purchased include this book of knitted toys.  I have been BEGGING my Grandmother to knit me a giraffe softie, and she has yet to follow through.  (Patch needs a friend). This book has a great pattern for a giraffe, so I got it as a little inspiration!  I also got some yarn to knit an infinity scarf, project number 2 on my new knitting list of projects.  

My Aunt also surprised me with this this little knitting bag!  How stinkin' cute is this thing???  Pretty sure it had my name ALL over it!  Pink with giraffes, can't get any better than that!

The bag has a grommet to feed the yarn through so the yarn ball doesn't roll all around when you're knitting out and about.  How genius?!

On the inside is a generous pocket with another grommet hole.  I put my crochet hook, yarn needles, a pair of small scissors, and some little things nice to hand around when knitting in the pocket.  **I haven't balled up the second skein of yarn, not sure it will work well not balled?

Okay, that was a lot to say and share!  Thanks for taking the time to read all this and be part of my blog.  All the support is appreciated.  

Sew long for now, 

CHELS

California Girl

HAPPY MARDI GRAS!

I few years ago I taught down in New Orleans and got to experience Mardi Gras from the local standpoint.  In parts of town it was very family orientated.  Let's say that the French Quarter lives up to its reputation.  Uptown was pretty cool parading with friends, a crawfish boil on the street car tracks, kids standing on ladders above the crowd catching beads and stuffies.  Much different than I expected in my head.  My college friend came down to enjoy the festivities and it didn't let us down.  The floats were spectacular, but what I like most about the parades was the high school marching bands.  They did such a great job.     

Today I also finished this UFO using California Girl fabric by Moda.  This quilt top has been sitting around since last summer and it's about time I finished this project.  (Middle quilt in my UFO pile, 3 out of 5 done).  Yay for another finish!

This project started as a layer cake.  To be honest, I cannot remember how I cut each square to create this quilt, but it involved some narrow pieces and the larger pieces got made into a border.

Here is a glimpse of the backing, which is also priced, using a strip from the front and two different fabrics from the line.

The top finishes at 54 inches x 71 inches.  This size is perfect for a toddler bed and not to heavy for a small child.  The whole thing is top stitched using a stippled pattern, all done free-hand.

Backing.

Hope everyone is having a happy Fat Tuesday and getting their UFO finished up this week!

Sew long for now, 

CHELS

Remixed Geese

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERYONE!!  

I keep meaning to show you this quilt and it's about time!  I pulled from a stash of 1930's feedback prints I had been hoarding for too long.  This is also the quilt that made me fall in love with flying geese.  

The top is quilted in vertical lines, at 1.5 inches apart.  

The back was a solid piece of the blue (same blue used in the front).  Then a 'border' of white with warm prints around the edge.  For this quilt I like the back just as much as the front.  It's nice to piece the back and get a reversible quilt. 

Close up of the back prints.  The binding is Kona pewter.

Detail of the front all folded waiting on a good home. 

Happy Friday all! Thank you to QUILT MATTERS and CRAZY MOM QUILTS for letting me tag along.  If you want to check out other great Friday finishes, check out the links :)

Sew long for now, 

CHELS

Completed Granny Squares

Look what got finished!  This little guy is making it's debut as a finished quilt.  I just love how the bold threads look along side the blocks. 

I also added small diamonds between the blocks and a boarder around the outside edge.  

The binding is scrappy.  A scrappy quilt deserves a scrappy binding.  As I use up fabric, I cut a 2.5 inch piece and sew the strips together.  Eventually I had enough binding for the quilt.  (Another great way to use up those small pieces instead of tossing them out.)

 Here are the final images with the binding on.  

And the back is also scrappy!  Talk about a super scrappy quilt!

Now it's time to sit in that rocker with a good book!

Sew long for now, 

CHELS