Black, white and Grey quilt - DONE

I'm done, I'm done. Hip, hip Hooray !!!!!

I have been working on this quilt physically for about a month but mentally since before Christmas.  It feels so good to have it finished. Tomorrow it will be delivered to the tween who requested it last year.

Sorry about the dark picture but it's raining here and quite dreary inside and out.

She requested a black and white based quilt with some animal prints.  She is also into sneakers.  Ta Da.

I squiggle quilted using all of the seam lines as guides in a blue grey .  I love the design that popped up in the white.

I also love the backing that was picked out by the Tween's grandmother.  For being so bright it is rather dark. I think I will need to go out and get some for myself.

This shot is after it's been washed and dried made all snuggly. Its now all ready to be popped into it's bag. 

While the rain continues to be dreary on the outside it is wonderful weather for crafting.  Not only did I finish this quilt, I finished my flag on a stick for my Hop posting on Wednesday and another helmet liner.

Have a happy week.

PostCards - Hats and an almost Quilt Top

I received these 2 lovely "SPRING " themed post cards this week.

The Sunflowers are from Marie

and the sweet birds on the branch are from Fiona.

Both of these talented ladies are from Australia, so my post cards have some heavy duty mileage on them.  You would never know.  They both arrived unscathed. They actually look like they could have been hand delievered.

These are the postcards I designed and sent to them in return.  We all were participating in a SPRING THEMED post card swap organized by Sheila over at........http://sheilasquiltworld.blogspot.com/

Thanks Sheila for another wonderful event.

 

I also whipped up these chemo caps for the local hospital.  I noticed that I had primarily been making hats for girls so I figured I would make a couple for the boys.

Next up on my todo list is this quilt top.  I just have to add the final border and make a back and quilt it. I need to get it at least as far as sandwiched by tomorrow night. I'm headed for the quilt room as soon as I hit the publish button.

 

Have a great week.

Great weekend of hats and blocks

I had another very productive weekend.  I found a new pattern I wanted to try for some chemo caps. I found it on Ravelry.  It is called Olivia's Butterfly. I know this is a strange photo but I had a very hard time getting a picture of the butterfly detail.

While I can knit I do knit rather slowly.  Crocheting on the other hand is a game a play with myself where I want to beat my own best time. It does make for a very productive adventure. 

Is this the cutest hat ever.  You can change the size by adding a row or two in the middle or changing your hook size.  I found the pattern at lunch time on Friday. 

I managed to make 2 Friday night,

2 on Saturday

and another on Sunday night after making 12 of these  blocks in the afternoon.

Glutton for punishment that I am, I made another one tonight same as the last one, just couldn't take another photo of them.  For some perspective, the largest of these hats fits my head.  They take me between an hour and an hour and a half to do.

I need to stop crocheting for a while because I have 3 quilting projects with deadlines due in the next 3 weeks and a couple of BOMs for this month that I haven't started yet.

Have a great week.

A couple of houses, a bowl and a hat

This really should have been 3 separate posts.  But I just couldn't find the umph to sit down and write.

Hugs and Kisses to You

Welcome to my day to share the love. Ok, mine and a few other very talented ladies who are noted below.

I signed up for this hop as for all others with the desire for fun and maybe some stretch outside of my usual comfort zone.  Madame Samm's brilliant idea coupled with  Soma from Whims and Fancies       wonderful patterns were definitely outside of my comfort zone.

I have 2 problems with paper piecing. First is I can't get a handle on the angle I need to place fabrics from the back.  As soon as I can't see the fabric I'm lost. To successfully make this pattern took an amazing amount of fabric to compensation for this lack of vision on my part.  I entered this hop with the plan of making 3 pillows of various sizes for my couch. Didn't happen.

It took me hours to make one heart with arrow.  I only had to rip maybe 3 times because of my angle issues. I am proud to admit that I did finish. And, yes it is just what it was supposed to be thanks to the great pattern design but I just couldn't work up the umph to try 2 more.

I gave up on my idea for 3 pillows and ended up with a Lawn Decoration on the never ending snow.

A Table Topper

or, a Welcome to my guests for my front door.

The second problem I had was rediscovered when I finished the sewing and started the paper removal.  I absolutely, positively HATE to remove paper. I am including 3 more photos to emphasize this hatred.

15 or so years ago I saw a paper piecing demo at a quilt show.  I immediately signed up for a class.  This is the resulting top from the class, cute with wonderful points.

This is the back of the piece

Yes, all of that is still the paper attached 15 long years later. From the first ripped piece I hated it.  I have tried to foundation piece on and off over the years with the same result.  I don't always learn from my own example.

While I do admire the art of paper piecing and appreciate the art of the designers and the wonderful work of the sewers, I think my base problem is that I am a speed quilter who really doesn't give a hoot about perfect points and removing paper is phenomenally time consuming and I for one don't have the patience for it.

In summation.  I stretched and am glad I did. I didn't fall in love with PP but I have conquered it paper and all.  Now please go on to visit the rest of today's hoppers listed below for your viewing ease and any you may have missed up to now.  The Hugs and Kisses contributers have been wonderful and sew creative.

Lady Mary

I piece 2 Mary

Lady Vickie

More stars in Comanche

Lady Anne

Stitchingbythebeach

Lady Selina ( that's me )

selinaquilts

Lady Theresa

bumbleberrystitchn

Lady Jane

janesquilting

Thanks for stopping by.

A little of this and a little of that

I pass these snow guys on my way to and from work everyday and they make me smile.  I'm sharing the smile with you today.

This month I had the great fun of swapping Valentine Post Cards with  Annie at http://freezeframe03.blogspot.com/

 

this is the wonderful card I received.  She is so talented. I love her work. Totally forgot to take a picture of the card I sent.

 

I previously posted about the helmet liners I am knitting. I posted the background for them and the who to contact if you are interested here      http://selinaquilts.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-cool-down.html

 

Now there are 3.  My goal is to do 6 of them before November.  Why did Google turn my picture on it's side????  I should be able to make it with minimal issues.  January / February are my heavy knitting and crocheting months.  These 3 will be mailed off to Jeanne at http://slamminthescreendoor.blogspot.com/2013/11/operation-warm-and-fuzzy-iii.html

this week.

Next up is the Chemo Cap project for our local hospital.

 

My crocheting project is chemo caps. 

 

I crochet at manic speed.  I find while Knitting is relaxing Crocheting is very stressful for me.

 

Totally self inflicted. I managed to get the hats with the flipped up bottoms done in 2 evenings a piece and the other hat I did in 2 1/2 hours.  My problem with crocheting is that I start timing myself and trying to beat my previous best time. I gave up crocheting afghans because of the loonesy I was creating in my head timing and besting each row.

 

I'll be back on Monday with my current quilting project for the Hugs and Kisses Hop, hope to see you then.

My Turn - She Who Sews

 

When this hop was announced I started looking at my sewing space with a new eye.   I have a problem with organization.  I go from project to project without taking the time to put things away. I just push to the left until things fall off the table. 

 

 

The problem with that plan of action is that my small tools get caught in the push and disappear for long periods of time.

 

This is my solution to the problem, a set of pockets for all of the smallish things including my remote control and while i was at it I added a built in Pin Cushion.  I always have pins in this spot always falling on the floor.

 

So how do you keep the pockets and pin cushion off the floor,  oh you attach them to a much longer piece of these very cool fabrics and end up with a machine cover to boot.

 

Next up, i have this great antique bottle holder

 

 

 

that I stick pens and stuff in to keep them handy

  

 

I thought it could use a box bottom

 

 

and maybe some new color coordinated cups

 

 

 

I also thought that a flatish dish would hold some more of my often used clutter

 

 

 

 

All of these projects were made off the top of my head based on patterns I had made in the past.

 

I was rather pleased with myself since so far they all came out just as I imagined.

 

 

Then there was the basket of odd size . Don't actually know where I had my calculator when I was planning this one.

 

It was supposed to be square.

 

Oh well it's still able to hold the needles and pins as advertised.

 

If I actually use all of the pieces, sewing will be a breeze, only time will tell.

 

Speaking of time, it is time to thank Madame Samm and Cheerleader Carla for all of the time and effort they have put into this wonderful hop.  Thanks also to all of the participants in both parts of this event.  Following are the others who are participating today.

 

 January 31

More Stars in Comanche

 

Stitchin’ By The Lake

 

selina quilts  (me)

 

Jane's Quilting

 

Baa's Amazing Adventures!

 

Quiltscapes

 

 Grandmama's Stories