{ A Quick Project- the Mondo Bag}

I attended my first quilting guild meeting last month and saw several ladies with these amazing patchwork bags. I inquired about an available pattern and was told that most of the guild members have made a Mondo bag. Some have made many.

Quiltsmart offers a pattern and fusible interfacing kit that make the construction of the bags so easy. Two charm packs and some yardage are needed. 

This is a very roomy bag. Great for a beach tote or even a diaper bag. Quiltsmart even offers a smaller option , the Midi Bag.  I've already got two more planned-one for my sister and one for my niece. I just have to choose the fabric. That's the best part of any project, am I right?

Linking up with:

Finish It Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts

{ A First Finish for 2018 }

It feels good to finally be able to share a finish. Meet Big Sky.

I'm in love with Big Sky fabric line by Annie Brady for Moda. The colors and prints are amazing and just perfect for a baby boy.

Could you just die? That moose!

Another reason I'm crazy for this quilt is the fact that I quilted it myself on a long arm. First time!

Quilt finished at 51x51

Fabric is Big Sky by Annie Brady

Quilted by ME!

Pattern is Wild Windows by Kristina at Center Street Quilts. It's a freebie over at the Moda Bake Shop

I'm linking up with Finish it Up Friday at

Crazy Mom Quilts

{ Three (small) Finishes }

Last winter I finished  my Charming Stars quilt, made with Snowman Gatherings II 

from Primitive Gatherings. 

I had leftover charm squares and had purchased extra yardage for pillow backs. 

Over the past couple of weeks I found time to put together

 three 20x20 throw pillows for our den couch. 

I love this fabric!

I'm linking up with Finish it Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts

{ Time Flies and Some Finishes }

Even though I haven't posted any finishes here in 9 MONTHS, I have been doing some sewing. I finished two quilt tops which I won't show until they've been quilted and bound. 

I'm going to become a great-aunt for the second time and 

new baby Ella needs a quilt.

This quilt finished at 52x52

The fabric is Little Miss Sunshine by Lella Boutique
The pattern is a freebie called Flower Girl from Moda Bake Shop.

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Another finished quilt will be gifted this weekend.  It's a combination birthday-housewarming gift for my sister-in-law.

Quilt finishes at 72x72
Pattern is Moda Love - Layer Cake Quilt
Fabric : Refresh by Sandy Gervais for Moda
Quilted by Melissa @ Sew Shabby Quilting

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I actually finished a Christmas quilt before Christmas. I had been hoarding this fabric and saving this pattern for the right time. This quilt will be gifted to my step daughter who loves to cuddle under our quilts when she visits. It was time she had her own.

Quilt finished at 55x65
Fabric is Flurry by Kate Spain. Included a panel with some elements used in the quilt.
Pattern is Flurry by Kate Spain

This was a fun quilt to make. I don't usually make a throw quilt pattern more than once, but I can see another Flurry quilt in my future.

I'm linking up to Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts

{ A Winter Quilt - A Gathering of Snowmen }

It's back from the quilter, bound, washed and being used.

I loved having snow on the ground for photos.

The pattern is a freebie from Moda Bake Shop called

Charming Stars

I'll be making this pattern again!

It finished at 68x68

The fabric is Snowman Gatherings 2 by Primitive Gatherings

Quilting in a snowflake pattern by Melissa at 

Sew Shabby Quilting

I'm linking up with

Finish It Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts
Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hands Quilts
My Quilt Infatuation
Confessions of a Fabric Addict

{ Manly Log Cabin -is there any other kind? }

This was supposed to be a Christmas gift for my husband. 

Yeah, right.

As soon as the final stitch was in the binding, it was in the wash and dryer. 

While it was still warm, I presented him with an early Christmas gift. 

He seemed very pleased, which makes me happy.

Manly Log Cabin Quilt

64x64

Fabric: Miniature Gatherings by Primitive Gatherings for Moda

Batting: Warm and White 100% Cotton

Backing: Robert Kaufman Flannel

Quilting by Melissa @ Sew Shabby Quilting

Used the Log Cabin Trim Tool to make perfect  8 1/2" blocks

I may be using flannel backings more often. It really makes for a cozy quilt.

I just have to add the label and I'll 100% complete. 

Linking up to

Finish it Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts

Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hands Quilts
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
My Quilt Infatuation

{ Three Years and the Blogger's Quilt Festival-Fall 2016 }

ORIGINAL POST from AUGUST 2016
That's how long this UFO has been hanging around. It was all cut out but has spent the better part of three years in a project box. Why? I'm not sure. It may have had something to do with the 780 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" red squares that needed to be sewn on to 195 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangles.

Actually, it had everything to do with that. 

The original post can be found HERE

Oh My Stars!

Pattern by Make it Do

Finished size 50 x 68

Fabric: American Banner Rose and Friendship

I'm linking up with
Large Quilt Category at the
Blogger's Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side

9/16/16 Edited to include a link up to
Finish it Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts
Never got to share this finish from August.

Let's Be Social

and 

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict

{ Almost Forgot }

In between the other completed quilts I've made so far this year, I also finished this queen sized disappearing 9 patch for our guest bedroom. It was my first and possible my last quilt this size. 

It was rough basting it and quilting it on my home machine. 

Some of my quilting lines are a little wonky. Next time I'll be sure to mark the lines to be sure they're straight. I even ordered some extra fabric to make two throw pillows using the tutorial at Crazy Mom Quilts.

Disappearing 9 Patch
Fabric is Whitewashed Cottage
Size is 86 x 86

Linking up to

Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story

Let's Bee Social

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict

{ Another first ~ An Envelope Back PIllow }

I had several left over blocks from the log cabin quilt and decided to try 

making a pillow.

I used THIS tutorial from Amanda Jean of Crazy Mom Quilts.

The process was really simple. For me, the hardest part was deciding what thread color to use for the quilting. Since the blocks have both dark and light areas, I wasn't sure whether to go dark or light with thread color. 

My first choice was to use a burgundy thread in a simple  X through the blocks. I didn't like how the dark thread looked in the light part of the block so I picked out the stitches and went with the cream thread. {Which I'm not really thrilled with either}

I'm wondering if I would like it better using dark thread and light thread. I'm not very confident machine quilting anything other than straight lines but I'd be willing to try on a small project like a pillow. 

I think I'm going to make another pillow to try it out. I'm also going to switch the dark/light placement on the next one.

I'm linking up with 

Finish it Up Friday
at
Crazy Mom Quilts

and
Can I Get a Whoop Whoop
at
Confessions of a Fabric Addict

{ Progress on the Cabin }

I've finally finished adding all the rounds to the remaining blocks and trimmed them all using the Log Cabin Trim Tool. I had a little delay when I ran out of light colored prints and needed to order more.

 This is a lot of trimmings.

Purchasing the Log Cabin Trim Tool was really worth it. All the blocks are a  perfect 8 1/2 inches even though some of the rounds are a little wonky. 

Now comes the fun part.....trying to figure out the pattern to sew all these perfect blocks together in.

I planned on a 8x8 grid for a square quilt, which gives me several choices. I'll be on hands and knees this evening trying out all the options.
Me thinks it may be time for a design wall.

I'm linking up to
Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story
and

Let's Bee Social

and
My Quilt Infatuation

{ First Time for a Log Cabin }

My husband complains that I'm always making things {socks, quilts} for other people and never for him.

I guess it's more of a statement than a complaint. So, I started knitting a pair of socks for him in October figuring I'd give them to him for Christmas. I got the first one done in record time for me and started the second sock. Then I had a finger injury which interrupted my knitting for two and a half months. Major bummer. Second sock is still being worked on ~  it should be done just in time for spring.

Anyway, I decided it was time to make make him a quilt too. So, his Log Cabin quilt jumped the line. I've never made a log cabin block before but I thought that it would work well ~  being a masculine block for a masculine guy ~ as long as the fabrics were masculine too, of course.

I love Primitive Gathering's fabrics so I chose to use Miniature Gatherings.

Just the right amount of MAN, with a little bit of woman thrown in. {After I took this photo I ordered several more 1/2 yard cuts of prints in the line for more variety.}  I love the colors. This quilt will match perfectly in our home.

I began cutting 2" strips of fabrics and sub-cutting them to the sizes specified in the Hope Blooms Log Cabin Block tutorial from Fat Quarter Shop. I was looking for a way to organized 8 sizes of strips. Walmart to the rescue. I picked up these drawer organizers. They work perfectly.

 

I splurged and ordered the 8" Log Cabin Trim Tool. Two thumbs up for this ruler. It's made the process so easy and accurate. The blocks finish up at a perfect 8 1/2 inches. Even if some of the interior rounds get a little wonky, the finished block will always be square. I'm all for being square.

I made the first six blocks one at a time, then decided to switch it up and work the remaining 62 blocks at the same time. Each stage of block construction happens on each of the remaining blocks. I'm liking it this way.

I've got 5 more pieces to add and all blocks, 64 for the quilt and 4 for a matching pillow, will be complete. Then the fun begins ~ choosing a pattern to assemble them in.

Linking up to 

Let's Be Social

{ First Finish of 2016 }

I'm getting to check UFO numero uno from my list for the first quarter.

The Tumbler Quilt is complete!

I originally got this pattern, by Amanda at Crazy Mom Quilts, from Moda Bake Shop. The link isn't available anymore. {sorry}

Since  I have no one to gift it to presently, it has been keeping me company on the couch the past few evenings. I love the fabrics and colors. I used Flora by Lauren & Jessi Jung.

I'm linking up to Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts