{ 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

{ A Work in Progress ~ What I'm Working on Currently }

The next item on my "lets get this done" list is my 2012 FQS Mystery BOM, using the Vintage Modern collection by Bonnie and Camille. The information on the completed blocks is HERE 

Last night I cut out all the pieces for the flying geese units that are part of the sashing. This morning I marked all the squares with sewng lines and tonight I'll start putting them together.

I'm linking up to Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story

{ Addendum 1/13/16 }

I started piecing the flying geese ( not one of my favorite blocks) I'm glad I'm seeing progress.

I'm linking up to Sew Fresh Quilts

{ Wish I was a Farm Girl Sampler Quilt- The Beginning }

Due to circumstances beyond my control, namely way too many projects in line

 ahead of it, I'm just starting the 6" blocks from Lori Holt's book 

Farm Girl Vintage.

I've had the book since it was released, occasionally taking it out of the closet to drool over the cute quilts inside. I knew from the first time I saw the cover that I wanted to make the sampler quilt.

I've been looking and waiting for the perfect fabric. I like to plan ahead , know exactly what I'll be using and order everything to have on hand.

One of my favorite fabric designers, Joanna of Fig Tree & Co, released a fabric line called Farmhouse. I'd say that's a pretty darn perfect collection to use for my {Wish I was a Farm Girl } sampler quilt. I'm also going to incorporate leftovers from her line Strawberry Fields, one of my all-time favorite fabric lines.

I ordered a fat eighth bundle of Farmhouse, backing, binding and border yardage from Farmhouse, and 4 yards of Milk solid from Farmhouse for the background and sashing. With the leftover Strawberry Fields I should have enough to complete this quilt.

My goal~ at least two blocks each week. That really shouldn't be too difficult to squeeze in. {wishful thinking?}My quilty list of to-do's is more realistic than previous years so I'm hoping to see several finishes in 2016.

{Wish I was a Farm Girl} sampler quilt will hopefully be one of them.

Hey, if there are any more of you who are way  late to the Farm Girl Vintage sew along, JOIN ME. I'll be posting photos of the completed blocks on Instagram with the hashtags #wishiwasafarmgirl, #farmgirlvintage, #beeinmybonnet and #loriholt

{ Red Letter Day is Finished.....well, almost }

Last night I finished sewing on the binding, popped her into the washer and dryer and went into the yard to photograph her.

I'm in love! I think this is my favorite quilt yet. I adore everything about it...the fabric, the pattern and the quilting.

The fabric is Weeds by Me and My Sister Designs for Moda and the pattern is Red Letter Day by Camille Roskelley of Thimble Blossoms
The pattern is well written, like all her patterns, and the large blocks worked up quickly. I didn't lose any points {yay!} and most seams matched perfectly.

I used Moda Bella Christmas red for the center block and the binding. I'm usually a bit nervous using red for fear of color bleeding. No problem with the Moda red though. I threw two Shout Color Catchers in the wash just to be sure.

The only thing left to do is sew on the quilt label which I'll get to tonight. I first have to find some straight pins somewhere.
She'll be going to her new home tomorrow, a shower gift for my niece. Dana doesn't really know how lucky she is.....I almost decided to keep her for myself and pick up a blender.

Finished size 68x68

Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts

{ Best.Day.Ever! }

I think this fabric line has become my new, all-time favorite. The Seaside Stars quilt will be quickly moving up the to-do list. {After gift quilts are finished of course}

 

 

{ In my own defense...this is why I get suckered into buying more fabric.}

It happened again today. I received squishy mail from Stash Addict Quilts. It was the Fat Eighth bundle of Best.Day.Ever! that I mentioned in yesterday's post. I stumbled on their online shop by accident two months ago and have been ordering from them ever since. One reason is their great prices, even without  Deal of the Day pricing, and the other is a special gift that comes with every order......a mini Moda charm pack and a coordinating fat quarter. The first time I ordered with them and I saw the gift  I was thrilled. I really believed it was a one time deal for a new customer. Nope. Each and every order has a sweet little surprise included.

This is the way my recent fabric buying binge happened, all thanks to those $%@& mini charm packs and fat q's:

First order: Layer cake of specially priced Mirabelle by Fig Tree & Co arrived with a gift of 25th and  Pine from Basic Grey.

Second order: Four charm packs of specially priced  25th and Pine arrived with a gift of Weeds by Me & My Sister

Third order: Fat Quarter bundle of Weeds arrived with a gift of Best.Day.Ever! by April Rosenthal

Are you seeing a pattern here?

Fourth order: Fat Eighth bundle of Best.Day.Ever! Just received this morning. I was torn. To open or not to open. I wanted to look at the pretty fabric, just for a moment, yet, I was not sure I was ready to view my special gift. I secretly hoped it would be something flowery or juvenile so I wouldn't be tempted again. Please, I prayed, don't be Miss Kate by Bonnie & Camille. The suspense was too much and I looked.....it was not what I had hoped for. Elementary by Sweetwater. Oh crap, I'm in trouble, again.

{ Come Sail Away }

My sweet niece Sarah is beginning her career as a teacher next month. She'll have her own third grade class. {Better her than me!} It seems that each teacher chooses a theme for their classroom and she decided on a nautical theme.  She also decided that she would love to have a specially made quilt from her Auntie to use on her rocking chair in the reading corner of her classroom.

The next day I went on a mission to find the right fabrics in the colors she requested. I came across Barnegat Bay by Studio 37, for Marcus Fabrics at the Fat Quarter Shop. Great prints and the exact color palette she wanted. I purchased the fat quarter bundle and fabric for the backing and binding and got started.

I finished up last week and took it out for some photo time this past weekend. I'm very pleased with the finished quilt and I'm hoping she'll love it.

{That sailboat had perfect timing.}

I usually just hand write my quilt labels but I wanted something a little bit special for Sarah's quilt. I found a quote from Dr. Seuss' Oh, the Places You'll Go! and hand embroidered the label. I like the extra special touch it adds to the quilt and I'm sure with a little more practice I'll be really happy with the results.

Come Sail Away is ready to be mailed to her new home in Florida, along with a copy of  Oh, the Places You'll Go!.

{ There's Been Some Quilting Going on Around Here}

This Saturday the hubbie and I are heading out to California for the first time to visit Yosemite National Park. Then we'll be stopping in Colorado to visit with some friends before heading back home. This quilt will by flying out with us and finding a new home with friends out there. I hope they like her.

The fabric is Odds & Ends by Julie Comstock for Moda and the pattern is Avalon Scrappy Summer from Moda Bake Shop. Melissa at Sew Shabby Quilting in Utah professionally quilted her. She did a wonderful job again.

{Pretty Fabric}

I mentioned in another post that I've been reading a lot of quilting blogs. Almost all of them discuss their 'stash'. It does not refer to something illegal or a drawer full of candy....it refers to their collection of fabrics that are just waiting to be used in a sewing/quilting project. I can understand how a 'stash' is born. Nearly every month several new lines of fabric are released and they are showcased in the most popular online fabric stores. When I first started quilting, I began accumulating fabric. For each collection of precuts and yardage I purchased, I planned a quilt to use them in.  Since I now have a ridiculous amount of fabric, I decided not to purchase any more until I make a quilt with what I already have. It's really been hard. That's why this fat eighth bundle of Friendship by Howard Marcus for Moda is now in my 'stash'. I'm trying....really I am.