Red, White and Wonderful...ly Done !

Here it is, my first official finish for 2011, and it's a keeper!!

Red, White and Wonderful by Gerri Robinson.

So the last time you stopped by, I had the center blocks all pieced.

Next step, the inner border.....

which is mitered.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, this project was a kit I bought from Lisa/Stashmaster.

The fabric, Roman Holiday, came out several years ago, so in the back of my mind I was aware that if I made a mistake cutting out this kit, I probably stood little chance of being able replace the fabric. That was particularly true with the border fabric, so what did I do...

of course, my very first cut of the very first strip, I was off by 1/2 inch!! Oh no, what to do!!! There was really nothing I could do, but cut all the remaining strips wrong and hope for the best.....and I got lucky, and got the best.......

The border fabric is cut lengthwise, when I lined up my ruler, I lined it up down the middle, but cut it a half inch too narrow, which forced me to cut the opposite side a half an inch wider, giving me that cute little scallop design running down the left side of the inner border fabric. Don't you just love it when stuff like that happens!!

So here it is, and I can't improve on the name, it is Red, White and Wonderful.

My first finish for 2011.

This is Lifetime Quilt #64,

it finished at 57" X 57",

and has approximately 201 pieces ( a new low for me I think!).

I'm not familiar with Gerri Robinson, but someone left a comment that they had several of her patterns, so I did a little research and she has a wonderful website with some beautiful kits and patterns. Her website is called Planted Seed Designs. I really love her Bellissima pattern made from Luna Notte by 3 Sisters for Moda. The pattern is in McCalls Quick Quilts February/March 2011 Magazine, out now.

That makes two amazing patterns I've seen that used Luna Notte, Eventide, by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company and Bellissima.....and I've still not bought that fabric!

I heard on the evening news that every state in the US has snow, except for one, Florida.....

we're enjoying ours!

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Finally, Almost Back To Normal . . . .

Things are starting to get back to normal at our house after celebrating the holidays and heading out to California to see the Rose Parade. I've still not gotten all the decorations down and packed, but after not being home between Christmas and New Years, we've enjoyed having them out, as opposed to so ready to pack everything up on January 1st, like other years.

Thanks so much for your encouragement and well wishes with regards to my 2011 Goals, and also for your take on what I considered a pretty sad 2010 when looking back at my UFO's. (by the way, I even forgot one, I had 7 UFO's, I forgot Darcy, a Schnibbles class I took this fall!)

Several folks gave me a perspective that had never occurred to me, and probably never would have; as I gain experience, I'm also expanding my likes and dislikes. When I first started quilting, I would make 2 or 3 quilts using the same pattern because I really didn't have any good direction or preference as to what to make, I just enjoyed sewing! My list of patterns, techniques and methods that I want to try grows weekly, why would I want to spend any amount of time on a project that doesn't suit, for any reason, just because I've started it!! Thanks so much turning around what I considered a newly developed quilting character flaw, into a positive statement on my developing skills, which really cheered me up!

It's been almost 3 weeks since I've spent any amount of time in my sewing room, but that changed today! Let me reintroduce you to Red, White & Wonderful, the quilt that I thought would be my last finish for 2010, but instead will be my first finish for 2011.

The pattern is by Gerri Robinson and was in the December 2007 issue of McCall's Quilting,

and uses the wonderful fabric, Roman Holiday by 3 Sisters for Moda.

First up, 5 of these

and four halves of these

to get this.....

I like it already.....

then

just 4 of these.....

to get this.....

How can 2 simple blocks and 4 different fabrics make something so lovely, in this case, "less is definitely more"! That from the queen of "more is more"!

All that's left is a couple of borders.

Even though this is a Christmas quilt, and even though I didn't finish this project in 2010 like I wanted, I STILL love it! This is one project I'm going to enjoy finishing, this week!

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Red, White and Wonderful . . .

Thanks so much for all the border suggestions on my floating green and red star quilt. (Root Beer Float) Here's what I've decided, it's not going on my Lifetime Quilt List for 2010, which about makes me cry, there goes my goal of completing 12 projects for 2010. And in the end, I may decide that I am done with that quilt, but I really need to give a few of your border suggestions a try, which requires going through my stash looking for fabric, laying the quilt on the floor on a bright sunny day, and auditioning the options to find just the right combination.

Cindy, the designer of the pattern Root Beer Float, reminded me that a border going all the way around the quilt looks totally different than just a strip running down the side, so I need to think about that too. So I'm giving it a rest, for now, stay tuned for an update, hopefully sooner than later! One thing I do know for sure, when I find the perfect combination, I'll know it, there's not much gray area for me, I'm either all in or all out! Walking away for a week or two is the wise thing to do.

(being wise is no fun and so not me, but wise I'll be, this once!)

I have one last project on my 2010 To Do List that I'm hoping to squeeze in. I've pre-washed and pressed the fabric,

Roman Holiday by 3 Sisters for Moda. I think this fabric came out in 2007.

I had only been sewing for a little over a year when it was released and I totally missed buying any fabric from that family. Every now and then when a quilt pops up on a blog that used that fabric I just swoon, wishing I had some of my own to work into something.

Then, earlier this year, Lisa the Stashmaster decided to sell a few kits from her stash, kits that she really liked but didn't think she would ever make. If you follow Lisa's blog, you know that picking great fabric is one of her specialities. As soon as I saw this kit I was on it, I felt like I won the lottery!

The pattern was in the December 2007 issue of McCall's. The pattern is called Red, White & Wonderful and is designed by Gerri Robinson.

This quilt finishes at less than 60 inches square, I think wrapping up this year with this project will be perfect. The fabric is lovely, the piecing easy, no pattern or fabric changes on my part, really I swear, I'm sticking to this pattern, as is!

~

Here at home, the presents are wrapped, the decorating done, the groceries bought, nothing left to do but celebrate! I picked my daughter up at the airport yesterday so the party has officially started. Plus, we're in for a white Christmas, just what my California Girl wished for, thanks Santa!

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