A Couple of Updates . . . .

James River Blues is home from the quilter . . .

Connie Lancaster at Quilts Plus quilted this top for me. This quilt was originally headed to the family room, but my red couch was bare after I put up my Christmas quilts so it landed here instead. If you've ever wondered what color couch is the best color to showcase your different quilts, it's been my experience that red couches are the best!

I've just got to share this with somebody, and since no bodies are coming to my house you get the news . . .

Not only is my $4.99 Home Depot Poinsettia still alive, it looks better today than when I brought it home over 6 weeks ago! Leaves continue to open and bloom. I've never managed to keep a plant alive this long, let alone thriving! It's the only thing blooming in my neck of the woods, at this rate, I think it may make it to next Christmas or at least Valentines Day!

I'm also sewing, hopefully the weather will cooperate so I can get some good pictures of Starry Eyed, it's all done!

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Hey, Remember This . . . . .

It's been months, several months, FIVE months, Five months and a day to be exact, since I blogged about Evening Bloom, my needle turn applique project by Blackbird Designs. Somehow, I got off track last fall, I started block 6 but just didn't get much past the starting point.

After so many months of not stitching I was worried my stitches would be back to beginner level, but I hadn't completely lost my touch, it feels great to be back at it, and here goes . . . .

Ta da, Block 6, all done, FINALLY!

I think it's my favorite block!!

Here are all 6 finished blocks, since I'm sure you've forgotten what they look like, I know I almost had.

Only 3 more blocks to go!

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Twofer . . .

Twofer - something that satisfies two needs or criteria simultaneously.

I have the need to blog about two subjects but the time to create one post, it's bargain day at Cupcakes n Daisies!

First up, my living room wall hanging update.

I've been hanging quilts on this rack in my living room for over a year now. I went back and read my post about the first quilt I hung after" Oh Christmas Tree", the quilt that motivated me to use that blank wall for displaying my quilts. This time last year I hung "Father's Fancy" and wrote that I wasn't sure I would be hanging any more! Boy I'm glad I got over that idea, I've hung and enjoyed quilts this past year that would have probably never got off a quilt rack or out of the closet.

Like this quilt.

This is Lifetime Quilt Number 30, named Clara's Enchanted Nutcracker Dance. (click here to read all about it) I've made nearly 50 quilts since I pieced this quilt! I love it, yet I've never displayed it, until now. Technically it's a Christmas quilt, made from a Christmas family of fabric. But the print isn't overly Christmas and the colors match my living room perfectly. I plan to enjoy this quilt, for the first time really, for the month of January.

Its sister quilt, Lifetime Quilt Number 29 named Snowbird Migration, is currently on my bed.

(click here for more detail)

The blocks were from Patchwork Party 2007. I made two sets of blocks then went with two different finishing patterns. My original idea was to hang the smaller quilt on the wall in my bedroom, but I don't have a wall big enough to hang it, so I've used the large quilt but have not done much with the the wall hanging until now. It's great to be enjoying both quilts.

For a peak at another finishing option for these blocks check out Judi's latest finish (click here). Someone else is enjoying their Patchwork Party 2007 quilt too.

Next topic - Sew Alongs and BOM's for 2012

There sure are a plethora of Sew Alongs, Challenges and Block of the Months starting up. I'm tempted to join every one of them but you know how it goes, so many projects so little time. So I plan to follow several, like that Building Houses from Scraps Challenge, the Fat Quarter Shops latest Designer Mystery BOM, and this It Just Takes Two sew along. Good luck to everyone who is participating in all these wonderful online quilting bees, I'll love watching your progress.

Here are the two I've decided to tackle for 2012:

Another Year of Schnibbles, hosted by Sherri at A Quilting Life and Sinta at Pink Pincushion.

I've had a few projects in past Schnibbles parades but hope to give it a better effort this year. Especially now that I have a perfect place to hang smaller quilts. The first project is Full House, a favorite pattern of mine. I plan to use Countdown to Christmas for my Full House, the perfect companion for my Starry Eyed quilt.

I've also decided to participate in this Block of the Month.

Memories of Provence by Monique Dillard for Open Gate Quilts. I picked this BOM because it's not a mystery, I not only love the fabric, it suits me and my house to a T, and I think the blocks look challenging, in a good sort of way.

In addition to these two projects, finishing Evening Bloom, my needle turn applique project is a high priority for 2012. Other than that I don't have much in the way of plans and really haven't decided what I'm going to work on after I finish Starry Eyed and Full House. I'm sure something will call my name, but right now, I have no idea what it will be. When I do decide, you'll be the first to know!

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Starry Eyed Progress . .

I had no idea how popular Angela's Starry Eyed pattern was until I blogged about my project. There are many Starry Eyed quilts done and many many more on your To Do Lists. I'm in good company. Most folks, like me, are going with Countdown to Christmas by Sweetwater for their quilts but some folks have used different fabric, I've not seen any pictures, just heard tell, I would love to see some Starry Eyed quilts in other fabrics. I think this is one of those patterns, like Swoon, that will look good using any fabric.

Angela of Fussy Cut has asked folks who make a quilt using her pattern to send her a picture. Maybe she'll create a Starry Eyed Flickr Account so we all can see.

So here's my progress . .

Star blocks, all done.

4 patch blocks nearly done.

Several folks ask for my cutting directions to make the blocks bigger, since this is a free pattern I'm happy to pass the information along.

In the original pattern the star blocks squares are 4 1/2 inches, I made mine 5 inches. For the star points I cut my blocks 5 1/2 inches and cut once diagonally. For the patches, the pattern calls for 2 1/2 inch blocks/strips, mine are 2 3/4 inches. Just a half inch here and there and you get a block that finishes at 18 inches instead of 16.

Since I'm making my blocks bigger plus making more blocks you pretty much use an entire fat quarter bundle of fabric and you need almost 4 yards of background fabric to get a quilt that finishes at 90 x 90.

I had a great week last week, the Christmas decorations are all down ( don't get that confused with packed up!) and I got to spend some time in my sewing room. I'm a girl who likes a schedule, it sure felt great to get back into my normal routine.

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Christmas Countdown . . .

Christmas came and went far too quickly for me. It seems like I just got all my before Christmas To Dos done and now it's time for my after Christmas To Dos. I was hardly home to enjoy my decorations and wasn't even tired of them, but I packed them all up just the same. Someone PLEASE remind to get an earlier jump on Christmas for 2012, a reminder note after Labor Day would be much appreciated!

Time to move on. Well not totally on. Back in July, when that Countdown to Christmas fabric by Sweetwater for Moda came out, I got all excited and started counting down to when I would make something out of that fabric.

Then this free pattern showed up on the Moda Bakeshop website and not only did I have my Countdown to Christmas fat quarter bundle I had my pattern.

Here's a nice closeup view of Angela from Fussy Cut's Starry Eyed.

But I like to work with Christmas fabric when it's Christmas. So I just sat my fat quarter bundle on my shelf, printed the pattern, and started counting down to Christmas.

Well a funny thing happened on the way to Christmas, I got busy, but after waiting 6 months to make this quilt I decided I wasn't going to let a little matter of Christmas being over stop me, that's the thing about Christmas, it will be back, and I'll have a new quilt when it is.

So my daughter went back to California, my husband went back to work and Cooper went back to daycare. What's a girl to do but get back into her sewing room. And I did.

Here are my inspiration blocks. They could not have gone together any easier, I think this will be a fun and fast project.

Angela's Starry Eyed quit finished at 64" x 80", four 16 inch blocks wide by five 16 inch blocks long. This quilt is going on my guest room bed and needs to be a little bigger than Angela's finished quilt. I decided to go with 5 blocks wide by 5 blocks long, but still came up a little short so I'm making my blocks 18 inches square which will give me a finished quilt of 90" x 90", just right I think. I've cut the entire quilt out and pretty much used up that entire fat quarter bundle! Nothing left to do now but sew.

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