Rise and Shine-ish is a Finish

So once I got all the blocks on my design wall, and created the perfect layout, I thought maybe those corners would look better with some triangles.

So I added them!

This is Rise and Shine-ish

It is Lifetime Quilt Number 167

It finished at 64" x 64"

It has approximately 1,004 pieces.

The inspiration for this quilt was the pattern Rise and Shine by Camille Roskelley for Thimble Blossoms.

I'm very happy with how this project turned out.  I have a nice stack of scraps leftover and plan to add to the stack over the next year so I can make another Halloween quilt next year.  

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Rise and Shine - ish

When I first started piecing my Rise and Shine blocks, I just threw them up on my design wall.  Once I got half the blocks pieced I decided I better start positioning them like the pattern, to help me with my future fabric choices.  (you know, because of my no like fabrics touching rule)

And a funny thing happened, I decided I liked my blocks better this way.

So now instead of working on Rise and Shine, I'm working on Rise and Shine-ish!!

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Hook is home

Do you remember when I made Hook?  It was way back in the spring, of 2014!!

The pattern was a Schnible that finished at 35" x 40".  I made my stars bigger for a quilt that finished at 66" x 70".  The fabric is Little Black Dress 2 by BasicGrey for Moda.

Well it's home from the quilter.

I wanted a simple custom job, my main objection to an all over design is that I didn't want those stars to be flattened out and lost in a design and the background.  So Shelly at Prairie Moon Quilts did a nice simple swirl pattern around the stars and a little pattern in each star for some definition.  I could not be more pleased.

I was so happy with it I took it out of the box and folded it over a red chair, I think it looks right at home in my living room.

If you liked Little Black Dress and Little Black Dress 2, good news, BasicGrey is introducing Black Tie Affair at market, and it should be in stores the first of 2016.  It has the same dressy feel as Little Black Dress, it's on my wish list.

I've got a stack of quilt tops that I  need to get out to quilters, making the tops is fun, but having finished quilts to enjoy and give away to friends is even better.  Getting Hook reminded me of that.

Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment letting me know what you've been up to!  I was green with envy over some of the amazing trips you took, and realized that a year of home improvement projects is nothing compared to dealing with the stress and heartbreak of family illnesses and deaths.  The biggest theme was finishing UFO's, pat yourself on the back for whittling down those projects.  

The winner of the Jeni Baker HST book and AQS Calendar is

Lea Anne from  Podunk Pretties  who said, 

"Oh I love your quilt, and I'm so happy for you that it made the cover of the calendar. Gorgeous! Wish I could say I've done some amazing things this summer but I haven't. Lots of gardening and canning in between taking care of mom and dad. One had open heart surgery and the other is still in the process of chemo. Not a fun summer but believe it or not I do believe it could have been worse. Thanks for the chance to win some great prizes."

Enjoy your weekend, I'm hoping to make a few more Rise and Shine blocks and a football blossom, more on that on Monday!

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Are you Going Surfing', I am!

Are you ready for a new Snapshots block?  It's that time again!!  

This month's block is Going Surfin', my latest favorite.

This block is very easy and goes together quickly.  I made my block exactly like the pattern except for the surfboard fabric.

Oh, and some fish managed to find their way into my car.  I don't have much in the way of novelty fabric, and I wanted someone in the car, dogs being my first choice, but given my limited stash I could choose fish, elephants or sheep.  Fish won.

Every month a few quilters get very clever with their fabric choices, this block has several opportunities for originality.  Although if I could choose any fabric I wanted for the car, I would have chosen the red polkadot. 

I am thrilled that the FQS has already surpassed it's initial goal of raising $10,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and its new goal of $20,000. The last time I checked the amount raised was over $33,000, how great is that!  As a reminder, the monthly patterns are a free download, a donation is up to you, the suggested donation is $5.  Here is a link to the pattern, instructional video, donation page, and everything else you need to know.  (click here)  The backing and finishing directions are also now available.

Here are a few more folks participating in the sew along, be sure to check out their love cars.

Pat Sloan of The Voice of Quilting

Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet

Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life

Pam Viera-McGinnis of Pam Kitty Morning

Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs
Stephanie Kendron of The Modern Sewciety

Natalia Bonner of Piece N Quilt
Greg Jones of Grey Dogwood Studios
Jessie Fincham of Messy Jesse

And finally, check out instagram, #fqssnapshots for some great blocks and inspiration.

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Because it's Wednesday

Have you checked out this book, The Half-Square Triangle by Jeni Baker?

I love making half-square triangles so I was eager to get this book.   And even though I've made several half-square triangle blocks and quilts, this book has several patterns, blocks and techniques that make it a worthwhile addition to my library.

There are twelve different large quilt patterns, and when I say different patterns,  I mean different from each other, different from the norm, with different options.

This pattern is called Triplicate, it's one of my favorites.  I think it would also look great with a scrappy background or  maybe a linen!

The book also provides 60 different 16 HST block patterns (4 hsts x 4 hsts) so you can create your own sampler quilt.

My favorite feature of the book is the colorless templates provided for each pattern.

I plan to get out my colored pens and create my own design using these templates as a starting point.  I sometimes draw patterns on graph paper with a pencil, I can skip that step and use these templates instead.

I wasn't asked to review this book, I bought it, I like it, and I thought I would pass the information along to you.   It's probably available at your local quilt shop, if you're like me, and don't have a local quilt shop, it's available from Amazon, here.

Something else available from Amazon is the 2016 AQS Wall Calendar.  Does that cover quilt look familiar to you?

It's my Coastal Lily top quilted by Judi Madsen.  I'm very honored the quilt is featured on the cover of the calendar.  Each month features a different winning quilt from the 2015 AQS Paducah Quilt show. The photography and colors are amazing, as are each quilt.  If you would like to order this calendar check it out here.

Because it's Wednesday, and because I'm so happy my remodeling days are a thing of the past, and because it's been ages since I've had a giveaway, I'm giving away the Jeni Baker book and the AQS Calendar.  If Amazon will deliver to your address you're eligible to enter, just leave a comment telling me what you've been up to this year, at home, in your sewing room, or travel, whatever suits you, it seems like ages since we've chatted!!

Giveaway now closed, thanks for stopping by!

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