UFO Challenge - April

How did everyone do on the UFO Challenge in March?  Did you finish your #1 project?  I'm close, but not quite finished just yet.  I have a few more pages to add to hubby's Army Scrapbook (including his retirement photos from just this month - woohoo)!

April's UFO # is...#11!  Which project is #11 on your list?  Mine is my "Easy Street" which makes for an easy month for me as my ES is out to the longarmer, so once I get it back...all I'll have to do is bind that monster!  Maybe I can catch up on January and March's UFOs!

In your message, let us know how you did in March and what your project will be for April, too!


Happy Easter Everyone!

Orange again!

It's a Rainbow Scrap Saturday...and here's my "Wild Child" blocks!  Orange for this month and the blocks from earlier this year. 

The "Wild Child" pattern can be found in Bonnie Hunter's book, String Fling.

Linking up with SoScrappy's RSC13.

Veteran's Quilt Challenge

This month our guild meeting had a Veteran's Quilt Challenge.  Each member was challenged to complete at least one quilt for our wounded warriors/veteran's charity.  I've gotten 2 completely finished and one is just top and backing (not yet quilted and bound).

"As American As Apple Pie" (top, finished - below, backing)

"Army Star" (top, finished - below, top & backing)

"Patriotic Bowties" (top & backing, unfinished)

This one still needs to be quilted and bound.  I'l turn it in at the next guild meeting!

Mystery Clue #3

It's almost time for our monthly guild meeting, therefore, it was time to send out clue #3 for our mystery!

This is block quarter #1 (left) using units #1, and block quarter #2 (right) using units #2.  Both units were from Clue #1 in January!

I'm sure many of you are beginning to recognize this design.  If you know who the designer is and which quilt this is...please do not spoil it for the others in the comments (but feel free to comment otherwise - just please don't give it away).  I'll give the designer credit at the end of our mystery, of course...she knows who she is and had given me permission to share with the guild!  

And as always, I'd be happy to answer any questions and/or discuss this with you through email :)  

Sew Day!

Only the three of us for Sew Day this month!  What happened to everyone?  Lots of stuff going on this month I guess...

Here's Viola and Debbie (and Debbie yelling at me, and Debbie grumbling at me...) working on their Veteran's quilts.  That's what we were all doing and it wasn't even planned that way!

Orange Color Challenge

This month's Rainbow Scrap Challenge color is ORANGE!  Guess who has very little orange in her scrap boxes...this girl!  But, no problem...I used what I had and used what a friend donated to the cause and I did end up cutting a small stip off of 2 or 3 FQs to get just a bit more variety in the end.   If you remember, February's color was PURPLE and January's color was PINK...don't these look so cute together???  

This project is my take on Bonnie Hunter's "Bow-Dacious!" from her book, Adventures with Leaders and Enders.

And this one is "Four Patch Revisited" which is the pattern right after "Bow-Dacious!" in the book! 


Linking up with SoScrappy's RSC13.

Blog Hop Winners!

Last week we had so much fun participating in the Blog Hop Party with Quilting Gallery!  As promised, I have drawn 4 winners.  First, 3 lucky ladies have won a free shipping coupon to Kimberly Crenshaw's Divine Inspirations Etsy Store:

#35 hueisei, #120 Carolyn, & #37 Terry @ a quilting blog

And the winner of 2 of Kimberly's patterns and a free shipping coupon to her Etsy store is...

#47 jmniffer

I'll be contacting everyone via email in the next couple of days, but if you're reading this and would like to send me your snail mail address right away, please do so!

Congratulations everyone!

Beat the Winter Blues – Quilters’ Blog Hop Party

It's a Blog Hop Party with Quilting Gallery!

What beats the winter blues better than cuddling up under an old worn quilt?  How about making a brand new quilt?  I LOVE piecing quilts in the wintertime...and quilting them...well, we'll save that discussion for another day.  Let's just say, I love to piece, I like to hand quilt, but I haven't quite gotten the hang of machine quilting!?!?!?

Anyway, today, I'd like to tell you about a friend of mine, Kimberly Crenshaw of Divine Inspirations! Kimberly designs beautiful patterns resulting in stunning quilts!  Her pattern instructions are well written and easy to follow.  She includes clear diagrams in full color  and generally designs with precut fabrics in mind (jelly rolls, layer cakes, charms, etc.), making construction quick and easy.  Kimberly even lets you know when it's a good time to stop and take a break! 

Currently, Kimberly is also putting together a table runner series featuring puppies.  She would like to donate a percentage of the proceeds to an animal shelter!  Please visit Kimberly Crenshaw's Divine Inspirations Facebook Page or Etsy Shop for more information about these amazing patterns!  And...Kimberly is releasing a new pattern this summer and it's one you'll definitely want to make for the holidays!

And now, what you've all been waiting for...

Kimberly and I have put together a giveaway for one lucky reader:  these 2 fabulous patterns by Kimberly Crenshaw's Divine Inspirations plus a free shipping coupon to her Etsy Shop!

And...three additional readers will also win free shipping coupons to Kimberly's Etsy Shop!

You've got up to 3 chances to enter:
1.  Leave a comment on this post describing what quilty projects you're currently working on.
2.  Follow my blog (see left margin) and leave a comment on this post letting me know that you did!
3.  Follow Kimberly on Facebook - leave a comment below letting me know that you did.

This giveaway closes on March 14, 2013.

As American as Apple Pie!

This patriotic quilt is going to be donated to the local veteran's rehab facility/home.  It was inspired by several stripey quilts that I've been seeing around the blogosphere, so I decided to give it a try!

This is just one block, 8x10" finished (yes, the photo is a little wonky, but...it really is square, I swear).  I pieced each block together not worrying about the strip width or length (just as long as it was over 9").  I wasn't even bothering with squaring up strips that were a bit wonky...they all went in.

A close up showing that I didn't have a ton of variety in strips as I was trying to us up as many of the partiotic/Americana fabrics as I could.  I still have some more so I'm planning on using up chunks of fabric for the backing (and binding).  If there's still more, I'll whip one more Vet quilt for the year.

With all the apple and layering of fabrics, the quilt kinda reminds me of apple pie, inspiring the name "As American as Apple Pie!"

And this will be the backing - a pieced baking with navy girls!?!?!

Blueberry Dessert

This is "Blueberry Dessert"!  Does it look familiar?  Yep, it's a take on Julie Hermann's "Raspberry Dessert" of Jaybird Quilts!  "Blueberry Desserts," all kitted up, and complete with Julie's book "Skip the Borders" - how fun!  And when you've finished the kit, there's still tons of patterns and inspiration to keep you going!

As I was driving along the Ozark Hills Shop Hop, I came upon this display in a new store called Quilter's Journey in Salem, MO.  The ladies there are fabulous and I had a great time chatting with them about blogging and some of the designers we all follow!  They have lots of kitted up projects featuring our favorite designers and they specialize in current pattern books.  I can't wait to get back there!  Too bad it's quite the drive - such a fun shop and they even made me a nice hot cup of tea to go!

UFO Challenge - March

How did everyone do on the UFO Challenge in February?  Did you finish your #10 project?  I did, but sadly, there's still been no movement on my January UFO.

This is the Quilt of Valor that I began several months ago and finally worked up enough nerve to machine quilt.  It was my first machine quilting project and this month it got donated!!!

March's UFO # is...#1!  Which project is #1 on your list?

Link up your February UFO progress here, then visit the other participants and see what they've been up to this month!