Q4 2018 FAL Goals

Q4 (October-December 2018) Finish Along Goals: 

1. Game On! Bench Pillow  - just fabrics, supplies, a pattern & a dream...
2. Spoolin' Around - blocks are finished, lots more to be done...

3. Crazy Quilt Pillow - only 4 out of 6 blocks are started; none are finished...

4. QAYG Reversible Quilt - all blocks are done; onto the borders...

5. Asian Sidelights - just fabrics & a pattern, but it will be a quick finish once the fabrics are cut...

6. Farmer's Wife - blocks are finished & ready to be set...

7. Dancing 9-Patch - blocks are finished & need to be framed...

8. Christmas Quilt (for Nancy) - quilt needs to be mended or completely redone; maybe starting over...

9. Dresden Ohio - top & backing are finished and ready to be quilted...

10. The Splendid Sampler 2 - fabrics, supplies & pattern ready; time to get started...

Last month, I completed 4 of the 9 quilts I had listed on my Q3 list.  As usual, I'm hoping to make more progress this quarter!  A girl can dream, right? 😊  

Linking up to the 2018 Finish-A-Long hosted by Leanne at her blog She Can Quilt.

For fun stuff happening today in the blog-o-sphere, check out the link-ups on my sidebar!

~ Heather

Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt-Along Challenge Week #11

I'm continuing to make progress on Suzn Quilts' Dresden Quilt Workshop Challenge.  This week was another easy week...and...I guess I was feeling a little psychic!

 

Here's what happened...  Some time ago, Susan gave me her blessing to teach her techniques at Jackman's Fabrics, a local quilt shop.  I had a class scheduled on Tuesday, and, when I teach, I need samples and step-outs demonstrating how to create those adorable Tiny Dresdens.  I had a bundle of gifted fabrics that I was ready to use and I went looking for a pattern that would work with the limited amount of yardage I had - and Dresden Ohio was the perfect fit!  So....I began the initial steps for the Dresden Ohio quilt...on Monday!

Dresden Ohio block

Then, on Wednesday (yesterday), Susan posted the direction for the next step in the quilt-along.  Guess what...this week we needed to make one Dresden Ohio block!  See, I am psychic!

Dresden Ohio (pattern in Dresden Quilt Workshop by Susan Marth)

So, while working on my one Dresden Ohio block, I went ahead and finished making the entire Dresden Ohio quilt top that I had begun cutting out.  Afterall, the class was Tuesday and I was ready to use those step-out samples in a project!  Why leave them just sitting around?

Dresden Quilt Workshop Sampler Quilt Weeks #1-11

For fun stuff happening today in the blog-o-sphere, check out the link-ups on my sidebar!

~ Heather

Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt-Along Challenge Week #10

I'm back on track with Suzn Quilts' Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt-Along Challenge!  Yesterday, Susan posted the directions for week #10 up on her blog.  I just had week #9 to finish up and then I was ready!

Susan says these blocks are "fun and fast."  Well, I can tell you, they were fun (once I had all of the fabrics picked out), but they were not fast (probably because I used HST scraps from other blocks and made them work)!

 I'm still struggling to choose fabrics for each block, hoping in the end that none of the prints or colors will end up right next to each other.  So far, so good, but as we move along, I'm beginning to use up some of the FQs and know that next time there will be just a few less options to choose from.  Yikes!   I'm sure it will all work out in the end, but, what's a challenge without a challenge?!?!

2 Dresden Puzzle blocks

Last night, when I posted my week #9 finish on the Dresden Quilt Workshop Facebook page, I mentioned that I was off to work on week #10.  Susan replied that it would be while she was sleeping and of course, she was right!  I finished up these babies at around 3am this morning!  Yep, she knows me!

DQW QAC Weeks #1-10

Since I did finish so late, I waited to blog about them until today (I did take the photos last night before I went to bed).   And, just in case you were wondering, I did sleep in this morning, but I had to get up at 9am for the clock repairman! 💁

For fun stuff happening today in the blog-o-sphere, check out the link-ups on my sidebar!

~ Heather

Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt-Along Challenge Week #9

Finally caught up on Suzn Quilts' Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt-Along Challenge!  Woohoo!!  Here's what we did for week #9... 

These are Star Spangled Dresden blocks featuring one Tiny Dresden in each center. 

I'm really enjoying choosing the fabrics for each block, although I do find this the most difficult part of the entire challenge!  The fabric line that I have chosen to use has many directional fabrics and in order to make this quilt, I have to be extra careful that those fabrics end up in the right direction!

2 Star Spangled Dresden blocks

I don't mind if the stripes are set vertically or horizontally...as long as they're going the same direction in each block.  Thank goodness for the few patterns that are not directional - they make it assembling blocks so much easier!

And, there you have it - weeks #1-9.  I'm all ready to start pulling my fabrics for Week #10 (posted this morning Susan Marth's blog)!

For fun stuff happening today in the blog-o-sphere, check out the link-ups on my sidebar!

~ Heather

Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt-Along Challenge Week #8

Still playing catch-up today, so here's my cute little row of blocks for Suzn Quilts' DQW QAC week #8... 

 9-Patches & a Tiny Dresden

This may be my most favorite week yet!  The 9-patches went together in a snap and, I'm sure, we're all becoming quite proficient at making these cute little Tiny Dresden blocks!  This row is sooo sweet!!!!!!

Of course, it gets set into the quilt as a vertical row.

And, here they are all together - weeks #1-8!  This quilt along goes on through January, so we've still got a way to go.  If you're interested, there's more information over at Susan Marth's blog. 

For fun stuff happening today in the blog-o-sphere, check out the link-ups on my sidebar!

~ Heather

Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt-Along Challenge Week #7

Catching up after a nice vacation...tacked onto a business trip, but more on that in a later post...

 Week #7 covered Suzn Quilts'  widget blocks.  Aren't they just the coolest little blocks?

 What's not to love about widget blocks?  They are just way too fun!  I want to make a TON of them!

2 Widget Blocks

Design wall loaded with Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt Along Weeks #1-7!

Now, if you're loving this quilt along progress through pictures as much as I am enjoying playing along, run on over to Susan Marth's blog and join in!  It's never too late!

For fun stuff happening today in the blog-o-sphere, check out the link-ups on my sidebar!

~ Heather

Thank You Stars

Thank you Stars was made from another of those free patterns that came in the mail urging me to resubscribe to a magazine.  I love receiving quilt & crafting magazines, but I find that I rarely make any of the projects in them.  I wanted a quick and easy scrappy quilt to make for my husband's Aunt Shrimp and this seemed like the perfect fit - I just added an extra column and row to make the pattern queen-sized! This weekend my in-laws came to visit.

My mother-in-law and I went shopping during her last visit to choose the fabrics her sister would love.  I also added a bunch of additional patriotic fabrics and reds, blues and neutrals to give the quilts that scrappy interest choosing to repeat each fabric only twice. 

This weekend my in-laws came back to visit again, so that gave me the kick I needed to get this quilt done so that they could deliver the quilt before Christmas.  I decided on this really cute wood grain pantograph and, as usual, DH vetoed it.  Well, DH went away on a business trip and I tried a few other pantos, but in the end, I still liked the wood grain the best and I quilted it right up...sorry honey!  Yeah, he didn't like it any better once it was finished.  Oh well...I love it!  

Thank You Stars

Designer:  Marianne Fons (Fons & Porter's: Love of Quilting)

Size: 87x102"

Featured Fabrics:  Misc. Americana

Quilting:  Wood Grain (Jessica Schick)

Quilting Thread:  Fil-Tec Glide (Antique)

Batting:  Quilter's Dream Poly Select (Light Loft)

Linking up to the 2018 Finish-A-Long hosted by Leanne at her blog She Can Quilt.

Checking this project off as my 4th finish on my Q3 FAL list.

For fun stuff happening today in the blog-o-sphere, check out the link-ups on my sidebar!

~ Heather

Spice Market

Do you ever get free patterns in the mail?  You know, the ones that come in an envelope with information to subscribe to quilting magazines once you let our subscription lapse?  Well, I've been holding onto this pattern for a few years and I actually got the chance to use it with a set of gifted blocks!

For my birthday, a couple of years ago, an extremely friendly member of my quilt guild, Bobbi, gifted me a stack of these 1/4 log cabin blocks.  Bobbi has a way with batik fabrics and she often sneaks in other bright patterned fabrics that blend right in with the batiks (like that bright green in the upper left of the photo above).  In order to follow the pattern, and after counting up the blocks, I figured I needed to make just 6 more blocks to add to Bobbi's blocks!  That was easy enough!

Then....after all of the blocks were up on the design wall and I was getting ready to sew them all together, I got a call from Bobbi.  Apparently, she was cleaning up her sewing area and she came across another stack of the 1/4 log cabin blocks...and she asked if I wanted them!  Uhhh....YES! Now I had a stack of close to 200 blocks!  YAY!

I figured I could make 2 quilts with that many blocks so I could also be a little pickier about which blocks I should use in this quilt.  The name Spice Market made me choose the primarily warm and spicier colored blocks:  the reds, golds and oranges. Of course, the blocks had all sorts of colors added in, so there is a bunch of green, blue and purple punches in those blocks, too.

The fun thing about the 1/4 log cabin blocks is  I have over 100 blocks left and they are primarily blues and greens - I can't wait to design something for them, but for now, they'll go on the back burner in a UFO box.

Speaking of reds....I was able to use up the remainders of 3 different wide-back fabrics that were leftover from quilts I made earlier this year.  I love it when that happens! And I really liked the way the yellow printed burgundy batik worked for binding (even if DH disagrees...nothing new there....).

Spice Market

Designer:  Vicky Wozniak (McCall's Quick Quilts)

Size: 78x78"

Featured Fabrics:  Misc. Batiks

Quilting:  Bora Bora (Natalie Gorman)

Quilting Thread:  Aurifil (col. 5512)

Batting:  Warm & Natural

Linking up to the 2018 Finish-A-Long hosted by Leanne at her blog She Can Quilt.

Checking this project off as my 3rd finish on my Q3 FAL list.

For fun stuff happening today in the blog-o-sphere, check out the link-ups on my sidebar!

~ Heather

Dresden Daisies #2

Several months ago, my friend and designer, Susan Marth (Suzn Quilts) asked me to pattern test her sweet little Dresden Daisies quilt.  I currently can't find the pictures of the first one I made at that time, but I loved it so much that I made another one!

Tiny Dresdens are so much fun to make and the can be so playful, or so perfectly serious depending on the quilt design!  Now that this second version is finished, it resides right in the middle of my kitchen table so that I can admire it every day.  It's the perfect spring and summertime table topper! 

I do enjoy quilting smaller quilts.  They go so fast and I get the satisfaction of quilting out pantograph designs that I love!  Did I ever mention how much I do not like long-arming?  It's not my favorite part of the process (to say the least).

Dresden Daisies #2

Designer:  Suzn Quilts (Susan Marth)

Size: 31.5 x 31.5"

Featured Fabrics:  Misc. Civil War

Quilting:  Linda's Daisy (Denise Schillinger)

Quilting Thread:  Fil-Tec Glide (Willow)

Batting:  Hobbs 80/20

Linking up to the 2018 Finish-A-Long hosted by Leanne at her blog She Can Quilt.
Checking this project off of as my 2nd finish on my Q3 FAL list.

For fun stuff happening today in the blog-o-sphere, check out the link-ups on my sidebar!

~ Heather

Deck The Halls

 What's not to love about Holly Taylor's fabrics sewed up into a Doug Leko design?

This is one of the shop sample quilts I had the pleasure of working up for this year's Holiday Seminar at Jackman's Fabrics.  

The pantograph is "Pinecone" by Karen Farnsworth and this is the first time I've ever quilted it out.  It was much more detailed and dense than I expected, so it took quite some time to finish, but once it's started...you just have to trudge on to the finish.

Holly Taylor's fabrics focus heavily on botanical elements.  The Christmas lines are full of holly, pine boughs and evergreens.  So, the extra work was worth it because this design suited the quilt perfectly!

Deck The Halls

Designer (Book):  Doug Leko (Once Upon A Memory)

Size: 64x80""

Featured Fabrics:   Once Upon A Memory by Holly Taylor (Moda)

Quilting:  Pinecone (Karen Farnsworth)

Quilting Thread:  Fil-Tec Glide (Basil)

Batting:  Warm & Plush

Linking up to the 2018 Finish-A-Long hosted by Leanne at her blog She Can Quilt.
Checking this project off of my Q3 FAL list!  See my Q3 FAL list here.

For fun stuff happening today in the blog-o-sphere, check out the link-ups on my sidebar!

~ Heather