A Finish!!

Before I dive into the fun, I have to share a funny story. I've been so excited to receive comments from so many wonderful quilters. They are all very encouraging, especially for this new blogging adventure! I've replied to all (yikes, with the exception of one that I need to remedy)...at least, I thought I had replied. Silly me didn't realize that some were 'no reply' comments, so even though my email allowed me to send replies, several of them are floating in blogland. Oops!! ;) So, if you'd like a reply, please be sure to leave your email address, and I in turn will make sure I check for the essential 'no reply.' Haha!

So, Jennifer over at Ellison Lane Quilts has been hosting a Mini Quilt Challenge Contest this month. I only learned about it this week (I am often not up on everything in blogland--there is so much inspiration out there!), and knew it was the perfect nudge I needed to finish something up that I started too long ago. Last fall I was inspired by this post over at Stitched in Color. I grabbed my solids, picked up a few more at my LQS, and got to work. I didn't have time to make any of the deadlines, so I let my project become a neglected WIP. Fast forward to this week, and I am happy to say I finished and LOVE it! Ironically, even though I took photos earlier today, I didn't have a chance to sit down to write my post until four minutes after the deadline. Definitely a bummer, definitely typical of me (I am not an on-time person...at all), but I really am still happy to have finished. So, without further ado, here is what I have dubbed, Solids Squared.



Though this is actually a pillow cover, I have learned recently that a mini can be made into anything. Mini quilts have no place in my house for now, though I do want them in my future sewing room (too bad, right? It actually looks wonderful on my kitchen wall, don't you think?), but pillows are easier to work in. This particular one doesn't actually work in my house, but the point is I was inspired, I tried something out, had fun, and it will be finding a new home with a friend very soon.

It measures about 17" square and includes 16 different Kona cotton solids and one Moda Bella solid (a dark brown that I bought a few years ago). The Konas are ash, stone, curry, raisin, petal, plum, slate, papaya, mango, yarrow, corn yellow, sage, olive, caribbean, teal blue, and snow (border). I think those are all correct, at least as well as I can tell from my Kona color card. ;)



The back has an envelope closure with four large buttons. The fabric I used is Buttoned Up in plum from Anna Maria Horner's Good Folks line (one of my favorites). It might be hard to tell, but the outer border and binding is Kona raisin, a deep purple that I have enjoyed sewing with in a couple of projects this past year.



The front is quilted in a diagonal through the blocks with a grey Gutterman thread, and in matching thread colors for each of the borders. I'm so pleased with how it turned out, and even more pleased that it is now crossed off the list!



I hope your week is off to a great start as well!

Just a Little Bit of Everything

Welcome [back] to my new blog, with a new and wonderful look!! The beautiful design was made by the ever talented Holly of Bijoux Lovely. Don't you love it? I know I do!! We worked out a swap for all of this loveliness, so be on the lookout for my end of the deal. ;)

Lately I have not really been finishing anything, but have rather hand my hand in a bit of everything. I feel a bit ADD, which is nice for the creative process when you want to switch it up, but sometimes it just overwhelms me more to have so many WIPs. Not to mention the looooong list of additional projects I want to make!

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of trying out the Go! Baby cutter that belongs to the BMQG. I have been collecting fabric for a year and a half to make a drunkard's path quilt for my son, so the drunkard's path die has been a big 'yes, please!' for me.



While I love how the cutter works and greatly appreciate not having to hand-cut all of those curves (boy is it nice!), I think the finished 3.5" blocks are a bit too small for some of the fabrics I have chosen that have a larger scale (such as the giant octopi from Heather Ross's Mendocino line). I did, however, find a great tutorial for making your own template in whatever size you want, so as soon as I find my compass I will get to work.

I also got a new dresden ruler recently, the EZ Dresden by Darlene Zimmerman. I wanted to try it out with some fabric that I bought last fall, all of the above at my favorite LQS Strawberry Patches. I don't even know what the line is called, though I do know the notebook paper print is by Basic Grey. Anyhow, it was super easy and came together rather quickly. It still needs a center and I'm pretty sure I'm going to turn it into a pillow, but who knows when that finish will come because, as I said, it was something fun that satisfied my crafty appetite that day. ;)



Last, but not least, my family room has been in complete disarray for over a week while I've pulled, paired, and chopped fabric to make a Granny Square Quilt.



If you are not familiar with the crazy phenomenon that has swept Flickr and the online quilting community, short and sweet it was inspired by this beauty by Jolene of Blue Elephant Stitches. Old Red Barn Co. is even having a quilt along (though I had made my mind up to make one even before this...as if that matters, lol!). Check out the Flickr group.for more info if you're interested. Last night I finally was satisfied with the amount of squares cut (though I still need to cut about 20 more prints) and made my first block. I.am.in.love! Let's hope the rest of them look this good. ;)



Okay, so I know I can't be the only one who dabbles with dozens of projects at a time. How many do you have going right now? And for those of you who do not have crafty ADD, how in the world do you stay focused??