Catchup, Wrap up, Throwup

I caught up on all my monthly block swaps, packaged and mailed all but one that needs international postage.  Of course I forgot to take pictures of all of them but here are some including some quilt alongs I'm working on.

Block Swap Adventure sneak peek for Cathy in Australia.  I accidentally deleted the full pick.

And to wrap up this swap here are all of the ones I received,

Here are all of the ones made for me in August by Let's Bee Together hive A.  One block  never found its way to me.

Here is block 3 for the Fat Quarter Star quilt along.

And , OK I think I need to be sick.  Sorry.

I think I'm going to bed.

keep dreaming...Colleen

fabrics to use from my stash in the shades of gray charm swap  Join us there a a few spots left.

Catching up on some swaps

I decided to wrap up this year with my monthly Bee swaps and then take a break in 2012.  I have a pile of UFOs that really need to be finished.  But I still have some blocks to make and here are some reccent finishes.

This was my November block for my partner in Block Swap Adventure.  She wanted card trick in any colors so I used some DS Quilts Picnic and Fairgrounds fabric.  I really love this line.

This block was totally improved. I focused on the teal color and found scraps from my scrap box.  I then improvised the pattern I think I'll call garden star.  This was for my October partner.

This is a view of my new design wall.  I finally got so frustrated with the tiny fleece one.  I was at Joann's and noticed the felt was on sale.  I bought 2.5 yards of a 90"' wide light blue felt.  Notice I now have room to leave all of my Bee blocks at the top.  I love it!

Keep dreaming...Colleen

Beautiful basillica in Asheville, NC.

Busy little sewer

So Flaunt! is Friday night and Saturday.  Come join in the fun!

I'm going to set up Thursday.  Here are some Owl and Deer Owwie bags. 

 They can be heated in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or put in the freezer to use as a cold pack.  I made these kid size.  I have other larger styles.  Mom loves to use hers for heat.  She has worn out three covers and one inner bag.  I make separate inner bags of rice so you can easily wash the outer bag.



Sorry for the blurry picture.

Here is the beginning of my potholder for the Triad MQG first swap.

 I'm thinking of some DS Quilts red dots for the binding and a hanging tab in the middle of the top.  Not sure what will go on the back.  I may break into the stash of red and white fabric I'm hoarding for the Forsyth Piecers and Quilters challenge.  Im also thinking some pearl cotton stitching in red.

This is the AWESOME Scrappy Halloween Mug Rug I received from Andrcarl on flickr.  She even included some of the  middle tree fabric which I love!

Keep dreaming...Colleen



Kalli sleeping in my studio comfy chair among my various pillows.
What's funny is I have to move her from this chair to my sewing chair.
 Some times repeatedly.  Yes the sewing chair is padded too.



BOMs, Swaps, Quilt-a-longs, and a Giveaway oh my!



My awesome September Block Swap Adventure block from Samantha.



Doesn't it look good with one of the others.



All of a sudden I'm being buried in blocks!

Yesterday I started the LQS BOM at Sewingly Yours.  For a mere $10.68 I get a new star block pattern and the fabric (5 coordinating batiks) for the making the block.  As long as I complete my homework of finishing my block each month and then attend the next monthly meeting, I get the other 11 kits free!  Plus they teach you any techniques that you need to know.  I have always liked to learn new techniques and having that requirement is a motivator. 

I went right home and sewed up my first star! 

And using the little triangles cut off the flying geese and some other scraps I whipped up this block which I think will be a mug rug.

 * * * * * * * * * * *

Sunday night I joined the Blogger's BOM sponsored by Canton Village Quilt Works.  I had a stack of stash fabric from my last Block Swap Adventure block that I really liked. 

 So I added the gray and white fabric from my stash and made the first block.

* * * * * * * * *

BTW have I told you how much I love star blocks?  Because I really really do and when Moose on the Porch Quilts posted block one for her Fat Quarters Star Quilt-a-long I knew I needed to do this one too.

I went to my stash again and found 16 prints to coordinate and cut them into fat quarters.  Six all pink or pink and white prints, six all green or green and white prints, and 4 green, white, pink prints.  I will use a white for the background.  What's funny is that 14 of these prints were fabric I bought about 5 years ago.  It was when I was well on my way to recovery from the cancer and chemo and was feeling creative.  I wanted to get back into quilting as I had missed it so much.  I didn't really have the space and my tools were all packed away.  But that didn't stop me.  I went to Joann's week after week for about 2 months and bought 2 yards each of the fabrics above on sale.  I didn't know about the LQS back then.  I wanted to make a new quilt for my bed.  Then I started graduate school.  The fabrics of course were never used.  So this will be a perfect use of them and I will have plenty of yardage for a pieced back.  Oh and I wanted to make a star quilt then too!  So as I was cutting all of those fat quarters I cut two from each fabric. 

That means I have one set to give away!

If you would like your own stack of 16 fat quarters to participate in the quilt-a-long or just to add to your stash do the following and comment for each one you do.

1.  Be a follower or tell me if you already are.

2.  Tell me what BOM or quilt-a-longs you are participating in now.

The giveaway will end October 11th at 5pm.

Keep dreaming...Colleen



Trying a white background for my DS Quilts mini quilt swap.