Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Lil sis problems

Finished 1/14/15 Birthday Mug Rug plus mug for sisters birthday


Title: Its All about the K
Size: small rectangle about 6x8
Pattern: original by Me
Quilted:  by me
Fabrics: purple scraps, fussy cut HK and Strawberry Shortcake.  Nurse love fabric on back

my inspirations:  For my sisters birthday based on this text conversation



**I made her one for Christmas.**



 

Back showing 

keep dreaming...Colleen
Dad gave us t-shirts -this was perfect for my  "doesnt stand for nonsense"  sister.

Josie Tollaksen The 2015 New School Competition

Please comment on this video.

Monday, January 19, 2015

2015 Year of the Finish


Look Im blogging! Sofia can't believe it!  LOL! 
 Instagram has captured me and I'm going to try to get back into blogging a little more regularly.


Im going to make 2015 the Year of the Finish.  
I seem to have a lot of quilt tops.  Alot.  This is so strange to me.  I used to just have a lot of blocks.  I was always stuck on what to do next.  Also with working full time, it was always easier to do small quilts or just a couple of blocks.  Thus the reason for the trunk full of blocks from the 1990's.  So while I still have swaps and Project Quilting challenges I will do.  I am also going to try and get some quilts quilted.  Some I will have to pass off to lonarmers as I can only do quilts up to about 70".  Or at least completely ready to be quilted like the three above.


So with the help of my trusty sidekick Sofia, I have reworked the pages bar at the top of my blog.  I've added a UFO page and a page for completed projects by year.  Also in preparation for being a better blogger I completely reorganized my photos.  I upload automatically to flickr and had not really been organizing them for about a year.  Which is why I couldn't find anything.  Which is why I sometimes had 4 copies of some images.  I also reworked ALL of my picture folders to make better sense and easier to find stuff.  I try to keep everything by year and then by topic-2014 projects, 2014 family, 2014 sewing other, 2014 swaps etc...

So I hope you stick around for the ride.  Sofia is ready for me to finish those UFOs.  My hashtags include #sewingforme #stashbusting #2015yearofthefinish #ufoquiltingorbust #ufosewingorbust


Of course not all finishes will be smooth.  The above swoon blocks were started in 2012 but sidelined when my sister got engaged and married and then by a dozen other projects.  I pulled it out today intending to at least cut the sashing.  Only to discover I did not have the Kona Ash I know I had set aside.  Oops!  I think I used it on another project.  Oh well.  Luckily I found some on good sale at fabric.com.  

So my goal for the first quarter of the year is to finish prepping (backing and binding) at least 10 of the quilts on my UFO list and get at least two quilted.  I've gotten 3.5 done yesterday and today.  Im thinking my Celtic Solstice and Designer Star will be quilted first.  The Celtic Solstice will require a long armer and the Designer Star I can quilt on my own.  Linking up to 
http://www.onthewindyside.co.nz/2015/01/2015-finish-along-q1-now-open.html

If you are on instagram check out my stream up on the right.  And follow me.  Im coming up on 500 followers and may be having a giveaway!

keep dreaming...Colleen
Yes you will see lots of photos of Sofia.  I adopted her the end of September as a tiny kitten barely 7 weeks old.
She is incredibly photogenic and very playful.  The entire house is her toy.

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Project Quilting 2015 challenge 1: trees

It's that time of the year!  Project quilting is here!  Persimondreams is again sponsoring this fun season of inspiring quilting. 

I'm deep in UFOs but just need to be innovative and create some freestyle quilting!  I spent today sewing for me, for fun, and to just sew!  


Title: Rainbow Forrest
Size: 32" x 32"
Pattern: original by Me
Quilted:  by me
Fabrics: top-scrap stash.  back-Heather Ross Pin People


my inspirations:
My friend Cora Quilts beautiful Rainbow log cabin top she just finished.
The scrappy log cabin QAL.
Recent sorting and organizing by color.
And of course trees.  Pine trees and log cabins.  
A dream of mine to someday live in one in the mountains.


I straight line quilted the log cabin blocks.  And did some dense pebble like quilting-i was thinking snowballs.

Another quilt for my living room wall.  I know have three-and they are all from challenges!



this one was from a Project Quilting 2014 challenge last year-Candy Dreams. 
 Title: Red Wax lips and Pixie Stix, Rock Candy Dreams



And this one was the Mihael Miller 2014 fabric challenge.
title:  Let it Go, Sew!


keep dreaming...Colleen
Sofia and I have been snuggled up against the cold this week.


Tuesday, November 11, 2014

#ufoquiltingorbust

So Im trying to blog at least once a week.  So I thought I would share a new instagram hashtag I have been using.  instagram is where I normally post.  You can check out my stream and follow me over there on the right.  

But about that hashtag....

Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville is starting a new Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt on Black Friday.  I went ahead and pulled Denyse Schmidt fabrics.  


I have a lot of her fabrics. You could say I'm a bit of an addict.  I think it will make a great quilt.


I participated in her Celtic Solstice Mystery last year but did not finish it.


I had all the pieces for the blocks assembled and just had to sew them together.


So I started to sew a little each night and finally assembled all 49 blocks!  There are arre 2,140 pieces in just these blocks!  I also pinned up fabric to use for the two solid borders and the binding.


I have started to sew them into rows.  Five rows sewn and two left to go!  Then 3 borders!


If you noticed that the middle block of the third row is different, its
 not an accident.  During the assembly many other quilters realized if you flipped the pieces you could change the look of the block.  I decided to do it just for the middle.  

I am linking this up to Jo's Country Junction where those of us with Bonnie Hunter UFOs are trying to finish one before the next mystery starts.

Oh I still have three other Bonnie Hunter UFOs.  This is my scrappy trip. 


 It needs a backing but I just can't decide.
My Collaboration Celebration quilt from the Summer retreat in 2013.
The rest is in pieces.  

This is about how far my Lazy Sunday Mystery from Quiltmaker magazine has gotten.
I dont like the fabric Im using from my stash.  
Im in #ufoquiltingorbust mode.  Except for the new mystery.  


keep dreaming...Colleen
I made some Sofia fabric on Spoonflower from one of her cute pictures.
 I flipped the image so I could make a two sided stuffie.