To boldly quilt where no one has quilted before...

Finally I have finished this quilt top!  Now I just need someone who will quilt it for me.  I need someone who understands the need to quilt it carefully because of all the applique and special embellishments.  If you know any one please contact me Ive been running out of option.

**How weird I just discovered this post somehow got unpublished.  So republish!

keep dreaming...Colleen

Pulled my hand dyed to work on a little art project.

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.

A sweet little finish

Isn't it amazing how sometimes you have a piece quilted, are attaching the binding, and it just doesn't look quite right?  But, the moment you get the binding finished it all of a sudden looks perfect!  That's how it was with my sweet little finish.  A potholder for someone secret in the Triad Modern Quilt Guild.  We will give them to our secret partner on Tuesday at the meeting.  Part of that exchange is telling of the journey.  That's why I love swaps of smaller items.  They are a great way to stretch your skills, practice ones you have just learned, and try something new. 

This potholder took me on a little journey.  I pulled out one of my Aneela Hoey's Sherbet Pips charm packs and carefully choose some squares to cut up.  One of the things my partner said she liked was red and white so I focused on those prints.  I added the red and gray prints too.  I added some small hst to the corners of two of the squares.  I love these prints! 

Now it was square and didn't look 'right' yet.  So I decided make it round after seeing Sarah's pot holder in the Triad Modern Quilt Guild's flickr pool.

I love the hand stitching she did in the center! 

I have this old metal strainer I throw keeper scraps in when I'm sewing.  I just turned it over and cut around it.  I then had to decide what to put on the back.  This red and white print from Bonnie & Camille's Bliss-another favorite collection- was perfect!

I then used some more of the Free Spirit Dogwood Gray I used to frame the 9 patch on the front as binding.  I also added a little hanging tab with a scrap of Sherbet Pips.  It folds under nicely so you don't see it unless you need it. I really think it turned out cute!  It has two layers of thermal batting which was the only real requirement. 

We had 15 people sign up for this first swap experience.

I can't wait to see all the others! 

Keep dreaming...Colleen



Thanks for the kind words on Cary-cat's passing.



A few finishes

So I'm still dealing with the aftereffects of the crud.  And trying to get caught up on swaps.  I had such a great schedule for the the last week and a half that is totally blown.  I was supposed to start on Christmas presents in November.  Oh well.  So first up is the Sewingly Yours BOM.  If you do your block and bring it to one of the meetings on the first Tuesday of the month you get your next block kit free.  The initial cost is $10.68.  If you miss you have to pay again.  So here is the second block.  They are in batiks.

Can you tell I had to pice the center block.  Note to self plan for each piece of fabric before cutting.

And here is the first two blocks together.

I like learning different techniques for making the blocks.

I also was able to finish my DS Quilts Doll quilt.  I machine quilted it on my Babylock Sofia. 

I'm still learning how to use it correctly.  It is really sensitive to needle and thread.  I'm still learning.  I did a lot of straight line and out line quilting.  I like the graphic quality.

I bound it with a dark blue and tiny roses print.  The hairclips can be found in the quilting notions setting.  They are great for holding the binding even on larger quilts.

And here is the completed Ds Quilts Doll quilt!  I really like it!  And now to send it on its way to its new owner.

Keep dreaming...Colleen

 

DS Quilts loveliness. 
Doll quilt and Let's Bee Together August blocks.





Kinda back in the saddle

Happy Halloween!



My Halloween string quilt made long ago.

So I've been battling the crud since last Friday and it has had me wiped for the last week.  I managed yesterday to put up some decorations and do some needed shopping.  I am feeling a whole lot better today, but all my sewing has been derailed.  I am now behind on some of my swaps, so I got back in the saddle this afternoon. 

My DS Quilts Doll quilt flickr swap  has to be mailed by Friday. 

I have had the center of the top done for a month.  I had planned to complete it last weekend.  I kind of battled with this quilt.  I felt pushed by the comments of others to change what I had planned to do.  When I had finished the above I hated it and put it aside for a while.  A couple of weeks ago I came up with a solution.  So today I got out the wax paper and pencil and paper pieced my favorite stars.

I really like it now! 

I will back it with another DS Quilts print, machine quilt it (any ideas?) and bind it in the tiny dark blue and red print.  I hope to finish it tomorrow. 

BTW I will mail another swap package tomorrow I managed to finish last Sunday.  This is for a partner very far away and I included some goodies. 

Keep dreaming...Colleen

Im ready for the trcik or treaters!

Pretty Little Pouch Swap

I am participating in the flickr Pretty Little Pouch Swap.  I have been thinking and planning for the pouch I would make for my secret partner for the last couple of weeks.  I decided to use some DS Quilts fabric and some linen.  I love the linen as it is just the right light oatmeal color.  I found it in the remnants at Joann's and it is has a nice texture.  Why can't I ever find yardage like this? 

So here is the front of the pouch.  I played with some blue DS Quilts scraps and came up with this pattern using Noodleheads tutorial as a guide, though I did not follow her pattern.  I used my pearl cottons to stitch the detail of the lines and the bird, with a tiny bead for the eye. 

On the back I added another bird detail.

This bird fabric by Valorie Wells inspired the bird on the front.  I machine appliqued the hexagon and then machine quilted around it. 

I used two blue Ds Quilts fabric for the inside as well.  And fused my Lucky Duck Dreams label inside.  I also put some goodies inside and will try to send it tomorrow.  Ive been sick since Friday and was up all night coughing.  Despite resting yesterday I was off work today sleeping mostly and luckily not coughing so much. 

Keep dreaming...Colleen

I really love this pouch and it was easier then I thought.
 I might have to make some for Christmas.  Anyone interested?

Swaps and a giveaway

Check out my last post on the elongated star scrap quilt and a giveaway.

And now to show you some swaps I have been working on.  First is a mini quilt I have been working on for the Triangle Modern Quilt Guild.  We have a secret partner who we stalk and then create a small doll size quilt for.

My partner had no real preferences.  Just bright colors.  The backing is a bright, colorful, and light Kafe Fasset print. The little houses were inspired by kaitcetera little houses quilt.  I am trying to decide whether to machine quilt or to hand quilt with pearl cottons.  What do you think? 

I received this wonderful mug rug in the Scrappy Mug Rug haiku swap on flickr from snailexpress.  We had to make a mug rug and write a haiku.  I love she used my favorite Tula Pink fabrics.  My Pringce Chaming is hanging in my studio.  She also made a cute little coin purse.  Awesome!

Here are three of the blocks I have received from my month August for Bee Together.  I cut up my DS Quilts Fairground and Picnic(US prints).

I asked everyone to make a wonky star.  I included three large squares of the DS Quilts and of some Kona Snow.  I told them to use some of all of the fabrics but the white did not have to be the background.  I also included a mosaic of some wonky stars. 

I cant wait to receive the rest!

keep dreaming...Colleen



Have you seen this goodness?  Sugar creek. 

DS Quilts second collection for Joanns. 

So far only 12 prints have shown up.



Mug Rugs Galore

So I finished my mug rug for the scrappy mug rug haiku swap on flickr.  We had to write a haiku and include it on our mug rug.  I had a lot of fun with this as I LOVE writing haiku.  I did a modified 557 scheme.

My partner likes rainbow colors and linen.

I designed it on the computer and then

cut it apart to paper piece.

I used scraps in a rainbow of colors

and bound it in  green scraps leftover.

The haiku matches my partner to a tee!  And I had a blast using my new Babylock Sofia to embroider.

And I even made the label on the back .

Then I got mug rug fever and whipped up a couple of mug rugs for the new school year.

One for my assistant,

And one for me using scraps from Karen Gray's store.  I love her scrap bags!  As you can see I played with Sofia again.  Do you get the literary reference?  I am a teacher librarian.

Kids come back on Thursday...I hope I survive.

Keep dreaming...Colleen

My cousins Pete and Scotty the pilot in training.



Pete, Amy, Jackson and Micheal and some  dog.



Sewing Machine cover swap

I'm participating in a cool swap to make a sewing machine cover.  It was something I had wanted to make for myself but I love the idea of someone else making it for me!  What is it about me always more motivated to make something for someone else and not myself?  Is it that I get more from the process then the product?  Really other then a few small wallhangings and one small lap quilt I have given everything else away!  Even my first quilt along quilt!  Now I have plans and tops and block sets I would like to have for myself but... Anywho...

Here is what I started with.  Some natural colored linen, and some wonderful scrap packs of Denyse Schmidt I got from my fav LQS  Karen Gray (whose shop is in Quilt Sampler this month!)  I actually auditioned several fabric combos including this delicious Valori Wells green leaf linen from KG shop.

Here are some of the other fabrics I auditioned

And I do mean auditioned..I put all of these int he fickr discussion and enjoyed seeing who chose what combos.  All of the smaller pieces came from KG scrap bags.

And here is the front pieced...

and the back...

and what I'm thinking for the quilting on the front matching pearl cottons and beads.

Haven't decided on the back yet...maybe my secret partners name?  I love quilting names and words(oo ooo!) in pearl cottons.

*****

future blogs

•  Stone mountain natural textures
• Triangle Modern Quilt Guild and Spoonflower
• Thimble Pleasures

Keep dreaming...Colleen



This was the first quilt I ever made in my first quilt class. 
 A kaleidoscope string quilt where we created the fabric with wavy free hand cut strips.
Ive always been a little different so I turned the one pattern piece
so the strips ran the opposite of what they were supposed to.
 My teacher had never done this and was impressed.
 I call it Crosses or Four Patch deoending on how I hang it. 
My fabrics were pretty strange too...can you guess the fabric year?