Cupcakes, Aprons and Current Projects.

So here's what I've been working on: I have one complete zig-zag ribbon boarder completely finished. I have the flying geese for 2 mores sides finished. Unfortunatly, when I was doing the setting triangles I forgot to trim one piece of sashing and ran the sashing all the way to the end. I need to unpick and make two more setting triangles. What a pain. Seriously, I don't know how I missed that. I cannot find matching background fabric. Hopefully as I go to the Shop Hop tomorrow I can find the piece. Shouldn't be too difficult.

I started this lemon quilt as a diversion from the boarder, which actually hasn't been too bad. Less than a half hour per side. Not sure why it seemed so daunting
to me. Anwyay, I am having fun with this quick one and am going to put three yo-yos on the left side (my right) of the lemon. The pattern calls for wool flowers but since my oldest breaks out in hives when he touches wool I think yo-yos may be a better option. What do you think?

Next I need to get going on my Prarie Paisley stars for a block swap in August. So far, I haven't even gotten the fabric cut. I just need to get it cut and out of the way, but I want to wait until I'm done with Strawberry Lillies before I start something else. For whatever reason, I'm not feeling that motivated to finish so it's becoming a slow process.

Last night I ran over to Broadbent's to see if they had more background fabric. Although they didn't, it's shop hop so I had fun looking at all the new displays. I also bought a few unexpected patterns. I've been wanting to make some aprons forever. As a stay-at-home mom I feel like I'm always getting stuff on my clothes.
I need cute aprons to cover them up. I'm guessing though, that the aprons will end up cutier than my real clothes.

I also bought this cute cupcake pincushion pattern. Yes, I already have a pin cushion pattern, but I couldn't resist this. They had some already finished there that were soooo cute! The picture doesn't do it justice. My only worry.... will it make me crave cupcakes?

Torn!

I love to quilt, but I also love to read. I love to read mysteries, but recently I've been reading novels about quilters. A few years ago I discovered the Elm Creek Quilts books. I really enjoyed the earlier books in this series. Most of the series is about 7 women who run a Quilt Camp in Pennsylvania. These books not only explore the lives of these women and but also of their ancestors who influenced them. My favorite book in this series are The Runaway Quilt, about how quilts were used as signals on the Underground Railroad during the Civil War. My second favorite book in this series is The Sugar Camp Quilt, also about the Civil War. These books made me feel torn.....do I keep reading or do I quilt. Reading the books made me want to quilt, but these two books I could not put down! I just finished the latest in this series. Not my favorite, but still good.

My very favorite quilting novel has to be the Persian Pickle Club. When I started reading this I had no idea it had my three favorite genres: quilting, adoption and murder! What could be more exciting? I really need to buy this book so I can read it at least once a year. I also want to read Tallgrass, also by Sandra Dallas. If any of you have any great quilting novels let me know! I'd love to read more.

Weekly quilting goals

I am to the point in my Strawberry Lilies quilt I have been dreading.... the zig zag ribbon boarder. It's not that it's especially hard or anything, it's just A LOT of flying geese. I have decided to set a weekly goal of doing one side a week. That's 46 flying geese a week. Sounds manageable, right? I have several other quilt projects I want to work on. One is a lemon quilt out of 30's print, one is Jelly Stars and one is out of Prarie Paisley and I need to do 12 blocks for an exchange. I should probably do the one for the exchange, but the lemons are calling me. It's a small quilt, 46x52 or something like that, so maybe I can do it first and quick. Does anyone else do this? As soon as they find a new pattern or fabric they want to start on that project?

An Exciting Day

The latest edition of American Patchwork and Quilting arrived in my mailbox today. I love getting this magazine. It has so many fun quilting ideas each time.

Back in about January or February I was in Broadbent's and a woman was there with her quilt. It was quilted and I think she was choosing binding fabric, but I don't
remember for sure. Anwyay, she said she was finishing the quilt to put in American Patchwork and Quilting and it would come out in June. I loved the quilt. As cute as it is in the picture, it was even cuter in person. Now I feel like I have met a famous quilt! She was even willing to give me a few applique tips!


I also loved this 30's quilt. I love 30's fabric and have tons of scraps from other 30's quilts I've finished. I keep finding new quilts to use them in. Now I want to do this one. I think I'd make the blocks 12 inches instead of 6 though.

Here are a few pictures of other 1930's quilts I've completed. I have another that needs to be quilted still.


I am also working on a double wedding ring out of 30's fabric.

The Possibilities are Endless

Yesterday I went fabric shopping. My friends and I are going to do a quilt block swap using any 12 inch star block pattern and Prarie Paisley fabric. I love this line because it can be patriotic, but doesn't have to be. Could just be a red, white and blue quilt. I haven't decided which block I'm going to do. We are in the process of selling our house and I don't want to be in the middle of a complicated block when we are packing to go. We had an offer this week, but the people ended up backing out. Anyway, I digress...

After I go fabric shopping I love to lay all my fabric out and imagine the possibilities. I love that just a flat, square of fabric has so much potential. I love to imagine all the color combinations I can put together. I like to feel the fabric. My husband teases me sometimes because I like to just "hang out with my fabric."

I also bought my first jelly roll yesterday I bought
Dandilion Girl. As I said before, I'm planning on making Jelly Stars with it.

Well, if I want to get any sewing in today I need to gets started on my house and yard. I need to plant flowers in hopes of luring in potential buyers. Hopefully it has snowed for the last time this spring and my flowers won't freeze.

FINISHED (well, kind of)!

I finished the top of my pinwheel spin quilt. I don't have batting or backing right now so I can't quilt it. I need to get in the good habit of finishing a top and then quilting it right away. As you can see, my list of quilts that need to be quilted is growing.


I am now going to work on Strawberry Lilies . I started this one just after Christmas. I got about half way through and started on something else. I need to quit doing that! Most of the fabric is from various 3 Sisters lines. Here is a sample of the blocks I have finished.

I've become obsessed with Fig Tree Quilts Patterns. There are several patterns that are just out that I want to do. Especially Jelly Stars, and Daisy Chain. I have a few to finish before I even think about that though. I bought Amelia's Meadow over a year ago. I keep changing what fabric I want to do it in though. I also have From Auntie's Attic that I haven't even started. The picture above is the last quilt I totally finished. Yet another Fig Tree Quilts one called Coney Island from Fresh Vintage. I used the Fig Tree line called Allspice Tapestry.


Seriously, what am I doing here on the computer? I should be quilting!

Help!

This quilt has been in this stage for a good year now. I bought 2 yards of the green fabric because I loved it, but not having a pattern. Several months later I found a pattern that would show off the green. By the time I actually got around to buying the fabric in the first place I think it had been in the store for 2 years. My problem is that I have no idea what to do for boarders. I feel like red would be overpowering. What do you think? What would you use? Also, it reminds me of a table cloth now. Do I even still like it? Maybe it will get better with boarders. Help! (or helk! as my 22 month old says).