Up Bright and Early!

SEW excited to get to Weight Watchers this morning and then to meet Becky and get on our sewing trip!  However, I wanted to post and tell you if you are a Bonnie Hunter/Quiltville fan you should join our facebook group!  Just started yesterday and well on our way to 4,000 quilters!  It is like an online guild--how fun is that?
Also, I see that Bonnie has announced the next leaders and enders challenge!  We will be making lozenges...so since I am up so early (for me) I am off to prep a few to bring with me to quilt camp!

Quilting on the Rim--TOMORROW!

Becky and I are headed to Quilting on the Rim tomorrow for three and a half days of mystery quilting with some new friends we haven't met yet!  Last summer we were sewing together and got to reminicing about    quilt camp and how long it had been since we had both gone...right then and there Becky searched the         web and found us a camp to go to!  It is in Show Low (which I have never been to) and it looks like a great relaxing place to hang out and quilt for days on end!  I can hardly wait.                                                          

I have my mystery fabrics all picked out and prepped.  You may remember these pictures from awhile back when I was getting ready.  We made a ton of hst's already and cut lots of little pieces so we are ready for anything when we get there!  

I am also bringing some hand sewing (Ring Around the Hexies), some knitting, some embroidery and in case there is machine time in which I am not working on the mystery, I am bringing a new project which is my cheddar churn dash.  I was inspired by a picture I saw in a magazine, which I still have and the Cheddar in the Churn here at Sugarland Quilts.  Awhile back Becky drafted me a pattern so I could make the quilt and I bought the cheddar fabric (for me and some for Becky's birthday too)--it will be a small one, but I am really wanting to play in the cheddar fabric!   I am really looking forward to a few relaxing days and catching up with Becky.  It has been awhile for that too since she just moved and has been crazy busy with that! 

Kathy's Celtic Solstice is a Flimsy!

Kathy finished up her Celtic Solstice flimsy this past weekend!  She left one row off of it because it is so huge!  She is pretty happy with it and I think it is beautiful!

I did work on My Blue (Purple) Heaven this past weekend too.  All the blocks on the left are done and I need to make about twenty one more star blocks.  Loving these blocks and really enjoying making them!

Modern Medallion Progress

 I decided to make flying geese for the next modern medallion border.  I am totally winging it and not doing any math and am somehow making it work!  My favorite way to make flying geese is with the Quilt in a Day rulers.  They come out perfect and not at all wonky.  I don't even mind the little bit of wasted fabric.

 I started out thinking I wanted all yellow geese, then decided to add the other center star aqua color too.

 I realized after this photo (below) that I had put the bottom row on backwards...but this picture is after I added in a few more colors, some dark brown and redish/pink and more yellow.  It isn't sewn yet and I spent several hours thinking about it while working on some purple "My Blue Heaven" blocks.

 Here I flipped around the bottom border.

Then I packed up my stuff for mystery quilt camp (which starts this Thursday already!).  I gave in and ordered myself a travel iron that is better than the tiny one I have--took Maria's advice and ordered one just like hers!  After that, while watching the fourth movie of the day (Free Bird, Elysium, Gaby Douglas and Diana movies) I sewed the geese border row together and it went together well!  It is now 31.5 inches square, so I am ahead of what I am supposed to be--not so good at following loose directions, but I love it so I am content to wait til the group gets to that size!

I am linking up with the Modern Quilt Guild Ireland: Medallion QAL!

Modern Medallion is Growing...

My next border was an easy decision and went on as if I knew what I was doing Math wise, what a fabulous way to start my Saturday!  

Next I knew I wanted to add some red to this quilt for some modern punch.  Decided to add in four patches and then decided I needed more in the next border.

However, I realized that if I wanted a same fabric stripe border I should add it now because I only have two of each of the striped fabric (in layer cake size) and I wasn't sure I would have enough later on...so I went for that and bigger red cornerstones.

Next I added a narrow red strip all the way around.  I almost put in aqua cornerstones, but decided to keep it simple.  

I am not at all sure what I am going to do for the next border.  I fussy cut some yellow flowers for possible cornerstones...

I was thinking I might do something with the two fabrics pictured above for the next border...I think it needs to be pieced something or other, just not sure what yet.  Then I decided I like the red in the cornerstones, so I added red to the outside of my fussy cut flower...so I think that is what the cornerstones will look like, but am thinking now I need more yellow this time around...gonna think on it awhile and see what comes to me.  

I am very happy with this quilt so far even though I am WAY out of my follow a pattern comfort zone.  I am so excited that I went for it and jumped in on this.  I think having some guidelines and looking at other medallion quilts is really helpful for me and makes choosing the next border less daunting!  So any advice on what I should do for the next border?  I can always save these cornerstones for another border, but all I know is seeing the picture I think there must be yellow!  

Painting the Town--Pink!

Yesterday morning I sewed up this easy pink bow tie block before work!  I was thinking I was all caught up and since it was an easy one, I stayed that way (or so I thought!).

 Then the Jacob's Ladder block showed up on Angela's blog so I decided to make that tonight.  It doesn't look like it has enough contrast in the picture, but it better in person.
Then I noticed that Angela's page of links had "Broken Dishes" listed on it, but not yet linked.  I had seen it before but just thought she hadn't made it yet...then I vaguely remembered seeing one...I did a search for Broken Dishes and VIOLA there is was all in pink waiting for me to find it since Hannah's birthday (Feb. 9th!).  I worked that day so somehow I missed it, but yay I sewed it up tonight and I think now I am actually on top of all the blocks...loving this RSC Challenge!

 There are my five pink blocks so far...we aren't going to comment about the fact that one of my blocks is a titch larger than the rest...I may redo it, or it may wind up in the back!

Here are Bonnie and I on the last day of the Tuscon workshops.  I miss her already and look forward to when we meet again!  In other news, we can use this picture as my "before" picture since I am getting back on the wagon and joining Weight Watchers tomorrow morning!  So excited to pick up the pace with eating right and will be riding my bike again regularly!  My goal is to get back to hiking, and for that I will need to lose enough so that my knee will stop aggravating me when I walk!  So here goes nothing, once again!

Linking up with SoScrappy's Rainbow BOM!

Jack in the Box is Quilted!

Ros-the-Quilter has been busy quilting away again!

This one will be for Colton at NiNi's (my mom's) house.  She has him a few days a week while his folks are working amd he needs this size quilt for the little bed she has for him.  I hope he likes it! 

And here is the colorful back too!

Modern Medallion Quilt Along--I Have a Center!

 I picked out my colors for the modern medallion quiltalong.  I am using my Fandango fabric (finally!) and some solids that match.

 The first section took a bit of time, but each section was easier once I got used to how to lay the fabric so it would fit right when flipped!

 Coming together.

 Tada!  Not a perfect center match, despite my pinning, but I am happy with it!

 Tearing off the papers wasn't as bad as I expected!  I added a two inch border to the outside.

 It is about 15 inches now, though I think it is supposed to be 15.5.  I put it on some green fabric to see about putting it on point, but not loving it, so I will keep thinking.

Linking up here!

Now I need to get ready to head out and see "Monument" because Randy really wants to see it and Kathy agreed to it!

My Purple Heaven is Growing....and a New Start!

I gifted Bonnie with a Valentine's Day mug rug.  She said she will use it at the cabin.  Fun!

Here is our table on My Blue Heaven day holding up our first blocks.

And from the other end of the table too.  Thanks to Bonnie for the great pics!

I worked on more purple blocks yesterday before working til midnight!  This morning I hand stitched another hexie on Ring Around the Hexies and got the rows together that I could.  Two more to sew down before the center row can be assembled.
I then spent several hours trying to decide on my modern medallion quiltalong center while watching the Olympics.  Very distracting, lol.  I finally decided on the "Compass of Many Colors" Block 9.  It was a free pattern online and now that I know how to paper piece it isn't too bad to put together.  My goal is to get that center done tomorrow since I am off work, then I will go back to my purple blocks.

I should check Angela's blog and see if any more pink blocks are out for Rainbow BOM so I keep up with those too!

I also had a great mail day when I returned from my trip!  Heather, who won my magazine giveaway, gifted me with a surprise Valentine's Mug Rug!  I love it, TOO CUTE.  Thank you Heather!

Tuscon Day Three: My Blue (Purple) Heaven!

While Ros was at breakfast, BJ, Andrea and I loaded up the cart and loaded up the truck.  Some of our stuff was at the church in the sewing room, locked up tight so we didn't even have it all and two of us had rollies besides all this.  Yes sewing retreats, especially with show and tell of quilts, requires WAY TOO MUCH STUFF! 

For the "My Blue Heaven" workshop Bonnie also demoed how to use the rulers (Easy Angle and Companion Angle) and also did sewing demos.  I have made lots of Bonnie quilts and have used these rulers often, but the Easy Angle has always confounded me.  We finally came up with a way to use it with decent success, but after listening to Bonnie explain that you start out (if you are right handed) with the words right side up and use the ruler from the bottom to measure, then after cutting you pretend it has hinges on the right side of the triangle and you flip it over and cut again.  Then repeat, lots.  I cannot tell you how many minutes I have wasted trying to remember how to use this ruler each time I sit down with it.  Guess I should have read the directions, or maybe I did, but Bonnie's SIMPLE explanation and demo was the first little gem I picked up.   There were more...

Very early in the day--since it was Valentine's Day--a delivery showed up for me!  Kathy sent me a dozen chocolate covered strawberries which I shared with those at my table at lunch time.  They were delicious!  She also got me an ipod (I finally want one!) and a Packer phone cover, though I already switched back to my otter box because I am used to it!

This is my first puss block!  Now to do enough to fill this quilt!

For this workshop a few of the gals from the day before were not here and a few new ones came in.  In the shuffly of it all, Andrea lost her spot but happily she fit in at our table.  We each had a full table to work at, and it was actually too much room!  So here she and Maria are with their first blocks!  Andrea is newer at quilting and is working on Celtic Solstice, but she sews beautifully already!
The day FLEW by, seriously I didn't feel well in the morning (little migraine) and Bonnie had some kind of bug herself.  After lunch we had show and tell again!

Love this bright Lazy Sunday!

Celtic Solstice!

Zuckerwatte, not sure if I am spelling that right...cotton candy!

Already forgot this gal's name but her husband is from Racine, Wisconsin and is a Packer fan!  What a small world.  We had a chat at lunch and I will have to ask Jacki her name because she sat across from her both days!  Mary maybe?

Crabapples...not sure if that is the name of that one, I might have to make it one day.  And Auntie's Anvil, which I have in a slightly smaller size.  Love that...and it is the same layout as Playing with Jacks!

Some pictures of everyone's blocks.  So many great color choices.  I don't think you can go wrong with this pattern!

I made a few more than this at the workshop.  I was on a roll with the puss blocks, but was slower with the star blocks!  Bonnie convinced me (as many quilters have tried previously) to stop using my mat to measure when I cut.  I now know how to correctly cut fabric with my ruler and think I am going to be happier with my sewing efforts in the future.  I mean what good is getting my quarter inch seam right if my fabric is off when I start sewing?  Lesson learned!  Bonnie also showed us how to do the flying geese and doing it her way seriously improved my geese!  No more starting anywhere and not matching things up the Bonnie way!  I was amazed at the accuracy of things now that I know there is a way to do it right.  :)

On day two, Andrea sat with Maria and I and we had so much fun getting to know each other.

Above are Andrea's blocks--which we decided look like Delft dishes!  Below are Maria's blocks.  My new favorite color is turquoise.  Beautiful!

This was great workshop, I am still Bonnie's #1 Fan!!!