Lucky Me

A couple weeks ago I was the lucky winner of this lovely jellyroll from The Slow Quilter's blog.

Felicia added the charm pack as a nice little extra. Thank you Felicia.

I've contacted the local Project Linus coordinator about helping out with their need for quilts. If it ever stops snowing on the group sew days I will actually try making it to a sew in. I will use Felicia's jelly roll for either a quilt for Project Linus or a quilt for our guild Comfort Quilts which are often given to hospice patients.

Meanwhile, the QB's had their yearly challenge reveal 2 weeks ago. We used to have the reveal at our Christmas potluck party but too many people are busy with Christmas projects and asked to have it moved to February. Unfortunately, the mild weather the Pacific Northwest had all winter took a turn in the opposite direction. We're getting all our annual snowpack in February and now March. As luck would have it, the pass was closed and I was unable to head over the hill. So we had to settle for FaceTime. The challenge was wide open, basically to do whatever you wanted. I struggled with this -- I really do need more guidelines. So, at the last minute I ordered A Judy Niemeyer table runner pattern, Geese at My Wedding,  that was on sale. Two weeks was seriously not enough time. But I squeaked in at the last minute, finishing the binding the nite before.

The pattern actually called for 4 rings. I chose to do 3 because a) my table isn't THAT big and b) I never would have finished it in time if I did 4. 

Meanwhile, I'm trucking along with baby quilt number 3 and using the other half of the jellyroll for baby quilt number 4. Pictures to come, soon. 

Here's what my view outside my window looked like today. We had no snow until February. In the last month we have had snow off and on every week. The only nice thing about it is that it will snow and then the temperature will get up to around 50. Then it will snow, again. 

And lastly, here's the poor unlucky Spotted One. We discovered a couple fleas on him, in the middle of winter! Unfortunately he's deathly allergic to fleas and he proceeded to chew the base of his tail until it was bloody. Don't feel too sorry for him, he has just been relieved from having to wear the blue ring of shame and is behaving himself and not chewing at his bald spot. 

Until next time, 

While I've Been Gone

Wow! Where has the time gone? It can't possibly have been almost 2 months since I've posted. Lots has been going on.

First off, there's been a LOT of this:

From the Washington coast to Walla Walla, Boise, eastern Oregon and Leavenworth. The weather actually cooperated on all accounts, something most unusual for these parts.

At the biggest campout of the season this quilt was presented to some very special friends. If you click the picture, you can see all the VW buses.

I've also been working on these blocks in between The Farmer's Wife blocks and finishing up my QB Christmas Challenge.

Yes folks, the challenge has been done for a couple weeks now. More specifically, since the middle of October, more than 2 months before it's due. Hooray for me. Unfortunately for all of you reading this, you will have to wait until the Tuesday before Christmas to see it --sorry. But, as a consolation I can show you the lovely pack of fat quarters I won from Quiltmaker's Quilty Pleasures blog.

It's Super from Red Rooster by Gudrun Erla. I'm waiting for inspiration to hit me as to what to do with them.

Oh yeah, in between all this my 81 y.o. Dad had a minor heart attack. The long and the short of it is that he now has a new doctor that we actually like and I'm hoping will be more responsive. His previous doctor told him to continue taking tylenol and to call back in two days when he would be back in the office if Dad was still feeling bad......Don't EVEN get me started, arrrgghh. You can see why Dad now has a new doctor along with a cardiologist. It's been a long month. 

Christmas Challenge Revealed

This year's challenge was to find 3 paint chips whose name started with your initials and then to make something with it. You could add up to 2 additional fabrics. So, as I've already mentioned in a previous post, I struggled with this one. After multiple false starts, I finally hit on something.

 
My paint chips -- pardon the blurry photo: 

Reading all the blogs with the countdown to Tonya's book release inspired me. Lynne's journey with this quilt was my light bulb moment. I borrowed her idea of playing with fonts first and then trying to copy them.

I really wanted to include all the serifs in Antique Ruby, but quickly discovered that wasn't going to happen. You can see from my "A" that it didn't come off too well. Overall, I'm pretty happy with how this turned out, considering it's only my 3rd attempt at doing letters freestyle like this. Altho, I'm not so sure this is considered completely freestyle since I was trying to copy the feel of the fonts.

I decided to use this as a good practice for doing feathers so the top and bottom are quilted with feathers. I can actually say I think they turned out ok.

All I can say is, I'm sure glad this one is done. Next year's should be a bit easier since I've got it all figured out already. More on that at a later date.

No. 5, No. 5, No. 5

....feels like a Revolution*, or should that be resolution? I'm just thankful that it's Number 5 and not Number 9. It's THAT time of year again....you know, the time when all good QB's are scrambling to finish their Christmas Challenge because, well, you know, TIC TOC -- 18 days!

So, this year it's the paint chip challenge. Sounds easy, doesn't it? Find 3 paint chips whose paint colors start with your initials and make something. Yeah, right. After starting and abandoning attempts Number 1 - 3 I finally realized I wasn't "feeling the love" with one of my colors. Back to the big envelope of paint chips I had accumulated. Find another one that will work with the 2 colors I already have AND whose name starts with the appropriate initial, then off to find fabric in said paint chip color. Attempt Number 4 -- abandoned. I guess it would help if I had started with an actual plan.....

So here I am today, working on Number 5. And you know what, I LIKE IT! Yes folks, she really does like it! Hopefully that means that she might actually finish this one. She better, since TIC TOC, time is running out....18 days left to the QB Christmas party/challenge reveal. Stay tuned, eventually Number 5 will actually be revealed here, and maybe even Numbers 1 - 4 if I can find them.






* Credit must be given to the proper source who supplied the references to the bits & pieces of the Beatles song that was rattling around in my brain this morning. Thanx PJ -- as always, your music trivia amazes me!

Fruit Ladies Recap

Remember these whacky fruit ladies? Well, we finally had the big reveal just before Christmas and despite all the grumbling the QB's rocked this challenge. I have to admit, I had a LOT of FUN with this. Sometime last year the Mistress of LeeHaven was making some very pretty nosegay blocks. Nosegay blocks have always been a favorite and I've had them on my bucket list for years. A little research, a little EQ time and I was ready to roll.

After a lot of creative cutting I had enough for pieces cut out for 24 of these lovely ladies. After attempting to machine piece the first 2 blocks and frogging more seams than I put in, I realized it was time to tackle hand piecing. Between waiting for coats of varnish to dry on a certain teardrop trailer, the nosegays came to life and I discovered that I really enjoy hand piecing. Then they spent way too much time on the design wall while the teardrop was being finished and I tried to figure out where to go from there. Yup, I had no plan beyond the nosegays. I figured the fruit ladies would speak to me and tell me where to go from there.....they didn't -- speak to me, that is.

The ribbon border was another item on my bucket list. Note to self:  next time have odd number of blocks AND rows -- even blocks by odd rows don't let you work the corners nicely.

And just because I want to, here are a few close up shots of the quilting.

The rest of the challenge projects can be found here.

I must be Nuts.....

I've been rather busy lately working on several projects. I wish I could share with you my latest. Alas, it is the QB Christmas Challenge and until the big reveal on December 22nd, it must remain a secret. I can say this, it involves this fabric, the challenge fabric for which I've taken a LOT of GRIEF. Sheesh, you'd think a bunch of ladies who call themselves the Quilting Broads would see the humor in working with the Fruit Ladies for a challenge!

I can say this, I started this project without a specific plan and, for awhile. I was worried that it wasn't going to come together but WOW -- I'm really, really pleased with it. With Janet's help, I overcame my block and worked it all out -- even the quilting worked out.

Besides everything else I'm doing, I've also embarked on two online quilt-alongs -- the Red & White Snowball Challenge is the first one. Naturally I'm going to do it "My Way". Since I like to make actual bed sized quilts, mine will be queen sized. For that I will need 196 -  6" blocks. In those 196 blocks I will need 784 r&w half square triangle blocks! What was I thinking?!?!? It's a good thing I have a large selection of reds, whites & creams. Here's my start:

The fabric in the center of the first block on the left will also be the border fabric. I'm randomly scattering it throughout the centers of some of the red blocks. 

Joseph's Coat is the other quilt-along. This is a portable project and as long as I can stay on top of the prep work for each block, it will be my "watching tv" project. I'm doing my petals a little differently than the method shown in the quilt along and they probably take a little more time my way, but I like the final look better. After Thanksgiving I'll try to take some pictures of my prep method. Meanwhile, here are 3 blocks in various stages -- 1 is complete, 1 is partially complete and one is just pinned.

The actual colors are a little more vibrant than they look in this picture. I'm using mainly purple fabrics with a little bit of pink and blue for sparkle and interest. So far it's still fun. I wonder what I'll think of it after 49 blocks?!?!

I will leave you with a picture of the Spotted One looking oh so cute sprawled on the Christmas Lights Mystery quilt. His eyes are such a beautiful amber color, but they are terrible to photograph as they always turn bright yellow.At least they match the gold in the quilt!

The Picture Says it All

Quilters really are the nicest people. A few months back Lori, from our HQChatters, list lost her husband of 47 years to cancer. We decided she needed a quilt. Today it was presented to her by her local quilting bee friends. Here she is with her Baskets of Love quilt. I think the picture truly does say it all.











Meanwhile, we finally got our Christmas tree up the other day. The timing was perfect. We had literally just hauled everything down from the attic when the doorbell rang. It was the mailman delivering the new ornament. Four years ago, when we lost Ditto, our big brown moose, I ordered the top ornament shown here with his picture on it. Since we lost Sneakers this year, we had to add an ornament with her picture. The timing was perfect.








Of course Arlo had to stick his nose in everything and inspect the tree quite closely. We had to remind him that no, we did NOT set this up in the living room so he wouldn't have to go outside in the rain. I'm really glad it's an artificial tree. Otherwise I'm sure he would try to lift his leg on it. But then, come to think of it, he did do that his first Christmas.

Here's another shot of one of my husband's favorite ornaments. How many people can say that they have a VW bus on their Christmas tree?

Challenged by the Challenge

So, here it is, another year has flown by. It's December and I have joined the ranks of the rest of the QB's struggling to finish this year's Christmas Challenge. Usually I know what I'm doing. This year I started out with little direction and no real plan. Other than it had to be green and it had to be a basket of some sort. I started out on one idea and chugged merrily along until I came to a crashing halt in September. I had NO IDEA how to proceed further. Well, I can now report that the pieces are finally falling into place. An idea occurred to me the other day while doing some blog browsing. I can happily report that the 2008 Challenge is ALMOST COMPLETE! Whoo hoo!

Meanwhile, I seem to have become a bit distracted. A few months ago Freda had a Christmas Cottage exchange. I didn't participate. But, now I keep seeing all the cottages everywhere and even a completed top or two. Well, I decided to make my own cottages, smaller, and slightly different. Now I'm on a roll. I'm thinking I'll add some trees too.