Reality Check-A Really Big List Update

Back in February I made a really BIG list of all of my outstanding WIP's because I thought it would help me with my goal of finishing up some of my projects before starting new ones.  I guess a really big list really doesn't do any good if you never revisit it.  So I thought I would pull out the list again and see if I have managed to make any progress.

• Anna Marie Horner Chevrons-I made a few of these as part of this great quilt along.  However I decided I wasn't loving the project and stopped with just a few made.  I am thinking I might revisit these blocks and turn them into some throw pillows.  Sometimes my projects just change and then change again.  I joined the AMH Charm Square Swap because I have been wanting to make a very simple patchwork quilt with her fabrics for a long time.  I'm planning now on making the chevrons I made for this quilt into part of the back of my simple patchwork quilt.  I have a plan and everything!  
• Swell Quilt-After Mary sent me a jelly roll of Swell that she somehow managed to track down I swapped some amazing fabrics with a Canadian friend to get the last of the pieces I needed for this quilt.  I haven't settled on a pattern yet even though I based all of my fabric sizes off a quilt in Camille's book. I am still planning to make this quilt I just need to find the perfect pattern for this great fabric.
  
• Anchors Away-this is a really hard one for me because in theory I love this quilt.  I'm scared to death of it but I love it.  The fabrics are Neptune, which is out of print and extremely hard to find.  I have enough to make the quilt but I am so chicken to cut into it much less cut circles out of it.  And then of course there is the applique of the circles which is beyond scary to me as well.  Then again it will be a great learning experience. Yup, still scared to death to cut into this fabric.  I know it is going to be amazing so I really should take the plunge.
• Swoon-I got this kit from my parents a little over a year ago.  If you follow along regularly you know I have broken this one out of the closest and am working on putting the blocks together.  2 down and 7 to go.  I am thisclose to being able to cross this one off the list.  The piecing is finished I just need to drop it off at the long arm for a little quilting magic.
• Sunny Trails-I have all of the sub-blocks made for this one and just need to go about sewing 18 more blocks and then putting the top together.  I'm not very good at making blocks that require you to sew a square to something and then cut off a triangle and flip back the square.  If anyone has any good tips for making those blocks better I would love to hear them.  Honestly I put this one in the box again and all but forgot about it.  I need to dig this one out so I can finish it up.    
• Spools of Love-This quilt top was made for me by a lovely group of women.  It is the top that I received back as part of a year of traveling quilts.  The group is a spin off of the Old Red Barn QAL Group and though I sat out the second round I am considering jumping back in for round three because it was just so much fun.  This one just needs a backing and I have it started and it is about half pieced.  Hopefully it won't take me too long to finish it up.  I have two more sections that need to be sewn up for the back on this one.  It is just waiting for its turn for a little TLC.
  
• Summer Love-I started this quilt with the intention of entering it into a challenge that was being hosted by the Old Red Barn Group.  I only managed to get a few of the blocks done before life got in the way.  Of course because it is a dreamy combination of solids and Freshcuts I plan on finishing this one up.  I'm just not sure when.  Still just waiting for a little love.
• Dance Party-This is an original quilt for me.  Inspired by a simple quilt block on a repeat and the bright colors of the 80's.  I planned to make this a lap size quilt when I started but I am amending my plan there.  I'm hoping to finish it up into a baby quilt.  After all you never really know when you might need a fun and funky baby shower gift.  I'm in no hurry to move this one along and because of that it is still just 3 finished blocks.  I don't really want to give up on her because she is one of the first quilts I ever started without a pattern and just with an idea in my head.  
• Posh Enigma-This is one of the first quilt tops I made when I started quilting.  It isn't my taste at all but it only needs a backing made up for it and then it will be ready to be quilted so I might just do that.  I bought fabric for the back way back in 2009 when I first made up the top but it isn't wide enough.  I'm sure I can figure out something.  This one is finished so I guess I can cross it off the list as complete.
• Paintbox QAL-I gave up on this one after making just a few blocks.  Recently I gave my mom the jelly roll strip and the coordinating pieces we had picked out together.  She has adopted this WIP but I don't know that she knows what she is in for.   I turned this quilt over to my mom so I am taking it off my list of projects.
• Spider Webs-I have a set of pink and orange spider web blocks from a bee I participated in.  They just need to be sewn up into a quilt top.  Perhaps I will get around to that one of these days.  Still just waiting.  Maybe I will add this to the quilts to be finished for this years 100 Quilts for Kids.
• Scrappy Stars-This is also a a result of a bee.  I was actually the bee mama for Bee Stitched and these blocks were all the rage back in 2010 when that bee was started.  They are fun and I have one row sewn together for this quilt.  It needs some TLC but it's going to be awesome when it's done.  This is one of those quilts I still love but just haven't paid any attention to.  It really would be pretty easy to just finish up.  Maybe I should move this to the front of the class.
• Flower Power-These are log cabin blocks with fussy cut flowers in the middle that I received back as part of the fussy cut bee.  I guess I should make up and finish at least one of my 5 bee quilts.  I'm not really in love with these blocks any more.  It would be a pretty easy finish so I should just make it work.
• Pinwheel Sampler-This was made as part of a QAL hosted by Rachel.  It's a super cute quilt and it is just in need of a backing.  Of course since I have no idea what I am going to do with it when I am done with it I have let it sit in the closet unfinished for a while.  Still needs a back and some quilting love-Anyone want to adopt this UFO?  The top is completely done it just needs a back.  Leave me a comment if you are interested.
• Hexagons-This is my five year project but I am sure it will take longer than that to finish.  Hand stitching all of those little buggers is more than I bargained for.  Still making slow and steady progress.
• Mod Bento Box-I collected these blocks as part of two rounds of the mod bento box swap.  I sewed half of them into a baby quilt but it still needs to have the quilting finished (its about 1/2 done) and binding.  My mom adopted the other half to make into a baby quilt as well.  Taking this off the list as I have given away the blocks I had left.  It is my mom's WIP now.
• Modern Meadow Bricks-I have the pieces cut for this quilt so I really just need to break them out and start sewing.  This was originally going to be a quilt for the hubs but since I made him a UNC Quilt with the help of a few friends I'm not sure he will get to keep this one.  I will of course share :)  I actually took these with me when I went on vacation but since I didn't sew a stitch these are still untouched.  Maybe someday...
• Spring Weekends-I didn't participate in the QAL for this one but stumbled on it after it was over as a result of WIP Wednesday and had to make one.  This is actually all basted and ready to go.  It just needs to be quilted.  I have a new idea in mind for it so I just need to pick up some more yellow thread and get with it.  Just needs quilting.  Why oh why can't there be 36 hours in every day.
  
• Well Hello Betty-this adorable little quilt top is done and is just in need of backing.  Does anyone know what color teal matches the solid in the Hello Betty line?  Maybe a solid back would be the way to go on this one.  This pretty little quilt needs a back and some quilting but I haven't been in a hurry to finish her up.  I still love it a lot so maybe someday this one will be done.
• Mod Times QAL-I didn't keep up with this quilt along either.  I thought I was going to get creative and piece rainbow string blocks for the middles on this one.  I have about 1/2 of those done.  But I'm not giving up on this one.  It sits in the back of my brain because I know it will make an awesome gender neutral baby quilt.  Sometimes you just have to let things go.  I decided to take this one off the list because the truth of it is with all the new ideas and inspiration poring in I will probably never come back to this one.  And since I didn't buy any materials for this quilt I don't have to feel guilty about giving it a gentle push off the list.
• Farmer's Wife QAL-I am actually actively working on this one.  I have about 68 blocks done and now I am just trying to make some decisions about sashing and corner stones.  But if I don't have this one finished by the end of 2013 I will be surprised.  Just debating now if I am really done with this one.  I've seen more and more people picking these back up and making a push to finish the rest of the blocks and I just don't know if I want to join in.
• Summer Sampler-I don't know how to paper piece.  The rest of the blocks for this quilt required paper piecing.  So I think I have decided to make these into a small quilt to be donated.  A good friend gifted me the fabric to make this quilt at a time when I was really down an out so I think donating the quilt would be a great way to continue to share the love on this one.  Still just waiting for some more inspiration to hit me on this one.  I know it will be lovely when it's done I just don't know what I want to do with it yet.
• 100 Quilts for Kids-I made a MoMo Wonderland quilt top a little over 2 years ago for the 100 Quilts for Kids drive but didn't finish it in time.  I would really like to get a head start on that one so that I can donate it this year as part of the drive.  Better late than never.  This has moved to the top of my to do list because I really want to have at least one quilt finished this year for 100 Quilts for Kids and since the top is done on this one it would be a quick finish-in theory anyway.

New Since the Original BIG List

• Complications-I am really close to finishing this project.  I just have one more section to go and then adding the boarders to the top.  I am very much in love with this quilt so I know it won't be getting stuck at the bottom of the list any time soon.
• Color Therapy-this quilt was great in theory but after making one row of this it was obvious that it wasn't working out.  I'm okay with just letting this one go so it has long since been forgotten and crossed off the list.
• Mystery Quilt-This one is driving me CRAZY.  I'm currently on step 2 which is made up of a ton of HST's and those other blocks I can't stand to make.  I'm really trying to focus and get myself to just sit down and get this part over with so we can move on to the next step but it's so hard when you aren't feeling inspired.

I really thought that between making my really BIG list and now I would have a ton of new projects.  I guess even without doing a check in I have actually made some progress.  I am closer to my goals of finishing some things than I thought and having a list really makes it easy to see where you are and where you are going.  I promise not to post any more about this really BIG list until the end of the year but getting feedback from all of you really does help keep me motivated.

And because if you are still reading its pretty impressive that you are still here so how about a give away.  Leave a comment and let me know what you are working on, if there is a project I haven't crossed off that you think I should just give up on, or even what you think I should move to the top of the list.  I'll leave the contest open until Friday August 2nd and then I'll pull a winner from the comments who will get a little something special from me.  I'm not sure what the prize will be yet but I'm think a little something homemade and a few goodies.

Catching Up but Can't Stay Long

Hey everyone!  Well I'm back from my trip to Florida and overall I would call it a success.  I didn't make it to any quilt shops while I was down there because the hotel was so far away from everything.  My aching legs can attest to that after a 2 mile walk back from dinner one night in flip flops they were not happy.  But then again that's what happens when you don't plan things out.  I also managed to lose my debit card for the first time in my life.  I'm pretty sure the cashier didn't hand it back to me but there is a chance it could also be in the Atlantic Ocean now.  Luckily I was able to put a stop on it and get issued a temporary card so I could get home.  That of course was another adventure after Atlanta grounded all flights in or out on Wednesday due to weather.  In the end I made it even though my bags didn't but no worries they were delivered the next day with only a slight amount of damage.

Since I missed WIP Wednesday this week while sitting at the airport I thought I'd pop in really quick and give you all an update although I haven't been sewing.  I did convenience myself to join a couple of swaps right before I left for Florida.

The first one is the sewing room swap.  Well I don't really have a sewing room to speak of but I do have a corner of what is suppose to be our guest room.  Don't judge but here's a picture.  I'd love to replace that table with an actual sewing machine table that wouldn't wiggle every time I sew.  My mom has a great portable one that I like a lot so maybe I can start saving some pennies.

Here's a look at the mosaic I made for that swap.  I left it wide open for my partner because there are so many things I could use in that space that I didn't want to be too specific.  I think in my sign up form I mentioned a sewing machine cover which is something I could use for sure.  And it looks like that's what I will actually be making for my partner in this swap so it is a little ironic.  I need to find some good fabrics first though.  I have summer and bright colors on my mind but my partner is looking for a little something different so time to readjust.

You might have noticed some of my Anna Marie Horner fabrics sitting out in that photo.  Well that's because I also joined a charm swap of AMH fabrics.  I have lots of quilts made out of AMH but have wanted to make a very simple charm square quilt mixing all of her lines together for a while now and saw this as a perfect chance to get a variety of charms.  Here's hoping it will all work out the way I see it in my mind.  I like swaps like this because they are easy-just cut and send to one person who mixes up the fabrics and then sends them back to you.  And I can totally get that done before taking off on vacation next week.

Last up I signed up for one more round of the Sew Sew Modern swap.  You might remember I just did this swap to get my feet wet again in the world of swapping.  I was really planning to sit out this round but I knew I wouldn't be able to join the next one as it will be due right before the holidays so as the mosaics started popping up I ended up jumping on board.

Which reminds me I don't think I ever showed you guys the packet I received last time.  So here's a look at the pillow and little bag that I received.

Its going to be a busy work week and then we are heading off to Lake Gaston for a week where we have no cell signal and no internet so I'll be unplugged for a while but I promise I'll be back to catch up when we get home.  Hope you are all enjoying your summer!

A Really BIG List

It should come as no surprise to any of you that I have what I like to refer to as Quilter's ADD.  For every finished project I have shared here I probably have three more unfinished ones.  I find this a little odd because I don't keep a large stash of fabric, I usually only buy what I need for a specific project at a specific time unless it is one of my favorite designers and happens to be a great deal, and well I know I don't have hours each week to devote to sewing so I try not to take on more than I can handle.  But then sometimes I find because I am on facebook, flickr, and I read so many lovely blogs I get overwhelmed by inspiration.  I want to join in on quilt alongs, swaps, and bees because that's how you get the chance to learn new things and meet the amazing people in this community.  Well I have been sitting out of all of these things lately and I miss them terribly but then I realized I don't really need more projects.  When we moved recently I moved so many quilting boxes.  WAY more than I need thought I had.  So I figured now was as good a time as any to look back through the blog and see just how many projects I have talked about here that I've never posted finished photos of and maybe do an update.  Now it is a really BIG list but not all of them are destine to be completed, especially not by me but I am hoping that by putting this out there I will be able to focus on what is outstanding and maybe wrap up a few projects.  

• Anna Marie Horner Chevrons-I made a few of these as part of this great quilt along.  However I decided I wasn't loving the project and stopped with just a few made.  I am thinking I might revisit these blocks and turn them into some throw pillows.  
• Swell Quilt-After Mary sent me a jelly roll of Swell that she somehow managed to track down I swapped some amazing fabrics with a Canadian friend to get the last of the pieces I needed for this quilt.  I haven't settled on a pattern yet even though I based all of my fabric sizes off a quilt in Camille's book.
• Anchors Away-this is a really hard one for me because in theory I love this quilt.  I'm scared to death of it but I love it.  The fabrics are Neptune, which is out of print and extremely hard to find.  I have enough to make the quilt but I am so chicken to cut into it much less cut circles out of it.  And then of course there is the applique of the circles which is beyond scary to me as well.  Then again it will be a great learning experience.
• Swoon-I got this kit from my parents a little over a year ago.  If you follow along regularly you know I have broken this one out of the closest and am working on putting the blocks together.  2 down and 7 to go.
• Sunny Trails-I have all of the sub-blocks made for this one and just need to go about sewing 18 more blocks and then putting the top together.  I'm not very good at making blocks that require you to sew a square to something and then cut off a triangle and flip back the square.  If anyone has any good tips for making those blocks better I would love to hear them.    
• Spools of Love-This quilt top was made for me by a lovely group of women.  It is the top that I received back as part of a year of traveling quilts.  The group is a spin off of the Old Red Barn QAL Group and though I sat out the second round I am considering jumping back in for round three because it was just so much fun.  This one just needs a backing and I have it started and it is about half pieced.  Hopefully it won't take me too long to finish it up.
• Summer Love-I started this quilt with the intention of entering it into a challenge that was being hosted by the Old Red Barn Group.  I only managed to get a few of the blocks done before life got in the way.  Of course because it is a dreamy combination of solids and Freshcuts I plan on finishing this one up.  I'm just not sure when.

• Dance Party-This is an original quilt for me.  Inspired by a simple quilt block on a repeat and the bright colors of the 80's.  I planned to make this a lap size quilt when I started but I am amending my plan there.  I'm hoping to finish it up into a baby quilt.  After all you never really know when you might need a fun and funky baby shower gift.
• Posh Enigma-This is one of the first quilt tops I made when I started quilting.  It isn't my taste at all but it only needs a backing made up for it and then it will be ready to be quilted so I might just do that.  I bought fabric for the back way back in 2009 when I first made up the top but it isn't wide enough.  I'm sure I can figure out something.
• Paintbox QAL-I gave up on this one after making just a few blocks.  Recently I gave my mom the jelly roll strip and the coordinating pieces we had picked out together.  She has adopted this WIP but I don't know that she knows what she is in for.  
• Spider Webs-I have a set of pink and orange spider web blocks from a bee I participated in.  They just need to be sewn up into a quilt top.  Perhaps I will get around to that one of these days.
• Scrappy Stars-This is also a a result of a bee.  I was actually the bee mama for Bee Stitched and these blocks were all the rage back in 2010 when that bee was started.  They are fun and I have one row sewn together for this quilt.  It needs some TLC but it's going to be awesome when it's done.
• Flower Power-These are log cabin blocks with fussy cut flowers in the middle that I received back as part of the fussy cut bee.  I guess I should make up and finish at least one of my 5 bee quilts.
• Pinwheel Sampler-This was made as part of a QAL hosted by Rachel.  It's a super cute quilt and it is just in need of a backing.  Of course since I have no idea what I am going to do with it when I am done with it I have let it sit in the closet unfinished for a while.
• Hexagons-This is my five year project but I am sure it will take longer than that to finish.  Hand stitching all of those little buggers is more than I bargained for.

• Mod Bento Box-I collected these blocks as part of two rounds of the mod bento box swap.  I sewed half of them into a baby quilt but it still needs to have the quilting finished (its about 1/2 done) and binding.  My mom adopted the other half to make into a baby quilt as well.
• Modern Meadow Bricks-I have the pieces cut for this quilt so I really just need to break them out and start sewing.  This was originally going to be a quilt for the hubs but since I made him a UNC Quilt with the help of a few friends I'm not sure he will get to keep this one.  I will of course share :)
• Spring Weekends-I didn't participate in the QAL for this one but stumbled on it after it was over as a result of WIP Wednesday and had to make one.  This is actually all basted and ready to go.  It just needs to be quilted.  I have a new idea in mind for it so I just need to pick up some more yellow thread and get with it.
• Well Hello Betty-this adorable little quilt top is done and is just in need of backing.  Does anyone know what color teal matches the solid in the Hello Betty line?  Maybe a solid back would be the way to go on this one.

• Mod Times QAL-I didn't keep up with this quilt along either.  I thought I was going to get creative and piece rainbow string blocks for the middles on this one.  I have about 1/2 of those done.  But I'm not giving up on this one.  It sits in the back of my brain because I know it will make an awesome gender neutral baby quilt.
• Farmer's Wife QAL-I am actually actively working on this one.  I have about 68 blocks done and now I am just trying to make some decisions about sashing and corner stones.  But if I don't have this one finished by the end of 2013 I will be surprised.
• Summer Sampler-I don't know how to paper piece.  The rest of the blocks for this quilt required paper piecing.  So I think I have decided to make these into a small quilt to be donated.  A good friend gifted me the fabric to make this quilt at a time when I was really down an out so I think donating the quilt would be a great way to continue to share the love on this one.
• 100 Quilts for Kids-I made a MoMo Wonderland quilt top a little over 2 years ago for the 100 Quilts for Kids drive but didn't finish it in time.  I would really like to get a head start on that one so that I can donate it this year as part of the drive.  Better late than never.

If you are still with me then you know I have a ton of projects.  I am planning to take a break from new projects for a while to try and get some of these done.  Of course that is always easier said than done because as a result of this weeks WIP Wednesday I stumbled across this BOM quilt that is awesome.  I have some fat quarters already picked out to use so I might just have to sneak that in there.  And of course there are other projects that I haven't talked about here before so I didn't include on the list, like my 4th of July quilt.  Hope to see you all around soon because that will mean I'm not buried under a pile of half finished projects.

Loulouthi Tiles

I finally managed my second finish of 2012.  I can't believe it is already May and I am this far behind on my goal of making 12 quilts in 2012 but maybe the summer will be productive.  After all summer is typically when blogland comes alive with numerous quilt alongs.  I started this quilt after my parents were nice enough to purchase a kit for my birthday last October.

Loulouthi Tiles

I first mentioned this quilt in "The List" and it made it's first appearance in WIP Wednesday all the way back in January.  I have to admit that there were several times throughout making this quilt that I really just wanted to pack it away and save it for later.  My dad is the one who convinced me that we really could work out the math and make this one happen.  I followed Rachel's original concept but changed the quilt a little.  I added both of my rows to the quilt into the length and didn't widen it.  My finished quilt measures about 97 inches long by 87 inches wide.  I do wish I had added a little more width since I fully intend to use this quilt on my bed.  But I think overall it will be fine.

Front of Loulouthi Tiles Quilt

This is the first quilt I have made so large and I opted not to hand quilt around the large tiles as I knew I would never get around to it.  Instead, I sent this one to the long arm that my mom and I both use.  She does a great job with all of our quilts and I love working with her.  After having some less than stellar experiences with different long arms in the local area it is well worth the hour drive to have Ellen quilt these up for me.  And lets face it, usually I just drop my quilts off with my mom and make her do the hard work of picking out a quilt pattern.  This quilt is the first one I sent to Ellen where I actually spent a lot of time looking through her books and picking a design.  I narrowed it down to this pattern and another called Orange Peel.  I was kind of set against a flower since I want to use this one on my bed and didn't want it to be overly girly (yes, you can feel free to laugh at me because I realize now that the butterflies and huge flowers amp up the girly factor A LOT).  In the end Ellen suggested this one as it matched a bit of the pattern in the fabric I chose for the backing.  Of course once she pointed that out to me I couldn't go with anything else.

Close up of the quilting

It's quilted in two different shades of gray.  With the thread on the top being a shade or two lighter than that on the back.  I really wanted the quilting on the back to sort of fade into the quilt rather than stand out.  I used didn't have enough fabric left to make binding and I really didn't know what I wanted that would look as great on the front as it would on the back.  In the end I used a solid PB Gray that I think frames out the front nicely and blends into the fabric on the back.  The back is mostly this gray and orange print with one little strip down the middle of miniature tiles which replicate the feeling of the front.
 

Back of Loulouthi Tiles Quilt

Overall, I think it looks great and I am pretty happy to have a new quilt to snuggle under when I go to bed tonight.  It's in the wash now getting it crinkle on.

Sometimes It's Just Hard

I've been meaning to update my blog for a while in fact I have even sat down and started writing out blog post only to leave them unattended until they are no longer relevant.  Things here have just been hard lately.  It doesn't seem possible that Christmas is just a few short days away.  Don't panic it's not here yet but I am sure I will be putting the finishing touches on presents on Christmas Eve.  A few of those gifts are actually surprise gifts that I am very excited to be gifting.  Not that I don't always put a lot of thought into my gift giving but this year there are a few that are pretty sentimental and I'm hoping the recipients will love them as much as I do.  Plus this is the first Christmas with my nephew so I am super excited to see the joy through a little ones eyes this year.

This is what my tree currently looks like, it's only about 1/2 decorate because I just wasn't really feeling it this year.  Like I said it's been hard.  I had the tree about 1/4 of the way done when we had to take our bulldog to the emergency vet.  Unfortunately she never got to come home with us and so like I said it's been hard around here lately.  After that I managed to get enough ornaments on the tree for it to not look too sad and I've managed to wrap the two gifts you see there.  I guess I better get busy and wrap some more since Christmas is almost here.

Denali Snowberry Boyd July 21, 2005-December 5, 2011

I have been making some progress on a few projects.  I started slowly sewing together my hexagon charm quilt.  I decided to just go with an all over scrappy look.  It's very slow going and I'm not very good at it so I'm just hoping and praying the darn thing will stay together when it's finished.

Hexagon Quilt

I also managed to make a few of the blocks for my chasing chevrons quilt along quilt.  The quilt along is actually wrapping up but I'm still working away at it making blocks.  I've been sidetracked some by projects I can't share here just yet but as soon as the presents are opened I promise to write about them here.

Chasing Chevrons

Wishing you and yours a very     

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Departure from the Norm

 How is it that about this time every year I get quilting ADD. Okay so I know I have it all year but right now I should be putting finishing touches on Christmas gifts and making sure everything is ready to go.  Instead I'm busy starting new projects.  I told you if I could eek out some time I was going to join in with Jennifer on her newest quilt along.  Immediately I thought it would be a good chance to use some of the Garden Party I have slowly been collecting.  But when I pulled out my collection I realized it was a lot smaller than I thought.  I actually have a pretty good mix when I add my Garden Party and Good Folks together and since I know I will never manage to collect all of the pieces to either collection I decided to mix them together and use them for this quilt along and then swap out anything I have left when I'm done.  If your looking for either one let me know and I'll put you at the top of my list.  Be warned though I'm not sure when I will actually be done with this project.

Okay so I went into the store planning to be just plain jane and pick up some Kona Snow.  It's a safe choice and I use it in just about everything and since I couldn't remember exactly how much I needed if I bought a little too much it would be okay.  And then I saw this really pretty hand dyed fabric in this deep burgundy purple.  Then I saw the price tag and though hum my rough guess was 4 yards and this stuff is almost $15 bucks a yard.  Needless to say I didn't buy the hand dyed fabric.  I probably would have invested if it was a quilt that I had a plan for and new for sure it would work but I wasn't totally sold on the fact that it would look good with the fabrics and I don't really have a plan for this quilt it just looked like it might be fun.  Instead I took the hand dyed fabric back over to the Kona wall and settled on Kona Garnet.  Now this is such a departure from the white, off white, and gray that I've used in past quilts where a solid was required.  I made up a few blocks tonight when I should have been making pot holders.  I'm going to let them sit on the wall for a few days and see if I still like them.  But I'd love your feedback.  Is it too much?  Do you like it?  Do you not like it?  Would you scrap it and go back to Kona Snow?  Is there another color you would suggest?

To all of my US Friends I hope you all have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving and stay safe if are going to brave the crowds on Black Friday.

Crushed Stamps

Just when I thought the post office and I were making nice they delivered one of my swap packages with nothing inside.  Uggh!  I was so upset because I started using delivery confirmation on everything to avoid these missing packages and crazy nonsense that is my relationship with the US Post Office.  So because of that the name "Crushed Stamps" is staying.  Maybe I will change my mind if we ever make up but I doubt that will be for a long time.

 I made this quilt following along with Rachel in the Postage Stamp Quilt Along (check out the other finished quilts here).  It was a lot of fun and went together really fast.  In fact the whole thing took about a month.  My dad was nice enough to offer to have this one taken to the long arm for me and I am so grateful for that because it probably would have equaled my post office experience had I tried to do it myself.  I used Anna Marie Horner's Innocent Crush fabric line and it is quilted in a soft purple gray.

 I kept the back super simple using just one fabric and a row of left over pieces from the front.  On my Freshcut Square Dance quilt (waiting at the long arm) I tried matching up the pattern repeat and just using a solid fabric for the back.  It went together pretty well for the most part but I think I like this method of a pieced back a little better.  Especially with a big print like this one.  It is a little easier than trying to match a pattern repeat.

This one is staying at my house and it will be nice to cuddle up under it on the couch.  The Christmas quilts have officially been washed and put away for now.  So now it's on to the next.  I'm working on the boarders for Twisted Fandango and hope to have a finished top to show you all soon.