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.

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.

WIP Wednesday

I am still slowly getting settled into the apartment so sewing is slow going but I have been trying to fit in a little time here and there.  The trouble is I seem to have left my mojo somewhere.  Several things I've tried just don't seem to be working out.

 I ordered fabrics for the baby quilt last week.  In full disclosure I must have been rushing to try and get fabric ordered in time to have it to sew over the long weekend.  Monday being a holiday here in the states meant and extra day off with some time to finally sew.  At least there would have been if there had been fabric and not an unexpected trip to the vet.  At any rate when my fabrics came yesterday I opened the bag from Hawthorne Threads first and was excited at the colors in the stripe and the multi colored houndstooth.

Oops that won't work

But then I opened the bag from fabric.com and the first thing my hand touched was the rough thick fabric.  I immediately thought there was something in my bag that wasn't suppose to be.  But then when I pulled the stack of goodness out I found that no in fact it was exactly what I ordered.  In my haste to get just the right balance of colors I accidentally order three fabrics that were a medium weight non quilting fabric.  So those have been scrapped from the pile.

I added in a few pieces from my very limited stash and I think I am almost there.  I also forgot to order the multicolor polka dots that I had planned to use for binding.  So I'll have to place another order but that won't be hard since I know now that I have to add some of that stripe and houndstooth to my stash.  They are the perfect shades of bright.

Too many blocks or not enough blocks

So while I was waiting for these fabrics to come I thought I would work on my Farmer's Wife Quilt.  Since I have every intention of making a second one I decided I no longer felt the need to make all 111 blocks for this one.  I thought I could easily make something between the throw size and the twin size with the blocks I had.  But with that missing mojo I couldn't figure it out.  I have something like 69 blocks made and honestly I just don't want to make a lot more.  I didn't want to discard 19 blocks to make the throw size in the book and I didn't want to make 14 more blocks to get the number necessary for the twin size.

This could work

Eventually I settled on arranging the blocks in rows instead of on point and removing just two blocks.  It was fine because the weren't the strongest blocks I made and I figured I could always use them in the quilt back somehow.  I had picked up brown sashing fabric last week and I a light mint green for the setting triangles.  I wanted something a little less expected and thought going with the mint green would do that.  But the more I looked at it the more I thought about mint chocolate chip ice cream.  And now of course that is all I can see. With the new layout I don't need the mint green but once I started sewing the brown strips I'm not sure I really like it either.  So now I think I am just going to put this one away for a little while and think about what to do next.

Just not sure about the brown

Be sure to check out what everyone else is up to over at Lee's.

WIP Wednesday

I am so excited to be getting back on the WIP Wednesday train.  I have missed taking the time to see everyone's projects and sharing where I am at with mine.  While it seems my WIP list is never ending I thought it might be fun to share just a few of them with you as we kick off 2013!  Did I mention I am excited to be starting a new year in a much better place than where I found myself for most of 2012.

1. Dueling Flurry-this is actually no longer a WIP but a finish.  My mom and I made these as matching Christmas quilts for my brother and sister in law for Christmas.  However in my haste of finishing the week of Christmas I forgot to snap finished photos.  Once I manage to get a few I will share them, I promise.

2. Twisted Fandango-A long forgot WIP but I managed to finish the top and back of this one and it is at the long arm so soon hopefully it will be coming back so I can finish it up and ship it off to a very special friend.

3.  The Farmer's Wife-I haven't had a chance to make any of these fun little blocks for a while.  This one is high on my list for 2013 because in my craziness I have plans to make a second Farmer's Wife Quilt using several of Bonnie & Camille's lines.

4. Hexagons-this is a long term project for me but I'm including it in my list because I want to remember to work on it when I have time.  It's a great long term project but I often forget about it because it isn't something I work on all the time.

5. Sunny Trails-I started this project in January of 2012.  I'm not sure why I stalled out on it because it is a beautiful quilt and I have everything I need to finish it up other than time.

Be sure to head on over to Lee's to see what everyone else is up to.

PS-I am seriously crazy because I have seen all these great scrappy trip around the world quilts popping up today and I am totally thinking about adding this to my list of must do projects.

PSS-My amazing parents got me a Nook for Christmas so if you have read any good books lately please share.  I love to read just about anything so I am on the hunt for new books all the time.

WIP Wednesday (The One With The Rescue)

So it's been a long time since I've been able to spend some quality time with my machine.  But now that Bertha and I are back to being BFF's, it's been nice to be able to resurrect some old projects and work on some new ones at the same time.

Block # 75 Rosebud

Over the last few weeks I've managed to make 1 (yes only one) Farmer's Wife Blocks.  It is block #75, Rosebud.  Now that I have a little more time to spend with Bertha I am really looking forward to working on some of the harder blocks I have left.  I have enough blocks done that I could stop here and just make a lap size quilt but learning new things is one of the main reasons I wanted to do this quilt along.  So I am sticking with it in hopes of finishing another super girly queen sized quilt for the guest bedroom.

Finished Loulouthi Tiles on a Queen Bed

My big finish this week was my Loulouthi Tiles Quilt.  You can read all about that here.  But I wanted to give you a quick second look and this time I took a photo on the bed so you could see how well it covers.  It does go to the end of the mattress on the left side but the right side against the wall could have used one more column in my opinion then it would be just right. 

Column 1 & 2 of Bizzy Kid

Bizzy Kid was my new start in the last two weeks.  I love how easy this pattern came together and if you haven't already used one of Allison's patterns I would recommend them for sure.  I am still working on a better name for this, maybe summer sorbet.  But I don't really know.  You can read more about the inspiration for this quilt here.
 

Needs at least 1 more block

New this week I am bringing back a quilt that has set as blocks for a very long time in my sewing space.  Do you remember this post way back in 2010?  Well that was the year of the bees for me and the first and only bee I have hosted to date Bee-Stitched was among those.  I remember spending way too much time fretting over what kind of block to use and finally landing on one inspired by Red Pepper Quilts.  Shortly after I requested this block I saw it popping up like crazy in blogland but I haven't really ever seen a finished quilt made from the pieces.  In fact I believe even Rita's is still a WIP.  This week I decided to get it out and see how many blocks I had and what I wanted to do with it.  I had originally planed to add stars to the sashing like in Rita's original layout but I think I really just like the overall scrappy goodness and the additional stars made from sewing the blocks together as they are.  I have to make at least one more block for this quilt top to have enough and I am contemplating actually making 4-5 more so that I can add another row or column.  I like my quilts to be big so that they are easy to snuggle under.  I'm not sure about this one just yet but I think it is destine to be a gift for a lovely friend that is moving the end of July.  It's strange because when I picked this block and these fabrics (yes that is original FMF in there-that I paid an arm and a leg for) I wanted it to be so perfect because I knew I would never give it up.  I didn't have much of a stash then and I bought a lot of fat quarters just to cut up into this treasure.  I begged people to be sure and use the FMF and those fussy cut goldfish in their blocks because I paid so much money for them when they were hard to find.  If only I had known by the time I got around to finishing the quilt those fabrics would be available as reprint.  But now because it is so scrappy good and I love it so much I think those are the best kinds of gifts.  The ones you want to keep for yourself but give away because you care for the person that much.

Blocks pressed and laid out

Be sure to head on over to Lee's to see what every one else is up too.  And be sure to link up your own WIP cause I know I need more inspiration.

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week???

I haven't abandoned my Farmer's Wife Quilt Along project but I do seem to be having a harder time finding little moments to sew these 6 inch blocks.  At the start it was all fun and games and they were addictive but I am afraid I have done most of the "easier" blocks and left myself with some pretty tough blocks to work on.  I do have a few easier blocks left that I am holding out on for the right moment but since I don't paper piece and I am using the templates and a lot of starch just cutting out these pieces seems to take a long time.  There is all that tracing and then cutting but it is so worth it.  I can't wait to see this beauty finished and I am already thinking about the next one.  I don't really have a plan for this finished quilt although with it being queen sized it would fit my bed nicely if I can convenience the hubs it isn't too girly with all those flowers.  With all that being said I have three blocks to show you this week.  I've lost track of what week we are suppose to be on and I know I am behind again but maybe when things calm down a bit around here and I get back to a normal schedule I will be able to catch back up.

Block # 63 Ozark Maple Leaf

Block # 88 Star of Hope

Block # 104 Wild Geese

The Star of Hope block gave me a little trouble as I used the templates and a quarter inch seam but the HST pieces were still longer then the large square at the bottom.  So after I squared it up the corners look a little funny but I think once it is sewn in it will look right again.  It's just odd sometimes when the templates don't come out quiet right and I have checked and rechecked the sizing so I know I am doing it correctly as most of the blocks are correct.  It's just every once in a while when one goes a little hinky.

Down On The Farm

There isn't much sewing going on around here lately.  It seems my inability to focus has caused me to spend tons of time in the sewing room moving stuff around and looking at fabric, pretty pictures, and patterns but no actual sewing.  I'm a few blocks behind on my Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Quilt again already but I did manage to sew up a few of them in the last week or so.

Noon & Light Block # 60

Peace & Plenty Block # 64

I'm not a huge fan of Square Dance.  I wanted to use the stripe fabric because I have been having a really hard time working that in to these little squares but I'm not sure it has enough contrast to really make that block pop the way it needs to since it is such a simple block.

Square Dance Block # 85

Tulip Block # 96

How are you coming along on the Farm?  These blocks bring my total count to 63 out of 111 blocks done.  I am finding it is a little harder to find blocks I want to make when I just have a few minutes to sew since I have made a lot of the easier blocks.  But it is still a fun project and I am excited to see what happens when it's done.

WIP Wednesday

First off I want to say I don't know how those of you with young kids do it.  We have been helping out a friend who is having a bit of a hard time and part of that package is a 2 year old every other weekend and a few days a week.  Now I love "monkey" almost as much as I imagine I will love my own child someday but man does she cut into some serious sewing time.  So I am very slowly making progress on some projects on the days that she isn't staying at the house.

I only managed to squeak out one Farmer's Wife Block in the last 2 weeks which means I am behind schedule again but I'm hoping that I will be able to knock out a few this weekend.

Cats and Mice Block #17

I am still working on sewing together my hexagons by hand which is another very time consuming project.  But it is pretty relaxing until you start to get a callus on your finger.  Yeah I'm one of those who refuses to wear a thimble.  I can't explain it they just feel weird.  But I've never been a fab of gloves or anything like that either so I guess my hands are like my feet, they like to be free.

Hand Sewn Hexagons Progress

I've found at this point it's a little easier to sew clumps together and then add the clumps to the main piece which is why it is such a strange shape but hey it seems to be working for me.

The last little project I worked on was this quilt top for Nichol.  A group from the Old Red Barn Quilt Along Group broke off to create traveling quilts this year.  I am in a group that is doing a round style quilt.  So I started with Nic's middle which was the pinwheels inside of the brown boarder.  I changed my plan about a million times but this is where I ended up.

I added the yellow boarder with floating pinwheels.

I wanted to make a ton of pinwheels but I was afraid it would be too busy so I went a little minimalistic and I hope she will really like it.  It did give me the chance to write my first ever tutorial for that patchwork pinwheel in there.  You can find that here.  I also made cornerstone blocks using one of the patterns from the Farmer's Wife Book because Nichol had used cornerstones in her round I thought she might like to keep that going. 

I think the hardest part about this group for me is that there is no real direction.  I think everyone wanted to leave it open ended so the biggest restriction so far has been a request to stay with a color scheme.

I borrowed this photo from Nichol because this is where she ended.

This is the next top that I get to work on and I have to admit I am at a total loss right now as to what to add next.  Any suggestions?

Well that's a look at what I'm working on.  Be sure to head over to Lee's to check out what everyone else is up to on this WIP Wednesday.

Out of Focus

Things around here have been a little crazy lately.  Bertha went to the spa for her annual visit and while she was gone I worked on my 5 Year Project (hexagons).  But now she is back and I've been wanting to sew.  Trouble is I just can't seem to focus on anything.  My mom and I went to the Midatlantic Quilt Show yesterday and I expected to be showing off my goodies and to be inspired and excited about a lot of things.  Truth is I expected to be out of focus because of overwhelming amounts of inspiration.  But instead I was pretty disappointed with the show this year.  There weren't very many quilts, and some of the ones that were there I wasn't a fan of.  I have to say I think when entering a quilt into a show you should at least make sure your seams haven't popped and that there aren't loose threads covering the quilt.  Just a little pet peeve of mine.  There were a ton of vendors but an overwhelming amount who didn't have fabric.  It was just less than impressive to me.  I came home with a box of pins and a charm pack of Walk in the Woods.  No major goodies like last year's discovery of Swell.  It's okay though now I can do a little online shopping knowing I'm not missing out on a great deal at the quilt show.

Hexagons that are sewn together.  It's getting bigger!

Now that Bertha is back and I can sew on my machine again I took the opportunity to catch my Farmer's Wife Blocks back up.  I made three blocks so far this weekend but I imagine I will make a few more tomorrow.

Block 52 Hovering Hawks

Block 90 Storm Signal

Block 28 Duck and Ducklings

Last I picked back up my blocks from the Summer Sampler.  I had been putting off this project because as you know if you have read my blog before, I don't know how to paper piece and the rest of the blocks require some paper piecing.  Well there was one that didn't so I made that one first and then I actually tried paper piecing and I made a block.  It's not perfect, it's a smidgen small, and I think I have some extra fabric in my blue on two of the pieces but I tried it.  It took me a long time and I'm not very good at it but at least I can say I tried.

Summer Sample Series-Star

Summer Sampler Series- Lucky Pieces

So while I'm looking for my focus and my sewing mojo I'd love to hear what you all are working on.  Maybe you can spark some inspiration for me.

WIP Wednesday-Down on the Farm

The first 55 blocks for the Farmer's Wife Quilt Along

After having the cold that kicked my butt for almost 2 weeks straight (made me lose my voice and everything) I finally felt like sewing this past weekend.  But the only thing I managed to work on was my Farmer's Wife Quilt Along project.  I had gotten a little behind on these blocks and then the group decide to take a break over the holidays.  I imagined I would get caught up during that time but instead I worked on other projects and so with the group kicking it back into gear today I felt the pressure to use this weekends sewing time to get caught up.  Get ready for some pictures in no particular order.

Block # 25 Cups & Saucers

Block #56 Maple Leaf

Block #51 Hovering Birds

Block # 2 Autumn Tints

Block #103 Whirlwind

Block #107 Windblown Square

Block # 23 Country Farm

Block #98 Waterwheel

Block #108 Windmill

Block #73 Rainbow Flowers

Block #111 Wrench

Block #29 Economy

Block # 1 Attic Windows

Block #83 Spider Web

Block #31 Evening Star

 Yup I made all but three of those on Saturday and Sunday.  One of the blocks (Windmill) was done but it had a block turned the wrong way.  Turns out I had to rip out like 7 seems on Sunday to fix it but now it's made the right way.  The other two blocks (Maple Leaf & Hovering Birds) I sewed together Tuesday night.  I had cut out all the pieces for Hovering Birds in between commercials on Sunday (you know the real reason to watch that thing called the Super Bowl).

Be sure to head over to Lee's and check out what everyone else is up to this week.