Scrappy Swoon

I worked on making a scrappy swoon using 2 1/2" squares at the retreat.  It took me most of the weekend to complete this.  My daughter has the sweetest teacher that is retiring this year.  I would like to get it completed for her.  My husband isn't a big fan of the border, but I am quite fond of it.
I should add that our school colors are green/white/and yellow.  It was a fun project, and I would like to make another one with the 3 1/2" squares.  You can find the instructions for the project here if you are interested.

The truth of the matter is- it didn't even make a little dent in my pre-cut scraps that I was using.

Retreat Fun

The retreat was great fun. I realized when I went to write this post that I didn't take very many photos.

Char put together this beautiful bright quilt.  The pattern is in the current issue of McCall's Quick Quilts.

Ellen was working on her Scrappy Swoon as was I.  I love the look of her muted colors.  She used 3 1/2" squares, and I used 2 1/2".









Tina was doing the original swoon blocks with her DS fabrics.  It seriously made me want to drop everything and start another new project.  I kept chanting "focus" in my head so I didn't get off track.

I didn't make much progress on my March goals at the retreat, but I did have fun.

More on my projects later this week.

Working on the March Goals

I finished a customer quilt.  The customer requested a simple meandering.  I had a hard time choosing thread color, but in the end I went with a variegated red (dark to light red).  It turned out really nice.  The customer supplied the batting - Thermore® Ultra Thin Polyester by Hobbs.  It was a thin polyester, but it felt really stiff.  Have you ever used this, and what did you think of it?

 I used red thread in the bobbin also.  I generally match the backing, but the customer wanted the red.  I liked how it looked with the contrast.  I may need to do it again.

I quilted my first quilt for my March goals.  I started this quilt a few years ago for my oldest daughter.  I backed it with flannel and used Thinsulate batting (my family favorite).  I used a variegated thread on the top and quilted it with the popcorn pattern.  

 I used the 6 1/2" tumbler from Accuquilt to cut out the pieces.  I like the look of the tumblers on the diagonal.

2 more days until the retreat where the serious sewing will occur.  I still haven't decided what I am working on, but I am pulling from the UFO piles.

Monday Madness

Actually I am feeling a little less mad because I was able to play in my space this weekend.  Friday night was filled with wrestling, and Saturday morning was show choir.  Hubby and I spent the rest of Saturday spending the day together.  Just the 2 of us.  It has been a very long time since we spent time together alone without having obligations.  Hubby insisted we go to a quilt shop that I love since it was only a few miles from the show choir competition.  Since I gave up buying fabric for a bit, my DH bought a few things for me.  He was such a good sport about carrying my bolts around the shop.

I was able to finish this quilt on Sunday for Eleanor

I started quilting this quilt for another customer.  She wanted a simple stippling pattern so I should be able to finish it up this week.  She said she purchased most of the reds from Connecting Threads.  I think it is very striking

 

Last but not least, a picture of my FW blocks.  Putting the block up like this makes me want to finish them in order.  The "blanks" are all the blocks that I still need to complete.  I have lots of them cut out, I just need to find the time to sew them up.

I love the cheerful happy colors of the bright scraps.  My box is still really full of scraps.  Do you see any fabrics that were formerly yours?

Oh, and those trays on the floor.  Those are my most recent scrap acquisition.  They are sorted in piles by color and waiting to be filed or sewn into a new project.

Thanks for visiting stop over to Judy's to see what other are working on.

This weeks agenda is to finish the quilt in the frame and quilt one of mine that is on my March goals list.  I also hope to kit up some projects and get things ready for this weekend's library retreat.

Challenging Week

This is one of those weeks where I am singing my praises that it is Friday.  In honor of Friday, I wanted to post a picture of this deliciousness.  I took the time to pose them for their own photo shoot.  I think even my fabric selections are thinking about spring.  

The good news is - I have 20 FW blocks cut out and I hope to be sewing them and posting new tutorials this week.

February Finished/March Goals

I did well on my February Finishes - EXCEPT the Farmer's Wife again.  I actually had all my goals (except the FW) completed in the first 2 weeks, then my family took over my time.  I haven't turned on the machine since the February retreat.  I am feeling a little withdraw.

Finishes:

• 4 patch flannel quilt (at my binder)
• Aqua and Tan Hopscotch pattern (Ready to hand stitch)
• Crazy Eights pattern fall colors (at my binder)

I will post pictures once I get them back.  I think I am working poor Eleanor to death.







Goals for March:

1. Quilt the Monkey Tumbler Quilt (I pieced the backing last month) and bind
2. Make the backing and quilt the pink/fuschia quilt ( I put the blocks together in January) and bind
3. Put borders on the town square quilt and piece the backing
4. Start sewing the blocks together on my second Carolina Crossroads quilt

Bonus projects: (it is good to dream right?)

1. Quilt my Red/Black/Grey Twister
2. Quilt the Grey/Yellow plus quilt.

March is a longer month, so I hope to accomplish a little more.  I have a retreat coming up soon, so  I am optimistic that I can get more than 2 finishes this month.  Looking at my goals, I guess I will have to round up some more piecing for this quilt retreat unless I get some of these quilts quilted.  At the last retreat, I spent one whole day sewing bindings on.

I am ahead of schedule so far this year with my goal being 20 finishes.  It would be great if I could get 4 more finishes this month.