until the reveal...

Yesterday I mailed off the latest Fab Challenge to Pam. I reminded her in BIG LETTERS on the front DO NOT OPEN until the reveal. What a lovely feeling to have that winging it's way to her and be outta here.

I was pinning half circle triangles to arcs for the Freddy blocks when I realized I was short pieces.
Argh!!!! I fail to understand how I managed to not cut the right amount-so annoying. I pulled fabric and tonight I am pressing and cutting what really should be the last pieces. Then I can sit and watch tv and pin all of them together for the next round of sewing. I am determined to get this top done and I am considering sending it out for quilting. Then again, I may change my mind and quilt it myself. At any rate-at least I am back to working on the blocks-they have been up on the design wall all winter (I think fall too) and really it's time to wrap them up and clear the wall for new things.

My class with Margaret Miller was fabulous! Naturally I forgot my camera, thus, no photos to share. I finished the quarter sections of two blocks and part of a more challenging third block.

She asked us to not sew the blocks together so you can turn them and play with the different looks -until you like what you see.

My plan is to finish these blocks and turn them into a table runner-ready to show at the next guild meeting at the end of February. We were working out of her book, AnglePlay Blocks. I bought the full set of templates which though expensive I feel are worth every penny. These templates have the correct angles at the ends of the triangles so matching them up and sewing them together is really a breeze. I am not a huge template fan, but, they certainly have their place and for these type of blocks the payoff comes in the wonderful results you can achieve.

I would say I am happy to be back into full swing quilting mode with more fun stuff ahead. I have joined Tonya's current class and expect to really have fun playing with solids and doing my version from inspiration at this website.

We are staying at a friends place only seven miles from Sisters when we go up in March for Gwen's class - which means Zoe (our boxer) can come along and keep my sweetie company while I am gone at class. I have pulled my featherweight machine out and used it on the challenge piecing part and will continue to use it as much as I can - I am taking it as my machine for class and want to feel comfortable winding bobbins and so on for it.

Ok...on to cutting and pinning for me...

challenge top done

I can't show the top, until after the reveal, but... I am very pleased to be at this stage. I did the complicated/time consuming parts yesterday before going in for a six hour work shift.
This morning I slept in and rose to pouring rain. Terrific! A stay inside jammie day perfect for sewing away. With a few interruptions of household chores and coffee drinking-I did the next time consuming part as I decided to go ahead and add a few wonky hearts to the design. For my first time making them I am happy with how they turned out. Then it was time to put all the parts together into the top.

We are supposed to go swimming (inside pool) and should be leaving soon. I had to widen the back I made as I ended up going wider than I first planned. I ran out of bobbin thread as I was doing that part, will wind more when we get back.

With luck I may get to the quilting after dinner tonight. I know how I am quilting it and it should go pretty fast. Once the quilting is done, I have one more tricky part to add.

I am so pleased this project has come together as I had envisioned it. Often what I create in my mind proves to not work out in reality. And, this has been so much fun to work on!

Ok- time to throw my suit on and get out the door...hope your weekend has been as fun as mine.

first quilt done for 2010

It was a very busy weekend but I managed to get the binding on this quilt and a photo taken. It was a ufo from last March and I will pop it into the mail tomorrow-it may be a holiday for many businesses, but it's a regular work day for me.

This quilt was a brown bag challenge and I used 99% of the fabric (plus a bit of my own scraps to widen the color range) -the back is from 10.5 inch squares of the various fabrics that were large enough to yield that size. It's an empty bag now and I am happy about that!

Nice to have one ufo off my list and soon out of the h0use. I pulled the FAB challenge fabric and started working on my plan for it. It's a secret until we mail and we are able to open via online chat what we all received. It's an idea I have had for quite a long time and it's great fun to be playing around with the design of it.

Also this week I want to start prepping for my class later this month with Margaret Miller. I have been considering what fabrics to pull from stash that would be fun to work with. I really appreciate being back in the quilting frame of mind and playing with my fabrics.

Make it a joyful day!