Design Wall Monday- December 31, 2012

It the last day of the year and time for my final DWM posting.  I took a bit of time to sew on the "EASY STREET" Mystery between events with family this week.  I'm happy to say I'm almost ready for the part 7 being released this morning. 

 First I had to draw and line on the purple 2" squares to make the Part 5 pieces.  Using an emery board works for me.  It doesn't slip and I can do these while watching TV.  I even found a new Purple one to use on the purple squares.  I still need more Turquoise and Black on White fabrics to finish the last two steps all the way. I have 6 different combinations for the Black on white 3-1/2" squares for part 6.

Maybe this morning's clue will be to put these parts together some how.  I can hope, right?  Bonnie is teaching in Texas so there isn't a link-up at Quiltville this week.  HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE!

I'm linking up to Judy L HERE, She posted her DWM early.

Design Wall Monday- Christmas Eve

I should have a Christmas quilt up for today but I have to put this one back on the wall because...I can.

It's my center of the Civil War Sampler, the BoW from 2011 by Barbara Brackman.  She posted about the book being done HERE. The book is available now, you can see it HERE. 
A Blogging friend Denise at Count it all Joy posted that she had received a copy around the 12th of December straight from Barbara Brackman because she has a block pictured inside. We submitted our Blocks as we made them to a joint Flicker account.   Later that day she e-mailed me and said I had a block in there too on pg 64!

I've been watching for a copy of the book to come to my house...Nothing has come yet, so when I saw Barbara's posting on Saturday (linked above), I commented that I'd heard I had a block in there and must have missed the post about sending her my address.  Anyway, first thing Sunday morning I got a reply from her that my name was missed in accounting for the blocks pictured in the book to send the book to me and she would send me a book ASAP.   I'm pretty excited to be published again, it's a good feeling. It's the block called Empty Spools.  This was a different way to make spool blocks. I have to still add the border blocks all around my center and I need a few more blocks to be finished too.  This one will go on my end of the month goals for December over at Patchworktimes.

I didn't get my Part 5 cut out or sewn with all the prep for the family to gather on Sunday. I'll have to link-up to Bonnie Hunter's Blog later this week. We had a great time! I just have to wait until DD# 1 sends me some of the pictures she took so I can BLOG about it.  I didn't even try to take pictures.

I am linking up to Judy L's HERE.

Design Wall Monday/Easy Street Link-up- December 17, 2012

 Dear Hubby was home on Saturday and came down to ask what I was doing.  I showed him my string of FG sewn by twos for Part 4 of Easy Street.  I got him to take a picture. He asked why did I sew them that way?  To save thread, fellow quilters, right? Yes, Lynn I did Pin them to get the points just right. See my fairy frost purple and the little birds I found in the Back on white??

64 all pin into sets of 10 and one of  4

 I had to add the stripe and lt teal to my wings. I didn't feel like going out in the rainy cold with this yuck I have already.  It's getting better, just have to keep the roll of tissue close by to catch the runny nose.

And for Janet O who asked how many 'siggy' squares I have collected...

On the big wall are the ones from Friends, Fellow Quilters and Bloggers I'v' met, Famous (or published) Authors and quilters I've requested a Siggy from. My siggy from Judy L came with her Weekend Quilts Book I ordered from her when she still lived in Nevada, MO. I'm thinking I'll use the Word Play letters again and put it on the four side borders where I collected these from. ie: Friends, Fellow Bloggers, Famous Quilt Authors and Fellow Quilters sounds good to me.  I have included a could blank squares in it already.  I have a few more to collect along my way... This Name-Dropper quilt might even get my panel of the Quilter.


Click around Blogland HERE for the Easy Street Link -up  and HERE for Judy L's DWM.
Please leave comments. I see I had over 200 visitors to last week's link-up and only a few comments.

Design Wall Monday December 10, 2012

Still working on the "Easy Street Mystery.  It's slow going with the other things I am working on that can't be shown on the BLOG at Christmas time.  I have to put in my shameless plug HERE.  I emailed a picture to Bonnie Hunter on Friday and she blogged about me in her Quiltcam on Saturday.  That was fast!!! Here is my Easy Street pieces that are done so far.  I saw one link-up that was guessing a possible block layout. Here's my Guess...

AND Part 3 on the cutting mat - ready to sew this week in my spare time.  It's Quilt Guild and Daughters of Utah Pioneers week, plus Army Boy is in Wyoming and soon on his way home. I need to get my voice back.  I missed Church because I couldn't talk Sunday morning. They guy that called to talk to DH yesterday said I was a BASS. I haven't sewn much since I got home.  I'm playing catch-up with laundry and un-packing.  The trees are awaiting their decorations.

  
Here are some of the 'Siggy' Squares with the corners sewn on that I've collected this year. The 3 on the top row are from my Trip to Colorado last week.  I noticed that the two in the middle are the same print in two color-ways. Of course I had to include Tula pink fabric on her 'siggy'.

 Click over HERE to see what's happening in Blogland this 2nd Monday in December.
To see the Easy Street Link-up go HERE

Design Wall Monday- December 3, 2012

On my cutting mat are the Pieces for Part 2 of the Easy Street Mystery.  I sewed up four to see how the Fairy Frost fabrics looked with the Black on White fabric. They have not been pressed or trimmed up to size.  I didn't have as much of the Fairy Frost as I thought in different shades, I do have lots of Purple in my Stash so it wasn't hard to find some to use.  Bonnie announced on Friday that we won't be using any more of the Grey fabric in this Mystery.  I thought I'd show a picture of it.  I can always use the rest of it for the backing, right??

Time to Link- up over at Patchworktimes HERE

And over at Bonnie Hunter's Blog HERE.

EDITED to add: 

 Here I am in Colorado sewing on the Easy Street Mystery and watching Bonnie's Quiltcam on my Droid Phone.  I did get a few more FG done.  Clue #3 comes out Friday morning...

Design Wall Monday November 26, 2012

 Now that the family has all left, I had time to sew between the batches of laundry on Saturday.  Dinner was  Leftover Turkey, stuffing, potato, veggie and gravy casserole that can only be made this time of year. YUMM, Sunday Dinner was already to eat after Church For my Design wall I have 68 of the 192 4-patches made for Bonnie Hunter's "Easy Street"  Mystery. Part 1 posted on Friday HERE.  Only 124 left to make. Gotta find some more B/W fabrics that are more white than black.  I have a 4 yd bolt of the gray (dated 2006) so I won't run out of the background this time. Waiting for Friday to see what we get to make next. Bonnie promised "No Strings" in this Mystery, doing the Happy Dance!  Bonnie has a link-up, starting this Monday  HERE.

And my 2nd Version of the Mystery by E-mail "Jack of Hearts" is ready to be sewn into rows.  This version will have the 2.5" squares pieced border all around and one more 3"-4" border to complete it. The background fabric was one I ran out of so it has two backgrounds. It doesn't' show much I think this setting shows the "hearts" more.  The main fabric is from "In the Beginning"   by Jason Yenter. The dark is a purple print.  Colors aren't true here.

Judy L is Hosting the Design Wall Monday HERE.
It's the Last Monday in November in Blogland!

Design Wall Monday November 19, 2012

On Saturday I woke up and it was raining.  It was a good day to go and sew with the ladies from my Guild who were having a Sew-in.  I didn't really sew as much as I'd planned.  I got to help one lady start learning how to Machine Quilt on her machine and I showed one how to make the Pillowcases with the "Hot Dog Method".   When I was explaining how to bring the bobbin thread up to the top to Machine Quilt, another lady came over to watch. The way I explained it, she said it was easy to understand. She said I was her hero and asked me why I wasn't teaching. I told them I used to at the Hancock Fabrics store. I really was missing it today and I'm so glad I got to help these ladies who needed me. I took several different things to work on, even my November UFO.  I barely touched that project but I did choose the cornerstones and a possible sashing fabric.  That is progress.  I didn't take any pictures there because most of them were working on Christmas gifts.

Before I left home I was looking for my tote of SBS (Sylvia's Bridal Sampler) Blocks so that I could send the picture for the BOW ( Block of the Week) to Lynda. I finally found it after I got home and got it sent in.
N-3 Clay's Choice, sewn on my Featherweight.

I was looking at my totes and found a stack of pre-cut block parts from when I swapped with the SBS.  I just grabbed the pieces and though I could stitch up a few to add to my SBS Swap Stars Quilt (last month's UFO).

 Here is the Pieced border I stitched together for the Mystery by Email and the 3 new stars.  Do you ever make Friendship stars that go different ways?    Looks like it really doesn't matter to me...

 I get to make 12" Friendship stars for the Guild Block Lotto next month.  My Blocks won't start until January. Talking with the ladies more at the Saturday Sew-in, the thought came to me that I could do a short Demo on the Lotto Block for the Newbies at Guild and again at one of the Monthly Sew-ins.  Now to start finding the Blocks to make in 2013.

Click HERE to check out more Design Wall Monday Postings.

Design Wall Monday- November 12, 2012

Today I get to show off the "Tester" Quilt that is in this Magazine.

 It shows up on News Stands Tuesday November 13th- or you can buy it HERE.

I waited until I had the last Block to test, and ended up choosing the first one.  Funny how that happened.
Choosing the fabric before the pattern isn't easy! The other blocks just didn't talk to me for this fabric by Kathy Brown designer of the Teacher's Pet fabrics, "Abigail" line for Red Rooster.  It wasn't my 1st choice. It's ironic that my maiden name is Brown and I have a DGD named 'Abigail'.  This quilt was meant to be made by me. 

 I made as many blocks as the fabric would allow and tried to think of an alternate Block to add more blocks to the quilt and use more of the fabrics.  9-12 Blocks were needed to submit it for the magazine. I tested a couple of alternate blocks- A double nine patch was my first choice- easy.

Then, I went to my Book collection and found the book "My Stars- quilt patterns from the Kansas City Star"  This block is called 'Friendship Quilt' and was published in the Kansas City Star August 17, 1938.  The book tells of this block being used with a Name written in pencil in the center, then embroidered by the ladies who made quilts with it back then. 

Here it is on- point with the Friendship Block in the center.  Still not sure but I made the Blocks to fill in for the 9 patch layout.  It was tricky using the directional Stripe and deciding how to orient them for the quilt.

I had to turn it for a straight setting and add borders.  I used the fabrics as miserly as I could.  To make it bigger I added the green border then the border (same as the background), ending with a random squares border.

I finished the top August 24th.  A little past the Deadline of Mid July, early August. :/  I took it out to be quilted and found that the Backing fabric I'd chosen didn't quite match the look of the finished top.  It would have been ok, but not want I'd be happy with had I used more of the stripe or mossy green fabric.  Lynn's Shop to the rescue- she had a bolt of the 'ABIGAIL' fabric line that matched perfectly. It was quilted with "Swirls" pattern by One song needle arts.  It measure 50"x 50" square. The editors gave it the name "Friendship Chain". It is the #3 quilt on pg 88 of Volume 6.

 I took pictures as usual as I was making it to be ready for this posting.  Keeping it a secret is the hardest part of Testing. The DH saw it in progress and offered a few opinions.  Quilt Buddy; Lynn got to see it once I had it to the Flimsy, because it was quilted on her Long Arm. THANKS- Thread and Bolts! This photo was taken at the shipping place.  Id' forgotten to get a picture of it with ME.  I'll get a better one in Colorado when I go to see it hanging in the offices at Quiltmaker.




Click HERE to see more Design Wall Monday Postings. Gotta love MONDAY!

Design Wall Monday- November 5, 2012

I have two quilts in progress to show today. First up is my Mystery by E-mail quilt.  The same one I showed on Last Monday's DWM POSTING, Remember? As far as I can presume the Option 2 is the solution to the Mystery.  

 Here is my Quilt almost a Flimsy.  Banter on the Facebook page made me stop sewing the rows together.  Heather reminded us there is one more CLUE.  And her DH keeps taunting us with Rip-It, Rip-It jokes.
Right or wrong this is how it will go.  I have stared a 2nd one to make with the other Layout Option. Just because I can...
I selected some colors for the Commission Quilt I am making for a Lady in my Church. She paid $$ to our Ward Girls's Camp Fund so I get to make her a Quilt.  These are some of her favorite colors.

 I made up half of the Center in the extra hour of sewing time I had on Saturday night.  I showed it to her at Church and got the reaction I needed to go forward and finish it.  I found the Pink-y fabric in my Stash and though for a change a colored background might be fun. Paper-Piecing still isn't my favorite, but I like this pattern and she LOVED it.  The center Measures 18" finished.

The Pattern is from Jennifer Chiaverini's "Round Robin" Quilt Book.  The 2nd book in her Elm Creek Quilter's series. I wont' be doing the whole quilt as it is pictured. Just a Lapsized this time. the 2nd round is square in a Square 4.5" blocks on point.
Entering HERE  Everyday until December to win the APQS Long Arm Giveaway. Only 1 month and 2 weeks left!


Click over HERE for more Design Wall Monday Postings in Blogland.  It's Judy L's day on the QM Blog Hop too.

HERE is the Link to go to the Quilty pleasures Blog.

Design Wall Monday- October 29, 2012

Design Wall Monday and my E-Mail Mystery for Charity is on the wall again. This is Part 4 sewn and in two possible layouts.  Both are different from last week.  Heather asked us to post our thoughts on a layout for fun on Facebook.  There are prizes involved if we are right and the 1st or 2nd to post the correct layout.

Even if these layouts aren't correct they are pretty cool and I could easily make this quilt again.

Which one do you prefer?  Leave your choices in the comments, PLEASE.

If you want to see my entry in the Blogger's Quilt Festival Click HERE

I have a to share what came in the mail Saturday while I was gone to Boise.  When DH texted me that I had 2 Priority envelopes waiting I asked if they were from Quiltmaker. When he said yes, I got excited and DD #1 said I acted more excited about opening those envelopes than going to Boise.  Well, It's not every day I have my name in a Magazine and a Tester Quilt Too!   The Blog tour when I get to reveal my Tester Blocks is coming up November 5th-9th.  It goes through the 9th and I will be offering at least 2 of my Magazines to my lucky Followers.  This is my last time to TEST for Quiltmaker and I felt privileged to make a TESTER Quilt and have it published in the Magazine. More info will be coming when I begin to post the Tester Blocks I made. The Magazine isn't available on News stands yet.  The Info I've found in it excites me!  My Tester Quilt will be hanging in the Offices in Golden December 3, 2012- February 28th, 2013.  How cool it that?  My DD #2 lives about an hour away from Golden.  My head is spinning with thoughts of the opportunity to go and see it hanging in the Quilt maker offices and getting a picture of myself with it. Oh,and a visit with two of my grandsons and their Mom and Dad isn't a bad deal either. The best part is that they provided all of the fabrics & I get to keep it!  I was a Win-Win for me. 

Check back here on my Blog November 5th for more details on the Giveaway.

Click HERE to see more Design Walls.

Design Wall Monday- October 15, 2012

Mystery Quilt for Charity-by Email

My friend, Heather Spence that I met at Trends back in September asked me if I wanted to do a Mystery Quilt.  I signed up and have 2 clues already to sew, when I get fabric chosen  I saw Kathy from Canada posting about it Friday morning on her BLOG. It reminded me that I needed to check out the first clues. It just started last Friday.  Since I have basically finished my Farmer's Wife it's ok to start something new, right?  It looks fun so far - I've seen some of the finished clues on Facebook and on Kathy's BLOG..
The pattern is called "Jack of Hearts". Named after the little Boy who will benefit from the proceeds of the Mystery Quilt. You can read more about it HERE.

 I think I have some Blue rose fabrics calling to me.  My MIL needs a new Sofa Cuddle quilt.

What do you think?  All from my stash!

Clue #1 and #2 DONE.  Next Clue is not until this Friday, the 19th.  I might need to get a Darker Dark...

Go over to Judy L's Patchworktimes for more DWM postings HERE

Design Wall Monday- October 8, 2012

I hope that I don't have this same Quilt on my Wall next week.  I have those two final Paper-pieced blocks to make, but I wanted to make my Setting Triangles decision.  In the book it looks like they are the same fabric as the cornerstones so this is what they would look like. This is the upper right corner. On the left are the next two rows to add to it.  This wall isn't big enough to spread it all out. Guild is tomorrow and I'm still hoping to have it to the Flimsy stage in time to show it there. The brown is a bit dark to me.  

 Judy L chose the UFO for October- # 6. Unlike last month, I thought I could at least get it out of the tote.
I counted the Friendship stars =7, and Christmas Stars= 20. I'll have to use the name squares somehow too.  I hope to play with them in EQ7 this month and use the Tutorial that Marlene (kissed quilts) shared last week to import the pictures of them. Wish me luck.

 Click HERE to see more Design Walls in Blogland.

Design Wall Monday October 1, 2012

I think I need to go back to school to learn how to count.  I blogged HERE and gave the 30's SBS Block count as 92 including duplicates.  On Saturday I put them on the floor upstairs and counted and re-counted and only come up with 78- counting the duplicates.  I'm not as close to getting my 2nd SBS finished as I thought. I hope to have it done before the Loyal Union Quilt Pattern Book comes out next year around October time. 

 Here they are in the assigned Positions from the Sylvia's Bridal Sampler book- NO "G" row. The top row is at the bottom of this picture. 34 more blocks needed to fill this in.
 I squished the rows together  a bit to see how many more I'd need to fill in. I added in the duplicate blocks on the top row. I would need to make at least 12 more with this arrangement.

 More squishing and eliminating of empty rows and there are only 4 more to make.  LOL!

These are two more SBS Blocks I made while I was making the Paper-pieced Blocks for my FW. The one on the left is N-1 Courthouse Steps and the one on the right is G-4 Chimneys and Cornerstones, (my only G row Block). Guess I will make a few more from this row since I see a few that are strip cut and easier.

I found this cute Bear fabric at the Going out of Business sale at Village Quiltworks this week.   The Bear Paw Block G-3 is the SBS BOW and I decided to try and do it with the Marti Michell templates.
The size isn't quite the same as the other SBS but it is ok with me.  I didn't want to Paper-piece it on a late Saturday night. It has been fun to find 'critter' fabric to match some of the block names I've made for both my Farmer's Wife and Sylvia's Bridal Sampler. That makes 2 Blocks from the 'G' row. SBS count = 79. 21 more blocks to make 100 with my Moses Lake math.

Here is one of the SOW-ALONG blocks that Randy of Barrister's Block blog is sharing HERE. She calls it Carrie Nation.  I liked it so I thought it would be a good one to add to my SBS since I need more than I want to make without doing the hard Applique and Paper-pieced ones.

Meanwhile I have completed a couple of the dreaded paper-pieced blocks for the Farmer's wife and only have 2 more of them left to make. The Left one (#66 Periwinkle) is one I had to re-make after I looked closer at the Book for fabric placement. My opps block will go into my SBS. The right one is #18 Century of Progress. Farmer's wife total = 109

Click HERE and see more DWM Postings.

Design Wall Monday- September 24, 2012

It's almost Celebration time!  I have sewn my LAST Pieced Farmer's Wife Block.  That mean's all of my September and October Blocks are DONE!

 It wasn't easy but I had a lot of alone time this week-end. I had finished sewing with one more blocks to make at the stroke of Midnight Saturday night.  I had the strips sewn for #83 but needed to cut them with my Kaleido-Ruler and finish that block this morning.

This is how the ruler looks, placed on the strip set.  The ruler even has the Corner Triangles marked on the opposite corner.  No extra template/ruler needed.  THANKS MARTI! It is well-marked and easy to use.

I sewed a couple more Paper-pieced blocks this week, too.  Lynn would be proud. My #94 Tall Pine Tree Block gave me a bit of extra trouble. See the photo to the left. A bit of un-sewing, removing the center strip (trunk) and stitching it onto the correct side and Voila' It's Done!

 Only 4 more of the dreaded PP blocks and I'll be completely finished with my Farmer's Wife Blocks.  It's the last week of September and I could have it to Flimsy before the end making my journey a full 9 months of sewing the Farmer's Wife Quilt.

Click over HERE and look for more Design Wall Monday Postings of my Bloggy friends.