Favorites from Let's Book It!

  Saying good bye to major motivating force in my last couple of years of quilting is not easy.  Let's Book It has been fun and liberating to participate in each month.....many thanks to the  scrappiest quilter who devised and lead us each month,  Sharon at Vroomans Quilts.

  So here are my favorites from the monthly event.  It was so difficult to settle on these few projects!

• The Charming mini and the larger Charming Bricks version just propelled me to look for a project to work on each month.  
• A bargello I called Catching the Light  came together when I found the border fabric.
• A table runner, scrappy and lots of plumes used in the border.  This is a  small version of the  full size quilt below.
• A welcome banner of a scrappy Pineapple....fun to make, and I love the topknot Dresden plate pieced for the leaves.  
• Where My Feet May Fall took several months to make, but the border of blended floral fabrics turned out exactly as I wanted.
• Plume Crazy was gifted to a friend in much need of comfort.  My favorite quilt of 2015.
• Trippin' Thru the Flowers......I use this as my blog banner.  The pattern is Many Scrappy Trips from Bonnie Hunter.

    The Finale is the Pineapple Blossom top.  I began this in September as my Let's Book It project....here is the post.  I began with a test block, then a set of four, and finally a top with borders.  Thanks to Let's Book It I was motivated to get this together by month's end.   The quilting will wait until the new year until the arm strength returns after the carpel tunnel surgery.  

    Things go on, time marching forward to new motivations.  There are several sew alongs, and monthly challenges around......one of them will probably fit me and become a new motivator.
    I just wanted to give special tribute to this idea that kept me moving  and stitching.  It has been great.  Thanks, Sharon!✂
Happy stitching.

A banner for Let's Book It

    I thought I would step out of my usual box to make a small project for Let's Book It---hosted by Sharon at Vrooman's Quilts.  The Pineapple Blossom quilt is on-going--a couple of months now---and I just needed a finish :)

   Actually, it's a dual duty project...... I combined my leaf blocks and pumpkins from the Autumn Jubilee from Carole at From my Carolina Home.

  I had some extra squares, and HSTs and rather than toss them into the scrap bin, I strung them together for a border of sorts.   Neither side matches, and the colors are light mixed with bold......very unplanned. Another "waste not" project. I lightly stipple quilted between the blocks and on the border.  No binding either, I did a stitch and turn  edge finish.

Scrappy goodness!  This could be a runner for the side table, or banner over the fireplace.  Size is 12'' by 37''.  My token project for fall.  Thanks to Sharon and Carole for motivating and spurring me on:)

Happy stitching.

Blocks to make

   I spotted a sew along for Fall at From my Carolina Home blog.  Each Friday Carole will post a project....do one or all.  She gives a good tutorial on making the leaf block, too.      Here are my first two, done very scrappy with what I found  already cut in the scrap boxes.   I need to dig some more and cut more background pieces.  Good practice for me.





    I added two more blocks to the Let's Book  It project.   On the wall they look good....but here they look too light (bottom right).    
  Studying this block, I can see that color/value placement really affects things down the road in assembly.  I like the light value strips mixed in, but now see that  I can do better in placing them toward the center of block.  I will try again.


Note:  Take photos of your project.  Then view them on the computer screen.  It is easy to spot potential problems that way.

I am willing to show the "good, bad, and the ugly" as a learning tool......but know it is not required.


Cynthia is hosting a linky party for scrap projects at Quilting is more fun than Housework .  Check it out for inspiration.

 Happy stitching.   

September odds and ends

  I have missed participating in Let's Book It----hosted by Sharon at Vroomans Quilts blog.    Each month brought a new opportunity to pull out a book, or magazine, or printout, and pick a new project.   Some times my project carried over several months, and others were quick and small.  So this month I determined to get a small part of my quilting life back......yep, I started a project!!!

   Last week I showed this test block I tried for the Pineapple Blossom from Bonnie Hunter.  Then I began digging thru the closet to find some neutrals to chop up for the corners.  Then I pulled out the floral strips, and began to cut.

Yay!  Four blocks done and on the design wall.  They are not joined yet....but at least I have a start.  That makes me smile.

  I'm not sure how many I will do.....maybe just a small throw size.  And it will take me a few months, and that's just fine for now.  Thank you, Sharon for enabling me to claim a bit of my quilting life.








   Circles......I made a few more from the fabric from Cheree.
The fat quarters were from the State Birds collection, so of course they needed to be circles.  I have completely lost count as to my total, so I am just making a few when I want.   I think the count is close to 200, and that is OK.


   I gave away a quilt last week.  A friend's daughter is facing a long battle against a genetic form of breast cancer that is awful.  She is only 26......but smart enough to purloin her Mom's quilt.  I immediately lifted a quilt off the quilt rack and said take it to her.  Quilts need to cover those in need of comfort.
  And that will wrap up my month.   I will link to Let's Book It.
 Saturday and Sunday are the quilt show, we do our display set up Friday.
Be sure to vote for your favorite quilts at the Blogger's Quilt Festival at amyscreativeside.   
   Happy stitching.

September odds and ends

  I have missed participating in Let's Book It----hosted by Sharon at Vroomans Quilts blog.    Each month brought a new opportunity to pull out a book, or magazine, or printout, and pick a new project.   Some times my project carried over several months, and others were quick and small.  So this month I determined to get a small part of my quilting life back......yep, I started a project!!!

   Last week I showed this test block I tried for the Pineapple Blossom from Bonnie Hunter.  Then I began digging thru the closet to find some neutrals to chop up for the corners.  Then I pulled out the floral strips, and began to cut.

Yay!  Four blocks done and on the design wall.  They are not joined yet....but at least I have a start.  That makes me smile.

  I'm not sure how many I will do.....maybe just a small throw size.  And it will take me a few months, and that's just fine for now.  Thank you, Sharon for enabling me to claim a bit of my quilting life.








   Circles......I made a few more from the fabric from Cheree.
The fat quarters were from the State Birds collection, so of course they needed to be circles.  I have completely lost count as to my total, so I am just making a few when I want.   I think the count is close to 200, and that is OK.


   I gave away a quilt last week.  A friend's daughter is facing a long battle against a genetic form of breast cancer that is awful.  She is only 26......but smart enough to purloin her Mom's quilt.  I immediately lifted a quilt off the quilt rack and said take it to her.  Quilts need to cover those in need of comfort.
  And that will wrap up my month.   I will link to Let's Book It.
 Saturday and Sunday are the quilt show, we do our display set up Friday.
Be sure to vote for your favorite quilts at the Blogger's Quilt Festival at amyscreativeside.   
   Happy stitching.

Let's Book it....March

  This Let's Book It project began in December 2014.......it took me forever to find the original post.    After I got about this far, I stopped.  It hung on the design wall taking up space.  I hated it.  Eventually, I moved on to other projects that suited me.  These blocks were tossed into the scrap bin.










  A couple of months ago, I ran across them again.  In my desire to clean up and clear out, I hacked them down---getting rid of that awful border.  I decided to sew them together in one long row and maybe do a runner.  I got the long runner/banner strung together in February, but ended up doing a much smaller project for Let's Book It.   Once again, I  moved it and just hung this section on the closet door.

   When I was going through my boards on Pinterest for items for a Friday finds post last month, I found inspiration on how to finish this off.  I really wanted to do a small lap quilt rather than a runner.   I like having a couple of small lap quilts on hand to gift when I see a need, and this would fit the bill.

  I had some yardage in the stash closet that i simply added to each side to create an offset layout.  Fast and easy to do.  Plenty of quilting space created....I needed some practice.

   March arrived and I was way ahead of the game on this.  I showed the "new" to me quilting design called  Fern Twist.  That's it just to the right of the string section.  Then I added rows of swirls, threw in some feathered swirls, did some wavy lines through the strings....and so on.

   On the narrow side, I added a long band of feathers and added some stacked teardrops and meandering.  Whoever gets this one will have a time figuring out the different motifs and wondering "what was she thinking".

Bindings added were whatever was in the binding box.

  Strings II Redo completed.
Size is 40'' by  50''.

And another Let's Book It ---details at Vroomans Quilts----begun, tossed and redesigned to completion.

  Insight:  Don't waste those extra blocks, even if you hate them.  A simple setting can turn them into a useful quilt.

  I feel good with this redo......using blocks, using extra binding.....all for a cute quilt.  Consider joining us for a Let's Book It project to use up some stash/scraps.
Enjoy and happy stitching.

Early Spring for February Let's Book It

 This is an older publication and I've never made a project from it.  I love the crazy patched backgrounds and cute appliques.   I took inspiration from a project, but did not follow the directions.....lol, story of my life.







  I used large chunks and hunks of  small prints/ muted prints to create my background.   I liked the offset balance in this layout, so that is how I stitched it up.

  I modified the basket shape and made it slightly taller.  I was fusing the basket to the background.....and cut out the center portion of the fusible for the basket.  This is the Pat Sloan method for fusing.....it keeps those large areas from being stiff.  And you get the benefit of the edges being fused---read as no fraying.

  The basket, stems, and flowers are fused and stitched down with a small zig zag stitch.  I thought the overall design needed a little kick, so I added a bit of fabric as ribbon ends.  The edges were stitched with a decorative stitch to give a ruffled edge appearance.

I also used a decorative stitch on the flower petals.

      Quilted with swirls and stippling for texture, and finished with a soft blue binding.  I pinned it to the design wall and was not satisfied.   Either I needed additional buds or blooms on the left, or  something.  It hung there for a week or so and it dawned on me I had something to finish it off with.

Just what the basket of blooms needed.....a couple of butterflies.  These are ready made appliques that I have had in the stash.  A little black thread to add them to the finished piece for some balance.

  Early Spring---a cute finish for Let's Book It.  I am so glad I don't have to follow the rules to play along with this monthly project.

  Let's Book It project is hosted and presented by Sharon at Vroomans Quilts.  See the details and linky party there every month.  For that matter, just join us.

  Next month I am reviving a "rejected" book project and turning it into my project of the month.  So I have a head start.....
Enjoy....happy stitching.

Birds in the Air

  I had to search back to see when I began this.....it was in July  of last year.  I started making the triangles and got side tracked.  I returned to making triangles and got side tracked again.  I began joining the units and got off onto another project.  This photo is from November.....it finally made it to the flimsy stage.     

  I was unsure how it should be quilted, so it hung on a hanger for a couple of months.   I debated on straight lines to accentuate the diagonal lines.  I thought about some easy meandering since the fabric are mixed and strong in places.       Then I thought it needed a border.....or not.    I finally asked myself a couple of questions.....was I keeping or giving it away?  ......did I want a soft or hard effect?   I decided to keep it for a small lap quilt.  I always want a small throw on my lap when I sit and read or watch TV.   And a soft effect was an easy choice.   Quilting motif is a pattern called swirly tails  from Wendy Shepard's blog.   It softly blends without being too dense.

      A pale purple binding finished it off.    I tried a scrappy mixed of colors/ all dark colors  but found it distracting on this one.   Since the color palette is blue, green, and purple  I thought a softer tone worked the best.

  And this Let's book It project is done!   

    I found a small project to play with for this month's Book It project.  It's a nice mind distracting / doesn't have to be perfect project.  When I have things tumbling around in my brain---life in general---I find that a simple project is best.  So I will be playing with it for a day or two.   Enjoy it all....happy stitching.  

January Let's Book It

  A welcome sign is symbolized in a pineapple.....or so the story goes.  I shared this pattern on Friday finds a couple of months ago.  I thought it would be great to have as a wall hanging in the guest room.

  Simple squares of gold and tan for the pineapple, topped with a crown of green Dresden plate segments.  Then it was border time......

At first, I was a bit concerned about the bold pattern of the fabric I selected.  It had the perfect tones of the green and gold along with that rich purple.

   To soften the effect, I added a simple extra border to the top and bottom only.  Just a few scrap logs extended the overall length.  Now it was looking better.

 I quilted in a lot of texture around the pineapple that now adorns the storage cabinet where I keep the extra quilts.  I used a light binding to contrast with the border fabric---again to soften it---and to be a nice contrast against the dark cabinet.  

  Oh....lest we forget.  The ugly fabric is on the back....the color matches.  No peeking to admire that!!  Just enjoy the welcome to our home and enjoy your stay.













Linking to Let's Book It at Vrooman's Quilts.     

  If you haven't joined or don't know about Let's Book It...the details are at Sharon's blog on the Book It page.  Simply select a project from your collection of saved patterns and create it.....large or small, start it, change it,  or better yet..... complete it.  Then share at the end of each month.  It's Sharon's way to enable/encourage us to enjoy our projects.  At the end of the year, you will be surprised at what you accomplished!   And those small projects make great gifts  :)

Final note......followers have been dropping this week....Google is cleaning house.  If you are a regular blogger, great.  If you drop in occasionally, that is great too.  You might consider following your favorite blogs by email if you do not wish to join google.   Check the sidebar and sign up.  My understanding is that you can join google and get a "dashboard" to read your favorite blogs with out writing one.  That way you can also comment.  technology....such a headache!  I'd rather be stitching.

2015 quilts

  It was the year of floral themed quilts....big and small projects.   Even though I felt like I slowed down, it appears to have been a busy, and successful year of projects.

   I experimented with traditional designs using floral fabrics----in hopes of reducing my stash.  But we all know that the more you use, the more scraps you make.  So that meant some smaller projects, too.  

    Watercolor wall hangings , butterfly wings quilt made of string pieces, a table runner, sewing machine cover,  a few table top quilt projects, and don't forget the mug rugs!   It is these small projects that bring instant gratification to keep me going when I get bogged down with a large project.    

   There were also a couple of scrap quilts from the scrap bin thrown in and 2 of these were donation quilts.  

   Looking back I see that the Let's Book It  challenge at Vrooman's Quilts----thank you, Sharon-----was the biggest motivating factor for this year.  Each month we were encouraged to start a project from our accumulated wish list of projects.....from books, magazines, or on line source.   Each one of the large quilts were inspired by this challenge.  I am so glad I joined in, even if it took a few months to complete them.  It was worth the effort!  So I am glad to say it will continue again next year.   I hope you will consider joining in and making a few things from your someday wish list.  

  My favorite quilt from 2015?    I can easily name it.....Plume Crazy.  (Here's the link to its story. )

  I began it as a scrap project for the Let's Book It in the summer.   I was taking my time and having fun with it.  Then I got the idea for adding plume shapes to the border.   A few days into the border,  I heard from a friend that she had uterine cancer.....and she was scared to death.  Immediately,  I knew this quilt would be her comfort quilt.  

  I cut plumes, sewed,  and prayed.  Plume Crazy went to the hospital with her, and covered her well through recovery at home.  I received hugs, and thanks, and a card.   And on Christmas Eve, another card came expressing how much the quilt meant to her.  She said she made a donation in honor of it to the Woman's Cancer Fund.  It was absolutely the best gift to know that a quilt given would inspire another gift to help others.   There's nothing better than that.

     And the year would not be complete without a mention of Sir Old Man's projects......it was a big year in the workshop.  Revived park benches, a small wood walk for the back garden, restored 18th century cabinet for quilt storage, wood clappers, a small chest, and that big, beautiful, wonderful cherry bed!  It was a most successful year.   He gave me a hint for the next project......a small cabinet to go by the sewing machine!  Giggles, and grin from me......he is adapting a design found in a magazine.  Sounds like  Let's Book It project  has even touched the woodworking shop.   See how our influence spreads?

    I need to spend a little time on next year's plans.  Till next time....happy stitching.  

November Let's Book It!

   This is the last report for Let's Book It for this year.   My project has been hanging around for a few months.  OK, more than a few months.  It has been on going since July.   But that's just fine for a Book It project......no finishes are required.

 
  But I did get it to the flimsy stage.  And all the birds are flying in one direction!   I love the softer tones in this one.  It will need a border or two as it is smallish, only 32'' by 44''.  I will think on that through the holidays and see what comes up.  For now it will go on a hanger to free up some design wall space.  









Because those crazy orange peels need some room to grow.   I think I started this one in September and I just keep adding a few every week or so.  Eventually I will call it done, but for now a few more won't hurt.

  I caved in and picked up a few paisleys for my collection.  See I do use things other than florals.   I only got a yard of these three.....

  But I hit the Jackpot on these two!  End of the bolt jackpot means there was less than a yard after my cut.....so I got it all! One was about 3/4 of a yard extra, and the other was about 1/2 yard.  So I was a happy camper.  Fabrics are from Fabric.com

  I plan on using one of these in a Blooming Nine patch after the first of the year.....providing I don't get sidetracked!   So I got 3 yards of both....just to be on the safe side and the jackpot extra is icing on the cake!  And that gives me 5 new fabrics to make orange peels.

   Back to Let's Book It....... Sharon at Vrooman's Quilts  says we need a month off for the busy Christmas season.  So this is the final link for this year.  Drop by and see the cute basket wall hanging she started for the month.  And I hope you will make plans to join in next year and make up a few items in your files of patterns.  
  first it is time to wash up some fabric.....then happy stitching.

Let's Book It.....still working on it

   End of the month means an update on the current Let's Book It project.  Mine is a Birds in the Air project done in blues, greens, and purple scraps.  I added a few more small block units to what was on the design wall.

  These are small units....only 4'' when finished.  I have more of the larger HST units, and need about 10 more smaller ones  to get a small throw size.  So this one will continue for another month.  I haven't played with the layout much to get a balance.....that will come eventually.




The Let's Book It project  at Vrooman's Quilts has been a big motivation  for the last two years.  I was encouraged to dig out some books and printed patterns.  All I had to do was start them......and of course once started I could carry on to the finish.  It was great to get a few designs scratched off the "I want to do this one" list.  

   Some projects followed the pattern exactly, and others were adapted to smaller finishes or changed up a bit.   I pulled together a few of my favorite ones from the last 2 years in this collage.  
  Plume Crazy got the border added to a simple brick scrap quilt.
  Charming Bricks became a table topper as well as a wall hanging.
  Tripping thru the Flowers was my version of the scrappy trips pattern ala Bonnie Hunter.
   Where My Feet May Fall is the English Garden pattern from an old publication.  It's a twisted log cabin block with blended floral border.
   A Nickel Saved is a slashed charm square pattern.
   Catching the Light is a bargello  wall hanging done in floral fabrics.

I might not have ever started a couple of these without the nudge from the Let's Book It challenge......so a huge, big thank you to Sharon at Vrooman's Quilts for giving me a reason to start.
Happy stitching.

The other project

 Birds in the Air units of triangles are beginning to stack up.   They are triangle units for that other project I am working on...since June/July.  Here's the post where I began.  I haven't been working on them steadily.....just when I want to switch up  my stitching.
Sew some triangles, square up, press, and then assemble smaller units.

  This morning I noticed a few had taken wing and flown up to the design wall.   Lol......very random nesting layout.  Looks like I need to sew up some more smaller units.  So I won't make any judgement calls just yet.

  I am using purples, and greens, and blues....just to see how it goes. I needed to free up some space in the small piece bins.  Anything in that color range that was large enough got chopped into 5'' and 3'' squares for the units.
 
Otherwise, I was very lazy today.....I am blaming the weather change on that.  Not to mention the major event that occurs next weekend.  You know the one that happens twice a year and throws my mind for a loop.....spring forward, or fall back.   Maybe I will don a bear costume and sleep 6 months.  Or else I will hibernate in the sewing room.  Come to think of it, that sounds like a great idea.  
  Happy stitching.