May NewFOs

 
 I'm playing again this month.......I am glad I decided to keep it simple this month since we were gone for part of it.  I managed to hit most of my goals.

    My official New FO for May is the Buzz Saw quilt.  All the units are sewn, and about a third of them are joined into blocks.  No new photo as my camera died today!  But you get the idea.

















Unofficial New FOs.......are the string snack mats.
All the narrow strings and slivers from the Buzz Saw blocks were used to make 4 snack mats---9"  by 12".   Oops....they are completed FOs!   But I think that counts.

  Second unofficial NewFO.....I started a class at Craftsy --- Art Quilt Backgrounds: Beyond Log Cabins.  I managed to squeeze in 3 lessons and have several more to view.  The first 3 covered fabric selections, and wonky piecing of the log cabins.  I'm looking forward to the rest of the topics, especially the screen printing technique and surface designs.


June plans:  Once again,  I am keeping it very simple for this next month.

• Get the Buzz Saw blocks joined.
• Quilt, quilt, quilt.....at least one of the tops in the pile.
• Pin baste the water color string quilt.
• Work on string blocks for Faceted Jewels II.
• Finish up the art quilt class on Craftsy.

Linking to Cat Patches for this month's Linky Party.   Be sure to check out all the links and see what is going on.  

Happy stitching.  

Festival of Strings

I almost missed this!   The Festival of Strings is going on at Stitched in Color.  And there are some great ideas, and lots of string quilts.  Be sure to hop over and check them out.

I have a few small finished strings.....string snack mats that I have shared recently.   I know these don't count , but keep reading.  I do have a quilt top. 

Strings and slivers of batiks are fused to batting.  I then stitched row of upon row of parallel lines for the quilting.  Real big bold prints were used on the backs.  

  I also have a finished and ready to quilt string top.  It is next on my list to get quilted.  I caught the string fever a couple of months ago and began working on these rectangular coin blocks.  I love watercolor quilts, so why not a watercolor string quilt?   Last month I figured out how I wanted them blended, and set to work on making enough sets for this top.  It's a simple throw size of 65" by 50".

   I managed to make a small dent in my stash of 2" strips and some extra strings of floral fabrics with these blocks.  Unfortunately...... well not really that unfortunately....... I  added a few yards of floral fabrics  while in Michigan this last week! Oops!  More about that later.   It just means I need to make more quilts.  

  I do hope you enjoy the Festival of Strings. 

Remember to vote for your favorites in the Blogger's Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side.     

Happy stitching.

More snack mats

    These snack mats are like potato chips......addictive!    I put together a few more before we left.  This pair has the strings running  in the the other direction along the length of the mat.  Some of the pieces were too short  :(     That's OK....I just over-lapped them and secured the end with a bit of glue stick.  That held them in place until I could stitch it all down.    If you look close at this photo you can see a couple of overlaps.....the yellow strip at the top and the second strip from the bottom.    I was careful in stitching the parallel lines to catch the ends and secure them.  

Some more wild fabric on the back.

Ready for lunch?   Have fun.  

Happy stitching.

Yard sale find

Quick stop on the way to the Farmer's Market yielded this find.  Deana claimed it    

Added info....this is a top only, so it must be finished.  All hand pieced beautifully done.  Colors look like 30s to 40s to me......with feed sack prints.  Cost:  $12.  Is that a find?  :)  

Quilting tutorials for reference

  From an email from Martingale Publishers......52 quilting related tutorials have been gathered into a great reference spot.  You name it and they have it covered, or just about!   Lots of great articles, patterns, and hints on choosing  fabrics and color.  There is bound to be something you need to read.    Click here for their blog archive.   Happy stitching.

A few doll quilts to share with you today.  You know I love getting to open those packages and enjoy the special work that comes from Mrs. Claus.



From Connecticut came 4 of the sweetest doll quilts.
       Quiltlady is a member of the HGTV Message Board online.   She used a darling pale lavender backing on all of these quilts.  The variety of prints is just wonderful, each one quite special.   Thank you, Jeanne, Quiltlady from CT for being a Mrs. Claus.

  How about these cute fairies?   They are sprinkling fairy dust and sweet dreams along their way.
This doll quilt comes from Shelia at Cooksewandtravel.  

 

   Shelia referred to this as the blue doll quilt because of the binding I think.  She used a colorful mix of prints of many colors, yet the binding makes all the blue tones pop.  Just a little lesson in color  ;)  ...... and what borders and binding can do for our quilts.   that you, Shelia, for continuing to be a support and Mrs. Claus from NC.










I just love all of these.  Thank you, Mrs. Claus!

Don't forget to view and vote for you favorite at the Blogger's Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side.

Hopefully we are on the road and missing the bad storms.  
Happy stitching.

Dual projects in wood and fiber

    

Note the resemblance between the photos.  Only now I realize my "saw blades" are going in reverse......:(   Too late now!

 
   This is referred to as a carcass in wood shop worker terms.   This project is lying on its side, with the base in the foreground.  Seven panels cut and assembled so far.   This other side looks the same so far......

   Four of the six blocks assembled so far.  I have a dozen of the main blocks to do.  The remaining sections border the full blocks.
     So you know what my project is, what do you think Sir Old Man is up to?


Don't forget the Blogger's Quilt Festival going on at Amy's Creative Side.  Nominations for your favorite quilt are being taken right now.  Enjoy the quilts and projects, and then vote for your favorite overall.  
Happy stitching.