2015 AROUND THE WORLD SWAP BLOCKS

Most of my blocks from our 2015 ATW swap have arrived.  There's just one more to come, and I haven't made my own yet.  So there'll be 14 total.

This is a swap where we each send a fat eighth of the same fabric to each participant.  Then they use it in a block that represents them somehow, and send it back.

I sent out the solid yellow and asked for yellow/white/black/gray only.  Love my blocks.  Now to decide what to do with them.   Hmm.......................

SECRET WORK

Much of what I've been working on lately has been secret.  For example, I'm in a row swap where only the owner (original) row can be shown until all the rows get back to her.

I can't show you what I did for my row on this, but here's Marianne's starter row.

These fabrics are flora from Australia.  She included many of them in her packet, so that we could all use some in our rows for her.

Well, can't show what I did, but it has been sent onward.

There are 6 of us in this swap.  The original rows all travel in a circle.  We each make a row to go with each and send it on.  We have 6 weeks to do it, but they are traveling rather fast this year.

One of our gals is in England, so the post does take a while getting across the pond.

I've never met any of the gals in this swap, but through the years in our on-line group, I do feel like I know them very well.

Hope everyone finds some time to stitch today.

HEXIE TIME

I've been working on hexies for GFG blocks this week.  This is for a swap where we each send a fat eighth to each participant.  They use your fabric (and others they might add) to make a block representing themselves.   In return you receive many different 6" blocks all with your common fabric.

I'm using GFG to represent me.  I have 6 grands for the 6 petals.  I'm nana in the middle.

FEBRUARY UFO CHALLENGE

This is my February challenge.  I plan to quilt and bind my heart quilt this month.  What better month to work on it?  And since I plan to use big-stitch hand work with perle cotton, it will be perfect to stitch while watching the Olympics.

These hearts are from a swap on the DJ Alternate yahoo group back in 2009.  I finished the top that year, but it has languished along with my other 15+ tops that need quilting.  My bad!!!  The setting is using the Disappearing 9-Patch.  I posted about it on this blog way back then. 

Rosa recently quilted her's (well her DH did on his long-arm), and it reminded me of mine.  I worked on my blocks for this swap at the Dear Jane Retreat in Shipshewana, IN, in the fall of 2008.  Whew, that was a while back.  Brings back memories of the many on-line friends I met there, including Ruthie Quilts.  She was working on her's there too, it's the one with that lovely lace in the center'ish.

Happy stitching to my quilty friends. 

STARS ARE HERE!

The star swap is complete and my pretties are here.  I requested Christmas red/green/gold.  I had thought about making two table runners with these, but now I'm thinking maybe make a Christmas throw.  I love the secondary pattern that would be lost on a runner.

These are paper pieced 12" blocks, with 72 pieces per block.  Thanks to Bea who ran the swap and to all the participants.

STARS COMPLETE! WHEW!

Here they are, all 10!  Each participant selected their color scheme and the location of the Kona white was fixed by the hostess.  But after that, it was up to the maker.  There are two blocks for each.  So with making two of your own, you'll have 12 blocks in your colorway to work with.  I requested Christmas red/green/gold.  I'll show you what I received when they come.

I improved my point matching in the process, but I sure hope I'm not sending to any quilt police!  I have a ways to go with that learning curve on blocks with 72 pieces each.  Paper piecing helps the accuracy, but geesh!  72 pieces in one block?  They are 12".

The swap was coordinated by Bea Quilter.  She modified the Persian Star pattern from Women of the Bible Quilt, enlarging it and leaving off an applique center.  I will check with Bea and Carol H. about sharing the pattern, as several have asked.

I made these entirely from stash -- FQs and smaller.  Why is it when you pull stash scraps, the volume gets larger, not smaller.  Oh and my creative mind is so messy!  This is what my studio looks like at the end of this project.

 

 

 

I can hear friend Carol saying, yes, that's how it always looks.  And friend Jodi saying tsk, tsk.  I need to pull fabric for one more scrappy project - Nan's round robin border - and also for an art quilt class.  Then the studio is getting a thorough cleaning/tidying.  Geesh!  What a wreck!

 

Art quilt class?????  What was I thinking?  That is so out of my norm.  But it's the only international teacher my guild has coming this year, so I'm doing it.  S-t-r-e-t-c-h!  At least I won't have to worry about matching up points!  And Jodi is in it with me, and it's even more a reach for her.

GEESE HAVE LANDED

The flying geese from my last post have landed and are encircling Debbie's round robin.  It is now on its way home to Arizona.  She's planning to quilt some lovely feathers in the open space.  I can't wait to see it completed.

This block is a Buddhist Pinwheel.  The random look of the placement is actually very controlled.  The light, medium, medium-dark, and dark colors are in a certain placement.  The monks meditate while stitching this block.  The strange color placement took all my concentration!  No meditating here.  In order to stitch this block, I cut the triangles and then made the hourglass sections.  There was no way to quick-piece and have the color placement correct.  The hour-glass blocks finish 3" and then the border brings the block up to 12".

This block is going into a small block lotto, and was requested by Tricia, the winner for this month. 

ROWS ARRIVE

My rows are back home.  This will be the start of a sports-themed quilt for my grandson, Devon, and I made the top row.

The pennants, snowballs, friendship stars, and football field, were made by other participants.  Now, how to put it together?  Hmmm...................

WORKING ON..............

Lately I've been finishing up swap commitments.  Cutting it close with the deadlines makes me uncomfortable, so I'm ahead of the game this time.

Here's the next, and final round, for the medallion swap I'm in.

 

This is Debbie's beautiful quilt.  I love her colors!  The first gals have sure done a super job.  Hope I can do it justice.  I think I know what I'm adding, but ideas and thoughts are welcome too.  It's at 62" right now.  Hmmm.............

 

 

 

 

Here's a row I just made for our row swap.  Terry has a sewing room theme.  I enjoyed doing the hand embroidery.  The thread on the spools is made from strip set extras from another project.  I thought it was a great use of them.  This was the last round for me to work on, and my rows are in the mail to me right now also.

 

SPOOLS

 

These are some of the spools I've been working on for a quilt for my sewing studio in FL.  They are from Edyta Sitar's Friendship Strips and Scraps book.  Next I need to cut the borders out and start planning the applique.

 

Tom and I took a hike on the Lake Superior shore today, and stopped by a county park to get pictures of these quirky outhouses.  They've been sand-blown-in since we've been coming here:)  I think I should get the pictures blown up and framed for our bathroom.  Hmmm..........................

 

 

 

 

HOOTY TOOT

Hooooo doesn't love owls?

Sindy, of The Scratching Post yahoo group, and FatCat Patterns, has okayed a swap using her own pattern.  You must be a member of the group to participate.  We are swapping all 10 pieces needed to make one owl here.  They need to have fusible attached to the back, but then the pieces are placed in a baggie - not fused together.  That's why my owls might look a bit wonky -- the pieces are just laying there together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have 8 blocks total ready to send, in 3 different versions.  We have until the end of Sept. to send your block pieces, but I hate to procrastinate on swaps, and I think these will make cute Christmas gifts or guild boutique items, like placemats, totes, etc.

 

By the way, when you hear "Hooty Toot" swap, does anyone else get the "Tooty Ta" children's song in their head?  I have grandchildren who sing that song with motions.  If you are going "What is she talking about now?"  here's a U-tube link to the Tooty Ta song.

 

A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS

 

The next round of the medallion swap has arrived, but I'm not quite sure what to do with it next.  Usually I know right away, but this time, not so much.

The previous stitcher left that last blue border large, so I can trim it to fit what I decide to do.  Wasn't that thoughtful?

So please help me out here.  What do you think the next border round should be?  Stars?  Piano keys?  Applique?  What?

Thanks in advance for leaving your suggestions in comments.

ANOTHER ROUND ROBIN

This week I worked on another round robin quilt.  Above is how it looked when I sent it off to AZ. 

 

Below is how the quilt looked when it arrived to me.  The first border quilter turned the center on point and added some applique too.  I added the CW print beige strip to set off that part, and to bring it up to a size that would fit my design.  I needed space for an odd number of flying geese to fit each side.

 

Generally the selecting fabric part is one of my favorites.  But this time I selected, cut, and started the stitching several times, before finally being happy with my third choice.

I'm ahead of the game on this swap now.  The next one is due to me late in July.  I hope it comes early, but it's all good.

I also worked on a row for a row swap this week, but that one is top secret until the owner gets it back.    The theme was Harry Potter, so you'll just have to guess what I did -- jelly beans, wizard hats, brooms for quiditch, round eye glasses, ...............?

Now to get back to 'my' stuff.

ROUND ROBIN

I had the opportunity to add the first border, courthouse steps, to Lynda's quilt center.

 

This is how her center looked when I received it.  It's so fun to select fabrics to use, and to come up with a plan!

There are 5 gals in our group, so she'll be getting 3 more borders.  All of the quilts look wonderful so far.  Mine is now safely in Australia, getting it's second border.  Up next here is Lenny's.  More about that one later.

MEDALIAN, ROUND 1

Wowzers!  Look what Debbie Madigan did to my center (which I shared in an earlier post) for our medallion swap!  Love, love, love it!  Love everything about it.  The fabrics she chose (using Edyta Sitar's Rule of 5), the way it mimics my shapes, everything!  Thank you Debbie! 

It's now on its way from Arizona to Australia for the next round.

IT'S WORLDWIDE QUILTING DAY!

For quilters today is a day to celebrate our craft -- all over the world.  I joined in a WWQD swap where we each waited for today to open our gifts.  Mine has been here, hiding in my cabinet for almost a month.  I was good, and waited to open it this morning (I must admit I felt a bit like a kid on Christmas).

 

Marianne made this adorable mug rug for me.  Love it!

 

She also included these fun extras:  rick rack, note cards, FQ, pattern, project bag, and a nice card.

 

Hope you are celebrating today too!

AROUND THE WORLD SWAP

This is a photo of the first 9 blocks (of 20) that I've received back from the Around the World Swap.  I think this is going to make an awesome quilt!

ATW BLOCKS

I finished three more blocks for the Around the World Swap.  Here's the most recent 6 I've done.  So now I have 14 done,  6 to go when their FQs arrive.  I think this pattern, Patience Corners from quilterscahche.com would look super for an entire quilt, in coordinating colors of course.

OWLS MUG RUG

I had fun this week playing with this mug rug.  It was fun to pull the different fabrics and also to play around with the rarely used stitches on my machine.  Only the French knot eyes are by hand, and stitching the back to front binding down.

AROUND THE WORLD SWAP

 

Here are my first 7 blocks for this swap.  It's my block, Patience Corners, with their fabric (and mine).  I am happy with how unique each fabric makes the block look.  So far 7/20 done, LOL!  The latest two will be in the mail to their owners tomorrow.