SBAMQG Sew Day

SBAMQG Sew Day, a photo by anne @ play-crafts {asdesigned} on Flickr.

Had a blast and although it seems ridiculous to say, twelve hours is just not enough!

The original goal was for me to leave last night with the QuiltCon Charity top all pieced together.  It will be one of the quilts for the 46 beds at the Austin Children's Shelter.

Thanks to Carole, Anne and Rebecca's determination we were able to not only finish the top but also baste it and then I began FMQing as you can see.

It did mean an impromptu road trip to my house and Miriam's for things we had forgotten then onto Hart's Fabric for a little more Ash. We picked up a pretty Art Gallery solid in aqua (not sure the name) for the binding while we were there with some expert advise from Julia.

Anne set pandora to my Colbie Calliat and Taylor Swift station so I'd feel right at home and with my back to everyone I managed to overcome my fear of FMQ with someone else in the room  (I usually don't even let my family come into the sewing room because I get so self conscious)

Fabulous spread reminiscent of the Quilt Retreat with goodies to keep us fueled and energized.  It was our first time to use the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz facility which was so nice.

Although most of my time was devoted to the QuiltCon Charity project I did work on both Madrona Road quilts and pieced the back to "No-ISOD" (No Inherent Sense of Direction) and partially piece the back to "Driving in Circles" which is good because they are on my to do list for 2013 finishes.

A collaborative effort may not be the swiftest one but it is still the best and most satisfying kind!  Hope that you all get a chance to sew with friends sometime soon.

Check out the Bloggy Giveaway at Leona's Quilty Adventures today and let her know what you plan to finish for a bonus entry.

WIP Wednesday

WIP Wednesday: seam rippers and detours

I will admit I hit a patch of burn out this week after the Madrona Road marathon : six days non-stop from first cut to two finished quilt tops and a completed bed runner, it was pedal to the metal.  I did manage to make up two bee blocks for F+F2.  

Jessica was sweet enough to request such a simple pattern I thought it would be nice to make her a bonus 3rd but ended up misaligning the intersection so this one will take a seam ripper detour for an quick fix.  She wanted low volume and a splash of color with an understated wonkiness to it.

My other bee blocks for Modern Stash January are getting closer - finding enough variety of fabric for a 25 square layout is more challenging than my stash can handle but the collection is coming along:

Magnum PI Hive MoStash Bee - most parts

Speaking of detours and seam rippers... I am totally guilty of dropping everything to jump on the Scrappy Trip Along craze that hit the virtual quilting world. This shot was from our MQG meeting last night and I am always baffled by the hand jesters and expressions I make - it's a wonder I still go up in front of groups after seeing pictures of myself like this.

Our MQG had a fabulous show and tell of Madrona Road challenge progress. It was really fun to have my quilt pop up on The Modern Quilt Guild Facebook earlier this month and to see all of the innovative designs emerge since.  Here I am explaining about how I gathered tiny bits of scrap Chevron from my sewing room floor to insert here and there.  Now that I've got more, I'll be binding with it

No Inherent Sense Of Direction

I love giving names to my quilts, even when they are long and silly.  Anyone who knows me can attest to the appropriateness of "No Inherent Sense of Direction" with arrows pointing every direction. The shapes remind me of rolling hills rather than a traditional road sign symbol keeping in theme with the fabric line.

An update to last weeks finish, the 3rd Madrona Road project: My son iMessaged me from Argentina that the woman who is hosting him for Study Abroad "loved" the gift he brought but was kind of confused when he tried to explain what it was for. He attached a picture showing me that rather than a Table Runner, she is using it as a Bed Runner.  He said the beds are very small there and at 21"x37" it drapes perfectly and looks really pretty.  

I've also gathered fabric to make my older son a pouch for his art supplies.

Complete: 2
F+F2 January blocks
Scrappy Trip Along top

Progress: 2 
Art Supply Pouch
MoStash January blocks
3rd F+F2 January blocks (fix)

Back Burner: 6+
SBA MQG Secret Tote Swap
Photo Inspired PVQA challenge
Driving in Circles (Madrona Road Quilt #1)
No Inherent Sense of Direction aka: "No ISOD" (Madrona Road Quilt #2)

As usual...linking up to Lee at Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday . This week it’s hosted by Heidi at Buttons and Butterflies. Take a look.

FAL Q1 2013 - here we go!

Nine to finish, really?  

question:Why am I setting myself up when I know how lousy my track record was for 2012 FAL?
answer: Optimism with a bit of indecision mixed in.  I simply couldn't narrow down what projects I wanted to work on.

FAL Q1 2013 - Goal Mosaic

Reasonable or not...here's the line up: Madrona Road #2 aka: No inherent sense of Direction , Tassels Quilt, Madrona Road #1 aka: Driving in Circles, Luminosity, Sisterly Love, Scrappy Trip Along, Schoolhouse Tunic, QuiltCon Charity FMQ, Tote Bag.

It may look like five are practically done - and they kind of are - but I hit a wall when I get to the sandwich stage. All the more reason to put them on the list wouldn't you agree?

Hope you'll be linking up with Leanne at She Can Quilt for the 2013 Finish Along Quarter One and playing along.  The flickr group has a great cheering section!

Scrappy Trip Along - I am not immune

final eight segments ready to iron

I have a dumb phone and yet was not immune to the hashtag mania that hit a couple days ago on instagram thanks to the spill over to flickr and facebook. Looking back it was a little silly of me to think I could watch from the sidelines while the Scrappy Trip Along went viral, 560 members and climbing.

block one

Thursday night I tormented, trying to justify joining when I have deadlines that are real and WIPs stacked miles high, having just vowed a New Years re-SEW-lution to stay on track.  Adrianne's pretty controlled palette beauty shot and Stephanie's amazingly huge super scrappy tropical design wall shot were making me weak.

Friday is my day off work and I did laundry, packed up the Christmas decorations and took down the tree, went to the store... the day was almost away from me but at about 3pm it hit me - this is quilting and this is me so that means no justification is needed, I can do what I want.

I spent the afternoon/evening cutting strips and sewed four segments to mock up block one and headed for bed when I realized that I'd cross-cut one strip 2.25" instead of 2.5". I found enough to make new squares and recreated it correctly.  I'm also struggling with ironing out and keeping things straight since it isn't done until they are a six strip unit and therefore narrower than my Rowenta.

close up color combo

Fuglies got voted in (thanks for the input-John Deer tractors, Beatrice Potter bunnies and Zoo animals oh my) and I went semi-scrappy with an emphasis on bright and happy with a heavy influence green/purple/orange.   When I realized that I need at least 12 segments for the 3x4 layout more cutting took place with my bored dogs looking on.

Dottie sound asleep makes a great pillow

How about you - are you immune?

Linking up to Plum and June.

Looking Ahead and Staying on Track

Goal Setting for the New Year with the help and encouragement of several groups and link ups:

QUARTERLY

FALQ4 with Rhonda at Quilter in the Gap . With a list of four items, two are finished but the other two are close: stat=50%.  I'm so happy that Leanne at She Can Quilt will be carrying the torch in 2013 with FAL, Q1 links up on the 7th.  How does time fly by so fast?  Here are my FAL mosaics from each quarter and my last post  recapping completed projects of 2012:

FAL Q4

FAL Q3

FAL Q2

FAL Q1

MONTHLY

The other group I've joined to keep myself on track is A Lovely Year of Finished at Fiber of All Sorts and Sew BitterSweet Designs. Thanks Shanna and Melissa.  This is one goal in one month : brilliant if you ask me.  Like one foot in front of the other, not so hard when you put it that way. For January I chose Tassels because it rolled from Q2 to Q3 to Q4 without a finish!  (I also love Fresh Sewing Day)

WEEKLY

Of course WIP Wednesday and Finish it Up Friday are my weekly check in linky parties, the bread and butter of staying the course.  I don't make it every time but I sure do try.  Hopping around to all of the great blogs is so much fun and I especially love when visitors leave me a comment...hint hint....

I've been on a Madrona Road journey (read more about the challenge here).  Not sure what I'll bind or back the quilts in since almost every scrap of fabric has been used up with the three projects.

Madrona Road Quilt Top #1

Madrona Road Quilt Top #2

Madrona Road Project #3

Table BED Runner Back

Finished

Table Bed Runner Specs:

size: 21"x37" Violet Craft Madrona Road and Michael Miller Cotton Couture Periwinkle

warm and natural cotton batting, pieced and quilted with aurifil thread 50wt on my BabyLock Symphony. Made for The MQG challenge and as a gift for my son's Study Abroad hostess in Argentina. He wanted something made in their flag colors.

UPDATED: when he gave it to her she wanted to use it as a Bed Runner instead and since their beds are smaller (especially compared to a California King LOL) I got an iMessage from his showing that it drapes quite nicely and looks very pretty. Linking to the challenge FINISHED flickr group.

Complete: 4+
Madrona Road Table Runner
Casserole Carrier
Pot Holders (christmas gift)
Round Bottom fabric basket (christmas gift)
Helped my son and his girlfriend with lots of presents: 7 ornaments and take out boxes, 2 blankets, kitchen towels, stocking, key fob... they did better than I did.

Progress: 3
Madrona Road Quilt #1
Madrona Road Quilt #2
Tassels back pieced

Back Burner: 4+
SBA MQG Secret Tote Swap
Photo Inspired PVQA challenge
F+F2 January blocks
MoStash January blocks

Linking up to Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it Up Friday and Lee at Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday.
What are your goals and what keeps you on track?

It's 2013 : Fresh Sewing Year

Today is a special Fresh Sewing Day because it's also a Fresh New Year.
Which were YOUR favorites from 2012? Leave me a comment, I'd love to know.

Lily's Quilts monthly linky helps me to stay on track and because I jumped on the Recap Mosaics making bandwagon (see below) this post should be easy peasy except for playing FAVORITES:

Finished Quilt:
Old Italian Block (OIB) Wedding Quilt

Runner Up: Starred Swoon

Finished Top
Tassels
(my goal for a January  "A Lovely Year of Finishes")

Runner Up: Madrona Road

non-Quilty Project:
Zakka Echino Linen Tote: I use it every day

Runner Up: Double Bar Supernova SS2 Bag

Bee Block sent:
Just Passing Through

Runner Up: QCR Churndash (modified)

Event:
It's a TIE: Sewing Summit and SBA MQG Retreat

Both were amazing experiences I'll never forget

Runner Up: First Quilt Show PVQA 2/2012

New Toy:  

my Babylock Symphony (no brainer) 

Runner Up: nothing comes close

Blog Post:
Chain-piecing Polaroid Tutorial

Thousands of worldwide visitors and pinning of this pic
Runner Up: Blogger's Quilt Festival Catalyst

Fabric Win:
Huge FQ stack of Simply Color from Craft Bud

Runner Up: (super special) Melody Miller Fall Market Ruby Star 

Challenge
QuiltCon Blocks

Runner Up: Photo Inspired quilt

Secret
Collaborative Asterisk Quilt

Runner Up: Secret Pillow Swap

Firsts:
Starting My Blog March 2012

Runner Up: Joining Facebook (a hold out no more)

2012 Highlights