Timing is everything.

I signed up for the next Micheal Miller/MQG Challenge.  The first two lines of the announcement were:

• The challenge runs from March 2014-June 23, 2014.
• Winners announced July 8, 2014

I figured I was golden, not for winning anything, but for participating.  I'm leaving on Easter for a 6 week trip, but I'd have March and most of April to "make".  I'll be home on June 1, and I thought I'd be able to finish up any loose ends, or the binding!

Now, I'm really flummoxed about how this is going to work.  I received six FQ's of Pinwheels, late yesterday.  Timing couldn't be worse, my time is committed for the rest of the week, packing, appointments and teaching Tai Chi, and on Sunday we're out of here, until June 1st.

Next report will be in June.  Fun times.

May your bobbins always be full,

I'm flexible

Physically, mentally and quiltally, new word, I'm flexible!  If you've been reading along you know that my orphan flag blocks were going to be more potholders.  When I put the borders around them, I mitered the corners with potholders in mind.  After trueing them up to 8.5 inches, I thought, hmmm, these would make a really cute baby quilt.

I pulled some fabric from yee ol' stash and decided on 186 Large Stars by Makower UK.  I'm really happy with this little, 34" x 44" quilt top.

For the back, I stayed with the red, white and blue theme and used these prints, also from the stash, from A Breath of Avignon by American Jane Patterns, Sandy Klop for Moda.

This will most likely be my last post until June.  On Easter, Bob and I are leaving for a 6 week trip, there will be no stitching involved.  We're celebrating our 50th anniversary with a cruise and some time in NYC.  I hope to fit in a visit to City Quilter, on of my favorite quilt stores, and maybe a visit to the American Folk Art Museum.  I try to do different things each time I visit.

May your bobbins always be full,

Potholder Progress

For the past two days I've been cutting, stitching and trimming the tops of these flag potholders.  I made four of each border, for I total of twelve.  They were a tad time consuming because I mitered the corners, but I think it was worth it.  Tomorrow, I hope to get some of the quilting done; I'll see how it goes.

Enchanted by Michelle Engel Bencsko for Cloud9

In other "news", I haven't been purchasing much fabric.  I started on a "fabric diet", last November and have been using my stash since then.  The only exception, was buying fabric for a commission, which I don't think really counts.  I really don't need any fabric, but when these two lines became available last week, I ordered half yard cuts of each line, from Hawthorne Threads.  I just know I'll find a use for every inch of fabric in these two photos.

Textura by Susy Pilgrim Waters for P & B Textiles

May your bobbins always be full,

Auditioning

I have twelve of these "orphan" flag blogs.  I made them for the first block exchange I've ever participated in.  They were my first attempt, and I wasn't happy with them, for the block exchange.  If you click over to my post about the exchange you'll see everyone's contribution.

I've spent some of my off time from stitching thinking about making these blocks into even more potholders.  I'm thinking they're perfect for a small project.  This morning I auditioned fabric from my stash and came up with these three that I think will work really well.

The fabric on the right is by Sand Gervais, the middle by Sweetwater, and on the right Metro Living by Robert Kaufman.  I think they'll work out fine.

I've been under the weather and haven't touched my sewing machine for 12 days, practically a record, since I started quilting 4+ years ago, unless I was out of town.  Speaking of out of town, Bob and I are leaving on the 20th for a six week vacation.  It's our longest vacation, ever, but we're celebrating our 50th anniversary and thought we'd do it up in style.

Now, for some cutting and stitching.

May your bobbins always be full,

Nine pair

I spent yesterday afternoon, choosing which fabric to use for the back/binding fabric, cutting and pinning everything in place.  Today, I've finished them all off.

There were four, at first.

Then two more, for six!

Four more, and we have ten.

Still more, four more, to be exact.

And they have elephant parts on the back/binding fabric.  I love this fabric!

And these four make a grand total of eighteen potholders, or nine pair.

I couldn't resist using the Momo scissor fabric for the back of the pinkish potholders.

So there you have it, nine more sets of potholders.  I may be finished, but I doubt it!

May your bobbins always be full,

Just making!

Recent conversation at my house:

Bob:  What are you making?
Me:   I don't know.
Bob:  What do you mean, you don't know?
Me:   I started making these squares by using selvages, and they've become addicting.  I've made so many I just might make a quilt out of them, instead of using them for more potholders/hotpads.

That exchange took place on Friday afternoon, I made some more and ended up with a total of eighteen 8.5 inch squares of selvages.  There really isn't enough for a quilt, although I have more saved selvages, and I think I'm done, for now.  So, it's potholders for these squares!

These are so much fun to put together, it was hard to stop!  Now, I'm going to spent today making these into something useful.

May your bobbins always be full,

Pillows, pillows

I've been scrap busting, again.  The amazing thing is I never seem to really make a dent in the ol' scrap pile.

I also used scraps to make the backs of these pillow covers.

These are the five new pillow covers I've made for the living room, this year.  They're going to get a lot of use; we don't do much that's only for "show", around here.

In a month we're leaving on an extended vacation, I think I'm going to concentrated on more small projects before we leave.  Plus, I have three quilts waiting for binding that I picked up from my long-arm quilter.  I don't feel a sense of urgency about completing them, because I'll be closing my etsy shop for 6 weeks while we're gone.  Two of the quilts are for the shop and one for a gift.

May your bobbins always be full,