Finish-A-Long First Quarter Summary

It's March 31st already?? Yikes! 

I said I wanted to finish three quilts this quarter, plus quilt as least one of my languishing tops. 

Then life, as it does, went all topsy turvy. My husband is deploying. In conjunction, the Dude and I are going to live with my parents this summer. They have a huge basement floor perfect for quilt basting. (I can't easily baste anything bigger than 50" on my kitchen floor.)

{And they have three cats. So there will be five of them "helping" me. And one is convinced he's still a kitten. He'll be a BIG help.}

So all tops - except for three baby quilts I need to finish in the coming quarter - will be doing more languishing until then. So I'm not technically finished with these, but I am finished in accordance with the new plans in my life.

Skorca! - top finished

Frolicking Pinwheels - top finished

Big Blue - top finished, quilted, waiting for binding

Linked:
Finish-A-Long
Slash the Stash

Felt Food Friday - Sandwich Part 1

Part 1 of...I don't know. Until I run out of filling ideas.

 Bread, appropriately-orange sandwich cheese, and a tomato slice, from the Skip to My Lou tutorial.

I've been holding off on making bread because I thought it would be hard. It's not. Even the corners were easy peasy.

Additional fillings will include lettuce, pickles, PB&J, bologna... Suggestions are welcome!

WiP/FMC - Mojo

I took a week off to recover my mojo... Part of my time off was not reading blogs. I should have kept that up for another week. What is it about the spring that brings out quilting controversy and the snarky anonymous comments?

{My husband, who reads CNN comments, laughs at me. And then says he's glad he fights for the freedom to make snarky anonymous online comments. And then I start laughing hysterically because seriously, that was one of the comments I read. Yes, people, my husband is heading to Afghanistan to protect your right to make snarky anonymous online comments. We're very proud of him. *inappropriate Team America quote*!}

But, ahem, anyway. My mojo is back.

For my Fifteen Minute Challenge, I'm doing something new. This summer, we're going to be living in a hotel for about six weeks while my husband finishes his training. I will go insane if I can't sew for six weeks, but I won't have access to a design wall or a place to cut yardage. So I'm kitting up some simple baby quilts. Every day I spend fifteen minutes ironing, cutting and bagging up a quilt.

Kit #1: Nine patch and snowball

I started two new quilts this week, both for the same friend who refuses to find out if her unborn baby is a boy or girl. I don't do neutral.

The girl block

The boy block

{I know what you're thinking. Kate, you branched out! It's a half log cabin!}

She'll get one, the other will be for sale on my Facebook page.

I finished Frolicking Pinwheels last week. Been doodling quilting patterns on it ever since. I don't have anything with a curve that big to trace!

Quilt-Alongs
Fat Quarter Stars - 6/12 blocks - none

LQS Saturday Sampler 2012 - 6/36 - new blocks to make

LQS Saturday Sampler 2011 - Blocks done, center medallion started.

Quiltville Orca Bay {Skorca!} - backing pieced and ready for basting

Swoon A Little, Swoon A Lot - no new blocks

Granny Squares - rethought the center squares, and much of the other squares, too. It wasn't bright enough. I salvaged some of the squares and this is the first of the new blocks. Minus the corners. I would totally get the sides and the corners mixed up (I'm using the Traceyjay no-bias edges method), so those will go on all the blocks right before sashing.

Untouched This Week:

Chunky Log Cabin

St. Paul's Cross

Awaiting Quilting...will no longer be seen here. After the hotel living, we're going to live with my parents, and they have a huge basement floor that's begging for someone to baste on it. {And, bonus, three more cats to "help"!} So my focus will be quilt tops until then. And I don't want to look at a long list of projects I'm not working on! I will get them listed on a page up top soon.

Awaiting Binding:

Big Blue

Adoption:

Application Submitted - 2/12 

Home Study - home interview is Saturday. I tell myself I'm not nervous...as I scrub the kitchen grout with bleach.

New Projects: 2

Completed Projects: 0

In Progress: 12

Linked:

Work in Progress Wednesday

Life in Pieces' Fifteen Minute Challenge

DWM - Saturday Sampler

All the blocks are complete...

 ...but not the center medallion. I didn't have enough scraps and fat quarters to get very far on it. 
Right now, I'm trying to get a sketch together and sort through the scraps so that I know how much to purchase.
I need to finish the plan soon - my LQS and the internet are running low on the fabrics!

Linked:

Patchwork Times

BOMs Away!

Sunday Stash Report - Week 13

I took a week off... It was Spring Break and I thought about scheduling posts and whatnot...but I didn't.

I got to see some amazing art and the world's largest fish. (The whale shark, which is neither whale nor shark.)

That's actually a catfish. I think.

And I got to laugh hysterically at the Coke propaganda film with my mother-in-law. I swear, no one else was laughing and we were ready to pee our pants.

I read all three Hunger Games books in less than 48 hours while getting sunburned by the pool.

I also didn't sew anything, didn't walk into a single fabric shop, and didn't doodle on my graph paper.

And that time away was so needed.

Once home again, I changed my needle and the rotary cutter blade, washed all the cat hair off my seat cushion, and started these little blocks. 

The bone Kona came from my Kaleidoscope scraps, then I bought a bit, and now I'm out again. Those little side triangles add up quickly!

Used this Week: 0

Used Year to Date: 33.67

Added this Week: 0.75

Added Year to Date: 81.08

Net Used for 2012: (47.41) yards

Check out more reports at Patchwork Times!

Sunday Stash Report - Week 12

Remember last week, when I bought A Walk in the Woods? My sister outdid me and bought the whole fat quarter set. Some of them might go missing next time I visit... 

Anyway, she went fabric shopping in honor of National Quilting Day, and at her shop, someone was showing off a finished Orca Bay.

Coincidentally, I'm showing off one too! Small world, indeed.

Not only that, but one of the blue borders was giving me a massive headache (sewed/unsewed it FOUR times), so I whipped these blocks into a finished top to release my frustration.

Of course, I did go fabric shopping last Sunday...

The blue is the borders for Skorca (and granny squares, and possibly Star Wars...) The floral is Denyse Schmidt's Daisy Mae, to back my Chunky Log Cabin (yes, I bought it just for the Mae.) The orange orca flannel is the backing for Skorca...seriously. That's the last time the Dude gets to pick.

ETA: I mailed off my giveaway last week! Duh! Need to count outs wherever I can get them!

Used this Week: 10.35

Used Year to Date: 33.67

Added this Week: 12.83

Added Year to Date: 80.33

Net Used for 2012: (46.66) yards

Check out more reports at Patchwork Times!

Felt Food Friday - Birthday Cake

A cake was the first thing I made from the Dude's felt food pattern (Simplicity 2445) and oh boy, was it awful.

Felt doesn't really hold the shape of a cake very well, and my skill at sewing curves was non-existent. Not to mention, apparently I thought only the tops of cakes got iced. (Who skimps on icing, seriously?)

In honor of his seventh(!!) birthday today, I remade his cake.

Stiff felt does a wonderful job holding the shape, my curves aren't perfect but they're a whole lot closer, and the icing is in the proper place. I was going to decorate the top, but he told me roses are for girls.

And just like that, he is seven.

FMC/WiP - Deep Breaths

Early spring/no winter means the cottonwoods are in full bloom very early this year, and it's killing me. Literally. My trachea is about as big as a pin. If I tilt my head down or up more than 45 degrees, I can't breathe. Fun times.

I told my husband I was allergic to deployments. He didn't think I was funny. But he did hide the chainsaw when I threatened to cut down my neighbor's cottonwood tree.

Fifteen Minute Challenge - nothing really to show. I've been spending 15 minutes a day cleaning the sewing space, sorting patterns, folding fabric, etc. Since all my patterns are currently (sorted!) on the floor, it's at the "things look worse before they look better" stage. 
On the plus side, you can see the top of my Necchi sewing table! (Which the cat promptly started sitting on.)

Quilt-Alongs: 

Fat Quarter Stars - 6/12 blocks - blocks 6 and 9. I cheated on 6 - didn't want to make a Cathedral Window - so I faked it.

LQS Saturday Sampler 2012 - 6/36 - new blocks to make

LQS Saturday Sampler 2011 - Blocks 10 & 12! I really like 12 - I think it's my favorite of the bunch. Now that I'm finished with the BOMs, it's time to start putting together a quilt.

Quiltville Orca Bay {Skorca!} - I couldn't find a blue for the border until Sunday, so it's slowly getting borders. The penguin border is directional, so I had to do math and careful cutting to get them facing the right direction.

Swoon A Little, Swoon A Lot - no new blocks - I can only do so many intense piecing blocks a week!

Granny Squares - yeah, I know, another quilt-along. Shush. I need to make a quilt for my cousin's baby, and she gave me free range, and I'm so over making stars right now. I'm making granny squares with a "special" center - minkee, fur, flannel, corduroy, etc. I tried to be careful and not get near the minkee, but, um, not careful enough. Oops.

Untouched This Week:

Chunky Log Cabin

St. Paul's Cross

Frolicking Pinwheels

Awaiting Quilting:

Sunkissed Jewel Box

Bad Romance

Layer Cake Quilt Along

Hunter's Star

Fall-gyle

Star Wall Hanging

At the Quilter's:

Big Blue

Adoption:

Application Submitted - 2/12 

Home Study - in progress 

New Projects: 1

Completed Projects: 0

In Progress: 16

Linked:

Work in Progress Wednesday

Life in Pieces' Fifteen Minute Challenge

DWM - Saturday Sampler

Now that Skorca is down to the borders, I had to think about what needed to be done next. And since this needs to go to the quilter by early April, it had to be next on the wall.

10 of the 12 blocks from my 2011 Saturday Sampler, plus the panel I cut apart. No idea how it's all going to come together yet. The panel isn't in the original design, plus there's some elements in the design that I don't like. 

I do like the center medallion, so my goal for the week is to get that together, and the two remaining blocks.

Then, the math begins...

Linked:

Patchwork Times

BOMs Away!

Sunday Stash Report - Week 11

A while back, I won a giveaway at A Quilter's Table - in addition to some lovely solids, I got a gift certificate to Pink Chalk Fabrics. I browsed, deliberated, and browsed some more before realizing Pink Chalk carries Aneela Hooey.
And oh boy, did I want some Walk In The Woods.

I stalked the What's New page. I almost clicked buy on some charm packs. I sent stalking emails when other sites starting getting yardage in. FINALLY, it was in. And my order was in within 90 minutes of it being up.

And then I stalked the mail lady.

Oh, lovely lovely fabric. Welcome home.

Also bought a yard of the background for my FQ Stars, so I can get back to those. Since it's almost over!

I also have a finished top - but not Skorca. Sad! I couldn't find the right blue for the borders locally, so I'm looking around after dropping my husband at the airport today.

The finished top is a t-shirt quilt for my husband's cousin. I did not pick the colors.

Zebra cornerstones were stash, light purple was purchased this week, purple borders came in last month.

Used this Week: 2.58

Used Year to Date: 23.32

Added this Week: 4.5

Added Year to Date: 67.5

Net Used for 2012: (44.18) yards

Check out more reports at Patchwork Times!

Giveaway Winner!

I'm a bit too lazy to do the screenshots for two winners, so without further adieu...

Winner of the Meet the Gang charm packs is Debbie from A Quilter's Table! I won one of hers a while back and just spent the gift certificate - more on that tomorrow.

Winner of the homespuns is KT (no blog)!

Congratulations to you both, and thanks to all who entered! I will get them in the mail as soon as I get your address. :)

Felt Food Friday - Cinnamon Rolls

{From the Smashed Peas and Carrots tutorial}

I haven't even stitched the ends yet. I'm, um, waiting for the glue to dry. Yeah, that's it. They do look quite yummy, though. Even without icing.

It's also my husband's favorite breakfast. I picked up a tube of the "real" ones to make this weekend before he heads out for the first round of deployment training. Boo. :(

Last chance to enter my giveaway!

Liebster Award

Recently,  Sue from My Quilting Addiction passed the Liebster Award to me. She said "your quilting and use of colour are an inspiration." I blushed. Thank you very much, Sue!

If you don't know, the Liebster award (German for favorite) is for bloggers with 200 followers or less. As a recipient of the award, you have the chance to thank and link back to the blogger who gave it to you as well as pass it along to five other deserving blogs.

It took me a while to come up with these. I tried not to use anyone who had been nominated recently, people I don't link to on a regular basis, etc...

In no particular order - ha, just kidding. In alphabetical order, like all things should be...

Cascade Quilts - her old blog has a Hunter's Star header and tutorial on making them from charm packs. Her new blog is just as fun and one of the blogs that makes me miss Washington State.

Cats On My Quilts - I found her by Googling, uh, cats on my quilts. I love her fabric selections, and I can't wait to see how her new lake camp comes together this summer.

Moniek Quilts - Has an adorable baby. Works for a quilt shop, so whips up samples all the time. She's also working through her mother's UFOs - a great way to honor her mother's memory.

Shared Creativity - We bonded over the Layer Cake Quilt Along and being Air Force wives. I love her stack'n'whack quilts - a technique I have to learn someday!

Spinning Star - one of my fellow Oklahomans. I've learned more about my current state from her than anywhere else. Oklahoma has earthquakes? Who knew?

{Check out my giveaway here!}

WiP/FMC - Swoon and Skorca Week

Hey, for the first time in two weeks, I don't have any fun life events to share! It's good to have a quiet week.

Fifteen Minute Challenge - I did my mini-quilt (see below) Wednesday-Saturday. Then I realized how messy the sewing room had gotten, and dedicated 15 minutes every day to putting away the clutter. Most of it was scraps for Skorca that could finally go back to their boxes. 

And then there was the pile of the Dude's jeans that surpassed his non-destroyed pants. What is it about boys and knees? Fifteen minutes later, there's patches to survive the spring before these become shorts. Like all his pants have for the last three years.

My mini-quilt. It's hanging on the wall until I get the nerve to try hand embroidery again.

Quilt-Alongs: 
Fat Quarter Stars - 6/12 blocks - will be getting more background fabric on Saturday and having some catch up time

LQS Saturday Sampler 2012 - 6/36 - caught up!

LQS Saturday Sampler 2011 - 10/12 blocks

Quiltville Orca Bay {Skorca!} - is 90% assembled...and all you get is a shot of the middle rows. All I'm going to say is it looks pretty awesome...somehow way smaller than I thought. Something with 80-billion-little-pieces should be bigger than 58" square. Wait, when did 58" square become small?

Swoon A Little, Swoon A Lot - really like this color combo

{Creepy Cat as I assembly Swoon pieces}

Untouched This Week:

Chunky Log Cabin

St. Paul's Cross

Frolicking Pinwheels

Awaiting Quilting:

Sunkissed Jewel Box

Bad Romance

Layer Cake Quilt Along

Hunter's Star

Fall-gyle

Star Wall Hanging

At the Quilter's:

Big Blue

Adoption:
Application Submitted - 2/12 
Home Study - in progress 

New Projects: 0

Completed Projects: 1

In Progress: 15

Linked:

Work in Progress Wednesday

Life in Pieces' Fifteen Minute Challenge
 What A Hoot's BOMs Away!

And check out my giveaway here!

Tuesday at the Table - Death by Chocolate Star

I actually have something to post due to the Dude's birthday party this weekend! It's more of a how-to (or how-not-to) than a recipe, but whatever. Totally counts.

So, the Star Wars themed birthday party was kind of a no-brainer here. Cake Central had a post on making your own Death Star cake, so I followed some of the instructions. Mainly baking in a bowl.

The first one is one box of cake mix in a 6" bowl. Round, but not very big. The second is one box in a 9" bowl. Big, but not very round.

{The suggestion was made to go with the little Death Star, and break the big one into pieces and call it Alderaan. Yes, we're horrible parents.}

If I had time to bake a third round, I would have gone with two boxes in the 9" bowl.

{My piping skills are less-than-adequate. But Lego lasers were a big hit!}

Instead, I went with the "cake pop" premise and mixed frosting and the crumbled flat cake. I cut out Star Wars shapes with my cutters, which actually worked really well considering they're not designed for cake.

I thought the kids would be annoyed by the lack of visible frosting, but they thought they were brownies, so it worked.

And the Dude's friends know him well.

Linked:

Tuesday at the Table

Jo's Try It Tuesday

And check out my giveaway here!

Design Wall Monday - Skorca! (Last Time!)

Yup, this is the last time you'll see Skorca! on the design wall.

All I have left is sewing the red and blues together, and then the rows. Borders on by Friday? I think it can be done!

As long as I remember to fix that one twisted hourglass...

Check out more design walls at Patchwork Times.

And check out my giveaway here!

Sunday Stash Report - Week 10

I finished this top for the mini-quilt challenge, all from stash.

 And I made some burp rags for a baby shower.

And I didn't buy anything! (Like I needed to after last week?)

AND I'm giving away some of my stash! (I guess that won't count till next week.)

Used this Week: 1

Used Year to Date: 20.74

Added this Week: 0

Added Year to Date: 63

Net Used for 2012: (42.26) yards

Check out more reports at Patchwork Times!

Fifty Follower Giveaway!

In celebration of fifty followers, I'm giving away two prizes:

Two charm packs of Meet the Gang...

And four quarter yards of homespun.

All you need to do to win is:

a) leave a comment saying which you'd prefer to win

b) be a follower. (Duh. It's a celebration of YOU, followers.) But new ones are welcome.

Winners will be selected randomly on Saturday, March 10. Winners must have an email address to win. While she is my favorite follower, my mom can't win. (She'd just give the fabric back to me, anyway.)

Modern Mini-Quilt Challenge

It's not modern, it's not all that mini, and technically it's not even a quilt yet, but....

I told my husband I wanted one of the "Home is Where..." plaques for Christmas. Except I told him in mid-December, and they all require way more lead time than that. So he got me speakers for my sewing room (totally worth it) and I decided, when this modern mini-quilt challenge came along, to make my own "Home is Where..."

It's constructed of (very traditional) log cabins and courthouse steps. Each block measures 8" finished; the quilt is 24x32". It fits perfectly on my wall, but seems huge for a "mini-quilt."

{See? Perfect size!}

It's unquilted as of yet. I tried both hand and machine embroidery for the names of the bases, and I didn't like either. I need to practice my hand embroidery and reattempt.
Plus, we are about ten years in this Air Force journey, so there's going to be some more places added before it gets finished.
Plus, I'd like to applique our faces in the windows, and our family is not yet complete. For now, it will be framed.

{Obligatory Oklahoma Wind Shot}

The house is beige with green shutters - same as the house in Washington where the Dude was born. I'm not sure why I went with a red door - perhaps a secret desire to be Episcopalian.

The absolutely anal part of me loves the back of these blocks.

Linked:

Ellison Lane's Modern Mini-Challenge

By the way, I did notice that I hit 50 followers on Leap Day. Even though #47 was my mom. (Love you!) So stay tuned for a followers-only giveaway tomorrow! (Mom's not eligible.)

Felt Food Friday - Pancakes

Ahh, I missed the felt food. So easy. So fast. So yummy.

Cut out a circle traced around a CD. Sew a pat of butter on it.

Sew two circles together.

Pile two together. Freehand cut some syrup.

And breakfast is served!