Just entered the Block Lottery!!

So excited!!  This is the first month I entered the lottery, but I have been doing the blocks.  If you look under the labels "Block Lotto" to the left you'll see all the blocks I've made so far.  Working towards a queen size quilt

What the queen size will look like (minus this months' block)

The blocks I have entered for the draw.

Want to learn more about it?  Here is my entry post - http://www.blocklotto.com/2014/04/new-to-this-but-giving-it-a-go/  and here are the directions on how this blog works.  So excited!!!  I usually don't win but it was fun entering!!!  I'll be doing this again!

Transporting your quilting

I seem to always be creating quilts with my sewing machine, piecing, and such, and working less with applique.  But applique is so easy to transport, and continue to work on.  This weekend I've been trying to catch up with all my blocks of a month, and doing quite well (I'm bragging here in case you don't get that ;).  But the applique is still behind.  So on Saturday we went down to Seattle, and the trip is approximately 2.5 to three hours long, depending on the border.  I decided to take my bag of appliques. 

There are three different blocks of the month that I am currently working on and I thought "What a good time to just talk to my husband and sew at the same time".  He was driving, and it's easy to do both in the car.  I don't get car sick, I'm use to concentrating on other things in the car.  The results, two blocks down, and one to go.  It was fun, it kept my ADHD in check, and I felt a sense of accomplishment instead of saying to myself "Great, another two hours of just sitting there".  Keeping my hands busy keeps my mind calm.  

So in the end, I felt I accomplished something, I enjoyed the time immensely talking to my husband, and I kept calm.  What do you think?

My Prairie Flowers BOM (see Quilts to complete tab on top
for info on this quilt).

Free BOM on Crafty.  Really worth it.
Never did hexigons before the lesson.
Not bad right?

I hand sewed the hexi's on this block, wanted to piece where everything went.  I used the glue method to glue the fabric on the hexigons, hand sew them, then watch the fabric when all sewing was done.  I think it worked out quite well.  But next time I'll try the basting method.

I did do some sewing on Friday as well, but with a few mistakes.  Take a look.

Quilter's Guild April's BOM

Colours are really working out well with this quilt. They are vibrant.   The finished masterpiece will really look spectacular. 

Block Lotto April's Block.

 There were three ways to do this quilt.  I chose piecing.

Down the Rabbit Hole - Another one done.

I made a little mistake on this one.  I didn't add the margin when I was cutting this one out so I need to add some white around the edges to that I can make it the right  size.  But still very happy with this.  If you have never seen the BOM for this quilt, please take a look at the final quilt, and visit Jennifer Overstreet's blog at Gable House and Company.  Or visit her patterns at Crafty.   

So I will be done two BOM in May, the Down the Rabbit Hole one and the Material Girls one.  The rest, continue on  :)

Easter Weekend -

Quite a while ago my mother went to an art show and saw some 3D folded block quilts.  She loved the wind chime quilt block so much she asked about it and got the book shown below (you can find it on Amazon).  It's a wonderful book with easy instructions and plenty of diagrams.

The book includes:

• A breeze catcher (the one my mom saw)
• Three wall hangings
• a notebook cover
• A trinket box that I made for a friend when I first got the book.
• two wall hangings
• and two large samplers.

I did a pull bell with seven different squares, but instead of doing the pull bell of all 7 in a row  I decided to make two table covers and put an edge around the squares.  Here they are below:

Table talk

Closer look

Need to add quilting.

I also did the April BOM for the Globe Trotter quilt.  Same material as the ones above, I have tons of the Kaffman material.  Check it out.

I didn't do much else, not the best of weekends, busy with easter family stuff, and catching up with a friend for a friendly walk along Crescent Beach, so I thought I would share that adventure.

Lazy Day.

Quick upload of what was done today

All the Blocks caught up.

I had to take another sick day today because the voice was gone.  Vocal cords had blockage on it, so between gargling and drinking hot tea all day, it's partly back but still not 100%.  But in between sewing and sleeping, and just keeping myself from being bored (that darn AHDH again!!!) I was able to catch up with some of my BOMs.  So here they are. 

I'm very proud that I caught up with the Aurifil blocks.  At first I was afraid to use all the flower pattern ones that I had been gathering for some reason, but to tell you the truth, it's really looking very good.  What's your opinion?

Still working on a end quilt for my bed with this pattern.
January.

February - Mother's Day Block.
Will quilt a flower pattern in the canter.

March - love the selection of colours.

April's Block
Some hand stitching on the white.

Four more blocks I did (two more entries caught up)

But that was not all, I had some blocks all ready to stitch together, so I started to do that.  Now remember, I was sewing, then sleeping or taking a break, then sewing, then doing something else, then sleeping, and so on.  So I am amazed at how much was done and quite proud of how well I'm doing in catching up with all the blocks of the months.  Here's the next group of quilt blocks that are 18' (quite large) and with Material Girls which do two blocks every two weeks.  Should be done that full quilt by the end of this month.  THIS quilt was hard to keep up with all the others, and not hard to do, but a lot of work never the less using HST blocks for all the quilt.  Take a look and you'll see what I mean, all the pieces are half squares.

Block 11

Block 9

Block 12

Block 10

I still have 13 - 16 to catch up, but it's getting there.  Missed out on the first contests, for those who kept up.  I'm hoping to enter the 2nd contest which is the quilt completed.  But I have uploaded to their flickr account.  Truthfully, you feel guilty for not being on time  ;)

Will stash the quilt with that poka dotted quilt.  Love that my background is the busy part and the blocks are different shades of yellow, blue, green, purple and light tan.  Can't wait to play with placement to see how the complete quilt will be.  It will be big enough for a queen size quilt.

Voice still gone but up for more quilting...

I got the timing right, I sew a bit, then sleep, sew a bit, then sleep, well, you know the drill by now.  But I am getting things done, just in smaller quantities.  So here's what I did today...

fixed the Vise Versa April Quilt. Had to undo one of the sections.  But looks great now.

Perfect points!!

Block 7 of Layer Cake Material Girl

Block 5 of Material Girl

Block 8 of Material Girl.

All the blocks so far.

Galaxy of Stars from my Guild - Corner one.

Had to make 4 - 1st block before I joined.

The good news is that I am feeling better.  The bad news is that my voice still has not come back but I'm back to school tomorrow.  Missing the students.  I just won't be able to talk that much.  ;)

Working on the BOM's.

Well I got a few of them done.

June Block #1

April Block 1

 Enjoyed this one.  I hand sewed it.  Used card paper, printed out the hexagons, used normal school glue stick which washed out really easily, when all was hand sewed onto the background fabric.  The 2nd April block is also with hexagons, but it uses different sizes, and has a large one for the sun, then smaller ones then these for the sun rays.  It's coming….

June, Block 2

The June blocks were really easy, that's why I completed them right away. It was simple to cut and simple to put together.  I must admit I am running out of fabric and still have 6 months left and not enough fabric.  I promised I would not buy for 3 months but I think I'll be breaking that promise. But the good news is that I am half way done this block.

Half way done this block of the month.

Two down seven to go and a little extra...

It's driving me crazy that I get so tired after going out for coffee and shopping for food.  It took me 2 hours just to do that and after I was tired as heck.  But I wanted to sew and yesterday I cut out some material once I received the pattern, so Saturday I thought I would try it.

The pattern wasn't too complicated.  It's from ViceVersa and the pattern is really very challenging.  This one had 2 inch squared for the centre star and 3.75 for the corner ones.  The colors look great in this picture, one of the best pictures I took of the quilt so far, so it worked very well. 

April's Block 1

April's Block 2

I even love the look of this one.  The points came out perfect here.  This is the first time that I like the look of both of them.  But I just noticed right now the mistake...  The top and bottom are opposite, I need to change that...  Opps!!!!  This will be the third time that undo something.  You had to take your time with this one.  I didn't mind undoing, and I'll change this one because I just love the look of this one.  Would like to make a big one of this one, maybe I'll put it on my list  ;)

The two together...  Looks great.

I also finished this month's April block for the Quilt Doogle Design.  This quilt is really coming along nicely, and everyone is putting up their blocks so quickly I feel pressure to do so as well.  But this one was fun, and looks great.  See The full string and the one block.  Nice points.  I think it's a top line of the quilt.  It will really be a picture quilt.

Star block.

Finally I need o catch up on some of the applique but more importantly I need to catch up on the Layer cake because it's suppose to be completed by the end of May, and I'm down about 5 blocks.

Every two week Material Girls puts out two squares using only two layer cakes or one layer cake and a background material.  

Here are the details for the full quilt along schedule:

Quilt finish

• February 21st - Blocks 1 and 2
• February 28th - Blocks 3 & 4
• March 7th - Blocks 5 & 6
• March 15th - Blocks 7 & 8
• March 21st - blocks 9 & 10
• April 4th - Blocks 13 & 14
• April 11th - Blocks 15 & 16
• April 18th - Blocks 17 & 18
• April 25th - Blocks 19 & 20
• May 2nd the final quilt layout options and piecing instructions.
• May 16th - finished lyaer cake sampler top link with prizes for random chosen winners....

This schedule allows plenty of time to get their blocks done but as you see there is two per week, and boy, that's a tough schedule to follow but this is the only quilt that is finished in May, so I am excited about that one.  This quilt takes late comers so come join the fun!!  Here's a picture of the finished quilt and come see the pictures on flickr, they're amazing. Just so you know there are 20 blocks in total and this picture only has 156 of them.  I also think I'll put a different border around each one, not sure what yet, still thinking.  Was considering flying geese on the front and flying curved geese on the back.  Something from the book "Flying Colors" from Gail Garber, a wonderful designer.  See her designs on here web site here.  

Flying Colors.

The book is below and you can purchase it from Amazon.  After reading the book, I was able right away to make my own designs.  I highly recommend it.  It also comes with a number of patterns at the back to practise with.  I never did one but I was able to right away add a curved lined of flying geese to one of the exchange blocks that I was working on in my last guide (unfortunately no pictures to show) and as I stated before it was really easy. 

Here is the block that I made last night. I skipped one of the blocks but I will get back to it.  Each block is about 18 inches and contains not one but two layer cake sheets and two backings.  You at least need 40 sheets from a layer cake.  I bought a Moda cake of pastels of different shades and the background is poka dots.  So that's my goal for Sunday, to do at least 5 more of these blocks.  I have four layer cakes sewn together, and cut up, and now I have to iron and resize them.  They'll make 3 more blocks.  NEED TO CATCH UP!

Update "To Do" list for April.

Can't talk so I can't teach.  Doctor has given me another inhaler and this stuff to put up my nose as well.  So now what?  I've been cutting, then sleep, then organizing, then sleeping. etc….  You know the drill.  So I thought I would do like many other people I've seen  do on their blog.  I made a list for what I have to do this month.OK, I know I've done this before but here it is again...

1. Down the Rabbit hole Flying Geese - need a lot of them.
2. Down the Rabbit Hole - April's block.
3. Material Girls' Layer Cake 5 and 6 (cut)
4. Material Girls' Layer Cake 7 and 8 
5. Material Girls' Layer Cake 9 and 10
6. Material Grils' Layer Cake 11 and 12
7. Free Motion Quilt along Block 2 styles
8. Free Motion Quilt along Block 3 - 4 styles
9. Free Motion Quilt Along Block 4 - 4 styles
10. Crafty 2013 Quilt Along April (2 of them) 
11. Crafty 2013 Quilt Along May (2 of them) - one almost done.
12. Crafty 2013 Quilt Along June (2 of them)
13. Aurifill's quilt for the end of bed (2 rows completed, need one more row, and binding)
14. Aurifill January
15. Aurifill Feb.
16. Aurifill March
17. Aurifill April
18. Block Lotto March
19. Block Lotto April
20. Quilt Doodle - April
21. Vice Versa - April.
22. Globe Trotter - April
23. sycamore-rose-block-2 - half way there
24. sycamore-rose-block-3
25. Sycamore Rose block 4 (April)
26. Prairie Flowers (#7)
27. Start of a quilt I've been dreaming of - its appliqué. 
28. Galaxy of the Stars - 4 stars in the corner. - January
29. Galaxy of the Stars - April's block (I get the block this Tuesday).
30. Finish table runner beads on a string (needs to be quilts)
31. Start of a new quilt - disappearing pinwheel at http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zZUXNMpKF74 or https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9rgQd6asPQs  

See it below for what I really would love to do (but there have been warnings in regards to how it's flexible (on the bias)…

We'll see how many on the list I can get through this month.  Come back and check updates.

or

It's rather great how Missouri keeps coming up with these great videos.  Thank you ladies!!!

What do you do when you're sick in bed, and can't do anything??? You hand sew...

I'm a bit ADHD.  For those of you that don't know what that stands for it's an acronym for Attention

Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.  I have trouble sitting still, and can only read books if I read 2 or 3 at a time.  Yes I keep them in order in my head, the problem is I'm always moving and thinking.  I'm the person you hate because the moment I wake up my mind goes very quickly… and doesn't stop.  Wondering if you're ADHD?  Take this test on this link.

Anyways, here I am sick very badly with bronchitis, a lung infection, and too tired to work, and I can't sew, because it tires me out too quickly, so what can I do?  I'm working on hexagons now.  It's hand sewing so I can easily do it.  I'm also catching up on some of my wool work, so it's not that bad.   

I didn't do much, checked out all the BOM's that I'm in, slept,  cut material for 1/2 hour on one of them, slept, hand sewed the hexagons, then guess what?  Yes, slept.  Went to the doctor (had this cold/bronchitis for more then 3 weeks now) and got the great news of the lung infection.  Got the medication, then came home and (yup, you guessed it again) slept.  You would think that being sick you would take a fun day for sewing…. NOT!!!