What was done this November....

OK, here it is.  I think this has been my best month ever because many of my BOM's (block of a month) quilts came up.  In other words, the blocks are finished and I have to put it together.  So although I said I would finish a quilt that was over 3 years old, with the other BOMs showing up, I had finished I felt the need to do those before the 3 year one....  It's that late so, what's a few more months  ;).  

So lets see from my list of things to do for November what I got done:

Globetrotting by Pat Sloan.   - DONE  and I love it.

 Made an extra one of the center because I loved it so much.  Once more, the colors just don't make it on the camera, this is purple and green.  Below the square is 24".

Quilt Doodle Designs - done!!!  Great for Christmas

Debbit Mumm's Quilt of Honor - DONE with the top, need to quilt it!

cat likes it

Crafty 2012 BOM  - Not done yet.  Have one to go and then the quilt is done.  It's one of the quilts I said I would complete before the end of December, so it's on my list for next month.  But here's how it looks so far...  Just two blocks to go then putting it together.

Prairie Flowers wool quilt.  Didn't do anything on it, but did so a different wool table top.  Can't how it here, it's for someone's Christmas.  I really need to complete this one because I'm entering it for my Guild's Quilt show.

 Snow quilt - Got the material like before but that's it.  Did some of the paper piecing but there are now three blocks to complete.  It ends in January. 

Sew Sweet Simplicity at Jacquelynne Steves web site.  - never even started it.  Got to get it going.  Two blocks out now.

Aurifil November to do.  DONE!!! This one was really hard.  And I didn't know it but I missed October as well, so that's done as well.  All caught up but have December to finish.

Vice Versa - need to do two more blocks, but didn't do anything.  This one is finished by the way, so it needs to be finished on my end  ;)

Galaxy of the Stars from my Quilting Guild - 

One August to do (there were two),  DONE

September to complete, and October.  

I missed November's meeting so I'll have to get the pattern from the group before the next meeting. 

Block Lotto pattern - really behind in this one.

• June - still not caught up on the sun one.  Have one done, but I seem to be scared to do it.  Don't know why....  Need to pull up my boot straps...
• July - spokes pattern.  Had 6 done but need to do 8 more..
• September 
• October 
• and now November....

Sycamore Rose

block-2  (February)  -  Did very little on this one and there are 16 blocks in total, and this one is completed online as well.  Really need to get going.

Free Motion Quilt along  - been free motion quilting now on all my quilts lately.  But this is the course to teach me different styles so I need to get going.  My promise to myself was to get this one done soon.  Did try one day, but stalled.

• Block 3 - DONE

• Block 4 - 4 styles - not yet for the rest.
• Block 5 - 4 styles   
• Block 6 - 4 styles. 
• Block 7 - need to make the blocks before quilting.   

Apple Thangles - didn't do any last month, or this month.  Darn. 

Pixulated quilt that I started on Crafty!!!   Never even touched it.  Need to get going on this one.

Here are my 2014 NewFO Challenges.

• Modern quilt that I have cut out - green and purple - Not even touched.  Darn!!!

• for the New FO Challenge.  Check it out.  Below is the pattern and then my completed project!!! DONE!

50" by 50"

So pleased with myself!!

To Do list for September - AYOLF and my New FO Challenge

Well another month coming and I have the Guild to think about the 2nd week of September.  I want to show them the many things I've done this summer but I don't want to show them any of the blocks of the months until they are completed.  So I'm showing them my "AYOLF"s.  And here this this months goal:

Material Girls's quilt just didn't materialize for the past two months.  Didn't get to the squares that still need to be quilted.  But it looks great with its binding and most of the blocks done.  Just need to sit down and complete it.  Should take about 6 hours.  This is my next "AYOLF".  

Here are many of my BOMs to complete.

• Aurifil September to do. 
• Prairie Flower #12 to do.  Last one!!
• Vice Versa August and September to do.  2 each month.  
• Galaxy of the Stars - have July to do and I didn't get the pattern for August so I have to tell the girls.
• Block Lotto pattern
• June - It's a sun!!!  Only got one done but I need to catch up.
• July - spokes pattern.  Had 6 done but need to do 8 more..
• September to do.
• Crafty 2012 BOM  - September to do.  October will put it together.
• Globe Trotting 2014 Mystery Quilt -
• August
• September
• Doodle Design - September to complete, a tree.
• Sycamore Rose
• block-2  (February)  -  Half way done.  Took it on a plane trip but not yet done.  5 more leaves to do.  Boy, am I behind!
• block-3  (March) - not done.
• block 4 (April) - not done.
• Block 5 - May - not done.
• Block 6 - June - not done.
• Block 7 - July - not done. 
• Block 8 - August. - not done.
•  Block 9 not done.
• Block 10 not done.
• Block 11 not done.
• Block 12 not done.  

 Look at all the pieces on Flickr by Sycamore Rose.

• Free Motion Quilt along  - been free motion quilting now on all my quilts lately.  But this is the course to teach me different styles so I need to get going.  My promise to myself to get some of these done one day.
• Block 2 styles 
• Block 3 - 4 styles
• Block 4 - 4 styles
• Block 5 - 4 styles   
• Block 6 - 4 styles.    

• Apple Thangles - need to do two sections.

Here are my 2014 NewFO Challenges.

• Modern quilt that I have cut out - green and purple for the newFO Challenge and preparing it for the "Modern Quilt" Flickr Group.
• Make a Carpenter Star for the New FO Challenge.  Only did a couple of squares. The AYOLF is just taking all of my time.  But it is my next one for September!!!  I always wanted to do one.
• Continue on with my Pixulated quilt that I started on Crafty!!!  I have 3 sections completed, and continuing on with the others.  It's starting to look like the sunflower picture I did.  I'm so excited and really enjoying the free class at Crafty.  YOU HAVE GOT TO TRY IT!!! This was another New FO Challenge linked here.  

each square finishes at 2 inches.

So this is the goals of September.  Good luck to me.

July's 2014 NewFO Challenges - table runner.

This blog posting was done in two parts - I started the blog posting on the 18th, showing the start of this quilt.  I purchased a bag of pre-cut material for $7.25 at the quilting show in Abbottsford a couple of months ago.  The cuts for lengthwise of the material, and perfect for making thangles, so I purchased the pre-made thangles and want to make something with the material, be creative....

Here's the package and what it included, pinks with flowers, light straight pink, pink and green polka dotted on white, and straight white.  So, as you can see from the pre-cuts, it's perfect for thangles.

Here's the first one, a double star, looking at making three stars, with the polka dot material around each one, then smaller ones maybe if I have the extra material.  I'm only using what material is in the package.  The white will be the backing.  I'll probably get 2 large stars from the material and one small one.  Which is fine.    Will continue to post about this one.  It's going into the  "2014 NewFO Challenge.

Need to catch up.

I've been away on vacation for about 10 days, a wirral wind trip, with my husband and I doing something every day, sometimes two things.  We've been to 4 baseball games, three different days on the beach, and to disneyland 2 days.  It's been a very tiring trip, but fun.  We  drove there and back taking two days for the trip.  On the way back we stayed overnight at a cabin in the mountains, and just sat outside having a drink, while the sunset.  It' was lovely.  Here are some pictures...

Tea Cup Ride at Disney

Huntington Beach Sunset

Shasta Mountain California

But now that I'm back I need to catch up with my BOMs and more.  I didn't buy any material when I was out, but I have so much now that it's overflowing my closet.  Also as going away gifts from my school I got more material from friends.  More to do now.  So I'm trying to just use what material I have, thus the Aurifil quilt that's only in flower patterns with a white background, the Crafty 2013 that I've been working on using only batiks I have in my stash, and the others.  

Aurifil July

GlobeTrotter Quilt - Another one done.

In my closet for 4 years.

Window Quilt. 

Made into a purse - inside pocket.

Flat purse for side hip

Zipper on top.

I also started my Quilt Doodle for july but it's so huge, the entire quilt is 58 1/2 in length and 12.5 inches in width.  It's huge.  All pieces are cut and each 2 1/2 inch square needs to be sewn together.  There's also applique on this one.  It will be fun.

That's it for today's sewing.  I've  got August for the Crafty 2012 cut (2 of them) and ready to go, the Aurifil bed end quilt all cut up (for my "Year of lovely completions"), and 5 block lottos cut, just need to sew.  May do some more sewing tomorrow.

Worked on Block Lotto...

One of the quilt groups that I really like is the Block Lotto, a blog that I discovered and has raffles if you enter one or more of your blocks.  This Lotto is open to all quilters at any level of experience.  You can make the blocks and enter them when you want or like I've been doing, just making my blocks and working on making my queen size quilts.

But I am ready to enter the game now.  I've done the January Block and February block, and just have the march to go.

On the first of each month, the new block and guidelines are published.  Participants make blocks and post photos of them.  Each block made becomes a chance to win a set of blocks at the end of the month.

• You contact by email at jeansophie (at) blocklotto (dot) com or by posting a comment on the block lotto blog indicating that you’d like to join the group. Once we’ve connected, email me with your real name and mailing address and URL of your blog, if you have one.  Register on the site using <firstname><dot><lastname> for your username, for example Jane.Doe.
• Make blocks.
• When I'm ready  to post a photo, email me and let me know and jean sophie adds author privileges to my account and I sent the pictures.  I also send in any blocks that I want to enter for the draw.  The more the blocks, the more draws for people to win.  See here for who's made what and how many draws there will be.  You're name will be added to the list on this page to show that you are tered for the draw.  
• Winners are chosen by using an online random number generator.  After the winners are chosen, they have 48 hours to confirm their mailing address and decide how many of their own blocks they’d like to keep.
• Once the winners get all the blocks they have the chance to make an entire quilt with that block. 

Here are the blocks so far that you do to make the quilt size you want..... The blog tells you how many you need from each one to get it done.

I'm entering next month...  Want to try it at least once.  Can't wait to see what the next block is.

Here's all the blocks I've done so far... 13 different beads on a string

Had extra so I did a table runner.

Table Runner
New FO Challenge

Chevron - needed 5 of them.

I still have to do the Irish chain (I think 5 of them) but that will come with time.  I need to get more green.  The colours are really wild for this quilt, and very different.  But I love the look.

I made the beads a little differently then with the interfacing, or with the appliqué.  I did the following:

Turned material with circle mark
inside out.

See the clippings?

Make the circle pattern on the backing.  Mark the centre by folding the material crosswise and then counter crossways.  Iron it, and this will mark it.  Then fold the circle pattern the same way (marking its middle both horizontal and vertical.  That way you can match up the centre.  Once you have that, you can stitch the marking, cut out the centre, and clip the ends, so it's easy to turn inside out like the pattern above.

Once you have it inside out, you place the centre colour over top of it and pin it in place like you see in the next picture.  

Once you have pinned it, you sew around the the circle on the background.  It's sets the dot.  It's that simple. You can see the affect to the right.

The great things about this way of doing the beads is that you can do any back drop you want.  You can do bricks, stars, what every and then decide to put in a circle at a spot.  Just sewing the material that you will turn inside out to make the hole any where you want.

Sorry the directions are not that clear, I'm trying to get use to taking pictures every step of when I do something to help people understand what I'm trying to explain.  It will come with time.

So it's been quite the spring break, with me trying to catch up with all my Blocks of the Months.  So here's a quick list:

• Vice Versa - Caught up.
• Doodle - Caught up.
• Debbie Mumm's Stars of honour - Caught up.
• Globe Trotting - Caught up.
• Secret Santa - completed.
• Craftsy Block on the Month 2012 - caught up and more (did Jan, Feb, March and another month.)
• Block Lotto - Did January & February, need to to March.
• Down the Rabbit Hole - need to do flying geese, but all else is caught up.
• Building Blocks - did 8 out of 12.
• Material Girl's Layer Quilt - did 1 - 4, need to complete 5 - 12
• 2014  NewFO Challenge - table runner - still on track.
• Fraser Valley Quilt Group Star Quilt - Need to do Januarys, but February & March done.
• Thangles quilt - did  3 packages and at least 10 different blocks.  It's coming along easily.
• Aurifill - did one, working on it now, to make a quilt for the end of the bed.  Love the look so far but it's for a queen so it's taking a long time.
• Sycamore Quilts Applique - finished January, part way through February, but haven't started March at all.  This quilt takes time for each block.
• Pairie Flowers block - did two this month.  At the half way point. 

Need to consider - to get busy...

• Garden - paper piecing - started one.
• Wish upon a star quilt  (seems people are having trouble with this).
• Open Gates Quilt - haven't even started.
• Tell it to the starts - haven't even started.
• Open gates quilts - haven't even started...  this one looks difficult.

All together, feeling good about this break, catching up and all.  Unfortunately with the next month (April) need to do all of these.  

Practise makes perfect....

Well, my valentine quilt is finally quilted, and I did the changes that I said I would do, I added more flowers.  But now someone has suggested buttons added to the flowers to make them more 3 dimensional.  And of course, I agree.

Take a look at the quilting though, been working on my free style quilting and I'm very excited about how it turned out.  If you can't make it out, it's tiny hearts here and there.

Look at the flowers

Notice the hearts?

Tried to get them almost everywhere

Did not quilt the red, but the back is great.

I also completed my Secret Santa quilt.  Just sewing around the edges for that one.  It was one of my 2014 NewFO Quilt challenges (a quilt that is started but not completed).  The challenge asked that we keep them updated so I have.  Here is that one. Purples and blues.

Look at the free style quilting

Flannel is so comfy...

But that's not the best part of this quilt.  I also pieced the back, using techniques learned in "Quilt Improv" by Lucie Summers.  Excellent book.  I highly recommend it.  I'm interested in doing each quilt in the book with any scraps I have after all of this.

Colors are blues and purples.

The piecework.

Lynxy, of course, has to try out the quilt for the Cat approval.

I like to thank my Secret santa for this wonderful gift, something that will keep my safe and comfortable for a long time.

Down the Rabbit Hole and more....

Another snow day but at least this one is not as bad as last week.

Park by our place

Roof tops

Been working really hard to catch up with Jennifer's BOM "Down the Rabbit Hole" and it's looking fantastic.  I was using the material a friend of mine gave me (50 pieces for my 50th birthday) and I am really enjoying how it's turning out.

Made a mistake and tried to fix it...

After I tried to fix it, the size was wrong, thus the border

The green matches with other squares I've done, and the print with the pink sections of the other blocks.  I've almost caught up.  I've done 40 flying geese, and I need to make 44 more, using all material and more.  Take a look...

Flying Geese

This goes around the main piece and will turn out exceptional.  Can't wait for the next one.  Bascially, I'm caught up.  Will enter these pictures on the Flickr Page that Jennifer from Gable House and Co. made for sharing.  Thanks Jennifer, for doing that and for making such a fun Block of the month.  The final quilt looks like this....

So excited!!!  More then half way done!!

On another note, one of the NewFO challenges was a valentine quilt I was working on.  I've done what I said I would do, I added some more flowers using YoYo maker, done more free style quilting and finished the edges.

And I also made the backing for my Secret Santa's quilt, using some of the backing.

The cat approves.... 

You can't see it in the picture, but the backing is blue, with some purples, sorry the picture was taken at night.  But still, it looks really good.  Don't forget, it's in flannel.  

Not bad for a weekend.