Going great on the Strippy Spools Quilt Sewalong.

I'm loving this!!!!  Fat Quarter Shop put on a sewalong with a pattern by ItsSewEmma.com.  It's cute and quick to make with a jelly roll, but I have to tell you, measure, measure, measure (which is in the pattern instructions) to get the right sizes. The Strippy Spools quilt is a fun quilt project for confident beginners and seasoned quilters alike. The pattern offers two size options:

• Lap Size: 53.5″ x 66.5″
• Twin Size: 70.5″ x 82.5″

You can find the Strippy Spools Quilt Pattern at Fat Quarter Shop.

Each Monday, Fat Quarter Shop shared a new part of the pattern, and people following along are encouraged to share their progress using the hashtag #FQSStrippySpoolsQuilt and tag @fatquartershop on social media. 

I went on a trip before hand so I purchased the pattern and started early.  It came together quickly, and although I talked about making it larger, I decided the laptop was good for me.  The finished large spoon was 8 1/2 x 14 1/2 in size, so to make it bigger you're going longer and only 8 1/2 inches wider.  The spools are 6 1/2 by 14 1/2.  I added a border of close to matching fabric so it made it slightly larger.  

The pattern uses a jelly roll.  The fabric is Boundless Fabrics by Craftsy, something I picked up ages ago when Craftsy was selling everything at ridiculously low prices years and years ago.  It's beautiful, but although so rich, I don't think it's the right colors for this pattern.  It would of been better in brighter colors or the background should not be white, it should of been maybe yellow.  But I still like it. The backing is Magnificent Blooms by Jackie Robinson of Animas for Bernartex.  I used a wandering quilting stitch with veragrated colors of pink, blue, yellow and green.  That brightened the entire quilt up.  I used 2 different kinds of threads giving it color.  I love the effects.

Here's the finished item. It's on the back of my couch now.

The backing

the full quilt.  It pops in this picture.  I like a border around the entire thing.  The pattern doesn't have this.  I just added one.

the quilting and thread colors.  That's what really made it pop.  The thread is from Aurifill, their silk line.  Wow, it makes a difference.

I'm hooking up to TGIFF (thank goodness it's finished Friday) on Katheen McMusing's site.  I worked hard to complete this for showing it off  :) 

and to I'm linking up to A Quilting Girl 

As for the Medallion quilt, I also managed to make another 8 flowers this month to add to the quilt and another 1/2 driesdon block for the top.  I figure I'll have that one done by next month along with a surprise quilt that my husband has been asking to get for the last two months.  

As for any additives (yes there's always more to do!!!) I've joined the following:

• Aurifill's BOM Coffee Break 

There's wool or paper piecing (I'm doing the paper piecing) .  You can catch up with the ones already out here....  at this link.  

• Signed up for the Summer Fun Block Party..  You've missed three blocks already but there's more coming so start soon.  

The Summer Block Party is a free sew along hosted by your favorite pattern designers! For the second summer in a row, we will be sharing the cutest Summer-Inspired quilt blocks for you to sew along with, along with a quilt finishing layout to put all the blocks together. These blocks will be free until August 15 so make sure to save the patterns each day! Here is the schedule and list of designers: 

•  Block 1 - June 23 • Jen Belnap - Jen Belnap Design House - @jenbelnapdesignhouse 
•  Block 2 - June 25 • Amanda Castor - Material Girl Quilts - @materialgirlquilts 
•  Block 3 - June 27 • Amy Chappell - Ameroonie Designs - @amerooniedesigns 
•  Block 4 - June 30 • Andy Knowlton - A Bright Corner - @abrightcorner 
•  Block 5 - July 2 • Gracey Larson - Burlap and Blossom Patterns - @burlapandblossompatterns 
•  Block 6 - July 4 • Jennifer Long - Sew A Story - @sewastory_jenniferlong 
•  Block 7 - July 7 • Beverly McCullough - Flamingo Toes - @flamingotoes 
•  Block 8 - July 9 • Melissa Mortenson - Polkadot Chair - @polkadotchair 
•  Block 9 - July 11 • Amanda Niederhauser - Jedi Craft Girl - @jedicraftgirl 
•  Finishing Instructions - July 14 • Quilt size in finishing instructions is 69” x 69

That's a great size quilt and the first 3 blocks are amazing, a bathing suit, sun glasses and chairs on the beach.  Well done Amy Chappell!!!!  Love that one.  There are nine designers joining in but you only need to sign up once with one designer, to get the blocks. Signing up will subscribe you to all of the designers newsletters, which are free - you can unsubscribe easily anytime.  Come on and try it.

That's it, that's what I've been doing for two weeks this month.  I'm proud of what I have accomplished.  Will add the new BOMs to the list I do every month.  Take care, and happy Canada Day or 4th of July!!

Busy, busy, busy....

 I've been retired now for over a year and a half, and I can honestly tell you I am semi retired.  I work about 2 days a week, randomly, approximately 6 - 9 days a month, so I don't exactly have a lot of time to get into the retirement groove.  I have completed some quilts.  One of them was the wedding quilt, and another was the medallion quilt, which turned out really lovely.  But I can't resist these BOMs, and these quilt alongs, so I've joined two more.

This is where you can find the list of fabric.  They use Camille Roskelley's Summertime line.  It's gorgeous.  Here's the start of the quilt, round one and now round two, 3, and 4 just came out, so you can finish the quilt.  The pattern is free, but they're asking for you to donate to Make a Wish society, which I did but in Canada.

The quilt turns out to be 54 1/2, a perfect square, and it truly looks lovely.  See their example below:

I'm slow, I'm just starting, but I love Camille Roskelley's pattern, and can't wait to try it out.  

But I have to finish my medallion quilt.  I did finish it for the rounds, but I was going to just leave it as a lap quilt, but my husband said, I want to see it on our bed, so I'm adding another row of the followers which are about 12" each.  Take another look at my quilt....

Those flowers are from another BOM that had the design.  From Riley Blake block challenge.  Their challenges go back to 2021, so take a look at this link and have yourself some fun.

I've done two of them, and I am now working on a 3rd....  I use most of my scraps when doing them, so that's fund stuff.

Another Quilt a long that I've just cut out and I am ready to start sewing is the Spools Quilt Along also from the Fat Quilter's shop.

this is the link for the fabric needed:  it needs a jelly roll and the pattern come in 3 sizes.  I'm making a large lap, so I can turn it into a barn door for my sewing room, or maybe just keep it  :) for myself.

See the image above to see the design and all the rest.  I'm excited, it's all cut up and ready for me to sew.  

I can't stand to do the same block over and over again, and both the medallion quilt flowers and this one have repetition in it so this way I can change from one to the other, and get two quilts done.  As for the Stardust one, well, I'm a sucker for any Fat Quarter Shop quilt top.  I've done enough of them.

Finally, there's my cacti quilt, which is another one that is repetitive.  I have about 5 cacti blocks cut out, so I'll see how it feels.  It's from Pen and Paper Patterns.  See the pattern below and here's a link to her blog, where she talks about it and shows you different looks.  I've already made the snake pillow, my husband loved it, so now the continuation of it.  :) 

That's it, my TO DO list.  It's long and in order

1. Spools Quilt Along  (10 blocks)
2. Flowers for Medallion - need 20 - do another 7
3. Daisy flowers for Medallion top - need 2 of them
4. StarDust - cut all the rows
5. StarDust -  get 3 rows done
6. Cacti - make 3 of them

Lets see what happens this month.  I do have one trip to Anaheim coming up for about 10 days but I'll try to get some of it done before I go.  Wish me luck....