New BOM progress and a Bit About My Muse

The new Sarah Fielke BOM started today, you can see more info on her blog  http://www.sarahfielke.com/29/block-of-the-month  if you are interested in joining us. There is still plenty of time!
She has just released a couple of the patterns today and I started playing with one of them...a star...

 I mention in the title of this post that there would be a bit about my muse...that would be my son.  
In this quilt, his influence can be seen in the above and below blocks...bugs.  He bought these Australian fabrics for me for my birthday several years ago.  He just really chuckled because, well...they are pretty but they...ummm...have icky bugs in the illustrations.  Well, I am going to use them anyway...surprise!  A smile for us both!

 I am so not a fan of spiders but I am fussy cutting them and in they go!

The other blocks are more  of my usual stashy goodness from AMH and Denyse Schmidt fabrics...

That text print above keeps me on my toes, there are some words of questionable taste that I have to artfully cut around and/or place in the seam allowance.  If you recall if you've been following me for long, this fabric caught me unawares when making a strawberry...now I watch a bit more carefully with my glasses on!!

A BOM Finish From 2015

I really enjoyed these wool on cotton blocks from the free Buttermilk Basin Mystery QAL of 2015.

Here is my finished quilt top:

 A close up... and a bee button...

Ode to my orange kitty.

Stacy is doing another free BOM for 2016...more info here:  http://www.buttermilkbasin.com/

A New Block of the Month

I have decided to join in with a new BOM beginning at the end of this month, it is being offered by Sarah Fielke and you can see more info on her blog  http://www.sarahfielke.com/29/block-of-the-month  if you are interested in joining us. There is still plenty of time!


She has released a fun extra pattern for this project which I finished today...

She calls it a block book and we will be storing our blocks inside as we go...hmmm, tough to tell this is mine, eh?  I chose my favorite block and some of my most favorite fabrics and am happy to try this new storing technique as we go :)
 

In Our Garden Hop Coming

I mentioned in a prior post that I am happy to be included in a new blog hop this year with a Block of the Month flavor hosted by Amy of Sew Incredibly Crazy.  This new hop is called In Our Garden and all the details can be found here.

I am designing August's blocks (each month will have 2 blocks, one will be traditionally pieced, and one will be applique).  I have a great start to curating a beauty of a garden thanks to Riley Blake and their Calico Days line.
I have long been a fan of Lori Holt's Bee in My Bonnet fabric lines and patterns, this line is another great one and perfect for my gardening.  The folded fabrics on top are fat eighths which come in panel form to allow you more variety when purchasing yardage. Nice!! 

Here is the schedule for the full hop...

 February

Amy – Sew Incredibly Crazy

 

March

Carol – Just Let Me Quilt

 

April

Doris – Quilting Queen Online

 

May

Carla – Creatin’ in the Sticks

 

June

Sue – Super Mom No Cape

 

July

Joan – Moosestash Quilting

 

August

Kris – krislovesfabric <--that's me!!

 

September

Pat – Life in the Scrappatch

 

October

Vicki – More Stars in Comanche

 

November

Lana – It Seams to be Sew

 

December

Jan - Sew and Sow Farm

 

January

Amy – Sew Incredibly Crazy– Final Blocks and wrap up

 

And a special thanks to Riley Blake and the Fat Quarter Shop for sponsoring my month of the hop in August - yes...there WILL be prizes, yay!!

I am looking forward to the first blocks in February, be sure to check out the links and join the Facebook page for all the latest news on this fun new adventure :)

Happy Mail and Winter Walking

A couple of days ago I received the most wonderful package from my friend Soma...she spoiled me so much with the most beautiful and soft mitts.  I wasn't able to get a good picture of their color - they just radiate warmth!

She also included a fantastic new volume for my son to add to his Doctor Who collection. 

Such perfect timing as we had a small winter storm the very next day which cancelled school and gave us a very pretty white covering of snow.

What could be better than The Doctor and Fairy Tales.  Evan was chuckling into the night with this one and finished it during his snow day the next day...I believe he enjoyed it :)  Now I just need to find where he hid it so I can read it too!

Thank you so much Soma, we absolutely adore our gifts!!

This is Sam, my lab-shepherd mix...he is a big fan of morning walks...so once the snow quit falling out we went.

When it's cold and snowy I am a little less of a fan of walks, I am more of a summer girl...but it is beautiful.

 I have been warm and cozy in my new mitts and he enjoys the warmth of his thick winter coat...

 Lots of great smells just under the snow to keep him moving...

 Once in awhile he needs to investigate more thoroughly...

Have a great day!

First Finish of 2016

Another top that has been languishing in my WIP pile...

 finished and now in the donation pile for the hospital charity I have been sewing for lately.

I made myself try something new and added an uneven grid to the quilting on this one just for visual interest, it turned out good...yay!  The reason this was never finished is that I was planning to hand quilt it with perle cotton but then didn't like the effect and had to rip out the quilting I had done - back in 2012....good to get a finish and move on!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year friends!  

I hope you were able to enjoy your Christmas with family and are having as good and relaxing a start to the New Year as I am.  I am still struggling with the remnants of a nasty cold and a cough that won't let me be...but I was able to finish the binding on my last quilt finish for 2015...

 I used my favorite organic straight line quilting in a light aurifil grey and it gave some texture to the quilt while not detracting from the hand embroidered motif...yay!

 Here it is taking in our light dusting of snow this morning,

 A better close-up of one of the hand embroidered  "daisy" (I see it more as a black eyed susan) flowers...the pattern is from Mollie of Wild Olive.

This quilt is destined for a local hospital charity, I hope the bright colors and love sewn into this one brings comfort to a little one and their family.  I finished the quilt top way back in Sept 5 2011...once I decided not to hand quilt it, hehehehe.  True confessions, this is not my oldest WIP.

This quilt is a nice segue to the hop I have recently been lucky to join in on...see the button on my sidebar.

 
Lots of great talented ladies in this one, watch for me in August. Amy is the mastermind and will be starting us off next month.