July ALYoF Goal -- completed!

My goal for this month (and last month, which I failed at) was getting my blue batik star quilt top all together.

After multiple quilt shop stops and lots of ironing, it is complete!

Here's after all of the blocks and pieced sashings were together and I realized that I actually hadn't made too many square in a square units -- they were also the cornerstones of the sashing. Duh.

Here'st he finished product:

I think that I've decided that I am not going to put a border on this one and potentially give it as a baby quilt. Those white stars really pop out at you don't they?

Happy sewing and don't forget to vote for Block 12 in the QCQAL!

July Lovely Year of Finishes Goal

Since I didn't make my June goal (my first fail month this year!) since I needed to get more fabric, I'm going to renew it as my goal for this month.

Since last month, I did finish all of the paper pieced triangle units! Hooray! Now I just need to cut all of my 4 1/2 inch squares and then I'll be ready to get the top put together.

Nothing like waiting until the last minute to get my goal posted!

June A Lovely Year of Finishes Goal -- Scrappy Batik Quilt Top

I'm getting this goal submitted juuuuust under the wire!

I started working on a scrappy quilt top using blue/grey/aqua batiks with a white/cream/grey scrappy background before we moved and this month I want to get the rest of the paper pieced triangle units finished and then get the top put together. 

Right now, I have all of the four-patch units done and I have all of the square in a square units completed as well.

BUT I know that I still have at least 40 of the triangle units to make and I need to pull a few more fabrics in blues from my scrap bins to make sure that I don't run out! 

I stopped by the local quilt shop yesterday to get a half yard of the off white dotty batik in the picture and I am definitely going to have to hit up some other semi-local quilt shops to get a wider variety of background fabrics so that it looks scrappy. I was hoping to get quarter yards of a half dozen or so different fabrics, but there was not much to choose from at that shop. 

Linking up my goal to A Lovely Year of Finishes! Today is the last day for June to link up goals, so sort through that WIP pile and get one submitted!

Blitzen Basketcase Top Finished

My May ALYoF goal is done -- just under the wire!

My goal was to finish all of my Basketcase blocks and get them put together in a top and I got it done today!!

Here's the top all together before the borders:

This jelly roll was a birthday gift almost two years ago and I started this project about a year and a half ago (embarassing!) and I finally just put my butt in gear and finished it. My mom was able to find some yardage of one of the red prints for me to use for the border and I cut 6 inch strips for the border -- that way I'll still have enough of the yardage (I started with 2 yards) to use it for the binding too.

This is the FIRST Christmas quilt I've ever made! I'm very excited to start thinking about quilting possibilities and to start searching for backing fabric.

Linking up to the May ALYoF Finishes Party!

Basketcase Pattern via Cluck Cluck Sew

May ALYoF Goal

My goal for this month (after I get moved, of course!) is to finish all of my Basketcase blocks in Blitzen and put them into a top!

I have more than half of the blocks made so far and just need to finish about 16 more.

Linking up with Fiber of all Sorts and Sew Bittersweet Designs!

Don't forget to vote for block #6 in the Quilter's Choice Quilt Along!

Finished Triangle Quilt

Hooray! It's finished!

Here are some work in progress pictures that I didn't have a chance to post:

Quilting:

Trimming

Finished Quilt! Sorry, no artsy pictures today because my husband isn't here to hold it up for me and it's raining outside.

I quilted it with a meandering curly cue and found this taupe-grey with metallic dots fabric at Joann to use at the backing that matches perfectly to the fabrics in the quilt! I also used it for the binding.

This was my ALYoF goal for April and I am so excited to be 4 for 4 this year! Now to think of what I need to finish in May!

Linking up with The Sassy Quilter, ALYOF, Fabric Tuesday, and Linky Tuesday!

Triangle Quilt Progress and ALYoF April Goal

Dual purpose post!

My ALYoF goal for April is to get my Triangle quilt top put together, quilted, and bound.

Here's my progress on getting all of those things done as a part of the Triangle Quilt Along.

I decided to go with my eight colors in diagonal stripes across the quilt instead of random placement. I didn't think I had enough different colors to have random placement without making myself completely insane, so I just went the easy route with a pattern.

I have a few rows sewn together, but still quite a few rows to go.

Happy Sunday to you!

Finished Double Hourglass Quilt

Hooray, it is finished!

This quilting turned out great and went together so fast!

The zig-zag fabric ended up being amazing for the binding.  This picture shows a close up of the little flowers in the center of the blocks. I thought the brown stitching might be too much, but it turned out to be a great change from white thread.

And no rumples or ripples to speak of! Hooray!

This one is all ready to be raffled off to support literacy!

I"ll be linking up with ALYoF March Finishes party when it opens up! I'm SO happy to have gotten this goal done early!

Don't forget to check out the Quilter's Choice QAL!

Stats:
Size: 66 by 88 inches
Quilting: FMQ straight lines with four leaf flowers
Fabric: Mostly from Joann -- it's been in my stash for-ev-errrrr!

March ALYoF Goal: Double Hourglass Quilt

My March ALYoF goal is to quilt and finish the twin sized double hourglass quilt that I will be donating to raffle off to raise money for literacy via Read Lead Achieve!

Right now all of the blocks of the quilt are together and waiting for me to add the border and quilt it.

The orange floral fabric is for the borders (and maybe the binding too) and the zig zag stripe is for the backing. Woo hoo for buying 5 yards of fabric at a time. I plan to quilt it with brown thread and some sort of simple curvy motif. Haven't yet decided what I'll do, but nothing too dense!

Linking up at this month's ALYoF party and WIP Wednesday!

Don't forget to enter our QCQAL kick off giveaway!

Finished Citrus Simply Woven Quilt

While this was my February ALYoF goal, it didn't get done until March, but I can totally accept that after waiting until after the 20th to get the last piece for the backing fabric. Next time I need to double check my backing yardage calculations twice before I order.

Here's the pictures from last night when I got all of the quilting finished:

I decided to bind it in the same fabric as the backing, so this morning I machine bound it. This was my first time machine binding a quilt, and it turned out decently well. A few places are a bit wobbly and my corners aren't perfect, but I can always improve!

Here's the backing with the three leftover blocks:

Here it is on the fence at my apartment complex. I got really fancy with these outdoor shots, eh?

Stats:

Blocks: Simply Woven via Moda Bake Shop made by members of the Stash Bee 2013

Background and binding : from Haven's Edge line

Size: 72 by 72 inches

Quilting: meandering loops in white thread

Started: November 2013

Finished: March 1, 2014

Future: picnic blanket -- Park Ranger husband and I are going to have some picnics on this blanket once it warms up.

February A Lovely Year of Finishes Goal

For February, I'd like to finish my Stash Bee quilt from last year!

I am going to keep it square and it will end up 60 inches square.

I ordered this fabric for the backing:

I will probably add in the leftover blocks on the back as well.

As far as quilting this one goes, I think that I will do some sort of large swirls or loops -- certainly nothing like my micro-meandering!

Linking up to ALYoF!

Finished Churn Dash Baby Quilt

Ta-da!

 Last night I finished up the last few stitches in the binding for this lovely little quilt! And that means my January Lovely Year of Finishes goal is completed too! Hooray!

After many, MANY hours of free motion quilting, this one is ready to go off to its new home.

As I might have mentioned previously, this quilt is for a college friend of my husband's and his wife for their first baby due in March. 

When I finished it my husband asked me if we could keep it or if I could make one exactly the same for him. I told him that I can make him one that's his own size rather than baby sized.

Stats:
Size: 48 inches square
Blocks used: Churn dash
Backing: Giant churn dash with borders
Fabrics: all from my stash -- a mishmash of matching fabrics.
For: Baby K due in March!

Linking up with Finish it up Friday and at A Lovely Year Of Finishes!

ALYoF January Goal

I'm finally back participating in 2014's edition of A Lovely Year of Finishes!

This month I am working on a baby quilt for college friends of myself and my husband. Since we don't know if they are having a boy or a girl, I picked this group of fabrics to make a churn dash quilt.

I didn't have much of the brown chandelier print left, so I went a head and used up that fabric first. I plan to make this one 4 blocks by 4 blocks without a border. Here are the ones that I have finished thus far!

If you haven't linked up your January goal yet, there's still time to do so! Also, Honey, Bunny, and Doll Patterns is now a sponsor of A Lovely Year Of Finishes -- so every month one winner will be receiving two of our patterns!

2013 A Lovely Year Of Finishes Round Up!

Because my fall was absolutely nutty, I didn't enter any ALOYF monthlies from September-December, but I did complete six months worth of finishes to be able to enter for the grand finale!

August - Potholders

June - Lattice Baby Quilt

May - Husband's Civil War Quilt

April - Lucky Square Quilt

March - Cartwheels Baby Quilt

February - Shoe Quilt

I'm going to be posting my January goal once we get back to Pennsylvania later this week when I can take pictures of the fabric I will be using!

Happy New Year to you!

Finished Potholders

I did the hand stitching on two of these and then decided to finish the rest by machine. It came out decently well, I still need to figure out how to make beautiful corners.

Here are all ten of them!

And here are all the backs!

The quilting isn't perfect so I'm not willing to share a close up, but they turned out so cute! I made extra so hopefully I'll have one to keep for myself!

Sharing my finish at The Lovely Year Of Finishes August Party!

August Lovely Year of Finishes Goal

Well, I didn't make my July goal. Boo. Guess I wasn't in the mood to work on a Christmas quilt.

This month, I am going to turn some of my scrappy basket blocks into potholders to give as gifts for my little bridal shower with a group of ladies from my church here.

 I'm not going to use all of my baskets and make potholders-- I think I need to make about 8.

And hooray for using up batting scraps! :)

Linking up with A Lovely Year of Finishes for August!!

July Lovely Year of Finishes Goal

The theme for my goal this month is Christmas in July!!

I want to finish up all of the blocks for and put the top together of my Basketcase quilt that I am making with my Blitzen jelly roll.

Here are all the blocks that I have finished thus far:

I should end up with 46 blocks total and I plan to use 42 blocks on the front and put the last four on the backing.

Happy Independence Day to you!