Giant Starbursts

I finished two more blocks for my Starbursts quilt to add to blocks from the SD Bee . I love the bright cheery scrappiness so thanks everyone! Since the sun is coming with warmth these days, I laid them out on my deck to see how it is coming together.




Umm, the answer is awesome and HUGE. This is almost half of the blocks. They are not trimmed down since I need to match the thin white strips but still. It's going to be about 78" x 91" and I am not great at imagining what that actually looks like. So I was a bit surprised today. I have a bunch to make myself and the rest are trickling in. I'm not in a hurry though so don't need to rush anyone.

First Finish of he Year

Get ready for a gazibillion photos of the quilting.





















H'okay! The dots are from two polka dot charm swaps I participated in last year. One was with my guild and one was through Flickr.




It's a good size at 54" x 72". The backing is flannel dots as well but its a hot mess with the grey thread in so many different designs. I meant to donate it but am currently hanging on to it as a quilting design sampler.

I quilted most of it with the frame set up half size but finished the edges in the new location.

This quilt made possible through the generous support of Jim's garage.

Elven Garden Tassie Bush Fire Quilt Appeal

One of my potential minions put out a call for quilts today. You can read it here and help if you can.

Since I haven't decided how to run the universe (benevolent, diabolical, iron fist, there are so many options), I volunteered to make a quilt for those affected by the bush fires. Luckily I had not cleaned up from the last quilt so started cutting squares and slapping them up on my design wall.




So tomorrow I can put together the top and decide on backing. A bit of quilting, some binding and I could be done by breakfast. Except I like to sleep at night.




It should end up about 42 x 48, unless I get votes for borders or more blocks.

2013 Finish-A-Long

I'm glad to get back to the Finish-A-Long this year. I participated a few quarters last year but my trip to Turkey kept me from posting finishes and making up new goals. So here we go. It's a big list because I have high hopes for the new year. My general goal is to finish 24 quilts this year as well as a variety of smaller projects.

1. Red and Aqua Greek Crosses - the top is done so I just need to quilt, bind and gift. I know who it's going to and I may see them in person this spring.

2. Grand Bazaar Square Dance - top and backing are ready to go. This one is for me. Please look away from my list last January, this was on it.

3. Origins Original - top and backing are also ready to go. This doesn't have a place to be though yet. (P.S. Mom, that means it's not for you.) It looks like I started this in 2011 so it's not too old in the grand scheme of things.

4. Argyle from Turkey - the top is one piece so it's done, I am short a bit on the backing fabric and trying to decide what to do before I quilt it like crazy.

5. Rainbow Strips - top stage as well. I haven't decided on backing yet and only partially decided on the quilting.

6. Dot Swap Whirlygiggle - quilted and partially bound. I meant to finish this in 2012 but the plague wrecked that plan.

7. N's Great Aunt's Dresden - this just needs repair so I don't know if it counts for the FAL. It was passed over to me by a neighbor who knows I quilt and brought it over on the off chance I would know what to do. Otherwise she was just going to leave it in the alley.

8. Yellow Farm and Flannel - old top that I had completely forgot about it until I was sorting through flannel scraps in December. It is currently on the frame so should be the next thing quilted. Probably. I don't have a photo of it at the moment but this is the fabric.

9. Hometown - this was supposed to be a Christmas present but just didn't make it. I didn't want to rush the quilting just to meet that deadline.

10. Jungle Links - this top went together really quick but again the plague sidelined me. It's been taunting me from my design wall for over a week. Or something. I'm not sure how far we are into this year.

This is by no means all of the projects that I have in progress. I do bounce from project to project a lot but track everything in Excel. So far this year, I have 27 quilts that I would like to make, 22 that I've started and probably enough fabric for a billion more.

Lucky Stars BOM Test Block

I'm using all blue solids for this quilt. Here's the first completed one. The background is Kona Sky.

Mad Paper Piecing Skills

I meant to show you my mad skills but I had to take a nap after printing the templates. And then after picking the fabric.


So here's as far as I got on this project. I have a great plan to restart the year as soon as I feel better. I hear you can get a restart at Trader Joe's. It's probably organic.

2012 Bee Blocks

Just a Quick rundown of the SD Bee blocks that I made in 2012.
For Amanda




For Barb



For Pam

For Jen

For Theresa

For Susan




For Sandi, although for some reason I only have a picture of half at the moment. I'll update when I've recovered from the plague.



For me

Jungle Links

A co-worker's wife is due any minute and while it has been impossible to get any useful nursery information from him, she stopped by the last day of work and mentioned monkeys on the walls. I got a great selection from Hawthorne Threads.

I used a block from Modern Blocks and managed to keep this one baby sized at a little over 41 inches square.




The book recommends flipping the bottom strip on the block to make them line up but I liked them offset. I also left off the pesky side strip and just put a 3 inch strip to sash. Hmm, and I cut the center squares larger. I guess i used it more as inspiration really.


I've got a green flannel for the back and probably will bind in hot pink. If my cold meds kick in then I might hike over to Pippi (my longarm) and get it quilted up today too. I suspect it will take as long to quilt as it will to load it.

Also I noticed that I blogged half as much this year and have 3 times as many followers now.  If I stop blogging altogether I would probably be crowned Empress of the World.  Since I'm not ready for that kind of fame, I will try to blog just enough to stay incognito.

I'm a Maker

I'm also a sleeper so didn't do proper photos. But I made a zippered pleated wristlet.


And look, there's proof of a great photo under the glass of my desk.

Making Plans

Our guild is taking part in the Madrona Road challenge with many other modern quilt guilds in the next few months.