Quiltpiecer

This is my second Y2K 2000 Charm Quilt Top which  I started in 2006.   I hope to have it completed before the end of the year.  Well, that’s the plan, anyway! I completed my first Y2K quilt in 2004 which I gave as a gift.  And, although this top is not technically a "finished" quilt, it has taken so long to complete that I have to count it as a weekly finish. It seems only yesterday that we were at once excited and anxious about the new millennium.  To celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime event, many quilters wanted to create a Y2K quilt with 2000 different squares (“charms”) of fabric.  There were many swapping groups, and I participated in several. I was able to collect enough charms to make THREE quilts, each with 2000 squares!  So, here we are many years later, and I’ve barely finished piecing the second top.  Hopefully, I can get it quilted before the end of the next decade! And, yes, I still have 80 more “squishes” stored away, each with

I’ve been creating kids quilts for Project Linus since 2001 and have donated close to 50 quilts.  But over the last couple of years, I really haven’t made any quilts to donate.  I do have 11 quilt tops that I’ve had sitting around for at least a year.  For whatever reason, I’ve never gotten around to quilting them.  So I decided to bring them out and get busy quilting them so I can donate them to Project Linus.  They’re about crib size so not very big which makes them quick and easy to quilt.  Maybe I can get a couple finished this week … that's a big maybe!

A few days ago, I posted about this quilt top here . It took me a while, but I managed to sew all the rows and finally finished the center of the top.  I still need to sew on the borders.  Maybe I’ll finish it before the end of the month. Happy quilting! Update 2012 :   I never finished this project and sold it on Etsy, with  2 yards of fabric for the outside border and 13 leftover charms. 

Last week I posted here about the  Striped Quilt Challenge that Beth at Love Laugh Quilt has been hosting.  And, I believe today was the last day of the challenge, although I don’t think a finish was “required”.  It’s all about having fun and quilting!  I managed to get this small quilt top finished, and I’m pretty happy with it, especially since I had a limited stash to work with.  I do like how the stripes make the pinwheels look like they’re moving.  Not so much in the picture, but in person they almost make you dizzy if you stare at them too long.  I hope to have it finished by the end of this week. I hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day holiday! UPDATE:  Sold flimsy top on eBay in June 2011

How many of you have the same problem I do with taking pictures of quilts?  I always struggle with this.  Should I place it on a bed?  What about the floor?  Or maybe a chair or a couch?  I know!  Wouldn’t it be better if I can get someone to hold it up for me?  Oh, sure it would, but around my house, that’s like pulling teeth!  If I’m lucky enough to snag DH or DS for the job, I’d better be super quick and not take too long!  Or else this happens: And, I’d better not take more than one picture of the same quilt, or I will get “the look” … you know, the look that says “you gotta be kidding!  Again?!  Better hurry or I’m outta here!” No weekly finish today, but lots of WIPs!  I’m so glad September is here and that school has started.  I’m looking forward to the fall season and cooler weather.  Have a great weekend!

Beth at Love Laugh Quilt   has been hosting a Striped Quilt Challenge; and this is the last week of the challenge which, of course, ends this weekend. Here is Beth’s quilt … isn’t it beautiful!  When I saw this, I was inspired to make my own striped quilt. And, when I joined a month ago, I really believed that I would not have a problem … at least starting a project and even believed that I would surely finish one before the challenge ended.  But here I am, just a few days left,  and all I’ve done is cut a few strips.  I hope this counts as a “start”! At the time, I knew I had some striped fabric, but I happily envisioned myself going to the fabric store to add to my stash!  Well, that didn’t happen.  And, my limited stash gave me no vision and no plan, so I had to go online for inspiration: I’m still not sure what I’m going to do.  I’m thinking maybe pinwheels or hourglass blocks, but I do so love the zig-zag design!

I have made some progress on my Charm Pack Quilt Along by Karrie Lyne over at Freckled Whimsy .  Still need to sew all the rows then sew on the borders.  Maybe it’ll be a Friday finish … hmmm? Here’s the one by Karrie Lyne: I really like this design and have decided to use it for my Charm Pack quilt: I’m also participating in a Postage Stamp (1-1/2” charm) swap by Subee Sews Quilts .  There are 25 baggies with 50 charms in each one. These are ready to go and will be mailed out today.  The deadline is September 15, but it is an ongoing swap.  If you’re interested in participating in the next swap, click here for more info.

Hallelujah! My “quilt of errors” is FINALLY finished!  Well, at least the top is finished … I am so happy to finally get it done.  I’m also happy to report that I used up all my patriotic strips/scraps on this top.  Read about my progress here . I really like the border with the delectable mountain blocks.  This was my first time making the block and had to improvise because I didn’t really have a pattern.  The blocks were not so easy to make and are definitely not perfect. The top is much bigger than I anticipated, finishing at 85” square.  I’m sure this will nicely cover a queen-size bed. Can you believe I was originally going to make it with 12 blocks?!  This is so big that I had to move the furniture out of the way just to take a picture. Anyway, making this quilt top was definitely a learning experience.  And, even though there was plenty of frustration, I’m happy with the outcome and am planning to make another one ~ some day ~ but with different fabrics.  N

Karrie Lyne over at Freckled Whimsy is having a Charm Pack Quilt Along.  Yeah, I love to quilt-along!  And I also love the 12 Days of Christmas by Kate Spain for Moda.  They’re already on week three, but I just started working on my HSTs so I’ve got some catching up to do.  Here’s one by Kim using the same charm pack: I can’t wait to get my Charm Pack quilt finished, but first … … I need to finish my log cabin “quilt of errors”.  I have made some progress, and I’m thinkin’ I’m likin’ it!  Check out that middle block … I think it adds character, don’t you?  I’m thinking I’d like to do something other than just a plain border.   We’re heading to Berkeley again this Friday, so not sure if I’ll have this top done by then … but I’m working on it.

I received my first blogging award - The Versatile Blogger Award – from Michelle at The Desert Quilter !  Thank you so much … I am honored!  I was totally surprised when I read Michelle’s email this morning; and I was very touched by her recognition. The award comes with a few easy rules: Thank the person who gave you the award.  (Definitely!) Tell 7 things about yourself. Award 15 other bloggers that you enjoy reading. 7 Things About Me: I will be married 27 years this December; have three grown children; and 5 grandchildren. I love to read almost anything, but crime fiction is my favorite.   I love movies; thrillers and dramas are my favorites. I hate to cook but love baking. My favorite subject in school was English (love to write). My current favorite TV show is The Closer. I worked for over 20 years as a public service employee, and am a retired Code Enforcement Officer (worked long hours and definitely not overpaid). 15 Blogger

Another busy week and not much quilting was done … still working on my #$@ “quilt of errors” log cabin quilt.  I couldn’t stand it so I took apart the center of all 28 units and sewed them correctly.  Time-consuming, yes, but it would have taken me longer to make 28 replacement units. Anyhow, DS#1 is back from his summer session at Berkeley.  None the worse for wear.  He loved his classes but found his math class very challenging.  He hated the dorm but will have to live with it again in the fall.  He has a one-week break and goes back next weekend for the new school year. So on the way home from Berkeley, we drove by this vehicle engulfed in flames.  I felt bad for the folks standing by the road, but it seems they were able to save their belongings.  A little excitement on an otherwise boring and uneventful ride. I took the picture with my new toy ~ a Samsung Vibrant Galaxy Android phone ~ got it in the mail just before we left on our trip: I had a Razor

28 Log Cabin Units It was definitely a busy week, and I didn’t get as much sewing done as I normally do.  I’m still working on the patriotic log cabin quilt that I started this past Sunday … and it’s turning out to be “a quilt of errors”! I thought this’d be an easy quilt to piece … surely I’d have the top finished by today.  And I think that was my first error … thinking the log cabin block is very easy to sew, I didn’t pay too much attention.  After completing my first block (below) and posting about my error here , I decided to go forward with more *wonky* units.    First 16-unit block I calculated that I needed 44 more log cabin units.  When I finished the last one, I was so happy.  I was looking forward to sewing the blocks together and then into rows.  I could see the light at the end of the tunnel … and then I made a second 16-unit block.    Second 16-unit block Hello! What happened?!   The first and second blocks don’t match … third error!  Not on

Several months ago, I posted here about my friend Mary and the Quilts of Valor her quilting group makes. Unfortunately, I was unable to continue with the group but I did manage to make one QOV.  This is my contribution which Mary added to the group of quilts she took to the   Sew Vac in Long Beach. Although I can't continue with the group, I told Mary I would continue to make QOVs to contribute to her group.  She was more than happy to accept my offer! Remember, the best things in life are quilted.

This little project snuck in before all the other projects on my *to do* list.  I have no idea how that happened!  Well, okay, yes, I do know … After making this quilt for Stacie’s It’s A String  Challenge , I still had quite a few leftover strips: They’d been sitting on my cutting table for over a month, and they kept staring at me.  I kept telling them they had to wait their turn.  I tried hard to ignore them, but they kept bugging me.  I finally decided I had to do something with them or else they would drive me crazy!  So, I  decided I would do a patriotic log cabin quilt … how hard could that be?  I’d already made one log cabin quilt about 4 years ago: So, I looked through my collection of books and magazines for a log cabin pattern and finally settled on a traditional design.  After making my first unit, I realized I didn’t exactly follow the pattern when sewing the white and print logs.  I didn’t think it was a big deal so long as I was consistent, s

In addition to “collecting” fabric, I also collect quilting magazines.  When I first started quilting, I think I bought every magazine that was published … and saved each & every one of them!  Over the years, I accumulated tons of magazines.  When I started to run out of storage space, I knew I had to purge my “collection”.  I have finally narrowed my collection down to those magazines I enjoy the most:  BHG American Patchwork & Quilting; Fons & Porter Love of Quilting; McCall’s Quick Quilts; and Quiltmaker.  And I only keep five years’ worth, so, for now, my magazines go back to 2005. I love going through my old magazines.  Every once in awhile, I’ll pull out a few magazines just to flip through them.  It’s like going through a new magazine!  That’s how I stumbled upon this plaid dorm quilt from a Fons & Porter magazine.    Plaid Dorm Quilt from Fons & Porter I’d been wanting to make a quilt for DS#1 for quite some time.  I had a collection