BOM blocks and a new project

The BOM blocks for January for my guild were fun to make.  There are two 12.5" blocks here.  I had fun going through my scraps looking for 18 different brights to make the 2.5" squares for the corners.  I love bright quilts, but I don't seem to make many of them so I don't have loads of brights.  I thought I would find some in the fat quarter collection I won at my December guild meeting (over 100 of them), but there weren't many brights in their either.  At least I have a good strong red group.

When I went on the Western Washington Shop Hop last June, I found this pattern I had to have.  I don't often use commercial patterns, but I fell in love with the example.  It is very hard to see in this photo, but there are some curves in this that are done in a Cathedral Window style.  Today, I finally got to the fabric store, gift certificate in hand, to buy the fabric I will use for this small quilt.

The color on the left is a deep rich plum that is repeated in the little pattern elements of the orange.  These fabrics are from different manufacturers, but they work really well together.  The middle batik is a much better color match than the photo shows.  I am pretty excited about getting started on this project.

This just makes my WIP list a little longer, but I really enjoy having several projects going at once.  That way I don't get bored.

I hope you are all planning a safe New Year weekend.

I am going to take a little break until at least Sunday.

Joyful quilting, everyone.

Wonky House 2 and a Mystery Quilt

Meet Wonky House 2.  I wanted it to have a Seuss flavor.  I added curves, window shashings, and fused trees to this one.  The problem I am having is that I want to keep the two I have made so far.  I have to come up with 11 to send in for the swap before March 1.  I am really enjoying the puzzle aspect to these blocks.  For the most part, I am piecing them.  For this one, I drew the design on freezer paper.  I labeled and cut out the different parts, then ironed them to the fabrics I wanted to use.  As I cut each one, I added 1/4" to each side.  I fused the window sashing to the windows before I sewed them to their adjoining parts.  I ended up fusing the trunk for the tree on the right, but the one on the left is pieced in.  If I do include this one in the swap, I hope the other person who gets it likes it as much as I do.

I am in charge of the Mystery quilt for my more traditional guild for 2012.  I have decided to use one of my own designs. These are the fabrics I am going to use.  The quilt is called Pinwheels in the Garden.  I am going to figure out how to link PDFs to this blog so I can share the clues here for anyone else who wants to join in.  This quilt will be a 48" square lap quilt without borders.  Borders can be added to make it bigger, or the number of 12" may be increased to make it even bigger.  I hope to put up the PDF for fabric requirements and cutting guide next Tuesday. I hope some of you will decide to join me in making this quilt.

Joyful quilting, everyone.

Wonky Houses and Four Patches

Ever since I started blogging and found Victoria's blog where she had people making house blocks, I have wanted a house block quilt.  I just haven't gotten around to putting one together.  So, when I saw this opportunity over at Jane's Fabric and Quilts, I jumped on the chance.  I will be swapping 12.5" wonky house blocks with 11 other quilters.  There is room in another group for more swappers if you are interested.  Above is my first wonky house.  I made another house block earlier to send to Beth at Love, Laugh, Quilt for a chance to win a few more.  She will do the drawing on January 1.

I have been working on these leaders and enders blocks for a while now.  I sewed a few hundred 2" squares into pairs.  Now I have been creating four patches.  I put a few of them up on the design wall just to see what it might look like.  I got these squares in a box at an estate sale a while back.  They were scissor cut and not all perfectly square, but I think this is going to be a fun quilt.

Today is my one year blog anniversary with this blog, and my 200th post on this blog.  All together, I have been blogging for over four years.  I love quilt bloggers the best.  You are the best, most supportive people out there in blogland.  Thank you so much for all your comments and encouragement.  I look forward to another year sharing my quilting life with you all.

Joyful quilting, everyone.

Bella and the doll

Bella liked the doll and has named her Dolly.  She even shared some of the stuffed friends from her bed with Dolly.  Later, Dolly went jumping on the new trampoline Santa brought Bella.  Dolly and Bella skipped nap today.

Dianne, Bella's other quilting grandma, made this incredible mini for me.  It is about 15" square.  I have always admired the Tree of Life pattern, but this is amazing.  Those HSTs are so tiny!  Thank you so much, Dianne.  I love it.

My SIL sent me these two wonderful fabrics from Africa.  The one on the right says it is from Ghana.  They are both "Guaranteed Wax."  Thank you, Willa.  I love them.

Tom had great fun in the fabric store.  In addition to a generous gift certificate, he picked out thesebeautiful fabrics.  Most are fat quarters, At least one is a half yard.  He also got me the clippies for hand binding.  He was laughing at me using my hair clips.  The green pin cushion is also from Tom and the red one is from Bella and her parents.  I am a very lucky woman to have so many supportive loving people in my family.

Have a joy filled day, everyone.