A Little Knitting, A Little Spinning, A Little Quilting

I can't believe how long it's been since I posted on my Blog..Life you know gets in the way sometime.

I have been doing a few things  with my time.

First, I knit a little hat  for Lillian.  This is a free pattern from The Knitting Siren.  It's called the Papallona Earflap Hat.

She lives way up in freezing Virginia so I can use some of my washable wool which is too warm for the South.

                                                                                                                                                                            One day  I finished spinning some yarn.
I have soooo much fiber I need to spin.














Then I finally finished my ninth Florabunda Block.  Only three more to go.  Each block has a sawtooth border.  Not looking forward to that.

Hearts and Flowers finally finished!

I finally put the last border on my Hearts and Flowers quilt.  This has been a rather fast journey.  I started this quilt on August the 28th and completed the top yesterday October the 8th.
The quilting will be another story since I don't seem to get that done too quickly.  I think the piecing is my favorite part.
I am debating with myself now-- trying to decide-- if I should take the border on the right off and turn  it around.
I didn't notice  how different it looks until I saw it in the picture.

I now need to get busy on some of my other projects...things I hoped to have finished by Christmas but are not looking so good since I became involved in all this applique'.

Hearts and Flowers Progress

I have been steadily working on my Hearts and Flowers quilt and am just about to reach the finish.  I have enjoyed this quilt and have not been able to work on any others since I started it.
My next decision is weather to use the fabric shown in the book for the last border or to choose a darker one.
I need to make up my mind because I am ready to finish this one so I can start the next one Lollypop Trees.

Margaret Bunny

I knit this little bunny for Lillian while she was here for a visit this past week.  Not the easiest thing I have knit.....I know Lillian is going to have fun with those ears.

It is a free pattern by Joanne Jongsma.  If you are interested in the pattern just type Margaret by Joanne Jongsma in your search engine and it will come up.
I couldn't get the link to work.

Hearts and Flowers Border One

I finally got the first border on my Hearts and Flowers quilt.  Lots of inside points  on this one.  I worry about them fraying so I think I over stitch them..  There must be an easier way.

Kim McLean's Hearts & Flowers

I finished the center of my Hearts and Flowers quilt. I think the hardest thing about this block was squaring it up after I finished...it's 25.5 inches square.
I am still not sure if it is exactly right but it will have to do.

"Lillian"

Don't you just wish  you could stop time and keep them babies forever?

Florabunda Block Eight!

Finished Block eight this weekend..four more and then we get to see what Erin does with the center and borders.
Erin of One Piece at A Time  is now doing videos on how she does applique' very informative.

And She's Off!

OK,  I just couldn't stop myself.  I started another applique' project.I have joined the group of quilters addicted to Kim McLean patterns.
This all started when I found the blog Glorious Applique.  The pictures just draw you in.
I also have a friend who does a lot of Kim's quilts so I can see how beautiful they are in person.
I decided to start with the Hearts and Flowers quilt in Quilt Romance by Kaffe Fassett. 
Since I didn't have any Kaffe fabrics  I ordered the fabric pack and started a stash. My fabric pack from Glorious Color came this week.

Trouble is all the fabrics aren't in the pack and I don't have a clue how to substitute or cut them up or use them to get a good effect. 

To be continued.

Rick Rack Nines - It's Really Big

Rick Rack Nines is from Leaders & Enders a Bonnie Hunter book.
She said this was a big quilt and she is right.
It has 290 nine patch blocks along with 20 half blocks all made from 2,670 - 2 inch squares.
I used just about every 2 inch square I could come up with on this one.
The alternate block fabric has little blue flowers on it but it doesn't show up in this picture.

What I need to learn is to read all the directions before I start a quilt.

I still have the borders to do but I'm taking a rest from this one.

Another Giveaway!

Pat over at Silver Thimble Talk is having a giveaway.
You should check it out but remember I' am going to win.

My other Hobbies

I finished another rug and also finished spinning the red yarn on the right of the picture.
There is also some wonderful fiber in the picture I have yet to spin.  It's from the Gale's Art  Etsy site.  She has beautiful fibers if you happen to be into spinning.

Keeping Up!

Block seven of Florabunda is complete.  Just in time block eight is supposed to be out this week.

Somebody Stop Me!

OK, I have finally decided I need help.  My friends already tell me I get way too many packages from Amazon.  I think Amazon has my credit card number on speed dial. 

I just love books and can't seem to control myself.  My latest purchase came today.

All of these books are wonderful and I have already found several things I want to make.

If only there were more hours in the day!

I haven't been able to post in a while because my old computer finally just gave up and died.

I bought a new one yesterday.  

I decided to get a new iMac and am so glad I did.  

I really like it.

There are lots of things I have to learn.   

It's very different from  PC.

Out of the Box & One More Finish!

My Snowball quilt is all quilted and bound.  I quilted it with a feather pantograph. 

Now  I need to just stop joining all these challenges

and sew alongs because I have so many UFO's I need to get to work on.

Speaking of UFO's  I bought another kit which will probably become a UFO. 

I have really been trying to get a little more color in my quilts and this should just about to do it.

I stopped at Intown Quilters Saturday and this quilt almost blinded me when I walked in the door.

The pattern is "A Piece of Cake" and is really simple looking but the fabric is outrageous.  I love it!

I also signed up for a BOM they are starting in February. 

It's all batiks.  Looks like a lot of fun and I love applique'.

Florabunda Block Six -- Lucky Me!

I can't believe I am already finished with six blocks of this quilt.  Erin from One Piece At A Time makes them so easy with her great instructions.  I am really enjoying this quilt and I especially like this block.

Today was my lucky day.  I won the charm squares from Kris at  The Quilting Garden. Thanks Kris. 

Now to come up with a plan to use them..

The Quilting Garden

Just learned about a new giveaway over at 
The Quilting Garden. 
Kris is giving away a Moda Charm Pack for her 5000th post. 
Jump over and check it out.

Busy Week

I got a couple of the quilts on my "Quilts Waiting to be Quilted" list finished.

Classic Blue & White was one of Little Quilts 2005 Second Saturday Sampler quilts.

The second quilt is from the book Jelly Roll Quilts and is called Pandora's Box.
I won a Mother Goose jelly roll from All Washed up in June 2009 and this is the quilt I made.

I quilted Classic Blue and White  with an all over design and used wool batting.

Pandora's Box also has wool batting and is quilted in a feather design.

I have also been working on my scrappy nine patch and snowball quilt. 

I sewed all the blocks together and now I just need to decide what kind of border

I want or even if I want a border. 

What do you think?

Chloe

We have company coming Saturday! 

Chloe my almost 5 year old Granddaughter will be here for a visit.

Her 5th birthday is on July 16th and she will actually sit still long enough now  for me to snap a picture.

No Strings Attached Challenge

Wow!  Lucky me.  A while back I entered Loft Creations

 No Strings Attached Challenge - hosted by Stephanie and guess what I won a prize.

Carrie P.  of  - A Passion for Applique -  donated the prize I won.  A wonderful box of strips.

My scrap quilts should be greatly improved by the addition of all this colorful fabric.