February Challenge report

 Well, February has about come to an end. I wasn't sure I would make it, but all my challenges for the month got finished.

Embroidery challenge .. Baltimore Album.

There are 40 blocks, half are redwork. Blocks are 8.5"

Piecing challenge .. Judy Martin's Celebration

I cut the colored squares at 2.5 instead of 4.5, so I just made them 4 patches and moved on, instead of cutting them all over again. 

Scrap challenge .. Turned a box of green scraps into about 75 blocks .. 8.5" block

Also got a few other things done.

Got the boxes top pieced together. It is ready to quilt.

Used leftover pieces from cutting triangles with the AccuQuilt and made this.

Got my March snowman wall hanging for the studio embroidered and quilted.

Am currently quilting my cousin's wall hanging of Lorelei Ladies.  30" square.

Challenges for March are ..

Embroidery .. Mushrooms and floweres

Piecing .. Black, white and red blocks

Scraps .. Turn a HUGE bin of white scraps into 8.5" blocks. I could make 100s.  Some of this might just get thrown out if I get tired of making them. 

March might get tricky. I want to start planting and getting my hands in the dirt, so I might need more hours in my days. haha

Pumpkin Village

 The Village is all sewed up and ready for its new home...my sister's...naturally. She buys most of my quilts. I believe she might be running out of wall space. haha

It was a BOM from somewhere. I need to write those things down. 58" square.  I used felt for the applique....just because I have a ton of it. Lots of hand sewing and LOTS and LOTS of buttons and beads. So, the quilting went a little wonky around some things. haha

Those top 4 corner blocks had pieced leaf blocks, but I didn't want to do that, so I did my own thing....embroidery, naturally.

I love the quilt show. I've never made 2" quilts...until now. haha

There are some 3D things....like the purple broom end.

Can you see the sewing machine and scissors in the window? Sunflowers are 3D.

I love how they made the doors as books.

I used my embroidery machine to make the signs, rather than embroider them by hand.

Back is a green....a darker olive than this pic.  Between the camera and me, it's a wonder I get any pictures that are recognizable.

Top thread was So Fine Bone and bobbin was So Fine olive. Normally, I don't use So Fine for both top and bottom.

Gotta go load the next quilt....it's a surprise, so you won't see it until the recipient gets it.

January Challenges all met...and then some.

 I am happy to report that all my January Challenges were finished. A good start to the new year.

Let's see what was on the list.....

Make blocks from the HUGE pile of black scraps....done.

Embroider Mylar Boots.....done.

Since the boots have Mylar in them, they are all shiny. I made hats and horse and riders for the corners. Pink background fabric and a dark green print for sashing. Might have enough of that green for a border.

Do something with the huge pile of 2.5" zebras....done and done.

All different configurations of borders. I made about 120 of these and then quit.

 But, there are still over hundred zebra squares left…so, I made these with scraps I got from the quilt famous Scott Murkin.

 

And, when I ran out of zebras, I used the rest of Scott’s fabric to make these.

 

Other accomplishments for January include…

 

A Facebook BOM…Bona Lisa

This is the first block

 

And, she got a hat and scarf

And she has sweaters…

 

 

The first of the month I will get the next installment.

 

Also found on Facebook,  SAHRR….Stay At Home Round Robin.

You use any block you like for the center. Each Monday you get a block from a different designer to use for your next round. So far, we have 2 rounds.

 

 Sweet Pea BOM…Houses

This is a large block, made in 2 parts and sewn together. The first Thursday of each month you next the next block. So far, just the first one.

 

I made my February snowman Wall Hanging and got it quilted.

 

Molly Mine released new embroidery quilt designs. This is Part 1..blocks 1-4. The idea is to make 4 of the same blocks and put them together as 1. Not sure I will do that or leave them all single.

 

My cousin gave me a set of Lorelei fabrics. They are all sewing related and have some Sassy Ladies. This is what I came up with to use them. It is about 64 x 72”. I still have pieces left from most of the fabrics.

 

And I am working on my Boxes quilt top here and there.

Here is the inspiration…

 

This is what I drew up…

 

I have almost half of the boxes put together so far.

 

I think that is all of my January. I didn't realize I had done so much. haha

The challenges for February are…

 

1.        Turn this box of green scraps into blocks.

 

2.       Piece the Judy Martin Celebration quilt. I have had the pieces cut out for some time, just waiting for me. When I looked at them yesterday, I discovered that I had cut the white and black pieces correctly, but the scrappy pieces are cut the wrong size. So, there will be some finangeling going on with this one.

 

3.       Embroider Baltimore Album blocks. There are 20 embroidered and 20 redwork. I decided to do them all. Should be fun.

 

Of course, I will continue with…

 ..Bona Lisa

..SAHRR

..BOM Houses

 

That should keep me busy for a while.

Stay at Home Round Robin

 I have decided on my center block.

It's a left over St Louis Cardinals star block from my cousin's quilt.

Block is 12.5"

Ready to get started.

New Year....new challenges

 This year I am again challenging myself to do certain things each month.

January's list is....

1.  Use that ton of black scraps and make blocks....DONE!  I made 117  8.5" blocks.

2.  Piece the zebra blocks....there are over 200  zebra squares that I am framing. So far, I have 59 finished. I am quickly losing interest in this project. But, I shall push myself to finish.

3.  Embroidering colorful Mylar cowboy boots. I will make 30 of them. I need 12 more to finish.

4.  Sweet Pea's BOM....Houses. DONE!  I finished January's house today.

5. Bona Lisa's BOM. I keep finding cute applique projects on line and sign up. haha

This quilt has a skeleton in the middle and the border blocks are sweaters that she has knitted.

I just started and am cutting out fusible parts. Hope to have the middle skeleton fused down today.

And I have 2 sweater blocks to do also.

If you need me, I'll be at the sewing machine....or the ironing board

This is Sweet Pea's January house. It is done in 2 parts....About 12x20"

These are some of the black scrappy blocks.