Virtual Retreat and Guild Community Service..Oh my.

On February 29th, Leap Year Day, I participated in my first Virtual Quilting Retreat. This was held on the internet with some new friends I met there. Throughout the day we would post photos of the types of projects we were working on and discussed different Quilting topics. Heaven for me! Hubby had to be on hold for the day as I took up residency in the Dining Room as my temporary sewing room.

I started the day off with a cup of coffee and began to post photo's of my propoesed quilt I wanted to work on. I never really worked on the said quilt instead I made some tiny progress on my houses. The Lorax quilt that I started kept making me think way too hard so I put it on hold for awhile. I still want to get back to working on it someday when the mood hits.
We also hosted a Siggie Swap where individuals sent in their signature square and they were traded back out.

I recieved a total of 8 squares and after the retreat was over and this is the Quilt I created.

After the Retreat was over I needed to prepare things for the Community Service Night at My Local Guild. I asked a Representative from the Crisis Pregnancy Resource Center to come to the Guild meeting scince we are going to Donate baby quilts to them. Someone took this photo and it made the the front page of The Baytown Sun .

Afterwards I lead my local Guild in making Community Service Quilts. Over the past 6 months or so I've been collecting scraps from the guild members. After I receive them I would sort them into different catagories. The scraps smaller a fat quarter to be cut down into usable sizes, separate the yardage and the leftovers smaller than 2 1/2" would be saved as strings. It's these Strings that we used to make these quilts. We used the Quilt as you go technique from Mary's Quilts http://www.maryquilts.com/heartstrings-qayg-blocks/ in her tecnique you use a square of batting and a square of background fabric and sew strip across them to create a prequilted block. The idea is very simple and when you recieve the blocks back they are already quilted so there is no need to send them to the quilter.

Here are some of the ladies at the guild discussing the quilts.

Here are is some of the fun we had, We also sewed strips into sets to create a Coin Quilt.
Here Delores helps cut the presewn strips.
I sent several ladies home with fabric and at this Month's meeting I recieved many presewn blocks and fabric strips. I hope this technique inspired the Members to use up these smaller fabric pieces. This month I sent 10 members home with these QAYG squares. I sent 10 home with fabrics to cut into 10", 5" squares and 2 1/2" squares. I recieved more donations this month than would fit in my Jeep, so my sweet friend was able to take it in her car, and let me pick them up from her at Work. I'm so thankful that we have such generous people in our Guild.

Tanya

My houses 21-32 and a completed top an Auction Quilt

The first subdivision is comming right along. Wow, I'm now into the first week of February and 4 half rows done. If you look close I'm adding a cheater block here and there.

Blocks 21 and 22

23 and 24, thanks to my friend Elizabeth, for helping me find the cute snowmen.

25 and 26 the one on the right is my quilters dream house with my very favorite fabric (wonky quilt blocks) as the roof pins in the door and a painter's pallate as the windows.

27 looks like a Summer Cottage and 28 The house where love resides. Roses for upcomming Valentine's Day.

29 and 30 has a green floral print (around the door) I used in an outfit I made for my daughter when her grandma was going through Chemo treatments. She picked out the fabric and I even made a Bandanna to match.

31 is Bow the cow, when my family went to the amish country a few years ago. we stayed at a place where ther were cows that roamed right infront of our cabin. One had a cute white patch of fur in the center of her head that looked like a bow. I really love the Amish country and the simple life. and 32

The last photo is my completion for January. A friend asked me to make a quilt for her for a Homeless Auction. She handed me a bag of precut squares and it contained the brown ticking border and the inner border and binding. In out Community Service materials I found the pre appiqued center. I just trimmed it up to the width and length of the blocks. I added a few more pieces of the floral to the quilt to help it sparkle. Wendsday I sent it to the quilter and Yesterday I got it back. I've been binding it today during the Super Bowl. I'm almost done. I think it turned out lovely. Hopefully I remember how to make a seamless binding. Ugh...

Tomorrow is the Guild meeting and I need to bring my community service project stuff.

Tanya

The Modern Bee

On Sunday I was invited to attend a bee with some of the girls from the Houston Modern Guild. Knowing that I always arrive everywhere late I decided to pack the night before and leave a little early. Scince I left early I actually arrived early. I met Amy, and started to unpack my stuff. I was so happy to be at a real sew-in in over 6 months. I started marking my quarter square trianges that were due to swap the day before. While marking these little squares I was intrigued by several of the cute wonderful colororful mini quilts. And then I noticed the Chest or cabinet where Amy stores her fabric. It was vertical. I have never seen a vertical stash before.

I soon started sewing my quarter square triangles. I was going to town, hoping to complete this task before I left the bee. I sewed on both sides of the diagonal line one way and then decided to sew diagonally the other way too, and in no time all of my stitching was compete. So all I needed to do now was to cut the triangles apart and resew them. That's when it hit me. Holy cow! I just made 40 x 4 Barbie party hats. I sewed 2 sides of the triangle together to create a triangle with 2 sewn seams. Oh well at least I brought my seam ripper and that's what I did the rest of the bee. The FROG STITCH!

No matter, the conversation went from places to purchase online fabric, to fabric styles, and types of projects. I even pulled out my houses and shared them too. Liz brought her Ipad and was sharing differnt places on the web to discover. From new rulers to neat patterns.

Amy worked on hand quilting and Fe was attaching the binding to a baby quilt using a wide Zig-Zag. It turned out really cute. I'll have to try that sometime. Gabi was working on assembling a quilt that had rings of blocks. It looked really cute too.

I had a really fun time. We even planned a game night. I cannot wait.

Oh and I discovered a Virtual Retreat recently. It's on facebook and on February 29th quilter's from around the world will be participating in an all day sew-a-thon. Mostly it is to connect people from all over who would not be connected other wise. We even planned a fun signature-swap.

Tanya

First Street of Houses , Scrappy Happy Drive...

Wow, I've completed 20 houses! I needed to get a little ahead scince I'm working tomorrow and Tuesday. I cannot beieve I'm actually doing this, This seemes like the first quilt in a while I have stuck with. Each block is so charming. This is the most fun I've had in a while. It is very liberating. I forgot how much I loved scrap quilts. I'm not planning any colors other than trying not to put too many brights in a row or I'm adding darker colors with the brights. I'm repeating fabrics here and there.

Here is how I am assembling the addtional rows. I'm attaching the cornerstones to the sashing strips on one side and also to the bottom of the houses.

These are then sewn together. Scince the first row is going to be the top of the quilt this next stip does not need to have a strip across the top.

I then sewed the rows together. I attached half of the 3rd row because 1) I don't want to lose any houses. 2) I want the quilt parts to be together when I bring this with me places. When I attach the rest of that row I'll have to unstitch a few stitches before attaching it..

This is only one half of the width of the entire quilt. I kinda wish I would have stopped with 7 in a row to indicate a week but 8 is nearer to the halfway mark. I am planning on making the top corner then after this section is complete I'll add vertical rows. to complete the top half of the quilt. I'll do the same with the bottom section. After that I'll start on the middle section of the quilt. I think this will be the easiest way for me to take it along. Thanks Jeanneke, for this wonderful project. I love it.

Tanya

Door Installations and Houses 9,10,11,12

Started the day a little slow. I started with the outer blocks of the Pink Lemonaide from HumbleQuilts. I managed to make 2 blocks and then got on to the Construction Zone. Scince I was still working with some 1930's repro's I decided to make a house out of those colors. The picture turned out really bright so I'll shoot it again when I have the row together.

The doors installations went very well. I really like only having to make the decision of 2 colors for the Door and the door frame. I think I'll do this process with the roof's as well plus Ill get rid of some of those 2" half square triangles that have been hanging around waiting for that special project.

House 10 had some odd color combo's but it looks nice.

House 11 looks like a purple log cabin.



Block 12 Freckled Sky with pink pansy's in the window.

After I constructed these today I went to Church and visited with the Quilting Ladies there and had a nice dinner and we sorted fabrics into color boxes. A new Wooden cabinet was installed at the church before Christmas to hold the fabric bins. Awesome. This should make it easier to get the fabrics out for quilt kits and making the process of assembly much more proficient. It was nice to feed the soul and fellowship with my friends. I took one box of very small pieces home to Iron and weed out the tiny pieces. I was able to Iron 3/4 of the box.

Goodnight, hopefully tomorrow I'll have time to construct a few more houses. I really do not want to be behind on this because I know it will be very difficult for me to get back on track.

Tanya

Pink Lemonaide

So I was tempted to try the PinkLemonaide blocks from Humble quilts. Aren't they cute. She is offering a Quilt Along at http://humblequilts.blogspot.com/. She is posting part of the pattern it is free and you can follow along with her instructions. I'm making mine using 1930's repro's. Mabye I'll get the other blocks done today?

Tanya

Building Houses 4,5,6,7,8 and Bubblegum blocks

I spent the day building more houses. I found it easier to find the roof first and then plan the rest of the house. Which is completely different than actually building a house.

Sometimes the window fabric works sometimes not. The Geisha house did not want to be contained so I let her have the entire wall.

The tiny bee was a suprise I didn't know I had.

A little flower power.

How about a Sunroof or sunflower roof.

Some fabrics scream and want to be bright and I try to pair them with some toned down fabrics. Scince I'm planning on using everything I don't want a perticular block to stand out too much. That is what was happening with the house with the yellow front. The yellow was way too bright so to tone it down some I added a vine to the yellow and to the green I added stripes. I used a green Micron on the yellow and on the green I used a black micron and a ruler. I eye-balled the spaces between the stripes. I'm planning on taking these little cuties to work with me. I'll be at work tomorrow and Saturday is our annual sale and I'll be exhausted after that. So I needed to have my blocks for those days done.

Yesterday I started cutting the blocks for the Just takes 2. I used the Back basting method to make the 4 heart block, and ...Yes, I'm a lefty.

I used a pencil to trace the pattern on the backside of the block. Then I used a thread darker than the piece I'm appliqueing to baste on the drawn line.

These are 6" blocks and they are easy to complete. I don't think they all will be 6" but they are fun to make and you don't have to choose a new fabric with each new combination. The one on the left is block 1 I still need to applique the circle in the center. the block on the right is the square in a square it was pretty easy to do and after each step they had you true up the section.

Whew, now to finish appliqueing the hearts...

Tanya

Sashing the Houses

After thinking about it for a few days I decided I need to add the sashing as I go. I'm planning on bringing this little quilt to the Quilt Shop where I work on the day's I work. I needed something that will hold up to this type of travel. I decided to use a solid black #1 there is no right or wrong side #2 black does not compete with the patterns going on in my blocks. I'm trueing my blocks up to 3 1/4" and the sashing strips are going to be 1"x 3 1/4" with 1" cornerstones. I am choosing to use a wide varity of colors for the cornerstones and use up all of those tiny little 1"scraps.

I sewed the top and bottom of the sashing strip to the block first. I laid out the other sashing strip and cornerstones. Then I stitched the cornerstones to the sashing strip.

Next I pressed all of the seams toward the sashing strips.


I made sure to pin at the begining and end of each piece. That way I could ensure straignt seems and locked innersections.

I uploaded pictures on how I attached the rest of the row using the same process.

Now to go make block (4)

Tanya

House 3 and FREE red and white inspired blocks

I completed House 3 tonight a little after midnight. I just love searching for the window fabric. This one turned out so bright and cute. They seem to take on a personality of their own. Mabye tomorrow I'll make 2 so I can have an extra one for one of those days I might miss.

I discovered a new freebie today at http://www.sentimentalstitches.com/The blocks are inspired from the Red and White Quilts Exhibit. If you sign-up for it Takes 2 you will be able to get a set of blocks each month. It is up to you to remember to go get them and after the month is over they will no longer be free. If you want to add the embroideries they are available for $2.00 each month. After reviewing my stash I decided to use Pink and White instead of the red. For some reason I had 7 yards of this bright Pink and did not know why I bought it and that is how much you need for the color.

I hope to start these cute little blocks tomorrow.

Tanya

New Year House...

Wow I actually made a house today. Today's house I used the scraps from a project I'm working on today. I hope you enjoy it. So now I'm up to a total of 2 houses. one extra just incase I miss a day.

Today I was working on a mariner's compass block. With these colors. I hope to show you soon when I have it more complete.

I also found out that my #5 on my UFO list is the quilt I will be working on this month. Tweedle -Dum. The center of the quilt is done I just need to Applique the vine border. I'm excited to see if this challenge will work for me.

I'll post some pictures soon.

Over the Christmas Holidays I've been cleaning out the attic. I'm getting rid of old clothes and other craft items I'm no longer interested in.

My New Year’s wish for you… Hope for new opportunities, Have faith to handle daily challenges and disappointments and Love and cherish life and share the joy of love with others every chance you get. Through God All things are possible.

Tanya