Finally a finished project....

For some reason I start on these tops and never seem to find the time to pull it all together. This was an easy Happy Hour quilt top that I managed to complicate but adding appliqued circles to the back and it had just drug on forever but it's a Thanksgiving gift so I had to finish it this weekend.

After it is was all complete I realized there was a small flaw in the fabric so one of the circles got this little runaway snowflake that I actually sort of like after I got over my initial shock.

Fabric Stash

I ended up in a quilt store on Saturday trying to help a friend pick out some back grounds for a quilt she is working and had no plans to buy anything since I have so many things started and have to finish things before Christmas. Well one look at these two fabrics and that was all she wrote. The first one is called "through the woods" by Maywood Studios and it's a really nice black on white and there is a coordinating snowflake fabric. I don't have any ideas yet what I'll do with it but it was too cool to leave it alone in a cold quilt store.

The second set is a line called French Country Roosters by Clothworks and it just has such a rich rust color I couldn't resist it and think I might try and make some place mats with this. Both of these will have to go on the 2010 list but gives me something to look forward to for next year.

Fall Houses

I was inspired awhile back by a quilt made by Stephanie at   http://makeitawonderfullife.blogspot.com/ that she called Trick or Treat and made in all fall colors. I absolutely love fall, love fall colors and couldn't resist making one of my own. Between her inspiration and the pattern by Sandy Bonsib, it didn't take me long to fall in love with these "nine-patch" house. So I finally have all the houses done and I'm working on setting them apart with a dark border and will decide from there where they go but I am positive it will have either a brushed homespun or flannel back.

It's beginning to feel alot like Autumn....

We don't get a lot of change of scenery here in Central Texas but a few years back I planted a maple tree in hopes of having some fall outside my sewing room. I looked up yesterday and low and behold it didn't let me down. Now I wish I had planted a few more.

Christmas Door Hanger WIP

With all sorts of projects in the works I couldn't resist starting on a Christmas project. It's all pieced and the applique is just laid out approximate and hopefully I'll find time during the week to sit at the machine and do some sewing and get this one knocked out early. It came together pretty quickly and might make a nice gift this year.

Round 3 - Quilt Along

Against my better judgement I have decided to jump in again and join round 3 of the Old Red Barn Co. quilt along. You can follow the progress of all the quilters on the flickr group at www.flickr.com/groups/oldredbarncoquiltalong2009 but the latest updates for the wonky blocks are being posted at http://www.quiltdad.com/ . I am using a Riley Blake fabric "Just Dreamy" and while I love the fabric once it's all sewn together it is much brighter than I had originally thought. Looks like a quilt I should make for a sick child to brighten their day. Any ideas or who might need a quilt to brighten up their lives at the moment? 

UT quilt in progress

Well I missed kickoff for the first game of the year but am still hoping to have this complete by the first "cold" weather kick off. Lucky for me we don't get cold weather in Austin any time soon. I am still playing around with the blocks and need a few more but overall not unhappy with it at this point.

We can almost see the finish line.....

If you have been following all the excitement on the "Iraqi Bundles of Love" website, facebook or twitter you know that we are getting very close to the finish line. The deadline for sending bundles is Tuesday, Sept 8th so if you haven't sent your bundle or still have more "fabric stash" in your closet you still have time to be a part of the fun. You can go to http://www.ibol.wordpress.com/ to follow along and see the lastest going on and how many bundles have arrived; you'll be amazed at how many bundles are there already!

Some other good news Mr. IBOL has proclaimed Sept. 6th as IBOL Sundae, so get yourself a nice bowl of ice cream with plenty of toppings, post a picture for history and enjoy with no guilt, you've earned it.

So go now and rummage through that closet, or spend some money to buy some new and help the America economy and build yourself a "bundle of love" and you'll feel the warmth all the way from Iraq to your heart.The women of Iraq are going to feel the love of the American quilters, sewers, knitters, crafters very shortly :)

Sometimes I wonder what will happen to all

my unfinished projects when I die. Whenever I go to antique stores and see all the lonely unfinished quilts and projects I feel the need to save them all. I found this quilt awhile back and the yellow sashing was in very poor condition, holes and rust spots etc. so I took it apart and added new sashing and now I'm trying to figure out how to quilt it. It will go much faster if I stipple it but since it's old I feel like I should take the time and hand quilt it. Why I feel the need to save other peoples unfinished projects when I have a closet of my own is beyond me.

Getting ready for some cool weather....

I can't hardly believe after 67 days of 100+ degree days it is 2:00 in the afternoon and only 87 degrees, woo hoo I think fall is just around the corner. So... I decided to pull out my rag rug I cut out last year and start sewing it together. It is about 95 % flannel. Here's the first run at laying it out to see how the colors work.

Where does all the time go....

Can it really almost be Labor Day? I've spent the last few days watching the memorial and funeral of Teddy Kennedy and was moved by his dedication to his family, so many things about him we never really saw or heard bout since everything always seemed to be about his political career. I knew of all the hardships and bad days but had never realized the love story he was living the last years of his life. We will truly miss him. I have recently been involved with a group spontaneously put together by the husband of an online quilter, Kristen LaFlamme. Art LaFlamme is in Iraq and leaving very soon and has summoned the online quilters to help put together boxes of fabric to be handed out to the women of Iraq before he leaves on Sept. 7th. Take a minute to stop by his site and check out the story and send a bundle of your own. He also have a "secret" group called "Old Mother Hubbard" to help put others things together for a another needy group but have about a month for this project. The project is operating under the name of Iraqi Bundles of Love at http://www.ibol.wordpress.com/ . Robin of http://www.simplyrobin.blogspot.com/ put out a seperate challenge when Ted Kennedy died for us to mail a seperate package and send in purple as an honor all he's ever done for these in need.
This is all such a wonderful experience and I thank them all for putting this together and allowing me to be a small part of it all.

Though my blogging has not been very successful I have actually been quilting and stitching and getting things done one day at a time.I have been very busy working on projects and trying to keep up with all the BOM's I've signed up for and try to still find time to quilt. This is my Chubby Chicks project I worked on early in the year but haven't had time to quilt yet working with orange.
In keeping with the orange theme I just recently started working on an improvisational quilt using some "Texas" orange. I was inspired to start this after seeing Stephanie's anniversary quilt in progress. You can see her progress at http://www.stephpea.typepad.com/. Eventually all my blocks will get squared up with white borders and I'm not sure yet if I'm happy with all the blocks yet. The longhorn is only paper for the moment but will eventually be appliqued on the orange square. I am also still mulling around having a gray border and would somehow like to have a large longhorn on the back. The blocks will be 12.5 " squares so I'll probably end up with 20 squares when it's all said and done and obviously won't make kickoff but it will probably be an early Christmas present so he can enjoy it during football season.

I am planning to start a new quilt-along with John from http://www.quiltdad.blogpost.com/ which will be wonky log cabins and I think I will do these in fall colors and since it all starts on Sept. 1st I really need to make a decision on this pretty quickly.

The last quilt along I did was hosted by Dana at http://www.oldredbarnco.blogspot.com/ and I did this one in reds and turquiose and once it was done it just said "summer" to me so I sent it to A&;G for them to use as a beach/water park quilt. I added the little bow to help keep it neatly tucked inside the backseat.

I ended using the leftover blocks on the back and then made them a label using a photo I had taken of them a year or so ago at Longwood Gardens in PA.