Design Wall Monday

I'm posting a little late today as I forgot to either upload my photos ahead of time or bring my camera with me to work.  My sewing goals changed a little during the week.  I did not get the remaining 3 borders on the Memorial Day Quilt.  I did make the BOM but did not sew it into the partial row.

However, I did get my Cathedral Stars quilt blocks placed in their new home and labeled the rows.  I have also sewn 6 ofthe 11 diagional rows although the photo doesn't show that.

I forgot that my scrap quilting club was meeting.  So Tuesday and Wednesday during lunch I cut my fabrics.  On Friday I made two blocks to take with me as a demo.  On Saturday and Sunday I worked diligently on this quilt top; did not want to put it up in pieces.  This is a distorted photo as I want to keep it a surprise for you blog hopper until the group meets next month.  I really like my distorted photo; maybe I should try that, huh. It's a free pattern online and I'll give you the details next month.  I have the rows pieced and 2 of the 5 borders have been added to the top.

I will give you a sneak peak of the project we will start in July.  I saw a video for this and decided this would be a great one to use strips.  It has a creative way of cutting that will be a great learning experience for the group.  Here is the makings of one larger block where the quarters haven't sewn together yet.

To see more design walls, go here.

-------------------------- Type-u-later, Tea in MO http://www.teaquilts.com

Design Wall Monday

I make progress on all my projects this week.  I made more siggy blocks for the wedding quilt and finished piecing the blocks for the Cathedral Stars quilt.  I have a layout in mind for the siggy blocks and will continue making the remaining squares needed this week.  I will layout the Cathedral Stars blocks and mark the rows; this should be farily easy as I used many different fabrics so they shouldn't meet up too much.  I also think I'm going to change the setting triangles a little to finish off the design in the border.  "I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel!"  Let's see...I only pieced 1,852 pieces for this quilt so far...

I do have a photo of the Memorial Day Quilt top in progress.  I added 3 borders since last week.  I still need to add 3 more plain borders to finish the top.  I changed the corner squares a little to make them "turn" the corner more smoothly by adding another flip square to each block.

On Saturday I collected block 11 of 12 from The Quilted Fox shop BOM.  We are making the same block but with different asian fabrics.  Here is an updated photo of my setting where I added another row this week.  On Sunday I cut the pieces for block 11 but didn't get around to piecing it.  So this week I hope to sew this block and add as much of row 4 as I possible can.  Thay way my top is almost finished; just waiting on block 12 next month.

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Type-u-later,
Tea in MO
http://www.teaquilts.com

Design Wall Monday

Another design wall Monday is here.  I've been having very busy weeks not only with quilting but also with exercising and family events.  First up is that I got the rows sewed on the Memorial Day quilt in progress.  I decided to add another fabric for the first border (even though I had already cut the strips) and never got around to cutting the new fabric.

The reason the above quilt top was not completed was because Friday evening I decided to make siggy blocks for my step daughter's upcoming wedding in July.  The shower was Saturday so I decided to start making the blocks to get the bridal party signatures out of the way as most of them will be busy with wedding activities.  Here are some of the blocks.  I still need to make about 100 or so more to have enough for everyone to sign their name and relationship to the bride or groom.  This will be a lap quilt and as they use it they can sort out the various relatives and friends that's difficult to do when families merge.

My final photo this week is of the Quilted Fox BOM.  We have 2 more to go...

That's it for me.  To see more design wall, hop over here.
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Type-u-later,
Tea in MO
http://www.teaquilts.com

Design Wall Monday

I had a little problem with blogger this morning.  Did anyone else?

I have a few things to share this.  First, I finished the border for one of my x-block quilts.  I really liked how it turned out.  I still have pieces cut from the border that I need to use in some project.

Then Friday I decided to start making the Memorial day quilt at Judy's site.  Why?  I have absolutely no idea and it makes absolutely no sense.  I have way too many UFOs and here is another.  I worked all weekend and have cut all parts and sewn through day 4.

While working on the previous projects, I chained on/off with my tri-recs pieces of the Cathedral Stars project.  I still have quite a few that need the 3rd piece sewn.

That's it for me this week.  I haven't been sewing much Mondays-Thursdays as I'm trying to incorporate exercise into my life.  I line dance 2 nights and then go to Curves for 2 nights.  Does anyone attend Curves on a regular basis?  I would love to know before signing a contract if that circle format gets to be a bore after a while.  To see more design walls, go here.
-------------------------- Type-u-later, Tea in MO http://www.teaquilts.com

SSBQG 2010 Retreat

Here are a few photos from our annual retreat.  We go to a bed and breakfast that set up for quilters/crafters in Greenville, IL.  This is our 6th year and as usual, we had a lot of fun.

We worked on x- block quilts.  To see my x-block quilts, go here.  I'll also show one of my x-block quilts that I worked on this week in which I pieced the border tomorrow.

Here is the photo of the miniatue quilts made for challenge.  Click the photo to enlarge it to see the quilts better.

Seven of of attended retreat; here are 5 of them at work and the sample for class.

Here are the other two participants; I'm on the left after just getting 3 hours of sleep.

Here are a few x-block quilts; I realized as I was editing the photos that I did not get a photo of everyone's quilt, so I can't share them all with you.

At retreat, the hostest put on a fashion show for us.  I won't spoil it for other groups that go here, but I wanted to share one photo.  This is the block pleated skirt with Peter Pan collar.  It was so hilarious.  They had a lot more outfits too.

-------------------------- Type-u-later, Tea in MO http://www.teaquilts.com

Finishes for May

I finally got around to taking and posting the photo for the Hidden Wells quilt.  It was started about 3 years ago and was so large that I delayed quilting it.

This little quilt is a miniature I made for a challenge.  I knew it would not hold it's own with the other group entries, but it was what I wanted to make so that's what I did.  My next post will show the other miniatures in the competition.

That's it for now, I have the retreat photos I'll post next and then I'm getting ready for design wall Monday's post.
-------------------------- Type-u-later, Tea in MO http://www.teaquilts.com

Design Wall Monday

First, have a great Memorial Day!  I still need to see where my family is meeting today to celebrate.  I've just returned home from a quilt retreat weekend.  I have a lot to show-n-tell that will be in the next few posts.  I'll post pictures of the miniature challenge we had and show more variations of the X-Blocks group project.  In addition, I will also photo of the hidden wells quilt I finally got photographed today.

First, for DWM, I worked some more on my Cathedral Stars top.  I now have 18 of 36 star blocks completed.  I put them on the design wall at retreat to show my progress before moving on to the next project.

Then I got to work on my Venetian Tiles (now called Crown Jewels) X-Blocks first quilt top.  This one is the first I started and made only a few blocks to teach in class.  So, I buckled down and made all the blocks and got the top pieced.  Now, it needs borders.

These are the border units I'm working on for the quilt above.  This border will have accurately sized units as opposed to the quilt tops listed below. 

Then, I started work on another X-Block project that I only had one block made prior to retreat.  I got all the blocks made and pieced it into a top.  I haven't figured out borders yet.  Do you see hearts?  If not, maybe you see what my retreat girls saw, women chests?  One said she would add lace, buttons, and something else I can't recall right now due to lack of sleep.

I did not work on these at retreat, but wanted to share this top that not quilted while on the subject.  Another X-Block design just to show the differences.

Again, another X-Block quilt top I haven't quilted to show design variation.

I feel like I should be listing something else but I can't remember.  However, if you enjoyed this design wall, go over to Judy's site to see more.

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Type-u-later,

Tea in MO

http://www.teaquilts.com

Design Wall Monday

This week I have been working on hand applique blocks and projects with my Scrap Quilting Club.

I have 3 blocks made for the Pushin' Up Spring BOM.  As mentioned last Monday, I made two blocks using the back basting method.  While I understand the need is necessary in certain applique designs, I will not be continuing the method with this project as placement is not as critical.  You can read my comments on this blog post.  Here are my completed blocks so far.  This is not my design (copyrighting the photo only), but a BOM available from Apple Blossom Quilts; click on newsletter and sign up.

Saturday my scrap quilting club met and we had show-n-tell on the Bento Box quilt tops.  In addition, the group's projects for the day was to make at least 50 signature blocks that will be swapped at a future guild meeting to celebrate our 25th anniversary.  For once, we are being proactive instead of reactive as the blocks are due at the August meeting.  Here are mine.  I made 100 blocks as I want people not participating in the swap to sign blocks for my quilt.

Then I gave the next assignment on the Cathedral Stars long term project.  The 305 4-patches were due this meeting so now I have assigned 100 HSTs; and if time permits, make 25 of the blocks on the left.  I'm working a few steps ahead of the group so I can provide assistance.  Here are my two blocks I sewed for demonstration and the rest of my pieces to complete all of the blocks.  The projects feels much more doable when the cut pieces becomes block units.

Hope you had a productive week too.  To seem more design walls go visit Judy.

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Type-u-later,
Tea in MO
http://www.teaquilts.com

Scrap Quilting Club

My Scrap Quilting Club met yesterday.  They reported in with their Modified Bento Box quilts.  The pattern can be found here.  Most of us swapped quarters and still the quilts look so different from each other.  Some participants missed this meeting as they were in class with a national speaker so more of these will be forth coming next month.

Twist and Shout from last month.  For more information on this pattern and class quilts, go here.

-------------------------- Type-u-later, Tea in MO http://www.teaquilts.com

Prize Mailed and 2nd Block Finished

All quilters need staples!  Not, the kind in a stapler, but these:

This is Mary's prize I mailed yesterday.  It includes 50 Moda Marbles charm squares in a collectible tin and charm squares of the Moda Shimmer collection.  These were some of my Paducah, KY purchases during the AQS show.  Have fun with these Mary.

I finished my second Pushin' Up Spring block (actually the 1st block in the BOM) using the back basting method.  The jury is still out as to whether or not I like this method.  It's advantages are that no templates are needed to draw out applique fabrics, the fabrics are accurately placed where you want it, and I didn't have to remove markings after block was completed.  Disadvantages, for me, were that it took longer to sew the block than with traditional applique and I felt a little lost in some areas when I needed to take out more basting stitches than normal to get an area just right.  Sometimes I felt as if I was sewing blindly, especially when I had to stitch over another applique fabric already sewn.  I've decided to do my third block in back basting method to see if I improve.  I love the technique and think I may have a way to satisfy at least one of my issues with the method.  This is not my design (copyrighting the photo only), but a BOM available from Apple Blossom Quilts; click on newsletter and sign up. 

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Type-u-later,
Tea in MO
http://www.teaquilts.com