Sew Cal Gal's May FMQ Challenge

Choo Choo Train

 When I first saw Leah Day's FMQ design/tutorial for Sew Cal Gal's May challenge, I knew I had to do something with a train. My grandsons love trains. So I decided to combine some of my new FMQ skills and create this pillow top. I found a coloring book train image on the internet and printed it. I then used last month's technique to transfer the design on to the fabric.

I guess you could say that I "thread painted" the windows and filled in areas in the train.

Small scale "zippling" to fill in behind the train.

Boxy Railroad tracks around the border.

Learning and applying all of these new FMQ skills has really improved my confidence, I feel like I would be willing to try any design.

I'm linking up with Sew Cal Gal for the May FMQ Challenge and with Happy Quilting for TNT Thursday because of all the new FMQ designs and "thread painting".





Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Choo Choo Chugging Along

I like trains! So I decided to stitch one on a pillow!

Coloring book train

 I used the tulle technique to transfer the design onto the fabric. I really like this method, click here to see.

Train stitched

I have a lot more to do on this piece. I plan to zipple (Leah Day's straight line stipple) behind the train, then use Sew Cal Gal's (Leah Day design) FMQ May Challenge for the border since it looks like train tracks to me! I hope that my 3 year grandson Tadd likes it.

I did work on another project, that had been put on the back burner for a few months, my Urban Nine Patch (FLMQG solids crib quilt challenge). I have all of the pieces turned into parts - although not quite blocks.

I still have to trim the parts and sew them together into blocks, but it is starting to come together.

In other cool news, my Storybook quilt was nominated for the top five FAVORITE BED QUILTS at the Spring 2012 Bloggers' Quilt Festival. If you haven't voted already, I sure would appreciate if would consider voting for my quilt. Click here to vote!

Storybook Quilt

Stats for the week:
In-process: (8)
FLMQG solids challenge crib quilt (all of the block parts are complete)
Purple heart wall hanging ( needs borders, backing, quilting and binding)
Expanding Possibilities quilt (basted, now to be quilted)
Storybook quilt # 2 - All embroidery is done
Quokka Quilts QAYGFMQQAL quilt (All 30 blocks are quilted, need to join and bind)
Geneva Public Library quilt - join and quilt (maybe make a block or two to even it out)
Sew Cal Gal's March FMQ Challenge - Need to bind.
Sew Cal Gal's April FMQ Challenge - Need to make into a pillow.
 
New projects: (1)
Sew Cal Gal's May FMQ Challenge - Need to continue to FMQ

Finished (0)
 
I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and The Free Motion Quilting Project for QAL Wednesday

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Pieces Into Parts

I hope everyone had a great weekend! It was 91 degrees F yesterday, so it really feels like summer. Yesterday, I also found out that my Storybook Quilt made it into the top nominated FAVORITE BED QUILTS for the Spring 2012 Bloggers' Quilt Festival.

Storybook Quilt

I would LOVE (if you haven't already voted) to vote for my quilt. There are several categories (with some absolutely fabulous quilts), mine is in the FAVORITE BED QUILTS. Click HERE to vote.

Since this was a long weekend for me, I decided that I really needed to get going on my Urban Nine Patch that I started way back in January or February. So this weekend I cut pieces and turned them into parts. I know really exciting stuff!

Urban Nine Patch

I still have to trim the parts and sew them into the blocks, then sew the blocks into a quilt top. I am quite pleased with the design and colors. This was made with Jenny at Sew Kind of Wonderful's Quick Curve Ruler (which in some kind of wonderful) and her Urban Nine Patch pattern. I can't wait to get this together so I can quilt it (my favorite part of quilting).

Today I'm linking up with A Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday! 




Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Pretty Please??!!!

I can't believe that my Storybook Quilt has made the top five in nominations for FAVORITE BED QUILT at the Spring 2012 Bloggers' Quilt Festival! I would LOVE it if you would consider voting for my quilt!

Storybook Quilt

Click HERE to vote!  :)

There are several categories, mine is under FAVORITE BED QUILT!

Thank you in advance for your support!

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Happy Memorial Day!

Thank you to all of our service men and women that have died to defend our country, to keep us free. I believe that freedom isn't free and I thank God every day for my country men and women who have the courage to serve.

To celebrate, I thought today was a good day to show off  my grandson Jack, who LOVES flags.

My Grandson, Jack, has ALWAYS loved flags!

A few years back, I made him a flag quilt....he still loves it!

Happy Memorial Day to all of my U.S. followers and happy Monday to everyone else!


Color Me Quilty!

Pat

We Have a WINNER!

The response to my Sew, Mama, Sew giveaway was absolutely AMAZING, 805 comments! WOW 'O WOW! I can not thank you all enough for your participation and thank you to all of my followers, old and new!

Sew without further ado, the WINNER is........

Jo is the winner of the 6 rainbow colored fat quarters. (Jo, I have emailed you!)

I hope you all enjoy a wonderful (Memorial Day - if your in the U.S.) weekend!

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Goin' Fribbon Egg-Shaped Tutorial

Okay, raise your hand if you struggle with letting go of your ruler and control to go wonky?? I know that there are a few of you. I love wonky/improvisational blocks, but I struggle doing it. I mean, in my day job, I'm a Quality Engineer! So I guess, wonky should be my therapy - let go, be free! Most people who do wonky, just tell you to do it, but don't usually show you their process. Well, right or wrong, here's how I made my block "Goin' Fribbon Egg-Shaped"!

Scraps from my Rose Window block

I just started sewing them together

I trimmed them up as I went, so that I could add more scraps

I tried to visually keep in balanced, but not necessarily symmetrical

I used my Quick Curve Ruler to cut out the curves

I made to half "egg-shapes"

I cut the reverse out of the grey

To sew the curves, put the convex piece on top. No pins needed.

Because this block is for QuiltCon and needed to be 12.5" in one direction, I added the strips of white, green and light grey. I don't know if I would have done that without the measurement requirement, but I like the affect.

Sew there you have my version of Goin' Fribbon Egg-Shaped!

Today I'm linking up with the fabulous Melissa at Happy Quilting for TNT Thursday!

 

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

All WIPped Up!

If you're looking for my Sew, Mama, Sew giveaway, click here! You can still enter daily through Friday (May 25th)!

WOW! What a whirlwind week!  TGIFF, Bloggers' Quilt Festival and Sew, Mama, Sew's giveaway day - CRAZY!

Sew what did I work on....

I finished my Storybook Quilt - Yippee Skippee! I entered it in the Spring 2012 Bloggers' Quilt Festival - its number 263.

Storybook Quilt  - # 263 at the Bloggers' Quilt Festival

There's a whole lot of nominating and voting going on over at the quilt festival. I would like to ask that you consider nominating and voting for my quilt for favorite bed quilt. Here is the nomination form, you will need to enter my quilt number 263. 

Look through all of the quilts they are pretty amazing.  As a matter of fact you should consider my friend (and FLMQG member) Julie's quilt (number 449) for favorite applique quilt. The quilt has quite an amazing story, check out her blog - Julie's Quilts!

I also created another block for QuiltCon - Goin' Fribbon Egg-Shaped!

I'm really working on wonky! I love the look of wonky/improvisational block, but struggle letting go of my ruler. So the only ruler I used on this block was my Quick Curve Ruler (LOVE that ruler)!

So does two finishes make up for not working on a lot of projects??? I hope so!

Stats for the week:
In-process: (8)
FLMQG solids challenge crib quilt (2 out of 9 Urban Nine Patch blocks done)
Purple heart wall hanging ( needs borders, backing, quilting and binding)
Expanding Possibilities quilt (basted, now to be quilted)
Storybook quilt # 2 - All embroidery is done
Quokka Quilts QAYGFMQQAL quilt (All 30 blocks are quilted, need to join and bind)
Geneva Public Library quilt - join and quilt (maybe make a block or two to even it out)
Sew Cal Gal's March FMQ Challenge - Need to bind.
Sew Cal Gal's April FMQ Challenge - Need to make into a pillow.
 
New projects: (0)

Finished (2)
Storybook quilt # 1 -   DONE!!!!!
QuiltCon Challenge block # 2 - Done
 
I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and The Free Motion Quilting Project for QAL Wednesday

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

A Day to Say Thank You!

If you are looking for my Sew, Mama, Sew giveaway, click here! Your response so far, has been AMAZING! Thank you, Thank you! You can enter daily through May 25th!

But today I get to announce the winner of May's QED (Quilty Embellishment Day) participant.....drum roll please..........

Ashlea from Ashlea Tenner Quilts!!!!

Photo from Ashlea Tenner Quilts!

Ashlea has won two spools of Yenmet metallic thread. Can't wait to see what she creates with that! Ashlea, I will be emailing you shortly to get your postal information.

Thank you so much to everyone who linked up or visited QED! And a HUGE special thanks to Jenny @ Sew Kind of Wonderful for guest blogging! I really love and appreciate this quilty community! You inspire and encourage me every day!

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Woohoo, Time Again for Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway Days! CLOSED!

The Giveaway is now CLOSED! I will announce the winner tomorrow morning! THANK YOU SEW MUCH FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION and THOSE THAT ARE NOW FOLLOWERS! You all ROCK! 

I've got a little slice of a rainbow that I'm giving away for Sew, Mama, Sew's Giveaway days. (If you don't know what that is, oh wow, you need to check it out - hundreds of blogs linking up and giving fabulous stuff away).

I didn't get a chance to make something this time, so I'm giving away SIX fat quarters (orange, red, green, yellow, blue and purple) of high quality quilting fabric from my local quilt store.

  Here's how to enter:

1.  Leave me a comment telling why you think so many of us are draw to using rainbow colors in our projects.  (PLEASE MAKE SURE I HAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS!! No email = NO ENTRY!!!!   If you are a no-reply blogger, please include your e-mail in your post!)

2.  For a second chance to win, become a follower, and leave me a comment, or leave a comment letting me know you already are! (again, make sure I have your contact info if it's not listed in your profile)

3. You may leave one additional comment a day though May 25, 2012 for additional chances to win.

The giveaway will be open until Friday, May 25th at 8:00 PM EDT. 

Mr. Random will draw one winner and I will notify him/her about their winnings (again, please please make sure I have a way to contact you, if the winner does not have contact info listed either in their profile or in their comment, a second winner will be drawn). I will ship internationally!


Color Me Quilty!


Pat

Tell Me A Story From The Storybook Quilt

Storybook Quilt # 1 - Approximately 70"x 85.5"

Sometimes the universe brings together all of the elements to create a beautiful story and I think that's what happened with my storybook quilt. This quilt demanded my attention and demanded to be made. It all started with inheriting some orphan blocks from my mom.

Inherited orphaned blocks

I knew that she hadn't made these blocks, none of these fabrics were in her stash. With 7 blocks, it was difficult to see how they could make a quilt, especially since I knew I would never make more of them. To my surprise, one of the blocks was signed and dated (2004) on the back. I found out that mom's sewing group members each made a block and my mom won them.

At home in the library

The next element came into play when Hawthorne Threads had an awesome cyber Monday sale on Lizzy House's fabric line 1001 Peeps. I love that fabric, so of course I bought it with no particular project in mind.  

In the same vein, I had purchased some cool storybook machine embroidery files from Embroidery Library. Why, because one step-daughter is a librarian and the other is a school teacher, did I have a choice???

Mosaic of embroidered blocks

Last element happened last year too, I acquired two adorable granddaughters, ages 5 and 8. I mean, don't they deserve quilts to make them feel part of my blended family??? 

My step-daughter Beth is the Director of Geneva Public Library

The rest of the fabric all came from my mom's enormous stash, including the borders and backing.

Quilt back

Librarians at Geneva Public Library give my storybook quilt a thumbs up!

I constructed the quilt as a QAYG (quilt as you go). I was amazed at how easy it went together. It must have been "meant to be"! I will be making a second storybook quilt. I'm hoping they will give the girls years of storybook inspiration.

I'm thrilled to be linking up for my second Bloggers' Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side.

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

TGIFF - Thank Goodness It's Finish Friday!!!

Woohoo, I'm hosting TGIFF this week! How cool is that??!! And I even have some finishes - I love it when I plan comes together.




Sometimes I pick projects that push me out of my comfort zone and this one has me "goin' fribbon egg-shaped". I loved that saying. A gentleman I worked with years ago, used to use that phrase when his machine was running a little wonky (I was the quality manager and he didn't like to swear). Sew when I made up this block for the QuiltCon block challenge, I thought Goin' Fribbon Egg-Shaped was the perfect name. What do you think?

Goin' Fribbon Egg-Shaped block

Most of the block was done improv style, but I did use my Quick Curve Ruler for the "egg-shapes". Is it too much grey? Does it need something more?


I also got my storybook quilt finished, ready for Spring 2012 Blogger's Quilt Festival. Want to see a sneak peak?

This quilt is Librarian approved!

Sew, what have you finished this week???? Inquiring minds want to see! Let's get this party started by linking up. I know I can't wait to see what you have all been up to! Link up, tour, comment and enjoy! Please remember to link back to this TGIFF post, so your readers can see some other great finishes.




Color Me Quilty!

Pat