Merry Christmas to you!

Time for a little blogging and sewing break to spend some time with the family! I've got lots of fun plans for the new year, some new ideas and plenty of pretty fabric to sew. I finished quilting my Zig Zag quilt and I plan on giving you the directions on how to make one. Several people have asked. It's really easy. I had a little mess up on the quilting - after it was quilted, I discovered my back wasn't long enough. I think I have a solution - I'll have to share with you!

The grey and yellow quilt is ready to be sewn together. It's at the top of the list for 2011.

I'm also working on a new Moda Bake Shop project. It's looking adorable and if you need an easy baby quilt for 2011 - stay tuned.

Thank you so much for hanging out with me here! Happy Holidays and may the new year bring you many blessings! See you in 2011!!

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One of my favorite...

quilts! This turned out to be one of those quilts I just love to look at. I felt that way making it and feel the same now that it's done. The pattern is just simple squares surrounded by scrappy borders.

It's probably the fabrics... I used mostly Meadow Sweet 2 with some Amy Butler oldies thrown in.

I love the mix of the aqua blues, greens with a very soft red thrown in.
I did simple straight line quilting. And here's a tip - if you have trouble eyeballing straight lines, lay a paper strip (Card stock or manila folder) from point to point and quilt along the edge. No problem with your needle if you hit the paper a little.
I had a real hard time photographing this baby. The best quilt photography is outside in the shade. The colors come out perfectly. But, it's December and cold, so I had to settle inside with some flash. It really is prettier than the pictures! So do you have a favorite, too?

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My Modern quilting...

First, I forgot to show you what I made for my partner in the brown bag challenge. This pillow is a smaller version of one by Barbara Brandeburg in Quilting For Joy. I was given the purple and the striped fabric in the border.

It's been a week to stay indoors here, so I've been working on doing some modern quilt designs. The look is different than what I've been doing for so long and it's a little bit of a challenge for me - a fun one at that. This is "Small Plates" from The Practical Guide to Patchwork. Simple blocks using Modern Meadow. My first attempt had no white, but I scrapped that idea for the solid white around the alternate blocks. I love how it turned out.
And I got all the piecing done for my Zig Zag quilt. In fact got a little start on the quilting today.

Some times a little bad weather can be a good thing!

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Happy Birthday...

To me. Some girls get candy; some get flowers; some even get diamonds for their birthdays.

Me? I'm happy with a box of Kona Cotton fat quarters! Thank you, honey!

With a little Amy Butler thrown in for good measure!

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December - STL Modern Quilt Guild

Saturday was the Dec. meeting for St Louis' Modern Quilt Guild. And I remembered my camera!! What an amazingly talented group. I didn't get good pictures of all the show and tell, but I got a few. Enjoy the awesome quilts!

We also turned in a "Brown Bag" challenge. Last month we swapped brown bags of fabric, up to 1/2 yard, and were able to add up to the same amount to make something. Fun, fun, fun to see what everyone came up with. Did I say this group was talented??
And I got this cute bird and fabric bowl from Annie. I love it! Thank you! And it's definitely something I wouldn't make for myself - I don't do three dimensional!

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Lesson Learned...

Moms learn a lot with their first child. Now I know Grandma's learn a lot with their first grandchild. Lesson: don't ask a 3 year old what kind of Christmas ornament they want because they might say "elephant, because that's my favorite animal".

Have you ever tried to find an elephant Christmas ornament? To the rescue this fabric:

And a grandma who can turn it into an ornament!

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Groovy Petals Quilt

One of my quilts is featured in the newest Fons and Porter Quilting publication Easy Quilts!

The quilt is named "Groovy Petals" because the flowers have sort of that retro groovy vibe. And the best thing is - it's easy!
The background is simply pieced squares and rectangles with super simple applique that I did by machine. The magazine quilt is made with "origins" by Basic Grey for moda. The beautiful quilting was done by Terri Kanyuk.

My original sample was done with "Authentic" by Sweetwater for moda.
Please, send me a picture if you make one!

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Christmas Quilt...

A colorful Christmas quilt top was sitting on a shelf. It really wanted a home for Christmas!

So in a marathon quilting week...
It was quilted...
And bound...
Now off to it's new home to be cuddled by some little cuties!
"Plan C" from Schnibbles Times Two using 12 Days of Christmas by Kate Spain.

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Quilters Party!

What a fun day! I hosted our guild's December meeting/Christmas social today. We visited and ate wonderful food (quilters really are excellent cooks!).

Several members participated in our quilt challenge. The quilt had to have a tree on it. Here are a few of the entries.

We did a "Mug Rug" exchange. Boy were they cute!
And we couldn't skip the "Show and Tell". Nice start to the Holiday Party Season!!

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I heart aqua...

My laundry room color needed a little pick-me-up. I decided to paint it one of my current favorites ~ aqua.

Then I added my red and aqua wall quilt...

Definitely picked things up!

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While you were shopping...

Instead of experiencing the crowds, I was sewing on Black Friday. A Christmas pillow case for my favorite three-year-old.

I can only show you a "sneak peek" of my project for the STLMQG "Brown Bag Exchange".

Some "Mug Rugs".

Two are gifts.

And one will be for Bound Together Quilt Guild's gift exchange.
Really, I didn't miss the crowds!

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Winner!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I have much to be thankful for. A wonderful family, great friends and a little fabric to play with every day. Makes my heart smile!

The winner of the Fandango layer cake is commenter #7 ~ Anita. Congratulations! I'll just need your address, Anita.

Two of my favorite designers have just released new lines and I couldn't resist. This is Patty Young's new line Sanctuary. I think I've dabbled with a bit of every one of her lines, including Flora and Fauna to make this wall hanging.

And this is Parisville by Tula Pink. Another super talented designer, the line is so colorful and yummy!
See, I do have a lot to be thankful for. Have a blessed holiday!

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Blooms and Bowties

My little wall quilt just hit the news stands in McCall's Quilting. It's simple, fun and you could have it done before the tulips really start popping through the ground.

It's featured in the January/February issue!

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Give Away!

Sometimes I feel a little nutty with what's happening in my corner of the quilting world. I certainly can't focus on one thing, but flit around from project to project, fabric to fabric and idea to idea. What's happening this week? This one is bound and hung!

I'm playing with a simple version of my block inspired by Martha Stewart's magazine cover with those cute pillows. Grays, whites, blacks and golds.

I can't wait to make this "Birdbath" pattern using colors inspired by my dining room curtain fabric, from The Practical Guide to Patchwork.

More progress on the Zig Zag quilt.

And I cut up my "Modern Meadow" to make simple square in a square blocks.

I want to thank you all for hanging out with me in my nutty little corner of the internet. I'm a big fan of Kate Spain fabric (in fact someone has nominated me president of her fan club!!) and would like to share some of the gorgeousness. Next Wed. I'll draw from the comments on this post for a Fandango layer cake. Thanks for being here!!

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