3 Down, 1 to go!

Block #3 for the Holiday Mystery Quilt is finished and I'm about half done with block #4. Perhaps over the weekend I'll be able to start sewing the quilt together.

I have been getting a lot of embroidery done in the past few days because I've been a little under the weather. I appear to be on the mend though and look forward to getting some other things done around the house - just little things that will enable us to get the house listed next week.

Then, I guess, the FUN begins!

Stitch on!

Dodi Block #1

Color CQ Block #1
Originally uploaded by lasassone

One of the projects that I kept aside when packing up my studio for our impending move was a series of 6" crazyquilt blocks all made in a single color family. I no longer belong to the yahoogroups list that had this color challenge but I want to complete the project I intended to create at the time. The moderator of that list would name a color every month and then we would all make a 6" block using fabrics only in that color. I was one of very few crazyquilters on that list, but I decided right away that I would do my blocks ala crazyquilt.

I also decided that I would do all the embellishments with black pearl cotton and black beads. The reason for this is because of my mother in law. She started crazyquilting in the late 1960's and some of you know perhaps the story of her crazyquilt jacket that I was supposed to inherit. It has been listed on the Lost Quilts site for many years now. For those who don't know about it and are curious, here's the link: http://www.lostquilt.com/CQJacket.html.

Dodi used only black for her stitching on her crazyquilted items, I decided I would mimic her style but also add beads which she had never done. Since she had left me her fabric stash as well as the jacket, I have also used one piece of her fabric in each block. In this blue block, the piece from her stash is the blue satin center.

After I had gotten 2 or 3 blocks done, I came up with the idea of using all 12 monthly blocks as a border perhaps around something that she had made. She was an avid "sane quilter" as well as a crazyquilter. I haven't found anything just right yet and I'm beginning to think maybe I'll have to just use her stash to put together a centerpiece. As I finish up the stitching on a few of the 12 blocks, I will have to think about it some more.

Meanwhile.........

STITCH ON!

Sand Castle Cake

Sand Castle Cake
Originally uploaded by lasassone

Today the Painter-Man and my dh were steaming and stripping wallpaper in our bedroom. They aren't finished and will be back at it in the morning. WHAT a job and WHAT a mess!

But look what I made when I wasn't helping them with stuff! We're going tonight to our Garden Club's Annual "Birthday" party potluck dinner and this is part of my contribution. I also made 27 stuffed eggs which, if it's like at our Christmas potluck, will be gone in less than 10 minutes!

I got the castle pan (Nordicware) some time ago and this is the first chance I've had to use it. I used the recipe that came on the packaging, but next time I think I'll just use a cake mix because it didn't rise up to fill in some of the bottom details like the steps up to the door of the castle. A cake mix would also be way easier to make than the recipe from Nordicware.

I was worried that the cake wasn't going to come out of the pan in one piece, but it was fine and is only missing one little bump on one of the turrets. I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

Before we leave for the dinner, my dh says he's going to make little flags to stick into the turrets before serving. When we put it out after dinner with the other desserts folks have brought it will be a surprise. Meanwhile it will stay hidden because the lid to this great Tupperware square cake carrier fits just right without touching the tops of the turrets at all. That was a pleasant surprise!

The "beach" is Trader Joe's Turbinado Raw Sugar and the sea shells are Trader Joe's Belgian Chocolate Seashell truffles. I think I'll put more on before we leave for the dinner. I bought a box of them a week ago and am slightly embarrassed to say I have already eaten some. Just one in each corner looks a tad skimpy I think.

Tomorrow it's back to stitching!

Stitch On!

2nd Redwork block done

Block #2 - Santa!
Originally uploaded by lasassone

This is the second block for the center of the mystery quilt I am trying to finish while we wait for the house to sell. There are two more blocks to go and then I can start to assemble the quilt.

This one looks like the background fabric is not white, but it is. I guess the light when I took the picture last night was dimmer than when I took the first block's picture. I'm working on the 3rd block now which is a cute snowman.

I may not have mentioned this before, but for most of these designs I'm using 2 strands of DMC floss color#321. For some of the details I have only used 1 strand.

Stitch On!

Doll Quilt Challenge

Doll Quilt Challenge
Originally uploaded by lasassone

Last evening I finished the top of my disappearing 9 patch doll quilt for the doll quilt challenge group at flickr.com. My problem with the pattern was that I messed up the splitting of the 9 patches vertically and horizontally. Don't ask! I started with 6" blocks and I ended up with 4" blocks because I had to square the wonky results up!

Soooooo, best laid plans....I had to come up with a new plan for the doll quilt and I came up with this. I had bought the red star fabric that also has turquoise stars in it for the binding and so I cut 4" blocks and pieced it on point. I actually like it better than what I had planned!

This is only the top of course. It measures about 19" x 14". I need to layer it and machine quilt it tonight. I think the disappearing 9 patch pattern would work way better with larger blocks. Because I was working with 2.25" squares the back of this quilt top is fraught with seams but they are all nicely pressed and not at all wonky as is my usual problem. However, the smallness and seams led to my problem in splitting the 9 patch blocks correctly. That's all I'll say; I'm not owning up to the actual doofus mistake I made.

I still plan to bind the little quilt with the red star fabric. All the fabric came from Wal-mart because I don't have any of my stash here at the house. It's all in storage until we move and I might add that it is in the BACK of the storage unit where I cannot access it at all.

When I saw what the color suggestions were for June, I wasn't sure I would like the red and aqua combo, but I'm lovin' this quilt! It's going to be hard to part with it should I decide to gift it.

I saw another participant's website this morning. She is expecting a baby and has decorated the baby's nursery walls with the doll quilts she has made and some she received in an exchange which is another list at flickr.com. Isn't that a great idea for a nursery? I might just have to decorate my new studio that way when we get moved...... hmmmmmm.......

Ah well, back to stitching on block #2 of 4 for the Christmas Mystery Quilt squares!

Stitch on!

First Block Done!

Candle Block
Originally uploaded by lasassone

Last night I finished the first of 4 blocks I'll be doing redwork embroidery on for the holiday mystery quilt I intend to finish next. This was all done in 2 strands of DMC #321 except for the little evergreen sprigs. Those I did the stems with 2 strands, but the foliage freestyle with a single strand.

This white-on-white fabric was a bit hard to stitch on, but I really like the look it gives. I have already started the next block's design which is a Santa face.

I'm still a beginner at this blogging stuff and couldn't figure how to add another picture amongst my words, so I put the quilt layout picture in a separate post. Below you can see the ultimate look of the finished quilt and perhaps understand why I just couldn't let those 4 center spaces go empty!

Stitch on!

Christmas Mystery Quilt

Christmas Mystery Quilt
Originally uploaded by lasassone

Donation Blocks 19 & 20

Donation Blocks 19 & 20
Originally uploaded by lasassone

Well, today I finished the last of the 22 blocks that will be sent to Omaha to be donated to the silent auction the proceeds of which go to Breast Cancer Research and the Retreat's scholarship fund for future attendees.

I think the two blocks shown here are my favorites of all the 22 blocks, but the red and gold ones might be a close second. You can see the others if you click on the picture and scroll through my photostream at Flickr.

I have grown to love this plum color almost as much as I love yellow. It has such a warm and Victorian feel to it. I have many pieces of this color in my stash which is currently stored about a mile away from here. Piecing these blocks has made me miss my stash - Maybe I should go visit my fabrics tomorrow........

BecauseI feel like I'm sending my children out for adoption, I have decided to make up a little paper to baste to the back of each of these blocks. It will share who pieced, appliqued and prepped the block and also will ask if the new owner will share, if possible, a picture of the block when it has been embellished.

So, my next venture in my almost empty sewing room/studio is to cut up the remaining share-box fabrics into squares or rectangles and make up "instant stash" packets to send along with these blocks for the silent auction.

Next I intend to finish the Christmas mystery quilt I was unable to get done last December. I paused before the final installment because it appeared to me there was going to be some blank white snowball blocks and I was right! In the center are these 4 spaces and they are just perfect in which to stitch 4 Holiday Redwork designs! This will make the quilt really mine! Can't wait to show you all!

Stitch on!

Donation Blocks 2

Donation Blocks 2
Originally uploaded by lasassone

Here are two more of the blocks I pin-pieced and hand appliqued. I will be donating this bunch of blocks to the silent auction at the Crazy Quilt Society's retreat in Omaha in July. The proceeds of the silent and live auction go to Breast Cancer Research and scholarships for attendees of the CQ Society's Retreats.

In case anyone is wondering about the block sizes.....I failed to mention in this morning's post that these are 8" blocks done on a 10" base.

Because of what was in my class share-box AND the fact that my own cq fabrics are in storage, I am severely limited with the color schemes in these blocks. Some however are standing outo as "pairs" or "triples. I think there might be a little more of this cute handbag print in the pile,but the pastels that will go with it are really running low.

Rather than blog all of the 16 blocks I've finished and the additional 6 more I started tonight, I will be posting pictures in my Flickr account, so if you just click on the picture that accompanies this post, you will be able to see the others, if you are interested, by following my photo stream on Flickr.

I managed to get the limit lines done on the last 4 I had previously pieced today while waiting for G's surgery to be over. In his words, "it was a piece of cake"..... I'm sure he's going to be sore tomorrow, but he's a trooper and has been through all this before. He tells everyone that this is his last surgery because they've fixed everything now and there's nothing else that can go wrong! I wish! It's always very nerve wracking for me and our girls when he has surgeries, but compared to his heart surgery this really WAS a piece of cake!

Stitch on!

Conference blocks 1

Conference blocks 1
Originally uploaded by lasassone

Well, I've been in a piecing frenzy here amidst the chaos of packing up to move. In the evenings when I'm tired from all the hard decisions I'm having to make about "stuff", it's been relaxing to do some handpiecing. I always pin-baste the blocks I piece and I've always found the next step of hand applique to be quite soothing.

At last count there are 16 blocks and there may be more to come. Because I'm piecing them out of my class sharebox ONLY, they are an odd bunch of blocks. Some, like these two, could be considered a pair - mostly though only because they are both blue based. There's still a lot of fabric pieces left, but finding things that are well-coordinated is getting more difficult.

The last four I pieced still need the "limit line" stitched so I'm taking them with me today in my tote when I take my husband, aka G, in for his outpatient hernia surgery. I should be able to keep myself busy with that, some redwork AND the last 3 days of newspapers which I've not had time to read.

I thought that I was going to be without a computer today, but the painter is working in another room. I suspect that means that tomorrow, when I really WANT to show you some more blocks, I'll be "unplugged!"

Alas, I just might have to clean house instead. Hmmm, unless I can sneak into my boring beige room and stitch. G will be recuping in front of his television and probably won't notice WHAT I do!

Stitch on!

Bye Bye Yellow - Hello Boring Beige

Bye Bye Yellow - Hello Boring Beige
Originally uploaded by lasassone

Well, actually the paint color is called "coffee cream", but it's less than inspiring to me. Hopefully some new home seeker will just love the neutrals we've plastered on our walls to prep the house for sale.

Pardon the bit of a mess, but last night I had a piecing party in there. Well.........I guess I should call it a "piecing frenzy" because there was no food nor any drinks served. So, twas not much of a party. I did however get 4 more 8" crazy quilt blocks pieced from my teaching share box-now-a-bag. I'm trying to make as many blocks as I can from this box of odd fabrics I have accumulated in the last 6 years as I taught crazyquilting classes.

My "share box" from students came about because my very first crazyquilt friend sent me some of her class share box to get me started. I hadn't even thought about a share box as I prepared to teach my first classes. It turned out to be a very good thing as students loved to dig through it to find just the right piece of fabric for the blocks they were making in the piecing class. Lots of my students also donated pieces to the box, so it's quite an eclectic assortment of fancy fabrics.

I've already put all of my own fancy fabric stash in storage in preparation for the move. All, that is, except the little pieces in my "piecing buddy!" (see below) I decided, when I remembered I still had the share box, that I would make up as many naked cq blocks as I could and donate whatever I ended up with to the Silent Auction at the CQ Society's Retreat in July. Unfortunately I will be unable to go to Omahahaha for their 10th Anniversary celebration, so I will send these to my buddy, Mona, to take when she goes. Hopefully the blocks will bring in some scholarship dollars or donation dollars to Breast Cancer Research.

Well, back to packing & piecing!

Stitch On!