I just sewed the last stitch on the binding!!  It's Done!  My first finish for "A  Lovely Year of Finishes" hosted by Melissa of Sew BitterSweet Designs and Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts .

 I did choose the 'funky' green-gold thread to quilt swirls over the entire quilt.

 I had never tried the swirls, but they were fun to do.  Do a few big ones, and then a small one, then maybe a loop to get somewhere and then more swirls!   

 The yellow green thread works good with the white stars too!

Really liked seeing everyone's progress this month.   Thanks Melissa and Shanna for the 'push' to get it done!

Seize the Joy!

Marsha

Saturday's Sewing Room Tip

Today, I have been busy binding 2 quilts. One quilt needed black binding.  I used the 'square method' (That what I  am calling it, I don't know what it's called) where you cut a square of fabric on the diagonal and sew  it back together into a tube and then cut into bias strips,  I couldn't remember the formula to know how big a square to cut.  So, I had a 27 inch square of black fabric and ended up with 312 inches of binding!  After binding the quilt I was left with a 108 inches of binding.  Well, as I rolled it up, to put it in my "binding box", I realized I always had to measure the pieces to use them.  So,  I wrote the length and width of the binding on the fabric tie.  Now the information won't get lost!

So, use a scrap of fabric to gently tie together your binding, and write the length and width on the tie!  Easy does it!

Marsha

Look for Joy in your Day!

Local Quilt Shopping
 
I'm a day late, but I did make it to my local Quilt Shop for some "Fabric Therapy" on 'Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day' yesterday January 24th.  I am so lucky to have a quilt shop just 1 1/2 miles from home.  It is The Busy Thimble and is a great little shop.  There is a nice selection of fabric and books, and it keeps up with what's new especially with the Civil War fabrics and fabrics.  I love that I can get a spool of thread when I need it and they even sell Blendables from Sulky .  Yesterday, I wanted some solids.  This Modern Quilt movement has gotten my attention, and I want to try my hand at it.  A beautiful shade of aqua and then white which seems to be a necessity in the Modern Quilt movement came home with me.   I hope you were able to make it your local shop.  What did you purchase?

Marsha

It's the 15th of the month!

            It's the 15th of the month and time to check in with "A Lovely Year of Finishes".  I was really pleased to get it all pinned together with the backing.  The backing was only 2 inches bigger than the top so it was touch and go at times to make sure all was covered! I think this sandwiching the quilt is one of the places I 'stop' the process of finishing. 

           I also have taken a look through my threads to find a good one to quilt with.  I have some light patches but most are mediums.  What do you think of my choices?  I know, It's hard to tell.  One is a 'funkie' gold & green varigated thread,  another is a blue varigated and then the orange varigated.  I am leaning towards the "funkie one or the orange.

I hope everyone is getting there quilts finished for January. . .  Now on to quilting!

Keep finding the Joy!
 
Marsha

  A new year brings new beginnings

This weekend, I got my sewing room put back into use after it reverted back to our older son's bedroom  at Christmas time.  It was great to have him home and to give up my workroom for a bit!

In 2012, I made a list of all the projects I had started with the hopes I would finish most of them.  (40+ projects)  Well, I did do a lot of quilting and mending last year.  I started more projects, (some getting finished)  and finished only 2 of the projects on the list,  my Vegetable Garden quilt, from a pattern in Quiltmaker Magazine  and a quilt for my husband that was a mystery quilt.

 Soo. . . that wasn't going to well in getting old UFOs finished.

Well I stumbled onto a blog "bittersweet designs" and Melissa was blogging about  " 2013 ~ A Lovely Year of Finishes".  Well I though about it for a week and decided, maybe, if I put a project out there for all to see, I will finish it in the month.  It's worth a try, right?

So,  This month, I am quilting 2 quilts.  One is the 2012's Black Swamp Quilt Guilds mystery quilt.  It is so bright and joyful, Aqua, Yellow and White.  It makes me smile.  And I want it done for a meeting on Thursday. (I better work fast)






 

The other one which is for the "Lovely Year of Finishes" is the 'Robot Quilt'.

I pieced it over 5 years ago, the backing is finished, and the binding is made.  Why it never got finished, I am not quite sure.  I love the quirk color combination, and while there isn't a robot in the quilt, the words,  describe robots.  I made monkey wrench and friendship star, and 9 patch blocks because you need a wrench to make a robot :-) and this robot is going into space!  This quilt needs sandwiched, quilted and bound.

Ready to have some quilting joy!

 Joyfully squaring up my blocks!       

  It seems like I only get up to the sewing room in the late evening, but last night, I was pretty productive.  I don't know about you, but I just can't throw away the little triangles that are left over when you are making a flying geese unit or other similar units.  I have always saved them, sewed them together and squared them up.  I have lots of 1 1/2 inch blocks.  The squaring-up part has always been so tedious on the small ones.

            At the AQS show in Grand Rapids Michigan, I saw a demo of this neat ruler called Bloc Loc.  http://www.blocloc.com/  There is a groove that stops on the seam and keeps the block square as you are trimming.
They had one that was 2 1/2 inch square that works great for the small 'waste' squares.


You can see the line where the printing stops that is the part which will "Loc" on the seam.

After you cut 2 sides, you slide the ruler along the seam and line it up to cut the other 2 sides.









 It is a true joy to square up these squares now.  Last night I sewed and trimmed all the leftovers from the 3 'lasanga' quilts (Also called 1600" quilts) I have made over the last few weeks!

 Now, What am I going to do with all these Squares? ? ?

Road Trip to AQS Quilt Show

         Last weekend, my hubby, Sunshine, (He wants me to refer to him as Sunshine, which is fine because he is my Sunshine!)  and I made a fast trip to Grand Rapid, Michigan to go to the AQS show on Saturday!  The quilts were outstanding, and the shopping even better.  I took lots of pictures, but saw, that they can't be posted on  a blog so sorry about that!  The Tent Makers from Egypt's quilts were incredible.  They used a long needle to needle-turn applique and man were they fast stitchers.   The colors they put together and the  designs were inspiring.  There were quilts from Japan which showed their skills in color, design and needle technique.  While there,  I had 2 surprises.  One was meeting and talking with Alex Anderson from "The Quilt Show".  I have enjoyed all the 'free stuff' on "The Quilt Show", so I decided to join.  The deal they were giving was exceptional.

My other surprise was catching up with Anita Shackelford.

Anita and I met many years ago when we worked together for a local doctor.  At that time she was just starting her quilting journey and was working on a Log Cabin quilt doing it all by hand! I figured I'd never quilt if I had to do it by hand! LOL!

 Anita was giving an author talk at AQS about her new book Teens & Tweens Quilting Fun with Family & Friend.
  What a fun book, to get our young people interested in sewing. 

She had memory quilts that her grandchildren had made, plus one she made in memory of her mother.

 She also talked about the process of making the memory quilts and  attaching  3-D items to the quilts.

She  had "Friendship cards" that kids could make and then write a note on one side.  Recycle jean projects of DVD carriers and small purses. Quilted ornaments for the Christmas tree.  Photo or message board, easy sew Poncho and more. 17 projects in all plus  how to's on collage, rubbings and mosaic to make it unique.    

 ThisMemory Quilt her granddaughter made with a favorite tee shirt, and then pictures, and other items.  In the lower left-hand corner there is a threaded needle, and fabric!  

                

This is a memory quilt of Anita's Mom, Rose.  

A  This quilt is one her grandson made. (sorry it is sideways and I can't get it to load straight)     

     Sunshine was a happy fellow when we left the show, because he got a Supper of his favorite food.  Two pounds Ribs at

Brann's Sizzling Steaks and Sports Grille.   He deserved it!