Slow progress...

I love all aspects of quilting with the single exception of row assembly. I have a wonderful design wall. The ironing board is handy. I have the assembly pattern to look at. But grrrrrrrrrrr!!!! I find this step so unfullfilling. Why? I do not know.
Below is my progress today. Not too much to show for all the work I feel I have done.

On the left side is my tiny BowTie with Kona Snow as the background. The "ties" are made from a charm pack that Tazzie sent to me. I am thinking of setting it on point. I did enjoy sewing this one together. Go figure......

Working on Jamestown Landing

I love back to school time. Even better is Clearance BTS sales!
I bought 10 of these cute little pink pencil boxes.
They fit my 1 1/2" squares as well as these 2 1/2" HST for Bonnie Hunter's Jamestown Landing quilt that was in the Australian magazine.
It only took a few hours of cutting to give me way more than what I needed to begin sewing. I had cut the 2 1/2" strips when that magazine first came out. I slipped them into a big baggies and saved them for the next quilt. I had even done the math to figure how many strips I needed to get the 840 units I needed. I added a few more for mistakes and ended up with this lovely container full of units!

 And then I surprised myself. I was all ready to dig through the swap fabrics from Smith Mountain Morning. When I opened that large container I found my results from the Leader/Ender cutting I had mentioned a few posts back. They were all ready for me! WHOOOHOOOO!

 I am so very lucky that I am detail oriented. It makes scrap sewing so much easier!!!!

 Here I am all ready to sew. The picture for oggling at, full containers of units and a rainy cool day for watching the squirrels and chipmunks fight over the birdfeeder. They are so funny. The cats just watch the birds and squirrels. But when the chipmunks come to the feeder my cats go crazy! Guess they must look tastey!

 Since I am OCD about being an organized quilter, I have a small basket behind the machine to catch the HST. I clip between "like" fabrics. Some of the blues had only 4 cuts. But some also had 10 or more. I want them to be scattered in the quilt, so if I keep track of them now, I can be sure that they stay scattered when I begin the row assembly.
I already have the string blocks made. And the ladies from my guild have donated more phone books to my collection. I remove the spine and cut them down to the best size depending on the original size of the phonebook page. And remember...they are already numbered so you will know how many pages you have! WHOOOHOOOO!!!!!!

And here is my sweet Pearl relaxing in her custom made Michael Miller fabric catbed. She did have her paw stretched out before I went for the camera. Of course she then moved. Her eyes are the palest blue and I swear she has eyelashes. Ole' bedroom eye Pearl. Hubby calls her "Pick on me Pearl". Macy runs her off. Just because...Macy is (at times) a big bully!

Facebook Quilt World Mystery quilt

This was a mystery from Facebook a few weeks ago. Since I had re-discovered my extensive stash of batik fabrics, I felt this would work well for them.
I used the EZ Angle ruler to cut the patches from 2 1/2" and 4 1/2" strips. I ended up having two cutting sessions. I did not double the amount stated in the instructions. They were using the "sew across a square twice" method. So, after a false start I was on my way to making this beauty.
I did not like how the design was just cut off, so I added/extended the pattern into the border and then added another strip of the taupe batik to call this done!

 It is so hard to quilt with kitties. If any of you do have cats, you know how they NEED to lay on whatever you are sewing on. MaggieMae was just telling me how lovely her fur looks with the batiks! HA!

 I used leftover strips as short as 6" to make the multicolored binding. I totally lucked out that not one seam hit a turned corner! I just did straight line quilting around each patch and extending out into the border.
I used Quilter's Dream Green as the batting. It has a nice firm feel and lays so nice.

My niece is getting married this weekend. (Oct.16) So, I started her quilt two days ago. Not one to wait until the last minute. But I was also waiting for her to decide on her colors. All I need is to do a couple small borders and then quilt it. I still have three days!

 One of my favorite bloggers, Elaine Adair, turned me on to the 45 degree Kaleidoscope Wedge ruler by Marilyn Doheny. Between the two of us we have made many, many quilts with this ruler. Each one is unique and a work of art. I love how the circles move...first a dark circle and then you see a light circle! Too Cool!

 I love "Back to school" time. I picked up several of these pencil boxes. These are 1 1/2" squares for my current Postage Stamp Swap that I hostess over on Yahoo. They fit perfectly. There are 50 different fabrics in this sweet little pink box.

And here are my packages all sorted, sealed and ready for the Post Office. The PO clerks are always so nice. This is job security for them!

Smith Mountain Morning -all done!

Well...all done but the quilting. I am in awe of how easily this went together.
Bonnie Hunter's patterns all seem to have lots of pieces. Yet, they all fit together flawlessly!
Here it is on my familyroom floor:

 And here it is on my queen size bed.
Those rust fabrics still scream out at me but they are like a cheery on a sundae per one of my commentors.
So true...

 And I am still working on a mystery quilt from Quilt World on Facebook. I decided that since I unearthed all those batiks that I need to use them. It is rainy and cool here in Indiana. A perfect day for sewing. A better day for hand quilting but Pearl has taken over the recliner for now.

 I threw them all up on the design wall. What a difference from what was on there all last week. I bounce between styles of quilts. I like them all!!!!!

Not sewn yet and I still have more blocks to make. My OCD of "matchie-matchie" is terribly challenged with this quilt. I just have to pick up a random HST and use it. Only rule is none of the same fabrics in a block. So far it has worked for me.

Random Act of Kindness

Quilters are the most generous and kind people in the whole world.
Thanks Quilter Jeanne!!!!!!!
I was the recipient of the most unexpected gift. This came from California from Quilter Jeanne who is a member of Quiltville but did not join in the swap. Her timing was perfect and I was able to add some of my new fabric to the last blocks I was working on.
I plan on framing the Diane Phalen card. It is soooo beautiful. The title is "AMISH SPRING". And we have many Amish living close here. Even the big stores here have places for the buggies to park. I envy them their simple lives but I still really like having electricity.

 I have all my blocks made. My design wall is not big enough to hold the entire quilt. I am so totally in love with this quilt and the color scheme. Bonnie Hunter totally rocks!!!!!!

That one piece of rust fabric still shouts out to me but I am going to leave it in. That is what Our Bonnie would do!!!!!

Leader and Ender cutting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love the EZ rulers. I have ALL of them. (of course!) I think it was Bonnie Hunter who showed this little cutting trick to avoid throwing away a perfectly good slice of fabric. When I use the Companion Angle ruler I prep the strip by using the Easy Angle ruler to make the first cut. That way I have a perfectly useable HST and the angle is all set up for the Companion Angle.
So...as I was cutting my QST for Smith Mountain Morning I was also cutting my HST for Jamestown Landing. Too cool...Leader and Ender cutting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 I have all my Brown Stars done for Smith Montain Morning.

 And I worked most of the day (plus doing LOADS of laundry) and have my QST all done for Smith Mountain Morning. Did I tell you I love the Easy Angle rulers? All the units went together so smoothly. They are all the same size and I love the blue/brown combination. Thanks again to all the Yahoo Swappers.
Without them I would never have this great variation of fabrics in this and future quilts!

 Aren't they precious? Another little tip...I always make a few more of whatever I am working on. That way I do have some leeway if I do not like a certain color combination. Like that rust color...I am not sure it plays nice. We will see when I get closer to final assembly.
And check out my nice new, clean and smooth ironing board cover.

I was able to cut all my logs today too.

 And I cut all my muslin 1 1/2" squares. I have the first brown logs on my QST's.  I will sew all the squares to the blue logs tomorow in a Mindless Sewing Marathon.
My favorite way to sew.
I do need to slip in to see my doctor to get stitches removed. I had a small surgery on my forehead. (along my hairline...boy! does Prell shampoo ever sting!)
No appointment needed to remove stitches.

 I pre-ordered another new book from another of my favorite quilt designers, Judy Martin. And it came this week and is autographed!!!!She is as friendly and easy to contact as our Bonnie. I have made several of her quilts and the pictures are posted on her website. (www.judymartin.com)

SSM Blue stars

I left out the pinwheel centers in the Smith Mountain Morning pattern. I am ready to start the Brown Stars now. The fabrics were all from the Yahoo group Quiltvilleswap. Thanks swappers for the great fabrics!
I do not know if I am going to follow the rest of the pattern or not. I love the way the illusion of circles is there with only straight line piecing!

 Below is my Winter sewing machine set-up. I can see the birdfeeders and the street.

HELLO WORLD!