Orphan block, swap squares and Laura's BD quilt

I am the Hostess for a swap on my Yahoo Group Postagestamp swappers. Being a bit OCD, I love cutting 50 different fabrics into 25 sets. "Yes", I say to myself. "Love the stacks and counting!"

My Orphan block from the two Carolina Christmas quilts asked to be a small quilt all by itself instead of being in my daughter Laura's birthday quilt. So I listened to the fabric. I also used the leftovers of the backing from the two CC quilts. So, this little topper is totally an orphan medley. I have always loved the little "flanges" of color I have seen in magazines. I tried the technique myself for the first time and love the effect. The hot pink is a leopard spot print. The black border is a black Fat Cat print.

This quilt will be only 36" square. It will be a kitty quilt. Yes, I know, a lot of work for a kitty quilt but they love them so, I get to keep them and that protects my "real" quilts. Do you see MaggieMae in the background watching the birds?

I love that hot pink flange!

And here is Laura's birthday quilt. Her BD is not until May so I can still plan on a fancy border for this quilt. She just bought her first home and will have a new bed. So it needs to be bigger of course.

The pattern can be found in the book called "Loose Change". The quilt in the book is called "Jamie's Quilt".

My Carolina Christmas quilts are done, done!

I have the best longarm quilter in the whole world. Not only does she quilt beautifully and FAST! She picked up my two quilts and then delivered them when they were finished. You cannot beat that service. Her name is Lisa Olinger. A beautiful and talented woman who also rides a Harley!

She names my quilts! I totally understand that. When you are working on something it will speak to you. Lisa says the Brothers Grimm nursery story was what she saw while quilting my quilts for my two Pisces grand daughters. This quilt is called Rose Red.

And this quilt is called Snow White. Don't you just love those leaves and roses?

I really love hand stitching bindings down. It give me one last cuddle under the quilt.

I used 22" strips of all the backgrounds in the blocks. I did my math for the amount of strips I would need to bind both quilts.

And boy was I ever "right on".

I had 4 1/4" left of the binding! Nothing like master planning!

I am soooooo lucky!

Gwen Marston's newest release Liberated Quiltmaking 2

My very own private copy of Gwen's newest release. Liberated Quiltmaking 2!!! WHOOOHOOOO!!!!!!!
I had pre-ordered this book way back in November. When it came it was such a pleasant surprise to myself! I also got Log Cabin Quilts.
Another WHOOHOOO!!
Now I need to get digging through my stash to match some fabrics to her vibrant colorsense!

I am soon to be a greatgrandma again. This May a little greatgrandbaby named Logan William will be wrapped in my crocheted creation. I have used up 1200 yards of yarn and need to buy another giant skein. I also have three giant skeins of a babyblue. I will make another afghan that is more light and airy. This one is a shell pattern and is quite dense.
Booties to follow of course!!!!

Unfortunately, no one signed up for my first teaching class.

I had enough pieces to make 16 more blocks. I had planned to use them for demonstration in various steps of completion. My DD #2 loves this color combination.

So, this quilt will be her birthday quilt.

And check out how great a leftover block from Carolina Christmas blends with the blocks from the Loose Change book!!!! It seems that if I use sashing I can merge these two patterns. I still need to finish making the smaller blocks. I am almost done but had to stop to feed dear hubby who is home today celebrating Martin Luther King's Day.

Now I feel like doing some hand work. I may need to move two kitties....hummmmmmm.

2 Carolina Christmas quilts done!

MaggieMae went for her first "formal" bath and grooming. She just smells great! And when she walks her fur billows with furls and curls. She is such a sweet kittie. She was made for petting. In fact she cannot have me out of her sight. She is like a quiet doggie. Always following to keep me within the petting zone. If I move around too much, she will lie in the hallway and watch each room!

I decided to use up all the blocks I had made. As usual I overdid it but was blessed to be able to get two (2) 60X80 quilts from this mystery. I have only one Christmas Star block left.

It was fate that made me use them all up. I made twice as much sashings as I needed. Duh! I was counting each block instead of each row. Sooooooo....I have two huge quilts now.

Almost too big to get a photo of them!

I cannot thank Bonnie Hunter (www.quiltville.com) enough for offering us this great mystery. I was never bored with the clues. In fact I was VERY behind some of the other quilters. But did manage to catch up.

I am thinking about making a third one all in scrappy mode.

All gifts are wrapped and am waiting to hear from dear daughter as to the time we will be getting together tomorrow.

Happy holidays to all of you!

XOXOXOXOX Subee

one Carolina Christmas done!

Hot off the machine and ironing board...I added sashing all around. I think a gray border fabric and then will call it done.

I do not know if I will do the same effect to the second quilt. I really liked it all touching and not sashed. Will see tomorrow if I get the second one done.

Bonnie Hunter's Carolina Christmas progress

Love it! Love it! Love it!
Can you tell I am excited?
All the pain and time are SOOOOOOOO worth this design. I say pain because I actually developed a blister from pressing all the seams on the backs of the Pointsetta Star blocks.
I showed it to DH and he could not believe the size of the blister. The time is of no importance as I love sewing. You all understand??? Right?
Here is a closeup. I planned (hoped) I'd have enough blocks to make two quilts for my two March birthday grand daughters. And I do have enough! I had even made two sets of clue#3 by accident. So I have another whole 48 Pointsetta Star blocks in red!
I may alternate them in the setting. But first I want to see Bonnie's pieced border option.

Bonnie Hunter's Carolina Christmas and waste triangles

Yes, those little triangle tips are going into the jar. There is a nice dark line in the jar now. These EXTRAS will finish at 1 1/2". Love those two little dots on that top patch. They look like dominoes.

Here is my Clue#3. They are all pressed and ready for the next step. I have been sewing all day and am halfway through Clue#4. I must have wrenched my back shoveling snow yesterday. I cannot sit at the machine too long. Bummer!

I am loving sewing on this fabric combination!

Smokey Mountain Stars is now bordered and step#2 in CC mystery

I know...the quilt is sideways. But what is a girl to do when she made her design wall she was making smaller quilts????? It did it's duty for years. Now I want to make it the entire wall.
Poor hubby!
Anyway, the borders are on. I shopped my stash again this morning. The final border is a pale pink with darker pink polkadots. I do not even remember what I made from this but it was cut on the lengthwise and was perfect for a border. I prefer lengthwise fabric cuts for borders as there is much less stretch than a widthwise cut. And I did not have to piece it. Guess it was made to be!
And I thought of Bonnie as I was deciding on fabric. "Use it up girl" I heard her whisper in my ear. Yes m'am I say!

And here is my step#2 on the Carolina Christmas Mystery quilt being run by Our Bonnie!