Bonnie's Idaho Square Dance blocks

Oh Bonnie. You have snared me again. I have 51 of these beauties made. I exhausted all the 3 piece units that I had made a few weeks ago. Those were Leader and Enders as I worked on Libby's Log Cabin from a Fons and Porter Love of Quilting magazine pattern..

Actually I think I am working on 4 quilts at the same time. They all use variations of 1 1/2" squares sewn into units.
I am working on a version that combines Bonnie Hunter's and Edtya Sitar's pattern. I am not giving measurements as I do not want to break any copyright issues. There should be lots of info on this sew-a-long on Bonnie's Yahoo group and on the Face Book group.
Some units are just anything I pull from the box. Other units are color coordinated. That way helps me overcome some OCD issues like being too matchy matchy. Another group is all children fabrics I find as sorting through the squares. I think I have 101 of those made so far.

Some units are just going to be 4-patches. Some will be 16 patches and others will be 25 patches...cannot see the end of my deep box of  1 1/2" squares.

Lots of quilts designed by Bonnie Hunter, Pat Sloan and Edtya Sitar being sewn.

I am devoted to many quilt designers. Our Bonnie Hunter, Edtya Sitar and Pat Sloan.

Pat Sloan designed the block below. It is called Washington DC. I loved it so much that I made four of them and they then became this nice little lap quilt. My quilty friend, Victoria, is crazy for red. And her birthday is March 1st. She actually caught me sewing on it, oohed and awed over it and I lied and said it was for a grand daughter. Boy will she ever be surprised!

My heartfelt thanks go out to you Pat Sloan!!!!

And here is a small version of Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Trips. She said anything goes and that is what I did. All this came from randomly selecting 2 1/2" strips and sewing them into tubes. I know I am wanting to make a more controlled version of this great quilt pattern. Thanks Bonnie Hunter!

And lastly here is my version Of Edtya Sitar's Egg Carton quilt. I made two of these beauties. But only one is quilted so far. And this one took 10 bobbins and four hard days of quilting. But it is all done now and so beautiful.

I found a neat picture on the internet showing a crocheted afghan in shades of green. I dug through my yarn collection and was able to closely match the colors she used.

Here is my stack of blocks. I had enough yarn to make 16 blocks. Now I need to join them while adding another row of black all around them.

And this is the yarn I have leftover. I wound it into patties that are then a pull skein. Love my yarn winder. Have had it for eons. It is made by Royal. It does make a loud clicking sound but it winds great! ( made that sound from day one) Also the kitties love to help me wind the yarn. I know you all understand.

And here is Grand daughter Anna Marie and my hubby James. This is her first guitar lesson. James bought her the guitar and set it up for her. She seems to be a natural. They did the second lesson last night. He is quite pleased with her progress. And her fingers hurt. That means she is playing and her fingers will get callouses and no longer hurt!

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My big log cabin inspired by Edyta Sitar

Finally the log cabin inspired by Edyta Sitar is now a flimsy!!!

320 blocks

lots of browns and tans with batik pink centers.

115" X 144"

and...

 Pearl approved!!!

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Pfeffernuese Inspired and Thangles

All done!!! My Pfefferneuse inspired quilt I am calling Cinnamon Triangles.
It is now 56" square and I am very pleased with the adventure and results.
My biggest thanks to Our Bonnie Hunter for this pattern. I loved the units!!

 Monday night was a planning meeting for our guild's next meeting year. Games, exchanges and ideas flowed like lightening! It was a very inspiring meeting. I always seem to leave more anxious to sew than before I came. Yet I do not see how I could love sewing any more than I already do. I am staying up later and later and have the machine humming everyday as it is!!!

We are going to be doing a triangle exchange every month. Inspired by the show where we went and listened to Edtya Sitar. And we all fell in love with her color sense. Her hubby does all the cooking and housework so she can sew. How to get mine to do the same??????
I had three different programs/methods for making these little gems.
(not counting my EZ Angle ruler)

The planning group have each picked a quilt to make to get the juices flowing for the other guild members. We want a lot of participation in this undertaking. Variety makes for a much more interesting quilt!!!
And being the over achiever I am I had to actually start on a quilt using what has yet to be exchanged!!! What's a gal to do?
Why use up those batik 2 1/2" strips to make some triangles with the Thangles method.

Chain piecing is the way to do these! I made 288 units in only one day of sewing.
I only stabbed/impaled myself a few times with pins before I changed the direction of those dangerous points. HA!
And you need to see where you are going. So I advise an open toed foot as opposed to your normal 1/4" foot. You need to see where the sewing line is at all times.

Such a satisfying photo. An endless line of units being fed through the machine.

 And of course I had to cut one to see how it looks.

We are going to use Autumn colors only for the exchange. I am not sure if we are going to ask for batiks only or ask to have a few batiks mixed in with the quilting cottons. They do play well together.
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The freedom of designing your own creation!

I had a designing moment in the middle of sewing the huge Log Cabin quilt. Since I needed to make 29 more dark/light blocks before continuing I decided to make a few 4" Log Cabin between them. As a result I created two real small quilt tops.

I had these leftover cat border units from a pillow top fabric from eons ago. It fit this little Log Cabin top perfectly. Well...after I added some spacer strips to it. The selvages on the stripe fabric will get cut off. And I made 4 little brown string blocks for the corner. I love string blocks!!!
Do you all know that Our Bonnie Hunter of www.quiltville.com has another great book coming out in July 2012? It is called String Fling. Right up my alley!!!!
I pre-ordered it already and I advise you all to do the same!!!

 I have not decided on a border yet for this little mini. I have been watching the Harry Potter DVD's as I have been sewing. Somehow I need to link that memory to these little minis. They will be for my precious kitties to use of course!!!

 Here is my diagram for the big Log Cabin quilt. I have to credit Edyta Sitar for the coloring of my blocks. It seems I have been collecting all her colors most of my quilting life!!!!
I am checking off each unit as I make them. It is gonna be a long haul. I will never be able to quilt this one on my own. I will have to have Lisa Olinger (my long armer) quilt this giant. And I will also have to piece the batting for the length.
Sigh! But the result will be fantastic!!!

 I bought all the stuff to make my own stiletto. But did find my porcupine quill stiletto from my dress making days. It works great!!!! I cannot imagine what this creature would look like closeup with these heavy quills!!!!

 One of my Mom's bowls that I use for small pieces. That way she is sewing with me even though she has passed away. I have the little 1" Log Cabin centers in the bowl.

 And here they are stretching across the sewing table. I cannot imagine ever sewing in the cramped sewing room I used to use. This table has spoiled me. It is the small Quilters' Dream table. It is on wheels and very easy to move around.

 My Macy Gray loves to watch her world upside down. She has it so rough!!!!

 And every time I get up from the sewing machine for a stretch Bess plops herself down on my chair. I am thinking it is the kitty version of Our Bonnie Hunter's Florabunda that she loves.

And MaggieMae's fur is growing out sooooo fast. I must schedule a cut for her soon BEFORE she begins to tangle. Getting an appointment at the groomers is worse than getting a doctor's appointment. She is a good groomer and is booked out a long way!!!! Maybe she could fix my own haircut I tried to do......
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