Get Ready Cocoa 'Cause Here I Come!

I've spent most of the morning getting ready for my quilting retreat this weekend. I am so excited!
I started packing things and realized that my quilting supplies and fabric are going in a bag 3 times larger than the suitcase I'm using for clothes that I'll be wearing. (Standard PJs and lounge wear take up so little space that I can fit in more fabric to quilt!)

I have a long list of projects I want to start and will be happy if I make it through half of them. I just realized how fast Christmas is approaching and most of my gifts need to be mailed this year since most of my dear friends and family no longer live in this area. (I could ship them after the holidays and say they were late in transit? Hmmm...probably shouldn't post that part.)

For my grandma who loves birds, blues and red!

 

I'm also excited about the chance to get away with some really great folks. I look forward to seeing how everyone creates their amazing quilts.

I will be posting pics on Sun of all the fun we will have. Hope you have a marvelous weekend.

Moving Right Along

I am feeling good about the work I was able to finish this weekend. I caught up at work (finally!) and was able to do some sewing. I even sat and picked out bad squares on a quilt I started earlier in the summer that was put away after a huge error was found. I love when things start falling into place.

Skill Builder BOM

I made progress on the Skillbuilder BOM. I am almost caught up with my blocks and am still debating how I want to quilt it. (Her tutorials on quilt at you go were pretty but not really my style.) I do know that I am falling more in love with this quilt and am so happy that I am making a quilt to keep.

 My first plan for the Saturn Block was to use this Free Spirit fabric to change up the colors. (This fabric reminds me of the doodles I used to do with Sharpies!) I could not get my stripes to work according to her directions. I also felt that it didn't match the other blocks after all.

First attempt at Saturn block

I decided to stop working on that block after feeling frustrated by the instructions. I moved on to the Candyland block. This one was a lot of fun. 

Candyland

Then, I started the Pixelate block. I love that I was able to just throw them together without following a set pattern. (I did make a rainbow on the bottom block just because I could.) The Pelon quilter's grid makes sewing tiny squares look so perfect.

Pixelate

After feelings of accomplishment on those two blocks, I returned for one last attempt on the Saturn block and loved how it turned out. I used the remnants of the Candyland block to break up the stripes needed for this block. 

Saturn's Rainbow

I have 3 more to go and then will be officially caught up on these BOM. I can't wait to put them all together. I hope to have the quilting design in place by then.

Charity Work

The OMQG is putting together charity quilts for Camp Boggy Creek. I was sitting at the table assigned to the RED quilt and was tasked with creating 5 blocks  I'm so excited about this cause because I know it will be put to good use. I've really love all of the charities we've supported so far this year.

Our table decided to use the January BOM from our guild. The fun was in going through my red scrap basket to find strips for this design. I remember all of the quilts I've made using these fabrics and it was a fun trip down memory lane.

All that's missing is the white border to make them 12.5 blocks. I think I will start on my scrap quilt next year. Since I've saved squares and strips from every quilt I've ever made there will be a lot of happy memories when it's all done.

More Halloween Blocks

I am determined to win the Halloween blocks on Wed! I wanted to make a few more blocks to increase my odds.

If do win, I will be making another quilt for my godson in NC who LOVES Halloween as much as I do. Even if I don't win, I will be happy to see them made into a fun quilt for someone else. 

Wishing you a fun and productive week!

Madrona Road Challenge

The Madrona Road Fabric Challenge was interesting. I do love a challenge and had a design that morphed a few times before I settled on a sketch that I hoped would work.

I started by fussy cutting blocks from the various fabrics that I wanted to frame. (My favorite is the journal design which says "Sweet Dreams" with a heart in the center.) Here's a quick look at how I made them:

White squares marked to cut in half.

Pinned squares to corners.

Squares sewn on the diagonal line.

Measured 1/4 in and cut off  the excess.
Then press open.

Add borders to all sides.

After completing the "frames" for each block I used the remaining fabric to create a braid that I thought would show how the fabrics complimented each other. Finally, I used black to unify the squares. The effect I wanted was a gallery wall of colors and fun. I think it worked well.

Madrona Road Top finished!

The final size is 45 by 46 which I think will be a perfect lap quilt once the border has been added. I have not finished the backing because I'm torn between using all white or all black. However, I do plan to use the chevron fabric on the back to mimic the braid on the front. I also haven't figured out how to to quilt it. I want to learn how to use a long-arm quilting machine this year and think this might be a great first project.