Birthday Blocks Going to Wisconsin

Time for another set of birthday blocks.  This time they are headed to a quilter in Wisconsin.

This time, the requested colors were burgundy, hunter green, navy and cream.  Strangely, I had a difficult time locating colors in my stash to fulfill this request.  The lighting in the photo makes the burgundy look more red....but in person, it is a dark wine/burgundy fabric.  I stumbled upon a lovely piece of hunter green with a burgundy paisley design and then found a piece of cream with a hunter green vine and small burgundy flowers print.

Even if the photos don't do the blocks justice...in person the blocks are quite lovely and I am pleased with the results.  Although I did not include a navy piece within the construction of the blocks, I'm not too concerned because I know that other quilters participating will fill that need.

I only have one more set to make and then I'm finished for this year.  My birthday is the last one on the list (late December)...but I've already received two packages of birthday blocks...one from Australia and one from Wisconsin.  I have a feeling that several others will be mailing my blocks early for fear that they will get too busy and forget to mail them around Christmas.  That's okay....I set a gift bag on top of my china hutch and am simply putting the envelopes inside as they arrive.  I've never had any problem saving things and opening them at the proper time so that is my plan.  I will save them until my birthday and open them in the same order that they arrived. :)  Opening my birthday quilt blocks will help take the sting out of the fact that this birthday will be my BIG 50!!!  :) :) :)

Until next time....

Log Cabin Wallhanging or Table Topper

Isn't this log cabin adorable?

It finishes at 40" x 40" and is suitable to hang or use as a table topper.  Last year my friend Marianne, my mom and myself all made the same project.  In order to have so many different fabric choices within the design, we shared our cut strips of fabrics with each other!  Good idea...huh????  All the fabrics are Civil War Reproductions.....LOVE them!

This particular one was pieced by my mom.  I've had it for quite some time just waiting to find time to quilt it.

Now that my daughter's basketball season has started (practices at least), I needed to stock up on hand-sewing items to keep me occupied during the many hours of sitting in the car or inside a gym waiting on her.  That means I need to get a nice stack of pieced quilt tops quilted and ready to sew the binding on the back by hand.....in other words....I need to get busy!!!!!

I decided to use a traditional quilting design called Baptist Fans on this tradition Log Cabin.  Actually, the pantograph I used is called "Continuous Baptist Fans" and was purchased online from Urban Elementz.

I couldn't be happier with the finished look!  The photo above shows the back of the quilt.  I decided to back it with a natural muslin.

Thankfully, I was able to get it trimmed and squared up, binding machine attached to the top, and ready to take with me to my daughter's practice last night.

The gym didn't have seating set-up so I ended up sitting in my Jeep...in the dark!  Every fanatical quilter goes prepared for any situation....so....I brought out a battery operated, goose-neck sewing light....attached it overhead to the sun visor....directed the light on my quilt and then I sewed, baby sewed! :) :) :)

Until next time, KEEP SEWING (even in the dark!)

Texas Bound Birthday Blocks

Whew!  The last set of birthday blocks needed for the month of October are in the mail heading for Texas.  Hollie requested her blocks be constructed using fabrics in two shades of golds and two shades of greens.

The first block is another Blazing Star by Eleanor Burns.  Since I really like this block, I decided to make it again even though I made it for another October birthday quilter a couple of weeks ago. :)

And as to be expected...this second block was another "playing around with my Learning Curve Ruler".

The two blocks side-by-side.....

Oh how I wish that I had made duplicates of ALL the birthday blocks I've made this year.  (I'm kicking myself at this very moment!) LOL  Had I only thought to do that...I would have ended up with the most beautiful, multi-colored, sampler quilt of my very own. :(  Oh well....at least I get to look forward to receiving my OWN birthday blocks from all the other quilters in a couple of months.  I'm the last quilter on the list, with a birthday in late December. :)

Until next time....happy sewing!

Virginia Bound Birthday Blocks

Now to show the birthday blocks made for the third birthday quilter with a birthday in October.

This new set of blocks is heading to the state of Virginia for Lynne.  The colors Lynne requested were black, red and white.  There have been several quilters participating in the Birthday Block Swap who have chosen this same color combination.

I actually made the same blocks that I made two sets ago....in the same color combination...BUT, the fabric/color placement is totally different which gives a completely different look to the blocks themselves.

First block is called Party of Four.....

Now....just to remind you what it looks like with the same fabrics (almost), but colors placed differently within the construction of the block.  Here is the same block design I made for Terri in New York City just a few weeks ago....

Don't they look like totally different block designs?  

Here is the second block I made for Lynne in Virginia...using The Learning Curve Ruler....

Again....just to remind you....here is the same block, using the same fabrics....just placed differently....

This is a prime example why I never grow tired of quilting!!!!

Before ending today's post....here is a photo of both of Lynne's blocks side by side....

Keep that sewing machine humming!

Birthday Blocks headed to North Carolina

I mentioned in an earlier post that I have several sets of birthday blocks to make and send to other quilters celebrating their birthdays during the month of October.

Karyl in North Carolina is the next in line.  Her color requests were burgundy, sage greens, browns and creams as the neutrals if needed.

Here is the first block I made, it's called Blazing Star...designer Eleanor Burns.  The lighting isn't really good...the fabrics are actually brighter than they appear in the photo.

I only had to rip out one seam in order to get it just right. :) :) :)

On the second block, I used the Learning Curve Ruler again with a little twist.  I added a 4-patch block in each corner....

Here are the two blocks together....

It's hard to see but the main burgundy fabric and the darker green was used in both blocks so they will coordinate.

Until next time!

Lessons 13 and 14 of Aiming For Accuracy Quilt-Along

The picture above is actually the top two sections sewn together.

Lesson 13 was....

Then we were able to sew together the entire top section as follows.....

Lesson 14 was....

Well....Lesson 14 was just the small blue and yellow half-square triangle units on the right side and the three larger rectangles (pink, purple and turquoise) on the bottom...sewn to the big block constructed in an earlier lesson.

Then that section was sewn to others to complete the entire section 2.....

And then of course, the top section was sewn to section 2 which resulted in the first, top photo in this blog post. :)

Just another lesson or two and the quilt top will be finished.  I believe I see light at the end of this tunnel! :)

Keep sewing....it will make you happy, happy, happy!

Birthday Blocks to New York City

I've been able to take a little rest from making the birthday blocks for the online quilting friends, but October changes things completely.  There are FOUR birthday girls this month.  The first birthday celebrated is Terri's in New York City.

Her color request was for Blacks, Wine Reds and Whites.

This first block is called Party of Four....

The second block I made used the Learning Curve Ruler....

Here are the two blocks side by side....

Her birthday is next week but I mailed them early and she has already received them.  She loves them....which makes me very happy.

Now I need to get on the ball and make the next set of blocks for the next birthday girl!

Keep quilting!