W.i.P. Wednesday

The good news: I'm going on retreat tomorrow with my local quilting buddies, the Basket Case Quilters. The bad news: I probably won't accomplish as much as I pack. But here's what I've got going:

• FAITH Circle quilt - This quilt was my plan for the group in February, and I'm beyond thrilled with the blocks I got back. They are Vice Versa blocks by gen x quilters, January's blocks in the BOM she's hosting. What a clever concept for blocks, and I'm really enjoying seeing them around about. The layout I chose using just 1 pair of blocks is quite different from the quilt AnneMarie designed. But I think it's all going to be just fine. So my goal is to get this top pieced, and then get to quilting it after the retreat.

• Mom's quilt top - You may remember the pillows I made for my mom last fall. Well Mom saw and liked the Disappearing 9-patch pattern on Pinterest, and I assured her it would be a great use for the leftover pillow fabric. I'm adding in a few stash prints so I can make it a nice lap quilt size, and though what you see below is as far as I've gotten, I have all the necessary squares cut out, so I'm hoping I can easily get this top pieced too.

• Mini Swoon - If I can get the above two tops pieced, this will be my reward. I've had the pattern and fabric chosen for a couple of months. At least now the pieces are all cut. We'll see how far I can get on this mini. Finished size is 19" square. Who knows? Maybe this will even be ready to hang in my studio by next week. One can hope!

• Postage Stamp quilt - In an effort to obliterate the contents of my overflowing scrap basket, I have two scrap projects in the works. Small bits are being cut into 2 1/2" squares. I have about 400 cut, but need around 1200 for a lap quilt. I'll keep cutting till it's time to pack, plus probably take a bag of scraps with me. I'll be using the tutorial by my friend Louise/I'm Feelin' Crafty, and adhering my squares to featherweight interfacing before sewing the blocks together.

• Cross-Stitch Blocks - Here's my other scrap project - cross-stitch blocks using the tutorial by Alyssa/Pile O'Fabric. I'm using Kona Ash charm squares as my base. I've got about 40 more x-pieces cut out, but for the pattern I have in mind, I'll need over 100 total, so I've got a ways to go there too. 

So what do you think? Do I have enough to keep me busy for the next few days? I kinda think so.

Off We Go

It's been a year since my quilting buddies and I have retreated. As in packed up our machines, divvied up meal-plans, and taken off to sew like crazy for a few days and just 'catch up'. Well today's the day. In just a few hours, we'll be on our way. And as is my style, I've packed waaaay too many projects, but gee. Who knows what I'll feel like working on? So here's what I've packed:

1. Scrappy Trip-Along - This is a priority. If I don't come home with this quilt top finished, I'll be sorely disappointed. The backing hasn't arrived yet, due to an unfortunate incident where I had it in my cart and never clicked 'Order.' So I don't feel pressured to quilt it quite yet, but a finished top would be nice.
2. Hubby's Christmas Stocking - Another project I really want done. Hsts are pieced, so hopefully this won't take too long.
3. Binding Modern Cross quilt - It's a big one! I doubt I'll get it finished, as I plan to be mostly machine sewing, but hopefully I'll get started.
4. x and + blocks for xand+along - I'm mid-way through cutting out about 25 blocks, so I've packed a 'scrap bag' so I can get going on these.
5. Mod Angles Cushion - Back when I wrote the tutorial for the first cushion, I had actually made practice blocks first. And they are too cool to waste, so another cushion is in order.
6. Emerald placemats - I'm mulling over combining two projects - my desire for some placemats for our dining table + the Pantone 2013:Emerald Quilt Challenge. So we'll see if I'm inspired.
7. Noodlehead's Open-wide Zip Pouch - Sometime this weekend, we're all going to make this pouch together. I'm bringing some of the Etsuko Furuya Echino Insects I picked up recently. Insects aren't normally my first choice in fabrics, but I really like this one! ha
8. Sweet Heart Wristlet - Saw this on Sew, Mama, Sew this week, and just would like to try it. With Valentine's Day next week, the timing's perfect. (And it's little!)
9. Pink Penguin's Patchwork Pouch - This is another pouch I've been wanting to try. In fact it was on last year's retreat list and it never got done. Now I'm thinking it would be a perfect gift for a young friend's birthday, so I've got good incentive. 

See? Told you I over-packed projects! Guess I better go pack some clothes!

Saturday Randomness

I keep meaning to share a little postscript from my quilting retreat {here and here} . . . our visit to Over the Rainbow - an online quilt shop near where we stayed.

They open by appointment, which was pretty cool. We opened the door to the 'shop' and saw this:

And everywhere we turned, there was another row of this:

Talk about overwhelming! All the bolts were arranged by manufacturer, many still wrapped in plastic or very high up! Ie. we just walked up and down the aisles seeing what we could see. Where my friends found a new pattern and chose fabrics for their projects, I just looked for some stash basics. Think Benartex Word Play and Michael Miller Quatrefoils. Plus I found a new solid that looked fun to try - Northcott Colorworks in Pearl - a gray a tad lighter than Kona's Ash.

Anyway - fun times, which actually got even funner after check-out! We were each told we could pick five 'scraps' from their large bin pile. That's where I found this:

and this(!):

Since the 'remnants' of Outfoxed were a yard each, I ended up paying $5 total for them and the Heather Ross. I thought that was a good find and a good deal.

Anyway - more randomness - I read about a technique for finishing binding corners that was new to me {here} and a thought-provoking post about 'too much inspiration' {here}. Thoughts??

Lastly, last night was Friday Night Sew-In, and I was able to finish up my blocks for the Sparkle QAL. I had lost track of time on these, until Megan of Canoe Ridge Creations mentioned the link-up for finished quilts is next week! yikes.

The BCQ

Once upon a time, I was a pretty new quilter. And I met some women that had been quilting together for some time. And they invited me to join them and we all became fast friends. Back in the day, we'd get together once a month to sew, and we'd go on retreats now and then and sew and eat and laugh and sew some more. Somewhere along the line, we named ourselves The Basket Case Quilters. But somehow things changed, life got even busier, and we rarely quilt together any more and we haven't 'retreated' for a very long time.

SO you can imagine my excitement . . . we are going on a weekend quilting, eating, laughing retreat TODAY. We'll be taking turns cooking, visiting Over the Rainbow fabrics (an online shop open by appointment), sewing late into the night, and basically relaxing and catching up. Good times ahead.

I've packed *way more than enough* projects to work on, not knowing what will strike my fancy.

1. Hometown "Wild Thing" top complete (quilt & bind), 2. Quilting Indeed (finishing quilting & bind), 3. Fabrics cut for Sparkle QAL (piece, baste, & quilt), 4. Scrapbuster Swap blocks returned (expand blocks + make 1 more), 5. Star of Mystery (make new Solstice star!), 6. Granny Square Quilt Blocks (make3 blocks for do.Good Stitches), 7. Patchwork Wristlet (try tutorial w/o zipper tabs), 8. Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway Day! (try tutorial again, making a smaller size), 9. metro link (start another scrappy quilt),10. Not available (fabric stack for my cousin's table runner)

Priority are #1 and #2. Actually, #1 through #6. Though I'd really like to start #9. Hmmm. Choices, choices.