Monday Finishes

Jeni of In Color Order recently shared a drawstring bag pattern that I've been wanting to try, so when my mom mentioned she could use a laundry bag for traveling, it was the perfect chance. (You can purchase the pattern here, though a smaller version is offered as a tutorial here.)

I'd had this purple triangle print in my stash for a while (by Brandon Mably, a designer with Kaffe Fasset), and mom and I both loved it for this project. The bag was easy and fun to make, and I'll definitely be making more in other sizes. I think the 'yoke' detail of Jeni's pattern really adds to it, allowing for fun contrast.

After posting a pic of the Modern Halves completed top yesterday, I was surprised how quickly the quilt came together once I got to my sewing room last night.

I debated about the binding for a while, thinking bright color was certainly in order, but in the end, settled on a dark gray to frame it all. While I love the scrappy look of my version of the original made by Elizabeth of Don't Call Me Betsy, I realized soon after starting that my scrap basket wasn't full of enough long lengths of fabric. So I got as far as I could from my scrap basket for each block, and then went to my stash to finish a few of them up. I especially like how the vertical lines are so pronounced when the colorful halves were re-pieced together. My version will make a nice lap-quilt, finishing up at 54" square.

Linking up with {sew} modern monday, Slash the Stash, Fabric Tuesday, finish it up Friday, Scrap Attack, and the Festival of Scrappiness at Stitched in Color.

Truly Random

Thought I'd share the creative blocks I received from the 4x5 modern quilt bee, quarter 4.

Nice, huh?? I still can hardly believe that they came not only from around the U.S., but also from Canada, Australia(!), and Morocco(!!). Amazing. So I have 12 modern gray and orange blocks from the first two rounds of the 4x5 {here's my first set}, and will be going one more round, this time as a caretaker. Cool.

A really nice surprise was realizing that two of my pics of Tangerisk made flickr explore! Must say, that's always pretty exciting.

1. "Tangerisk" for Tangerine Tango Challenge, 2. sneak peek, 3. Dead Simple Quilt, 4. Kaleidoscope complete!, 5. Mini-Swoon II, 6. Supernova! 

Have you heard about the Simply Charmed Blog Hop? Melissa from Happy Quilting got a group of quilters together, and beginning February 1, there will be Valentine tutorials each day. See all the details here. 

I ended up trimming quite alot last night - charm squares for the 4x5 fabric swap . . . 

    

Sketch White and Black Screen by Timeless Treasures & Nature Elements Candy Pink by Pat Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics, per my assigned colors of black and pink

. . . some of my Hometown blocks . . . 
and my Modern Halves blocks! Don't get too excited - I just slashed and starting placing them randomly on the design wall . . . (phone pic!) . . . but this is going to be one brightly colored quilt!

W.i.P. Wednesday

W.i.P. Wednesday's here again and I've had fun on a variety of projects.

Completed projects

For baby - You can see the baby goodies I made here, if you missed them.

Tangerine Tango - Whew! "Tangerisk" is done and entered in the challenge. See more pics and read about my process here.

Japanese x and + swap blocks - made one last block, and labeled 10 up and sent swapping. So I'm done for this round.

Ongoing projects
Hometown "Wild Thing" - All my blocks are done! Now I need to order some fabric for borders and backing. I think I'm going to go simple and solid. (pattern by Thimble Blossoms) 

Modern Halves scrap quilt for Scrap Attack - I've finished 18 blocks and that's going to be it for now. Unfortunately, I found it difficult to find enough scraps large enough to make blocks of each color, so I'll make a nice little quilt with what I have. (pattern by Elizabeth Dackson of Don't Call Me Betsy here)

Solstice Stars Series -Star 1 is done; Sparkle QAL - all cut out. Posted about them here.

Upcoming projects  
* Scrappy Depression Blocks - I have a plan!
* For the Love of Solids Swap - I am stalking my partners mosaic, am mulling over options, and may order a few more solids.

* do.Good Stitches January blocks - cancelled; taking a break in January . . .
* A Christmas quilt to coordinate with my tree skirt
* "On a Whim" 
* Table runner for my cousin 
* Pattern for Mango 

* A light box
* Quilts for siblings #2 and #3

Linking up with W.i.P. Wednesday . . .

W.i.P. Wednesday

W.i.P. Wednesday's here again - another week of working a little bit on alot.

Completed projects

Terrain zip pouch - Made for a friend's birthday and always a fun, quick finish.

Ongoing projects
Hometown "Wild Thing" - 15/42 blocks done. (pattern by Thimble Blossoms) 

Japanese x and + swap blocks - Of the 12 blocks I made last week, I already swapped 5 with a flickr buddy. I did make 3 more, so I have 10 in-house. I think I'll send them all off to swap and then start making more to keep.It'll take 80 or so for a quilt, so I've got a ways to go. (tutorial by badskirt found here)

Modern Halves scrap quilt for Scrap Attack - Still plugging away, I've finished 11 blocks, and have 3 more cut out. (pattern by Elizabeth Dackson of Don't Call Me Betsy here)

Tangerine Tango - Almost forgot to get this on the list! A snowy afternoon last weekend gave me a chance to get started on it. The top is now done, and backing and batt cut out. Just need to start quilting.

Upcoming projects  
* Solstice Stars Series quilt block tutorials - begins today! NEW
* Sparkle QAL - begins tomorrow NEW
* Put together Scrappy Depression Blocks 
* For the Love of Solids Swap - signed up and waiting to get my partner!

* do.Good Stitches January blocks - cancelled; taking a break in January . . .
* A Christmas quilt to coordinate with my tree skirt 
* "On a Whim" 
* Table runner for my cousin 
* Pattern for Mango 

* A light box
* Quilts for siblings #2 and #3

Linking up with W.i.P. Wednesday . . .

W.i.P. Wednesday

Here it is, W.i.P. Wednesday again. It's been a week of working willy-nilly on several projects at once. But progress is progress!

Completed projects

Color Block Placemats -My first finish of the year! If you missed the post, here it is. 

Modern Blocks bee - Finished my block for this bee's first month here. Alisha is going to have one beautiful bliss-ful quatrefoil quilt!

Ongoing projects
Hometown "Wild Thing" - Only 6/42 blocks done, but the rest are all cut out! (pattern by Thimble Blossoms) 

Japanese x and + swap blocks -This flickr swap runs through February 18. Twelve blocks done so far . . these little guys are addicting! It's been fun rummaging through my scrap basket to put these together. (tutorial by badskirt found here)

Modern Halves scrap quilt for Scrap Attack - Working through my stack of colors, 5 blocks are done, with another orange, green, and purple one cut out. (pattern by Elizabeth Dackson of Don't Call Me Betsy here)

Upcoming projects  
* Put together Scrappy Depression Blocks NEW 
* For the Love of Solids Swap - signed up and waiting to get my partner!

* do.Good Stitches January blocks - cancelled; taking a break in January . . .
* A Christmas quilt to coordinate with my tree skirt NEW
* "On a Whim" NEW
* Table runner for my cousin NEW
* Pattern for Mango - hopefully in early 2012!

* A light box
* Quilts for siblings #2 and #3

Linking up with W.i.P. Wednesday . . .

Modern Halves and Modern Blocks

Ok, so several of you recognized my scrappy blocks yesterday from Elizabeth Dackson's new pattern, Modern Halves. Good going! (You'll find Elizabeth at her blog, Don't Call Me Betsy.) Huge difference though - Elizabeth made her quilt out of the mod and amazing Half Moon Modern fabrics, while I am rummaging through the mountain of scraps on my sewing room floor.

I actually started with a charm pack I got in my stocking.
{thanks sis!}

There are two charms of each color, so I'm planning on making two similar but different blocks of each color, using the charm squares as the centers, and scraps as the bars. I'm being adventuresome and just working down through the stack of charms, so you saw orange and lime yesterday, and here's lavender today. bad lighting - it looks so much better in person!

So that's been fun. Also fun is my first block for the Modern Blocks Bee! Alisha is up for January and sent out a fun little bundle of Bliss, and asked us all to make her a Quatrefoil block by Solidia Hubbard. (We're all using the book, Modern Blocks.)

I've been in several bees, but never one where someone sends me fabric to make the block of their choosing. Needless to say, I was very excited, and just had to make my block as soon as possible! Ta da!