W.i.P. Wednesday

W.i.P. Wednesday is here again already. A busy week has left little time for sewing, but I've made a bit of progress . . .

Completed projects

Sparkle QAL - Pictures of this one have been floating around blogland (and facebook!). It happily resides at my mom's house now.

For the Love of Solids small project - see it here.

And a little redesign of the blog! Very fun!

Ongoing projects
Scrappy Depression Blocks - Two more done, 13 to go.

Modern Mini Challenge quilt - binding in progress! Can't resist showing a little sneak peek!

4x5 modern Quilt Bee blocks - My test block is done {here}, so now I need to get started on blocks for my hive-members!

Upcoming projects  
* scrappy Metrolink
* a zip pouch w/o zipper tabs - want to know this way too
* Modern Crosses mini quilt

* 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 . . .

A Sparkle or Six

I hopped on board with the Sparkle QAL back in early January, got my blocks cut out with the rest of the group, and then promptly lagged behind. I confess it sat like this on my sewing table for a full month.

And then last week I was reminded that the link up of finished quilts was going to be today! Yikes. Considering I had planned on a mini Sparkle with just six blocks, I got to work piecing up the blocks - which I really enjoyed - and then an afternoon sewing with daughter dear provided just the right incentive to get the blocks sashed, a back pieced, and binding picked out. Oh, and I decided to try contrasting sashing, using the Northcott Colorworks in Pearl that I had picked up at Over the Rainbow. For me, it added just the right something extra to set the blocks off.

For quilting, I decided to use my hera maker to make a sweeping curve across the quilt, and then echo that throughout. My curve's sharpness on one side made it a little hard to replicate over and over, but in the end, I'm ok with it.

Predictably, the weather was down right stormy yesterday afternoon when I wanted to get pictures. Though the wind did provide a quick peek of the back - simply pieced with some Kona Artichoke and a wonderful piece of Kate Spain's Verna I found in my stash. I was pleased to discover it, considering how nicely it pairs with Terrain.

Anyway, I was patient. And eventually the lively Sparkle was still.

Linking up on the Sparkle QAL Finish posts at In Color Order and Canoe Ridge Creations, at Thank Goodness It's Finally Finished over at Quilter in the Gap, and also on Happy Quilting's T.N.T. Thursdays with my try at contrasting sashing and curvy quilting . . .and also with Finish It Up Friday, {sew} Modern Monday, and Fabric Tuesday!

W.i.P. Wednesday

There are lots of odds and ends to report on for this W.i.P. Wednesday.

Completed projects

Hometown "Wild Thing" - This comfy cozy took longer than it should have, but finally it's done!

Solstice Stars Series - My five blocks are done and they were each so fun to do. I loved Faith's post about quilt top layouts, and am now debating what direction to go next. 

Little Quilt - Sew, Vote, Swap project - Loooved working on this little one that is now winging its way to its new home. 

Ongoing projects
Sparkle QAL - Hand-stitching of binding IN progress!

Scrappy Depression Blocks - Three down, 13 to go.

Modern Mini Challenge quilt - let's just say I've started.

4x5 modern Quilt Bee blocks NEW - I've chosen a block, now to get sewing!

Upcoming projects  
* For the Love of Solids small project 
* scrappy Metrolink 
* a zip pouch w/o zipper tabs - want to know this way too 
* Modern Crosses mini quilt

* A Christmas quilt to coordinate with my tree skirt
* "On a Whim" 
* Table runner for my cousin - starting with this bundle.

* Pattern for Mango 

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

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

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.