2010 Finishes - Big and Small

Looking back, 2010 was the year I really got into quilting.

 

Last year I finished 9 crib size or larger quilts.  The details for each are listed on my Big Finished Quilts page.

 

 

I also made:

1. crayon tote inside, 2. christmas potholder, 3. 12 days banner (2), 4. stocking sample (3), 5. Bitty Blue Front, 6. detail birthday dress, 7. Halloween Zig Zag, 8. cathedral in progress, 9. charming mini sent june, 10. girls new shade, 11. birthday shirt, 12. birthday dress, 13. STUD June anything goes, 14. Finished Summer Mini Quilt

I'm pretty sure there are a few small 'uns I forgot to photo, but overall, it was a productive year.

Much more positive to look at what I did finish than what I didn't get done.

What does 2011 hold for me, sewing-wise?

More finishes, less new projects.  I've told myself that I can start a new project when  I finish two older projects.  Wanna see my UFO list? 

1. String X's
2. Muffin's Trip Around the World
3. Carolina Christmas II
4. Tic-Tac Toe
5. Sew Buzzy Stars
6. Ravishing in Red
7. Alice in Wonderland
8. Crazy Mom Quilts Quilt Along #5
9. Double Wedding Ring Tree Skirt
10. Pure Hexagons
11. ColorWheel Geese
12. Em's Halloween Runner
13. Cool Braids
14. Harry Potter

 Some of these are pieced tops, ready to be quilted.

Some are blocks from bees, just waiting to be sashed and set...gonna design settings though...

Some have half the blocks pieced...

you get the picture. 

We will be moving this summer and I REALLY don't want to pack half finished projects...

I think I'll post this list in the sidebar.  Might help me make some progress on it.  Kind of overwhelming at the moment. 

Know what else this means?  I'm limiting my bees and swaps.

Right now I'm part of 8 different bees.

Too Many.

My life has gotten much crazier than when I signed up for them. 

Sew Bee It 

Bee Improvisational 

Not Your Grandma's Quilting Bee - Bumble Bees 

Not Your Grandma's Quilting Bee - The Hive

Sew Buzzy 

Scrap Happy 

[3x6] Sampler Quilt Mini Bee 

Ravishing In Red

I'm going to finish up the bees I'm currently in, and then cut back to one.  (maybe two.)

and limit my swaps to one at a time.

*sigh*

limits.  setting limits.

saying "no" is so hard.

I wanna sew more with my kiddos. 

I wanna sew stuff for my new house.

there are just not enough hours in the day.

Catching Up on Bee Blocks

I made a dent in catching up on my bee blocks.

Elizabeth wanted blocks inspired by the drunk love quilt.

 

Jodi wanted snowflake blocks based on this bake shop recipe.

they have a tiny bit of applique on them, which I completely stressed about - Applique scares me.

This marks the last month of this bee.  I've enjoyed it, but I'm very happy to have one less thing on my plate.

Wendy sent some super 30s reproduction prints and told us to have fun.  I REALLY don't want to send these back!

pretty, no?

last but not least, I was part of the first round of My Favorite Little Quilt Swap.  This was a neat swap!  You build a mini and then send pictures to the moderator you posts them to the group.  After the deadline, everyone vote on which they like best, the moderator determines who gets what based on the favorites, you send yours away, THEN you find out who made what.  I can't wait to find out which one I'll receive!

My entry was Bitty Blue.

Front

Back

The squares finished at 1/2".

tiny.

she's on her way to her new home!

June Bee Blocks

Wow - where did June go?  I got all my blocks completed!

Scrap Happy - Wendy sent out focus fabric - fruits - and asked for wonky log cabins.  I hope she likes them, they're not to my taste, but that seemed to be the theme this month!  :)

Sew Bee It - Vickie sent super busy Amy Butler prints and the pink background.  She wanted geese in any shape or size.  Complete no brainer on which block I would do!

Sew Buzzy - First month of the new bee.  My month!  I sent out these lovely 1930's reproduction prints, assigned everyone a color and a size and asked for wonky stars.  Loving the results!  You can check out all the great stars in our group pool on Flickr.  Totally floored by the generousity of the members, nearly everyone made more than required!

Not Your Grandmas Quilting Bee - The Hive -

Lisa sent black, white & gray and bits of red.  She wanted any kind of black and white blocks with red birds.  Since applique and I don't get along, I opted to paper piece a few birds.  The pointy bird pattern is here.  The little bird pattern is here.  They're too busy for me, but hopefully she likes them!

Bee Improvisational. - Jeremy's month. He wanted block inspired by this Oh, Fransson! post. For my first block I decided to do a what I'm calling a framed braid. I followed Bonnie Hunters pioneer braids technique at Quiltville. My braid strips were cut at 1"x 5".

For my second block I wanted to do a mini postage stamp.  I got tired of piecing all the little bits, so the white frame is bigger than I originally intended.  :)

Christmas in July - Debbie wanted this specific pattern, using these specific fabrics.  I love it when it's that easy!

Ravishing in Red Bee - New bee and I got to be first!  I sent out these and asked for a block that featured the red and also a 6 1/2" wonky star.  You can see all the red awesomeness here.

Not Your Grandmas Quilting Bee- The Bumble Bees - Kendra wanted this specific block and asked us to add bright scraps.  I was really nervous 'cause I hadn't made blocks like this before, but they turned out nice :)

Wow.  it's been over a month since I posted anything.  what a crazy month.  maybe I'll go into my craziness later but right now I'm just gonna stick to the sewing.  I finished all my blocks for May.

Bee Improvisational

Leila's theme was "a forest on white"  It was great fun just to let loose and play with tree shapes.

The Hive

Melody wanted string blocks in pink and brown.  She had us use Rachel's tutorial at ps i quilt.  Nice and easy.  I hadn't made a string block before, it was fun!

The Bumble Bees

Laura wanted coin quilt inspired blocks.  I used every last bit of the background and squeezed out two blocks.

Sew Bee It

Balinda set a specific block pattern and all the pieces were pre-cut.  I love it when it's that easy!  I added a few fabrics and made 4 blocks. 

Christmas in July

Terrie wanted houses, trees and stars.  My package specified a house and I got to choose the second block, so I chose a tree.

 

Since I happen to know she likes fussy cuts, I had fun with the skaters.

Fussy Cut Love

Airplanes, rockets and helocopters!  Since I don't do applique well at all - I'm too much of a perfectionist!  I found a coloring sheet of an airplane, morphed it into a paper pieced pattern and made a test block.  The test block turned out so well, I sent that too.  I had fun fussy cutting all the critters into the windows.

I even posted a copy of my pattern, since the block seemed to be a hit.  I also promised a tutorial....soon...

and last but not least -

Quilt Block Swap - Debbie sent me this very nice star

She asked for any block in pink and brown.  I sent her this block:

it is totally my favorite pattern right now!  you can find it here.

Summertime Mini-Quilt Swap

As part of the Fussy Cut Love Bee I'm in, some of us elected to be part of a mini-quilt swap.  We each sent out a piece of summer themed fabric to the other players and then we have to use all that fabric in a mini-quilt for a suprise partner.  Here's the fabric I recieved:

I added some solid white to the mix and reduced one of my favorite block patterns.

No pictures yet, I want to make sure the organizer isn't the one who's going to recieve my quilt.

(Then it wouldn't be a surpise, would it?)

Stress...

...takes its toll.  A week ago today I recieved a phone call telling me that the twins were going to the hospital.  They both had RSV and one had pnuemonia.  Ug.  The most helpful thing I could do was to stay at home with their oldest and my kids.  But I couldn't sit still.  I needed something mindless to do.

I finished my block swap block:

Then I finished piecing the Carolina Christmas tops.

I made two tops. Both are 48"x64"

Just need to add borders:

Both girls are home and healthy now.

Now I'm out of mindless projects!

March Blocks

Currenty I have 2 monthly quilting commitments, and really the lotto isn't a commitment, but it's fun.

My March Block Lotto blocks were super easy and addicting.

 

This month I joined the Quilt Block Swap and my first partner asked for "any star."  No color guidelines.  Well, I wandered through Quilters Cache and found Another Nine Patch Star.

 

 I think it's great.  Just need to sew the blocks into rows and then the rows together.

 

I've already recieved my block for the month.  A nice, simple friendship star.