Around the World Blog Hop...

When Leslie of Leslie Unfinished asked me to participate in the Around the World Blog Hop, I decided to give it a go. My blog is fairly quiet most of the time, but I love having a place to post pictures of the various things I'm working on and share my thoughts. If you haven't already, please check out Leslie's blog. She has made some beautiful things, and I have to give her credit for giving me the courage to try free motion quilting. She will probably be surprised by this statement, but she explained her process to me at a guild retreat last year and it made all of the things I had read and videos I had watched 'click'. I still need lots of practice, but I really enjoy FMQ and plan to continue to do more and more. Thank you, Leslie!  (Did I mention that Leslie and I are both members of the Oklahoma City Modern Quilt Guild? Well, we are! It's a great guild and I have learned so much from my fellow guild members and met so many nice and creative women!)

Now, to the questions...

1.  What am I working on?  

Oh, so many things. I am one of those people who loves to start new things...finishing, not so much... One of my UFOs that I am most excited about is Lori Holt's 'Bee in My Bonnet' Row Along from a year or two ago. (Actually, I just looked and the Row Along started in August of 2012 - wow! That UFO has been simmering for a while.)

  

I finished the rows at my guild's retreat last year, and I guess I've been sitting on them for more than a year and haven't gotten them put together yet....shameful.....lol!  

2.  How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I don't know if my work differs from others or not. Is it supposed to? I'm not real good at following the rules. I tend to glance at the instructions for a few seconds and then go my own way. Life is so full of rules that I think the creative process allows me to let go of those rules. Everyone keeps telling me there are NO quilt police; however, I keep expecting them to jump out of the woodwork every time I do something a little outside the box. They haven't yet...keeping my fingers crossed.

3.  Why do I write/create what I do?

I do what I do because I love it! I love reading a bazillion different blogs - mostly quilting, but not all. I love the inspiration I get from all of the pictures people post on Flickr and Instagram. I love pulling all of the fabrics in my stash and placing them next to each other until I find the combination that makes my heart go pitty-pat to make that special block or special quilt for that special person.

4.  How does my writing/creating process work?

Lately, my quilting has been in response to needs - friends retiring, having babies, suffering illness, etc. When someone says they need a block or a quilt, I think "I've got to do that - right now!" I want to participate in everything and help everybody but I am realizing that doesn't always fulfill the need to create because many times I am being told what to make and what colors to use, etc. Sometimes I just need to create to keep myself sane.  

So when I get to do my own thing, I get out pencil and paper. I would love to know how to use the various graphic software programs for quilt design, but I don't want to spend the time required to learn. So, for now, I will stick with pencil and paper. It works, and if it ain't broke why bother to fix it?

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Now that I've shared a bit about myself, I get to tag others to participate in the Around the World Blog Hop next Monday, the 29th of September.

I asked Angie of Sewing With Squeak to participate, but she had already participated. If you are not familiar with her blog, please check it out. She makes lots of neat things. (Angie is also a member of my guild.)

I also asked Misha of MishaMichele to participate. I met Misha on the About.com quilt forum a few years ago. If you're ever in need of quilting advice, the women on the quilt forum are the best. I started there in 2009 and was taken under the wing of a wonderful group of quilters. I have grown so much in my skill and creativity, not to mention confidence.

OK! OK! I'll stop talking....have a great week and hope to see you again soon...

~Bri

I call her Frankie...

I call her Frankie because she was a monster to put together - not her fault!  This was a mystery quilt from a couple of years ago. The host was posting clues every hour to hour and a half. After I had several of the blocks made, she announced some of the measurements were incorrect - redo some of the blocks!  Uh, no.....so I put it all away until yesterday.  I decided I was getting it put together one way or another so I could call it Done!  I had to shave a bit off here and add a bit of fabric there, and she's a bit wonky and an odd size (33" x 50"), but dear daughter and I decided she was perfect for a lap quilt and we're keeping her.  

It is very liberating to decide to keep a quilt vs giving it away. When you're keeping for yourself, you don't worry about little things like cut off points and a bit of wonkiness.  I may have to make more quilts to keep!  LOL

~Bri

Quilt of Valor Block Drive...

Want to make a Quilt of Valor block? My friend Debra posted on her blog a few weeks ago about another blogger, Kevin the Quilter, who is hosting a QOV block drive. It is a really simple block, but it makes a very striking quilt when all put together. If you have a bit of extra time, see if you can make a few. He has some pretty good prizes too...The block drive runs through June 1st...


Speaking of deadlines...How do you keep track of your ongoing projects? Especially those with deadlines? I have about a bazillion things going and have handwritten lists all over the place - and I can never find them. And I never have them with me when I'm shopping. So I've been playing with different apps to help me manage them. I believe the one with the most promise so far is Evernote. I've loaded it to both my iPad and iPhone. Still learning but am curious what others might be using.

~Bri

Sandwich Anyone???

No, not that kind of sandwich!  A quilt sandwich...

I finished my Star Light, Star Bright 'star' and got it sandwiched and ready to quilt.  I usually sandwich my little quilts on the bed on Sunday when I have the bedding stripped off.  However, a few weeks ago I sandwiched one of my mom's baby quilts on her dining room table.  OH MY GOSH!  What a difference that added height makes...I will be going over there to sandwich all future baby quilts and save my poor aching back.  I also sandwiched the second red, white, and blue Asterisk baby quilt.  Now to get my 'free motion' on and get after it...but not this weekend....maybe next...

I have a larger quilt top ready to go to the long-arm quilter.  I would really like to quilt these larger ones myself but I am afraid to try to sandwich a big quilt.  Yep, I know!  I'm a big old fraidy cat!  (Those are 16" blocks!)  So I pressed it, bought a backing, and will take it by her house this week - I hope.  I chose a black and white chevron for the backing.... pretty....
 

The Sassy Quilter's Triangle Quilt Along started last Friday - choose fabrics, post a picture, get entered for a prize....not too late to join in....

~Bri

A Win and a Finish...

Well, I did go ahead and get the next step done on the "Happy Quilting" Star Light, Star Bright Quilt Along.  

And I am so glad I did!  I posted a picture on the linky and won the weekly prize - three of Melissa Corry's patterns. YAY!  I already had "In Your Neighborhood" - I bought it when she published it a few months ago.  I chose "Salutations", "Boxed In and Out", and "Simply By Design" as my prize....awesome blossom!  We now have 3 weeks to complete the last step.  To enter the contest, I only have to complete the top.  However, I hope to finish the entire thing - quilt and bind - so it will be in the "parade" - not exactly sure what all of this means, but that's OK.  I'm learning....and I'm having fun doing it...

Remember my Stash Bee blocks from last year?  I asked for the Asterisk Block and got about 50 blocks.  I put them together into two baby quilt tops.  I finished one and the other is still just a top.  I plan to donate both to charitable organizations through the two different guilds I belong to....Yes, two...long story....for another day...

See the numbers?  That's the backing!!!  I think it is so neat...and the striped binding...oooh laaa laaaa!

What do you think of the big picture?  At our weekly guild meeting last week, a few of the more prolific bloggers had a panel discussion on blogging.  It was very interesting to me as I am trying to do more with my blog.  It was noted that pictures are very important and should be as big as possible.  So I'm going to go with bigger pictures and see what I think...Seems really big to me....LOL...I'm going to go ahead and try out a bigger font as well....so adventurous today...

I didn't get any sewing done this weekend.  My daughter told me I had to read the book "Divergent" since the movie comes out next week and I am taking her.  Surprise!  I finished the book, and it was OK.  I probably won't read the 2nd and 3rd books in the series until after we see the movie.  I guess this is the next big thing after "Hunger Games" which I absolutely loved - the books and the movies.  Since I couldn't get the book from the library immediately, she "allowed" me to read the book on her Kindle, and I am thinking I may need a Kindle.  I couldn't sleep one night and got the Kindle to read in bed - so much lighter than the iPad - and the back-light doesn't blind you in the dark the way the iPad and iPhone do.  Hmmmmm....

Have a great week!

Bri

Already 2014? Wow...

Time sure flies these days.  I can't believe it is already March.  WOW!

With the new year, I got to thinking about resolutions.  I went back and read my post from January of 2013 where I said I knew better than to make resolutions.  But I also committed to a goal to find the perfect project for a beautiful piece of fabric I had purchased some time ago.

I didn't find the perfect project in 2013; however, I did find it in 2014 and I have already gotten started.  One of the young women in my guild, the Oklahoma City Modern Quilt Guild, started a quilt along using Tula Pink's City Sampler blocks book in February.  She set a goal of 11 blocks per month so we can get all 100 finished in November so we can sash, finish, etc, by the end of the year...yeah, right!  I really didn't think I could do it, but I am proud to say I got 10 of the blocks made in February.  So technically, I didn't do it, but I got pretty darn close.  I also have the next two cut out.  Unfortunately, I have done nothing in March....yet....

I am using a bit of this red fabric in each of the blocks (assuming the fabric goes that far).  I think I can pull it off - I have two yards and I am using as the primary fabric in some blocks and just as a minor player in other blocks.  One of the quilt calculators said I could get more than 100 5" squares from the two yards so I'm thinking if I am conservative I can make it work. However, I'm not going to worry over much about it.  I am also using some purples, greens, yellows/golds, and several low volume fabrics.  

Here's a picture of a couple of my blocks...I'm really liking them...and I'm sewing all of them on my sweet little Featherweight Pippa.  It seemed like the perfect project for me and Pippa.  I hadn't used her much so this is helping me get to know her a little better.  Totally different feel from my Janome MC6300 Kate.  And I am using a Tula Pink Aurifil variegated thread sampler I purchased last year (ironically, from the same young woman who is running this QAL).  I love buying thread, but I am bad about hoarding it and not using it.  It's just so pretty!  I am trying to get over that so I broke it out and am loving it!

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Is anyone doing Melissa Corry's "Happy Quilting" Star Light, Star Bright Quilt Along?  I am doing one large 32" star, but she has instructions for multiple sizes and layouts.  She has been publishing a new step each Wednesday and we are almost finished.   Since I am only doing one big block it has been easy to keep up with so far, although I haven't done this week's step yet....I am still optimistic I will get to it....

                      

I will probably make a baby quilt with it although the colors aren't really nursery colors....oh well.....

I'm also going to start The Sassy Quilter's Quilt Along later this month - a triangle quilt.  I have been wanting to make one of these for a while so I am going to make a small one - probably baby quilt sized - with low volume and muted fabrics....This QAL starts March 21st.  If you are interested, please join us.  I found this blog through a posting on the Happy Quilting QAL and am really glad I did.  Paula has a lot of interesting information and fun things going on.

I hope everyone has a great week!

~Bri

Catching up...

I did finally finish the Little Red Riding Hood quilt I started in June of last year at our guild's quilt retreat. Baby girl Callie was born in late August, and she got the quilt some time in October....I really meant to have the quilt done BEFORE she was born, but good intentions and all that...just didn't work out....someday, I will actually have the baby quilt ready before the baby arrives..... maybe.... But I must say I am very pleased with how the quilt turned out.  I ended up finding that elusive red and white striped fabric for the binding, and it looked as wonderful as I had hoped.  My free motion quilting still needs work, but I believe I am making progress.  

One of these days I'm going to remember to track how much time I spend making a quilt - from choosing a pattern, to choosing fabric, to cutting, to sewing, to quilting, to binding. People always ask how much time I spent on a quilt, and I honestly have no idea.  Do you track how many hours you spend on a particular project?  I tend to bounce around from one to another so it might be hard to keep up with.  I just never think of it until I'm too far into the project for it to be effective...sigh....

In between quilting and binding, etc, I made a few more of the 2013 Sugar Block Club blocks!  Amazing....I still have a few more to make but it's been a while since I looked so I'm not even sure where I am....I didn't sign up for 2014...yet....probably won't....might....






Of the three BOMs I committed to at the beginning of last year, the Sugar Block is the only one I have halfway kept up with.  I never even started on the Lucky Stars....paper piecing still eludes me...LOL....I'm not even sure where I am on the Oklahoma City Modern Quilt Guild BOM .  Maybe I'll check on that some day...

Have a good one!

Bri