A BIG Finish! On a Friday! YAY!

Yes, you read that right. I finished something! A big something! My wonky triangles quilt! LOOK!

EEEE! Isn't it fun? I love how scrap-tastic it is :) Please excuse the un-buried threads. I really wanted to get a photo before work and there wasn't time for both!

Here's the back:

I really love the back. I told Mario that and he said, "You always love the back!" He has a point. Maybe I need to make a simple, graphic quilt and let it be the front. Might be fun!

I quilted it in an all over meander using Gutermann thread in grey. I thought it would be best to blend into the background and let the colors pop!

The binding is from Cloud 9 Fabric's collection for JoAnn. I love it! It works so well as a binding, don't you think? I did make an OOPS with the binding, though... I cut my strips too wide. I was just in 2.5" strip mode from cutting bits for the upcoming scrappy chevron quilt and I didn't realize my mistake until I was halfway through stitching in the ditch for the final round! So, oh well. The back has a wider binding frame than I would like, but I am still really please with how it turned out :) 

AND NOW I CAN GET BACK TO SWOONING. Omg. I'm so happy. I love this quilt, don't get me wrong, but I really want to finish the Elephant Swoon! 

Linking up to Finish it Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts and TGIFF at Quokka Quilts

Looooong Week

And by that I mean last week. But if how today went is any indication, I have another long week ahead of me...

I did make some progress, though. I have been boycotting my sewing room a little bit due to the heat. I am just SICK of it. I love rain, but when it is 103 with 60+% humidity, my house is just miserable. And my sewing room is an addition that is poorly insulated, so it is even more miserable. I'm just tired of sweating while I quilt... You can understand that, right?

So I finished one more Swoon block:

A bit on the dark side for a picture, but I was sick of trying to remember to get Mario to help me in the last moments of daylight when I get off work... Someday I WILL have a new sewing room and it WILL have lots of natural light. I just have to be patient!

And I *finally* started quilting the wonky triangles quilt (I really can't decide what to call it!).

It is definitely work to wrestle the quilt through, but I'm managing. Somehow. Someday I will also have a drop-in sewing table and a machine with a nice, big throat. Or maybe a long arm. Someday! But for now, I make my slow progress. After about an hour my shoulders start screaming and I start overheating, so this might take a while!

I have more things to show you this week! I have to show off my awesome swappy presents from the talented Kitty and Allison. They are the BEST and their swap items were just PERFECT. So I want to take pictures that at least do them some justice. Soon! I didn't even take pictures of the stuff I made- I definitely fail!

Anyway, hope you are all having a less stressful, crazy week than I'm having. I need a cup of tea and a good book tonight for sure. Maybe iced tea.

It's a Quilt Top!

It has been a long, silent week. I know.

But I do have an excuse. I finished my quilt top and I really wanted to share it with you... but it has been monsooning all week. For those that aren't familiar with summer weather in Southern AZ, that means it rains every day. And not just rain, but big lightning storms that dump buckets of water on us and cause fun things like microbursts that routinely take out power lines and you know, trees. Usually these storms happen in the late afternoon and sometimes the heavy clouds stick around all night and into the mornings, which has been the case this week.

I love monsoons. Really, I do. There is nothing so nice as the smell of the desert after a good rain. But it means my only picture time during the week is when I'm at work! Super frustrating.

But luckily today I had the boyfriend at home with me in the morning and (gasp!) the skies were clear! So he helped me snap a couple of (very quick) shots before I had to go to work.

I'm short. It's hard to hold up a quilt top that measure about 66"x78"!

I am so pleased with how it turned out! I just used some awesome coupons at Joann to buy some Kona cotton solids to put together into a backing and I got some batting on sale, too. Yay sales and coupons! I think I'm going to FMQ it with an all over meander. I don't think echo quilting would work well with the wonkiness and I don't want to do straight lines... I definitely should have picked up more thread while I was getting the backing and batting. Oops!

Quilt top info: Assorted wonky scraps on a background of Kona Ash. I used the directions to make these blocks from Quilting Modern by Jacquie Gering and Katie Pedersen- an excellent book! Each block finishes at 6". They're super quick and fun to make! I highly recommend giving this sort of improv/wonky piecing a try. There are tons of layout possibilities!

I also finished my next swoon block! Still blue elephants because I cut them all at once, but the next two blocks will be with different colored elephants, promise! I can't wait to get this done :) I bought the rest of the white for the background during that same shopping trip, so I should be all set for the top! I hope to get my next Swoon block done next week and hopefully won't have to wait til next Saturday to show you :P

In other news... I am not up to 40 followers on Bloglovin'! You guys are great :D I am thinking about having a little giveaway once I can figure out what to give away. Stay tuned!!

And because I am a terrible, bad blogger, here is the lineup for the Let's Get Acquainted blog hop from this past week and next week (just it case it gets cloudy and I'm unmotivated to post without pretty pictures again!):

July 12
Karen @ Karen, {Novice} Quilter
Anne @ PlayCrafts
Rachel @ Let's Begin Sewing...
Jan @ Sew And Sow Farm
Anna @ Quilting Along The Grain
Cath @ Wombat Quilts
Sarah @ {no} hats in the house
Christen @ Love by Hand
Julie @ 627handworks


July 19
Karen @ Little Birdie Quilting Studio
Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures
Katie @ Snuggle Up With A Dish From Karma
Alison @ Making Happyness
Ella and Nesta @ Ella & Nesta's Little Room
Adrienne @ Chezzetcook Modern Quilts
Nicole @ Modern Handcraft
Aylin @ AyliN-Nilya
Kelsey and Amanda @ Everyday Fray

It's a Tardis!

Hooray! I finished the piecing part of the Tardis wall hanging!

The light on top is a bit crooked, but other than that the whole experience really wasn't bad at all. I still might leave block 2: Time Lord for a little while, though. That looks much more fiddly. But I am so pleased with how this turned out! Now I just have to figure out how to quilt it.

I have also made quite a bit of progress with stitch and flip blocks. I'm now at 97! Only 47 more to go!

And here they are! Love. Just love.

Have you been keeping up with the Let's Get Acquainted 2013 New Blogger Blog Hop?? I have! Here's the line up this week:

Friday, June 21st
Leigh Anne @ Ella's Cottage
Stacey @ The Tilted Quilt
Sarah @ Quilt Candy
Jackie @ NW Patchwork
Liz @ Beadqueene's Bits And Baubles
Erica @ Happy Fabric
Stephanie @ Simple Sewendipity
Lauren @ Seraphym
Amy @ Cloud CouCou Crafts

Go check these awesome ladies out!

I'm linking up today with Sew Cute Tuesday at Better Off Thread and WiP Wednesday with Lee at Freshly Pieced. Go check out the other cute projects! 

 

Here's the full schedule for the blog hop just in case you missed someone or want to look ahead! Have a great Tuesday!

Friday, June 7th
Nancy @ Owen's Olivia
Amy @ 13 Spools
Ashley @ Wasn't Quilt In A Day
Casey @ The Studiolo
Nanette @ Yeah, I Made That
Ange @ Heart Of Charnwood
Kim @ Robot Mom Sews
Erica @ Kitchen Table Quilting

Friday, June 14th

Julie @ Jolie Maxtin
Melissa @ Melia Mae Quilting
Adrianne @ On The Windy Side
Molli @ Molli Sparkles
Laura @ Little And Lots
Sarah @ Duck Egg Threads
Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation
Cari @ There's A Thread
Valerie @ Between Quilts

Friday, June 21st
Leigh Anne @ Ella's Cottage
Stacey @ The Tilted Quilt
Sarah @ Quilt Candy
Jackie @ NW Patchwork
Liz @ Beadqueene's Bits And Baubles
Erica @ Happy Fabric
Stephanie @ Simple Sewendipity
Lauren @ Seraphym
Amy @ Cloud CouCou Crafts

Friday, June 28th
Green @ So Sew Green
Gwendellyn @ The Rainbow Revolts
Jessica @ Stitched In Thyme
Amira @ Little Mushroom Cap
Kathy @ Kayak Quilting
Michelle @ Factotum Of Arts
Paula @ The Sassy Quilter
Kris @ Sew Sunshine
Camilla @ Faffling

Friday, July 5th
Christa @ Christa Quilts!
Alyce @ Wonderland By Alyce
Anna (ME!) @ The Crooked Banana
Rachel @ Sew Happily Ever After
Stephanie @ Quarter Incher
Kristy & Shayla @ Sassafras Lane Designs
Caroline @ Carolines Craftiness
Lisa @ Hilltop House Creative Works

Friday, July 12th
Leona @ Leona's Quilting Adventure
Karen @ Quilty Creations
Anne @ PlayCrafts
Rachel @ Let's Begin Sewing...
Jan @ Sew And Sow Farm
Anna @ Quilting Along The Grain
Cath @ Wombat Quilts
Sarah @ {No} Hats In The House

Friday, July 19th
Karen @ Little Birdie Quilting Studio
Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures
Katie @ Snuggle Up With A Dish From Karma
Alison @ Making Happyness
Kelsy and Amanda @ Everyday Fray
Ella and Nesta @ Ella & Nesta's Little Room
Adrienne @ Chezzetcook Modern Quilts
Nicole @ Modern Handcraft
Aylin @ AyliN-Nilya

Friday, July 26th
Vicki @ A Quilter's Mission
RobinSue @ RobinSue Quilts
Elise @ Lovelea Designs
Elizabeth @ In The Boondocks
Jenny @ A Note To Follow Sew
Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts
Sonia @ Fabric & Flowers
Emily @ Sew E.T.

Em @ Sewing By Moonlight

Let's Get Acquainted

I mentioned before that I will be participating in the 2013 Let's Get Acquainted New Blogger Blog Hop, organized by Beth at Plum and June.

Well it kicks off this week! Go check out these awesome new bloggers who are posting this week:

Friday, June 7
Nancy @ Owen's Olivia

Amy @ 13 Spools

Ashley @ Wasn't Quilt In A Day

Casey @ The Studiolo 

Nanette @ Yeah, I Made That

Ange @ Heart Of Charnwood

Kim @ Robot Mom Sews

Erica @ Kitchen Table Quilting

And for the rest of the hop:

Friday, June 14
Julie @ Jolie Maxtin

Melissa @ Melia Mae Quilting

Adrianne @ On The Windy Side

Molli @ Molli Sparkles

Laura @ Little And Lots

Sarah @ Duck Egg Threads

Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

Cari @ There's A Thread

Valerie @ Between Quilts

Friday, June 21

Leigh Anne @ Ella's Cottage

Stacy @ The Tilted Quilt

Sarah @ Quilt Candy

Jackie @ NW Patchwork

Liz @ Beadqueene's Bits And Baubles

Erica @ Happy Fabric

Stephanie @ Simple Sewendipity

Lauren @ Seraphym

Amy @ Cloud CouCou Crafts

Friday, June 28

Green @ So Sew Green

Gwendellyn @ The Rainbow Revolts

Jessica @ Stitched In Thyme

Amira @ Little Mushroom Cap

Kathy @ Kayak Quilting

Michelle @ Factotum Of Arts

Paula @ The Sassy Quilter

Kris @ Sew Sunshine

Camilla @ Faffling

Friday, July 5

Christa @ Christa Quilts!

Alyce @ Wonderland By Alyce

Anna (ME!!) @ The Crooked Banana

Rachel @ Sew Happily Ever After 

Stephanie @ Quarter Incher

Shayla @ Sassafras Lane Designs

Caroline @ Carolines Craftiness

Lisa @ Hilltop House Creative Works

Friday, July 12

Leona @ Leona's Quilting Adventure

Karen @ Karen, {Novice} Quilter

Anne @ PlayCrafts

Rachel @ Let's Begin Sewing...

Jan @ Sew And Sow Farm

Anna @ Quilting Along The Grain

Cath @ Wombat Quilts

Sarah @ {No} Hats In The House

Friday, July 19

Karen @ Little Birdie Quilting Studio

Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures

Katie @ Snuggle Up With A Dish From Karma 

Alison @ Making Happyness

Ella and Nesta @ Ella & Nesta's Little Room

Adrienne @ Chezzetcook Modern Quilts

Nicole @ Modern Handcraft

Aylin @ AyliN-Nilya

Kelsey and Amanda @ Everyday Fray

Friday, July 26

Vicki @ A Quilter's Mission

RobinSue @ RobinSue Quilts

Elisa Lea @ Lovelea Designs

Elizabeth @ In The Boondocks

Jenny @ A Note To Follow Sew

Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts

Sonia @ Fabric & Flowers

Emily @ Sew E.T.

I'll post the week's schedule every Monday so you can keep up. Go support these new bloggers! :)

In other news, I now have over 50 6.5" stitch and flip blocks completed.

You can see the disaster that is my craft table in the background. I just have a huge pile of scraps so I can grab a couple at random as I make the blocks. Looks messy, but makes block making go by fast!

It seemed like most people liked the first layout in my last post, so here is a slightly larger preview of that.

I love it so much! It has the sort of weird hexagon start things that I was rather fond of in one of the other layouts, but it also radiates from the center, which breaks up that pattern a bit. Best of both worlds, right? I am so excited for this quilt. Just 90 more blocks to go until it is will be the size I want! Yay!

That's basically all I have been working on. Well. I did start a new pair of socks. I sort of messed up the first one, though, so I may rip a few rows down and re-do it. We'll see!

Playing

First- Have you gone and looked at all the wonderful winners of the Blogger's Quilt Festival? And all the entries?? There is some seriously fabulous inspiration there. You should go check it out if you want some serious eye candy!

I have been playing with layouts for my stitch and flip blocks. Because I guess I like to know where I'm going before I get to the end of a quilt... It has been really bothering me. How is it going to look when I'm done making all the wonky gloriousness? So I have been rearranging them in different layouts, trying to decide so I will cease to be paralyzed by a lack of a known destination...

I sort of stumbled on this one by accident. I was trying to show the boyfriend what I was doing and just laid them out randomly... but then it started to look like fun diamonds radiating from the center. So I went with it. I kinda like this one. I wonder how it would look in a full quilt? Maybe with the central diamond off center? Or maybe with a few large diamond-y things? Hmmm.

There is also this diamond-y layout. I quite like how wonky they look. Another possibility.

This one has possibilities if I make all the little blocks sit on point. Then they kinda look like poorly drawn hexagons with pretty points. Like weird multi-colored suns?

I could also add a little more dead space and make rows of bow ties/butterflies. Or whatever you wanna call them. I prefer to think of them as weird little butterflies. This one could be fun, too... AH!

What do you think? Any preferences? Or other ideas? I could also make some with just one bright corner. Or four. Or three. See what I mean? I could do SO MANY THINGS. I thought this was just going to be easy and fun... But now... I don't know what to do. Any suggestions are totally welcome.

THANKS. What have you been playing around with lately?

Linking up with Let's Get Acquainted, hosted today at one of my favorite blogs to read, Life's Rich Pattern. Go check out Annabella's blog and look at all the linkies! :)

The One with All the Sickness

I have been sick since Saturday. What was supposed to be a fun weekend for Mario's birthday turned into The Weekend of Sickness, culminating in Mario getting food poisoning on his actual birthday (Memorial Day) and being absolutely miserable for a day and a half. Sometimes things don't go as planned... I am not feeling any better so today I decided that rather than struggling through another day at work and subjecting my coworkers to my drippy nose and frequent sneezing fits, I'd just stay home and sleep the day away. That is my plan. I just had to get up and feed the dogs so I thought I'd pop in here to let you know what's been going on.

Then guess what happened? My SD card reader decided to stop working. I haven't been able to find my transfer cable for the fancy camera, so today you'll have to settle for crappy cell phone pictures of things I've been working on.

My biggest news? I FINISHED A SOCK.

Not a super fancy sock, but it is functional and it fits and it has PURPLE on it :D I used these videos from Knitpicks to help me figure it out. Super clear step by step instructions to make a basic sock. Now I understand what things like "gusset" and "heel turn" mean and they aren't nearly as scary as they sound! I think now I might be ready to tackle something slightly more complicated from my Sock Knitting Master Class book. Maybe.

Seriously terrible picture, I know. But I wanted to prove it fits!

I have started work on the second of the pair... but I don't know if I'll have enough yarn to finish. Because this happened.

My little demon puppy got a hold of the other ball and now it is hopelessly tangled... Probably my fault, really, as I left it on the couch. What else is a puppy to do with an unattended ball of yarn? It would be nice if she had picked it up and knitted the other sock of me... but I guess that's a little too much to ask. I have less than half of the first ball left and I was able to get some yarn from this tangled mess, so I might pull it off. I got the yarn on clearance at Joann, though, and I can't find this color anywhere. Not that I even know what it's called because she ate the label, too... But I know it is no longer available at Joann either locally or online. So I'll see what I can do with what I have. If worse comes to worst, I will just pick up some gray or purple yarn and finish the toe with that. It's my first pair, so I'm not stressing over it too much.

Other than that I have just been steadily increasing my pile of pinwheels. Oh, and I started a new project with stitch and flip triangles...

That is one dark picture. But you get the idea! I'm going to make them into butterflies, I think... Or something. I'll probably make a whole bunch of blocks and decide on a layout later. I was looking through Quilting Modern by Jacquie Gering and Katie Pederson (you can see it at the top of the picture) and I just loved all the quilts with stitch and flip triangles. I would one day love to make a Supernova quilt from that book, but  I would definitely need to buy a lot of fabric for that. So right now I am happy using scraps and some Kona Ash :)

Okay. I've rambled enough. I need to go take some cough syrup and lay down for a while... Hopefully I will have some decent pictures next week.

Oh yeah. There's still a day or so to vote for your favorites in each category in the Blogger's Quilt Festival! You should totally go do that! There are soooo many pretty entries!