Hands 2 Help Quilt

I can't believe it is the last day of March already.  When I woke up this morning and saw snow on the ground I thought it was April Fools!  What happened to my 70 sunny weather?  The poor plants must be in shock at the temperature change.

Well, it looks like Olivia's birthday quilt was a big hit!  She really liked it and put it on her bed that night.  I went to my local quilt store today to pick up some new supplies and relayed the information to a friend at the store.  She thought it was great that I used the fan quilting technique I had learned a few weeks ago at the store.  I told her I would bring in a picture to share next time I stopped by.  They are having a "PJ Party" at the shop tonight where you can come in and stay up till midnight working on UFOs and getting some extra help if needed.  I don't kow how they do it...I can never seem to stay awake past 9:30 anymore. 

I have been thinking a lot lately about what type of quilt I want to make for the Hands 2 Help Charity Quilt Challenge this month.  I decided I would like to make a bright, springy, cheerful quilt for a child.  So I found this cute collection today and bought a half-yard of each fabric in the line.

I just love this fabric! I love how it has positive messages on it like imagine, create, sing, play, dance.

The fabric with the hearts on it is sweet as well!

Doesn't this cheerful color make you want to smile like you are out in the sunshine?

Tomorrow I'll share pics of how I cut it up and what type of pattern I am choosing for this quilt.  I think it is so great to try a new design/pattern each time I start a new project.  I have enjoyed learning how to make the other three quilts, and I already have something in mind to work on next!

Have a great evening!

Olivia's Birthday Quilt Finished!

Olivia's birthday quilt is on its way to Colorado as I type. 
AND...here it is!

This is the front of the quilt.  I used the pattern "A Piece of Cake" by Camille Roskelley of Thimble Blossoms.

Here is the back.  It's nice and purpley for Olivia!

It's hard to see the fan quilting on the back.
So here it is on the front:

I tried something new with the binding this time. I zzzzz zig-zagged the stitches. I thought it might hold up better this way.

One last look on the LazyBoy!

 Oh, and here are my two helpers doing what they do best while I'm on the computer or sewing.

SNOOZING!!!

Aren't they sweet!! XOXO

Basement Blues

This past week I finished all seven rows of Olivia's quilt.  They have been sitting for days all rolled up waiting to be ironed and then sewn together.  The reason the rows are not already ironed and completed is because I have been working on cleaning out the basement this weekend. 

So far I have taken out four big bags of garbage and have about two big bags full of clothes to donate to the Rescue Mission.  I must have carried at least 20 EMPTY cardboard boxes out of the basement into the garage.  I have been breaking them down one by one to put in the recycle box.  What a shock to find out a lot of the clutter in the basement was just stacks of empty boxes!! With them all removed it looks HUGE down there again. 

Most of the garbage was old stuff I saved from school that I really didn't need to keep after all (ie. lesson plans from 1994-on). OMG!! Why can't I throw anything away?!  I'm still working on it...but you know I am Harriett reborn, and end up sitting on the floor looking at everything for hours, not really accomplishing anything.  It is so hard to throw stuff away or even give stuff away.  I don't know how you did it, cleaning out an entire house! Hopefully, I'll have the basement done before I have to go back to school next week my back gives out!  ;) I'll keep you posted! 

New Blocks

Here are the latest blocks...not many more to go!

Tomorrow I'm off to the quilting store for some more supplies.  I just love the fabric store!  I could spend hours in there!  Hopefully there will be a new class I can sign-up for this spring.  TGIF!!

Super Bowl Sunday

I always think the Super Bowl commercials are the best part of the big day.  This is my favorite new commercial today....LOVE IT!

I can not stop laughing! (Skye and Sunny start barking uncontrollably when they hear this!)

Well, the day has arrived that many wait for all season long.  Mike is at his brother's house today getting ready for the kick-off.  For him the Super Bowl boils down to these three things:

*Wings

*Ribs

*Pizza

The first two I had to smell cooking in the oven for hours this afternoon.  Mike is known for his great wings, but I did get to try some of the ribs before he left...soooo good!  He used Dinosaur BBQ sauce and said he added some "secret ingredients" to the sauce. Whatever he put in there tasted great!

Now, Super Bowl Sunday means something different to me:

*peace and quiet (perfect for reading my new book)

*sewing more of Olivia's quilt

*Dr. Quinn marathon on GMC

I have never really liked to watch football.  I always watch the half-time show, but that is usually it.  I am curious to see what Madonna will do tonight.  I enjoy watching the movie marathons on the Hallmark Channel or Lifetime Channel.  However, this year I really lucked out!  GMC has been running a Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman marathon all day. 

Mike does not like to watch the same episodes over and over again.  I still enjoy watching them, even though I know everything that is going to happen.  And he is starting to get sick of me reminding him that the story takes place in Colorado Springs. 

Me: "Look! There's Pikes Peak!  I've been there in Colorado Springs!  Isn't it cool the story takes place in Colorado Springs and Billy lives there?!" 

Him: "No, really?  That guy just saved the day again with his tomahawk." yawn...

 Oh, by the way, I finished six more blocks for Olivia's quilt today.

That's all for now.  I'll have to keep checking the game to make sure I don't miss the half-time show!   Hope you like the new blocks...it's neat how no two blocks will look the same in this quilt.  XO

More Blocks for Olivia's Birthday Quilt!

Here are six more blocks for Olivia's birthday quilt.  I hope you like them!

Sunny wanted to say hi, but he was too busy taking a bath...

Have a relaxing night! XOXO

Twirl

My new fabric finally arrived in the mail this weekend!  I ordered "Twirl" by Me and My Sister.  I thought this would be the perfect fabric for Olivia's birthday quilt.  It has butterflies to match her room and it also has her favorite color, purple.

The back of the quilt is going to have white flowers with a purple background.  The white with pink dots is for the binding.

Here's another look at all the different patterns in this fabric line...cute!

I cut some of the backing to make 10" squares to include on the front of the quilt.

Next, I had to match up two different pieces and pin them together.  I have 42 blocks in all.

Here are all of my pinned pairs ready to be cut.

I had to cut them into three separate sections...3", 2" and 5" pieces.  Then I had to trade the 2" strips in the middle.  So they turned out like this:

Here are the blocks I have finished.

So far, Mike and I have decided that we like this square the best...purple with the pink wavy lines in the middle.

Although...this one's awful cute too!  I can't wait to see it all put together!

I'll post more blocks as I finish them.  I hope you like the fabric!