Scrap Happy Sampler + New Baby Quilts

Do I need another new project? No.  Does that matter? No!!
I'm starting a few more quilts! Woooooot!

One of my local quilt shops (Blue Bar Quilts) is offering a block of the month series of classes/get togethers to make this quilt: Scrap Happy Sampler

Normally wouldn't say I'm a big fan of samplers, but this looks like a lot of fun and a great way to use my bright scraps-- of which I always seem to have oodles of.  Here are a portion of what I've cut into for the first block.

I bought several yards of this Wilmington Criss Cross to use as my background.

In addition to starting the sampler, I'm starting two new baby quilts. I've wanted to do a plus quilt for ages and it seems like a great way to make something quick, but still graphic and interesting.  This is for some local friends that are expecting their first baby.  They are letting the gender be a surprise and are decorating the baby room in grey and white.  I have been making a ton of quilts with these colors and have a lot of left over hunks and chunks, so this is a great way to use up those bits.  After the black/white/grey quilt, I'm going to do another plus, but with rainbow/bright fabrics.  There are babies everywhere!

xoxo,

Kristin

Linking up with Judy's Design Wall Mondays, Lorna's Let's bee Sewcial and Cynthia's  Oh Scrap!!

Midnight Star - Top finished!

I started this quilt in late October, but had pulled the fabrics for it 10 months earlier! It was going together quickly, but I got stuck with some of the smaller stars. I wasn't thrilled with the fabrics and wanted to replace them.  While pondering replacements, the Quiltville Mystery started up and this project got put on the back burner.  I brought it to my January Retreat and with help from my friends, picked replacement fabrics and sewed all but 2 seams together.  I just needed about 1 more hour and I could have had the top done!  Oh well-- I brought it to Late Night Sew Night at Blue Bar Quilts this weekend and --TaDaaaa!  I have no idea how to quilt this or what to do with it when it is complete.  But for now, I'm just happy that the top is done.

Speaking of On Ringo Lake... One.More.Seam!!!!!  I cannot wait to also call this top complete.  It has consumed much of my winter sewing this year and I'm most definitely ready for a change of pace.

I've already got a start on my next quilt.  It is going to be simple and quick and rewarding! Friends are expecting their first child.  They don't know the gender and are decorating the baby room in grey and white.  I have a lot of black/white prints and oodles of greys.  It's time to make a quilt that I've wanted to do for aaaaages-- a plus quilt! I did a fabric pull, but didn't snap a picture.  Next time I will have something to share. Who knows... maybe the completed top??!?

xoxo,

Kristin

Linking up with Judy's Design Wall Mondays, Lorna's Let's bee Sewcial and Cynthia's  Oh Scrap!!

Busy little beaver!

I've been a busy little beaver lately and have been doing a lot of sewing and sewing related things, but haven't had time to post about it all.

First up-- quilting.  Lots of it!  I spent a few days at my parent's house and quilted 3 quilts in 2 days! Speedy! Needless to say, I didn't do any complicated quilting!  All three quilts are charity, so the plan was quick, simple and hold the layers together.  I've got a lot of binding in my future and I'll post more/better pictures when I get these finished.

While at my parent's, I found out the Racine quilt guild (Lighthouse Quilters) was having their show that weekend.  I've heard about this every other year show, but have never been able to go to it.  It was impressive!  I ran into all kinds of friends that I know from my January retreat and many of them had quilts on display.  Here is a sampling:

Because I've been such a good quilter and have finished up quite a few UFO's lately, it was time to start a new project!  Last year, I did a pull from my stash to make Angela Walter's Variable Star, but never found the time to get it started.  The fabric was waiting patiently in a project bin, so now is the time to get it going.  It's a relatively simple, quick pattern and I'm almost done with all the stars! There are just four more partial stars for the corners and it is ready to assemble into a top. BUT-- I'm not thrilled with the orange star.  ☹ I might make something else for that spot.  And as long as I'm doing that, I might swap out the small blue/green one in the upper left, too.

Last, but not least-- I co-hosted another Late Night Sew Party at Blue Bar Quilts this week!  Wooot!  Sew.much.fun! This is the second party and I didn't take any pictures during the first one.  Next time I will do better and try to capture more of the action.  Notice a little somethin' somethin' on the wall there?  😊  It's my lion!!  We had pizza and raffles and I demoed paper piecing to several people.  This month's Mad Mod Block Lotto is paper pieced (shoot-- no pictures of the blocks!) and some people haven't ever done this technique before.  Next month's party is on Black Friday! Can't wait!!

xoxo,

Kristin

Linking up with Judy's Design Wall Mondays and Lorna's Let's bee Sewcial and Cynthia's  Oh Scrap!!

Sew much going on!

Fall is here in calendar only.  We are having record hot temperatures in Wisconsin (90°!!).  Regardless of the weather, my internal quilt cycle is telling me to sew, sew, sew.  And sew, I am!

Friday night I hosted the first of (hopefully) many Late Night Sew Parties at Blue Bar Quilts.  I thought it would be fun to have a get together in Blue Bar's fabulous classroom and Gael (owner) agreed.  There were close to 20 of us having a great time until MIDNIGHT! (way past my bedtime!).  Incredibly, I didn't take any photos! Time moved quickly and I will for sure get pics at the next one.  We had pizza and snacks and door prizes and like I said earlier, FUN!  I worked on the outer border of my Hekla Quilt and they are ready to be attached to the center.

I've still been sewing 15 minutes a day in September for National Sewing Month.  I've only missed 2 days due to work + tennis and one day while at Quilt Expo.  I set a timer for 15 minutes and almost always end up staying after it goes off.  Just like going to the gym, crossing the doorway is the biggest step.  My Galaxy of Stars is thanking me!  The top is almost done!

Tomorrow night I'll be at the Mad City Quilt Guild's evening meeting, where Maday Delgado is speaking about her quilting journey.  Should be fun!

I'll finish up this post with another entry for the Blogger's Quilt Festival.  If you haven't been over to see all of the amazing quilts people have shared, go now!!

My second entry to the festival is the pink and purple XO quilt that I gifted to a co-worker's daughter this summer.  This quilt aged for quite a while as a UFO and I'm very pleased with how it turned out.  The pinks and purples were fun to combine and the best part about it?  After I gifted, I got the most adorable picture of it's new owner (5 yr old girl) wrapped in it with the world's biggest grin!!  For me, that is what quilting is about!  I love it! 💖

xoxo,

Kristin

ps

Linking up with Judy's Design Wall Monday , Lorna's Let's be Sewcial and Blogger's Quilt Festival