A Little Quilty Love

Look what came in the mail yesterday.  This quilty hug for Happy Chemo is courtesy of Dotty Jane.

DD loves that it's in her favorite colors.  I know it will bring great joy to someone.  It is so cheerful and fun. Thanks Jane for your help in raising the Quiltometer.

Look What I Got

This little sign was my great find this weekend.  It now hangs in my kitchen. 

Some of my children think it is mean.  But I feel it is a gentle reminder that we should be nice and make things pleasant for others, and if we can't it's time for a little time out until we can.

Fortuitous Mistake

My plan for these blocks was to use as sashing between some simple applique blocks that I had made.  But when I put them all together it was way to busy. 

They were to cute to just scrap so the wheels in my head began to turn and and idea began to form.

So I'm making more blocks to build the creation growing in my head.

Now instead of just one quilt I'll have two.  Now isn't that a fortuitous mistake?

Dream Big

I've been working on my Dream quilt.  And oh has it been fun.  I perused my Freddy and Gwen Collaborate Again book for block ideas.  I've added a few baskets.

A churn dash

Some wonky  monkey wrenches.

And flying geese.

Threw them together with the blocks I had already made and the top of my Dream quilt is done.

It's just bigger than 60"x 72".  And believe it or not I still have blue scraps left. 

A Good Team

Pep talks have been given, lunches packed, and everyone sent on their merry way.  School is back in session and my quiet mornings have once again replaced with the rush of a family of six getting ready for the day.  May they each have a great day; learning, making new friends and finding hidden talents to develop.  That this year may be a great success for the Bailey team.

Speaking of teams my bloggy friend, Deanna and I make a pretty good one.  She has been supplying tops, backs and binding for quilts for Happy Chemo.

 While I provide the batting and quilting.  These two quilts are ones that we have put together to bring a little joy to someone in need.

This sweet one her daughter made to donate.  Isn't that so sweet?  Didn't she do a lovely job?  My friend and neighbor, Rella tied it for me.  I thought photographing it in front of DD playhouse was the perfect setting.  I probably should have moved our bikes but I stubbed my toe just as DD was leaving for school and it hurts so needless to say I didn't move the bikes. 

Hope everyone has a great back to school!  Go team!

Exciting News

I have some exciting news.  I'm so giddy I can barely get my fingers to work to let you know.  I knew back in May that McCalls wanted this quilt for their magazine but imagine my surprise when my friend Cheryl facebooked me congrats that my quilt was on the cover of McCalls along with this link.  I could hardly believe it.  And the truly great thing is that it's coming out just in perfect time for my sister, Julie's, fabric line Circa 1934.  That will be in stores soon. 

You can go here to learn more and to order a kit for the quilt full of Julie's fabulous retro fabric, full of fun dots, cool type keys, fancy medallions, awesome numbers, and a really neat element print full of nostalgic 30's goodness. 

Thanks for letting me share my good news.  So what's good in your life?  Would love to hear about what is making you do a happy dance.

A Little of This and A Little of That

This not so little block 20"x30" was great fun to make.  I followed this tute from Paige, for whom the block is for.  I learned a few things along the way and believe if I were to make another I would do a better job.  This one has a few extra seams.  And the blue dots next to the red flower are kind of close, but other than that I think it turned out fairly well.

I like the way the negative space sets off the different prints.  Letting you show off a little of this great print and a little of that great print. 

Deanna is a dear bloggy friend.  She has donated several tops to Happy Chemo.  I appreciate her generosity.  Well, she just did a wonderful review on my Harvest Sky pattern.  The quilt you see in my header. You should check out her  beautiful rendition of this scrappy quilt.  Thanks Deanna for the kind words and the beautiful quilt tops for Happy Chemo!

The lovely and talented Victoria of  Bumble Beans is asking for finished quilt for such a good cause that I just had to help spread the word.  Go here to see some of the quilts that have already been donated.  Do you have a top laying around that needs a good home.  How about finishing it up and donating it to Basics.  What a great gift to give someone in need this holiday season.

Being in a bee brings me so much joy.  From stretching myself to make new blocks and try to methods, to adding to my scrap bins with generous quilters that share the leftovers from the blocks I get to make for them.  And probably the all time best is when you get to be queen and everyone so kindly makes a block for you.  June was my month in A Notion Or Two Bee.  I asked for a block with an appliqued center followed by a scrappy border.  Now I love all the blocks I've received these ones have special meaning. 

This guitar has special meaning.  Valerie found out that my boy play guitar and made it for me.  Little did she know that when my hubby and I were dating he used to play the guitar and sing to me.  So this was the perfect addition to my quilt.

 This sweet bicycle from Tracy reminds me of the fun bike rides I have taken with my hubby and DD.  Another perfect addition to my quilt.

 And this ice cream cone by Michelle captures what my hubby believes is my favorite food.  So of course it's a favorite. 

I have one more block on the way plus mine to make.  (I would make mine if I could remember if mine is suppose to have a green or a white background.  Silly me I forgot.)  But I'm sure to find out soon and then I'll be able to finish this so fun quilt from my lovely bee mates.  Thank you ladies.

Beating the Blues

A while back I started Victoria's inspiration challenge.  I began with the word DREAM and my blue scraps.  I had just  finished the book Dream when Your Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg.  So that became the theme for my quilt.  Not to mention I really like the song Dream.  Well this project sat for a while while other things came to the for front.

 But the other day I needed some mindless sewing so I started making this wonky log cabin blocks.  And that got me thinking I really need to get going on this quilt.  So I added the words WHEN YOUR FEELING.  I'm still debating whether I will do the word BLUE or just let the color of the quilt take care of that.  Suggestions are welcome.

 Then after making these star blocks for a bee I'm in I decided my blue quilt needed a few and made these. 

 I see this quilt getting much bigger.  Heaven knows I have enough blue scraps to make that happen.

Getting Ready

We've had a busy summer.  Trips, first time jobs, swim lessons, driver's ed, scout camp, and boating have made it fly by.  Signs that school will be starting soon have begun to appear.  We got a letter from DD teacher letting us know what school supplies to buy.  N's schedule arrived for high school.  And Alex and Josh are all registared for college.  In twelve days summer ends and school begins.  And while I'm sad that our summer is coming to an end.  I'm looking forward to not living in my car taking kids here and there.  In prep for this change DD, N and I went shopping for clothes and supplies.  Then today while DD went boating with friends and N was at driver's ed I made another back pack for DD.

If you would like to know how to make your own.  Check out my tut on Sew We Quilt.  I promise it's a 'cinch'

Scrappy Postage Stamp Star Tute

A while back Mary, sorry I don't know if she has a blog, emailed me asking how to make this block.  I promised her a tute.  I've been very slow getting to it but as promised here it is.

 You will need 36- 1 1/2" squares, 4- 4" squares cut on diagonal once for star points, a 7 1/4" square cut on diagonal twice for flying geese units with star points and 4- 3 1/2" squares for corners around star.

First sew your 36- 1 1/2" square into 6 rows of six.  Press these in opposite directions so the rows can but up against each other. 

Sew rows together to make 36 patch.

Sew one of the 4" triangles to a 7 1/4" triangle as shown. Do this with remaining 3- 7 1/4" triangles.

Next sew the remaining 4" triangles to the opposite side of the 7 1/4" triangles to make 4 flying geese units.

Arrange units into star as shown.  Sew into rows.  Then sew rows together. 

Your block should measure 12 1/2".  I made 12 for this quilt.  I then made two piano keyboard borders that measured 48 1/2" and two that measured 60 1/2".  Then I used this tute to make the mitered corners.  Hope this helps Mary.  Let me know when you make yours.  I would love to see it.

Finding good Homes

As I've always said quilter's are generous people.  And as such I've received a lot of fabric, blocks and abandoned projects from them as I've worked to meet my Quilt Hugs for Happy Chemo quest.  Yesterday a few more of those generous quilters helped me find good homes for a few of these orphans.  These 16 patches went together nicely with a bit of Kona blue I had.

 These bow ties, from Jan, along with some sashing from some fabric my sister's fabric just need a border to be to the flimsey stage.

 This discarded project just need a few more blocks sewn and a border added. 

Now I just need to get them quilted or tied.  I have some friends that will help me and then they can go to a loving home. 

And now a home for the charm pack from last weeks give away.  Sarah guessed 240.  I think she has been watching the quiltometer.  For she was right on.  Send me your snail mail my dear friend and I'll get the charm pack in the mail for you.  Thank you to everyone that participated.  It was great fun reading your guesses.

Blocked

Between being Mom's Taxi service and DD's quilt on the design wall I'm not getting anything big done.  But I have got some bee blocks done for this month.  First up are Jodie's for Twist on Tradition Bee.

 These were quick, easy and fun.  She is going to have a beautiful quilt.

 Next up are these for Kathy from Twice As Nice Bee.  She sent beautiful Joel Dewberry fabric and let us make whatever 12" block we would like.  This one happened as an experiment.  I had leftover 3 1/2" strips from the Dutchmen's puzzle I also made so I started playing with them.  Adding from more of the beautiful fabric and this is what happened. 

 And finally the Dutchmen's Puzzle.  It is one of my favorite blocks so I just had to make it. 

Now hopefully some day soon DD will finish the last 7 rows of her quilt and I will get my design wall back.  So I can start putting some of my bee blocks together.