Fly Fishing Quilt #2 - 2017 Q1 Finish

Last year I made a quilt for my dad.  I bought the fabric at an incredible price, and I bought plenty.  So I made a second quilt.  Actually, I made a second quilt top, didn't like it, so I chopped it up and made a third.  I like it so much better!

This was my first layout, just pieced in the middle with some big rail fence blocks.  Didn't like it so then I swapped the outer most fabric for a solid brown.  

Still didn't like it so I unpicked the blocks and chopped them up.  I took this layout idea from a quilt called "Sugar Pop n' Change"  by Melissa Corry.    Aah...  Much better.  And it was easier to quilt because it was much smaller.  :)

Here is the back.  I actually took the original quilt's outside borders and added a strip of leaf fabric in the middle.  And now I've Reduced (the size) and Reused (the fabric.)  ;) 

I may have shared some similar pics on my other quilt, but I just had to show these again.  They remind me much of my dad.  He's never had a mustache like the fisherman on the fabric, but he did have a fishing rod, fish basket, and net.  This guy's is only missing the hip waiters and float tube!  :)

I am linking up to the Finish A Long at Elven Garden Quilts.

Cross Stitch Heart Quilt - 2017 Q1 Finish

I finished binding this quilt last night.  Hooray for a little love and brightness in this little corner of my world!  The smog here has been horrible.  So between gray skies, cold temperatures, and frustrating news stories, a little more love is in order.

I saw a similar quilt with this block some time ago and found a good tutorial for it.  I was toying with the idea of using several different cream colored background squares, but then decided on gray.  Then, I realized I might not have enough gray, so I alternated gray and white.  I think it turned out pretty cute.  

The quilting is all straight line with my walking foot.  It went pretty quickly since it is a small quilt. Once again, I used a lot of different fabrics from my scrap mess, I mean, scrap basket(s).

I am linking up to the Finish A Long at Elven Garden.

Tree Quilt - 2017 Q1 Finish

Here is my first finish for the year.  Yay!  It is a wall hanging I plan on putting up each December.  I based it on a quilt from Vanessa Christensen's book, "Simply Color: Green."

Our house is quite dark, particularly during this hazy, cold winter.  So the white background really brightens up the stair landing.  I quilted it with simple wavy lines down the quilt -- kind of thinking about snow drifting down.  All the fabric is some I had in my stash, including the backing.  I didn't take a picture of the back because it's pretty ugly -- all my least favorite green fabrics I had on hand.  Since it'll hang on a wall, nobody will see it.  :)

I am almost finished with another wall hanging for this same spot, to be hung in February.  (I know, I know, it's already February.)

I am linking up to the Finish A Long at Elven Garden.

2017 Finish-A-Long Goals Q1

Here are some goals for this quarter's Finish-A-Long.  (In re-reading this, I see I did not claim these goals.  They are not "my goals," but instead they are "some goals."  Could this be an indication of my confidence in actually accomplishing them?  haha.  All I can do it try. ;))

1. Summer Sampler: This one keeps popping up on my list.  I decided to reconfigure the blocks into a different setting -- I have unpicked, re-sewn, and the top is almost finished.... again.  

2.  Trees Wall Hanging: I would like to be a little more selective in my making.  Sometimes I see something cute and so I make it, but I don't really have a plan for it.  Instead, I'm going to try and make things for which I have a plan.  I am starting with some more seasonal wall hangings for the wall in my stairwell.  I am nearly finished with this top:

3.  Heart Wall Hanging: Plans for another wall hanging for that same spot in my stairwell.  I have a plan and some of the fabric cut.  No pictures yet.

4.  Holly's Tree Farm Quilt:  The top is finished.  Need to prepare the backing, baste (ugh), and quilt.

5.  Dad's Fishing Quilt part 2:  This was another quilt I didn't love once it was finished.  I've chopped it up and recreated it.  I like it much better!  I need to prepare the backing and quilt.

6. Mystery Quilt: This is a big one -- I'm not very excited to quilt it with my little machine. So really, I'm not sure I'll do it this quarter (or year) because I don't have a plan for where it's going to go -- but just in case I figure it out, I'm putting it on the list.

7.  Persimmon 4-Patch:  I might add a border to make this a little larger, but otherwise the top is finished.  Again, I am not sure I will attempt this this quarter.  I don't love how this quilt turned out (I really wish I would have used a cream and navy for the 4 patch squares).  But just in case I find some motivation and decide to finish it up, I'm putting it on the list.

  

Nov-Dec Review

November started off with a couple of fun school projects -- the ever popular native american home and our first "bottle buddy".

Not everyone is lucky enough to go swimming on Thanksgiving Day.  Especially in Idaho.  We went to my brother's for the day and had a great time.  The food was delicious, the company enjoyable, and the pool was a lot of fun!  I am always so grateful for the older nieces and nephews who play so nicely with my boys.  They played keep away with the football, jumped off the diving board, and squirt each other with squirt guns.  It was also fun to see cousin Savannah in action as she taught her college friends how to swim.  All the while we sat by the side and watched.  

The boys also went to the park and played Kickball with their older cousins and friends.  Brian and I took a walk, hoping to work off some of the meal before diving into the pool .... I mean, pie.  Haha.  On our walk we saw this cool bike/lawn mower.  I guess the neighbor really uses this to mow his lawn.  How cool is that!  The only thing better than seeing this would have been seeing the man actually using it.  

Jumping ahead to Christmas day!  We spent it at our house.  The boys patiently waited until 6:45 to wake us up -- here they are marching in place while waiting for Dad to get up.  

Santa brought games for the boys -- Fifa 16, Madden 16, and Lego Jurassic Park.  Andrew also got a pair of wireless bluetooth headphones, and I am already tired of asking him to remove them so he can listen to me. :) Last year Eric got a bunch of basketball stuff, and this year it was Football -- cards, pajamas, football.  And Tanner, of course, Ninja Turtle toys!

The boys also got a fun snowboard (for sledding) from Grandma and Grandpa.  It conveniently snowed 10 inches on Christmas, so on Monday Brian took the boys out and they all tried it out.  I don't have a picture of that, but I heard it was pretty great!

Speaking of sledding, Tanner has had a great time sledding with his twin friends.  There is a park with some good sized hills for these Kindergarteners.  I love those rosy-cheeked boys!

Sept - Oct Review

Fall started off with more soccer for Andrew (and us.)  His season included going to a Salt Lake Real soccer game.  Brian and the boys went and had a great time.

In September, Tanner turned 6 years old.  He and his buddies play Ninja Turtles almost every day, so of course we had to get some Ninja Turtle toys.  He also had fun with his new remote control truck.  The boys creatively taped a small flashlight to the roof of the truck so they could drive it at night.  

We had gone to the grocery store on Tanner's birthday, and he wanted a store-bought cake.  I usually make the birthday cake at home.  We ended up compromising and Tanner chose a cupcake for himself and his brothers.  His early September birthday is close enough to Halloween (I guess) so the store had eyeball and spider cupcakes.  Yum.

Also in September, we celebrated Brian's birthday.  The man who is impossible to buy for usually gets plenty of "work snacks."

Eric, our basketball loving boy, is now loving Football too.  So he played his first season of Flag Football.  He has a great spiral throw and is an excellent blocker.

And then came our (least) favorite holiday, Halloween.  The kids enjoy it, Mom and Dad tolerate it.  Here is Tanner's pumpkin he and I carved.  Not sure if he's trying to copy that pumpkin's grimace or what.  ;)

Costumes this year included Eric as a "nerd", Tanner as "Messi" the soccer player (and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle at the school party,) and Andrew was a boy with a black outfit and a cape.  Costumes certainly get harder the older the boys get.  Cant wait until next year!

Brown Sampler - Q4 Finish

This is #3 on my 4th quarter finish-a-long goals.  I forgot to take a picture of this quilt before I gave it away for Christmas.  Darnit.  I'm glad I at least took this one, even if it is in my messy hallway.  :)  I gifted this to my sister-in-law and her family.  I had a few finished tops that I showed my husband and asked which he thought we should give them. He chose this one.  I hope they like it -- I think it will have some appeal to the 5 men/boys in her family.    And at the least, I hope it keeps them nice and warm.  :)

The blocks from this quilt are from a BOM class I go to at a local quilt shop.  As is the case with most of my samplers, I like the quilt, but it's not one I would have made outside of a BOM class.  I got the idea for the layout from the book "Shape Workshop for Quilters," specifically the quilt "Cub Crawler Baby Quilt" by John Q. Adams.  As Christmas day was sneaking up on me, I decided that rather than quilt (and wrestle) this one on my little machine, I would have a long arm quilter do it.  It turned out nicely.  I bound it in the darkest brown fabric in the quilt.

I also wanted to show off this pillow that I made -- we have these amazing neighbors.  They are a young couple, and my son and his twin buddies go over to their house all the time.  This kind couple has taken them sledding, on errands, made and delivered cookies with them, and really are amazing. Tanner told me they are BYU fans, so I made them this pillow.  

I am linking up to the 2016 Finish-A-Long Q4 party at A Quilter's Table.

Quilt for Cousin - Q4 Finish

This is #6 on my 4th quarter finish-a-long goals.  I have a cousin who I don't see very often, but I have thought of her many times in the past few months.  She has been going through some tough times.  So when my sister, Karen, suggested that I make a quilt for her.  She even offered to help pay for the materials.  So I thought that was a fine idea.  And here it is, a quilt for my cousin:

I got the idea for this quilt when I saw this V and Co. one.  (I almost don't want you to click over there, because the original is much cuter!  ;))  I already had all the solids for this quilt on hand, so all I had to purchase was the backing and more white fabric.

I have been quilting many of my own quilts lately, but with Christmas fast approaching, I decided to send it out to be done.  I asked the quilter to do it with zig-zag lines following the diagonals of the blocks, similar to the original quilt.

The backing is some white and gray herringbone fabric.  I didn't have to piece the backing this time, so that helped me get it finished too.  I hope to mail this to my dear cousin soon.  I hope she will love it.  And more importantly, I hope she will know how much we love her!

I am linking up at Crazy Mom Quilt's Finish it Up Friday.

I am linking up to the 2016 Finish-A-Long Q4 party at A Quilter's Table.

Boy Charity Quilt

I attend a monthly Block of the Month club at a local quilt shop, Quilts Etc.  Each year in December they do a quilt drive.  I had plans to make a cute girl quilt -- in fact, I even finished the top.  But then I got the details of the quilt drive -- they are for Primary Children's hospital and they really needed boy quilts.  They said that even some of the boys have to choose from quilts with flowers!  :)  Being the mother of 3 very boyish boys, I decided I'd better make a boy quilt to donate.  

I had some strips of fabric left over from this quilt I made for my brother.  I knew I needed a pattern that had plenty of background fabric because I didn't have a whole lot of the scraps.  I added in a few other fabrics, cut them into 6-inch squares, and used the Falling Charms pattern from Missouri Star Quilt company.  It is the 3rd time I've used this pattern.  It is a quick one!

I am still working on improving my stitch length when I free motion quilt.  So I stuck to my familiar loopy quilting.

I actually really like the bright green back.  It is all from my stash.  I enjoyed making this quilt all from fabric I already had.  I also remembered that for past quilt drives, boy quilts were particularly needed.  I think I will try and plan on it for next time.  Perhaps Boy Quilts will become my specialty.

Christmas Snowflakes - Q4 Finish

Well, I tried to get a nice snowy shot of this Christmas quilt.  It came out very hazy.  Did I mention our camera is old?  If we have time, we'll get one before Christmas.  I couldn't decide which fuzzy photo to share, so I'm sharing both.  ;)  This is #5 on my 4th quarter finish-a-long goals.

I made this quilt last year following a Snowflake Quilt-Along on Bernina's website.  The pattern and tutorial are by Faith Jones of Fresh Lemon Quilts. 

I quilted it with straight lines -- 2-inch crosshatches.  I think I would have liked it better if the lines were closer together, but I didn't have the patience to do that.  Oh, and AFTER I finished quilting it, I found a very large tuck on the back.  I am not going to unpick all that quilting.    I assume there is nothing you can do to fix the problem, so I guess I'll just ignore it.  It is finished off with a scrappy binding.  

I am linking up to the 2016 Finish-A-Long Q4 party at A Quilter's Table.