Color inspiration

My favorite clear blue and lime green




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(ok, looking at this on my computer at home, the iPhone resolution is seriously lacking - or I'm doing it wrong.....comments?)

Happy Arbor Day

...and playing with my new toy


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Modern Log Crosses

This will be the off-centered center of one really big log cabin block.  It's about 37" square right now.

I love all the greens!

Downtown Chicago Inspiration

A couple weeks ago, on a non-preschool day, Becket and I met my mom downtown Chicago for a day at the Flower and Garden Show.  I found some cool quilty inspiration on the trip.  But first I have to add some cute Becket pictures.

We parked at the local Metra station and took the train in.  We sat in the top row seats.  Becket was a bit excited.

Once we got downtown, we had to wait a bit for my mom's train to arrive from the north suburbs.  So a snack was in order.  It was fun to sit on the old benches in the huge, marble station. 

The Flower and Garden show is at Navy Pier - and one of the permanent exhibits at the Pier is the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows.  It's a fabulous collection, and of course great quilt inspiration.

My mom and Becket peeked at me through this one :)

Surprisingly, I didn't find much quilty at the flower show.  They fill the big exhibition hall at the end of the pier with a bunch of mocked-up yards, ponds, flower beds.  A fabulous thing in the last of the Chicago winter!  But the theme this year was sports, so not as quilt-inspiring as the Alice in Wonderland displays last year.

But on the way back to our train station, I had to jump out into the road for two last photos.  It was so cool to see the cobblestones partially exposed from pot holes in the pavement.

Kid side note - so we're here watching Becket's favorite cartoon, Max and Ruby.   Do you wonder how old Ruby is?  There's never a parent around except for when the grandma comes to visit.  I hate it when I'm watching these things and am saying in my head how unrealistic it is to have no parents around, or traveling the world as like a 6yr old.  I have to remind myself that it's a CARTOON of talking rabbits - not realistic in the least.

Ripped in 30 - Day 1

Jillian is trying to kill me.

In 30 days I'll be ripped or dead.

Imagine : Hobson Quilt II

First, thank you for all the nice comments here and at the Moda Bake Shop.  It's hard to know, when you're writing it, if your tutorial is going to make sense to anybody other than yourself!

If you recall, this was the sunny block I made on my birthday.  I created it specifically for a live auction item at our preschool.   Every year you have a chance to win a story time visit from the school's director, so exciting for the kids!  The child will have this quilt as a keepsake of her visit.

I chose some of my favorite story-like prints.  My mom especially liked the row of chairs, as if the kids can sit for story time in them. 

A few bees, flowers, and an inchworm.

I loved the green and yellow stripes on the back.  On my label I named the quilt "Imagine"  because that's a gift Hobson gives to the children. 

The dotty green binding was just the perfect frame.

I wish Becket was still holding this one! 

Cathedral Windows Tutorial : Wing It OCD

[Moda's Bakeshop changed since it was published - I will post the tutorial here on my blog once I can re-create it!]

Finally, my Cathedral Windows tutorial is live - I've been patiently waiting my turn!  

I made a fun pair of pillows.

I was tempted to name my project: Just Wing It {NOT!} 

I got to use the fabulous new MoMo line Just Wing It, but as is most of my quilting, the cathedral windows border on OCD - the furthest possible thing from winging it. 

Optimized result with an efficient process, that's from the engineer in me.  I've included all the little tricks I use to keep things square, flat, and pointy.  Exactly how I like my windows!

Here's a little bonus project.   Use one of your first folding attempts or the most wonky, extra window and two charm squares to make a cute pincushion. 

Jump over to the bake shop and say hi!

Stash Update : week 14

I just clicked on my Stash 2011 tag - I haven't posted about it since the first one of the year!

Well, I've been good and using my stash, so not much to report.  I've used/sent away 21 yards in the last couple months.  Making pillows, the Hobson quilts, and donating 2" strips to the Quilts for Quake Survivors.  

(Shipping note - that's called a Regional Rate box A.  It's a new postage class and lands in between the tiny priority small and the most costly medium.  You  may want to look into it if you send lots of fabric.  I fit over 8.5 yards of strips in that box and it wasn't yet full.)

 

But now I must update the Fabric IN, as the mail man has dropped quite a bit at my door this week.  These lovely pieces arrived from Sew Fresh fabrics.

And some prints from Fabric Shack.

Along with solids I HAD TO HAVE.  See, I bought a pattern because I loved the colors on the front.  Then I needed the colors.....so a little over 13.5 yards in this week.

I also popped in the resale shop downtown and was super lucky.  I never find vintage sheets, and I hit a jackpot.  Those don't count...I can't be bothered to add vintage sheet yardage up, so when I use them they don't go in either column. The summary:

 

Busted: 21.036

Purchased: 13.63 yards

Net YTD: (20.594)

In between, I spent a significant amount of time on a little project.  The fabric was sent to me and it didn't get recorded In or Out.  We'll finally get to see it tomorrow!