whew!

I've decided apple cores are definitely a challenge!!

Now I can say "I did it!"

And I DO like to say that!!

After piecing all those apple cores..

I added a piece of flannel to the back.

By the way.....

I did NOT hand piece this like I thought I would...

Found out...

I can't hand piece!!!

The stitches were way too big and sloppy.

so.....

....I settled for machine piecing and some

seams that don't match.

This will sit on my kitchen table and I KNOW

my family won't care if things match. :)

Right sides together.

Notice the striped flannel??

Woo hoo!!

simple pleasures.

Sew around the edge.

leave an opening.

trim.

Turn right side out.

slip stitch that opening closed.

Voila'!!

There's a better picture of the backing.

Now I'm going to do a little stitching.
My little summer project is almost done.
:)

monday.

nine patch.

apple core flavored.

striped style.

I began with that template.

I think I will do a FEW more

and then call it quits.

Maybe I'll be able to get enough for a

table runner.

I used my machine to piece these.

Wow! tricky...tricky!

Getting those points to match up didn't happen this time!

Hand piecing them will probably yield

better results!!....I hope.

I've seen whole quilts using this template!

Now I really appreciate their effort!!

What are you working on??

friday

It's Friday already!

Here's the little quilt I've been working on.

It's now quilted. Yeah!

Simple diagonal lines...I used blue painters tape for those.

Easy.

The white borders really help to highlight those

cute giraffes!!

See the back?
I had a nice big piece of my focus fabric...just the right width.
Amazing!
Amazing because I do so little planning!

Then....I was able to make some
very special quilt deliveries!!!

Many times I mail a quilt off.
But this time I handed them out
PERSONALLY!!
I got a LOT of pleasure out of that!!!

One teacher quilt.



One baby quilt!

See the pen attached?
That's for the baby's name and birth.
I think I'm going to buy a whole bunch of pens and
begin attaching them to the baby quilts so the
new mom can add the details.

People that deserved and needed some love this week!
I'm so happy to be able to show love and concern this way...
Aren't you?

I'm adding this to amy's sew and tell.

a winner.

Sarah!!
You won some stripes!!

Can't wait to see what all my
striped challenge friends will make!

Someone already began!!
Woo HOO!!

Check out Jewel's blocks.
Neat, huh?

two little things.

My inexpensive tea towels made a great apron!!

I used one on the bottom...with some scraps added on the sides.

and part of one towel on the top!!

Fun!!!

Some of the strips for that apron were

on the table because I was also working on this one!

Isn't it amazing how one project morphs into another??

This is my giraffe garden.

I finally figured out something I could do with that

fun fabric!!!

AND...

I have enough left over to put a big hunk of it

on the back!!!

Those 2" squares are just going to have to live in

another quilt!

I'm adding this to frugal friday.

tea towels.

I bought two tea towels at the dollar store today.

One of those impulse buys....because....

They're cute.

They're the right price.

They're made out of FABRIC!

And...

I have a vivid imagination!

apron? potholder? table runner?.....

a better way.

I don't know about you,

But I learn a lot by DOING.

I can follow a pattern...sometimes.

But...I really like to experiment and

FIGURE THINGS OUT myself!

It's kind of empowering,

Don't you think?

So...

last week I began cutting those stripes.

I first cut some blocks and then made 2 diagonal cuts.

I did blog about it here.

After deciding that I really liked those pinwheels,

I realized I only want the stripes going ONE way....

Not two.

So I figured out how to do it!

Hooray!!

Sarah did try to steer me to a book for instruction,

but I didn't make it to the library or bookstore...

And I was kind of anxious to move ahead.

You know me!

I cut my stripe 3" wide.

Used the 45 degree line on my ruler....
And began at the fold!!
That way I'll have a triangle there too!

cut.
cut.
cut.
45 degrees
45 degrees.



There's the fold....
Opened up of course.



A whole fleet of pinwheels.

Will you be making a striped quilt this summer?
Let me know.
I'll add your name to the sidebar there
and then on Thursday I'll draw a winner
for a few of my 1/4 yd striped fabric pieces!!...
Then you'll have little bit of fabric to get you going!!

So far, the odds are very good for the
quilters that signed up for the challenge!!

friday night sew in.

I did some sewing last night.

Surprise. Surprise.!!!

I was participating in a friday night sew in.

A first for me.

Lots of 2" squares.

Aren't they cute??

I was using the colors in this super cute fabric

for my inspiration.

I WAS thinking I would somehow or other

put the little blocks and this fabric together.

But.....

Now that I've got all those cute blocks made...

I've decided I'm not going to do that.

What am I going to do???

Don't know.

But I'll have fun getting there.

this and that.

Bee blocks for Kelly.

Binding on my simple baby quilt.


"Fabric" from the thrift store.
I think that's at least 3 fat quarters worth...
don't you?
Since it's a wrap around skirt...
there's a little more fabric!!
YEAH!


I love it!!

And then....

Points.

for my striped challenge quilt.

Perfect points!

How did that happen???

And you know what?

It happened every time!

I was in shock!

I'm off to celebrate perfect points!

I'm also adding this to Amy's sew and tell.

more striped inspiration

I made lots of blocks yesterday.
Then I laid out a bunch of pinwheels.
I like these VERY MUCH!!!

Maybe today I'll actually sew some of them together!
Cutting them and laying them all over the floor is kind of fun!!
BUT...
to make a quilt...
you've got to do some sewing!



Here are the five 1/4 yd. cuts that I'm giving away
June 24
to ONE of the striped challenge participants.

Happy quilting!!!

two fat quarters...

This little quilt began with only two fat quarters.

I added two borders...

VIOLA!!!

And notice the striped fabric!

Not quite enough to make it

"stripe quilt challenge" worthy...but it's a start!

I figured out that I could get nine 6"x7" blocks with

NO WASTE.

Actually, there were two blocks left over

so I will use them in my backing!!!

The cute children's fabric was given to me last summer

at a class with MaryLou Weidman.
She let us choose a fat quarter from her fabric line.

I think it's cute and I have SUCH good memories

of that glorious week of quilting at the

empty spools seminar!

Maybe I'll splurge and go again....someday!

For now, I'm happy to be using the fabric

that gives me those happy memories!

Do have good memories with fabric too?

The striped fabric give away will continue until next week.

I hope we have some more quilters join the

striped quilt challenge!!

Make a quilt or project this summer.

You can sign up ANYTIME...but the little give away ends next week.

Just leave a simple comment letting me know you're in!!!

striped inspiration

I cut some of my striped fabric yesterday!

I tried really hard to get these stripes to line up.

Don't think I'm going to many blocks like that!!

whew!

I had to begin cutting at the EXACT same line
FOUR times.
I used the 45 degree line on my ruler.
And cut the triangles.
I did O.K.

This is more my speed.
Not so matchy matchy.

Lots easier to make also!!!

Yeah!!!

I just cut two 6" squares at the same time.

Cut two diagonal lines....

Voila!

One square.

Two squares.

Mixed squares.

Fun squares.

Here it is again.

two 6" squares.

two diagonal cuts.

Bright colors!

This is interesting.

hmmm. So is this!

How about some squares??

I'm on a striped journey.

Want to come?

Begin your striped project now.

Finish On September 6.

I'm giving away five 1/4 yd. pieces of striped fabric

to one of the participants.

I'll draw a name end of next week....June 24.

a striped challenge! and a give away!

I have a challenge for you on this Monday morning!

I would love for you to join me.

Let's make a striped quilt or project!!

I've got a few stripes at my house dying to be cut up!!!

I'm going to add your link to the side bar

if you're interested in making a striped quilt

this summer!!

You have about 3 months.....

No pressure!
I don't even think we need to finish it!

Do you??

If you want to join me I'll also put your name in the hat!

Maybe you'll win some of my striped fabric!
I have way to much for ONE quilt!

(I'll wait a week or so before drawing that name.

We want to give people time to make that huge decision...

"Should I make a quilt or not??")

Leave a comment.

Are you going to join me?

Would you like some fabric?

I'm also going over to flickr.

We'll have our own group!!

Woo Hoo!!!

I'll be posting pictures of some quilt blocks to get you inspired.

But....

I bet you've already got some GREAT ideas!