circles.

I finally decided on quilting circles on my quilt.

I found out....

Unmarked circles are not as easy as I had hoped.

They are especially difficult as the circle g-r-o-w-s.

And...

I have a confession to make.

I always dream as I work on a quilt...

"THIS is going to the BEST quilt ever!!!"

Do you ever dream that as you work away??

I do.

I'm a dreamer.

At some point I realize...

This is NOT going to be THE BEST quilt ever.

Disappointment sets in.

I go to bed.

Wake up the next day,

and realize...

It's o.k.

Maybe the NEXT quilt will be the BEST ONE!!

;)

I was a bit disappointed with my circles.
But I sure didn't want to rip them out!!

The circles and swirls are o.k.
This quilt will live on a guest bed at my house.
It won't be living on the wall in a museum.


Mistakes are o.k.
It's all a learning process for me....
But I don't think I'll ever stop dreaming about

that Perfect quilt....
The BEST quilt EVER!!!!

striped updates.

My striped quilt top is finished but I'm still

dragging my feet with the quilting part.

I found a backing....that's one step closer, huh?

I did run around and peek at what you other

striped quilters are doing.

I found out that we have some lovely things going on...

In fact Sarah has her quilt top finished!!

Marilyn has a REAL beauty on her design wall

and is going out to get more fabric.:)

I saw works in progress over at

Amy's and Jewel's creative spaces.

How is everyone else doing?

One more month of summer.

One more month of a striped challenge.

I might even have another striped quilt in me!!!

Before I finish a quilt though...

I always seem to need to have another one started.

Why is that????

I saw a quilt over at Debra's blog

and I love hers!!!

I think it will be a great pattern for

a brown and Turquoise quilt someone requested recently.

I now have a little stack of pieces.....

Ready to be sewn together.

stripes and pinwheels!

My striped quilt top is complete!!!

How are you doing striped challenge friends???

You're right.

I still need to quilt it.

Details.

Details.

Let me know how you're comin' along on

YOUR striped project!

growing

I have lots of projects going----growing-----over here.

My "15 minute" crazy quilt inspired by Victoria.

15 minutes is never 15 minutes, though!!!

I begin one or two and I keep going.....

Another quilt growing bigger.
I really thought that first little border would be IT!
But when I sat down on the floor to measure.....
I realized it's still too small for a twin bed.
I NEED a quilt for a twin bed.
The kids all have one...but when there's company...
I realized....
I have NO quilt for the guest!!!
Can you believe it??

Lots of quilts:
cuddly quilts....
wall quilts......
baby quilts.....
but NO bed quilts!!!


Then there's this little project that's growing too!
It sits next to my machine.
As I work on my projects I sew these
little 2" squares together as I end each seam.
If you remember I was going to add these
to my giraffe garden....but they didn't work.
So.....
I have a simple quilt going.
I wonder if I'll ever get it big enough to cover a bed???


Lots of quilting.
I'm moving ahead...but not quite there yet....
Every seam gets me closer though, right??

pinwheels!

I was able to get all my pinwheels together!!

I love 'em.

This quilt top...so far....measures 59"x46".

But, I want it to be bigger.

I had planned on adding some concentric square blocks

around the outside of this...

Aren't they pretty?

But, after playing around with these yesterday
I had an idea!!


What if I add a strip of the little triangles around
the border??
Yes.
I like it.

Guess I'll be cutting some triangles this weekend.
:)

And....
look at what I found languishing at the thrift store.
A little unfinished project.
The decorative stitching is all done...but that's it.
I had to buy it.
50 cents.

Don't you think it will make a cute pillow?
Me too.

playing.

I'm playing with some striped scraps today.

Yeah!!

The little triangles are scraps from

bigger triangles from this quilt I'm working on.

I began by sewing some little triangles together like this...

I wondered....

What will they look like??

Now I know.

If you're interested in joining

us in a striped challenge quilt or project this summer...

let me know and I'll add you to the sidebar.

Also,

Alert me to your project and I'll try to give you a plug here.

Have fun quilting today!!

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??

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.

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!!

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!!!

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!