Sew Sunshine

Too Short! That is what February was. I did finish a few things and make some progress on another. So here is the monthly report: First up: -Scrappy Trip Around the world. The blogging craze that was started by Bonnie Hunter over at  Quiltville . Mine went to a great local chapter of  Project Linus Ackkkkkkk! I am adding this a day late: I finished a UFO from last year and I can't believe I didn't get it in my report! My Charlie Brown charity quilt was sandwiched and quilted. I have not give it away yet but it is in the stack to go. :) Next, I signed up for the    over at  Fiber of all sorts   and I finished my challenge to complete an item.  This is the Birdbath quilt pattern by Elizabeth Hartman. I am giving this to my niece for Relay for life  auction coming up (stay tuned for a chance to bid in the silent auction). I have not shown this to her yet. :) Along with that I made a tote - Denise Schmidt Hope Ma...

Yeah so excited...I have my Feb. Lovely finish....Finished!!! Finally my Relay for Life auction quilt is done.   I have not shared this with my niece yet who is hosting the auction but I will soon.  I was really unsure about the quilting. I actually wanted to use one by Elizabeth Hartman called the Dogwood trail but I was not convinced that I could evenly do that freemotion quilting so I opted for walking foot straight line quilting. I think it turned out pretty well.  Stay tuned for the Auction info. I will be posting and linking to that when she is ready for the auction bidding to begin.  Below is my nephew Travis who lost the battle with brain cancer. His sister Tara is doing the Relay for life auction soon.

One UFO done! Back in the fall of 2011 I started this little wall hanging. I found the idea in a magazine and I wanted to try the sew and flip method. I had left over fabric from the baby quilt I made my great niece in purples and aqua, dug out some old scraps and cobbled it all together.  The FMQing is not all that but it is still cute.  Now back to the Birdbath quilt for Relay for Life. Here are the blocks so far. I like the blocks individually but not so happy with them right up against each other. It is supposed to have the corners added on yet to finish the birdbath but I think I will need to add sashing in order for me to like it. Even if it is just a 1/2" between them. hmmmmmmm??? Any thoughts? 

A while ago Aurifil had a slogan contest and my title was my slogan.  If you use Aurifil thread you probably know this already. It should have won but that is just my opinion.  Anyway, I love the way Aurifil lays flat when you press the seam open and when you quilt over it.  Alas, I was putting together my first round of strips on my 30 Birdbath blocks and I ran out. Luckily I scrounged around and found a new spool. :) I am using Aurifil Mako 2 ply thread to piece.  What threads do you like to use for piecing and or quilting?? Here is the first round of strips. One more set of corners and strips go around this square and then corners again. I am not sure how I am going to put it together yet but this is a see as you go along type project.  It is coming together nicely. 

Today I decided on the fabric for my Relay for Life quilt. My niece does a silent auction each year to raise money for Cancer research.  I have been trying to donate a quilt or something each year and this year I it will be a small quilt.  I am really excited with what I have picked out.  This time I started this idea with just the fabric and then looked around for a pattern that would suit.   This fabric is called Dogwood Trail by Moda. I just loved how fresh and lovely this fabric was. I found a couple coordinates to go with it then hit the scrap box of mine for the others. In the mean time I had to find a pattern.  Luckily I was just looking through some quilt books and then ...there it was.  The practical guide to Patchwork by Elizabeth Hartman has a beautiful pattern called "Birdbath". Perfect right? Well you will have to go look in the book or wait to see how I do. I had to find quite a few pieces to go with this but I think I have what...