Sew Sunshine

I was not even sure I wanted to look at my blog posts from this year. I was certain that most of the year was me spent not quilting. I was wrong and grateful for this look back.  First up, this is the Modern Quilt Guild #modernclassic makeover. Taking a previously made QOM and make in their new colors. More info on this pattern  Courthouse steps remake  that I called Strength and Beauty. I deviated ever so slightly from the pattern so did not submit to Quiltcon exhibit but I love this quilt.  Next up is another favorite...the improv Triangle QAL by Nicholas Ball on IG. It was so fun and rewarding.  I love this piece!!! It was so fun puzzling it together.  More on this quilt can be found here   Mountain High Valley Low   This one I was so surprised with. Our lqg had a challenge called Modern Flip. Take more traditional blocks and try to make them modern. Here were the blocks on my ufo pile.  Then I made this....  Modern Flip from uf...

I made 5 mini quilts! Yes I did...slow and steady like. These came about because my BEE mate Jen asked for quilted cards. I loved this idea though thought it would be daunting to make something so small.  I am only supposed to tackle sewing projects in little bits of time, mainly because the posture (as you all know) in sewing can be very muscle fatiguing.  I would guess about 5 minutes at a time I worked my way through the minis. They are all about 4.25" x 5ish"  Of course I had a black and white theme! I wanted tiny frames in black and found a piece of black fleece. Next time I would go for black felt or even black batting.  I can't wait to see what everyone does for theirs.  I have received a couple of them so far. In one of the packages was this.... so funny and just what I needed that day. Hmmm wonder where I will use that? So I started a project a few months ago. I was trying to think how I could do some of what my lqg was challenging which was to do some ...

abound right now so I am looking at today as a small win. I have not been sewing hardly at all in the last few months. My eyes and other issues have not been great. I am to the point right now where I feel I either do what I can while I can or quit. I don't want to quit. I have been able to read on my tablet with the lighting on it set to a mild bright.  Yay! That is progress. I decided since that was going pretty well I wondered what I could do in the quilting department?  Above is a photo of hot pad. I had made the top in the style of QAYG on batting so it was perfect to add some insul-bright and a scrappy binding. It took most of the morning because I had to wind a bobbin and clean the machine. You know what happens when you are away from your machine for months or longer and suddenly you have to remember how to do everything all over again.  Well I did it! And when that one was finished I made two more..... Again.... I had forgotten how much of a mess it is to get out...

  My local quilt guild took on a group project last year. We wanted to show a T.O.M. = technique of the month, to members and then have them try it. Most of the techniques were improv based giving some the opportunity to try them with no fear. We chose a color and size scheme.  We used coral and cream and we were pretty free about the corals including shades of reds and violets. Same with the creams including some whites. Block options were 12.5, 6.5 squares or 12.5 x 6.5. The result of the blocks turned in at each monthly meeting was wonderful.   We were able to make this Medallion style quilt 84". 84", a row by row style quilt 84" x 90", a lap sized throw 48" x 60" and a wall hanging 24" x 24".  Fabric of said colors were donated to piece together the backing and use any leftover blocks that may be left.  This one was quilted by a former member Sonya Nelsen on her longarm. I love the texture it created in this busy quilt.  The row by row style ...

A finish at last! I knew I should be spending some of my quarantine time finishing some of my UFO quilts. I started the year out so great and then you know how it went.  With some recent eye problems my great start to the year of UFO finishing was halted. I had a great opportunity to get a big quilt quilted on a longarm at my local Bernina shop so I jumped at it.  One weekend I found this quilt top in my UFO stack and thought it would make a great graduation gift. I only had to find enough fabric to make a back as I have not been buying anything and trying to use up my stash. After much searching I was able to find enough pieces that worked well with these great colors. Lots of orange, coral, red, and pinks...so lovely together.  This quilt pattern is by Alyce from  Blossom Heart Quilts  called Double Dash. I tested this quilt for her last year and got the top done from black and white prints and many scrap solids from my stash.  It measures 90" x 90" ish s...

Rose Garden  22" x 22" Less Hideous Challenge for OMQG Improv Piecing Organic Hatch quilting One of my local guilds set up a challenge where you pulled fabric out of a big bag of uglies. I picked the two above which I felt were lesser of all the dated fabrics. I kept them laying around until I thought what I wanted to do. It was hard because the bigger print would be hard to put in any kind of quilt block and it would still read traditional.  Then I figured I would have to improv a traditional block, in this case the 9 patch.  Also the colors, which are hard to tell on here, are pinky peachy in the large print and dark deep rosy red in the smaller print. The larger print has a touch of green which is the the complimentary color. If I went there, I would be in holiday territory. I didn't want that. I decided to put only a small amount of green in and pull out the peachy colors in the prints for a more analogous color set up. I chose grunge in both shad...

Aztec 46" x 55.5" I should call this Ancient Aztec because I started this quilt many years ago(2015). I even made a tutorial on how I made the blocks.  It is a super fun block to make so take a look at it  HERE I made one giant block for crib quilt with this method  HERE Once you know how to make the block you can go crazy! Diagonal quilting with walking foot.  Luckily when I packed this quilt top away I put the fabrics with it and never raided it for another quilt so here is the back! Another one bites the dust..... Be safe, don't stress and do something that makes you happy ~ Linking up with My Quilt Infatuation NTT  HERE and  Quilt in a Day Tomorrow @Powered by Quilting  HERE and Wendy at Wendy's Quilts and more  Peacock Party