Blogtoberfest 2012

Its almost here......

 

Blogtoberfest 2012 is being hosted this year by Kat at I Saw You Dancing.  This is a blogging festival where you challenge yourself to blog each day in October.

 

I did this last year and had a great time.  When I signed up for this last year, I didn't even have a total of 31 posts.  So I just went for it (that's just the kind of gal I am) and I was really amazed by all the art and talent out in blogland.  

 

I know, I have a lot going on right now.  But, I think I am up to the challenge.  How about you?  

Craft Buds - Craft Book Project

Craft Buds  is having a party to celebrate that September is Craft Book Month.  To join the party, you need to make something from a craft book - any book.  Your selected project needs to be completed in 2012.

I have been following the blog hop and it's been interesting to see every one's book choices and the projects that were made.
   

I love to read craft books and have quite a few.  For this party, I decided that I would choose a book that I recently won during a blog hop for Jane Sassaman's new book "Patchwork Sassaman Style".  The book came at a perfect time because I had a bundle of Sassaman's Garden Diva's that I had been wanting to cut into.

This book is filled with many glossy pictures and has a lot of projects and information.  I chose to make a mini that in the book is called "The Fan". 

I call my mini "Dawn and Dusk".  I had to change the dimensions of the arches to match the fabric that I had to fussy cut.  This threw off my calculations a bit, but I figured it out.  The completed piece is 18x18.

Check out all of the other projects at the Craft Buds linky party.



Design Wall Monday - Proverbial Quilt Progress

I have been getting positive feedback on my Proverbial Quilt.  But, progress has stalled because I needed some more background fabric.  I just got some Kona snow yardage, so I expect to get back to work on the quilt this week.  While I was waiting for fabric, I started a second Proverbial Quilt.

  

I have also received questions on how I created the letters.  This is the process that I used for the letters, which go together quite fast using a jelly roll.  

I traced the letter "A" on tissue paper that I found in a gift bag (I had already used all of the tissue paper that I could find in my shoe boxes).  Then, I cut pieces of fabric to cover the letter and sewed them to the tissue paper.  Since these are wonky letters, I did not worry if I did not sew exactly on the lines.

I continued sewing the pieces of the letter "A" making sure that I had enough fabric for the outer seam allowances.  Iron the letter flat.  (I waited till a I had bunch of letters made, then ironed them all at once).

 

Flip over the letter and locate the outer outline of the letter.  Add 1/4 inch to the outside and trim all sides of the letter.  I removed the paper backing before I joined the letters together.

I hope that my process will help you when you create your letters.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

Linking up today to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.

Also, its back!  2012 Blogtoberfest hosted this year at I Saw You Dancing.  This is a fun event where you challenge yourself to post every day in October.  I did this last year and loved it.  More info and sign ups found at Blogtoberfest 2012 

The 100 Day Hustle

Yes, I think I'm gonna do it.  I really need to get organized and this is a great way to do it.

 

I am joining up with the 100 Day Hustle at Kelsey Sews!  With just 100 days (yes, 100 days) left this year, its time to get organized and finish up those WIPs.  The goal is to get your projects done this year so you can start 2013 with a clean slate.

 

 

Links up start between September 22-25, with final link ups December 28-31. 

 

What I would like to get accomplished:

 

1.  The Oct, Nov, and Dec monthly color palette challenges at Patchwork Times.

2.  Complete a project from a craft book for the linky party at Craft Buds.

3.  Complete my Proverbial Quilt for the Quilt Along at Poppyprint.

4.  Complete a 2nd Proverbial Quilt top.

5.  Complete the package of charity blocks for Margaret' s Hope Chest. 

6.  Complete the pinwheel top from Material Obsession2.

7.  Begin work on a top based on the feathers designed by Anna Maria Horner.

8.  Complete my spider web scrap quilt top (waiting to create more scraps for this).

 

Wow, that sounds like a lot for me.  How bout it?  Are you playing along?

 

 

 

Design Wall Monday - Project Hope

I have a lot of projects going on right now, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't start something new.  The final 2012 project has been posted at Margaret's Hope Chest.  The block chosen for this project is Fun in the Middle.

The blocks are to be made using pastel colors.  I spent the evening fussy cutting the middle 4 inch squares and working up a few blocks.  I should have a stack of these blocks ready to go out later this week.

Linking up today to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times and to Blog Hop News at Plum and June.

WIP - Proverbial Quilt Progress

I have completed putting the words together for the Proverbial Quilt Along happening over at Poppyprint.  The next step is to put the spaces in between the words.  Then, I need to determine how I am going to finish the layout.  The original pattern by Denyse Schmidt shows a contrasting color between the rows of words.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday today at Freshly Pieced.

EZ Dresden Quilting Challenge

 

 

Earlier this year, the Salt Lake Modern Quilt Guild announced a challenge using Darlene Zimmerman's EZ Dresden ruler.  I knew that I owned this ruler, but I had never used it before.

This mini is 18 x 21.  This piece started with the floral fabric.  I wanted to make mini flowers, so I started with the 2 1/2 size plate.   I cut the plates or blades out of scraps. I think that the tedious part was ironing each blade to create the pointed petal ends.

Once I started sewing the blades together the flower is made pretty fast, but I did not have a mini block. I am still trying to figure this one out.   I thought that using a small blade would produce a small flower.  My flowers measure about 7 inches across. The flowers were hand appliqued to the floral fabric with a straight line running stitch. The stems were also appliqued with stash scraps.

This was so fun, that I know that I will be making more projects with this ruler.  Please check out the other challenge entries at the Salt Lake Modern Quilt Guild.

 

 

 

 

Design Wall Monday - Proverbial Quilt

I have finished paper piecing the letters so its time to put the words together for the Proverbial Quilt.

One word completed, only 22 more words to go.

When we are flat on our backs,

The only way to look is up.

Find release from your cares,

Tomorrow is another day.

Linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.    Also, linking to the Blog Hop News at Plum and June.

Color Palette Challenge - August

The color palette for August's challenge was chosen by Vicki Welsh at Field Trips in Fiber.

 

 

 

For this month's challenge, I wasn't sure what direction I wanted to go or what new technique I wanted to try.  When I went to pull fabric from my stash, this circle fabric was sitting at the top.  The colors matched perfectly, so I knew that I had to use it. 

 

 

 

I decided that this month I would work with circles.  This mini is maybe the smallest piece I have ever made at 8 x 8.  The circles are hand appliqued with added beads.  It came out better than I thought and is very cute.

 

Please check out other challenge pieces at Patchwork Times.

 

September's challenge palette