Sunday Stash - January 12, 2014

One of my goals this year (and last year), is to take better pictures.  I just plain suck at this.

 

Today, it was time to do something about it.  After reading a bunch of tutorials, I built a simple light box and tested it using a stack of Kona solids I bought this afternoon.

 

 

Somehow, I still don't think its working out the way I thought.  The pictures were just not as crisp as I expected.  I believe the next step will be to work on my camera settings.

But this photo experiment will have to wait because that fabric stack looks like it wants to have some fun!

Linking up this week with Sunday Stash.

Classic Meets Modern QAL

It is the beginning of the new year and there are all sorts of QALs (quilt-a-longs), challenges, and block of the month parties.  It's very hard to choose what to do.

One thing that caught my eye was the Classic Meets Modern QAL hosted by Sew At Home Mummy.  This is a block of the month challenge where every month instructions are posted for a classic quilt block.  The challenge is for you to put your modern spin on it.

 

This month's block is the bear paw.  I read the instructions and wondered how I could take this and make it modern. 

 

 

 

This is my completed block.  I think it is modern because it

• was created using improve piecing
• uses solid colors
• has half square triangle units created free-hand at "wonky" angles
• creates a unique design.  When it felt like a Bear Paw block, I decided it was finished.

 

At least, that is what I think makes it modern.  Check out the other modern Bear Paw's this month.  I'd like to see your modern version of this block. 

 

Linking to Design Wall Monday.

Sunday Stash - January 5, 2014

I am not sure if it is the new year or if it was just a great holiday season, but I have got serious sewing mo-jo going on.

 

Over Christmas, I needed a portable project and so I started a hexy top using some pre-cuts I got during black Friday sales.  This top was made using 4 packs of Happy-Go-Lucky and 3 packs of white hexys.  It also needed 4 additional hexys that I had to cut out from a FQ.   

 

Its finally basted and ready for me to start the hand quilting.  Since I hand sewed the pieces together, I figured I would finish it by hand.

Sunday Stash has a new home at Molli Sparkles and I thought I would link up because I got a large addition to stash this week.  And really, its something I just couldn't pass up.  Del Ray Fabrics is once again having a year end sale with most clearance fabric just 3.50/yd. 

 

I bought some backings (including the backing on the hexy quilt) and more Happy-Go-Lucky to finish up some other projects.

Looking forward to having my hexy quilt completed soon.