Sister's Choice Quilts

An Answered Prayer

 
Am I lucky or what?  Look what came in the mail from the Quilting Fairy!  My personal quilting mentor got tired of hearing me complain answered a prayer and sent me a portable design wall she no longer needed.

I am telling you, I have no idea, NO IDEA, how I ever managed to exist without one of these for all these years I have been quilting.  Crazy.

At the end of last week, I made my son drive me to Home Depot to buy a piece of foam board that I could cover with a piece of flannel to create a make shift design wall, which I desperately needed for the layout of all my Belle Meade blocks.  This is what we ended up with:

 
Yes, the blocks stick to it just fine, and it serves the purpose.  Sort of.  If only it were three feet taller and wider so I could fit ALL the blocks on it at one time.  Nice, but not really working for me. 

Then, miracle of miracles, the mail man came and there was the exact thing that I needed!  Just look at me now!

 
I could not wait to get that thing assembled so I could start arranging my blocks.  And rearraging my blocks.  And rearranging my blocks....  I finally made myself stop and started sewing the rows together.  If one of my blocks is upside down, don't tell me.  (No, tell me).

 

I am so darn thrilled with this! 

But on January 31, I have to complete a quilt, or I will have nothing to show for the entire month.  I am whipping out a baby quilt top today, so look for that on tomorrow's post.  Thelma and I will do our final reveal of our Belle Meade quilts sometime towards the end of this week.

NOTE ADDED IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS:

The design wall is by Carol Ann, and this is a link to where you can buy one:  http://www.cherylannsdesignwall.com/where_to_buy.html

A couple of people commented that they didn't think the thing was stable enough, and that they had problems with it coming apart.  Mine seems pretty solid, although one bracing bar in the back wants to let loose if I try to reposition the wall.  I think I could fix that with a little glue or that soft wax you use to make a candle stay put in a candle holder. 

It was a little tricky to put up.  Not that the instructions weren't totally simple.  My problem was that my hands aren't strong enough to pinch the clamps over the flannel covered rods.  My husband did it for me easily though.  We had the thing assembled in less than 10 minutes.  Since I plan to leave my wall up in place, neither of these issues matter to me.  Still loving it.

Scrap Basket Sensations Winner

 
Congratulations to Mary Kastner, the winner of Kim Brackett's new book,, Scrap-Basket Sensations! 

Are We Done Yet?

 
I rigged up a temporary design wall to display some of my Belle Meade blocks.  I stapled-gunned some flannel onto a light weight piece of foam and it works ok, except that it in no way is big enough for this project!  In my next quilting studio, I am so devoting an entire wall to being a design board.

Anyway, there you can get an idea of what the finished Belle Meade quilt will look like.  Let me tell you, I am getting just a little tired of making these blocks....I had to stop yesterday, short of my goal.  I have 6 left to do, which is certainly achievable.  My record is making five blocks in one hour, but usually it takes me closer to fifteen minutes per block.  I spend too much time deliberating what color half square triangle to put where!  I hope to get this quilt together by mid week next week.  (And move on to other projects!)

 
After making the first dozen blocks, I finally got smart and lowered the height of my ironing board and put it right next to me so I didn't have to keep jumping up to press my pieces.  You can see my iPod right there as well, and I am listening to Ken Follet's Fall of Giants on it.  Great story, quite historical (WWI), but he keeps throwing in gratuitous sex scenes to keep people paying attention.  And since it is an audio book, I can't even dog ear those pages to refer back to later.

Oh!  I think I have come to a decision regarding the color for my Belle Meade setting triangles.  I am really leaning towards the red....

 

Check back later today for the announcement of the winner of my Kim Brackett's Scrap Basket Sensations book!  I am leaving the comments to yesterday's post open until around 9:00 Pacific Time Friday, Jan. 28.

Belle Meade, Bali Pops and Scrap Basket Sensations

 
I know, you think you have seen this picture before.  But you haven't.  This is a picture of 29 completed Belle Meade blocks!  Woo hoo!  My plan is to finish the last 12 tomorrow and start laying out the blocks.  Thelma is ahead of me, but is patiently waiting for me to catch up.

I have not yet decided what fabric to use for the setting triangles.  I have the tan, I have the red, and just in case, I have the blue!  No worries, I will come up with just the right thing, with all those choices. 

But look....This came in the mail today, from Kim Brackett, the author herself!!!  Scrap Basket Sensations.

 

If you have not yet ordered this book, you must do so.  And if you don't have her first book Scrap Basket Surprises, you definitely need that as well.  Have a drawer or shelf full of jelly rolls?  Don't have a clue what to do with them?  Well, Kim's two books are the answer you have been waiting for.  Tons of ideas for using those 2 1/2 inch strips.  Kim has a great blog called Magnolia Bay Quilts, and you will enjoy reading her recent posts.  In addition, some bloggers you may be acquainted with made some of the projects in her new book!  Check it out.

I recently picked up a gorgeous Bali Pop (40 coordinated batiks) in a color called Grasshopper, that I think would be amazing done up in one of Kim's quilt patterns.

 
Dreamy, dreamy colors, with just a hint of purple things interesting.

Here are a couple of the patterns in Kim's new book that I think would be fantastic.

 
Over and Under.  Or...........

 
Island Chain.  Actually, I may do Island Chain in a collection of burgundy and pink batiks called Zinfandel.  Wow, it has been a long time since I worked with batiks, and I hear them calling my name!

If you are wondering why Kim sent me a copy of her amazing book, Scrap Basket Sensations, it is because she is planning a blogging event to promote it, and asked me to participate.  I don't have the details yet, but stay tuned for more information.  I will also be doing a give away of the copy of the book that I bought before Kim sent me one (Grin), so if you are interested in getting one, leave a comment to this post and on Friday I will announce the winner!

 

 

Where To Begin...

I do not even know where to start, Monday was such a big day!  I had the day off and drove up to Sunnyvale, where I used to meet regularly with a group of lovely women for a sewing get together we called the UFO (Unfinished Objects).  I really need to do that more often.   Gosh, I had a great time!  I finished nine Belle Meade blocks (I was doing a LOT of talking--could have made way more), for a total of 17!  Woo hoo!  I am making tracks with these!  How are you doing Thelma?

I wasn't going to tell you this, but I made a swerve off the freeway on the way home and stopped at HomeGoods, just to see if they had any dishes that would go with my Valentine's table topper.  I know.  Don't scold.

Seriously.  These dishes are wonderful and cost $24.  (I had a merchandise credit).   How fun is that?  I need to get out my pink napkins and the red crystal glasses, and I could enter Naps on the Porch's Tablescape Thursdays.

Got home, and Ahren made dinner.  We have been watching Worst Cooks in America, and he is determined to try the chef's recipes each week and show us that he can make the recipes successfully.  And he can.  Yes indeed.  My weight loss regime is ruined if this keeps up.

Before.

After.

Mon Amour

Mon Amour is what Carrie Nelson, the creator of this pattern told me I should name my little project.  (Photo above is before binding was attached).  Carrie's Schnibbles pattern is called Mon Ami, and is seriously one of the best Schnibbles designs ever.   Since my recent discovery of a stash of Valentine's fabrics led me to make this little quilt, Mon Amour does seem an appropriate name.  She urged me to get coordinating candles and something bubbly to sip while I enjoyed it.  Good idea.

If you like this pattern, please go check out Kim at Kim's Big Quilting Adventure, to see her patriotic version.  It is so adorable, you are really going to want to get this pattern and make one for yourself.

Let me tell you how I altered Carrie's Schnibbles pattern to create my version.

Her pattern calls for 25 blocks, and the resulting quilt is 30 some inches square.  I have a smallish round kitchen table, and I like to use place mats, so a table topper around 18 inches square suits my purpose.  I decided to do just nine blocks for my little mat.  These blocks are small (around 5 inches) and each unit needs to be trimmed, so at about the fourth block I was happy that I had decided to condense the project somewhat!  Not that the 25 block project would be too labor intensive, it was just that I wanted to crack something out in a day.  Oh, and by the way (Nicole pats herself on the back here), I quilted it myself!  Woo hoo.  My Stitch In the Ditch method should more appropriately be called Stitch In and Mostly In the Area of the Ditch, but never mind.  It looks ok.

See how perfectly my little mat fits in the middle of my table?  I am so pleased with it.  Love my red crystal wine glasses too.  Now, I could really enjoy a bit of something bubbly in those.

Give me your opinion, if you will.  I had bought some pink dishes last summer and had in mind that they would be just perfect for Valentine's Day.  Look at the picture below.  I don't think they are exactly the right thing with my new little Mon Amour table mat, do you? 

The pink isn't quite meshing with the colors in my mat.  I think dishes that emphasize the red would be better.  lol  Don't worry, I am not going shopping for more dishes.  Although, any tips where I might find just the perfect thing would not be ignored.....

Today I am back to working on Belle Meade, the project Thelma and I are doing in conjunction.  I have FOUR (!!!!!!!!!!!!) days off this week, so expect me to make some progress there.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and I really do mean that.  I think of so many of you regular commenters and wonder what you are up to.  Did Linda get her new glasses?  And how did the twins' birthday party go?  Did Carol buy another Rowenta or go with a cheaper iron?  How is Susan's fibromialgia?  Will Karen Dianne ever make another Pickle Dish block?  How in the world can Helen declutter her house with that back injury?  What is Diane reading now?  What amazing new applique project has Lynn got going?  You all add so much to my life and I am so grateful we are friends.

Valentine to Myself

 
I should have been working on my Belle Meade blocks, but I got distracted.  I was stitching away and found my mind wandering to the idea of making some sort of Valentine's themed table topper for my February tablescape. 

I had a vague recollection of having some red, pink and white fabric stashed away somewhere...  Dragged a chair to my stash closet and climbed up for a look.  Way in the back on the top shelf, look what I found!!! 

Evidently I had planned an entire quilt out of these fabrics, made the first block and decided it wasn't my cup of tea.

 
However, would this not be a cute start to a table topper?  Honestly, those fabrics are so cute, how could I have forgotten about them?  I love it when I do that.

Lift Those Spirits

 
No sewing going on even though I did have a day off.  I spent it having beauty treatments.  Very Essential Beauty Treatments.  I told my husband that I had gone to Monterey to visit my hair dresser to have my hair colored.  "But it doesn't look any different", he said when I came home.  Well, my dear, that would be the point.  If I don't have it colored, this is what I would look like: 
 
Great look on some, but on me, not so much.  (Please, if you rock grey hair, don't be offended by my remark--I've had enough hate mail for one week.  This is just my general opinion, not a bashing of any overly sensitive grey haired person in particular).  If I could go grey and look fabulous, I sure would.   Gracious, the money I could save....

What I did do this week is get out my blue and white dishes, which I purchased last summer when my house refused to sell and I sought an outlet for my frustration at Marshalls.  I had sort of forgotten about them, hidden away in the china buffet, but when I got them out, they gave my spirits a nice lift.

 
My thought when I bought them was that I wanted something that would be appropriate as a fun January table setting.  (Or even 4th of July!)   Blue and white seem so wintery to me.  The pot the orchids are in was a gift from my mother years ago, and the dishes cost $2.99 & $1.99 each at Marshalls.  I believe the pattern on the larger plate is one by Johnson Brothers. 

My plan is to go pink and white in February and green and white in March.  I should probably make some table toppers to go with my theme colors, don't you think?  Since I am not doing anything interesting, go check out Kim's Big Quilting Adventure to see her wonderful Valentine's projects.  She has instructions for making a block called "Woven Hearts" that is just beautiful.

 

Off The Floor With You!

 
Before I could get started on Belle Meade, I had a big task ahead of me.  I had to get my Ridiculously Cute Basket blocks sewn together and off the floor of my sewing room.  The blocks had been on the floor being endlessly rearranged since just before Christmas.  (Because unlike the rest of the quilting world, I do not have a design wall---don't get me started).  Finally I had them the way I wanted them, but had no time to sew them together, what with the holidays and surprise house guests and so on.  We were stepping over those blocks for at least three weeks.  Naturally, the dogs were banned from the room.

So, on the floor they stayed.  I don't know about you, but before I embark on a new project, I have a compulsion to tidy up my work space and start off with a clean fresh slate.  I was itching to get going with Belle Meade, but refused to allow any work until RCB was mostly together.  The photo above shows the center part of the quilt, with no borders attached yet.  I will be putting this project away (but not too well away) to finish up next month when Belle Meade is together.  There will be a scrappy half square triangle border and a wider solid fabric border on the outside. 

It should make a nice bed sized quilt that will be wonderful for spring and summer.  You all will be seeing more of this one for sure!  Fabrics are Simple Abundance by Bonnie and Camille for Moda and the pattern is MoJo by Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.

If any of you are interested in the evolution of this quilt, it started about three or four years ago, when Darlene of Quilting Daze posted a photo of her finished MoJo quilt.   I was so taken with her version of the quilt and the pattern she had used that I vowed that I had to make it as well.  My fabric choice ended up different than hers, but I could not be happier with my quilt.  Often, when you see the work of others, you can be so inspired to create your own version.  So the next time you see someone's quilt that you adore, and you tell yourself, "I must make that some time", have faith in yourself.  It can happen.

Belle Meade Has Begun To Take Shape

 
I spent a lovely weekend at my sewing machine---or a good deal of the weekend at any rate.  I pressed and trimmed the last of the 656 half square triangles for the Belle Meade project I am working on along with Thelma (Cupcakes 'n' Daisies).

 
I tell you, those half square triangles don't just make themselves. 

 
But, here they are, obligingly waiting to be chosen for one of the 41 blocks that make up the Belle Meade quilt.

My first block is shown at the top of this post.  A total of six blocks were completed this weekend.  How is your project going Thelma?  Have you got all your blocks finished already?

 

I had a slight interruption when my husband invited me to go see The King's Speech at our local movie theater this Sunday.  What a fine movie it was!  I highly recommend it.  It certainly gave me a new and different impression of the Queen Mum.  It was easy to see how she became such a beloved and popular figure in British Royalty.  Did you know she lived to be 101?  The movie is about her husband, King George VI, but she played a very supportive role in his life, that is for sure.