a very pretty quilt top

My VIBees ladies made me these gorgeous blocks while I was pregnant with Scarlet, and I got them pieced in to most of a top this weekend.

My theme was "Bloom," and I had this quilt as one of my "If it's a girl" quilts (because we didn't peek at the ultrasound).

I'm trying to decide to leave it mostly as is, and use it in a little bed, or add a border so it would work on a twin bed.  I'm leaning towards the latter.



A big thank you to Melissa, Amy, Rene, Natalia, Angela, Lynne, Krista, Corey, Katie, Meghan, Kelly, and Cherie! Scarlet already loves it. ♥

WIP Wednesday - 6.5.13

These pretty blocks will be going to a friendship quilt for a mama who is in the midst of some really rough times.  A group of friends and I are hoping they will bring her some comfort!

The color inspiration was this palette from design-seeds.  So pretty!
The block tutorial is from Elizabeth at Don't Call me Betsy.

I've also got these WIPs on my counter.  I call it my "fermentation station."  A few months ago, I learned about the benefits of lacto-fermented veggies, and good bacteria and am really enjoying it!  And Scarlet LOVES the pickles and beets!  (they're also my favorites).  I've got yogurt culturing, water kefir grains fermenting, and pickles, beets, and sauerkraut going.  The water kefir grains are amazing because they make this delicious sparkling soda drink that is much more palatable for me than kombucha. :)

Here's to good bugs!  (Read more about lacto-fermenting here)

Linking to Lee's!

WIP Wednesday - O Christmas Tree

Finally getting this bee quilt taken care of!

Daddy took the little man to town today in an attempt to Christmas shop for Mommy (which is reason #432 I'm glad we had Scarlet, because let's just say shopping is not his forté, and I can't wait to send her along to "help.") ;)  

While Scarlet slept, Mommy quilted.

And when I spread the quilt out to check my progress (which I'm working on the binding now!), Scarlet practiced her favorite yoga move.

No lie.  You tell her, "Scarlet, do your downward dog," and she gets to work. :)

Her brother was not going to be outdone by his little sister. ♥

Oh how I love these two.

Wanna see their faces?

I've been listening to a lot of Christmas music to try to lift my spirits, because like so many of you, my heart is still heavy.  

But a merry Christmas week.  And Happy Holidays.  And now a line from my favorite Christmas carol...

"Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother... and in His name, all oppression shall cease..."

Linking to Lee's.

Calme in progress quilt top

Both my boys helped me hold up my progress... (it was quite windy). :)



I get excited whenever I have something sewing related done these days... so I had to show y'all. :)



I plan to add more strips to the right of the bee blocks, and I'm contemplating a linen border.

While I was sewing, this is what Steiger did to himself (I swear; I had nothing to do with it). ;)



*nor did I have anything to do with his mis-matched Christmas jammies. ;)

WIP Wednesday - new project (and a list)

I'm outgrowing my pants... my fabric storage... actually, we're outgrowing our house quickly.  We have two bedrooms, and a big boy bed and a crib won't fit in the second.  We have another little office sewing room, but it doesn't have a door, it's right off the living room and well... I'm not giving up my sewing space.

So, Jay had last weekend off (yea!!!), and we did some work inside and outside.  Part of that included Mommy organizing the fabric.  It was all over the house...

And *inspiration*

I was in a little mini Bee (last fall???), called the Quilting Divas.  The lovely Kelly was sweet enough to send the same linen to a number of us in the group.

And now I'm making a stash quilt with these blocks.

I cut some strips of various widths (2 1/2" to 6" or so)...



Started sewing a few of them together (haven't gotten very far)...



Steiger was more than happy to help me keep the fabric down in the wind...




My plan is to arrange these gorgeous blocks with a little sashing, and make a column toward the right side of the quilt...



It's going to be gorgeous.  And (except for maybe the backing), totally from my stash. :)

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Now I need to make a list (since I only have 3 days as a paid working girl left, and I can get back to sewing before the tummy gets ginormous!)

- Finish Libby's quilt (I've started on the quilting)
- Make Molly's big girl bed quilt
- If It's a Girl quilt from VIBees (I've got some of the most gorgeous blocks!)
- If It's a Girl quilt from Mommy
- If It's a Boy quilt from Mommy (inspired by Amy!)
- Pickledish (I love this one)
- Quilt for my cousin's new baby
- Quilt for my friend's new baby
- Bag for Goodie Bag Swap (this needs to go to the top of the list -- I've got the pieces cut out)

OK, I feel overwhelmed now officially! :)

Thankfully though, I am all caught up with my Bee Blocks... this one's for Corey, and I love it.

I'll be 20 weeks tomorrow, (I'll get a picture soon), and will be having our "big sono" very soon.  I don't think we're going to find out the gender, but I am wavering a "bittle bit." ;)

Happy sewing!

Linking to Lee's WIP Wednesday!

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does cutting count?

Steiger wants to live outside these days.  Since it has been pretty nice, and I have been home this week with him, and I know what's coming this summer (big belly in 100 degree plus weather) -- we have spent many hours.
I should probably set up my sewing machine... but I haven't yet, just my small cutting board, and a little table.

May is my month for VIBees, but, like always, I had trouble deciding what to do for my theme.  I had originally thought I was going to do this block...

But I decided that I wanted my Bee friends to still like me at the end... and they might not after all those set-in seams.

So then I pulled this pile of fabric.

I've been collecting Tanya Whelan for quite some time, with it always in the back of my mind to make for a little girl I might have one day.  But it didn't seem quite right for my "petals" theme.  

Then I remembered a Dresden I had made for Jessica, and went a new direction with my fabric.

I went with a pink, fuschia, chartreuse, and aqua palette -- inspired by Jessica's Dresden, this picture from design-seeds, and this gorgeous hot pink peony I picked up at Costco last week.

My bee friends will be getting a stack of charm squares, and a nice big piece of white background.

I was happy with my change, but I still loved the Tanya Whelan fabric.  I just think it needs to be half-square triangles (that's what I've always envisioned.)  So that's what I'm doing.  Lots of cutting, and sewing has commenced on a second "if it's a girl quilt" -- but this one will be made entirely by Mama.  

The irony here is that I think we're having boy #2.

I had big plans...

I can't really believe it's Friday.

I had big plans for my week "off" (do Moms ever really get a week truly 'off?')

Steiger and I did spend lots of time together... but in the sewing department, this is all that I accomplished:

Kelly's Good Folks Ode to the HST

I knew I wanted to approach my HSTs by value (like this block), but a fellow busy bee beat me to that design.  So I improvised a bit, and decided that the little touch of kona ash in the middle helped accentuate the design motif better.  And it gives the block a focal point too... I was quite happy with it, as was miss Kelly. :)

And Amy's peachy-plummy mermaids.

Amy wanted HSTs or flying geese for her blocks, and I actually went to the block library on EQ7 to come up with a design idea.  I did a few of them up on the computer, and Amy picked the mermaid background.  I was a tiny bit shy of having enough, but I think it still looks good... I hope she thinks so too!  I love the double frames; this quilt is going to be so pretty.

This weekend, I'm really hoping to get some time (and energy) to work on my niece Libby's quilt...

She was born February 23, at 3:33 pm... 6 lbs, 12 oz., 19 inches, and all kinds of preciousness.

I'm only sad I am still two states away.  

Block party!

I'm entering!

First up, for the TRADITIONAL block category... my Bliss-y Dresden made for Kelly. :)

And in the MODERN category - 

pieced hexagons from the Material Obsession 2 book

And finally -- my CREATIVE block - 

a pretty little flower

Go check out the rest!

January's bee blocks

(If you want links to any of these groups -- scroll down and look for the little bloggy buttons). :)

First up (but finished last) --For the VIBees, Cherie's Kitchen Windows (loosely based off Elizabeth Hartman's "Kitchen Windows" found in her book)... 

No one in the group had gone symmetrical so far... so I decided I would make little window panes. 

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For the Fresh and Funky Bee -- 

I had Maria's whimsical Christmas blocks to make up...

(there's even a little bit of Kate Spain's new Flurry in there)

And Mandy's square in a square.

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My favorite blocks of the month were made for Molly in our Bee Splendid group. 

Love this shape and love these solids.  This quilt is going to make a statement when it's all done.

Don't forget to come back for Quilt Hope In's big grand opening celebration February 1!

quilting along... until...

So... apparently, getting four finishes in four weeks was kind of addicting, and yesterday, I felt the need for another finish.

Thusly, I pulled out this oldie but goodie...

...made some backing, and got her basted last night.

Though I had been paralyzed for many months on how to proceed with this particular quilt...
( due to:
a) a total dislike of sewing sashing/borders (there were thin borders that needed to be added to the perimeter
b) a dislike of piecing backings -- and
c) a lack of decisiveness on how in the heck I was going to quilt it )

... I zipped on the borders, found an almost 2 yard piece for backing that I didn't mind adding to, and decided to go with straight(ish) vertical lines.

The plan was to finish during Steiger's nap-time today. 

But shoot...

my walking foot is kinda loud...

and I don't want to wake the baby...

and I do have this great fabric pile I just pulled out...

and even though my queen bee turn isn't until March, I'd better make sure I have a plan... (you know, in case I need more fabric...

The siren won again.

This is by no means a final lay-out (still way more cutting to do)... but it was kind of fun.  I think my bee girls will be making this block from Material Obsession 2.

Sunday's fabric

We got our carpet cleaned this week.

In trying to get the floor cleared, I sorted through some fabric, and decided to audition some options for my month of the VIBees (not until March).

I started with this recent acquisition (Alexander Henry's Amelie)



Added in some other florals

And went with the whole "green, beige, blue, mustard, brown" color scheme (Don't ask me what the relationship of that is on the color wheel).

What do you all think of this pile?  Think it will make a good modified wedding ring?

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Thank you for all the love on the Urban Lattice quilt! (from Cara's Urban Lattice Quilt along)

Krista Poppyprint pointed out that I'm fulfilling my own prediction of mixed neutrals... but they do go together so nicely.

Here are twenty-eight of the required forty-eight blocks done.

These are not in their final lay-out, I just wanted to see them together on my (clean) floor.