Thursday, March 15, 2012

UFO #2 - February

Yes.  I know.  There is no finished UFO #1.  YET.

BUT - by April I will have completed 4 UFO's.  Really.

Today, however, I am going to show my February finish.




This is a small wallhanging I started with my Mom at the Library.  A lady came to show us a WAY to make these stars using foundation material.  She had fat quarters for sale that day, and we purchased the fabrics for the star.  And set to learning the technique.

It was so long ago, I am sure I could not tell you how to make this block!!

Along the way, I found the setting fabric.

Then some backing fabric.

And, finished it on Tuesday!!







I used metallic gold thread to quilt it - and it makes the BACK look amazing.



 I was a little concerned about the binding. I did not have any fabric that matched the last border.  When you wait so long to finish projects - well - it's next to impossible to find OLD fabric.  So.  I had to make due.  I did not double the binding fabric - and was able to make this very tiny binding.

I like it a lot.
FINISHED! too late to be linked with the 2012 UFO Challenge for March over at
  "Patchwork Times", but I will add this (and all my other completions)
when then next linky party opens at the end of March.

2012-UFO

Now I can't wait until Christmas!!


CathyH

Thursday, March 8, 2012

I AM here!

It's been a while since I last posted.  I've been playing catch up.  Almost done with my January UFO and my February UFO and found my March UFO.

BUT......
 I have caught up with the Blogger's Block of the Month.  Directions for six blocks have been revealed - and I have completed all six!!


Block Six

Block Five
Block Four

Block Three

Block Two

Block One

Altogether, so far.

It looks like I need some sunlight in order to get some better photos!  The rain and dreary weather, however, is what kept me in the sewing room.

Sew today, Sun tomorrow (or even later!!)
Back to work!
CathyH

Monday, February 13, 2012

Turning Fifty

No.  It's not a new quilt pattern.  Turning Fifty is my idea for a birthday card.  I think it would work for any big ZERO birthday.

I started with a purchased birthday card that is made for a 10th birthday.
I attached a bunch of tens to the card, with a piece of ribbon and staples or tape.

The extra tens are hidden in the card, but fall out as the card is opened to be read.






























I traced the numeral "10" onto a piece of white paper
 - and cut it out, to use as a pattern.


Then I cut out 4 more numeral "10"s out of different colors of paper.
(Scrap-booking paper with patterns and bright colors would be phenomenal!!) 
I traced around the edges of the numbers with magic markers.





And then I taped the ribbon to the back of the tens.  I left some ribbon in between each ten so they could fold up into the card.  I have used staples before, also.


I slightly altered the interior of the card...


Folded the extra tens into the card.


And I have a card that brings a laugh to my OLD friends, 
but is not as insulting as some of the 50th birthday cards can be.


CathyH

Saturday, February 11, 2012

I (Heart) Embroidery

Oh yes.  Now I remember.  I love to embroider.



I can't wait for Valentine's Day!

CathyH

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Winter Coat

Winter Dress Coat
Promised Christmas 2009
Started December 4, 2011 (See the start here)
Finished January 28, 2012.

Love the color
Love the warmth

Love the buttons
Love the pleat in the back
Love the Brocade lining


Love the collar


Love the girl
Love the Finish!

Daughter said it was completely worth the wait.
Now we just need some winter!
CathyH

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Charm Quilt - Scraps to the Max

About two summers ago (maybe it was three) I decided it would be a great idea to go through my scraps and cut out whole quilts.  (one of my children used to like to do this with a pair of scissors and paper.  We called it 'making little ones out of big ones').  So, I went through each box of scraps and made little ones out of big ones.

I cut out a whole quilt's worth of squares to make into Flying Geese.  That is - a whole quilt.  Made out of Flying Geese.  Mostly bright colors.  No white.

I cut out pairs of fabrics to make square-within-a-square patches.  I think they will turn out to be 6-inch squares.

I cut out JUST blue and white squares. Then I cut 1-inch strips of those fabrics, too. . . anticipating making what will look like a blue-argyle quilt.

I cut strips to make this nine-patch quilt. . . and actually finished it in one summer!

AND I cut out equilateral triangles.  One out of every fabric.  Just one.  I had always wanted to make a charm quilt.  The idea is to make a quilt where none of the fabrics are repeated.

I've spent a few nights  (well, weeks) in the hospital with my daughter over the last few years.  After going through all these scraps, I had something to do while we sat for hours.  I put the fabrics into groups of four to make larger triangles. Then, when I had a little time at home, I would sew the sets of four together.

Then I was ready to put the triangles into larger blocks - diamonds.  I invited my oldest daughter and a few friends over.  We paired up triangle sets to make diamonds, and placed them . . . well . . . so they looked good.


We had triangles EVERYWHERE!
But soon I had a plan and started sewing diagonal rows.


I love this quilt!!  










This neutral is one of my favorite blocks - the bottom four fabrics just look so good together!!


My goal: Quilt this baby.  
For the Scrap Attack Challenge
at Stitched in Color.


On the road to finishing things in 2012!!
CathyH

Quilt of Valor

My Administrative Assistant (for my One math class) (Algebra 2) has a son in the Marine Corps.  In a COLD place... and his Mom wants to send him a hug and some warmth.

Sounds like a quilt to me.

So, the ladies in our Quilting Bee made patriotic blocks - and I helped get them into a quilt.  'Mom' will tell you that she will NEVER set blocks on point again - but it was not really that hard (once we figured out that 3 or 4 of the squares were not the same size square as the others).



Today three of us finished the binding.  


 In keeping with a patriotic theme, our lovely Bee Quilter added this
 flag to the center of the quilt as she quilted it.

Soon it will be shipped away to a far-off place.  Wrapped up in that package are prayers and hugs, warmth and encouragement for that young man...  For that young man we remember from his beginning, and are pleased and proud of what God has made him to be today.

Arrive safely, little quilt.  Deliver our love.

CathyH