A day late...

I'm really annoyed with myself - I had my June "A Lovely Year of Finishes" project completed a day before month's end, but I didn't blog about it Monday night because it was getting really late...  I knew that I still had a day to post it - and I would have, except that our phone line went out, and we had no internet either.  So, I didn't get my project linked up - once again, my procrastination has kicked me in the backside...
I know that you still want to see it though - so here's my top:

The quilt doesn't have borders - every quilt that I've seen like this just has the strips running out to the quilt edges, and I really like the look!

Note to self: When you finish your monthly goal, post it right away!

A few things I've done this month...

It's almost deadline time for the ALYoF projects, and I'll make it, but I wanted to share a few of the other things I've been working on.
Cathy and I have completed 6 months of our disappearing 4-patch quilt block swap - we're using large scale florals and Kona Snow for our blocks.  We got together last week Friday to exchange our blocks - these are the blocks I made for her:

We also had a bridal shower at church on Wed. evening.  We were each asked to bring a small gift for the couple.  I wasn't sure what to bring, but I wanted it to be hand-made.  I poked around a few crafty sites, and found more than a few great ideas - and then I remembered the place mats that someone from our quilt guild had made, using a mini-charm pack.  I had a few of those kicking around, so I made 2 sets of 2 place mats.  The floral set was made using Honeysweet, from Fig Tree Quilts, and the blues and taupes are from the Snowman Gatherings line by Primitive Gatherings.  I did simple straight line quilting, both on the body of the place mats, and also SID around the charms.

My June ALYoF project is almost ready to stitch together - the rows are all complete, and the layout has been finalized, so a few hours of sewing will get the top assembled!  Check in here on Tues. for pics of the finished top.

June's project is calling me!

I missed May's ALYoF "completed project" link-up - the project got finished, but not in time....  So, we'll try again!  You've probably seen this project before - it was the one I was hoping to finish in April.  I've been using the fabric strips and small patches as my leaders and enders while I've been working on other quilt projects.  Now that I have my H2H quilts finished, I can take a deep breath again and maybe finish this quilt once and for all - I hope!
I've been putting sections together, but now I'm debating how to put it together.  I've taken pics of 3 different options - so I'll take any and all the advice I can get!

Here's option #1:

The rows will be staggered, but sewn together with a narrow sashing strip between each row.  I'm not sure that it will work with wide "joint" sections separating each brick, and then narrow sashing.  I could make the joints narrow too - I'd have to undo all the blocks (again!), and make the solid fabric narrower, but if it makes the block work, it will be worth it! 

Option #2:    

This version just has the rows sewn together - they'll still be staggered, but without any sashing.

Option #3:  I can take version #2, and set a sashing strip between every 4 or 5 rows.  They'd probably have to be wider that the strips in option #1...

Now that I see all of these options here, I think that I know what I'm going to do, but would still appreciate hearing your ideas!  And, as always, I appreciate my readers and the comments that you leave!

                                                                                                                                   

...and it's done too! (second post for June 6th)

So, I finally managed to get my second quilt done for the H2H challenge.   I had a number of interruptions, but I kept at it, and have it ready to be sent off with the first quilt.  They'll go out together Monday morning.
I used the same fabrics for both quilts (Apple of My Eye for Riley Blake), and I quilted both with a variegated thread that had many of the same colours in it.  I'm pleased with the results, and hope that both quilts bring a little bit of joy to the life of a child in foster care.  And, because you asked so nicely, I'll show you the picture of quilt #2:

I can't wait to see all of the quilts that have been made for the challenge!  I've enjoyed being part of it!

SO close!

It's time to reveal my completed quilts for the H2H challenge - and alas, I have only one finished - but it's a finish!  The second one is ready to bind, but this is the cut-off time, so I'm posting what I got done.  I've had a few other challenges along the way, and they've cut into my quilting time to some extent (and there's also been a bit of "partying" going on as hubby and I both celebrated birthdays recently!)
But, here's what you've been waiting for - the picture of my quilt!

I'm hoping to have the 2nd quilt pic in the next hour, so you can check back for it then!

Hands2Help progress so far...

I had a few minutes, so I thought I'd bring you up-to-date with my Hands2Help challenge quilts.  I've got the top of the "Dancing Plus Blocks" done:

The fabric line is "Apple of My Eye" from Riley Blake.  The blocks didn't use much of the fabric (I bought a FQ bundle), so I cut some 10" blocks, cut them in half, and used a pattern from Me and My Sister Designs.  I've only got the first step done, but it's progress!

And finally, I can show the disappearing 4-patch quilt blocks that I made for Cathy - we're doing a swap, using large scale florals:

Now that I've got all that accomplished, I think I'm going to find an easy knitting project to work on for the rest of the afternoon!

It's that time again...

Hello, and welcome to May!  I've lost a week or two, and I'm still having a hard time getting my head around the fact that April is done and gone, and May is here in it's place.
If you regularly follow my blog, you'll notice that I posted my challenge to complete for the month of April, and then nothing else since.  Yeah, the best laid plans....  My project didn't go any farther than what was pictured in the April 7th post - I ended up being admitted to hospital for emergency surgery; had complications and spent 5 days in ICU.  But, for the most part, that's behind me now - I have a follow-up surgery to look forward to, but I'll worry about that when we actually have a date scheduled; until that happens, I plan to get this month's project completed on time.  (I might even try to complete another quilt for the Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge 2015.)  The quilts that I'm working on will be donated to kids in the foster care system - a cause that's close to my heart.  When we were young, my parents were foster parents for 20+ years.  It was a growing experience for me - there were quite a few kids that we cared for over the years - and we saw a lot of things that made us REALLY appreciate our parents, even though we didn't always agree with them!
So, here's a pic of the blocks I'm working on for the first challenge quilt:

I found the pattern on a blog (The Colorful Fabriholic), and I knew that it would be perfect for one of the quilts I'm planning for the H2H challenge.  The fabric is Apple of My Eye for Riley Blake.  It's going well so far, and I'm pretty sure that I'll be able to have the quilt top done, and then quilt and bind it in time to deliver it by June 12th.  I'm hoping to regularly update you on the progress.

I also got my swap blocks done for Cathy - we're doing a monthly swap of four Disappearing 4-Patch quilt blocks, using Kona "Snow" and large scale floral fabrics.  We each make 8 blocks every month; 4 to swap and 4 to keep.  Her blocks went out in the mail last week, but I don't think she's received them yet, so I can't show them - I'll probably share them in my next post.