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They say the creative mind is always thinking about the next project while working on the current project projects. Is this you too?

These are some fat quarters that were awarded to me at the Charlotte Modern Quilt Guild. Pretty aren't they? They have been waiting to be used for well over a year now. Along with these came 20+ blocks. Each involved in the swap made two star blocks, the star patterns of their own choosing, out of this particular fabric line. And I won them! They have been on my WIP Challenge list for a couple of years and so finally I have an idea brewing as to how I want to complete them.

Yesterday one of the things on my Daily Goal List ( list of 3 things to complete) was to purchase some fabric for  Raggedy Ann and Andy clothes. So with coupons in hand, 3 - 40% ones and 1 - 20% postcard that could be used along with the 40% coupons which was a birthday present from JoAnn Fabrics, I made my way.

Typically orange hasn't been a color I would choose but for some reason I am loving this color lately. My thought is to modernize Raggedy Ann and Andy a bit, the idea coming from Lindsay of The Cottage Home who is making the cutest cottage style children's clothes. Check out her blog, the designs, fabric and clothes are so yummy!


Here is Ann debuting the fabric. Matches her hair! If you read my post from yesterday you will now know I succeeded in unraveling the yarn for her moppy hairstyle.

As you can see below progress is being made with free motion quilting the Craftsy BOM quilt. The Hexie Flower Block, one of my favorites from this series, has feathers in the Hexie and cross hatching in the background. I drew the design on Golden Threads Quilting Paper so that I would have a defined line to FMQ. I pinned the paper to the block using safety pins versus long daisy straight pins typically as I  have done in the past. This eliminated my fingers getting jabbed when turning and twisting the block/quilt while FMQ.

Today I am linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict hosting Can I Get a Whoop Whoop!
I am whooping it up as I am making progress on finishing FMQ the Craftsy BOM quilt!

and with  Amanda at Bedtime Quilts for Thank Goodness Its Finished Friday,

Well off to complete free motion quilting the Chain Block, a variation of the Drunkard's Path. 

Happy Quilting Friday!

Oh My Goodness the Cat Got in the Dryer!!

First I want to share with you my latest finish on free motion quilting the Balkan Puzzle Block.

I am loving the end results. Parts of the design was improvisational free motion quilting and parts was with the help using Golden Threads Quilting Paper since blue or white marker wouldn't show up on the light brown pieces in the block. I wanted this to be finished last evening but tiredness set in. Amazing what a night's rest will do for you. I woke up and began thinking about getting this block done. But first had to go make a pot of coffee.

I hope you have a cuppa as you read through. How do you like my favorite polka dot coffee cup? Sometimes hubby wakes before me and makes the coffee.

The day before I completed the 5 Sided Wonky Block. Admittedly not one of my favorite blocks but it still was fun to make when following the Craftsy Block of the Month 2012 series. Anyways back to the block - it is free motion quilting with wrapping feather plumes around the center. The corners are cross hatched!

As you can see I am making progress with making Raggedy Ann! Well sort of! It looks like a cat found a ball of yarn and had fun batting it around! I will now fess up! I do not have a cat and there wasn't a cat in my dryer! Truth be known in an effort to hurry up the drying process of washing a skein of yarn I threw it in the dryer.

 I couldn't find an end piece so I had to cut to create one in order to begin unsnarling Raggedy Ann's hair. I was sitting in bed doing the untangling until hubby finished up working (he works at home and always comes in the door saying the best part of my day is walking down the hall to my 2 pretty gals and one is a dog). It was his Friday as we say here and was quite tired and was anxious for the lights to go out while I was in the admidst of untangling. I gave it up as I rather not have a grumpy hubby the next day due to being sleep deprived.

Linking with WIPS on Wednesdays - On Esther's Blog her WOW! is making a shirt with a pattern she has made. At Freshly Pieced Lee is featuring "Shush I am Quilting." Each Icon below will link to the perspective blog. Hope to see you there!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope your day is joyful! 

August Lovely Year of Finishes

Melissa of Fiber of Sorts is hosting a "A Lovely Year of Finished 2013".

This is such a wonderful way to get those UFOs completed along and sharing with others desiring to do the same.

These are a couple of my projects that I want to have completed by August 31st. If you have been following my posts you know that I have started to follow Madame Samm's plan for time management. Each day I list 3 things that I would like to complete the following day. All I can say is "It's working for me!" You can read up on it here.

So here is what I would like to finish this month and I feel confident that I can do it!

I have been free motion quilting each block. It has been taking me at least one day to quilt each block since the designs are feathers, grids and lines. Hopefully, there will be a day or two I can complete more than 1 block per day. I will be so happy when this quilt is done! I am ready to work with different colors!

Another want to finish in August is at least a 1set each of Raggedy Anns and Andys, one size 15" and the other 20".

It may not seem like much to complete in one month but I have to squeeze my sewing/quilting projects with my accounting business and it is happening at budget time with a couple of my clients.

Thanks for stopping by.  
I appreciate hearing from all the wonderful quilters/sewists!


Linking up with Sew Darn Crafty

Wishing you a productive day and month completing your UFOs or WIPS,

Creativity Is Fun!

Hello! So happy you are visiting! Take a peek at what is going on in my corner!

Spider Web Block

Every block has become a challenge to determine which design to free motion quilt staying within parameters of grids or lines, feathers and free space hoping that it will enhance the quilt block. I scanned through my Pinterest board of FMQ motifs and Designs to see if there is anything that triggers an idea. The center medallion was one that was used in a wedding ring quilt. I had to improvise the medallion in order to fit the 4 point star center.

I am quite pleased with how the Spider Web block turned out! The center is a feather medallion that is flanked with lines coming toward it. The lines actually help the strippy parts of the block to resemble the look of a spider web. That was by accident and not planned.

Hexies In a Strip Block

The Hexies in a Strip block was quite another challenge since there was a lot of negative space. I happened to have a large feather wreath stencil which I marked on the quilt top and then set out to free motion quilt.  Not being satisfied due to the design in comparison with the rest of the quilting was too large which left a lot of spacing between the stitching. So I stitched more feathers within each feather.When I see it on the quilt I am pleased with the end results.

If you look closely you can see that the hexies have been cross hatched. In the corners there are double lines with spacing between the next set.

I am half way there to finishing this quilt. Only 10 more blocks to go. Back at it!

Tell me what is happening in your sewing room or quilting studio in the comment box. 
I love would love to see what you are up to lately!

Icons are linked to each linky party.

Tutorial on Using Follow-the-Line Quilting Designs

Busy strippy doesn't allow for showing off the feather square wreaths in each quarter section of this block but does leave the impression that it has been quilted which is good enough for me.

This block was #1 out of 3 on my goal list to finish yesterday! Want to know more about time management read my previous post!

Tutorial on Using Follow-the-Line Quilting Designs

Step 1. Choose your design. I used Follow-the-line Quilting Designs *Volume Three* by Mary M. Covey. It is a collections of full-size patterns for blocks and borders. I picked up my box at my local quilt store.

Step 2. Copy your selected design.

Step 3. Using Golden Threads Quilting Paper, a light weight see thru paper that comes in a roll in 3 different widths -12", 18" & 24" . Cut the number of sections that you will need. I cut 4 since my block was made in quarters.

Step 4. Layer the sized Golden Threads Quilting Paper over the copied template. Without thread in your machine free motion quilt the design. This will serve two purposes of one having the design to follow while FMQ and perforating the paper making it easier to tear away. 

Step 5. Pin the perforated Golden Threads Quilting Paper onto your block.

Step 6. Thread your machine and begin free motion quilting your design. Follow the numbers on the template for the best way to quilt your selected design. Once completed tear away the paper.

The next thing on my goal list was to do something with this fabric.

Tah Dah!

And another Tah Dah!

In an effort to organize I made 25 kits.

The third thing on my list was taking care of my clients accounting and other miscellaneous administrative work.

Linking with freshly pieced today. Click on the WIP Wednesday icon to go to their blog site. Hope to see you there.

It was a good day!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have time to sit a spell and leave a comment.

Another Block Finished

Late to bed and early to rise, and with a purposeful mind to finish this block today has been completed in record time.  Well that is for me since the previous blocks took at least 3-4 days or more.

My key motivator was rereading Mdm Samm's at Sew We Quilt piece on timers and how she gets stuff done. Here is part 1 out of 3 if you are interested.

Did you read it?
If you took a moment to do so you found out that she ends every evening listing 3 things she wants to complete the next day. Also she works in 23 minute intervals on a single project.  Well I am whooping it up because not only did I complete the block I also completed the other 2 things on my list in addition to sweeping my whole house and cleaning the kitchen appliances that were not on my list. I even went to church and breakfast with my hubby this morning.

Do you recognize what these are?
Let me tell you a little bit about them. Years ago I made many of these parts that go to a whole. They were taken to craft fairs, on the shelves of an arts and craft store, given to family members, and gifted to a couple of exchange students. I have all the notions and other pieces some waiting to be washed after being stored for many years.

Have you figured out what they are?

If you said Raggedy Ann and Andy legs and arms you were correct.

Do you know if they are desirable with the young of today and worth my time to complete them?


Today I am linking up with the following linky parties. Hope to see you there.