Bring Back UFO Busting

With the completion of anther baby quilt top and feeling like my sewjo may have returned, I'm thinking next weekend it may be time to bring back UFO Busting.  Does anyone agree?  Is anyone still out there?  I hope that you are.  So if you are up for it let's make a date of it.  I want to be here encouraging you to finish those old projects and the ones you start.  Don't let the title fool you, this party is for everyone, not just alien lovers.

The quilt top above is a baby size version of Alison Vermilya's Square Pegs Quilt for Moda Bake Shop.  I needed something bright and cheery to make and these precuts that I picked up from the local Walmart definitely filled that bill.  What didn't fill the bill was the state of the precuts.

All of the charm squares where way bigger than 5".  The picture above is after I had already trimmed two sides.  The problem with the 2.5" strips was I couldn't cut the required pieces need out of one strip.  It took two.  So I really only had enough to make a baby quilt.  I may pick up an extra pack to use the rest of the bits I've already sewed.

I can't stay mad at them, the prints are just to pretty.

An apology letter I feel I need to write to my beloved.

Dear Aurifil Thread,

I am sorry that I have been a non existent artisan so far this year.  I get my exciting box in the mail of beautiful threads and I let the dark cloud in my life take over what was really important...turning threads into works of art.  That is over.  I loose sight no more.  It's time to crack open those spools and make some magic happen.  I mentioned in my last post that I used the clear monofilament thread to bind my quilt and loved it.  Full disclosure, I've only used this thread while using my walking foot.  I had a few questions about how it holds up with free motion quilting and I think it is time to find out.  On my agenda for next week, after a sewing studio reorganize, I think it is time to find out and write about it.  Now what do I quilt.  Maybe design a small whole cloth?  Just flow quilt?  Any suggestions?

I've also been working to finish up Block Two of the Fireburst Mystery Quilt (instructions coming September 1st).  I can't wait to share the next steps with you.  How about a few pictures of the secret sewing?

That's all you get for now.  I don't think it gives too much away.

So, if you are up to it, let's plan on meeting back here next Saturday and share what we are working on.  We will encourage you, new or old projects.  We will celebrate your finishes, new or old.  And most importantly enable you when you neglect all you should be doing to chase after something new and shinny.  I hope to see you then.

Baby Quilt Finish

I'm celebrating a quilt finish today and it feels good.  As of right now, it doesn't have a name.  This was due to be the next quilt pattern release for Wonderland, but due to some technical difficulties, that has been delayed, but we won't get into that.  It's neither here nor there.  I still want to share this fun finish.

Since the ultimate goal is for this quilt to be a for use baby quilt, I kept the quilting quite simple and went with an over all orange peel design.  Using the Handi Quilter Slice ruler, these continuous curves stitched out super quick with no marking required.

Yummy soft texture on the back.

For my quilting threads, I used 50wt Aurifil #2510 Light Lilac for the bobbin and top threads.  That soft purple added just the right touch to the quilting.  For the melon colored binding, I went with 50wt Aurifil #5002 Medium Red (it actually appeared orange-ish) in the bobbin and their Clear Monofilament thread on the top.  I chose the monofilament over a white or melon color because it blends so beautifully.  Stitching in the ditch and staying on track can be hard.  With this clear thread I could drive as recklessly as I wanted, well with in reason.

I even remembered to attached my label...that doesn't happen often.

It feels good to slowly get back into my quilting groove again.  Hopefully, a few more finishes in the not to far off future.  I do promise we will start busting UFO's again.  My energy level just hasn't been up to a whole lot of blog reading as of lately.  Stay tune, I am getting my grove back.  

Today I'm linking up with Main Crust Monday ,  Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers and Color Inspiration Tuesday

Fireburst Mystery QAL--Block 1

Happy 1st of August!  Are you as ready as I am to start piecing an actual block for the Fireburst Mystery Quilt??  Good, lets get to it.

Block Pieces

Use the pieces in the above chart to make four of the block below.

Your finished blocks should measure Baby Quilt 10.5" square and Lap Quilt 20.5" square.

And just like that, we are finished for this month.  How about we take a peak at my three versions of the quilt.  To be fair to the mystery layout, I've arranged the blocks in different manners so as not to give anything away.  Even just these blocks would make very cool mini quilt layout! 

I'd love to see how your blocks are coming together!  Feel free to post your progress on our Facebook Page or tag us on Instagram @tishnwonderland #fireburstmysteryquilt.  You can also down load a printable copy of the pattern on my Craftsy Store here.

It's All Up From Here

It's all about Up From Here.  I think I'm making that my personal motto.  Last Saturday, after some marathon piecing, I was able to finish the Up From Here quilt top, part of a quilt along being hosted by Roseanne and Sue at Home Sewn By Us.  I am cheering like a true  Mountaineer fan at this top finish, though no couches were burned (if you get that joke).

I'm in love with those blue and golds flying across the quilt top, similar to our flying WV logo.  I think for the quilting I shall keep things extremely fast and simple, with an over all meander in a pale yellow/gold thread.  I plan to sell this quilt and hope it goes on to live the life of a game quilt.  Perfect for taking to football games or curling up on the couch and cheering on your team.  Hopefully, it will be all basted up before the weekend and we will be celebrating a finish soon.

Recently I received a wonderful welcome to the club box from Aurifil Threads!  Filled to the brim with lots of yummy thread goodness.

The very cool thing about this box, is it contains different weights of threads.  Until now, I've only played with their 50wt and monofilament threads.  I'm super excited to give the different weights a try.  Now to dream up some projects to let me utilize all those yummy colors!

And because I love a good distraction, distractions from distractions even, I purchased some fun precuts last weekend to start yet another quilt (that's okay I see lots of quilting in my future too).

These strips and charm squares will be going into the Square Pegs Quilt by Alison Vermilya.  I haven't decided if it will be a full sized quilt or possibly two baby quilts.  I'll figure that out when I get there, I guess.

So there is a little mid week wrap of for me.  Next week on Wednesday, I hope you will join me in piecing our first block in the Fireburst Mystery Quilt.

Today I'm linking up with Let's Bee Social.

SS Playtime Plus--Finished

I have to admit this quilt has been finished for weeks now, just waiting for me to talk about it.  This is my finish for Sandra at mmm!quilts Playtime Plus QAL.  I call it the SS Playtime Plus, short for Sexy Sophisticated Playtime Plus.  Red, black and white are just timeless classic colors.

I Joined a QAL

This may or may not surprise you, but I have decided to join in on a quilt along.  I have not been sewing full steam ahead now for almost three weeks (maybe four).  Life has thrown a major curve ball that has left me feeling a bit empty and my head is spinning.  I've been focusing on me and decided that this QAL with Roseanne and Sue at Home Sewn By Us is exactly what I needed.  There are really no rules, no time frame to finish and three quilts to choose from.  I will be making the Up From Here modern quilt because, well...I need everything to be up from here.  Seems fitting.

I decided from the get go this will be a quilt that I will sell.  With fall right around the corner, I decided to go with the colors of the WV Mountaineers, blue and gold.  This would make someone a fun football quilt.  I took to Facebook to take a poll on which color version people liked better, more blue or more gold.

I actually found myself drawn to the one of the right, more gold.  But almost overwhelmingly, people like the one on the left better.  The people spoke and so I sew on.

Fireburst Mystery Quilt--Flying Geese and Square in a Square

Happy July 1st to everyone!  It's time to get cracking on the next set of instructions on the Fireburst Mystery Quilt.  In just a few days, here in the United States fireworks will be lighting up the sky in celebration of our independence so think of this as a small show of sparklers in preparation for our New Years fireworks.

This month we will be making a few flying geese units and a (yes one) square in a square unit.  That's not so bad, right?