Bento Box Baby Quilts

Need a quick easy baby quilt finish?  This quit is 100% for you!  It is the Big Bento Box pattern at Ronda's Creations and it is free.  I think I stumbled upon Ronda's post when I was searching good old Pinterest for possible charity quilt patterns.  What I love about this quilt is, it could easily be made from start to finish in one day...of course I manged to drag them out for weeks.

 

 I kept the quilting on both quilts super simple.  I used Aurifil 50wt #2600 Dove for the quilting.  It is probably my favorite go to neutral color.  One quilt received a classic meandering stipple.  While I took time to practice big rolling swirls on the other.

 

I'm not sure what the fate of these to little quilts will be.  The goal was for them to be part of my guild's charity projects this year but with no meetings on the horizon, I'll hang on to them a bit longer.  They will let me know when it's time for them to go home.

 

One thing I'm happy to say about these two quilts are that they will not be counted as UFO's.  They are 2020 start and finishes!  It's very rare I get to say that.  

 

 

To-Do #14

Well now, I guess it has been a few months since I participated in making a weekly to-do list...May I think.  And based on my current level of (lack of) productivity maybe it's time to give it a try again.  So this week I will be linking up over at Home Sewn By Us to share my goals for the week.

1.  Piece a fun little red, white and blue wall hanging.

What can I say, I'm just in a red white and blue mood.

2.  Start quilting the cat quilt.

 

I've had this one basted for a week or two now and I have my quilting plan all ready in my head.  It's just time to make it happen!

3.  Piece Christmas Coin blocks

I currently have two pieced and all the coin strips are pressed.  It's mindless sewing really, so there is no excuse not to finish this.

4.  Write a blog post for finished baby quilts.

All I need is good weather for pictures and a few spare minutes so that I can share these super fast and fun quilts with you.

Fingers crossed I'll be back next week to share all my progress!  

UFO Busting #114

Welcome back to another week of UFO Busting.  A place where we can meet up and share what we have been tackling for the week.  I'm happy to report, probably one of the most productive weeks I've had in a while.  I have two baby quilts all quilted up and almost have them bound.

Though they are practically the same quilt, I quilted each with a different all over design.  I love swirls.  I do not like stitching them, because, well, I don't feel I'm good at it.  The only way to feel better is to keep doing them.  So expect more swirling on my horizon. 

Next up I have another baby quilt all basted together and I'm itching to start quilting it.

Every time I see these adorable little cat prints I smile.  In my head I'm seeing an all over heart motif in light teal thread.  I will probably make up a smaller practice quilt sandwich to see if I can make what is in my head work before committing.

And lastly, I'm feeling a little Christmas in July.  With the crazy hot temperatures, I can't help crave a little of the cold white stuff.  And when I think snow, I think Christmas.

So all week, I've been piecing Christmas coins in my spare time.  I love the sparkly gold detail in most of the fabrics. Once the coin sets are complete (I have two more to go), I can begin to piece the blocks.

Some simple sashing strips and this quilt is sure to piece up super quick.  I can't wait to share the quilt top with you soon.

Now let's see what you were up to last week.  First up we have Janice over at Color, Creating and Quilting.  Janice has found the perfect project to use up tiny scraps from a king size quilt she is working on.

Make sure you visit Janice to read about this cool idea and where she got the idea from.  Also, I believe she has some neck ties she would like to re-home if you are interested.

One of the many things I love about quilting, is how you can take a block and make it look completely different by just changing fabric placements, flipping lights and darks, or just any simple tweek.

At that's just what's been going on over at Sew Yummy.  Stop by and read about how she change up an already great quilt pattern she made before into something even more fun!

Now it's your turn.  Link up below and show us what you've been up to this week.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

UFO Busting #113

Happy double party Saturday!  Double party?  Yes, along with UFO Busting, yesterday I also hosted the TGIFF party.  Check out all the wonderful posts and finishes we had here.  So what was I celebrating?  My finish of the Pinwheels in the Park quilt.

You can read more about this finish and my three year irrational ways that lead to this quilt's finish delay here.

With my state moving towards a mandatory mask initiative my focus this week has been back to mask making.  I decided my co-workers and I needed new masks and fun ones at that.  I tried to make everyone a mask out of something I knew they would like and we decided to have a little fun with it. 

We deiced to have a little contest to see which mask our customer's like the most.  The winner is undetermined as of now.  Batman seems to be in the lead though.

Now let's see what you've been up to this past week.  First up we have Donna Lee, who managed to surprise herself with finishes.  Donna Lee finished up a little positively fun piece this week that had to be originally put on hold because of a binding snafu.

But this wasn't the only finish for Donna Lee this week.  Nope.  But you will have to hop over to Donna Lee Q to see the second one.  She does a much better job telling you about it.

Next up we have some absolutely stunning quilting by Sandra at mmm!quilts.  Stunning doesn't even begin to describe the quilting details on this quilt.

Sandra made Fly High using the Migrating Geese pattern (details in her post) to create this gorgeous quilt for a RSC challenge project.  She quilted this quilt using a plethora of quilt designs inspired by several super talented quilters...and the result is just breath taking.  If you haven't already, please take some time to go drool over (it's a quilt, it will wash) and read about the quilting of this quilt.  I'm just speechless.  

Now it's your turn.  Link up below and show us what you've been up to this week.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

TGIFF--Pinwheel Quilt

Welcome to Wonderland, where today we are celebrating Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday.

This is a special quilt that turned into a UFO.  I'm a girl of good quilty intentions and we all know what road is paved with good intentions.  This quilt, like most of mine, started out with the very best intentions.

Travel with me back to April of 2017.  A dear friend of mine is in charge of the Family Resource Network for our county.  

Each May for National Foster Care Month and in awareness to prevent Child Abuse, the FRN places blue pinwheels around the city to raise awareness for both causes.  So many children desperately need safe and loving homes.

Since, these events would be kicking off the next month, my friend approached me about making a quilt to raffle and, like every quilter I know, I was like OF COURSE!!!  It was April, I totally felt I could have made from start to finish a quilt to raffle in May...wrong.

I found the perfect pinwheel pattern, a free quilt by Sew Mama Sew, called Pinwheels in the Park.  The quilt pieced up quickly and a custom quilt job ensued.  All was well, until I noticed there was puckering on the back of the quilt.  My balloon deflated and I decided there was no way this quilt could be good enough.  In my frustration I banished it to the pile of I'll finish you later.  That was totally unfair of me on many levels.

So three years pass and COVID break hits and I decided, hey, I should finish that pinwheel quilt.  Here's the funny part...I thought I had a ton more to quilt on this quilt and that was why I had put it up.  I had completely forgot about the puckers.  So I pulled the quilt out to assess.

Caroline, was pretty quick to point out, it was the borders.  The borders was what I got stuck on.  All the white parts were finished.  And those puckers on the back...barely noticeable.  

I'm on a huge Natalia Bonner kick right now.  I cannot get enough of her quilting.  I had just recently purchased her class on quilting scallops in borders and figured now was the time.  I tried to use math to figure out how many and how wide and how tall and.....ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!  It was just too hard.  I was making it too hard. The easiest way to tackle scallops is to use your pieced blocks and sashing to place them.  Once I figured that out, it was smoothish sailing.

Now let's talk thread.

For the center of the quilt I decided to use a neutral that would blend nicely all over.  Aurifil #2600 Dove never disappoints.  It's my go to color.  For my border scallops, if I was going to do all that work, I wanted it to show.  I chose Aurifil #2715 Robins Egg to pop off that dark blue Moda Grunge.  For a little more pizzazz, I went with Aurifil #2785 Dark Navy to sink some lines into the background of the borders. 

   
I finished the quilt off with my favorite binding technique...the flange binding.  That tiny strip of light blue fabric adds just the right touch to finish things off.

So you might be asking, how does the story end for this one?  I contacted my friend to let her know that her 2017 dontation quilt was finally finished!!!  I told her I want her to keep it.  Since the making of this quilt, my dear sweet niece, Pickle, has officially became part of the family! (unofficially she always has been)  And Aunt Tish is behind on quilts for forts. Pickle needs more quilts!!!! and forts!!!

I got to take this little quilt on a quilty photo shoot.  Another dear friend of mine has one of the most beautiful charismatic houses in town and gladly let me bring it by for a few glamour shots.  I hope we will be seeing more of this porch!

 Okay, enough about my finish.  I want to hear all about yours!!!  Link up below and tell us all about your finish, big or small.  

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Don't have a finish?  Not done partying?  Come back tomorrow for my weekly linky party UFO Busting.  Don't let that title fool you, not UFO required.  We celebrate those finishes new and old and all those little things that distract us from finishes and creates UFO's.  Everyone welcome!

Thank you so much for stopping by!  My gate is always open to you.

Except when there is a quilt hanging on it.  Then it's closed.  But its totally unlocked...come on in!!

UFO Busting #112

Happy Saturday!!  Today in the US we are celebrating our Independence Day and I thought that was cause for a little fire works in the logo.  I didn't mean to, but I kinda got distracted by a 4th of July squirrel.  I ran across this free pattern on Pinterest a while back and fell in love with the easy design and color palette.  

It measures in at 48" square.  I can't wait to quilt this one, which is actually why I pieced it...the anticipation of quilting.  Melissa breaks down how to make this quilt and you can grab a free copy of it on her page at Polka Dot Chair.

I did find a bit of time to work on one of the possible Christmas themed quilts.  

I LOVE working with precuts.  It makes fabric prep a breeze.  I was able to trim 3 charm packs into 2.5"x 5" rectangles for the coin quilt, literally in minutes.  When I need something mindless to work on, this will be my project.

A not mindless project will be to make a few more masks, but changing it up a bit this time.  Early in the week, I played around with a 3D pattern for masks that I found here.  The tutorial is a youtube video, but I found it quite helpful in constructing this mask.

Our state is seriously considering making them mandatory, so I'm getting prepared.  I hope to make masks for my fellow coworkers this weekend.  These seem a bit more breathable than the first type I made.

Another bit of exciting news I want to share is that Cheryl over at Meadow Mist Designs kicked off her latest Mystery Quilt Along Thursday, The Morewood Mystery Quilt.

I'm always in love with Cheryl's designs and have made many of her quilts.  I'm proud to say that I helped pattern test this one and it does not disappoint.  I LOVED every minute of it.  This month she released the fabric requirements.  If you don't enjoy picking out mystery fabrics, she has several kit options that can be purchased and I promise all of them would be eye popping!  I thought I would share with you my fabric choices.

 But that's all you get from me.  My lips are sealed.  If you'd like to join in on all the fun, stop over and take a peek at the fabric requirement list here.

Not lets celebrate some finishes, shall we?  First up we have Kathleen at Kathleen McMusing and her version of Sandra at mmm!quilts latest quilt along, Centered.  Kathleen is calling her version Purplicious and it is!

I just love those purples and all that yummy quilting!!!  Make sure you visit with Kathleen and check out her finishes from Sandra's previous three quilt alongs.  All those quilts will leave you drooling.

Next up we have Vicki over at Vicki's Crafts and Quilting and her recent finish.   She started this little quilt in early 2019 and, like most of my quilts, landed in the how do I quilt this pile.  

Lucky for the quilt, Vicki decided to pull it out and dance a beautiful swirly feather design across the top of it.  Vicki, I want to free hand quilt like you when I grow up!  Make sure you hop over to congratulate her on this finish and check out her beautiful quilting.

Now it's your turn.  Link up below and show us what you've been up to this week.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Another bit of news...come back next week and on Friday I will also be hosting the TGIFF Linky party and finally sharing the pinwheel quilt with you.

It's a chance to get together and celebrate those finishes!  We will also UFO bust on Saturday.  Hope everyone has a great week and I look forward to seeing you next week!