Geared Up---Island Batik Beat the Heat Blog Hop

Welcome to my stop on the Island Batik Beat the Heat Blog Hop!  

If this is your first time visiting, I hope you have time to stick around and check out some of the other projects I've made this year participating in the Island Batik Ambassador Program.  Today I am literally all Geared Up to share with you Kathy Engle's new line for Island Batik called Geared Up.

Week 1-2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop

It's time to get this party started!  Welcome to the 2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop.  It has been so much fun getting to know all the bloggers participating this year over the past few weeks and watch them get to know each other.

Today I would like to introduce to you my first two HST's.  I hope you can find time today to hop over to each of their pages and get to know a little bit more about them.  Let me introduce to you:

Terry at TLC Quilts
April at Janda Bend Quilts

Please don't stop with just Terry and April.  There are six more talented bloggers to meet today.  All you have to do is visit Beth at Cooking Up Quilts, Jen at Dizzy Quilter and Sandra at mmm!quilts to find links to their posts.  By visiting and commenting on all eight bloggers posts, you will be eligible through the rafflecopter below to win prizes from our seventeen generous hosts.

Benartex Canuck Quilter Designs Christina Camelli Clinton Modern Creative Cooking Up Quilts Devoted Quilter Island Batik Make Modern Meadow Mist Designs Needle & Foot Fine Fabrics Northcott Phat Quarter Fabrics Quilting Jetgirl Sew Fresh Quilts Sew Sisters Quilt Shop The Red Hen Shop Victoria Findlay Wolfe Quilts The Quilters Planner

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't miss out on all the fun and meeting new quilting friends.  Also, don't forget to come back next Monday, April 23rd to meet the next round of bloggers and enter to win more prizes.

Message In A Bottle

Welcome to my stop on Cheryl (Meadow Mist Designs) and Paige's (Quilted Blooms) hop celebrating their recently published book, Modern Plus Sign Quilts.

When I was first contacted about participating in this hop and getting a sneak peek of the book, I don't think it took 60 seconds to respond with a big, YES PLEASE!  I've always been in love with both Cheryl and Paige's work, so there was no doubt that the patterns contained within this book would be amazing.  They did not disappoint.

Modern Plus Sign Quilts, is a book for everyone, beginner to well seasoned quilter, appliquer to paper piecer.  It contains sixteen fun projects ranging from small to large quilts.  Any of the projects in this book could be easily scaled up or down depending on your project needs.

I chose to work with the pattern Message In a Bottle. 

Picture curtesy of CT Publishing

This large scale plus sign quilt spoke to me.  As a lover of free motion quilting, when you quilt something you like...echo, echo, echo (to quote Angela Walters).  I think that is why I love the small outline of the plus sign, it's a nice echo.    Plus, who doesn't love a quick easy baby quilt? They are my favorite.  Quick to piece and bring on the quilting!

I dug into some of the Bonnie and Camille The Good Life that I had on hand and went to work.  As I pieced this quilt, my mind began to wonder.  Measuring in at 48" square, wouldn't it be fun to piece and quilt a smaller version?  The answer was..yes...yes it would.  So with a bit of simple division, I present to you, Message In a Bottle 24".

A 24" version of this quilt is the perfect wall hanging, table topper or even doll quilt for that special little one in your life.

Seeing these two quilts together I began wondering, how low can I go?  **Cue the Limbo music!**

Message In A Bottle 12"

Message In A Bottle 6"

I seriously contemplated a 3" version, but chickened out.  Six inches is pretty teeny.  Three inches is crazy.  My point, with the patterns in this book and a bit of imagination you can create anything.  Like Kitty's (Night Quilter) zippered pouch, Soma's (Whims and Fancies) tea mat and coasters or Jessica's (Quilty Habit) pillow.  Or you can just challenge yourself to a great game of quilt block limbo, like me.

You can pick up your own signed copy of Modern Plus Sign Quilts at both Cheryl and Paige's Etsy stores.  Every day of the hop our hosts are giving away some pretty cool prizes.  Make sure you stop buy Meadow Mist Designs and Quilted Blooms to get entered and check out the designers posting each day and their beautiful plus sign projects.

Below is the schedule for the hop

Monday, March 12

     Cheryl @Meadow Mist Designs

     Paige @Quilted Blooms

Tuesday, March 13

     Signature Plus

          Soma @Whims and Fancies

          Ann @Brown Paws Quilting

          Kitty @Night Quilter

     Tribal Plus

          Sophie @Luna Lovequilts

          Afton @Quilt Mod

          Shelley @The Carpenter's Daughter Who Quilts

Wednesday, March 14th

     Plus Surround

          Jayne @Twiggy and Opal

          Jen @A Dream and A Stitch

          Abigail @Cut&Alter

     Kaleidoscope Plus

          Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl

          Sandra @mmm!quilts

          Karen @Run Sew Fun

Thursday, March 15th

     Postage Plus

         Linda @Flourishing Palms

         Bernie @Needle and Foot

         Liz @Savor Every Stitch

         Stacey @Stacey in Stitches

     Rick Rack Runner

         Michelle @From Bolts to Beauty

         Patty @Elm Street Quilts

         Melanie @A Bit of Scrap Stuff

Friday, March 16th

     Row Addition

          Myra @Busty Hands Quilts

          Izzy @Dizzy Quilts

     Transparency Chains

          Ruth @Charly and Ben's Crafty Corner

          Christa @Christa Quilts

Monday, March 19th

     Faceted Rings

          Jessica @Quilty Habit

          Cindy @Hyacinth Quilt Designs

          Jennifer @Inquiring Quilter

     Petal Plus

          Julie @The Crafty Quilter

Tuesday, March 20th

     Message in a Bottle

          Tish @TishNWonderland

          Judy @Sew Some Sunshine

          Emily @The Darling Dogwood

     Cute as a Button

         Wanda @Wanda's Life Sampler

          Karen @Tu-Na Quilts, Travels and Eats

          Katherine @Sew Me Something Good

Wednesday, March 21st

     Celestial

          Anja @Anja Quilts

          Kate @Smiles From Kate

          Sue @Sevenoaks Street Quilts

     Pinwheel Plus

          Carole @From My Carolina Home

          Alison @Little Bunny Quilts

Thursday, March 22nd

     Intertwined

          Debbie @Esch House Quilts

          Laura @Slice of Pi Quilts

          Beth @Cooking Up Quilts

     Bear Claw Plus

          Janice @Color Creating and Quilting

          Joanne @Quilts by Joanne

Friday, March 23rd

     Cheryl @Meadow Mist Designs

     Paige @Quilted Blooms

I'll leave you with a few more pictures before I sign off.

A big thanks to Cheryl and Paige for allowing us all to review their book.  They have done an amazing job putting together a collection of modern quilt patterns using one of the most traditional blocks that is sure to become a classic for all quilters, traditional and modern.

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

UFO Busting #10

UFO Busting---we've reached double digits!  So as I've been quilting away this week, I've allowed my mind to wonder and ponder UFO's, but we can talk about that in a minute.  This week has been all about the small quilts, doll quilts, super quick and fun quilts.  Last weekend me and the mister went a little crazy.  Together we pieced a total of 11 small quilts.  We are nuts.

I took them with me to the guild meeting this week, so here are a few shots of me talking about them.

This is one that David pieced.  These fabrics have a special story, but I'll tell it once I have all four of his completed.  Man, I'm being very mysterious this week.

So, as I was sewing up these quilts, I have to say, I was feeling a bit guilty. I'm creating new projects when there are old ones to finish.  What is wrong with me??  How can I write about busting UFO's when I started new stuff.  Then an awful realization happened.  Technically when you take your first cut into a piece of fabric for a project, doesn't it become a UFO until it's finish?  I UFO is simply an Unfinished Object.  Gasp.  We call them many things;Works In Projects, Unfinished Objects.  Isn't it like me saying, "look at that red flower," and someone else saying, "no, that flower is clearly scarlet."  

If I stand back and look at my project when I'm finished working on it for the day and ask the question I this project finished and the answer is no, doesn't it qualify as an unfinished object?  I know that we typically relate UFO's to old projects, but if we are honest, unfinished just means it's not complete yet.  So why so much guilt?  I'm not sure if I feel liberated by this, if I'm making excuses to not feel bad about not working on something a bit older, or if I'm going stark raving mad?  I think I need to turn the music up louder and stop thinking :)  I guess I'm  just saying most projects don't get finished over night, all progress should be celebrated just like all finishes.  UFO's come in all shapes, sizes and time frames.  No more guilt.


In other exciting news, next week kicks off Cheryl at Meaow Mist Designs and Paige at Quilted Blooms block hop for their recently published book, Modern Plus Sign Quilts.  Believe me you want to check out all the wonderful quilts in this book, there is something for everyone.  You will be POSITIVELY amazed.

My day on the hop isn't until next week (and I can't wait to share my projects with you), but until then make sure you check out all the awesome quilts next week.

MODERN PLUS SIGN BOOK HOP SCHEDULE

Monday, March 12th

Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs

Paige @ Quilted Blooms

Tuesday, March 13th

Soma @ Whims and Fancies

Ann @ Brown Paws Quilting

Kitty @ Night Quilter

Sophie @ Luna Lovequilts

Afton @ Quilting Mod

Shelley @ The Carpenters Daughter Who Quilts

Wednesday, March 14th

Jayne @ Twiggy and Opal

Jen @ A Dream and a Stitch

Abigail @ Cut & Alter

Yvonne @ Quilting Jetgirl

Sandra @ mmm! quilts

Karen @ Run Sew Fun

Thursday, March 15th

Linda @ Flourishing Palms

Bernie @ Needle and Foot

Liz @ Savor Every Stitch

Stacey @ Stacey In Stitches

Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty

Patty @ Elm Street Quilts

Melanie @ A Bit of Scrap Stuff Blog

Friday, March 16th

Myra @ Busy Hands Quilts

Izzy @ Dizzy Quilts

Ruth @ Charly and Ben's Crafty Corner

Christa @ Christa Quilts

Monday, March 19th

Jessica @ Quilty Habit

Cindy @ Hyacinth Quilt Designs

Jennifer @ The Inquiring Quilter

Julie @ The Crafty Quilter

Tuesday, March 20th

Tish @ Tish N Wonderland

Judy @ Sew Some Sunshine

Emily @ The Darling Dogwood

Wanda @ Wanda's Life Sampler

Karen @ Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats

Katherine @ Sew Me Something Good

Wednesday, March 21st

Anja @ Anja Quilts

Kate @ Smiles from Kate

Sue @ Sevenoaks Street Quilts

Carole @ From My Carolina Home

Alison @ Little Bunny Quilts

Thursday, March 22nd

Debbie @ Esch House Quilts

Laura @ Slice of Pi Quilts

Beth @ Cooking Up Quilts

Janice @ Color Creating and Quilting

Joanne @ Quilts by Joanne

Friday, March 23rd

Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs

Paige @ Quilted Blooms

If you would like to pick up a signed copy of the book hop on over to Cheryl or Paige's Etsy pages and grab yours today.

Another thing I was thinking about this week was Lynette at What a Hoot! and her Listen With Your Eyes progress.  She has me drooling with anticipation for her eventual quilt finish.

How can you look at this smiling (literally) quilt progress and not smile back at it??  This quilt will be full of personality.  I also think I smell a finish with my eyes almost around the corner for her, so if you missed all her hard work last week, make sure you check it out.

Now it's your turn, what have you been working on?  Do you ever get lost in your own thoughts while you are working away on a project?  Help me try to undirty(is that even a word) or clean up that little phrase UFO, maybe it's not such a bad label after all.  If you link up, feel free to grab my button in the side bar.

An InLinkz Link-up

Quilter's Laundry Day--My Favorite Kind

Today is the day!  Time to grab the laundry and hang it out on the line!  A few weeks ago, Jen at A Dream and A Stitch and Jan at Color, Creating and Quilting announced sign ups for a blog hop featuring Jen's new pattern Quilter's Laundry Day.  As soon as I laid eyes on the pattern, I knew there were endless quilting possibilities waiting for me.

I quickly sent an email to Jen signing up for the hop and headed to the back room for my stash.  The possibilities for the 4" quilt are endless!  When deciding on the quilt that would hang on my line, I went with something sort of simple that I could add more intricate quilting too.

You see, I'm pretty sure this quilt was a wedding gift for the couple that lives in the house.  Wait! No!  It was the wedding quilt of the woman's great grand mother that she inherited.  So much love and family history in that little quilt.

 Her most favorite thing to do, on a fresh Spring day, when the sun is shinning and the crisp air is softly blowing, is to walk across the rolling hills barefoot, feeling the soft carpet of spring grass between her toes, and hang her freshly washed quilt on the line to dry.  There is nothing quite like the fresh clean smell of a quilt that has been hung on the line.

So when it came time for quilting, I pulled out my Aurifil stash to choose just the right colors to bring life to this cozy little scene.

The very first thing I quilted was the little quilt itself.  I knew it must contain some of my favorite classic quilting motifs...feathers, orange peels and cross hatching.  

For the rest of the quilting, I just kind of let the quilt talk to me.

Much like my outbuilding, the poles that hold up the clothesline have a nice wood-grain on them.  As you can see from the wavy lines, the ground is made up of soft rolling hills, much like my beloved home.

The road leading up to the house is a cobblestone driveway with sprouts of flowers popping up everywhere.

To finish this quilt off, I chose a simple black and white polka dot binding. 

Thankfully, mother nature gave me a sunny warm day to take my mini outside and snap some pictures.  And of course, this photo shoot could not be complete without  a picture of it on...my clothesline.

I hope you've enjoyed reading about my version of Quilter's Laundry Day.  Don't forget to check out everyone else on the blog hop today and yesterday's participants.  Also, make sure you visit our hosts at A Dream and A Stitch and Color, Creating and Quilting for a chance to win some awesome prizes.  Below is a list of all the hop participants.

Saturday March 11th
Janice Holton at Color Creating & Quilting
Sola at Alice Samuels Quilt Co
Jennifer Strauser at Dizzy Quilter
Amy Gerlich at Amy Scrap Spot
Sharon Denney Parcel at Yellow Cat Quilt Designs
Steffi at Steffi's Hobbys
Tami at Sew Much for Free Time
Suzy Webster at Adventurous Applique & Quilting
Mary Marcotte at Fleur de Lis Quilts & Accessories
Susan Gordon at Sevenoaks Street Quilts
Anne Boundy at Said With Love
Barbara Wootie at The Flashing Scissors
Jan Welander at Making Scraps

Friday March 10th
Jen Rosin at A Dream and a Stitch
Kate Heads at Smiles From Kate
Jennifer Fulton at Inquiring Quilter
Karen Thurn at Tu-Na Quilts, Travels and Eats
Melva Nolan at Melva Loves Scraps
Vicki at Vicki's Crafts & Quilting
Julie Stocker at Pink Doxies
Anja Clark at Anja Quilts
Diann at Little Penguin Quilts
Jayne at Twiggy and Opal
Susan Arnold at Quilt Fabrication
Leanne Milsom at Lizze the Quilter
Sandra Walker at mmm!quilts

Gotta love a quilt blowing in the wind.