UFO Busting #148

 

Happy Saturday!  Welcome back for some more celebrating those UFO's we finish and those things that distract us from what we should be doing.  Today I am celebrating a finish that didn't become a UFO.  I actually finished it in normal time.  That's practically unheard of for me.  The the pattern is Building Blocks by Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs.   This is the "real" quilt to my "place holder" quilt.

You can read more about this finish and check out more quilty shots here.

This week I've been super focused on quilting a quilt for Cheryl's upcoming blog hop in July.  

I have my quilting plan and I have started officially executing it.  I am exactly in the "what the hell was I thinking with all those match stick lines?" phase.  I still have a long haul ahead of me, but I think the result will be some super yummy background texture...at least that is what I keep telling  myself.   

Now let's have a look at last week's party.  First up we have Barbara at Bastelhexe's Kreativecke and her Scrap Happy quilt top finish.

I just love this quilt top!  Look at all the color!  Because she decided to make her blocks a little smaller, Barbara had to get creative with the quilt corners and, man oh man, did she do an amazing job.  Make sure you stop by and congratulate her on this finish and her creative fix.

Next up we have Gretchen at Gretchen's Little Corner and her Ancient Star Variation quilt top and wowsers is she seeing stars!

You might look at this top and think, beautiful and done.  Nope more decisions are being made on borders and I am super excited to see what she chooses!  Make sure you swing by to read Gretchen's thoughts on what her next steps may be.  What ever she chooses it will only add to the beauty of this one.

Now it's your turn.  Link up below and tell us all about what you've been into this week. 

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Kind People-Building Blocks Baby Quilt

 

This quilt.  Oh, how I love this quilt.  This was one of those, you have so much fun quilting it quilts, that you just don't want it to end.  This may be one of the happiest quilts I've ever made.  So how did we get here...well, it started with a baby and a couch.  

The expecting momma, decided to reupholster a couch that would live in the baby's nursery.  When I saw the picture and found out the fabric came from Spoonflower  I knew there needed to be a matching quilt.  I couldn't get the fabric in time for the shower, so I whipped up a "place holder" baby quilt...

(you can read more about that finished quilt here)

until I could get this "real" baby quilt finished.  Crazy.  I know.

For the quilt pattern, I decided on a favorite of mine, Building Blocks by Cheryl at Meadow Mist Design.  This is the second time I've made this quilt (probably not the last).  I love that it requires one charm pack and minimal yardage to create a very cute quilt.

I paired the Kind People are my Kinda People fabric with a charm pack of Lori Holt's Prim (pictured) and yardage of her Granny Chic (not pictured) for smaller borders.  The results made my heart sing!

Now the hard part (or fun)...how to quilt it.  I could have went with an overall edge to edge and that would have been good.  But I wanted more.  I pulled out Natalia Bonner's Let's Stitch a Block a Day book and drew up my quilting plan.

I picked out 40 of my favorite square designs and referenced the numbers so I could find them as I was quilting.  Having this mark up helped tremendously!   One of the best things about the book is there is a barcode for each design, that when you scan will take you directly to the YouTube video of how to quilt it.

Being able to watch the videos and quilt along really allowed for some "ah ha" moments.  So that's how she does that?

As for the threads...not just one thread would do.  In my bobbin, I used Aurifil 2615 Aluminum.  For the top thread, I coordinated depending on the block.

Trust me, I used way more than four spools.

Almost all of the quilting in the charm squares is ruler work using the 4 N 1 and Inside Out Mini quilting rulers.  I love how I can switch from straight lines to curves without having to look for multiple rulers.  And they fit perfectly in my hand.  They have been my go to rulers for a while now.

Now I'll stop rambling and let the quilting speak for itself.  I cannot be happier with all the yummy texture I achieved on this quilt.  Rulers combined with a little bit of free motion quilting can really go along way. WARNING: what follows is a large amount of quilty goodness.

The only thing left to do is give this one a good wash in the machine and deliver it to the new parents.  Hey, I got the second quilt finished before the baby turned 6 months old.  I'm taking a big ol' pat on the back for that.  Hopefully, sweet Indie will be enjoying her quilt many many years from now.

If you are curious about my first version of this quilt, Hello Darling Building Blocks, you can read more about it here.

UFO Busting #147

 

Happy Saturday!  I'm celebrating a few things (in more detail later) this week.  I finished up the baby quilt!!

This was definitely one of those quilts I was sad to see finished...because it was so much fun to make!  Weather permitting for a good photo shoot this weekend and I will be sharing it with you this week.

A half finish I didn't see coming last week, was this quick little baby quilt top.  I realized a baby shower was right around the corner and I needed a quilt ASAP.  Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation's free quilt, Strip Tango, to the rescue! 

I grabbed a woodland creature themed fat quarter bundle from my stash and quickly went to work piecing.  In a few short hours this little top was pieced and basted.  Such a simple quick quilt...love it!

You know what else I love, all your posts from last week.  First up, we have Kathleen at Kathleen McMusing and her Follow Your Own Path Finish.

I personally, love the up close pictures of the quilting!  She chose the perfect quilt design to complement the piecing.  Love this quilt?  Make sure you visit Kathleen and get the details of how and where you could make one of your own.  Congrats on the beautiful finish!

Next up we have Rebecca at Rebecca Grace Quilting celebrating an early finish.

Look at all those colors!  She was able to finish up her May monthly goal with time to spare!  A few days is like months in quilter terms.  This fabulous finish isn't the only thing she's celebrating.  Rebecca got a super birthday surprise and you have to let her tell you all about it.  Make sure you hop over to congratulate her on her finish and find out why her husband is getting the husband of the year award this year! She also has a link to one of my favorite SNL skits.

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

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UFO Busting #146

 It's a super rainy Saturday here, which makes for the perfect excuse to stay in and grab some extra quilting time.  This week I'm feeling super motivated to finish stuff almost to a point that it's a distraction.  I'm having trouble focusing on just one project.  As my friend Sandra would say...squirrels everywhere!  

I'm so close to a finish on the Building Blocks Baby Quilt.  I'm really kind of sad it's almost over.  I cannot wait to show you the entire quilt!

All of the squares are quilted and I'm down to the borders.  I refuse to let them get the best of me.  Not 100% sure what I will quilt in them. Over thinking seems to be the biggest problem.

I'm trying very hard to not let the urge to piece something, over take my urge to quilt.  I spent quite a bit of time this week focusing on free motion quilting.

  The first unit of Free Motion Quilting Academy kicked off this week.  Even though I'm already comfortable with the motifs discussed this week, it was important for me to practice them anyway.  There is always room for improvement and practice just helps things to be second nature.  The pile of UFO's in my back room need me and just these 4 motifs have me pumped to use them on those quilts.

Speaking of UFO's, Rose over at Something Rose Made was cranking out the UFO finishes last week!

Just look at those sweet little quilts!  Three perfect little finishes.  I love that she incorporated beautiful straight line quilting.  Simple lines can create such great texture on quilts and really let the fabrics and piecing shine.  I do believe I spy her finished Fire Burst (a QAL I hosted back in 2018) in the middle.  Make sure you swing over and congratulate her on all those finishes!!!

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

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UFO Busting #145

 

It's Saturday!  Welcome back to another day of UFO busting...or creating...whatever your heart desires.  This week I finished two of the quilts I wanted to make for an upcoming blog hop in July.

This quilt is made using Moda's Hoopla from a few years back.  Since it's been sitting patiently, I decided this quit would be a much better use than my original plan.  I am busting to show you the entire quilt.

I've also pieced two blocks in Natalia Bonner's Let's Stitch a Year of Stars QAL.  Each month Natalia shares how she quilts a block in the quilt on YouTube (free to everyone) and a different way to quilt it for those that follow her in Patreon.  I am super excited to give my 4n1 Mini Rulers even more of a work out.

But for now, I need to finish getting my supplies together, mainly quilt sandwiches, for String and Story's Free Motion Quilting Academy that kicks off this week.  I also need to get back to quilting the baby quilt that is under the needle.  I have high hopes of finishing all the 4.5" squares this weekend.  Fingers crossed.

When I take a look at last week's party, oh my, I'm seeing red y'all...but in a super good way.  First up we have Melisa at Pinker n Punkin Quilting & Stitching and her yard sale win!

Thanks to her hubby spotting a great yard sale, Melisa was able to land this bow tie beauty!  I'm not even going to tell you how much she was able to grab this for.  You need to swing over immediately and read about.  Disclaimer...make sure you are sitting down.  I'm still a bit light headed.  Way to go girl!!

Next up, we have Maggie over at Making a Lather and she has the red bits flying everywhere.

 

She's been going through her red scraps and working on not one, but two super fun scrappy challenge projects.  Make sure you stop by and check them out.  Maggie also has some super fun and exciting news...go congratulate her!!!

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

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UFO Busting #144

 

Dang, it.  I missed another Saturday.  But I'm back today, fully charged and looking forward to some quilting.  Over the past two weeks, I've started some new projects.  Thanks to Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs and her new book that will be releasing soon, I am getting ready to turn these gorgeous pre cuts into some amazing quilts!

 But for now that is all I can share with you on this one.  What I can share is what has distracted me the rest of the time.  I am FINALLY quilting on the long over due baby quilt I pieced last fall.

Holly Ann over at String and Story hosted an online seminar on quilting plans last week and I find my self super motivated to quilt, quilt, quilt.  So a drew up a plan...

And started putting some string to cloth!

I was so pumped, I signed up for Holly Ann's Free Motion Quilting Academy!  I have been free motion quilting for a while now, but there is always more to learn and practice only helps us improve.  

Free Motion Quilting Academy is a 12 week (though you have a life time to complete it) course taking you from beginner to confident intermediate quilter.  I am looking forward to her energetic motivational course and sharing my progress with you.  If you would like to learn more about this course (sign up's end tonight) you can read more about it here. 

Enough about me...let's see what you've been up to over these past two weeks.  Link up below and join the party!

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UFO Busing #143

 

It's Saturday and I'm celebrating spring.  This week, I finished piecing a quilt for a friend and it just SCREAMS Spring!

Lot's of pretty flowers, blue skies and sweet little humming birds.

Since, I have a few things on my plate (who's surprised by that) we might send this one off to a dear long arm friend of mine to be quilted.  I would love for my friend to enjoy her quilt before 2025.  We've all felt like that, right?

In the meantime, I am gathering and petting all of my charm packs.  It's kind of embarrassing how big my hoard collection has grown.  I'm gathering all my pretties because I'm participating in a blog hop to celebrate the launch of Cheryl's (Meadow Mist Designs) newest book, Just One Charm Pack Quilts.

I have a pre cut addiction (I'm not looking to kick it) and I'm always looking for ways to turn them in to fresh fun quilts.  I have a feeling this book will be the answer.  Look for pre sales information on her website late May-early June.  If you order early, I hear there may be some fun extras also included.  

And now time for some fun from last week's party.  UFO's were flying everywhere.  First up, we have Sherrie at Food for Thought.  Her Tile Quilt is only 3 strips away from a finish!

I love seeing UFO's come together!  This isn't the only thing that Sherrie has going on.  Make sure you pop by and check out the other cool projects she has going on.

Next up we have Lynette at What a Hoot! and her row quilt finish.  This may be small in size but the quilting detail is over the top good.

Make sure you stop by and check out all the quilting fun on this applique piece.  And if you have a few more minutes hang around her blog and you will see UFO's flying to completion everywhere.  Lynette is on a huge roll!

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

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter