Friday, January 22, 2016

Neighborhood

Hi everyone!  Are you all ready for the snow?  Apparently we're going to get buried over the weekend.  All I know is that we have had next to no snow all winter (which is weird) and now we're apparently going to get it all at once.  I tried to go to the grocery store today, but that was a serious mistake.  It was a zoo!  I didn't need bananas that badly, so I didn't stay long.

Before the snow flies, let's talk about this lovely little quilt top I just finished:

Neighborhood

Not the greatest picture (it's cold and windy) but I love it! I have been obsessed with houses for a while now.  I am so tired of living in this condo that I could just scream sometimes.  I know I should feel grateful that I have a nice safe place to live that is tucked away near a park and everything, but I miss my house so much.  I keep thinking about all the improvements I would make to this place, but then I remember that I can't do anything about that ugly bathroom floor.  Sigh.  Spring is coming, and then we'll be looking. 


I guess for now I'll make do with these pretty house blocks! I did not make these.  Back in September, I got to "adopt" these blocks from Julie at Floribunda Quilts.  Cynthia at Quilting is more fun than Housework had a Quilty Adoption event (and is having another in March, so be ready) where people could offer their unfinished projects that they had lost enthusiasm for to others who would finish them.  I won Julie's beautiful blocks!

These were apparently made by several different people, and they are all great!  They have all sorts of bling, too:



How cute are those beads?  And check out the roof of this house:


What pretty decorative stitches!

I set these blocks in irregular rows with this beautiful blue-green Kona cotton.  (I need a Kona color card so I can keep these names straight.)  I didn't want any straight rows or anything like that.  I tried to work it out on graph paper, but in the end I just sat on the floor and arranged them the way I wanted, then measured the spaces between them to cut the sashing.  It was a process, but it worked!


So, I now have this little top that measures about 50 by 50 (or so).  I've named it Neighborhood, because what else could it be?  Because of the buttons and such, I'll have to quilt it up myself, which I am totally looking forward to.  Could take a little while, though, because I have to figure out what to do with that negative space.  Maybe I can quilt in some trees or something.  Here's where the graph paper will come in handy!

Thanks to Julie for such great blocks! Since she had wanted these to be used for a charitable purpose, this may get donated to my niece's high school auction for their student activities.  Not sure if I can have it done by then, but I'll try.

Here's hoping your house will be okay this weekend.  Stay off the roads and stay in and sew--it's safer!

Sharing at Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Finish it up Friday.

9 comments:

Jayne said...

Adorable houses and so glad they were adopted! You made a very cheerful neighborhood!

Sara said...

These blocks are very cute and what fun to know that each one probably was made by a different person. I love that adoption idea and will have to watch for it. And I love the "spring" color sashing you are using.

I have a large quilt hanging in my dining room with 12 house blocks on it and I just love seeing it every day. House blocks make me happy.

Stay warm and safe during the storm.

Debbie At The Quilt Journal said...

I love this quilt and it is a neighborhood! I love the aqua you chose to set the blocks with!
It does give you a happy feeling to just look at :)
Hope the snow storm isn't too bad!

Janine said...

I love houses too and your quilt is so pretty! I'm getting ready for the snow too. (Out on the east end of Long Island) One good thing, lots of sewing time!

Judy@Quilt Paradigm said...

Beautifully done!! And the bling on the houses is so cool!! Good for you for taking those beautiful blocks and making them into such a wonderful quilt top.

"I didn't need bananas that bad" . . . thanks for the laugh :D Stay warm and cozy!

Bernie Kringel said...

Wonderful quilt top Mari. I get however you won these from is thrilled that you made good use of the blocks! Have fun finishing it up. I hope you guys stay safe this weekend and don't lose power! Stay warm.

scraphappy said...

What a fun collection of houses. Hope you can stay in and safe until the storm passes.

LA Paylor said...

what fun! Excellent job.
You'd want those bananas here. They were warning us it could be week to get back up and running. PA must be better able to cope. We've gotten a foot and a half already and it's supposed to keep snowing another 20 hours or so. LeeAnna

Rachel said...

Great find! I especially like the house in the middle with the perfect sitting porch! :) And I feel you on the condo melancholy. Going from a house to an apartment is a hard transition, and I'm really looking forward to having a house with a sewing room again.