A fresh start in coral

Hi everyone!  I hope you're having a good week!  I am super-duper busy because I don't know if you've noticed, but it's about to be May.  May! We are racing toward the end of the semester and it's just getting away from me.  So many things to finish, so little time!

The only logical response to all of this is to start a new quilt, right? Over the last few days I started making the blocks for my quilt inspired by the Pantone Quilt Challenge.  Here is the first of my blocks:

It's a little more yellow than anticipated, but otherwise I like it! And look-- I planted some geraniums and petunias out on the deck.  This is very exciting!  The weather has been fairly decent so far this week and I've been enjoying some time out there.

I made a couple of changes in the fabrics for this quilt.  First, I switched out the Kona Butter that I had originally chosen as a background for one that has a very subtle crosshatched print.  Butter is a beautiful color, but I think pairing solids with prints just makes the solids look really flat, which was certainly the case here.  I also added in that really pretty apple green in the center.  It really needed a little zip to add something to the aqua and yellow. 

I've made this block before (you can find it HERE) and so of course now I'm second-guessing myself.  In that previous block, I used a red center which coordinated with the red hsts and geese, so that it looked more like a star.  Here I used the background for the center, which gives it a more open, lacy look.  I like it, but I'm wondering if I wouldn't like a bit more of the coral in the quilt.  Any opinions?

I went a little crazy and cut out enough pieces for 20 blocks, so those are ready to stitch up, though so far I've only made up these four so far.  I think these blocks are just screaming for a pieced sashing and maybe even a pieced border, too.  I don't have any fancy software, so I'll be pulling out the graph paper.  I'm thinking a square in a square has to be in there somewhere, with plenty of the aqua. 

So there's a start to a new project! New projects are so much fun, aren't they?  So much better than those ones hibernating in the closet.  I'm pretty sure I hear one of those calling me, though, so I'd better go see what that's about.  Hope the rest of your week goes well!

Sharing at Let's Bee Social.

Letting an old project go

(This is a giveaway post!)

Hi everyone! How was your week?  It has been a busy, busy time around here! There are big changes coming at the AQ household, none of which I'm prepared to share with the interwebs just yet, but all of which mean that there is a great deal to do and not enough hours to do it.

With all of the busy-ness around here this week, along with some of our obligations associated with Easter, I have barely sewn a single stitch. And I missed something important, too-- two weeks ago this blog turned five years old! Really, five years. Who knew? Apparently not me, because I just noticed it yesterday.  Later this year I'll have to do something to celebrate, don't you think?

For today, though, remember a few weeks ago I said that I always miss the quilty adoption event that Cynthia hosts twice a year at Quilting is more fun than Housework? Well, I decided not to wait any more and go ahead and give away the project I've been wanting to give away for at least three adoption cycles now.  (You know I'd miss the next one, too, don't you?) Here is the project:

The giveaway includes everything you see here: the book (in like-new condition), the already made 4-patches, the remaining 2-1/2 inch strips (some of which have been cut to make 4-patches), and about 1-1/3 yards of coordinating fabric that I think was supposed to be for an additional border and binding.  I can't remember exactly, but it's fabric from the same line.  That's a big giveaway!

I started to make the cover quilt from this book a couple of years ago, but never went beyond making some of the 4-patches. The quilt is really cute, but I just have no enthusiasm for making it any more.  The fabric here is a line called Victorian Modern by Andover Fabrics and has a 2012 date on the selvage. It's beyond time for this fabric to be used.  The strips do not have pinked edges and I think they were cut by the quilt shop, not by the manufacturer.

The book contains 18 patterns for different precuts, and the quilts finish in a variety of different sizes. I'm not sure that you can read all the pattern titles, but they represent a number of different styles, and the instructions are well written.

This project is getting zero love sitting in my closet, and I'm ready to let it go.  This entire project could be yours!  I really want it to go to someone who will make something with it and not just add it to the stash.  You don't have to make this project, but make something, and send me a picture when you do.  That's all!

I have no other pictures of the project, but here is a happy magnolia blossom!

So, if you would like to have this project and make something from it, and you agree to send me a picture when you do, just leave a comment on this post! I will send you this entire project at no cost (via parcel post because wow! postage has gotten really expensive).  I'm sorry to say that I can only send this in the US because shipping is remarkably expensive. I really am sorry.  Since Sunday is Easter Sunday and I doubt I'll be looking at the Internet at all, I will choose a winner using the random number generator Monday around lunchtime (between noon and 1pm on the East coast).  Please, please be sure that I can contact you!  If I can't get in touch with you, you can't win!

 This giveaway is now closed!  Thanks everyone!

I feel like this post is rambling, but you get the idea!  A blessed Easter to everyone who celebrates, and chag Pesach samech to everyone celebrating Passover this week, too.  And a happy spring weekend to all!

Tiny Tuesday Spinner block

Hi everyone! Today it's my turn for another Tiny Tuesday block, a part of the RSC sampler hosted by Angela at soscrappy. You can find all the instructions for this fun sampler and links to the previous blocks HERE. There are also setting instructions and everything you need to jump in to this project.

Here is our Spinner block, a pinwheel variation that is so appropriate for this very windy week:

A couple of notes before we start-- this block ends up best if the seams are pressed open. It's a little fussy to do, but it makes the center turn out a lot better.  Also, none of the pieces are oversized unless indicated.  Use your own judgment if you want to oversize anything. And be sure your 1/4 inch seam is good before you start, of course!

Cutting:

For this block you'll need a small bit of background and two aquas, one lighter and one darker.  You could use just one aqua, but it does change the effect of the block a bit.

From the lighter aqua, cut:

1 3-1/2 inch square

From the darker aqua, cut:

2 2-1/2 inch squares

From the background, cut:

1 3-1/2 inch square
4  1-1/4 by 3-1/4 inch rectangles*
(*these pieces are oversized)

Construction:

Cut the 3-1/2 inch lighter aqua and background squares from corner to corner twice to make 4 triangles. Position the triangles as shown and stitch:

Make 4 of these units. Half the block is done!

Next, cut the darker squares in half from corner to corner once.  Position these and the 1-1/4 by 3-1/4 inch rectangles as shown:

The background rectangle will be quite a bit longer than the triangle, but don't trim it.  Stitch the triangle to the rectangle, then open out and press as best you can. Don't worry about turning under the seam allowance on the part of the rectangle that extends past the triangle.

Take the triangle/rectangle units you just made and trim them by placing a ruler so that it follows the angle of the triangle and continues over the rectangle, as shown:

Carefully trim the rectangle to the angle of the triangle.  Make 4.

Now take these units and trim the background piece to 7/8 inch wide. You'll be cutting off just 1/8 inch, so be extra careful.

Assembly:

Join one of each of the triangle/rectangle units and the unit made with two triangles along the long edges, as shown:

If you're a little nervous about the bias edges, give your pieces a shot of Magic Sizing or starch, or whatever you use, before stitching. Make 4 and press well.

These units should be 2-3/4 inches each. 

All that's left to do is arrange the four squares as shown and stitch!

Join into rows and then into a finished block.  Press well, stand back, and admire!

Your block should measure 5 inches to finish at 4-1/2 inches in the quilt.  Be careful to keep 1/4 inch beyond the triangle points if you trim the block at all.

Now that you've made this block, be sure to visit Angela's on Saturday to link up and to see the blocks that others have made. Happy tiny stitching!

Sharing at soscrappy for RSC19.

A forest of comfort

Hi all, and welcome to another spring weekend.  We have reached the point in the season where I wake up every morning with my eyes glued shut because there is pollen covering literally every surface in the whole world.  Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration of how much pollen there is currently floating around, but definitely not an exaggeration of my reaction to it.  I think all the rain we had last year has kicked all the plants into overdrive on the pollen front.

So, I kind of have an allergy fog right now, so much so that I forgot today was Friday.  Sigh.  Thankfully, I do have a completed project to show, and I even braved the outdoors to get some fun pictures of it:

Oh, yay! This happy forest is the last top I'm making this year for the Hands to Help challenge at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. I did not make the blocks in this top. Those were adopted from Jennifer and I got them through Cynthia's quilty adoption event.  I received a bunch of blocks and chose 20 for this top.

The trees are made of colorful, happy fabrics, and I tied them all together with a gray-green sashing.  The dark green stop border is a piece I've had for a while, and the outer border is a green print that has a 2012 date on the selvage.  Time to use it! It does pretty well tie the colors of the trees together, while the sashing gives it just enough calmness.

This little top went together really quickly. Since I didn't have to make blocks, I had a serious head start! The top finished at just about 48 by 65, which will be a decent lap quilt size.  I'm thinking that this one should go to Happy Chemo, but I'm going to wait until everything is quilted to decide for sure.

Since this is all about trees, I want to show a happy tree picture from our property:

This is a little cherry tree that we planted last fall.  We got it on clearance for $5! This spring it is blooming beautifully and is about 5 feet tall.  That's a pretty great return on our $5, I think!

I hope everyone has a good weekend.  I'm going to try to stay inside and out of the allergens, and maybe--maybe-- start work on those quilts I have basted.  I have to wait for my head to clear a bit, though, because right now I don't think I can be trusted near a sewing machine. I did forget that it's Friday, after all!

Sharing at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Finished or Not Friday, and Oh, Scrap!