It's done!

After months of looking at my completed quilt top I finally dove in and got it quilted!
I must say now, that I don't know why I waited so long!
Of course I was scared to death that I would ruin it in the quilting process.  I also didn't quite know how I was going to quilt it.  I figured I would get a few more quilts under my belt before I would tackle it!

I ended up straight line quilting the sashing both ways and doing a tight stipple on all of the white areas of the quilt.  The pinwheels just pop now.

I cannot believe how much thread I used though!  I think I went through 20 bobbins of thread and two very large spools of gutterman cotton thread. I don't think this one is going to fall apart any time soon!
A huge hug to Jennifer and Carla for handpicking the backing and the binding for me!  I love it!  I really need to take a photo of the back!

What else have I been up to?
I joined the Freckled Whimsy quilt a long and completed this quilt.  It is made from the new Moda Bliss line and Kona cotton in Honeydew.

Also, a group of friends and I got together to make our friend Carla a birthday quilt.  We each made one block and then I assembled and quilted it.  She hung it immediately over her bed.  I think she liked it!

It has been a busy summer with yard work, work in general, and now back to school is upon us!

I hope to be able to blog more often!

All sewn up!

This quilt decided that it liked the stone sashing after all.

I really liked the yellow.... Leighanna liked the pink....Mom liked white.  

My original plan was to use the stone sashing, so I went with my gut feeling and I am so glad that I did.

The blocks really are the show. 

All that hard work piecing...some seam ripping...scrapping blocks that didn't quite turn out.

I really love it!

Leighanna was very involved in this whole process.  She helped me pick out the fabrics for some of the blocks and while I was sewing it all together, she was my pin puller.  She wanted to sew a few seams, but I vetoed that idea!  I really wanted to take my time and do it right!

All that is left to do is figure out a backing.  I think I might piece a few pinwheels in there too.  Perhaps a few of  the mishaps that didn't make the front?  We'll see. 

The quilting of this is going to be tough.  I will have to ponder what to do.  Stipple, straight line?  I don't know yet, perhaps the quilt will tell me when the time comes.

A big and hearty THANK YOU to my friends Carla and Shannon!   I loved AND used the scraps of SisBoom fabric that you so graciously gave me, without your kindness, this quilt would not have been!

Pinwheel dilema!

I have been doing the quilt along that Rachel from P.S.i quilt is hosting.  It has been really fun!  We are almost to the end and being the impatient guy that I am, had to do a couple of computer mock ups of what this will look like!
Now my only problem is..... what color sashing?

My original plan was to use Kona Stone.

My flikr friends say white.

Leighanna, my lover of pink, says pink!

I am loving Aqua these days!

Hello, Yellow!  Me likey this!

My FaceBook friends likey this too!

Leighanna's room is painted yellow, so this would work!

What do you all think?  Leave me a comment if you are still reading this blog!  I know.... I am such a slacker!

I must be crazy!

Crazy for pinwheels that is!





I have decided to join a couple of quilt alongs. I know, crazy right?!





The first one I have started is Rachel's from p.s. i quilt.
I am going to use SisBoom fabrics with this one! Check out Jenifer's blog, her fabrics are amazing!


Here are the first pinwheel blocks.




I also made matching little ones to use in the sashing. Rachel's inspiration quilt used them, and I love the way it looks.





The second one is from the twiddletails blog. The use of black and bright colors is what really drew me to this quilt along. I have several brights in my stash, so I thought this would be a great way for me to use some of it.





Since I have started quilting, I have visited several quilters blogs and have been really inspired! The piecing techniques, the quilting, the fabric combinations, all of it!
I might become a crazy quilt guy after all! :)

On a side note, I will try to update my blog more frequently with my blocks, quilts, and other things that I have been up to! Stay tuned!

Boxing match!

I float like a butterfly and sting like a bee! Oh wait, wrong kind of boxing!

Well, I thought I would have time to blog once a week, but I seem to always have so much to do.

At least I didn't have you wait 6 months until I bloged again! Thanks to everyone who left me a comment.

I recently had the pleasure to test a pattern from my friend Carla. She is working on a whole series of box patterns. She is calling it her "case study". Cute idea!

Anyway, this pattern is now available.

I liked the pattern so much I made all three sizes. They stack nicely! You will be amazed at how easy this pattern was to complete! Before you know it you have a cute box to store those annoying things that tend to lay about!

The top of the boxes can display your favorite quilt squares, needlework, or pretty fabric that you have!

I will leave you with a couple of more projects that I recently completed.

This string quilt was for my wonderful mother in law. Yes, she really is wonderful!
I used this tutorial to make the squares. I didn't have time to make a full quilt of blocks so I added borders to beef up the size! It looks great and the center squares get all the attention they deserve.

I also made this jacket for my Mom for Christmas. She is in a nursing home and the large buttons should make it easier for her to do. Please don't remind me how grown up my baby is getting. She will be eight next month. Where has the time gone?

I used these vague instructions to construct this. I think it turned out o.k.!

I have so much more in the works. Here is a sneak peak at what is coming up next.

Thanks againf for leaving me a comment! I appreciate it!

Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year!

One of my resolutions is to update this blog regularly! Yikes, it has been too long! I hope to post something at least once a week!

If someone out there is still reading this, leave me a comment! Thanks!

I will leave you with a little something that I worked on last month! It was a gift I made a friend who recently had a beautiful baby girl.

Sew super Summer!

Wow! I can't believe that it has been five weeks since I last posted! I need to get into a groove to post more regularly!
Sew, where was I?
Oh... Kittens! Yes, they are growing and we do have homes for a few, hopefully we won't have any problem getting rid of the rest!

Aren't they cute?
Ah! A sneek preview from last time! I got the extreme honor to test a pattern!
The Sophie Tunic! A collaboration between Jennifer Paganelli and Carla C! Wonderful pattern! I have already made a couple! Available on YCMT or SisBoom!

Get ready for the adult version available soon! Carla C sent one to my wife to check the sizing!
Yes ladies, it will be available in a wide range of sizes! Thanks Carla!

We've also had fun at a local Strawberry fest!`

Yes! I made that dress just for the occasion! Notice the "strawberry pink" water in the fountain!

And I just made Angie another new purse! She has been eyeing this Paula Prass fabric since I got it!

Oh, and I won a contest. Well second place at least! Thanks Jona and Fabritopia!

I am working on another project right now too! Too early for me to elaborate yet! Stayed tuned!