Strip Easy Quilt Challenge - H2H 2014 #2

May 28 is the link up for the Strip Easy Quilt Challenge - see the button on my sidebar- brought to you by Denise over at  www.piecedbrain.com   The Challenge was to make up to 3 projects using strips from your accumulated scraps.

Since I needed  to make a quilt this month for H2H 2014 I used this opportunity to come up with a quilt that could use my previously existing strips.  The bulk of these were actually from a friends collection which she left on my doorstep when she moved. The windspinners are all from left over strips.  some needed to be trimmed to 2 1/2 inches but they are all from the scrap pile.  The background is from the misc left over stash of creams but not strips.

Next up on my to do list is a baby quilt for my newest nephew. In February Moda had an alphabet hop and if you followed it you got the patterns for the letters.  In January I participated in a hop that required you to use Kona Solids.  At the time I purchased 2 Jelly Rolls.  I still had quite a bit of that stash left and decided to do the Moda letters using the Kona  Strips. They are addicting. Each letter takes less than a strip of  the left over Jelly Roll.  I started it yesterday.

The next quilt is not new for this challenge but I am including it because it is made from scrap strips. Each block is made from a different strip from my stash.  The top was made a while back and put aside.  Last month I pulled it out and quilted it for my first quilt for H2H 2014.

I hope you have been inspired to dig into the scraps. You just never know what you can come up with if you don't give it a try. Thanks Denise for the challenge.

Memorial Day - H2H

I am so glad that I was able to finish this quilt for posting this weekend. It is my 3rd quilt for the H2H 2014 program. Click on the block on the side bar for more information regarding this wonderful program.

It is a small tribute to those who have served and those who are now serving our country and are keeping us safe and free.

This quilt is based on a mini quilt along that was done by Temecula Quilt Co a couple of years ago. Each block has, progressively, 1 additional piece to it. 1 to 12 pieces. I did 2 mini's at the time and last year I made the blocks full size for a Hop I participated in.

This is the back.

And here is a pic of my free motion quilting.  I don't do it very often, once or twice a year.  I do see improvements, but I really need to force myself to practice, practice, practice.

Thank you to All  members of our Armed Forces and those who have gone before them. 

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day.

H2H Update

Kilroy was here, tee hee

Shouldn't pick on my quilt holder, but I just couldn't help it.

This is my number 2 quilt for H2H 2014.  See link on the side bar.

It's quilted and now only needs to have the binding sewn down. I still do that part by hand.  Should get that done sometime today. 

Quilt number 3 needs a back and then I can get it sandwiched ( my least favorite part of quilting) and then quilted. 

 Hopefully I'll have them all finished and ready for photos and a final posting  next week.  Then off in the mail they go.

couple more small projects

I was trying to put away some of the mess in my sewing room and tripped over some more of the kitty fabric.  Since day 1 I thought that the fabric would be a hoot to color.  So I photo copied it onto some card stock and used my watercolor pencils to color.  It was as much fun as I hoped

I made a few note cards while I was at it (uncolored).

and then I used the actual fabric for a set of potholders.

Both the cards and pot holders will be heading to friends in Fl. who are just crazy about their cats.

Keeping Busy

I am doing really well on my recovery.  No pain and most of my range of motion is returning. I still have a limited  attention span and find I can't focus on reading at all.  The good side is that it is amazing how many small projects and UFO's one can tackle and make progress on in 30 minute segments.

I posted before surgery several projects I did want to see if I could finish or at least make progress on.

The first completion was this pair of socks I had found, from who knows when. 3/4's of the first sock was completed .  All it needed was the decrease for the toe.   Now I have a pair.  Actually they were gifted yesterday to an old friend who met up with us for breakfast. Timing is everything.

The picture of the sock on the foot is to show that it fits,  It always amazes me how big the foot looks on hand made socks because the ribbing is so snug.

I also managed to finish another helmet liner. I know that this picture was right side up in my file. Don't know why google takes these liberties. I think this one was close to half way done when I started back on it.

I did start a baby sweater. Probably got it 1/3 done.  Stopped because I need to look up how to do the next step and that isn't working for me at the moment.  I'll give it a shot next week.

I did make the baby quilt that was in my last post and  these are the blocks for the H2H quilt using the same pattern just adding 2 extra rows per block and an additional inch in width.

I will probably use 3 inch sashing to get it to a more useful size for a teen or adult.

But the biggest and best part of going through the UFO's was this find

I started this at least 10 years ago.  I've picked it up on several occasions since but never managed to finish it.  This is entrelac.  It isn't difficult but this piece is rather cumbersome and very heavy.  It is being worked in a  Bulky wool and mohair blend.  All I have left is 2 rows of the beige and one row of the black and the final  row of half triangles in black  and it will be done. I have given it a temporary home on my kitchen table and chair so I can work on it for short spurts when ever.

I also cut out a bunch of Hexie foundation pieces and punched the holes in them but I'm not sure about going forward with that project. Time will tell.

I will continue to plod away and feel so accomplished.  I want to make a set of pot holders and some note cards  and I think there is a not quite half finished pair of mittens somewhere and  3 H2H quilts to be sandwiched and quilted. 30 minutes at a time is amazing.

 Here's wishing you a productive week too.

Sewing Again

Yea, I can sew again.  OK, only in short bursts but that is progress.

I have seen this block popping up in various places around blog land.  Don't know what it's called or if it has a traditional quilt built around it but this is what  I have done with it.  Each block took about a half hour to put together.  About what I can sit still for. 

  

My base block measures in at 12 1/2 inches by 22 1/2 inches.  So this quilt comes in at about 44 x 50.

I made it using up left overs from the Kona Sunrise Colorstory Jelly Roll I got for the Kona blog hop from last winter.  It was a great help that the fabric was pre cut.  

The quilt is for a baby shower I am attending this weekend. I've know the mom since she was eight. She is now in her mid to late 20's.  Time is a flying by.

I had some bits and pieces left from the front and then I tossed in a couple more strips to make the strip of color down the back and I used a few more strips for the binding. I used about 20 strips and then one of the Kona Whites, can't remember which one.  When I replenish my stock my LQS tells me what I buy.  They keep much better records than I.

The backing  is all wonderful black on white kitties.  I bought this fabric at Hobby Lobby last year for a quilt back and loved it so much that I went and back and picked up some more. Oops that picture is upside down.

I love how bright and cheery this quilt turned out. I love bright for babies.  

I think I will try and whip up another one of these strictly from my scraps.  I think I have a good collection on 2 1/2 inch strips in a drawer somewhere. I think I will make it a bit bigger, maybe starting with a 14 1/2 inch strip instead of a 12 1/2.  That will make the blocks 14 1/2 by 26 1/2 and a quilt of maybe 50 x 62 with out borders.  I have one more quilt to start for this years H2H and this may be it.