April UFO Finished!

My April UFO is finished!

Some of the side sashings look a little wobbly and they are! 

This quilt top was a Layer Cake Quilt Along hosted by Konda at Moose on the Porch Quilts in 2010. My quilt blocks were made from a layer cake called "Happy" by Me and My Sister Designs.
Can you see how I really had to piece together some scraps to make the pieces for this particular block design?
I had fun with machine quilting each block using wavy lines.

This photo shows the wavy line quilting in the sashing out to the corner stars...
it was really fun to quilt.




The backing is the happy floral that is in many of the blocks on the quilt top, and the binding is one of my favorite black and white stripes. This quilt will be donated to the comfort quilt collection at my quilt guild.
To see other UFO's that were finished this month, hop over to Patchwork Times.

Finished Layer Cake Quilt & Draw Winner

This is my finished Layer Cake Quilt Along top and I'm very happy with the result.

I started to rip out the cornerstones to put the stars into the sashing, but that got old very fast! I inserted 2 stars on the inside blocks and had enough of that!
Then I put the stars into the outside corners and added a colourful border fabric that was leftover from the backing of a quilt I made years ago....it was the perfect width and length for the border!

Thanks to Konda at Moose on the Porch Quilts for this fun mystery quilt!

I almost forgot to announce the winner of the Easter draw for my bowtie mini quilt.  I asked my daughter to pick the winning number from the 22 comments, and she picked #22. Congratulations to Deanna!!

Layer Cake Quilt Along Deadline Today

A brand new Quiltmaker's 100 blocks magazine is out!  I haven't had enough time to make good use of the last issue yet, but of course I'll buy the new one too. There is a blog tour to visit some of the block designers and win a copy of the magazine - check it out at the Quilty Pleasures blog. I LOVE their blog hops because there are so many great blogs to visit, patterns and quilt ideas to enjoy, and gifts to win.  Don't blame me for all the computer time you are going to enjoy this week!!

I have been working on my Layer Cake Quilt Along project because today is the deadline for submitting photos to the flickr group.  I was determined to not buy anything extra for this quilt (except the original layer cake) and picked out some B & W from my stash for sashing. After I had the sashings sewn in, I remembered that I wanted to do the sashing stars in the suggested layout. Why couldn't I remember that before I sewed it together?!?! What to do...leave it, or unsew the white sashing squares and insert the star pieces?
I have until the end of today to sort it out...the time deadline may make the decision for me!

You can't do everything...

One of my Mom's favorite sayings:  You can "do it all", just not all at the same time!
I want to do it all in quiltland.
Almost everything I see is inspiring and wonderful, and I want to start everything. But I am trying to be more sensible about the projects I start these days because all my storage space is full of UFO's. I either need to buy a new house and sign up for the "Hoarders" show, or make some changes LOL!
This is the list of recent projects that I just couldn't do, even though in most cases I have a fabric plan all dreamed up...
Amy's Raven Stars quilt along
Thelma's Eventide quilt along
Lori's Midnight Stars Doll quilt along
Tea's Quiltmaker's 100 blocks sew along
Judy's National Quilt Day project
Lee's Supernova quilt along

One of my projects, the  Layer Cake Quilt Along is coming to an end.
I have recently made 2 more blocks. On the right is block #10 ("Fresh Flower") which ended up to be a strange /scrappy version of the posted pattern.
On the left is block #11 ("E-ccentric") which brings in more orange, which I think my project needs. I had to piece together some scraps to get the necessary pieces for this block too, but I think it is quite cool.
The last block pattern is now posted and the layout will be posted on Thursday, so you know what that means...this quilt will soon be finished (and by "finished", I mean a quilt top) and I can start a new project!

Design Wall Monday #10

On my design wall today is the Layer Cake Quilt Along project. I am up to date (until Tuesday) with sewing the 9 blocks that have been posted. They are laid out in the order they were made,  and this won't be the final layout - the colours will need to be spread out better, especially that wonderful green! This project needs more orange!

You can see the dotty sashing fabric I had purchased, which isn't going to work - not enough contrast. I'll need something else in there but won't decide until May when the blocks have all been made.

This is block #8 - very fast and easy.



And block #9 was fun with many varied layout options. I put in the tiny connecting corners of the purple stripe to use up the rest of it.
The green and the multicolour fabrics in this block were not from my original layer cake, but were scraps given to me by my sister from a project that she made last year.  Although it doesn't look like it on the computer screen, the greens are a perfect match.
To see other design wall blog posts, hop over to Judy's blog - click here.

Cake Time

One of my indulgences this past year was the "Happy" layer cake purchase and I have enjoyed following along with the Layer Cake Quilt Along, which started in November. We are up to block # 7 now and I am pleased that I have been able to keep up with the group.

I did not like block #6 on the left here. First I made a cutting error on the pink pieces so then had to make the blue and green pieces a little bigger. And I don't think the block fits in with my other blocks so far but c'est la vie!
I love block #7 ...it was challenging so sew, I enjoy the look of the fussy cut flowers I put in the corner squares, and I like the overall look of the block. If you want to see the blocks from the Quilt Along members, click here to go to the Flickr site.

Happy Day

I had an enjoyable sewing time today working on my Layer Cake Quilt Along blocks with my Happy Layer Cake.
This is block #4 Starry Starry Snowball by Sherri.
I had a little trouble with the centre block due to a cutting error...yikes! I had to border the centre block with the purple stripe to bring it up to the proper size. I kind of like how the error turned out!

Then I moved on to block #5 Rainbow Boxes by Cara.
I was happy to be able to use up the scraps I had saved from previous blocks, and really enjoyed sewing the corner blocks.  But I think the finished block looks a bit like a dog's breakfast!
Oh well...it is the process that I love. It's one of my favorite things to putz around with a pile of fabric and cut up little pieces and wonder how a block will look when it's all sewn back together. And at the end, I don't really care if it's my cup of tea or not...it was fun!
If you want to see other Layer Cake Quilt Along blocks, visit the Flickr Site - click here.
I have soooooo many block projects on the go...am I completely crazy to consider starting another one?!? (Don't answer that!) How can I resist the new Civil War Quilt by the amazing Barbara Brackman?!?!

Another LCQA block

I whipped up another block for the Layer Cake Quilt Along, made from my Happy Layer Cake.

This is my funky basket block. Block pattern is by Sarah Varderburgh - directions are here.






These are my first three blocks in this project:

 This project box is also going into the cupboard until after Christmas.

Time for Cake

I finished my second block for the Layer Cake Quilt Along and posted it on the Flickr site (click here if you want to see the other blocks people have made).

This block took 4 layers to make (plus leftover scraps) and I am a little worried if I will have enough squares for the entire project.
I think there are 40 squares in the Happy package, so I could make 10 blocks using 4 each, and I'm pretty sure there are more than 10 blocks.
I am saving all my little scraps (of course) and will be a little more careful when cutting and planning my future blocks.

Here are my first 2 blocks together. I think they are so cute. I appreciate that there is a deadline for posting the blocks which helps to keep me on schedule...I am more likely to get the blocks done to keep up with the group. 

Are you playing along? It's not too late to start! You know me...always trying to entice people to make more quilts!

Layer Cake Quilt Along

I decided once I found the perfect layer cake that I would join the Layer Cake Quilt Along. I had been able to resist starting another new quilt project until I found the Happy Cake and just knew that resistance was futile!

I was able to add a link for the Quilt Along on the right side of my blog...which is quite a technological accomplishment for me!  (Just click on the "button" and it will take you to the website)



Then I opened up the cake and started working on block #1 designed by Gene Black. He put a circle in the centre of his block, but I thought a flower might be better for my happy block.

Because I didn't have my sewing machine with me that does a zigzag or buttonhole stitch, I had to free motion the edge of the flower, which turned into a bit of a disaster  piece of lovely fiber art.

Block #2 is already posted, but I won't have time to work on it this week...too much machine quilting to do.

Design Wall Monday #42

Today I have my old friend "BeAttitudes" on my design wall. You last saw this project in August when I had 7 blocks completed (click here for that post).  At this point I consider the quilt top to be almost 3/4 of the way done, and somehow it feels very exciting and hopeful that this quilt is "almost done"! LOL

I have block 9 fused and just need to do the letters "Be Smart", and then the machine buttonhole stitching.
On the weekend I wasn't very smart!
In a moment of weakness, I started a new project.
I think I need to go to "Quilter's Anonymous".
"Hi. I am Kathy. I have no willpower over starting new quilts."
I saw this layer cake called "Happy" from Me and My Sister Designs when I was away with my sisters. I ask you, how could I possibly resist buying it?!?! Check back tomorrow to see what I'm making!
And when you have time for blog surfing, grab a cup of tea and go see what other quilters have on their design walls today - click here for Judy's Design Wall Monday postings.