Rainbow Afghan Finished

The whole thing is together. Now all I have to do is finish weaving the ends in. I can't believe that I forgot to post a picture. 
In total there are 16 blocks. They're each bordered with white, then stitched together in white.  Then there is one row of a white border done in double crochet and the last bit is dark blue for a border wave design.

Its been so cold we've slept under this for a few nights even without having the ends woven in.

"Cracked" Pot - Focus Picked

So, guess what.  Based on my INFJ nature, I thought I might have a directional print stuffed somewhere in my stash, and went looking.  I did have something awesome.  :) 

Now I just have to pick coordinating fabrics. :)  This is going to be very fun.


I'll be able to use up my oranges and yellows.  Who knew that orange was going to be considered a "dark"?!?

A little Halloween.. on Easter?

Happy Easter!!

Since it's Easter, I only had a tiny little time to sew today - and it was all hand stitching. While putting some things away before company I found a teeny tiny miniature block that I think I might have been planning on using for a center of something, or for a crumb block. But yea, I didn't.

So I put some stitches into this one and then added the keychain piece.

The Big Reveal: Rainbow Carpenters Star

Here's the finished Carpenters Star.

Add borders if you want, then quilt and bind.

There you go - a Carpenters Star quilt without any Y seams. :-)

All previous parts to the tutorial/sew along:

Stitching The Rows Together 

Row Stitching Instructions 

Cutting Instructions 

The Beginning: Picking Fabrics 

All that's left is for me to decide if I'm adding borders, or not and the quilting.  I've got a few ideas on how to quilt it, just need some time.

Picking the thread to quilt it.  A friend taught me to NOT lay the spools of thread on the quilt top like this:

And why not you ask?  Good question.  Thank you Jess for helping me out. :)  If the thread is all coiled up on the spool you won't get a good idea of how it would look laid out over the different colors of the quilt.  What should be done is to pull some of the thread off the spool and lay it over the quilt top more or less what it would look like if it was quilted.   Try it on the different colors and see what works for your particular quilt top.  It also depends on if you want the thread to blend in or stand out highlighting the quilting.

For me, I picked the rainbow thread.  See how pretty it looks?  Now all I have to do is decide on the quilting motifs.  If you've got any suggestions - I'm open to them! :)

Sew Along - Stitching the Rows Together

A more detailed explanation of how to sew each row together is coming along shortly. I need to get my husband to help with the computer aspect of labeling things. 

Two rows together:

Halfway point:

Using 8.5" *unfinished) squares, it currently is 32.5"x64.5" (unfinished)

 

Ok.. I really need to get a design wall. The floor thing isn't working out to well. LOL.

Previous Parts to this Sew Along:

Sewing Instructions

Cutting Instructions

Choosing Fabrics

Easter Egg Fun

Tonight we spent with my almost 90 year old grandmother and colored and dyed Easter Eggs. We all had fun with Nana, Mom, the Bug, Hubby.  It was so much fun.

Since my Dad passed away in 2007 I've taken up his job of always drawing and coloring the "Goofy" egg.

 

I miss you Daddy. All the time.

Sew Along - Rainbow Carpenters Star - Stitching Instructions

Let's get stitching!

For this, it's a bit fiddly at first to get the pieces sewn together. My advice is to take this quilt one row at a time.  There are 8 rows.

Because of the Half Square Triangles (HSTs), I press my seams open to reduce bulk, but you can certainly press to the dark side.

Example:

Front:

 

 Back:

 

Row 1:
Step 1 - Sew:
Blue HST to Background HST
Dark Purple HST to Background HST
Light Purple HST to Background HST
Pink/Rose HST to Background HST
Background Square to Background Square
Background Square to Background Square

Once all the HSTs are sewn together and the background squares are sewn to each other, press the seams open (or to the dark side - it's your preference).  Pin together and set aside.  Label this section Row 1.

Row 2:
Step 1 - Sew:
Background Square (don't stitch to anything)
Light Green HST to Dark Green HST
Dark Green HST to Blue HST
Dark Purple HST to Background HST
Pink/Rose HST to Dark Red HST
Dark Red HST to Red HST
Background Square (don't stitch to anything)

Once all the HSTs are sewn together and the background squares are sewn to each other, press the seams open (or to the dark side - it's your preference).  Pin together and set aside. Label this section Row 2.

Row 3:
Step 1 - Sew:
Background HST  to Teal HST
Teal HST to Dark Green HST
Background Square (don't stitch to anything)
Blue HST to Background HST
Pink/Rose HST to Background HST
Black Square (don't stitch to anything)
Red HST to Orange HST
Orange HST to Background HST

Once all the HSTs are sewn together and the background squares are sewn to each other, press the seams open (or to the dark side - it's your preference).  Pin together and set aside. Label this section Row 3.

Row 4:
Step 1 - Sew:
Background HST to Yellow HST
Yellow HST to Background HST
Background HST to Dark Green HST
Dark Green HST to Blue HST
Pink/Rose HST to Orange HST
Orange HST to Background HST
Background HST to Tan HST
Tan HST to Background HST

Once all the HSTs are sewn together and the background squares are sewn to each other, press the seams open (or to the dark side - it's your preference).  Pin together and set aside.  Label this section Row 4.

Row 5:
Step 1 - Sew:
Background HST to Tan HST
Tan HST to Background HST
Background HST to Orange HST
Orange HST to Pink/Rose HST
Blue HST to Dark Green HST
Dark Green to Background HST
Background HST to Yellow HST
Yellow HST to Background HST

Once all the HSTs are sewn together and the background squares are sewn to each other, press the seams open (or to the dark side - it's your preference).  Pin together and set aside.  Label this section Row 5.

Row 6:
Step 1 - Sew:
Background HST to Orange HST
Orange HST to Red HST
Background Square (don't stitch to anything)
Pink/Rose HST to Background HST
Background HST to Blue HST
Background Square (don't stitch to anything)
Dark Green HST to Light Green HST
Light Green HST to Background HST

Once all the HSTs are sewn together and the background squares are sewn to each other, press the seams open (or to the dark side - it's your preference).  Pin together and set aside.  Label this section Row 6. 

Row 7:
Step 1 - Sew:
Background Square (don't stitch to anything)
Red HST to Dark Red HST
Dark Red HST to Pink/Rose HST
Light Purple HST to Background HST
Background HST to Dark Purple HST
Blue HST to Teal HST
Teal HST to Dark Green HST
Background Square (don't stitch to anything)

Once all the HSTs are sewn together and the background squares are sewn to each other, press the seams open (or to the dark side - it's your preference).  Pin together and set aside.  Label this section Row 7. 

Row 8:
Step 1 - Sew:
Background Square to Background Square
Pink/Rose HST to Background HST
Background HST to Light Purple HST
Dark Purple HST to Background HST
Background HST to Blue HST
Background Square to Background Square

Once all the HSTs are sewn together and the background squares are sewn to each other, press the seams open (or to the dark side - it's your preference).  Pin together and set aside.  Label this section Row 8.

Coming up next - how to sew each row together.

Previous - Cutting Instructions 

Beginning of the Sew Along - Fabrics Needed

Sew Along - Rainbow Carpenter Star - Cutting Instructions

All righty!! Ready to do some cutting?

 

From your BACKGROUND - 16 SQUARES, 32 TRIANGLES

Dark Red - 4 Triangles

Red - 4 Triangles

Pink/Rose - 8 Triangles

Light Purple - 4 Triangles

Dark Purple - 4 Triangles

Blue - 8 Triangles

Teal - 4 Triangles

Dark Green - 8 Triangles

Light Green - 4 Triangles

Yellow - 4 Triangles

Tan - 4 Triangles

Orange - 8 Triangles

When you do the cutting and trimming, make sure that you're consistent with the rulers that you use. Whatever ruler you use to cut your squares - use that one to square up your Half Square triangle blocks. Consistency is important.  Over the years I've found that each ruler is slightly different - so whichever ruler you start cutting with, keep using that ruler. It'll save you a ton of heartache.

Goddess Miniature Quilt - Complete!

It's finally completed! After I did some of the quilting, I put it away and it was in the box with some other UFOs and just never got bound.  But it's finally bound and complete!

May I present to you: Goddess of Spring

This will be the first in a series of 4 quilts - all of the Goddess.

Whoo Whoo's cute?

Joann Fabrics had this adorable owl fabric. Of course a yard and a half popped into my basket. I fussy cut the owls out and cut up my scraps to make wonky log cabin blocks.  I'm going to make each one measure about 14.5" unfinished so it'll be a really nice size quilt. 

And I'm using up my scraps which will be the best part ever. I have so many scraps I just need to tame them. This should help.

Look - wonky log cabins with the owls as the center:

 

Needing to be trimmed:

 

One complete block done and in the tub:

 

Aww, what a cutie patootie:

Whoo couldn't love those eyes?  Since there's so many colors in the owls anything goes - the best part ever for using my scraps!!

Forest Friends - Complete

Finally complete!  2013 is going to be the year of me finishing up UFOs. See, I'm keeping my promise.

This was kind of languishing in my UFO bin. I had all the blocks pinned into the rows that I sewed together, then sandwiched it and quilted it in a green thread.  Sulky looks awesome when it's all quilted up.

Forest Friends was my very first swap quilt. I asked for wonky or improv (a la Gwen Marsden) blocks. Got back all but one, so I made a spinner block. Adds interest I think.

The binding is a grey blue which pulls out the blue in some of the tree fabric.

Quilt Goddess - A Miniature Quilt

I'm working on it. One of my friends saw my pile of WIPS and UFO's and dubbed me the Quilt Goddess. I highly doubt it, but it inspired me to make a miniature quilt of the Goddess.

I'll probably donate it to the AAQI. I'm hand quilting it. Might take a while. :)

Hostess Gift

We got invited last minute to a Memorial Day party, so I wanted to surprise our friend with an apron. I made her one for Christmas since she LOVES to cook, and I know she adores the Broncos, so this is another apron for everyday use. And I made it reversible.

I can't wait to see her face! She's got no idea this is coming. :)