WHOOMP There IT Is! #7

This week's post is short...and bittersweet.  My uncle passed away and I'm making a comfort quilt for my cousin who is his only daughter.  I'd like to have it in hand when I see her this Saturday at his memorial.

   

I finished the top last night.

It's Zeus approved.  He's a 5 mos old English Bulldog who was our overnight house guest last night. 

Tonight I pieced the back and got it basted...and tomorrow evening I shall quilt like the wind.  

I also managed to finish the blocks for the top half of the custom order quilt and put my 49 quilting books in alphabetical order this week.

Thanks for stopping by.  Let's see what you've been up to this week!

<div align="center"><a href="http://aquiltedpassion.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" title="A Quilted Passion" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4YsV6nk1H6N4SoytAqIMUezG-jJS06TJG89bPQzWj8oDoAOKu5rRBose1BqbkeEz9sma3x7OI6Utq0rOLWSu4WPRISs3QZERZHGpBLoEhoqSgiUmjkQwQ_n0Tc_42uJSI6MXdeyz5qU/s211/Linky+Button+Final+Whoomp300%252C+TII+150+AQP+LP+190+Fullsize.jpg" alt="A Quilted Passion" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Thank the Host

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In your blog post, include a link back to my post/blog and/or grab the 
WHOOMP There IT Is! button above and put in your post or sidebar. Thanks for spreading the love.

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Party Hearty! 

An InLinkz Link-up

A Super Quick QAYG!

About a year or so after I learned how to quilt, I started looking online for different ways/options to do things such as binding, basting,etc.  As a new quilter, binding was my least favorite part of quilting.  I dreaded it!  There had to be an easier way of binding than how I'd been taught! 

One of the first sites I came across was Quilting In The Rain. It was love at first sight! Jera's instructional and pattern tutorials are simple and quick. I found her binding tutorials very refreshing.  I stalked her blog many a night and always left inspired.  I've made several of her patterns over the last few years; the latest being one from her book Quilt As-You-Go Made Modern which I won an autographed copy of on an Instagram giveaway!

I needed something that would go together super quick for an upcoming baby shower and chose the Queen Anne Steps pattern. 

It worked perfectly for the 3 fabrics I'd chosen to match the decor in the baby's room and it's a good size; 48 1/2" x 60 1/2".  

It's definitely a pattern one could complete in about 8 hours or so...depending on how fancy you get w/your quilting however,  I did it in about 4 shorter sessions. 

I thought it would be a good opportunity to practice FMQ, however it proved to be difficult for me because I matched my thread to the fabric and couldn't really see what the heck I was doing! Since I did match the thread to the fabric, I sewed all the pink strips first, then the blue and lastly the orange. I did practice FMQ on all the pink strips and quickly switched to simple wavy and straight lines for the next 2 colors. 

I used the leftover strips to make a matching pillow.

In case you didn't notice, I finally made a blog signature! I used this tutorial I found on Val's Quilting Studio  Tutorials page.  Afterward I started looking around on how to make a custom header and came across this tutorial using Pic Monkey.  I've been playing around w/it all week...but my blog header is still a work in progress! Hopefully soon I will get it and my blog looking exactly how I want it. But for now, what you see, is what you get! =)

A Thread for Life

You will keep in perfect peace

those whose minds are steadfast,

because they trust in you.

Trust in the Lord forever,

for the Lord, the Lord himself, 

is the Rock eternal. Isaiah 26:3-4

Linking up at:

Needle and Thread Thursday

TGIFF!

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?

Until next time, Happy Quilting and God Bless!

Patterns, Books and Progress, Oh My!

When I first started quilting and discovered FaveQuilts, I was so thankful for all the FREE quilt patterns. (It's where I found some of the blogs I follow too!)


 I was super excited that I would never have to pay for a pattern or book! Well that lasted for a long while, but in the past year I've purchased a few patterns and more recently, a couple of books! I pre-ordered this modern quilt as you go book a few months ago and I can't wait for it to be distributed next month. And even more recently, after falling in love w/ a beautiful kaleidoscope quilt seen on Fresh Off The Frame, I ordered Ricky Tims' book, Kool Kaleidoscope Quilts.







And speaking of books, I recently inherited a great deal of books from the AQG who closed their library earlier this year. Members were allowed to choose pretty much any books we wanted. Here are the ones I chose.

my son cut off my head

In Quilty news, I did get the college-bound quilt basted last weekend and have even started quilting it. I'm using the techniques that Ann Petersen teaches in her Craftsy class: Quilting Big Projects on a Small Machine.

Here's what I have so far on the Summer Star Mini.

Tomorrow I'm bringing my sister to quilting, the once a month get together w/the sisters from church,and I'm going to assist her in making a simple lap quilt. Maybe she'll become a quilting maniac like me. ;)

In Yoga news, 2 weeks down, 10 more to go! Keep praying for me.

A Thread for Life
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 NIV

Until next time, Happy Quilting and God Bless.

Still Learning, a Quick Finish and Freebies!

There are a couple of things from this week that I'm excited about.

First, I learned how to tie a Quilters Knot! The gal who taught it to the kids at sew camp this week was surprised that I didn't already know how; and honestly, I was a little embarrassed. But there was one other mature quilter who also didn't know...so I didn't feel so bad after all. ;)  This is something I could have learned from YouTube, but I wasn't interested before that day because I'd been using a knotting technique I learned from +Quilting In The Rain's tutorial.  Before this tutorial, my knots were also "ghetto". I'm thankful to have added another technique to my quilters resume.

And the other thing I'm excited about is also something I discovered at sew camp: Chaco Liners by Clover! These chalk pens and liners work wonderfully for marking quilts w/straight or curvy lines, half square triangles and any other fabric markings. There is no mess and the chalk just washes or brushes away.  They come in several colors and are refillable! I bought yellow and white.

Sew Camp
This is the 3rd year my quilt chapter, Quilters Anonymous,  has held kids sew camp. It's a week long day camp, Mon - Fri. There are 2 sessions, 9a - noon and 1p - 3p.  Last year I volunteered for 1 afternoon. This year, I did 2 full days. Next year, I'm planning on doing the entire week. I really enjoyed it. The kids had the option of making 4 smaller projects or 1 lap quilt.  I brought my youngest son (19) to camp one day and he made a thread catcher/scrap bag and a zippered mesh bag. He was pleased w/his accomplishments and now has a greater appreciation for my craft.

The quilt I just finished was the lap quilt project we taught at camp. It went together so quickly and I whipped it out in no time. I did my first mitered corner on this quilt.

I am slowly but surely getting all the pieces cut out to make the Summer Star Mini Quilt for my sis' work office.   Next on my quilting/sewing agenda is to get the College Bound quilt quilted for my niece.  I've already got the backing pieced. My goal is to have it basted this weekend.

In other news, I bought a 3 mos, Bikram "HOT" Yoga deal on Living Social.  I started it this week. The class time that works best for me and the one I prefer is at 530a, Mon, Weds, Fri.  If you aren't familiar w/Bikram Yoga, it's a 90 min yoga class that is done in a room that is 104 degrees Fahrenheit! I can't believe I paid for such torture. One week down, 11 more to go! Pray for me!!

And for all my Nookers out there in case you don't already know, Barnes and Noble has Free Fridays  on The Nook Blog. They offer a free book, a free app AND a free video every week! A great way to grow your library w/o spending a penny!

A Thread for Life
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. -Phil 3:12-14

Meanwhile, back on the farm...

So it's been awhile. My blog is one of a few things that I've been neglecting.

Back in December I made a list of resolutions. You can read about them here.

And here's an update....

I have been working out, still not as regularly as I'd like, but I've gotta blame work for that. I am making it to spin class at least 2x week, and even though I haven't lost a single pound, I feel somewhat accomplished. I've stopped eating ice cream on a nightly basis, but I'm definitely still eating too many sweets.   I also blame my job for this.  I'm a stress eater and my job is stressful. I realize at some point I'm going to have to stop blaming work for this...but right now, it is what it is.

As far as going to bed earlier...I have been getting in the bed earlier most nights but not necessarily going to sleep earlier. I'm an avid reader but I only read at night before I go to bed. Depending on how good the book is (and there are a lot of great ones out there!!) some nights I'm up later than others. I'm currently making my way through The Outlander Series.  I read the first book, Outlander, back in 2007 and last year, for some reason the next book I read was A Breath of Snow and Ashes. After reading this, I heard that STARZ is bringing the story to life this summer!! I don't have cable but I have friends who do and I will be bugging one of them to DVR this.  Although the books can be read independently of each other, and although the series is only about the 1st book, I've set my mind to read the rest of the books in the series. I am about a 1/4 of the way through Voyager.  If you are into historical fiction, time travel, voyages and just beautiful love stories, I highly recommend these books.

As far as spending quality time in God's word, I got better with it and then I  just stopped. I'm actually embarrassed about this and can't believe I'm writing it, but when things get tight and I'm juggling a bunch of things, unfortunately, this is the first thing that falls by the wayside.  The ironic thing is, God's word is restoring and life giving.  When I opt not to read it, I start to forget His promises and I lose my way...which is why I've been struggling so much lately.  Please pray for me in this regard. I"m so very thankful for His faithfulness!

I am however proud to say that I have not bought a single piece of fabric. So I'm doing good where Fabriholics Anonymous is concerned.

I finished the "sweetheart" quilt for my son's GF just in time for her birthday 2/21.  As much I love the way FMQ looks, I'm totally horrible at it.  I've heard it takes hours and hours of practice.... but I just don't have that kind of time!! So this is simply straight-stitch quilted 1/4 in from the seams...but the GF loves it and that's what matters!

As far as quilting goes, I'm working on a mystery quilt w/my QA chapter. I signed up and even started a Crazy Quilt Along but so far I've only sewn about 5 pieces of fabric on one block. I don't know when I'll finish this. Sorry +Caroline Heinrichs  =(.   I plan to start a rag quilt to sell in my Etsy Shop w/some charms I got on clearance at Connecting Threads.  The collection is called Solid Oceanfront.  I've really got to get some more things on there.

Until next time, happy quilting.

A Thread for Life
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
Proverbs 3:5-7

Blogging vs Sewing

When I started this blog I planned on posting once a week but I haven't been living up to it.  Blogging isn't easy and it takes a lot of time. Writing, editing, editing/posting pics, links, labels, hashtags, sharing...aghhh!! When I get home from work it's shall I sew or shall I blog? It's not always an easy decision but sewing usually  wins. Blogging is great though and I'm excited to say I made a new friend! Meet +Greta Anderson from Material Detachment. A marvelous seamstress/quilter and a remarkable writer. I had the pleasure of talking w/ her on the phone yesterday. She's an admirable person w/a huge heart for kids and humanity! Make sure to stop by her blog.

As you can see, I've made quite a bit of progress on the Kaleido-Hex quilt, officially known as a One Block Wonder (I'll be referring to it as 1BW going forward). It still isn't the only thing I've been working on (see distractions below:  origami bag and applique).  Once I have all of strips sewn together it will measure approx 56 x 90.  I'm planning this for a king size bed so the side borders will have to be substantial.  I picked out border fabric yesterday. What do you think?

Border Fabric

1st Audition

This coming Saturday I'll be heading out for a week long quilting retreat to Colorado w/a couple of friends. I'm so excited! I'm also very ambitious and will be taking at least 4 projects to work on, one of which will be the 1st quilt I'm getting paid $$ to make (A Rag Quilt). I'll also be taking the 1BW, the applique wall hanging and a Quilts w/o Corners quilt that I'm turning into a tree skirt.


For the Rag quilt I bought some charm packs, but I have the backing and fleece already cut.

I whipped up another cute Origami bag over the weekend for a friend's birthday.

The wall hanging is ready to be appliqued which I plan on doing while I'm in Colorado.

This is the Quilts w/o Corners quilt that will become a tree skirt. You can't really tell from this pic...or maybe you can...but the edge of this quilt is all jacked up. I'm going to cut a slit in it, cut the middle circle out AND attempt to add a ruffle of Christmas fabric to the edge.

Until next time, Happy Sewing!

A Thread for Life
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever. 
1 Chron 16:34

I'm linking up on Val's Tuesday Archives.