WIP Wednesday - Mosaic Mystery Quilt Along

I've been sewing along with Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs for her mystery QAL -- Mosaic Mystery Quilt.  I have participated in all but one of Cheryl's mystery QALs, and she does not disappoint.  There is still time to join in.  😊

Cutting was done back in August, so I forgot there were 2-inch squares to sew.  Oh my...I forced myself to sew them in one sitting as I was afraid I might not come back to them.  LOL

After sewing a couple of bias edges, I decided to glue baste.  Definitely better results.

And then there were 16 finished blocks -- 6.5-inches square.

Feels good to have the November blocks done before the end of the month.  Now I'm ready for the December instructions that will be released in next week.

Linking up with:

Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts
WIP Wednesday @ The Needle and Thread Network

Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss @ The Inquiring Quilter

TGIFF - Wide Mouth Tote Bag

A small finish this week -- a tote bag.  I picked up a new pattern while in Portland, Oregon, earlier this month.  Cool Cottons is a great little store, and I may have purchased some fabric. 😊

This pattern is called Wide-Mouth Tote.  I don't see it on the Cool Cottons website, but you can get it from Connecting Threads.

It's really hard to photograph a tote bag.

At Sewtopia, there was a box where you could leave bits of fabric that you didn't want.  I found two blocks in the box and thought they would be good to test out my new pattern.  I added a border around the 12.5-inch blocks to increase the size.  And then I was gifted the lilac fabric.

I found the beige batik for the casing in my stash.  The pattern is fairly easy, but I found a few spots where I could have used a bit more information.  And then I mis-read a step early on and didn't discover my error until the end.  But I was able to correct it without too much difficulty.

I wouldn't use a block again to make this pattern beause it doesn't end up being very visible.  The bag is reversible so you could have fun with choosing fabrics.  The bag is quite roomy, and it doesn't take long to make.

What did you make this week?

I'm linking up with:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Sarah Goer Quilts

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict 
Finished or Not Friday @ Alycia Quilts

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Brag About Your Beauties @ From Bolt to Beauty 
Friday Foto Fun @ Powered by Quilting

WIP Wednesday - Penguin Party

I arrived home from Sewtopia a week ago, but it has been me this long to get back into a routine and recover from the 4-hour time difference.  I finally sat down at my sewing machine tonight.

One of the projects I worked on at Sewtopia was Penguin Party by Elizabeth Hartman.  She has great patterns, but those tiny 1-inch pieces to make the faces were brutal.  But they're so darn cute.  😊

The Child size version requires 12 penguins.

We had an awesome time in Portland and Seattle.  Next year's event is in Orlando!!

You can't tell from this photo, but the background fabric is shimmery, almost like it has glitter on it.  Now to decide on a quilting plan.

Linking up with:

Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts
WIP Wednesday @ The Needle and Thread Network

Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss @ The Inquiring Quilter

Island Batik Ambassador Challenge - A Piece of .... Blog Hop

Note:  All products in this post were given to me by Island Batik as part of their Ambassador program.

Half of the Island Batik Ambassadors are participating in a blog hop this month.  There will be weekly round-ups highlighting the Ambassadors and their projects.  There will also be a weekly giveaway for one of the featured collections of the week.

The fabrics featured in this A Piece of ... blog hop are from the Summer 2019 collections that will be available in quilt shops soon.

Here is my lap-sized quilt:  A Piece of the Ocean.

I wanted to create a design that showcased all the great prints in this collection.  The internet, once again, provided inspiration -- hexagons and triangles.  The triangle placement is random, and I was a bit worried while I was piecing as I wasn't sure how it would look when finished.  No need to be worried...I love it!

Island Batik Islander Summer 2019 collection was created by Kathy Engle.  It features 20 fabrics in a variety of colours and prints.  Look at those bubble prints.  😍

I used the Accuquilt Half Hexagon 4.5 inch die to cut the yellow hexagons.  I didn't have a triangle die, so I used my Hex N More ruler.

Hobbs Heirloom Premium 80/20 batting - what can I say?  I love this batting.

I used Aurifil #2892 Pine to sew on the binding

There were two great prints in the collection that were too large to be cut into triangles.  So I made a matching pillow to showcase this wondeful octopus.  I couldn't bring myself to quilt through his face.

I put the turtle print on the back and used Aurifil #2975 Brass to hand sew the binding.

One last photo.

Giveaway Alert
Island Batik is giving away a Little Sir Little Miss Pre-cut Bundle.  Make sure you enter through the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TGIFF - Sewtopia Challenge

Have you been to Sewtopia?  This will be my second time, and I'm looking forward to visiting Seattle.

Sewtopia works with Michael Miller Fabrics to select six fabrics for a challenge.  Each attendee receives six fat quarters.  The rules of the challenge are simple:  use one or all of the fabrics, but you can only use Michael Miller Fabrics .

Here are the six fabrics that I received.  It's a great bundle.

I wanted to make something that had "rain" so I could use the raindrop print.  I remembered a pattern that I had downloaded but never got around to making.  It's called Spring Fling Mini by JmzB Quilts.

I Googled how to paper peice with a directional print.  My raindrops are all pointed in the right direction!  😊
I used all six fabrics and added one other Michael Miller fabric.

I used Aurifil #2600 Dove to free-motion quilt "rain" and "puddles."

I knew what I was going to name this roughly 12 x 16 mini before I even started sewing:  Can't Get My Hair Wet.  Anyone who knows me, knows that I don't use umbrellas.  I always have to have a hat or a hood to make sure my hair doesn't get wet.  Wet hair = a frizzy mess.

I'm linking up with:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Slice of Pi Quilts

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict 
Finished or Not Friday @ Alycia Quilts

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Brag About Your Beauties @ From Bolt to Beauty 
Friday Foto Fun @ Powered by Quilting