Oh My...What Have I Done?

I am a creature of habit and like to stay inside my comfort zone.  But I know I need to get out of my comfort zone in order to grow and learn new things.  Whenever possible, I will accept when an opportunity presents itself.

I participated in three blog hops in 2018.

• Modern Plus Sign Quilts book blog hop
• Stash Statement book blog hop
• 12 Days of Christmas in July blog hop

And I know I will be participating in two blog hops in 2019.

So how else can I challenge myself?  Well...sign up to be an Ambassador for three companies.  😮

2019 Island Batik Brand Ambassador - Island Batik provides fabric, and you promote their products through monthly events, blog hops, and more.  If I'm selected, this will definitely keep me on my toes.

OLFA 2019 Design Team - You help promote the 40th anniversary of OLFA and be featured for one month which includes an interview and a project.  Oh my....definitely out of my comfort zone.

National Quilters Circle Brand Ambassador - I just recently learned about the National Quilters Circle.  They are interested in finding "creative and talent individuals who are as passionate about quilting as we are!"

I have no expectation that I will be selected for any of these; however, I feel great that I was confident enough to sign up (Was it confidence or stupidity???  LOL).

And since no blog post is complete unless there is a cute photo, here is my new niece who arrived today.  Miah is sister to Aliyah (who is 15 months old today).

And with this blog post, I have made it to Day 3 of the 31 Day Blog Writing Challenge.

Day 2 of the 31 Day Blog Writing Challenge

It's Day 2 of the 31 Day Blog Writing Challenge, and I have a little something to share with you.

Progress is slow on my many WIPs, but I continue to work through my list.  These are some 4-inch HSTs I had floating around.  I'm not sure how they came about, but I know the inspiration is from my Stash Bee HST Quilt.

I decided not to plan the layout, so I pulled blocks from the pile and put them on my design wall.  These are all Kona, but I can't find where I wrote down all the names.

I did "cheat" a little.  I saw the beginning of this black check mark, so I moved one block to complete the check mark.

This is just a small baby quilt, 24.5 x 28 inches.  A little something for the car seat or stroller.

I think this will be a Christmas gift for my new niece who is arriving tomorrow by C-section.  I gave her sister a black, white, and orange quilt last year.  Just need to figure out a quilting plan.

31 Day Blog Writing Challenge

I've decided to step outside my comfort zone and play along with the 31 Day Blog Writing Challenge.  Thanks to Sarah @ Sarah Goer Quilts for the heads' up on the challenge.  Not sure that I have enough interesting content for 31 consecutive days to keep readers engaged, but I'm going to give it a try.

Organizing my sewing room has been on my to-do list for far too long.  But I've finally made a decision that will help -- build shelves in the closet.  I need to break down the project into small pieces.  The first step, get out the hammer and hang up a Christmas gift.  My friend Jenn @ A Quarter Inch from the Edge made this for our Bee Christmas gift last year.

It's now hanging above my white board/bulletin board.  The closet is to the left.  I had to crop the photo tight so you don't see the mess in the closet.  😉

✔ Challenge accepted
✔ Day 1 completed

Let's see where this challenge takes me.

TGIFF - Weebrawbag

While at Sewtopia earlier this month, a lot of people had little drawstring bags with pockets.  It was the weebrawbag.  The pattern states:

I haven't had time for personal sewing the last two weeks as I've been doing some secret sewing to help out a friend.  I was out of town for work Wednesday, and we had no electricity Thursday  -- the joys misery of winter...sigh....  But I did manage a little drawstring bag this week.

It's a cute bag that didn't take much time to make.  Now to find a use for it.

Clearly I didn't get a great photo of the wonderful pink lining.  Another downside of winter...darkness, darkness, and more darkness.

The casing is Kona Petal.

If you have a finish this week, consider sharing it at:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Summer Lee Quilts

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

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Brag About Your Beauties @ From Bolt to Beauty

TGIFF - Potter's Wheel QAL

As you may have seen, I played along with the Potter's Wheel QAL hosted by Briar Hill Designs.  You can read about the pillow I made from the scraps.

This pattern is all about curves.  But they were easy to cut with the Circle Cut ruler.  I used Kona PFD Bleached White for the background.

They sewed together very easily and quickly...a nice gentle curve.

Add some sashing and a centre square to get an amazing block.

Deep breath....cut two blocks in half.

And in a blink of an eye, a finished quilt.

I took the easy route and quilted organic wavy lines.  I quilted this while at Sewtopia a few weeks ago.  I wasn't happy with the quilting.  I found it hard to quilt with limited space and not being in my regular sewing space.  But I think once it's washed, it will be okay.

We've had some snow, but luckily, it didn't stay long.  When I took these photos, one part of the yard was bare.

And this part had a little bit of snow.  I wonder if we can make it to spring with this amount of snow.....

There's a sale over at Briar Hill Designs in case you wanted to get this (or another) pattern.


If you have a finish this week, consider sharing it at:

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 @ Busy Hands Quilts

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Brag About Your Beauties @ From Bolt to Beauty

WIP Wednesday - Modern Plus Sampler QAL

I've been playing along with the Modern Plus Sampler QAL, which is being hosted by Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs and Paige @ Quilted Blooms.  My definition of playing along is sewing four months' of instructions in two days while at Sewtopia.  😀

I didn't intend to be so far behind, but I had to order a Kona colour online.  And then I went on vacation.  And then life just got in the way.  But I am now all caught up.

I'm using fabrics from my stash:  Kona Sky, Nautical (but I had to order more), Saffron, and Tiger Lily.  And a teal tone-on-tone and a white tone-on-tone for the last two colours.

Tribal Rows - two 10.5 x 63 inch rows and two 4.5 x 20.5 inch rows

Small Plus Area - 40  5-inch plus blocks

Transparency Plus Block - 14-inch block

Rick Rack Runner Areas - four 10 x 20.5 inch blocks

December's instructions will be released in two weeks.  Have you been playing along?  You can get a copy of the Modern Plus Sign Quilts book:

• Amazon (affiliate link) - both digital and print versions
• C&T Publications - both digital and print versions
• Meadow Mist Designs Etsy Shop - Signed copies (plus when you purchase a signed copy from Cheryl, you get a free bonus quilt pattern of your choice)
• Indigo

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

Classic Meets Modern BOM - The Final Blocks

It's the final month for making blocks for the Classic Meets Modern BOM hosted by Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation.

All my blocks are made with Kona:  White, Steel, Turquoise, Berry, Pool, Parrot, and Royal.

Two sets of Snowball blocks -- a set of three and a set of five.

And then three sets of Flying Geese.

Now to get all my blocks pieced together.  Check back next month for the finished quilt top.  I'll be looking for quilting suggestions. 

You can follow my progress:

• January blocks   
• February blocks 
• March blocks 
• April blocks 
• May blocks 
• June blocks 
• July blocks  
• August blocks  
• September and October blocks 

TGIFF - Potter's Wheel Scraps Pillow

I've been playing along with the Potter's Wheel QAL hosted by Briar Hill Designs.  I'll be sewing on the binding this weekend.

There were good-sized scraps after cutting the curved pieces.  Briar Hill Designs offered suggestions on how to use the scraps, but I wasn't interested in cutting the scraps and then sewing them together.  So I just sewed the scraps together.

I was able to cut a 3.5-inch square and a 2.5-inch white square from each.

There were a few layout designs I considered before finally deciding on this one.  I did organic wavy lines in the background.

I had a fun decor weight fabric for the back.  Kona Water for the binding.

A little something to have on hand for a donation or a last-minute gift.

I'll share my baby quilt finish next week.


If you have a finish this week, consider sharing it at:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Alycia Quilts

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

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Brag About Your Beauties @ From Bolt to Beauty

WIP Wednesday - Fireburst Mystery QAL

Have you been playing along, or following, the mystery QAL being hosted by Tish @ Tish's Adventure in Wonderland?  I tested the baby size before the QAL started, and then I made a larger version during the QAL.

This is my first version.  All the fabrics were from my stash.

A close up of the colours and prints.

And this is my second version.  It's been raining and so dark in the morning and evenings, I haven't been able to get a photo.  So I took it to work, but forgot to iron out the wrinkles.  Oops.

These fabrics were also from my stash.

And now the hard part...deciding on a quilting motif.

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 - Rainbow Star

I finished my Michael Miller challenge!!  You can read about my progress and the challenge here.

I don't name my quilts because it doesn't interest me and because I can never come up with a name.  But I decided to name this one because I'm entering it in the challenge.  Not very creative, but this is Rainbow Star.

No fancy quilting...it's just a 20-inch wall hanging after all...and I was running out of time.  😃

Just a tiny piece of the Cotton Couture Peach in the binding.  Hash Dot Yellow and Blue were also included in the binding, so I can say that I used all the fabrics for both challenges in one project.

I just need to sew on the label and handing sleeve.

If you have a finish this week, consider sharing it at:

Finish It Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Devoted Quilter

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

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation