January NEWFO

 Wahoo!! I actually did start a NEWFO this month! 

Bruce bought me a gift certificate to Country Quilts and Bears and this book

 

that I needed to take a paper piecing class.  I had a lot of fun and now I know how to paper piece! Once you get it, it's so easy! I see a lot of paper piecing in my future. 

Here's the project I started. 

 Looks kind of like a jigsaw puzzle, doesn't it? I started out putting a few of the pieces in the wrong places..... Apparently my understanding of the directions was not correct.

 After some frustration and measuring and more frustration and re-measuring.... I broke down and called our instructor, Lynn. This was huge for me because I truly hate to bother people with something I'm sure I can figure out, but I was ready to trim the pieces to make them fit and sense won over. Thankfully, she was very helpful and we laughed about it. I must point out that there are some errors in the book that she pointed out to us before we started. The publisher has apparently not been clued in to the errors and Lynn is going to send them all the ones she's found.  Here is the section after I fixed it (the right way).

And here is the block almost finished. I still have to do some embroidery and add the borders and back, but the hard part is done! 

 I did intend to post a bunch of stuff between my last post and this one, but I've been busy and trying to not be on the computer as much. I've written plenty of posts in my head. Maybe, now that I'm getting a few of my projects finished up and things around the house fixed, I will be able to update this more often.

I did finish assembling Bruce's flannel and denim blanket. I started to wash it to get the fringed edges to fray, but our washer drain is clogged and made a mess of the garage..... That will be addressed this weekend (I hope).The dirty laundry is piling up and I am not a big fan of laundromats.  It only took Bruce two months to fix the toilet. He just did it tonight when we got home from work. It was a big pain in the neck. Had to remove the whole toilet to replace the wax ring. Yuck and double yuck. 40 years of crud under there. Icky.Icky. Icky. Enough said.

  

Back to Bruce's blanket. I had a lot of help from Riley....

Yes Mom, I like the flannel you've selected.

Testing the comfort level of the flannel.

 I didn't want this section to run away, so I decided to hold it down for you.

It probably took longer than it should have to complete the blanket, with all the help I had, but I'm not one to turn down a helping hand or paw.

Thanks for stopping in! ~Amy

Counting Sheep

Every month I hope to take part in the NewFO Challenge, but I either miss it or haven't started anything new, because I'm trying to finish up all the UFO's of my various hobbies. This time I actually remembered and have something to share! It's in the early stages, but I have washed, cut and pieced most of the squares for my "Counting Sheep" quilt.  

I saw the cutest quilt at Country Quilts and Bears. It was quilted up with numbers for use as a child's quilt. As I figure I'm a child (Well, aren't we all someones children?), I would like to have one for my bed.  I simply love the colors. I will have mine quilted with something other than numbers though. I haven't figured out what yet, perhaps Sheep, or clouds, or Zzzz's,  or some such thing. I had to ask Becky (the lady who made up the patterns and kits) to make me a kit to fit a full size bed. The pattern and kits they had already made up were only  48" x 64". She had the fabric ready for me, but I only got the instructions for the smaller size. I added one row and one column of squares so far, but I am not 100% sure that is all she added. I still have quite a bit of the fabric left, so I suspect, I have not made enough squares yet.

I thought I took a picture of the sample quilt, but apparently, after searching my photos, I didn't. Here are the fabrics.

  

The sheep were irresistible.

I took a ton of pictures of the green squares, but the green always looks much darker than it really is. It's a bright, lime green (my favorite color).

 The blue is only slightly brighter than in the picture and the outer edges of the squares are a pale green that barely shows up at all.

This is where I'm at tonight. I've finished piecing the squares together and am ironing them for the next step. I will have to wait to put them together with the stripes in between until I re-calculate the size or until next Wednesday, when the lady who figured it out for me at the store is in.

 I need to go and snuggle my little buddy, Riley for a bit. He's looking rather annoyed that I stopped Ironing to come in here and post this. Well, that and having to eat dinner and move some laundry around.  He knows I'm addicted to his cute, little, bratty self.  Who could blame me? He'll have to be patient a few minutes more, since a certain speckled princess is currently barking at my knee to be let outside. 

Thanks for stopping in! ~Amy

Catching up part 2 - Noelani's quilt

 I'm trying to get caught up on the things I have been wanting to post. July seemed to get away from me with some family health issues, a funeral and the unexpected house guest. Bruce's cousin, Erik is staying with us. He's a little down on his luck, so we're trying to give him some support and a place to stay while he looks for a job and gets back on his feet.

 I finished my quilt for my niece. This is my first attempt at free motion quilting. I'm pretty pleased with it, for my first try. Upon reflection, I could have done a simpler pattern to start with. Such is not my nature. I always tend to go for the hard stuff right away.  Silly me. The colors are much brighter in person. This was a free pattern that came from Keepsake Quilting when I ordered the 10" fabric squares. (on a side note, they weren't all exactly 10", which was a little disappointing and I had to trim them all to the same size).

You can see the colors a little better here and the binding and back.

  

It is easier to see the quilting on the back. It was stippling with butterflies.

And bees in the borders, with loops. I was a little ambitious, for a first timer.

Here's my label. I'm always curious as to how much info some people put on their quilts. Mine are considerably basic.

I can't wait to give Noelani her quilt! I hope it's soon. And I have to remember to get pictures! I am looking into making quilts for my other niece and my two nephews as well.  They are in their teens and tweens, so I have asked their mother for their color/theme preferences. I'm hoping I can get them done for Christmas.

In the meantime, I have started something for myself. I saw a quilt displayed at Country Quilts and Bears that had the most adorable fabric. It was intended for children and quilted with numbers, but I asked and the lovely ladies, re-figured the pattern for me and made me a kit for my full size bed! I mean, really, how could I resist these sheep?

Here are the fabrics that were in my "kit".  I have all ready started and am quite far along in the piecing. I just keep forgetting to take pictures. I will try to remember tomorrow after work. 

I'm almost caught up with things that I wanted to post. I think. Tomorrow I may remember something else. I need to stop worrying about being on the computer while Erik is here, since it may be for a little while. Besides, Bruce sits in his recliner and uses his laptop while Erik is sitting in the living room with him. Maybe I'll just take mine to the front room, where I sew, so I won't feel quite so rude.

 I will leave you with two photos of my cute sewing supervisors. They were waiting for me to get to a stopping point, so they could check my progress.....

 

 After a while of keeping guard at the window, (he will growl if someone walks by) Oliver decided that the denim scrap basket looked comfy too. Baby brother, Riley didn't seem to mind sharing his comfy spot.

Thanks for stopping in! ~Amy