October Friendship X and + Swap

Friendship X and + Quilt recipe: Makes one awesome lap quilt

Step One: Open airmail package from Suz in Austrailia. Squeal in delight! 

 Step two: Find my first four blocks in the same color wave.

Step three: Mix the two sets of blocks together...

 Keep stirring till thoroughly blended together.

 Step four: Arrange the friendship blocks side by side.

Step back and admire!

 Step five: Store blocks in a cute container. Keep adding more pretty blocks every month with the goal of 64 total. Watch closely in anticipation!

If you have been on the fence about joining Susan and me in making this friendship quilt, I hope that all the prettiness has pushed you over!  You can find the guidelines here. Check out the Friendship Swap flickr group, too. We plan to post photos of our blocks on the last day of every month. Susan is blogging about the swap today as well. Hop on over!

P.S. Happy Halloween from me and my friends!

Where's Waldo?

Welcome to 1234 Cupcake Lane

Hello? Did I hear the doorbell ring?

Oh, hi! Yep....we're home.

You say you want to look around? 

We'd love to show you.... Lolly got the shutters painted, roof on and the landscaping finished just in time for the the home inspection!

Look! The mailman has even dropped off some letters!

 Shhh....don't tell Lolly, but we are trying to figure out how to pack this house into our suitcase.

 Oh, bummer! She must have heard us whispering and said, "No, 1234 Cupcake Lane stays here." 

I guess that means we'll have to come back to visit soon! She said to tell you that she used plans from Empty Bobbin Studio to build her house... in case you want to build one too. 

Bye...thanks for stopping by!

House Specs:

Walls: painter's drop cloth from Lowe's

Windows, door, roof, mailbox: decorator fabrics

Tree, bushes, leaves, flowers: felt

Pattern: Card Table Play House by Empty Bobbin Studio

Co-builder: Vicki N.....didn't we have fun!

Sunday Morning

"Yes, if you call out for insight

and raise your voice for understanding,

if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,

then you will understand the fear of the Lord 

and find the knowledge of God."

Proverbs 2:3-5

Almost Ready For Inspection!

Today i hung the curtains....

 ...and the new owners stopped by for a look around.

 As soon as the roof is attached...

...the house will be ready for inspection. I sure hope it passes!!

Music Box Jumper

Over the weekend, I did a little sewing...

for my sweet little grand daughter, Lois, who celebrated a birthday.

Even though I have had the Music Box Jumper in my arsenal of patterns for awhile, it was my first time to sew with it. 

Using the single pleat view, I found the pattern easy and delightful to sew. The grey and yellow Flea Market Fancy fabric is perfect for fall.

I think that I've found a new favorite and can see me using it many times over for all those little girls that God has blessed me with!

It's a classic!

Sunday Morning

" If it is possible,

as far as it depends on you,

live at peace with everyone."

Romans 12: 18

Highways

The thing about a challenge is that you just never know how creative you can be until you try something new. For instance, how would you make a highway on a map?

 This is how I did it!

Right now, I'm at the 'stewing' point with my maps quilt. You know, that time when you pin your project up on the wall and keep walking by it and asking yourself, "Now what!?"

Getting Direction

 Have you ever tried to make a map out of fabric? ...Me neither.

It's something I had never even considered doing until I was invited to join the Four In Art group on Flickr. Every three months each participant makes an art quilt centered around a topic. Our first challenge, under the topic of 'Urban' is to make a "Maps" quilt.

In doing a bit of research on the subject, I found a fun book full of ideas. I thought about buying it, but I then doubt that I would ever use it again after this project. Instead, I hunted down a map that I like and am busy making "map fabric". Hopefully, I will get the feeling of "direction" as I go along!(Pun intended!)

One thing for sure, I'l be as surprised as anyone as to the outcome of this little 12 inch quilt! 

Sneak Peek

 Suz and I are so excited about our Friendship x and + Swap that we couldn't wait till the last Friday in October to share our first set of blocks! (Marble couldn't wait either!)

Each month we both will be making 2 each of 4 different renditions of the popular  x and + block. Then we each will send four blocks to the other person.

Here is the first set of four that I'm mailing to Susan in Australia. You can see our color pallet here on our original post about the swap. This month, we focused on using orange, pink and aqua. Next month's blocks will feature a different combination of our pallet colors.

We have started a flickr group for the Friendship x and + Swap where anyone joining us can share their blocks with other quilters. Click here to find the flickr site.

If you missed the original post about the swap and guidelines, check it out here.
These blocks are so addictive and fun to make....you won't want to miss joining us!

Sunday Morning

"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; 

then we shall see face to face.

Now I know in part;

then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."

! Corinthians 13:12

Fourth Quarter Finish-Along List

It's time to make my list of UFO's to try to finish during the last 3 months of 2013. With Christmas fast approaching, I thought I would be realistic, for a change, and whittled it down to three projects.

1. Joy Christmas Tree Skirt: This is a new UFO and I want it done by the time I put my Christmas tree up right after Thanksgiving. It only needs binding!

2. Crossroads: This is a holdover from last quarter (and the one before!). I got it all put together during the 3Q, but it still needs quilted and bound. I'm thinking straight line quilting. I also am wanting to think up a new name. Any ideas?

3. Juicy Fruit: Oh, how I would love to get this done before the end of the year! I didn't realize how time consuming making so many 6 inch churn dash blocks would be, even with the Mid-Century Modern Bee helping me. In August, I worked at the blocks during a MQG day retreat and may do it again at the November sewing day. After laying them all out, I've decided to make a few large 12 inch churn dashes to add to the mix.

Three projects...three months! Thanks for the motivation Leanne!

Catching Up

September slipped by before I realized it almost! I hate it when that happens because that means I had gotten behind on making  blocks for my super duper Mid-Century Modern Bee mates.

Anne asked for a fun-to-make block of her own design. I made an extra which, hopefully, will make up for my neglectful sewing. Boy am I curious as to the setting she has in mind! Sorry to be late, Anne.

For October, Elizabeth asked each of us to make a sampler block in green. She has plans for a Christmas themed medallion quilt. I chose to make the Crosses and Losses block. I hope that the fabrics I used are not too funky.
It feels really good to be caught up again!

There's still time to jump on board the Friendship x and + Swap! 

3Q Finish-A-Long Report

Just under the wire, I am reporting my 3rd Quarter finishes in the Finish-A-Long.
Here's my original list of 6 items. I made some progress on all but one, but can only list 3 of them as finishes. I guess half isn't too bad.
Here they are.....I'm so happy to call them DONE!

Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt....more pictures here if you missed them. Whew!

Blueberry Tablerunner....more pictures of this 10 year old UFO here.

The Jelly Roll Race was my first UFO finish for the quarter. I blogged about it here.

Thank you, Leanne for hosting this Finish-A-Long for without it, these may have all been still sitting on a shelf in the dark.