A Little Inspiration ...

Not much sewing lately, but here are some morning photos just after sunrise. I especially enjoyed noticing the variety of colors in the sky.

Enjoy your day.

-SeeingStars

Another Top Finished

I also brought this top to the retreat last weekend.  It needed borders and I knew I'd have a large table set at a high height and covered with cutting mats.

The red border seems to jump to the foreground in the photo, but it's not really that commanding.  These blocks are from a block swap and I used the BQ2 pattern for the layout.  There are about 4 BQ patterns now.  BQ stands for Big Quilt.  Somehow, I missed that connection until I realized that this one will be tough to quilt.  I think it will fit on the frame - barely.

Once completed, it will cover our guest bed.  I haven't made many bed quilts and I'm looking forward to seeing this one finished.

This photo shows the fabrics a little better.

All the blocks are so intricate and interesting.  Most were paper pieced.

Enjoy your day!
- SeeingStars

Just Returned Home

... from a quilting mini-retreat.  It was sew fun to make the time to sew and chat with dear friends.

Here's the first top I finished.  I had blocks made and some of the sashing sewn to each block to form an L, but started by adding the rest of the sashing pieces.  Almost every seam was sewn, ripped out and resewn.  I guess that's the penalty for ignoring my sewing room for so long.

I'm pleased with the overall result and this one has already whispered to me a recipient's name.  It will be the next on the frame.

Here's a close up to show off some of the fabrics.  This collection is called Serenade from Moda.

I like the birds and the music along with the soft designs.

Our guild invited Wanda from Old South Fabrics to present a program and teach this pattern in a class.  We had a great time and enjoyed Wanda's company and knowledge.  This design starts with 3 charm packs and a little extra yardage for sashing and borders.  It's called Clovers by Fig Tree & Company. 

A special note to Sara and Libby :
Hi ladies!  Sorry it's been so long since I posted. It's been a busy season with another high school graduate this spring and spending Spring Break with my dad to celebrate his 75th birthday and trying to get the garden planted and and planning a graduation party and a special 75th birthday party for my mom and planning the guild's May program and then ... work.  My part-time self has been working 8+ hours (sometimes even 10) for the past month or so.  I'm actually enjoying the challenge at work, but I'll need to find the balance again.
Prom night was exciting for my senior and she looked stunning all dressed up.  Overall, she still prefers yoga pants and tee shirts with no makeup.  3 inch sparkling silver heels made her at or slightly over 6 feet tall, which her date noticed immediately with a little dismay.  She might have been 1/2 inch taller - no big deal.  This summer, she'll study abroad in Belize as a pre-freshman at Auburn University.  She received the housing assignment yesterday and will be in the honors dorm in The Village on campus, her first choice.  She's been texting some of her roommates and is getting excited to start her college career.  The AP calculus test was yesterday and she's taking AP physics tomorrow, then computer science next Monday.  Also all her regular finals are next week, plus awards ceremonies, a banquet, grad practice, and on and on. Whew!
My college freshman is now officially a college sophomore and has moved back home.  Her belongings are spread throughout the house. Oh my!  No one warned me about that!  It's so comforting to have the whole family sleeping under one roof again and I wouldn't trade the extra rolling chair and laundry baskets for getting to spend the summer with her.  I'm so thrilled and proud to see that spark of excitement which has ignited with her programming class and I look forward to watching that continue.  She's made a few friends and I'm happy to see her enjoying college now rather than just enduring it.  Oh and she's driving my FIL's old pickup truck, which is waaaaay hipster and quirky.  We need to improve / fix the stereo and especially the air conditioning. Self-defense and juditsu have been her "fun" classes and she has loved these.  I think we'll continue to see her thrive in martial arts, although this fall, I think she's taking a body sculpting/fitness class.
Darling Husband is enjoying his rocket science, soccer, whipping the yard into shape, and laughing at me and my crazy antics.  I was worried when he torched the yard and I'd already considering outdoor carpet for the above mentioned parties, but his grass seed has sprouted and it looks adorable with those baby blades of grass. Another week or so of sunshine and the bare spots will be covered. He and I spent a romantic night working on one of his fortran genetic algorithms together.  We modified his code successfully after playing detective to trace the logic.  Sometimes we wonder what "normal" families do for entertainment.
Libby, consider yourself missed.  Oh how we wish our friends live closer together so we can gather more often.


Enjoy your day!
- SeeingStars

More Sunshine Blocks

These are for charity quilts as part of an online group called Sunshine Quilts.  It's a fun way for me to work on a few blocks each month to bless someone else.  Both the Feb and March blocks are meant to be patriotic.  The February quilt will be a sampler, so we could make a block of our choosing.

I saw this one on a Facebook post for Craftsy and wanted to try it.  How fun!  I love the end result, but I truly didn't consider how long each block would take.  That's 57 pieces of fabric in each.

These stars are so pretty.  I may decide to make them again.

March's blocks are requested to be 9 patches.  Here are mine.  These were very quick to make and I had just enough of this white-on-white to use for a couple of blocks.

I can't wait to see the quilts made from our Sunshine blocks this year.  If possible, I'll link to them on this blog once they become a quilt.

Enjoy your day!
- SeeingStars

... A Lot Like Christmas

Here's another Christmas quilt.  I'm working on the borders, so it's still on the frame. This piecing pattern is the Missouri Star Company's Double Slice Layer Cake.  It's a quick pattern and works well for busy prints.

The backing is a cream colored minkee.  I really love how the quilting shows up so well on the minkee side, but blends in on the top.  Ooooh!  That soft, cushy feel of minkee!  It makes a lovely quilt back.

I borrowed some of Lori Kennedy's inspiration for this quilting with the poinsettias and ribbons.  You can find her blog and tutorials at theinboxjaunt.  I like her designs and her tutorials are well organized.

After quilting the swags and holly in the wide border, I needed more to fill in the open spaces.  These bows and long ribbons are a little strange in that they remind me of an octopus.  My hopes are that they won't mess up the overall effect and before I'm finished, I might like them a little more.

I'll share the back side of this quilt soon after it comes off the frame.  So, although the tree is gone and the lights are put away, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in this household.  A few items on my gift list for next season will be checked off early.  Woohoo!

Enjoy your day!
- SeeingStars

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like ....

... I didn't finish all the Christmas projects I'd hoped to make this past fall.  So this is a good time to get them ready early.

This panel wall hanging stayed on the frame through the season and was quilted in early January.  The binding is attached, but needs the hand-stitching.  I love to bring a quilt in this stage with me  anywhere I need to sit still and behave.  It's relaxing and helps me to be patient instead of squirmy.

I think I'll enjoy displaying it when December rolls around. As a wall hanging, I didn't go overboard with the quilting.  Just enough to trace an accent or two in each rectangle.  I used red, green and gold threads to keep the quilting more subtle.

Enjoy your day!
- SeeingStars

Sunshine Quilters - January

These are blocks I made and sent to be used in a quilt for a child.  It's for an online sewing group called the Sunshine Quilters.  Each month, a hostess accepts the donation blocks and makes a quilt to bring a little sunshine into someone's life.

The hostess picks the theme, block size and/or colors.  They also select a recipient organization such as Project Linus or Quilts of Valor. Some requests are very open ended and others are more specific.

I need to get started on some patriotic blocks for next month.

Enjoy your day!
- SeeingStars