Last Chance Triangle Quilt Along Link Up

I've been sewing like crazy (after work) the last three days to complete my Triangle Quilt that I began with the Sassy Quilter.  Nothing like a deadline for motivation

I added the borders and loaded it on the Sunshine 16 quilting machine on Tuesday night, quilted it last night (big and little swirls).

Put the binding on tonight.  As I was sewing as fast as I could, I could see the sun getting lower and lower in the sky and I felt like I was racing the sunset because I wanted an outdoor photo.

And I won the race and was able to get this outdoor photo just as the sun did set.  I was thinking of calling it Tea Rose and Lilac Sunset, but then thought maybe it should be Racing Sunset...

I'm linking up with the Sassy Quilter for the Last Chance Link up!  Triangle Quilts are one of my favorite designs now and I'm sure there will be more in my future.  I'm so thankful to Paula for having the Triangle Quilt Along!  I actually made 4 quilts using her instructions.


Here are my other triangle quilts:

Baby Quilt

The Triangler (fishing)

For a Graduate

Linking up with:

Christmas Corner

Welcome to the first edition of a Christmas Corner! This is a new post for the 25th of each month featuring Christmas projects and gifts.

Today I finished a table runner and a topper to add to my little pile of Christmas items.

This little table runner is fmq'd with a cloud motif.   I used the Scrappy 9 Patch Table Runner tutorial found here at A Quilting Life.

This little topper is made with traditional fabrics with a few modern whimsical fabrics thrown in for fun and some black for sophistication!  The pattern can be found here, at the Fort Worth Fabric Studio! 

 I love Paula's (from the Sassy Quilter) in Winterberry fabrics!

I cut out a bunch of red snowflake, gray, and white blocks to make hour glass blocks (see the previous post for the link to the disappearing hour glass block tutorial), but after sewing them together, I'm trying to decide whether to cut them up into 9 pieces and make the star blocks or just make an hour glass block quilt?  The star blocks are very pretty, but quite a bit more work.   Hmmmm....

Since I finished up a few projects, I am so excited to start on this new block called the So Pretty Star.  It is so gorgeous!!!!  You can find it here at traceyjay quilts and the pattern is free for a limited time!

I found Tracey's star on this site called Sew Lux Fabric and they have a bunch of gorgeous items with tutorials that I want to make so I'm including that link for you too.  So many patterns and fabric and so little time!

Linking with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts

Thanks for visiting!

Christmas in July 2 -- Cabins in the Woods

More Christmas in July exuberance! Here's some Cabin in the Woods projects.

Here's the inspiration and link to the original pattern.  It's called Chill Be Gone and it appealed to me right away because...

This attic door leads to the un-insulated storage part of the attic and a large gap at the bottom allows super heat or cold in depending on the season

This cute little cabin in the woods pillow keeps out unwanted airflow!   Note:  I added rice into the bottom to add weight (and it could double as emergency food storage - hah!)

This little table topper is made with the same cabin and tree blocks and I added an Ohio star and log cabin blocks.

Have you seen the Disappearing Hour Glass block video, from the Missouri Star Quilt Co.?  (They use a layer cake, but I just cut some 10" squares.)

I used that to make these blocks and stars are so Christmasy!  I didn't trim anything until the end so they go together pretty quickly.  Click here for the link.

Linking up with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts

Also linking up with SewCal Gal's Handmade Christmas
 

Christmas in July

I got very excited about Christmas in July last year when I participated in The Crafty Quilter's Christmas in July Blog Hop.
   
So I've been watching the blogs and searching the search engines for more quilty Christmas in July fun.  

I dragged out my unfinished projects from the last few years to work on and found a fun project to make that I'll show you soon.

Yesterday I spent some time making little houses to go around the patchwork square (I also made a similar quilt and gave it to a friend last year).

I found this darling little Christmas Scrap Mini on Pleasent Tree

     

So I made one too using brighter fabrics.  I like Pleasent Tree's better, but maybe if I get one of those cute little stands...

Confession:  I think I need a quilt psychiatrist because I have lots of newer Christmas fabrics but don't want to cut into them so keep using the old scrappy stuff.

Sunshine 16 quilting skills progress.  

I'm sewing much slower and controlled (from what I did before) which I found practically eliminates breaking the thread (and I also have to give credit to the brand, Glide thread).  Sewing slower also causes the machine to heat up faster, which forces me to stop and take much needed breaks (for the machine and me).

I love sewing those figure 8's!  I'm trying out cross hatching in the pink row and it's impossible for me to sew the diagonal lines decently.

Amazingly, it's pretty easy to sew lines going vertically or horizontally.

Stop back soon and hopefully I'll have that new little Christmas project ready to show.  Hint:  It's from an old McCall's magazine issue with a free tutorial I'll share.

Linking up with Heather and Megan at Quilt Story 

HST Dolphin Cove Baby Quilt

I pieced together this half square triangle baby quilt top a while back and finished it today to take to a baby shower.

With the  mom to be.

Pieced together with under the sea prints, blue shades of kona cottons, and white.  Quilted on domestic machine using a wavy decorative stitch and bound with a stars on seafoam print.  It's also an eye spy quilt-- did you see the pearl?

Backing is a dolphin print by Robert Kaufman.  It matches the little girl's dress and eyes!

Linking up with Amanda at Crazy Mom Quilts.  And also with Richard and Tanya at Link a Friday Finish

Amazing Needle Book Reveal!

I particpated in Amy's Needle Book Swap and have been waiting and watching for a package to arrive each day.  You can imagine how excited I was, when I got home from work today and found this package!    Now that it's here, it's like being a kid on Christmas morning!!!  The anticipation made it all the sweeter!

The postage labels told me it was from a land far away.

I removed my shoes and positioned myself in a comfy place and the excitement was mounting but I didn't rush because I wanted to savor each moment.

I slowly unwrapped the parcel and found this zippered bag with a darling hexi design and zipper pull.  I immediately loved the little bag made of Essex linen and exquisite English paper pieced Liberty prints!

I took a deep breath and upon unzipping, found a myriad of other treasures awaiting me.  See the beautiful lining.

There were some charming buttons, a flag, some darling trim and to top it off a matching hexi pin cushion and needle book!!!

The hand sewn workmanship is just lovely.

Isn't the back great-- oh and you've probably guessed by now which far away land it came from.

The front cover also has a divided pocket and those little blue heart pins and the Sew Happy label are just adorable!

The felt pages are delightful and the back page even has a little ruler trim sewn on and a pocket in the back cover.

It will be so fun to pack up my little needle book, matching pin cushion and place my sewing items into my new hexi zippered travel pouch and go sew somewhere!  I will treasure all these sweet and precious items.  Thank you Raeleen!

Here's the Flickr page where you can see all the gorgeous needlebooks.

WIPs: Toasty Mugs

Isn't this the cutest block?  There will be 5 steaming cups of cocoa for the July Quilt Doodle Quilt along

I cut out most of the patches yesterday.  Each cup will be a different red print.

It's surprisingly appropriate to work on in July, because the colors are red, white and blue!

 Stop by Cindy's blog, Quilt Doodle Designs  to find out more.

Here's the Flickr group link

Also I completed my final Blogger Girls II blocks.   Visit Monique at Open Gate Quilts for all the free patterns.

I linked up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced-- lots of great links today!