Reading is Fun!

My daughter has taken on quite a task this past year.  She was hired to create 5 libraries for 5 schools in a charter group.  This past year, she has purchased 18,000 books, cataloged them, bar-coded them and got them in libraries.  Now, she wants to put a little "wow" in her libraries.  Being a quilter, the best way I know to "wow" is to create library quilts.  I scoured the internet looking for ideas.  I have completed the first one and will take it to her this weekend.  I can't wait to share it with her.

It was a little windy, but I managed to get a picture on my clothes line.  I added buttons and bows for embellishments.  The quilt is about 52" X 54".  I think it will make a great addition to one of her libraries.  The goal is to make 5 about the same size so that she can exchange them from one library to another.

These blocks were really fun to make.  The blocks  measure 12" by 20" with a 5" border.  My next quilt will be a large tree with 3-D books for the leaves.  Watch for it in the next couple of months.  If you have any ideas for simple reading quilts, please let me know.  Four of her libraries are K-8, and one is a high school.  I would love to hear your suggestions!

Think Ruffles!

Another blog hop is beginning, and I had to stop working on my Delightful Stars Quilt-Along to get something made!  Never fear.  I will be back on schedule this week.

I've never been big on ruffles.  Mostly, I have added them to pillows.  It's not that I find them difficult; I just don't particularly like to do them.  That said, I haven't participated in the last couple of hops and wanted to get back in the loop.

I had bookmarked this apron pattern from One More Moore some time ago, thinking it would be really cute to make.  I made one, then I altered the pattern to make aprons for my 2 granddaughters.  I was happy with the outcome.  It is a quick and easy pattern.

They are all 3 very bright and will look great on my granddaughters, Julia and Lauren.  I am planning on giving the peach and black one to a friend for a benefit.  I made a ruffled dish towel to go with it.

  I thought they looked cute on the clothes line, but I am a retired science teacher--today I was subbing at my old school and went looking for a model.  I found the perfect one!

           Here she is modeling the apron and the dish towel--this is where you can usually find mine.

                       Then, I asked her to model all 3 for me.  She was very agreeable!

That's it for this hop!  Please visit the other ladies who are ruffling today!  Thanks Madame Samm and Amy for all of your time and talent organizing this great hop.  Who knows what great project I might find: I just might continue ruffling.  I guess making ruffles isn't all that bad.  These aprons went without a ruffle--well, with ruffles, but without a hitch?  Today's schedule:

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Malini's quilts

Missouri Mel

Just Quilt It -- you are here

In the Boon Docks

On the Banks of Frog Creek

Sparrow In Flight

Let's Ruffle!

Tomorrow starts the Ruffle blog hop.  My post will be up at midnight tonight. Here is the schedule for the blog hop, but be sure and scroll on down--I have 2 more blocks done for my Aiming for Accuracy quilts!

Wednesday, March 5th:

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Malini's Quilting Adventure

Missouri Mel

Just Quilt It

In The Boon Docks

On the Banks of Frog Creek

Sparrow In Flight 

Thursday, March 6th:

Lily Patch Quilts

Hill Valley Quilter

Missy's Homemaking Adventure

Quilt in a Not-Shell

Debby Kratovil Quilts

Quilt Doodle Designs

Quilt-n-Queen

Friday, March 7th:

Ridge Top Quilts

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Just Let Me Quilt

Moosestash Quilting

Childlike Fascination

It Seams To Be Sew

Meadowbrook

Monday, March 10th: 

The Tilted Quilt

A Geeky Crafty Life

Constantly Quilting

Life in the Scrapatch

Pig Tales and Quilts

How ART You

Grammie Q's

Tuesday, March 11th:

Needle and Hook

Marjorie's Busy Corner

Blessings From Our Nest

Little House on the Dairy

Just One More Stitch

Creatin' in the Sticks

Just Sew Quilter

Wednesday, March 12th: 

Quilted Delights

Patchwork Breeze

Sheila's Quilt World

Vicky Myers Creations

Words & Stitches

Sew Many Yarns

Sew and Sow Farm

Thursday, March 13th:

It Seams To Be Sew

Tea Time Creations

Sew Peace to Peace

Mila+Cuatro

All Thingz Sewn

More Star's in Comanche

Stitchin' by the Lake

Friday, March 14th:

Thimblemouse & Spouse

Jane's Quilting

Bear Creek Quilting Company  (Yahoo-that's us!!!)

I Piece 2-Mary

The Quilting Queen Online

Miss Priss Quilts

Sew We Quilt

 

The latest block for Delightful Stars on Aiming for Accuracy.  Thanks, Michele Foster, for all of the great tutorials!

 Hope you enjoy lots of ruffles these next few days!  Thanks for stopping by!

Aiming for Accuracy Is Stretching My Skills!

I'm really enjoying the Aiming for Accuracy quilt-along.  I'm also going to start Leah Day's quilt-along to improve my fmq.  I hope to get started on that today, along with working on a project for quilt club.  Oh, and there is that blog hop of Madame Samm's with ruffles that I need to work on!  Oh, so much to do, and I  am having so much fun doing it.  I almost (I did say "almost") don't want winter to end, because there will be less time for sewing!

I decided that I should start my Aiming for Accuracy lessons by making a practice block using muslin and scraps.  My actual quilt is made of batiks, but I think I'm going to like both of them equally.  Here is what I have done so far:

This is my practice scrappy quilt above.  Below are my batik blocks. 

I am really pleased with how this quilting is going and how it is improving my skills!  What are you working on today?

Aiming for Accuracy Requires Patience and Pins--lots of them!

I'm so happy that I signed up for the Aiming for Accuracy star quilt this year.  I began a quilt for my daughter a couple--well maybe a few--years ago, but it has so many points and tiny pieces that I put it aside for awhile.  I'm sure this class is going to give me the confidence I need to finish it.  Here are the first 2 blocks, blocks, blocks 18 and 24 of the quilt:

I really like the yellow background.  I don't usually do "bright" so this is an adventure for me!  Come back in the weeks to follow, and I will post more blocks as I go! Happy quilting!

Let the Quilting Fun Begin and a Little Christmas!

It is January, and I am very excited about the Quilting Gallery's Quilt-Along.  We will be making quilts using star blocks.  I started a very difficult star quilt for my daughter, Anna, a few years ago.  I really want to finish it.  I think it will be much easier after Michele Foster shares her expertise with me on this quilt-along.  Anna, it will get finished--I promise.   I have my fabrics washed and line-dried.

                         Today, I found time to press all of my fabric so that it is ready to go!

This is the first time I have used Magic Sizing.  I ordered Best Press along with my background fabric from JoAnn's, but I wanted to get my fabric pressed.  I really like the Magic Sizing.  It was very easy to use, left my fabrics nice and crisp, and it is much cheaper than the Best Press.

I laid out all of my fabrics.  I am so fortunate to have great friends.  Over half of these fat quarters were gifted to me by my great friend, Jani.  I had some others in my stash, and I traded fabrics with my friend, Carol Kussart, (who is also in this quilt-along) so that we would have even more choices.  Now the big decision will be which fabrics to use!

I have decided to go out of my comfort zone and use a yellow background.  I want this quilt to be nice and bright when it is finished, and I think the yellow is just what it needs.  I had to order it, since I need 6.5 yards. I went to JoAnn's and looked at their Kona Swatch Chart to decide which yellow to order.  I can't wait until it arrives!

I was very pleased to receive 2 great quilt patterns for Christmas--2 of my favorite wild flowers.

I'm looking forward to making these this year.  Also, I can now share with you more of the Christmas I made because it has all been gifted.  I made no-sew hats and scarves for my 2 granddaughters.

                         Then, I made 5 aprons.  I hope to get 2 more made soon for my granddaughters.

(My daughter, Anna, on the right, and her friend, Aparna, on the left putting their Christmas aprons to good use!

Now, on to read Michele's post for the quilt-along.  Come back in a few weeks, and I will share the first of my blocks with you for this Delightful Stars quilt!