Anchors Away Progress

Last year while the snow was blowing outside my window I started Tula Pinks Anchors Aweigh quilt. I made a post on it and actually started a second post on my progress.  I spent a weekend marathon sewing and completed rows 1, 2,3,4,5,6 and 8.  One and eight are a bit of a cheat cause you do both in one go, so it doesn't really count.  I do like the look of this quilt despite that fact I did not use the dogwood color that the designer recommended in the pattern.

My plan, and you know how it is with best laid plans, is to have the top done before the middle of July 2014 and have it professionally quilted. My long arm quilter Arlene is going to HATE me cause I want really heavy quilting on this thing.  But its going to look great in our spare room.

And as best laid plans go, I did not get this done to take home in July.  In fact it became WIP # 2 for 2015.  The top is done, threads snipped and ready to take home for quilting. I can't wait to see what kind of quilting goes on it.  No way I am giving this baby away.  If I have a wall big enough I want to see about hanging it for decor purposes.

Sadly I did not have enough left overs to make the back and there is very little left of this collection for sale on line. It will be interesting when it comes time to bind the quilt what material I can scrounge out of the leftovers! And wouldn't you know it, I never took at picture of the top. Oh dear, I'm slipping after not blogging for a month.

Jungle Bungle Remix

Back when the snow was flying one of the Joy do good stitches ladies requested a block called the Jungle Bungle. The block was from one of my favorite bloggers, Sew Crafty Jess. The block itself is simple, square center with a border in white followed by a larger border. Easy peasy and makes a great baby quilt.

Since I always have need for some baby quilts to be ready to give away I decided to use up some of my Riley Blake collection that I have squirreled away for boy quilts.  I don't know about you but I often find it hard to find boy prints in my LQS often having to get them online instead.

The blocks took me an afternoon to make and then in the spirit of being thrifty I decided to use up some long lengths of fabric in coordinating colors to lengthen the quilt.  Of course it has a flannel backing and polyester batting that gets nice and fluffy when washed.

Arlene did the quilting on this one. The quilting reminds me of swirling ocean waves as it moves across the quilt in its variegated thread. Come to think of it I think I need to make a few more of these blocks.  Very effective no matter what way you want to place the block.

Icy Finish

I call this my ice quilt as the colors are to remind you of ice and snow.  While I wish I could take credit for the color combo or the design of the quilt, I was inspired by a quilt by Oh Fransson.  Back two years ago she did up this block wanting it for part of a bee she was in on Flickr.

back of quilt, two in one.

 I loved it and thought I have those colors in abundance in the stash and scrap bins, I can make that.  So I started over Christmas holidays and kept at it until I had enough done to make a top.  I was going to make it bigger but I ran out of steam.  So I took all the bigger pieces and sewed them together to make a scrappy back and sent the lot out to the long arm quilter, Arlene.

Arlene and I chose a variegated turquoise thread and a pattern that was swirly and reminded one of the winter wind blowing across the quilt.  I love how it has all come together.  I wonder if I have enough energy to do one in pink! I certainly have enough fabrics.

I'm a little bit drunk

Well I am not really drunk.  I am excited though about how the drunkard’s path block quilt that I started back in the spring has turned out.  Prior to leaving for Ontario, I picked up a whole bunch of quilts from Arlene that was ready for binding.  Many of them I worked like mad to get completed, puncturing numerous holes in my fingers hand binding them. While I would have like to have taken a few of them in the car to finish up while traveling across the country, there just simply was not room.  I did manage to smuggle this one in and had hoped to have it done by the time I arrived in Ontario.  Boy did I get off track.  

But I did finish it this past week, working on it a few inches at a time just before going to bed.  I really like its bright sunny presence.  It will be perfect for my sterile white office, giving it a pop of color and personality.  The only downside is I may have to change it out to something more seasonal as we head further away from summer. But considering it is called, No snow on my beach, maybe I can keep it up year around….