Saturday, September 27, 2008

Teacup Swap


Today I finished my blocks for the teacup swap on my favorite online group. I made 12 blocks but I only used three different color combos. Can't wait to see what I get back from the swap. I have some plans for most of them for a Christmas gift.

Paper Piecing Bee

I put off joining the local quilt guild for a long time because I just didn't think I fit in. The guild is mostly made up of traditional quilters who like traditional patterns, colors and techniques -- especially applique and hand quilting. That is definitely not me since I like bright colors, novelty patterns, paper piecing, and hate hand sewing of any sort. Someone suggested there might be others in the guild like me and said I should start a group. So at the last guild meeting I announced the startup of a Paper Piecing Bee and we've had our first meeting. There are only four of us now but I think there'll be at least two more soon. We'll be doing monthly lotteries, a few projects each year, and getting together for sit & sews.

Since I like the teacups so much, I made that our first lottery block. This is the one I made. It's even brighter in person. We'll get together in October and someone will win all the blocks made (right now only 4). Next month's lottery block is a jack-o-lantern. My favorite colors! I sure hope it all works out, it's a nice group of ladies and I hope to get them to love paper piecing as much as I do.

Teacups


I hosted a teacup block swap on one of the groups I belong to. I only made 3 blocks so I put them together into a small wallhanging. It came out pretty good. I liked it so much I'm using the same blocks in a project for a small group I'm starting up in our guild. I'm hosting another teacup swap on another group. I'm making 12 blocks for this one so I can make a bigger wallhanging and I plan on adding a teapot. I hope it comes out good! They'll probably both end up as Christmas gifts. I have someone in mind.

Christmas Table Toppers




I recently joined the local quilt guild and they were having a silent auction fund raiser and needed donations, so I made two table toppers. I used the 4000 member celebration block from my favorite on line quilt group. They came out pretty good and were very easy to make.

Froggy Blanket


My daughter was complaining that my grandson kept dragging around the baby blanket I made when he was born and she said it was too big and he kept knocking everything over. So .... she wanted me to make him a smaller blanket that he could carry around. So I did -- and I fussy cut frogs and used a simple block. Then I found the cutest stuffed frog and attached a hoop to his butt and made it so you could attach the small quilt to the frog so he could carry both around easily. He loved it. And carried it around with him, but in the other hand -- he kept dragging the big baby quilt. Refused to give it up. We think he likes the silky blanket binding. I like the frog myself.

Where has the time gone?

Wow! It's been a while since I posted on this. My mom was here for about a month. We went to the Hershey Quilt Odyssey and took 3 workshops . So I'll post pictures of the blocks I made (as soon as I can find them). Then we went to my grandson's first birthday party. It was hot but fun. Then my hubby came home from Iraq. He was here about a month too. We went to Florida for a week with the whole family. Tons of fun and beautiful weather. Missed all the hurricanes. But now hubby is on his way to Korea, so my time is again my own and I can catch up.