Tropical Stars

Time for another Schnibbles post!  This month the pattern was I.S.T.H.  That stands for Insert Snappy Title Here, designed by Carrie Nelson. I just love how there are more borders on the top and bottom than there are on the sides in this design.  Just a different look than most of the quilts I make.  It's always fun to do something different than the norm, not only in the design but in the fabric choices too.  

I mixed a Prayer Flag Charm Pack and a Flora Charm Pack for the stars, sashing and pieced borders.  Then came those setting triangles. I went back and forth between the yellow, which is from a Nancy Halvorsen Christmas line, and the blue gingham, which is from Carrie's Fresh Palette fabric line. At one point I even became exasperated with myself and I decided to go with making the setting triangles the same color as the background of the blocks, just plain white. As you can see, eventually it was back to yellow. I really love it now. Shelley mentioned in the comments of a previous post that the fabrics looked very tropical to her.  That's where I got the title Tropical Stars. Thanks Shelley!  This color scheme isn't what I had pictured in my head in the beginning and I think that's why I had such a hard time with it, but all's well that ends well, right? 

Tropical Stars

Be sure to visit Sherri and Sinta later in the week and see the other beautiful I.S.T.H. quilts in the Another Year Of Schnibbles Parade for February. Thank you Sherri, Sinta, Carrie and everyone who participates for making this such a fun group! 

Bountiful Binding

A cool, rainy day like today is a perfect time to stay inside, sit down, and put some binding on by hand. 

The Results

These are the blocks I finished during yesterday's Friday Night Sew In.  It was great to have some time "blocked out" for sewing.  When I'm done with this post in a minute or two, I plan to working on a few more.

The blocks.

Prayer Flag and Flora are the Charm Packs I'm using in this Another Year Of Schnibbles project for February.  I.s.t.h. has been going together really well for me, but I did have some trouble picking out the fabric for my setting triangles. I guess that's what I get for starting on the blocks before I had the rest of the fabrics picked out. I spent some time in two quilt shops looking for setting triangle fabric to go with the blocks I'd already done and the yellow is what I came up with.  Maybe I'm having a little trouble loving it because it's not exactly what I was picturing.  The fabric I had envisioned had more of a combination of all the colors I was using in it, not a tone on tone. The fabric I wanted didn't seem to exist, at least not anywhere near my house, and I plan.....notice I do say plan.....to have it done fairly soon, so I went with the yellow.  Do you usually pick out fabrics for a quilt all at once, or do you decide as you go along?   

Hmmm......

While I was shopping yesterday, I also found this great fabric called Urban Keys. At some point I'd like to make the Reader Wrap for my e-reader.  It's another Atkinson Designs pattern.   

Urban Keys is perfect for my e-reader.

Earlier in the week I finished another Lollipop Bag.  I just can't stop making them!  This one is for my friend Mary Pat.  We plan to swap bags later and when we do, I'll be sure to share the pictures!  I think she'll love the fabrics, so I'm keeping it a secret!  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!  

Friday Night Plans

I plan on making more of these on Friday Night. 

And some of these too.

Are you signed up for the Friday Night Sew In?

Very, Very Valentine's!

Have a Super Sweet Valentine's Day!!

Grab a Kleenex and Let's Talk about Memory Quilts

Recently, I ran across an article in Southern Living Magazine about the devastating tornadoes in Alabama last year, and then I discovered this video clip about the story of a special memory quilt on their web site.  If you've got a Kleenex with you, go here and watch the clip "Lost and Found: Memory Quilt". 

  Are you back yet? Reading that story inspired me to share a few of the memory quilts I've made with my kids. This quilt was about summer memories.  I asked both of my boys to paint some things they enjoyed doing that summer.  The fabric paint started flying and this quilt was created. I think I got the pattern from McCall's Quilting Magazine one year. On the back of the quilt I made a label with a few sentences about each painting in the boys' own words. I'm really glad I wrote that down, because right now I'm wondering about the guy in the middle of the quilt!  But since I took the time to make that label, I can just check the back!  They also wrote their names on the back in their own handwriting.  If you haven't guessed, I'm really big into labeling quilts!!  I just don't think it's done until it has a label. The boys' handwriting just isn't as cute now! I'm so glad that we did this summer project.  This is a quilt I will treasure forever.    

The next quilt is one we made from the book Handprint Quilts by Marcia L. Layton.  I wanted to capture some of their handprints in a fun way before they got too big and not interested in making crafts with Mom anymore!  They picked their colors got to work!  I think I drew on the scales and the faces with more fabric paint.  There are white sequins hand sewn on for bubbles, and waves machine quilted with variegated blue thread.  One of my first ventures into free motion quilting! I remember not wanting to put the waves on, being worried about messing up the quilt with my lack of free motion skills, but I went ahead and did it anyway.  Those waves sure aren't perfect, but I'm so glad I went for it!  It adds to the quilt and it shows where we all were at the time the quilt was made! Memories!


I'd love to know if you have any special memory quilts.  I'd like to do some more, but with 12 and 16 year old boys, I really don't have any ideas. What kind of memory quilts have you done? Maybe you can help me.  Drawing more pictures or making more handprint fish wouldn't go over well right now!  The boys have done a few quilts for school projects over the years.   In fact, one is hanging up in the lobby of the elementary school and the other is on display in the school library. I don't have any pictures of them right now, so that will have be another post.


Right now, I'm working on another bag to swap with my friend Mary Pat.  This bag swap thing is really fun!  Zippers are all over the place around here! So are kids. Ugh! Cold and flu season has gotten the best of us and both boys have been sick this week.  Luckily, I think everyone is on the mend now and the sickness is behind us.  Thank goodness!  Have a healthy, safe, and fun weekend!

Swapped and Swamped!

Last week I sent my bag for the Accessory Bag Swap at Dandelion Quilts to my swap partner Carol, from Carol's Crafty Creations. This was my first experience participating in a swap.  I used the pattern Lollipop Bags from Atkinson Designs that I got at my LQS when they came back from Market. What a fun bag to make!  I was a little intimidated by the rosette and the zipper.....I don't think I've ever put a zipper in anything before, or a rosette for that matter. If I have I don't remember it, so it must not have been that bad.......Anyway,  I was happy with the way both the rosette and the zipper turned out. They weren't difficult at all! The fabrics I used were from the Long Live Vintage line from Adorn It. I saw them at my not so LQS and I thought they would make a nice bag for Carol. 

The bag I made for Carol in the Dandelion Quilts Accessory Bag Swap.

Included in my swap package for Carol were a few extra treats, even one for her dogs Buster and Betty. My son helped me pick out a ball he thought they would like and Carol was kind enough to post a picture of Buster opening the package and both of the dogs playing with it.  We got a kick out of that!  If you'd like to take a look, go here.  

The adorable bag that Carol made for me with Ruby fabric.

I also received my swap gift from Carol last week! I was so excited!  I love the cute bag she made with Ruby fabric!  I just love that line!  How did she know? The straight line quilting she did and the lovely flower really made a sweet bag.  There's even a label inside that says Carol's Crafty Creations.  That's pretty neat.  As much as I think labels on quilts are important, I never thought about putting one in a bag.  Great idea!  Thanks so much for the lovely bag Carol!! 

Sewing treats from Carol.

Carol also put some fun sewing goodies in the bag as a special swap treat.  Plenty of needles, pins, some sweet buttons and some other sewing items.   What quilter wouldn't love to get such a kind and thoughtful gift from a swap friend!  Thanks again Carol! And thanks to Kris for organizing such a fun swap!  It was a wonderful experience!

Well, the pizza is on the way and I've got lots of laundry to fold........that's the swamped part.  Yes, some of it is that soccer boy laundry that I do my best to avoid, but just haven't figured out a way......yet.  He had a soccer tournament this weekend that involved three games over two days, including one that was partially in the dark!  All those games makes for lots of laundry!  Eating Super Bowl treats and watching the football game wrapped up the weekend for my family.  Have a wonderful week!  Happy sewing!