Two Down and ??? To Go

Finished my second strip this week, and I am really getting anxious to do more.  Seldom plan my quilts in advance,  because they usually morph into something else.  But in the spirit of Monday Morning Star Count at Jessica's blog, I have come up with some tentative numbers for goal.  If I make the quilt 45"x 65", I will need 7 strips of 18 hexies and 6 strips of 17 hexies for a total of 13 strips and 228 hexies.  I have completed 2 strips of 35 hexies, so I have 11 strips of 193 hexies to go.  Whew!  I HATE MATH!

I would much rather be sewing all these little lovelies down.  Can hardly wait to see where M. Piggy will land...

Full Circle

I am making my first Double Wedding Ring under protest.  Never wanted to tackle this forbidding design, but the Metro Mod challenge is pushing me to try it at long last.  I watched Victoria's great tutorials and am using the clever rulers I got at the last meeting.  So I had some sewing pals over yesterday for support.  I ended up watching them work it through and make any possible mistakes for me.  I was relieved to see it wasn't that difficult.  So this morning, I cut out my first ring.

Since my walls and beds are all covered with quilts, I am trying to keep new projects small and utilitarian.  This table mat will match my microwave potholder and my tea cozy.  Toaster's next...

It was fun to find that dark blue fabric in my stash.  It reminded me why I took up quilting many years ago.  It came from a skirt that was too small to wear...and the rest is history.   So in a sense, I have come full circle with my ring.

Committed At Last!

Yay!  I made a decision...always takes a while for me to figure out direction I want to go in.  The hexies are going on strips, keeping this a very portable project for Sewing On the Go.  Which reminds me...Jessica's book signing program was a huge success!  I was so glad to see so many of us catching her spirit.  I love her easy basting method and am converted forever now.  I am not joining my hexies,  however, but rather appliqueing them individually.  Thought my blues were just to dark together and needed a lot of white to set them off.  So I'm off and running here...

Melissa

Melissa is trying out her new microwave potholder.   I like her choice of kitchen colors...yellow, white, and grey.  I think she has excellent taste.  After all, she is dating my son, which proves it.  And may I say, so does he!!

Microwave Potholder

As promised, a tutorial for this eezie-peezie project.  I cut two 12" squares of cotton fabric and two more of all cotton batting.  

Quilted the batting to each fabric square.

Sewed darts in the center of each side.  I started at 1/2" and ended at zero about an inch from the center of the block.

I did the same on the gray block.

Right sides together, I stitched the blocks all around...leaving an opening to turn.   Hand stitched the opening and finished with some machine topstitching.  Now wasn't that easy?   

Note:  no metallics or synthetics in this project, please, because it goes right into the microwave.

Bevy of Hexies

This yo-yo quilt caught my eye and may be just the layout I want for my Indigo hexies.  Article reads "For an on-the-go project, stitch a bevy of yo-yos and secure them to strips..."

Question:  How many hexies in a bevy?  So far I have 125.

Instant Gratification

Is your bowl of soup to hot to handle when you take it out of the microwave?  This little quilted carrier works like a charm.  Allison taught us how to make one at our last Needle Arts meeting in the library.  Most important is that you use only cotton fabric and batting...and no metallics, please!   I stitched this up in minutes and use it all the time.  Just set your bowl in it and zap it!  The carrier stays cool and goes from the microwave to the table...or in front of the TV.  I may post a tutorial soon.

Blue Monday

Played with my basted hexies over the weekend.  I am counting 114 and wanting to settle on an arrangement soon.  I have just too many great options spinning round in my brain today!  

So I am cutting more postage stamps from my pals' scraps instead.  It's so much fun to play with others!    Thank you for these happy lil' souvenirs from QBL...V, E, and Lisa!