So I am finishing up the binding on the "chutes and ladders" quilt, which is the quilt from the blockswappers group from the quilt shop last fall. I didn't use all the blocks but put 36 of them together in a baby sized quilt. I have enjoyed doing the reversible or quilt as you go method with finishing this one. I may do it again sometime.

The denim circles are another project, not a UFO but a newish project I did some stuff for while out sitting by the pool the other day I cut up a few pairs of jeans into circles. I am not sure how big I will make this one but it is also kinda fun. There really is no "quilting" to it as it is just really sewing two circles together on one side then after you get, say a row, you can add the fabric center, which is about 4 inches on mine here, then fold over the rounded edges over the square fabric (I have used various novelty prints-some leftover from the above project) and then finish the edges by zigzagging. Once you get it to the size you want it, you're done. You just finish off all the outer edges the same way.

So, hopefully I will finish up the binding and a label on the swap quilt sometime this weekend. I really need a finish. I am getting close to the top of the UFO queen list, I think there are only 15 or less people ahead of me.

I also took out my knitting project from oh, I don't know, maybe 2 years ago or more, and worked on that. I have gotten to the point where I need help again (which I knew I wouldn't be able to finish-I can never read/understand directions!). So maybe I will get that finished before winter comes and be able to actually wear it! We'll see-

Getting there!

So I have been putting together these swap blocks in the quilt as you go method. I have not been working on it for a lot of time, but it is going very fast. I am enjoying this process. It's nice that when I get the blocks together, and I am half way there, I am pretty much done, except for the binding (and label). I just purchased some more fabric for the rows of sashing. Because I was using fat quarters, there wasn't going to be enough length to cut the strips for the whole length across each row. Zack is over at a friend's house today so I guess I could get a lot done if I put my mind to it. We'll see. I would like to get another UFO off my list!

Swap blocks

I pulled out the swap blocks the other day and have been doing a little quilting of each block separately. I am trying out the "quilt as you go" method I saw on Simply Quilts the other day. I recorded it and am currently trying to attach a couple blocks to see how it goes. It is going a lot better than I thought it would. Hopefully the sashing between rows will go as well as these. I am using a multi color print with a black background for the sashing. It really brings out the brightness in the blocks. These blocks are so cute, like an I spy quilt with having the novelties in the middle. They are small blocks though, but I am enjoying this process. It's nice to think when I am done putting the blocks together it will be all done-so much easier to quilt a small block than to try to do a whole top at one time.

I'm not sure why I can't manipulate these pictures, I thought I could move them. Anyway, I tried to post a picture at the end here of the string x quilt top that I recently finished. It ended up being on top. It is fairly small, I guess it's a baby size quilt top but I decided I am done with it. That's as big as it gets. Now I just have to quilt it and get it finished up. I liked doing that one, but I don't think I will do that pattern again. It wasn't hard, just for some reason it wasn't my favorite pattern to do. I do like the scrappy look to it and using up all those leftover scraps! There are so many patterns I want to try though, so I need to finish these quilts up so I can get to them too-

Well I did end up manipulating the pictures a little bit. I switched the order and changed their size but I couldn't move them to be in between text. Oh well, maybe someday I'll figure that out.