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.

Hand dyed fabric

Here are the photos of the fabric I dyed. The ones that I used the white muslin worked the best. The purple was different for several reasons. It was a white on white fabric -it actually looks better in this photo than it does "live". The back is fine but I thought dying the purple on the white on white would subdue the white more. You can really see the white on the printed side, the purple is there but the white really jumps out at you. Also this piece was about 2 yards long and the others were only a yard piece each (roughly, I didn't measure I just cut the 3 yard piece into 3 parts). So in the future I think I will use regular muslin, maybe I'll try a big piece again sometime but I think I will keep to smaller pieces for a while. I have a bunch of dye left to use up, but I need to go get more fabric! This was really fun actually. I definitely want to do it again! Next post are the onesies and boxers. I couldnt get them all in one post the way I wanted to separate them so I just did two different posts.

I dyed this weekend!

Here are some photos of some dying from this weekend. I dyed 5 onesies, 3 pairs of boxer shorts and 5 yards of fabric. The onesies came out adorable. I think it's mostly because clothes for someone that small are just adorable to begin with. But I do love the tie dyed look on a onesie!

I also like the boxers which came out a bit more pastel than they should because of the poly/cotton blend they are made out of . If they were just cotton, they would be more vivid colors, I think.

Well I was hoping the pictures would be posted in between the text, but I guess you need to do something special in order for that to happen. Maybe I"ll figure that out someday

ADD?

Here are pictures of three new projects. I can't seem to stay with any particular one for too long. I did a few of the "wonder cut ruler" blocks (first picture)and new purple string quilt blocks last night. Today I worked more on letter blocks. They are a lot of fun, but it seems like I have been doing them all day and I dont have that many done. I guess because I kept starting over. I'd like to do a whole quilt with these letters (and more). I have so many UFO"s I am not sure where to start. I keep getting side tracked. Oh well the 5 that I have finished this year are still a record and I wouldnt have had those done without the encouragement from the Stashbusters group. I just need to keep plugging along.

tanya's letters

So I finally tried some of Tanya's letters and they are really fun to do! I was practicing with a few last night. I want to make lots more-they are addicting! I like her quilts with blocks of descriptive words. I think I'd like to do one of those. Here are a few letters I have tried. The "N" isn't too great, I have to work on that one. The "Y" is too big so I have to figure out how to make one smaller. I Like the "O" and the "H" though. I will keep practicing and show more later.