Color Crazy quilt beginnings

The holiday weekend was busy, but not too busy to work on my sewing projects. I sewed on my pinwheels, but I kept gazing at my stack of colorful fabrics that I've been able to trade for (trading Amy Butler and Heather Bailey stuff I bought 2 years ago). I made up my mind to cut, and cut, and cut, on the 4th of July. Then, I went out of town for a few days. When I returned home and laid it all out on my bed, it was TOO MUCH. Yes, too much color can be a bad thing. So, I rethought my new Color Crazy quilt, and came up with these blocks.

I'm going to sash these 12.5" blocks with white, and add cornerstones (is that what they are called), and I'm making it queen size for MY bed (although both daughters are already eyeing it!)

Weekend with whirlygigs

I know I have 3 other WIPs that I could be working on. But, after being inspired by several whirlygig quilts on some of my favorite blogs and Flickr, I decided to use a few of my Wee Play jelly roll scraps to make a little sample of my own. I'm going to add a white border and a multicolor binding soon....gotta get a darning foot for my machine so I can actually quilt something!
Some of my inspiration pieces:
autumn whirlygigs
isn't it beautiful!
sweet in blue
And I must mention Camille Roskelley's pattern that I'm going to purchase (as well as her YUMMY fabrics coming out this fall). I LOVE THIS!
and THIS too! Adding them to my Christmas wish list :D

I handmade a pattern following an online tutorial....(and I cannot find that link now that I want it again!) My blocks are 7.5" (finished at 7"). Only thing is, I don't have a baby, and it's too pretty to give to my daughter for her dolls! lol Maybe I'll save it for a gift for a special person.

WIP #3 30's pinwheels

I think of myself as a modern quilter - leaning toward more modern colors and styles. But, I also have a traditional side....some of the older traditional, simple styles also take my fancy. Pinwheels, for instance, and log cabins, and irish chain.
My 30's pinwheel quilt began with these 3 3/4" squares of 30's reproduction fabrics.

Combined with white squares of the same size and cut into half square triangles, I've created pinwheels with blades the same color, but in 4 different fabrics. Olivia took one look at these and said "I WANT THIS ONE!" lol The final squares measure 6 1/2", although they are a bit bigger before I square them up (hence the reason for 3 3/4" squares to begin with).

For a full quilt, I'm going to make 72 of these and use a 16" border of white all around.

WIP #2 Freshcut quilt

I joined a quilt a long with Dana at oldredbarnco.blogspot.com, and this is how it's going.

I started with a bunch of 2 1/2" strips, and finished with a 50X70 quilt top waiting to be pinned and quilted!

WIP #1 Wee Play Blocks

First up on my work in progress list - American Jane's Wee Play quilt (gotta come up with a good name for it).
I started with jelly rolls and charm packs.


And I'm making lots of blocks like these. Well, not all just the same, but with different combos of strips and blocks.

new blog, new fabric

(Denyse Schmidt Flea Market Fancy - out of print/hard to find)

As my quilting journey begins, I thought a new blog was just the thing to capture the journey!

I've been sewing for years (I need to take some photos of Olivia and Michaela's heirloom dresses), but quilting is new to me. Two years ago, I wanted to begin quilting, but it was that same time that I contracted to write a book for the scrapbooking industry, and I just didn't have time to do both. Another book project came right after the first, but finally, this spring I was able to begin!

My first project is still in progress, and I'll take some pics of that soon (American Jane Wee Play on that one). Project #2 began when I joined an online quilt a long. That top is pieced (pics to come soon), awaiting my first attempts at machine quilting. Project #3 is a more traditional project. More on that later, too.

So, 2 years ago, I bought 3 kinds of fabric - some 30's reproduction fabric fat quarter bundles, some Amy Butler Lotus and Belle fat quarters, and some Heather Bailey FreshCut fabrics. Now, 2 years later, I'm on a tight budget and must use what I have....or trade for something I like better :D So trade/swap I have done, and I'm excited to plan a project with some of my small, small stash!

(Denyse Schmidt Katie Jump Rope mostly)


(Sandi Henderson Farmer's Market and Ginger Blossom fabrics)