EAL Block and I WON!

First up is the next block for the Early American Life quilt that Karen and I are working on.  Mine is a simpler version.  

Next...I entered a giveaway at Crafty Ashley B.

It is a beautiful tote bag with lots of pockets, a zippered bag to go with it and 3 patterns.  The patterns are by Simplicity.  The first pattern if for tote bags and zippered bags in multiple sizes.  The second pattern is for Organizer bins and the third is for some really classy tote...more like purses.  She also sent me three FQ's.  You should stop on over and check out her blog.

Well in my last post I told you I woke up to snow.  The next morning it snowed and then the temps got up to 56 degrees.  Yesterday was so beautiful...Spring had finally sprung.  Last night it rained.  This morning was beautiful again.  Gray clouds have moved in and it is supposed to rain.  Looks like the nice weather has left us and cooler temps and rain are in our future.  Not all bad...it makes for good sewing time.

I finished quilting the wedding quilt and have sewn the binding on the quilt.  Tonight I will had sew the binding down.   I made a really cute quilt label and will show you it later.

Have a good weekend and thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy

Winners

My Giveaway is now closed.  Two winners have been chosen.

Congratulations

Karen Martin

Georgia Yates

Emails are being sent to the winners.  I'm going out of town today and will not be able to mail the magazines out until Tuesday.

This is the most popular block that I tested for Quiltmaker Magazines 100 Blocks, Vol. 13.

Thanks to all who entered the giveaway.

Hugs, Cathy

GIVEAWAY!!!! Now Closed

I let it leak that I was a block tester for Quiltmaker Magazine for the 100 Blocks Vol. 13.  They kindly sent me 3 issues of the magazine.  One for me and two to share with you.  Quiltmaker is going to start their Blog Tour May 2-6.

Before I give you the giveaway information I want to share the blocks that I tested.  There were 8 groups testing blocks for Vol 13.  My group tested 12 blocks.

Block #1207  "Roary"

Designed by Janet Maurer

#1216 "Cloud Burst"

Designed by Cheryl Brickey

#1217 "Four of a Kind"

Designed by Jenifer Dick

#1222 "Pinwheel Star"

Designed by Nancy Mahoney

#1227 "Haywire Pumpkin"

Designed by Elizabeth Angus

#1231 "Ladylike"

Designed by Cheryl Brown

#1241 "Dawn's Early Light"

Designed by Bonnie Hunter"

#1244 "Shelton"

Designed by April Mazzoleni

#1249 "Brisa Bunny"

Designed by Margie Ullery

#1270 "Dancing in the Rain"

Designed by Kelli Fannin

#1286 "Bric-a-Brac"

Designed by Deb McDonald

#1291 "Churning Nine"

Designed by Doris Rice

It was so much fun testing these blocks.  So much so that I signed up for Vol. 14.  

Now for the giveaway....Leave a message telling me which of the blocks I tested that you like best.  You will have until Thursday May 5th.  I will pick winners Friday May 6th.  I won't be able to mail out the magazines until Tuesday May 10th as I will be out of town.  You don't have to be a follower but I would sure like it if you were.  Thanks for stopping by and good luck in the  giveaway.  Entries must be made on this post.

Hugs, Cathy

Giveaway now closed.

Sweet Gum Leaf

Oh the torture....  I started on this block right away.  The dreaded Y seam did me in.  I stacked all the pieces for the block on a design board and put it up.  Then yesterday I was checking out blogs and visited one of my favorites Fun with Barb .  She is also doing Barbara Brackman's BOM Westering Women.  However she is doing her blocks to finish at 9".  She did her block using HST.

I was going to do the same and then I remembered a pattern I saw for 8 pointed star where you didn't have to do Y seams.  So thanks to Barb for her inspiration.

Top diagram is the block directions from Blockbase.  The bottom is how I redrafted the block.  What a difference in sewing but not in how it looks.

I appliqued the stem.  It took about 20 minutes to sew the block.  I spent over an hour trying to get one Y seam made.  Love this block.


Next month I am going to be having a giveaway.  What you don't know is that for the last 6 months I have been testing blocks for Quiltmakers 100 Blocks Vol. 13.  I so enjoyed it.  For my participation they have sent me 3 issues of the magazine.  One for me and two to give away.  So stay tuned and watch for the giveaway the beginning of May.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the weekend.

Hugs, Cathy

GIVEAWAY!!

You still have time to enter the giveaway.  

Leave a comment letting me know which pattern you would like.  You have until Wednesday.  I will choose 2 winners on Thursday. 

The sun is shining here and I hope to get out and go for a walk.  Enjoy your day.

Hugs, Cathy

Better Late than Never

I know I mentioned a giveaway last month....but health issues got in the way.   Then we visited my son up north and I got involved in other things.  Enough with the excuses, right?

Well here it is.  As usual I forget what patterns I have and end up buying another and now I have 2 copies of a couple of patterns.  Your gain.

I must really love these patterns because I have 2 copies of each.  I will be gifting a pattern to 2 people. 

To enter leave a comment letting me know you are a follower and which pattern you would like to receive.  I will pick the winners next Wednesday.  Good Luck.


Each day I am feeling better and have more energy.  I prepped another block for the Old Voices quilt.  I'm also getting a couple of Christmas gift quilts ready for quilting.  I'm also testing some blocks for a magazine...can't say much more.  And am trying to clean my sewing room.  So it's good my energy levels are on the rise.


I got a new camera.  A Sony Cyber Shot.  It is very small.  I do have a bigger camera but I needed something smaller I can keep in the sewing room to take pictures of projects.  So I started playing with it.  In the corner of my living room I have an old wooden ladder.  I have some antique quilt tops hanging on it and some of my stuffed animals and dolls.

It's a little fuzzy...so I need to practice more.

In my sewing room I came across some scraps left over from an Accuquilt project.  I need to trim them up but I put them up on my portable design board. 

I think this will make a cute Doll Quilt.

Today the sun is out and it's 52 out...with no rain in site.  I think I will try and get out and take a walk.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great day.

Hugs, Cathy

A Finish, Some Fun and A Reminder

A finish is my first finish for March.

This is the Temecula Calendar quilt for March.  It is hard to see in this photo but the X's and binding are green.  I machine pieced it and hand quilted it in one day.  It took almost two days to bind because I was out having fun. 

I started putting my sampler swap blocks together.  I had just enough of the blue I used in my block for corner stones.  And miracles of miracles I have just enough of the red in my block to make a small border and binding.


Now for the fun...  My daughters took me to Painting With a Twist.  Kelley is a fan of Audrey Hepburn so she chose this session.

This is my rendition.  The whole time we were painting I kept saying she should have flesh tone skin and red lips.  As you can see I was all talk no action. However, my daughter Kim did as I said not as I did...lol

Kelley, Me and Kim.  We had so much fun....and Kelley brought wine.

It was a fun bunch of girls.  Me and my gals were in the very last row.  We decided this would be a great thing to do again.  Maybe for our birthdays.  If you get a chance go.  You will have a blast.


Now for the reminder.  Tomorrow is the last day to enter the giveaway sponsored by Connecting Threads for a charm square pack to 3 of my readers. You must enter on the original post to be entered.  Click here to enter.  Good Luck.


This has been one crazy winter.  Snow, wind, ice and frigid temps.  This morning it was -5 and next week it is going to be in the 50's.  I see some flooding in our future.  

Stay warm, keep busy and thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy

Good News

I've been buying fabric, thread and books for years from Connecting Threads.   I've posted quilts I made from their Jelly Rolls and Charm Squares.  Here's some of the quilts.

This quilt was made using charm squares.

I used charms and jelly rolls from the same line for this quilt.

This is another Jelly Roll quilt.

This was made for a friend in Texas for Christmas.  Another Jelly Roll Quilt.

Well I contacted Connecting Threads and asked if they would sponsor a giveaway.  Details are at the bottom of this post.


They have got some fabulous new fabric lines.  Here are just a few.  Take a look.

This is Maison de Provence

This is Luminescence    I love the Purple and Turquoise together.

And my favorite is Red by Alex Anderson.  I can already see a quilt in my future using this fabric.


Connecting Threads is sponsoring a giveaway of a Charm Pack of your choice to three of my readers.  It is open to US and Canadian followers.  To enter click on the Connecting Threads logo at the top right of my blog, browse their pre-cuts.  Let me know you visited them for a chance to win.  Be a follower and get a second chance.  Blog about the giveaway for a third chance.  I will pick the winners on Saturday, March 7th.  Be sure I have some way to get in touch with you.  So that gives you 3 chances to win.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you are keeping warm and keeping busy.

Hugs, Cathy

PS:  Have received a couple of noreply comments.  Please be sure to leave an email address so I have some way of contacting you.  If you comment using Google+ I can not contact you.  Please leave an email address in your comment.

Giveaway is now closed.

Bye, Bye

Sorry February but I'm glad to see you go.  I'm hoping maybe some warmer weather will come with March.

I am so thrilled that I got almost everything on my February "To Do" list done.

1. Primitive Primer...Take a look!

It's a little wonky....can't seem to get it straight on the design wall..new flannel I guess.  Any way...I had to take part of it apart to resize some blocks.  Now it is pretty square.  I added the first appliqued border on the right and the pieced border on the top.  I have prepped the bottom appliqued border whew...I will be so glad to finish this.

2. 2013 Pieced Sampler...DONE

3  10 Plaid Jacob Ladder Blocks...DONE

4.  Lori's Midwinter Blues...DONE

5.  Cheri Payne Basket quilt...(Hand quilting) top is DONE

2014 BOMS

1.  Sugar Shack...DONE

2.  Pat Sloan's Globetrotting...DONE

3.  Hip Chicks...DONE

4.  Country Threads...DONE

5.  Quilt Doodles...DONE

Now for my March "To Do" List

1.  Finish my Primitive Primer top

2.  Flannel quilt for Sammie (our dog)

3. 20 Shoofly Blocks (Pat Sloan QAL)

4. 10 more Jacobs Ladder Blocks

5.  Blue Bird Challenge

2014 BOMS

1. Sugar Shack

2. Globetrotting

3. Hip Chicks

4. Country Threads

5. Quilt Doodles

I hope I get as much done in March as I did in January and February.  But no pressure...as long as I am enjoying myself I'm happy.

Don't forget about the GIVEAWAY..today is the last day to enter.   

You can enter here.  Good Luck everyone.  I will be back tomorrow with the name of the winner.

Hugs, Cathy

Final Giveaway

Today is the final giveaway for my Anniversary Month.

I got this book for Christmas and loved it at first site.  I knew I was going to be having a giveaway for my Blog Anniversary and Wedding Anniversary in February so I ordered another copy.  

You know the drill.....

Leave a comment letting me know you are a follower and how you follow.

For a second chance blog about the giveaway and leave a comment letting me know.

Good luck in the giveaway and thanks to all that are following.

You have until Friday the 28th to enter.  A winner will be picked on Saturday, March 1st.

Hugs, Cathy

To Do List and Giveaway

I am making great headway on my "To Do" list...

I wanted to get 10 Jacobs Ladder blocks made and I did.

I love how this is coming together.  I need to make 18 more then I can put the quilt together. I will make 9 blocks a month for the next 2 months.  This is a project I started early last year.


Continuing the theme of finishing projects from 2013....This is the Amish Sampler Block of the Month by Sentimental Stitches.  You can see I chose not to make it Amish.

This is where I left off last year. I had 3 blocks to go.

After I finished the last 3 blocks I had to put them on point on my design wall.  Only one of the 3 blocks is original to the pattern.  The were a bit involved and I wanted to get this top done so I opted for easier blocks.

Now the blocks were suppose to have sashing around all of them.  I decided not to add it.  I love how it looks like with the red and blue nine patches.

The quilt was suppose to have pieced set in triangles and corner triangles.  Wanting to make the quilt my own I decided to add plain triangles.

You know how hard it is to figure out what size to make the triangles...  Well I got this free app for my phone and my kindle.  It is the Robert Kaufman Quilt Calc.  You go to set-in and corner triangles.  Add the size of your finished block and hit calculate.  I needed 15 1/2" squares cut twice on the diagonal for my set-in triangles and 8" squares cut once on the diagonal for the corner triangles.  This app makes it so easy.

Today I hope to get the top sewn together.  After I am adding a 1 1/2" border of blue and then a 2 1/2" to 3" outer border.  

I only have one more project on my "To Do" list.  That is to work on my Primitive Primer quilt.  I don't think this will get done this month but that is okay.  I'm happy with what I've gotten done.

I want to remind you of my Week 3 Giveaway.

To enter click here to enter in the giveaway.  Good Luck!

Thank you for stopping by.  I hope you are having a wonderful middle of the week and getting lots of sewing done.

Hugs, Cathy

A FINISH AND A GIVEAWAY!!!

A finish....

I finished my Midwinter Blues.  A big thank you to Lori for hosting this wonderful QAL.  She makes it easy for the rest of us.

I finished my Hip Chicks February BOM blocks.  The block on the left is pieced. It was a tough one.  These blocks are only 6" finished.  Now don't get excited, the blocks on the right are fusible applique.  Later I will add button hole applique.  This is the last of my BOMs for the month...another project crossed off my list.

Yesterday it was so beautiful.  The sun was shining and the yard was full of hungry birds.  They emptied my bird feeders.  We decided to go on a nice ride and out to lunch on Sunday.  Surprise...woke up this morning and it is snowing yet again.  No ride for us.  Instead I will be spending time in my sewing room make the final 2 Plaid Jacob Ladder blocks to complete the 10 blocks I wanted to get done this month.  I still have about 18 blocks to go to finish this quilt.


Now I think I mentioned a giveaway.  Week #3 Giveaway is.....

The book is "Welcome the Seasons" by Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts.  I love the quilt on the front.  The box shown in the photo is included in the giveaway.  This one is mine...I emptied out all my supplies so I could show it to you.  Yours will come in a cellophane package.  

Now to enter the giveaway.....

1.  Leave a comment telling me you are a follower and how you follow me.

2.  For a second chance blog about the giveaway and leave me a comment.

You have until Friday evening to enter.  I will pick a winner on Saturday.

Thanks you for stopping by.  

Hugs, Cathy

Craft it Forward and more...

First the more....

I finished the quilt top for my Flower Basket quilt designed by Cheri Payne.

I auditioned many fabrics for the border.  Couldn't find one I really loved.  I found this fabric and cut a strip and placed them up on the design wall.  Not really a favorite but after looking at it for a day I loved it.

This year I vowed to finish more UFOs and make do with what fabric I have on hand.  So far so good.  The only fabric I bought was flannel for the back of my granddaughter's quilt.


Now for Craft it Forward.  Last week Terry at Terry's Treasures posted a picture of an organizer she had received.  She had signed up for "Craft it Forward" and the organizer was what she received.  She then posted on her blog asking if anyone wanted to participate.  The first five sign ups would receive a crafted gift from her.  I signed up.  This is what I received from Terry.

It is so sweet.  It is approximately 10" square.  What I like about it is that I can hang it on the wall as a mini quilt, use it as a mug rug or a candle mat. Thank you Terry.

Now it is my turn to "Craft it Forward"

Here are the rules:

1.  I will make a crafty gift for the first five people to comment on this post and say that they would like to be a part of Craft it Forward!  This little gift is a surprise, and will arrive to you anytime within the next 9 months.

2.  To sign up to Craft it Forward, you need to commit to the project yourself.  Once you receive the item from me, just post this (or something similar) on your blog so others can get involved.  You then make them something and Craft it Forward continues on and on!

3.  Leave a comment on this post telling me that you want participate in Craft it Forward.  Please be sure that I have a way to contact you so I can get your postal address (do not leave your postal address in the comment.) so I can get your crafty gift in the mail.

 Don't forget about the giveaway I am having.

You have until tomorrow (Valentine's Day) to enter here.  Only comments on that link will be entered into the giveaway.  Please be sure I have some way of contacting you.  I have been receiving quite a few "no reply commenters".  A winner will be picked on Saturday and new Giveaway will be posted on Sunday.

I want to thank everyone who left a comment on my Dear Jane Blocks.  I've decided to make a wall hanging out of the original blocks and start again on my scrappy backgrounds.  This will not be a quick project but rather a lovingly long project.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a nice Valentines Day and a wonderful weekend.

Hugs, Cathy

P.S. Spell check took a break today so please forgive any misspellings.