Glue. Sew. Press. Cut. Sew. Press. Cut. Sew. Press. Cut. Sew. Press. Cut.

I guess you get the idea, these are the steps in paper piecing.  Still working on my "Stepping Stones" Judi Niemeyer quilt. Please. Remind me why I chose to make a king size one. Anyway, I am slowly sewing away on these blocks. I have until June 2nd to get the quilt top done (the due date for Sarah Fielke's, Naked Bed Challenge).  I hope I can make it. I have 36 more blocks to go. Then I'll have to put it all together. I need to buckle down. 



blocks for "Stepping Stones"



more blocks for "Stepping Stones"

 

These are some of the blocks that I have pieced. I moved my dining room table underneath the stairs so that I could get a good photo. I spread them out, to ensure that I had enough color variety, before I started on the last 36. There are 3 different smaller blocks,  (J, K, L). I'll combine the three to make one larger block.  The rotation of each bigger block will vary from above. Plus there will be black sashing between the columns.

Two weeks and counting...................

WIP Wednesday #26

70 blocks completed!  35 more to go!

These are only a mere 28 of them.

I love pictures of stacks of freshly cut fabric and completed blocks.  Here are 70 completed blocks for my current quilt in progress.  It is a paper piecing pattern by Judi Niemeyer, called Stepping Stones. I joined the Naked Bed Challenge in hopes of completing the quilt top within 2 months. I think the dealine is end of June. I wrote more about it here. 

I am linking up with WIP Wednesday #26 @ freshlypieced.blogspot.com .

h<a href="http://freshlypieced.blogspot.com"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1109/5159705972_49be14a673_m.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced" /></a>

Please, oh please..... how do you answer comments to posts?

They say we turn into our parents. "They" are right.  My mother still doesn't know how to operate her DVD player, its purpose is dust collector. Movies? Not so much. So.....

I thought I was fairly competent with the internet and computers. No, I cannot write code or anything. But I can at least turn the thing on and off and can even defrag. And have managed to start a blog, even.  So, someone please tell me how do you answer comments from a post directly. Is there a way to do this?  Or will I have to go to each ones profile page and send an email that way?  Seems like it should be easier. I could possibly be making this more difficult that it is.

Since my coin quilt made it on the May banner at Stash Manicure, Sew We Quilt I have had lots of wonderful comments that I would love to respond too. And also more followers!  Yeah!

Can anyone give a girl a clue?  Anyone?

Sew We Quilt ---- I am on the MAY banner!!!

A few weeks ago, I received an email from Madame Samm of  Sew We Quilt . This is a blog I read daily (except for Sundays ;-) ).  I love this blog!  Well her email stated that one of the coin quilts I submitted was chosen to be on the May banner. What?!  She asked that I submit the story behind the quilt, which you can read on the Sew We Quilt blog tomorrow.  But here is a picture of the quilt that made the cut.  I kind of feel famous..... even if it is only for a month! 

Thanks Samm!



A Quilt for Everyday Use



The NAKED Bed Challenge - only 77 more blocks to go

Well, almost 2 posts in one week. Pretty good. Anyway, in my last post I discussed that I was joining the The Naked Bed Challenge hosted by Sarah Fielke.  I am planning on completing a King size Judi Niemeyer paper pieced quilt pattern called "Stepping Stones" in 2 months!  Well here is my progress so far, 28 out of 105 blocks. Not too bad.  It takes me anywhere from 30-45 minutes to complete each block. This seems slow, but it used to take me a whole HOUR.  Progress.


My progress on Stepping Stones!

 I am using 6 jelly rolls from Hoffman Bali Batiks - Spumoni, Berry Bliss, Blue Hawaiian and another one (can't remember the name).  I am loving the look so far.

Until later!

I suck at blogging.

Let's see, last post Jan. 5th. Yep, I suck at this.  But, I'll continue to try.

I have started another quilt using a Judi Niemeyer pattern, called Stepping Stones, found here.  The first quilt I did of Judi's was the Wandering Star, which is now out of print.  I love the precision of paper piecing, just look at those points!  I was sold.



Wandering Star
pattern by Judi Niemeyer



I actually won the Stepping Stones pattern from a contest from Judi's Facebook page! Woohoo! She has some fabulous patterns. I'd really like to try the Bali Wedding Star and the Praire Star. They are really beautiful. Go take a look at  http://www.quiltworx.com/. 

In other news... I am going to join The Naked Bed Challenge sponsored by Sarah Fielke, her blog is called the last piece. The goal of the challenge is to complete a quilt for your bed in two months.  I am going to attempt to finish Stepping Stones...... wish me luck. Go take a look at her site here to get details.   Sarah is launching her new book "Quilting from Little Things". She is also the designer of the fabric line "From Little Things". Aren't they beautiful?  Just look at those colors, those stripes, those dots, those birds, those flowers.... YUMMY.



From Little Things
by Sarah Fielke

Won't you join us for the THE NAKED BED CHALLENGE?  Come on, just the name is enough to entice me. ;-)  Did I mention she has prizes too?!

p.s. i quilt: postage stamp quilt along.

I love a quilt along!  Not that I have done many. This new one will be my second, although technically I didn't "quilt along" to the other one. See, I only discovered it after the fact. And. It just so happens it was another one hosted by Rachel Griffith of p.s. i quilt, the first one she hosted, it was a Pinwheel Sampler.  I loved how mine turned out!

Used a Layer Cake from Moda's Verna by Kate Spain.

I just ordered my fabrics for the new Quilt Along from the Fat Quarter Shop.  Love this store. Don't tell, but this is my second order this week, and it is only Wednesday. :-)  Two orders =  more mail = two packages. Yippee.  Love me some mail.  Anyway, Fat Quarter Shop is offering a discount (see Rachel's blog post for details)!!! I saved $18.30!!

Okay, back to the POSTAGE STAMP QUILT-ALONG.....  I plan to turn this....

Into this:

So, grab some jelly rolls and join us! Click the button below for more details!

 

p.s. i quilt: postage stamp quilt along.

Blogging and Quilting: Goals and Aspirations...

Isn't that just a catchy, make you want to read title? Am I creative or what?  ;-)  It will get better, it has too. 

But, since it is the beginning of the year and I am a relatively new blogger, I felt this was a good opportunity to evaluate my goals.

Blog:
1. weekly postings
2. better pictures of quilts
3. more pictures of my process
4. write a tutorial? I have an apron idea using some charm squares.
5. offer a give away after getting 10 followers?
6. really evaluate purpose of my blog- personal journal? or something more?

Quilting:
1. complete at least one quilt per month
2. make a scrap lap size quilt
3. more to follow!

Okay, for now this is it.  Please know that this is a work in process.
Thanks for reading!

~rhanda