Tuesday, May 17, 2011

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...................

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

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 .

Thursday, May 5, 2011

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?

Sunday, May 1, 2011

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






Monday, April 18, 2011

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!

Sunday, April 10, 2011

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?!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

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!
  postage stamp quilt along button.


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

Monday, January 3, 2011

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

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Confessions of an understuffer

Well, I finally finished my Hexagon Caddy from Penny's tutorial. It was a lot of fun!   It is much larger than I was anticipating. But I guess in order for it to hold supplies it has to be, otherwise it would fall over.

Mine!
However, the way I stuffed it is pretty awful.  My points aren't pointy and the sides don't pooch out like they are supposed to. But it is done and it is mine and I love it anyway.

I posted it (and all of its imperfections) on Penny's Pincushion Parade.

Thanks Penny for posting the tutorial. Love it!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Royce's Dinosaur Quilt


Royce!

My now 5 year old nephew, Royce, LOVES dinosaurs.  When he was 3 his big sister, Gabriella,  asked him at Thanksgiving what he was thankful for. He raised his arms up and yelled "DINOSAURS". So, I figured I couldn't go wrong with a quilt with those giant creatures. I searched the internet tirelessly for the "perfect pattern". I had decided I didn't want cartoon like ones and was not comfortable enough with designing my own.  So, I found a fabulous pattern booklet called:  Dinosaurs, Stomp Chomp & Roar, by Pam Manning. Perfection! Seriously.  I highly recommend it.  It can be found here.  I also saw it at my LQS when I was home recently. So check yours, too!

This was a labor of love.  Mostly love, though. ;-) I decided to make the quilt large enough to fit his full size bed. This would be the biggest quilt I have made yet. It was a giant. I chose to do fusible web applique, even though the book called for something else. One of the cool things about the pattern is that it has 3D parts to it. Some of the legs move as well as the top parts, you know, the sharp 'fin-like' things on their backs. It is really cool.  I was concerned about my pieced sashing at first. Looking at it before it was sewed to the blocks, it looked way to bright. Now, seeing it all together, it is just right. :)

I sent it to a longarm quilter in Dubai. She did a fabulous job. She even quilted dinosaur shapes into the 4 corners. Love it, love it, love it.  I had to steal it away from my husband.

Here are a lot of pics, including some of the details.


ignore the hay and lint.


My label, complete with a thimble sewn in!
It's these extra special touches that mean so much.

The black dotted fabric is done in layers and is not attached to the foundation.
This is one of my favorites.


His head could move, if I hadn't tacked it down.
Although, this did go to a 5 year old boy, it may not even have a head now.

His teeth are rick-rack. His right lower leg moves!


His left lower leg moves, too!
 

The orange colored part is 3D, it is not attached to the foundation either.

  
Another favorite.
That 'fin-like' thing is really cool. The technique is awesome.
Click on picture for close-up. It's kind of textured, maybe
it is called pintucking?


A Sampling of my recently completed quilts.

I am finally back home!  I returned home to Oman about a week ago, now just trying to get used to the time difference. Texas is 10 hours behind Oman. Traveling to Houston is much easier than traveling from there.  Takes me at least a week to re-adjust.  I am starting to feel normal again.  I haven't even taken a nap in the past 2 days!

Anyway, my quilts were a huge success. I think everyone loved them. I even received an Accuquilt GO! cutter in exchange for one of them! WoW!  Was. Not. Expecting. That. At. All. Thank you cousins, Sharon and Stacy!

Here are the pics!  More details to follow.



 
 

 
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Stomp! Chomp! Roar!
The Dinosaur quilt for my 5 year old nephew, Royce.
He loved it! I'll post more details and more photos later!

Close up of one of my favorite blocks.



Baby Quilt.


Aja's Spring Flower quilt. Aka "my GO!-getter quilt"

 

The back.


Thursday, November 18, 2010

Christmas Quilt Show 2010

I have been in a mad rush to finish my Christmas gifts as I am leaving for Texas in 2 days!  Here are 3 of the goodies I am going to give to  3 of my very special cousins! 

I am also participating in SewCalGal's Christmas Quilt Show. There are many gorgeous things to see. Go take a look!

Pattern is from Majestic Splendor ... Got the kit from here.
 Edit:  The pattern design is from a company called Mount Redbout designs, their Majestic Splendor line.



The apron even has 2 pockets! 


The picture is  crooked. oops.





Here is the link to SewCalGal's site.  Enter your christmas pretties, too! 

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Spring Sampler Quilt in progress


 I have been sewing in my hotel room.  See! 

I had precut the sashing pieces and cornerstones at home, and sewed them together here in Dubai. I wish I would have brought the setting triangles with me....I could have finished the quilt top!  But, no, there they sit on my cutting table at home.  I got the pattern from the online shop hop.  I really liked the pattern, but now... not so much. It wasn't really fun to put together and I am not totally happy with my choice of sashing color. The good news?  I used everything from my stash, except for the white, dotty background.. This quilt is planned for the 10 year old granddaughter of one of my cousins. I hope she likes it.

Today I plan to work on the finishing details of my dinosaur quilt that I am making for my nephew, adding buttons, stitching 'mouths', etc. Hopefully, can show a progress photo tomorrow.

Cheers!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Please let me win! please.

Yes, another GO! giveaway.  Surely, THIS is the one.

Please go to this lovely blog, Lavender Ridge, and enter.  http://lavenderridge.blogspot.com/2010/11/go-giveaway.html#comment-form

Good luck!

View from my hotel room... Dubai skyline

Ignore the sand/dirt on the hotel window...



I live in the Middle East.  In a country most people (that I know of) have never heard of... Oman.  Not to be confused with city of Amman which is in Jordan.

So, to review...   Oman = a country, Amman = a city. 

My mother has an interesting story about telling the two apart..... let's just say she is geographically challenged also.

Anyway, my husband and I drove the 4 hours to Dubai yesterday. He has a conference here all next week.  So, I brought my sewing machine.  You see I am going back to the United States for Thanksgiving and am bringing back lots of homemade gifts.  And, um,  I need to finish them.  This will require lots of late nights. 

I'll post pics of my works in progress later in the week.  Now, time for lunch...

Cheers!

Saturday, October 30, 2010

It's Time for the AccuQuilt GO Giveaway

It's Time for the AccuQuilt GO Giveaway

I really, really, really want to win one of these! I couldn't tell you how many give-aways I have participated in, because it's too many to count. But, it could happen this time, right?

Stacked Coin Quilt I - for friend's new baby


Oz fabric line from Moda.
This is the baby quilt I gave to an online friend who's baby is due early November.  I mailed her the quilt several weeks ago. She was very surprised! I am waiting for the baby to be born so that I can send the quilt's label. My friend also quilts so she will be able to attach it herself.

I found the tutorial here at Moda Bake Shop, the pattern is by Rachel Griffith of p.s. i quilt.  Love her blog.

This is also the first quilt that I quilted and really liked the end product.  I always can find "something" wrong.  But, this one, is pretty good.  I am now a big fan of straight line quilting. I like the look... clean and simple.


the back
 
close-up of quilting

How do you all keep up?!?

Okay, bloggers... how do you all do it? How do you keep up with your posting?  I find I spend my days LOOKING at other peoples' blogs.  Oh, how I enjoy it.   How do you find the time to write on your own?  I have never been much of a journal writer, so maybe that is part of the problem.  But, I really want to document my quilt making trials and accomplishments.

I really also want to participate in the Blogger's Quilt Festival.  I hope to get my dinosaur quilt pictures up soon.  I'll tell more about it at that time.

In the meantime, I will post a few of my other quilts I have completed.

Have a great day!