Needing a Break

Hi All .... 

This news comes with me just being too busy. I have decided to take the rest of the month off and enjoy some quite time for a week (maybe two). At the beginning of the week I presented at a teaching conference with my teammate, grades were due, and I am still behind with everything else. I mean EVERYTHING, the house is a disaster, my to-do list for school is a mile long, and inbox is full. ** I do plan on responding to all your wonderful comments in my new spare time! If you get replies from the beginning of the month, yes I am still working on those, please don't be offended. ** Don't even ask about Bloglovin'. I hate being away from all your lives and need some time to reconnect with all my blogging friends. Also to check in and see what you are working on. Hopefully this will regain my focus. So, I will return in April after I have unloaded some stress and ready to take on the Spring! Until then happy quilting.

-Patch & (mostly) Chels

Quilts for Aunts, Part 2

Welcome to part two of aunt's week. It's really not, but apparently that's who I have been sewing for lately! My mother's sister is probably my biggest quilting fan, and purchaser. She has been asking for navy/white quilt for some time, and when the Lexington line by Moda came out this fall, I ordered it up for her. It's was exactly what she wanted. 

She also liked my patriotic star quilt last year and begged for it to be hers with out any luck. So, Lexington + stars = perfect combination. I used the tutorial from Cluck Cluck Sew for the blocks. This pattern/tutorial might be my all time favorite, or it's the one I have used the most! 

There will be 25 blocks in all, for a 5 x 5 arrangement, now I just need to get them finished. They are looking so good together so far, I cannot wait to see them finished. And ... more importantly, I hope that my aunt likes loves them. 

- Patch & Chels

Quilts for Aunts, Part 1

My aunt was a hand-quilter back in the day but has moved on to knitting. Over the years she has made us nieces and nephews such great sweaters and quilts. This last year she asked me to make her a monochromatic taupe quilt using the pattern Fireworks by Thimble Blossoms. (So yes, these pictures are in color!) This was a way for me to return the favor. I will admit when I started this quilt a year ago and it did push my quilting skills. I got really friendly with the seam ripper. In my head the whole thing looked much easier! 

Last spring I made 10 of the 16 blocks required, then promptly ran out of steam. In the mean time I had also completed some other projects that really pushed my skills as a quilter. Every time I thought of finishing up these blocks, I was reminded at how much difficulty I had with them. Then lost motivation. Over February vacation, I gave myself an ultimatum, nothing else until these blocks are finished. 

Ta da! They are finished. After coming back to these blocks a year later and on a new machine, they weren't as much trouble as I had originally had with them. (Little pat on the back was inserted.) The last 6 went together quickly without any issues. Once the blocks were finished the top was a breeze. Now, I just need to back, quilt, and bind. No biggie! This is defiantly not my typical color palette, but might be becoming one of my favorite quilts. It's going to be painful to give away, but well worth it!

- Patch & Chels

Mom's Birthday!

Happy St. Patrick's Day and .... Happy Birthday Mom!

I thought mom needed a sew together bag for her birthday, so I whipped this one up for her. This time I used postage stamp sized squares for the outside, and have to say, it might be my favorite. Of course,  one cannot go wrong with navy dots :) 

I also used some of the left over fabric from my sister's quilt, so it's kinda a family thing at this point! Officially addicted to zippers and this bag. I already have plans to make a couple more. One for my roommate and my friend. Guess I need to buy zippers and get busy! 

-Patch & Chels

Art Gallery Charm Swap

Michelle and I spent this Saturday sorting our Art Gallery charms. It was so much fun to see all these pretty fabrics come out of the packages and made into prettier stacks. Which one is your favorite? Here are some of my favorites below: 

Clearly I couldn't pick just one! If you participated in the swap, look out your charms are on their way. 

-Michelle & Chels

They do Exist!

This weekend Lee of Freshly Pieced came to speak to our guild and some of my blogging buddies crashed the party! It was so much fun to meet the people behind some of my favorite blogs. We (the quilt bloggers community) have such an amazing and supporting online community and it was great to see these faces in person. 

Top Left: Lee @ Freshly Pieced

Top Right: Jenn @ Never Just Jennifer 

Bottom Left: Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty

Bottom Right: Terry Ann @ Childlike Fascination 

Now I know why people get so excited to go to QuiltCon and get to see their blogging friends, it's just an amazing experience. Too bad we all didn't live closer and could go next door for afternoon tea all the time. Guess I will keep dreaming.

Michelle also brought me another little bag of scraps for me to play with!  Yes, I do have great quilting friends :) 

-Patch & Chels

Round Trip Border 4: Late but Done

This month I was pretty far behind on my duties with the Round Trip quilt along. It took sometime to make a plan for Liz's center at Green Cheese Quilting. I decided to go with a Kansas Trouble Variation. It had the triangular look that goes with the center block and the Bear Paws Mary added.  I also wanted to bring out the navy in the feathers added by Leanne.  So this is what I came up with ... 

Pretty sure I say this every time, but I want to keep this one!

-Patch & Chels