Another one for the fireplace

Provo is all about the 4th of July.  The Freedom Festival is in full gear.  I decided that called for a patriotic style quilt for the fireplace.

This little quilt is a Schnibbles, pattern "Mon Ami." It is a total scrappy quilt from leftovers (mostly my Civil War Sampler quilt) except for the back.  I bought the last yard of a Grant Park fabric for the back.

There you have it. A patriotic fireplace.

Summer Day Schnibbles

I have decided that I like small quilts hanging in the fireplace.  When taking down "Love Grows" I remembered some unfinished Schnibbles quilts that would fit in this space.  I made the blocks for "Summer Day" almost two years ago.  I pulled them out of the drawer and it felt more like a Spring Day but they definitely made me happy.  It snowed yesterday but there is more green and blooming things everyday.  It was time to have the same inside.

So, I sewed them all together with all that color going this way and that way.

My fireplace space is a square and I had sewn enough blocks to make more of a rectangle, so I made a pillow for the sofa and a quilt label for the back of the quilt.  As you can see, the sun is shining today and I have a room full of rainbows coming from the prisms hanging in the window.

I also had another Schnibbles started with the left over fabrics from my Civil War Sampler quilt.  I was so excited to have a fireplace quilt for the 4th of July, that I finished putting that top together as well.  I had made half the blocks, so made a dozen more.  The old blocks were made on my old Bernina.  My new Bernina blocks finished bigger.  That is why I love my Dream Machine so much - such accuracy.  This meant that I lost some of my new block star points but I still love how the quilt top turned out.  Hopefully, I'll finish the quilting and binding before the 4th so I can share it later.  Hurray for Schnibbles!

Autumn Sewing

I finished a quilt that I pieced last summer.  It felt appropriate to do so as the colors matched the color palette I was seeing out my window.

Strong winds blew all the leaves off the trees in the front and then across the street into the neighbor's yard.  No more crunch time when I go out for the mail but I'll bet the yard guy will be glad to see those leaves gone.

The pattern for this quilt is Madeline, a Schnibbles pattern from Rosie and Co.

I made it from a charm pack (or two) of Dancing in the Rain by Laundry Basket.

I did very simple machine quilting.  This backing and stop border fabric is very subtle but has a cross weave of the colors in this fabric line.  I really like it.

Love the colors in this fabric line.

You may have noticed the rainbows dancing about.  Hubby has been working on a project.  Please enter into the crystal palace.  We are very Pollyanna-ish around here this week.

When the sun comes over the mountain or from behind a cloud,

we are dappled with dancing rainbows.  He is hoping all that color will help me manage winter because it is coming and soon.

This is my other fallish project.  Apples and more apples.

Aren't they the cutest?  I piece them up during the day and hand applique the stems and leaves at night in front of the TV.

Looks like there is a favorite flavor apple for everyone.

Still have about 20 more to go.  An apple or more a day I guess.

Two tops together

I sewed two tops together this week.  The Madeline Schnibbles is done.  I finally quit shuffling blocks around and sewed them together.  It is made with two charm packs of "Dancing in the Rain" fabric from Laundry Basket.  I plan on machine quilting this small quilt.

Not so sure about this top.  Do I hand quilt or find a long arm quilter?  I get really tired just thinking about quilting it on my sewing machine.  The Civil War sampler quilt is still on the quilting frames. What to do, what to do? 

This is "Aunt Grace's Garden Party" and it was a row of the month I bought from the Fat Quarter Shop almost two years ago.

I finally pulled those rows out of their box this week and put them together with one inch sashing and and a six inch border.

Once I decide how to quilt it up, the borders will have a curved edge.  I'm a primary color lover and like the 30's style fabrics so I really enjoyed putting this quilt together.  I was finishing up my Civil War sampler quilt and had taken Jenna Kimball's back basting applique class when I bought into this row along so had some confidence that I could actually make this quilt top.

Now I can check off another project from my partially finished list. Well almost finished.  Still have to quilt it . . .

Seam ripper overload

After an hour of seam ripper use I decided to take a break and show what I have been working on that has not required the seam ripper.  I finished block #7 of my "Night Before Christmas" quilt top. Only two more to go and I already have part of #8 done. I've been able to pretty much complete one appliqued block per month.

I made twenty 7 1/2 inch blocks for my Madeline Schnibbles quilt.  I picked up the Madeline pattern from the quilt store in Ithaca, New York while on vacation because I thought I might make it from the leftover French General fabrics I am using for "Nigh Before Christmas."

I changed my mind when I came across two charm packs of "Dancing in the Rain" fabric designed by Laundry Basket for 40% off.  I just couldn't resist and found some light backgrounds in my stash to make it work.  I decided to make this quilt top less scrappy and larger than Madeline's, especially since I had two charm packs.  Mine will be 4 x 5 blocks instead of 3 x 3.  I am still auditioning before sewing.  I change things around and then have a look from the top of the stairs.  I then I change some more. Every time I head back up stairs for another reason, I find something else to change.  It's a house of cards I tell you, move one block then move the rest as well.

I made these matching owl pillows for the Baker Reunion raffle.  I placed a folded $2 bill in the wing pocket of each one.  Two siblings won the owls.  Unfortunately, one was a boy and not so thrilled.  I hope he figured out a solution.  I also made a blue owl for my Sadie girl.  Sadie's is blue striped with a polka dot tummy.  That makes seven owls this summer.  I declare a hiatus!

Now back to adjusting and redoing all that sashing.  Maybe I will share that project next week.

Flying geese, lots of flying geese

So this is what I've been up to lately.  I making another Schnibble just because I like them so much and I get some practice on skills while finishing a project rather quickly.  This time it is Summer Day and it calls for 148 flying geese, so that's the skill.

See that tiny Olfa cutter and double stick tape in the background.  I had just started this project when Thelma over at Cupcakes 'n' Daisies talked about how she likes to use a smaller rotary cutter to trim up blocks and double stick tape to keep the smaller template or ruler in place.  I was soon out the door to buy both and it really has made my geese trimming easier.  So glad Thelma posted this on the day I needed it!

A patriotic Schnibble

I managed to finish my "Betsy" Schnibbles by Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. in time to have a patriotic table cover for a Provo 4th of July at the townhouse.  I picked up this pattern and fabric while in California in March. 

While shopping, I came across Prairie Paisley II by Minick & Simpson for Moda Fabrics which I loved.  I also happened upon a entire wall of Schnibbles patterns including "Betsy" copyright of 2008.  Carrie had used two charm packs of Flag Day Farm also my Minick & Simpson.  No wonder the Prairie Paisley II spoke to me for my own "Betsy" small quilt.  I bought two charm packs and was out the door.

Sunflowers and a Full House

The creative highlights of this week are my sunflowers and the completion of Full House.  I know I can't take much credit for nature's part in the sunflowers.  I did, however, find the seeds for these adorable two foot miniatures and plant them in prepared soil in a cute place for everyone to see as they drive by.

I pieced Full House back in March from charm packs of 1962 Battle Hymn of the Republic by Barbara Brackman and Jo Morton shirtings using a Schnibbles pattern.  It seemed appropriate to finish Full House as that is what we had over the Fourth.  More about those great times later.  Right now, I'm concentrating on the sunflowers.  They make me so happy!

This big one in another planter makes me happy, too.  Just look at all that yellow.

This is Glen's lone survivor from the corner.  He planted his sunflower seeds back in February.  See those clouds.  Arizona hearts are happy.  The summer rains are finally here.

And now back to my sunflowers.  Don't you feel happier?

There you have it.  A whole row of cheerfulness.

And Arizona sunshine.  These sweet babies seem to like it hot.

Full House top

I've finished the top using Schnibble's Full House pattern. It took most of 2 charm packs of 1862 Battle Hymn of the Republic fabric from Barbara Brackman for the houses and checkerboards and several fat eights of Jo Morton shirtings for the borders and sky behind the houses.

Last week I purchased a yard of the more subdued brown strip to make a bias binding for the finished quilt.


I had to be scrappy with the fat eights as well.

I love all the houses. I think it would be fun to make another with fussy cut inhabitants at each door for a grandchild.

Whoops! I really tried not to have a checkerboard piece line up with a marching doorway. Just noticed this one.

My first bite of "schnibbles" was really fun.

Quilt shops and houses

While in California being a granny nanny, I did manage to break away on Andrew's day off from work to explore the quilt shops of Murrietta and Temecula. The three I visited were each fun but very different. First stop, the Pieced with Love Quilt Shop off of Murrietta Hot Springs Road just east of the 15 where I used the online coupon I found while researching shops to buy the EZ Easy Dresden template. My "block (row) of the month" Aunt Grace's Garden Party from The Fat Quarter Shop came with a generous amount of fabric and when I saw all the Dresden plate quilts popping up this year I decided to use the leftovers for a Dresden. I downloaded a pattern from Bunny Hill Designs from the Scrappy Plate Club.

Second stop was Quilters Coop in Old Town Temecula. Might I say that I loved Old Town Temecula. It was a great place to walk, browse, eat, and shop. Quilters Coop has a lot of everything. As I cruised the store I was drawn to charm packs of 1862 Battle Hymn by Barbara Brackman and Prairie Paisley II by Polly Minick & Lauri Simpson both Moda fabric lines, but was not sure what I would do with them.

I also fell in love with a bundle of fat eights of Jo Morton's shirtings. And then I spotted the wall full of Schnibbles quilt patterns. I had seen these on other blogs and had even fallen in love with Full House and now I knew what I would do with those charm packs and fat eighth bundle. I felt that all the stripes in Battle Hymn would make adorable houses and have finished all 18. I am now working the border strips and checkerboards.


I felt like Prairie Paisley II would be beautiful in Betsy. Schnibbles were created so that small scrappy quilts could be made from scraps or utilizing charm packs. I love how I can have a bit of each fabric from a collection in a quilt.

Third stop was Temecula Quilt Co. at Temecula Parkway and Butterfield Stage Road. It's specialty is reproduction fabrics and small quilts. It is a beautiful little shop and I purchased two of their little small quilt pattern books in preparation for my planned antique looking small quilts for my American girls and their dolls on birthdays this year.

My little adventure reminded me of my Saturday escapes when I had a house full of little boys. Having a bit of solo time was always rejuvenating back then as it was this time.