STLMQG Collection Project

You might remember I mentioned the STLMQG Collection Challenge earlier in April. Here is my focus fabric and the collection fabrics that my challenge partner chose to go with it. She totally gets my style - I love the colors and the geometric prints.

STLMQG Collection Challenge:

My focus fabric and coordinates received from my swap partner

I found some friends in my stash (imagine that!) and I might have found a couple more in Paducah. This is what I'm doing with them:

Challenge fabrics and friends on my design wall 4/29/15

Still playing with layout, moving them around...

Linking up with WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced and Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts. Check out all the other inspiration there!

Paducah Surprise

Nothing on my design wall today, but with all the fabric I bought in Paducah, there will surely be projects there soon. See yesterday's post below for all that fabric bounty!

Speaking of Paducah, I encountered the most wonderful surprise in the bubble - the AQS Author's Showcase booth had posters of books that are coming soon. I found mine there!!! Mine is Cut and Shuffle Quilts, at the right. This is the first time I've seen the cover (other than the thumbnail on Amazon). I was thrilled!

AQS books coming soon

Me and my book poster

I still don't have a publication date; Amazon says available August 18. A far cry from the February 2015 publication AQS originally told me when they accepted the book proposal.

The description Amazon has is terrible - inaccurate and a total turn-off to quilters. I'm trying to get it changed, both via Amazon and via AQS.

Description on Amazon

This is what I've suggested they use instead:

"Modern and traditional quilters unite with these easy to make quilts. Complete instructions are included for blocks which start from a simple square called the “Block Mama,” which is then cut, shuffled, and reassembled to create four unique blocks.  The blocks are featured in six different quilts ranging in size from 40 inches square to 76 by 88 inches. Alternate fabric and colorway suggestions are given for each of these versatile quilts. "

Anyway, I was thrilled to see the poster of my book at the show in Paducah. There's hope that it'll be out sooner or later!

Linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times - Check out everyone else's design walls over there for some quilty inspiration.

Post-Paducah Stash Update

My name is Jan and I'm a fabriholic. I indulged. And I enjoyed it. And I'm not sorry.

I haven't even counted the yardage yet. I'll tally up the totals for the month and year to date next week. I'm going to have a busy year of sewing if I want to consume all this!

It's pretty amazing how over three days of shopping at multiple locations, without carrying swatches, I came away with stuff that works together.

Pink, Orange & Yellow, inspired by that top print from Hancock's back room.

 

Backings

Selected with specific projects in mind. 

These were actually on my shopping list!

 

Black & White & Feminine.

I found the black floral to go with something in my stash, and the rest came along to play.

Love that bias stripe at the bottom for binding - all my friends got some and we scarfed up the bolt.

 

Masculine, and also because they go with something else that's percolating in my head.

 

More black prints because that border print goes with something I already have in my stash.

 

Stash Basics 

When you find good basics in Hancock's back room or the

color of the day at Eleanor Burns, you have to stock up, right?

 

Low Volume - ditto comment above.

They counted ivory and beige in the tan color of the day at EB.

You can never have too many pale neutrals, right?

 

Score!

Some Kaffe Fasset prints and friends from Hancock's back room,

at the last minute before I left town.

 

I had a very successful and fun trip! Oh, and seeing the show quilts was great, too - overwhelming in their complexity and excellence, but so inspiring. Plus there was a surprise - more tomorrow.

 

Linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times for the fabric Stash Report. I know I'm not the only one who may have indulged my fabric habit a bit in Paducah!

 

 

 

Basted and Ready for Quilting

My Hands 2 Help lap quilt is layered and pin basted, ready for quilting. I'm getting ready to go to Paducah, so it'll have to wait until I get back.

H2H top, basted

The top was made using fat eighths from a Benartex bundle I picked up several years ago. I used the rest of them and some more of the beige background print to piece the back.

H2H back

I haven't decided how I'm going to quilt it yet. My FMQ skills are pretty much limited to an all-over meander. Any suggestions?

Linking up with WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced and Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts. Check out all the inspiration there!

Pattern info for my H2H lap quilt

Yesterday I posted a progress report for Hands2Help at Confessions of a Fabric Addict; I'm making a lap quilt for Happy Chemo. Here's the top:

H2H Happy Chemo WIP

A couple of people asked about the pattern. The pattern is my own design, LINKED, which you can find in the Patterns tab above (scroll down). 

LINKED

LINKED Pattern:
Size 40", skill level Easy, price $9.00 includes US postage. Can be made using background yardage plus either a Charm Pack and Jelly Roll, or 8 Fat Eighths.

Please contact me via the comments or at ochterbeckj (at) gmail (dot) com if you're interested in purchasing the pattern. Thank you!

Linking up with Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. Nothing new on my design wall this week, but the H2H quilt is now basted and ready for quilting.

H2H Progress

I'm participating in Hands 2 Help over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict and today is progress update link day. I'm making a lap quilt for Happy Chemo and I've got the top together:

H2H Top

Actually it was a little windy when I was taking pictures, but I was finally able to get a better one:

H2H Top

This will finish at 40" square, a good lap size for wheelchair users that (so I'm told) won't get caught in the wheels.

This started out as a fat eighth bundle from Benartex featuring lots of luscious purples that I picked up at the AQS show several years ago. The top used 8 fat eighths and a yard of beige print background, so I can count two yards out of my stash this week. I'll use the remaining fat eighths and a bit more of the beige to piece together the backing, but since it's not finished I can't count it out yet.

Linking up with Patchwork Times for the Stash Report and Confessions of a Fabric Addict for H2H progress update. Check out all the inspiring projects!

B-Day Outfit for Maddie

My great niece and nephew' birthday party is this weekend. They'll be six and eight. Maddie's all girly-girl, loves clothes, loves to twirl. She was thrilled when I made her a dress and cardigan and a matching outfit for her doll for Christmas 2013.

She's probably outgrown that dress by now, so it's time for a new twirly skirt. And of course one for the doll.

Full Circle Skirt, and one for Dolly too

 Since Maddie's the only girl among four great nephews and a grandson, and I never had a daughter, she's the only one I can sew special girly outfits for. I think I'll enjoy it while she's young enough to appreciate it!

Linking up with Whoop Whoop Friday at Confessions of a Fabric Addict and With Friday Finish at Crazy Mom Quilts. Check out all the inspirational finishes over there!