Dresden Fan...

Let's start with the back. One of my favorite fabric lines is Patty Young's Andalucia. I used it in a quilt for my granddaughter when it was first released. When it was rereleased this year in yummy new colors, I jumped on some yardage. And I didn't want to cut up that fun flower print, so I decided to save it for the back and use it as the color inspiration for my Dresden Fan quilt.

For the blocks I used aquas and greens and added one block in pink. I love how it pops out!

 The quilting flowed easily when I decided to quilt wavy lines concentrically on each block. A flower at each corner and a small flower in each center octagon completed it all.

There's a link on my free pattern page which takes you to this post on making the block.

Yeah! Another UFO off the list and a pretty quilt to snuggle under!  . . . Cindy

Honey...

The first of two finished quilts I have to show this week. Yeah!

The pattern is Honey and on the cover of Modern Patchwork. The fabric is mostly Marmalade with some pieces from earlier lines by Bonnie and Camille. The lovely quilting was done by my local longarm quilter Candy.

The back of the quilt has the aqua houndstooth print from Vintage Modern. Oh how I love that print!

I changed the pattern a bit by not using any of the half hexagons that border the quilt. I love how it floats and is a little off-center. A completely different look from the original.

And I have to share with you my Birthday/Christmas gift to myself. This set of Patchwork measuring cups and spoons is adorable. They're from West Elm - a little splurge that just makes me happy! . . . Cindy

Thanksgiving sewing...

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! I enjoyed cooking for more than 2 for a change. Did I ever tell you that I cook much like I quilt? I rarely have a list when shopping and just pick up what looks and feels good at the moment (much like fabric). When I get it home I have to figure out what I'll do with it (much like fabric). This year I made fresh cranberry sauce and added all-fruit peach pops that I had leftover from the girls' visit this Summer. A bag of apples became our Thanksgiving dessert topped with my favorite butterscotch chip oatmeal cookie. My experimenting gets results that are sometimes good and sometimes not (much like quilting). I do hope to remember my recipe when it turns out well!

Not one for crowds, my shopping consisted of a little cyber-shopping only. It left a nice long weekend for some sewing. I've been thinking about trying to finish up my WIPs and start the new year with a clean sewing slate. I'm not alone, Katy and Jessica recently posted the same resolution. So hopefully you'll see a lot of finishes in the next several weeks...

I have a few new bags on my list. First up is the Zig Zag bag from Zakka Style.

This was a fun bag to make and I'm happy with how it came out. I used natural linen and some prints from Chicopee.

 The back side of the bag is solid linen and I quilted it with a pattern of straight lines in 3 colors.

Also accomplished this weekend...

Hexagons in Loulouthi flannel. I've had this cut for a while and it literally took a few hours to sew it together.

The pattern is Rosalie from Valori Wells. These hexagons are big! 10" tall. And the AMH flannel is sooo soft - I wish you could feel it :)

And finally a couple of bindings finished. Watch for these finished quilts this week!  . . . Cindy

Envelope Quilt!

Ta da! My Envelope quilt is done! I decided to make 3 more blocks to give me a nice 9 -block wallhanging. One of my favorite stores is Paper Source  and a picture from their catalogue was the inspiration for this quilt along with this quilt on flickr.

I think it would be adorable hanging over a console table in an entryway or in an office (a very cute office!)

The quilting was simple. Straight lines on the solid fabrics, a grid on the print and loopy-loops on the background. I found the perfect binding in a tiny zig-zag print from the Reunion collection by Sweetwater. 

I have to share with you my new tool that's been keeping me on track with my projects. I have a way of jumping from one thing to another, tidying up and putting things out of my way. Then I completely forget about them and you know what happens - UFO city. So I've been keeping an ever-changing list posted and somehow it keeps me on track. 

And finally a little splurge on Joel Dewberry's gorgeous new line - Notting Hill. Now this needs to be added to the list!!   . . . Cindy

Courthouse Steps

My Courthouse Steps block is growing. Now 51" square heading to 63".

I hope to keep it growing. Do you think watering and fertilizing will help? . . . Cindy

Spinning Stars Quilt

You may remember my Spinning Stars quilt. I posted a sneak peek a few weeks ago. One of my commenters hoped that I'd post a lot of pictures of the finished quilt. That was easy - a got some nice shots on this beautiful day!

The fabrics are primarily Field Study, with some Chicopee and a few prints from Anna Maria's earlier lines.

I love how the pattern forms 2 designs when the blocks are put together. This octagon shape...

And a 4-pointed star...

I struggled choosing a binding for this one. I tried all of these and the Chicopee in a purply-plum color won out. And I had just enough - about 1/8 inch leftover!

 The backing is one of my favorite prints from Field Study.

I hand-quilted with shades of blue, orange and gray just in the cream areas. The rest is machine-quilted with echoing lines in Gray Aurifil.

I think it makes a pretty Fall quilt! Don't you? . . . Cindy

Sewing Kit... Zakka Style

A dear friend celebrated a monumental birthday last week. Some Melody Miller Ruby Star Shining fabric...

and the sewing kit pattern from Zakka Style...

A special gift for a special friend!

Giveaway winner and more!

Thank you all for your gracious comments about my block and resulting quilt. I can see tons of possibilities with it from quilts, to pillows, to bags. And we have a winner of the magazine!

QuilterKat ~ send me your address and we'll get it to you!

My blogging was somewhat remiss last week. We've been busy with outdoor preparations for winter beautifully described in this poem. As much as I love the warm months and the garden, I always look forward to long winter evenings snuggled under a quilt with some hand-stitching.

And speaking of hand-stitching, I have a pile of completed quilts - they just need their bindings hand-stitched. Some show-and-tell coming soon!

Quilters are known for stepping up in times of need. After the devastation of Hurricane Sandy many organizations are now collecting quilts and hand-made items to help ease the pain so many are feeling. For a nice list of organizations spearheading collections be sure to visit the Martingale Blog - Stitch This!

I'll be sending 2 quilts to Bumble Beans. I've donated to this organization in the past and they are already in the process of distributing quilts to Sandy victims.

In other fun news, this month was my turn to distribute my blocks in the STL Redbird Bee. I chose this block using scraps of teal, orange, brown and orange-yellow. I'm very excited to have a quilt made by some special friends!

And finally, I've been a lucky quilter. I recently won all these great giveaways and want to say thank you, thank you, thank you to:

 Bon Bon Atelier for the beautiful stack of solid voile quarter yards (not quite sure what to do with those; any ideas?)

Free Spirit Fabrics and 100 Quilts for Kids for the stack of "Essentials" fat quarters

Modern Quilt Relish and Alissa Haight Carlton's Action Kivu fundraiser for a complete set of 13 patterns (love them all!)

Heather Mulder Peterson for her 2 new patterns Galleria and Little Charmers 7 (can't wait to try them!)

It's so much fun to win free stuff!! . . . Cindy

100 Blocks Blog Tour and Giveaway!

Welcome to my stop on Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks vol. 6 Blog Tour!

My block is #583 Lattice. The fabrics are from Amy Butler's Lark collection. I love how the black print square seems to float.

The magazine editors did a great mock-up of a quilt with the block set on point.

My quilt uses 2" finished sashing to connect the blocks. I used a strip in the center of each sashing unit to connect the blocks. Did you notice I made one block in red for a pop?

 The magazine is filled tons of inspiration and more awesome blocks! It'll be released on November 13th!  How about a free copy? I've got one to give away - leave a comment and I'll pick a name on Monday morning November 12th!

For even more prizes and the complete list of bloggers on the hop head over to Quilty Pleasures Blog! Hope you win!!    . . . Cindy