January in review

So, how did I do on my goals for January?  I think January was a productive month for me. I know there are still a couple of days left, but I also know that my work schedule won't leave room for any more sewing.

1. Wishin' For Spring - flimsy & backing was delivered to quilter DONE
2. finish 4 Traveling Stars blocks - 2 DONE
3. RSC14 Pig Tail blocks (2 in blue) DONE
4. cut out my new project (something patriotic) - NOT STARTED
5. make binding for 3 quilts - 3 bindings made (fall mystery, FQStars, Wishin' For Spring)
6. hand quilt & bind my hexagon poppy table topper DONE

Plus I managed to accomplish some other things:

• Snowman mini quilt (also in blue) - DONE
• 2 small ditty bags for charity project - DONE
• 3 Heart Strings blocks made (red centers) - DONE
• added borders to pink Circle of Geese - working on hand quilting
• Boxed Squares quilt brought to flimsy stage (UFO) - ready to quilt
• took a class on Hunter's Star - needs borders

Circle of Geese

I've had some questions about the pattern for the paper pieced Circle of Geese block that I used in this little project.

Well, I must admit that I just "Googled it" and found this easy to follow pattern:  http://piecebynumber.com/CircleOfGeese-PieceByNumber.pdf   But there are lots of great tutorials and other patterns out there on the web.

I want to make this again, but make more than the original 4 sections and vary the directions they are going so the geese appear to be traveling in a wavy pattern. I've also seen this done with the geese getting progressively smaller or larger.  Lots of fun variations to this idea.

An AHA moment

I was refolding and putting away some fabrics on Sunday evening and came upon this pretty pink and green floral. As I was folding it up I happened to look up at my design wall - and had a sudden AHA!!  There was my paper pieced Circle of Geese block (only one) and the pinks were perfect together.

My plan a couple of weeks ago had been to use it to make a doll quilt. But after adding this floral border I think it is destined to be a spring table topper for my kitchen.  I'm in love with the colors!  The Circle of Geese are made from scraps from granddaughter Olivia's baby quilt.  

Rapid Fire Hunter's Star

The quilt class I went to yesterday was for the Rapid Fire Hunters Star and it really is quick when you use the special ruler. And Patty did a great job guiding us through the process. There are lots of different layout ideas on the website gallery http://studio180design.net.  I just have to share some of the gorgeous color combos my classmates were working on and wish I had a photo of all of them.

Saturday quilt class

A big thanks to Patty who spent her day with about 18 of us teaching the Rapid Fire Hunter's Star technique.  I had planned to put mine together in the traditional layout, until she showed us the website and there are tons of variations.  My center is done so now I need to find some pretty border fabric. What a FUN day!  I'll post more pictures of my classmates tomorrow.

Traveling Stars #35 and #36

Two more to go and I'll be all caught up with the squares that I currently have.  That will make 38 total for now and I think I'll need quite a few more to make a bed sized quilt. These blocks finish at 9". But since I'm gathering these gradually I'm in no hurry to finish this project yet.

80 small blocks

Boxed Squares is now a flimsy.  There are 80 squares made from a Tamarack Grove (Holly Taylor) jelly roll and it turned out larger than I expected it to be.  Plus I have 6 blocks left to use on the back in some way.  I'm thinking that maybe I can even quilt this one myself using a simple grid quilting.  Maybe . . .but the important thing is that I have moved one more UFO to the next stage toward completion.  Feels good.