Yeah! the weather has broke!

February Postcard  BOM Block # 1

My Russian Doll Applique

The Peace Dove

Yeah! I was able to go to my bible study group this am ... the Temp is 25 degrees above zero today no snow and minimal wind.  I was able to get out of the house for a short time to enjoy time with friends.  Only 2 hrs out but such a great relief.  I even was able to use my shoes instead of my boots today... I could have gone out with the retired friends from church to our monthly get together but I thought I should take it easy so here I am back at home.  I will eat a light lunch, rest and maybe even sew a little today.... I am taking it a day at a time and trying to be gentle with myself.  It's been almost 2 1/2 weeks since surgery and i am sore but healing great!   I went to my follow-up appointment with the Nurse Practitioner and have been cleared to carry 20# now and in 4 weeks I can carry 30#'s, then 4 weeks later I can carry whatever I can handle.  I don't have to go back unless I have a problem and the nerve pain/discomfort should be back to normal in 3 - 4 months.  Yeah!  Well, now for lunch and then I will watch TV for a while and later work on my quilting projects....  My February BOM Postcard block for my Facebook Group - Quilting, and Mug Rugs for my Swap with Michelle at the quilting Gallery.

DIY Jelly Roll Quilt Along.

I am enjoying quilting along with Christa from her blog www.christaquilts.com  She has started this quilt-along using Jelly rolls.  I am using Moda's Honey Bun - Nostalgia jelly roll collection by Aprl Comell in 1 1/2" strips instead of the 2 1/2" strips that she is using so my quilt will be much smaller than hers, so it will be a mini version.  I have sewing my strips together, cutting them and sewing the blocks together.  I will upload some pictures a little later on today.  Check out my Quilting & Sewing Arts Studio to follow my progress.  Here are some pictures of my work

My venture into scrappy blocks

Today I made my 1st scrappy block, inspired by all of my scraps on hand - It has been fun and I did post a small tutorial on my Blog Quilting and Sewing Arts Studio.  so head on over to see it.

Working on my "Minnesota Hotdish" quilt top today

 Today I continue to work on my quilt top and am very pleased at how it is coming together.  It began as an idea in color, then picking a pattern, buying the fabrics then cutting and piecing the blocks together and finally arranging them in blocks of 4. (I did this so that the one directional print I have will be going in the right direction when the top is pieced together. 

This is my directional print.  Birds.  I do like the effect it has.  Today I was at my monthly crafting gathering at my community center and 2 of the ladies were hand quilting.  I got a good tip from my friend Jean.  She draws her quilting pattern on each strip or block before piecing it together with a pencil.  Wow! what a great tip so I thought I might try that by doing it on my completed blocks of 4.  I already had been thinking about what I wanted in each center so now to decide on a pattern.  I just love to get together with other crafters and share information.  Tomorrow is my quilting group at the "Pointe" and I can't wait to show them my progress on this quilt.

A great day for quilting and bloging

Getting Ready to Strip Piece my blocks

"Minnesota Hot-Dish"

It was cooler out this morning as I sat on my screened in porch around 6am having my breakfast and coffee. I love this early am time to myself. there was a gentle breeze making my windchimes tinkle and the tall grass outside my porch sway as the birds woke up. My nieghbor hood is quiet with hardly a stir unlike my neighbors off my back patio who are already leaving for work. After breakfast I find myself in my studio working on my latest quilt, it is blue, white and tan. I have 40 - 9" blocks made so far with only 40 more blocks to go before I can piece my top together. My kitty "honey" comes in from the porch to visit me and crawls behind my sewing machines to cuddle on the floor while I strip piece these blocks together .
After finishing another 20 blocks strip piecing and ironing them I took a nap, checked out other blogs on the computer and looked at pintrest, I also checked Craftsy on the block of the month class. This month of July she was doing a dresden plate block. It looked fairly simple and I thing I might try one later today so I printed out the template and pasted it on some stiff carboard.
After Lunch I checked out this blog: Oh, Franson by Elizabeth Hartman who has a quilt "Sparkle Punch" that is featured in July/August 2012 of "Love of Quilting Magazine" by Fons & Porter. Elizabeth Hartman is a self-taught quilter from Portland, Oregon and Author of The Practical Guide to Patchwork. Modern Patchwork: 12 Quilts to Take You Beyond the Basics



Finished Block 2 & 3

Block # 3 - week 3

Block # 2 week 2

Block # 1 week 1

Tonight I finished block 3 and will upload a picture of block 2 that I finished last week.  these were done 2 late for finish it up Friday week 15 so now I have them done for finish it up Friday 16 coming up.  here is my 1st Block I am doing the 12 weeks of Blocks on Amanda Jean's Blog.  These blocks go together quite easily and I find them relazing to do.