B/W Orange All Over is finished!

Black White Orange All Over is finished! It is a lap quilt that will be a donation quilt. 

I had a pattern but made changes so I could use all of the fabric and have a little larger quilt. The quilt is 50" X 54" and has Dream Poly batting. 

I found some really neat black fabric with orange for the back.

I left my comfort zone, once again, and machine quilted this with a square stippling design. It has no curves, just sharp corners but not all 90 degrees. They should be though! I thought this motif fit the design of the quilt.

A change of plans

Sometimes when I start a project, my plans change.

I decided to use some fabric that I bought in May for a table runner. As I progressed, I tossed out the two fabrics with dots and added a soft yellow.

original fabric

I've been wanting to use my Quick Curve Ruler from Sew Kind of Wonderful. And I wanted to use this block that she has on her blog.

Sew Kind of Wonderful's design and block

I tried the block back in February and I thought that six of them together would make a nice table runner. 

But my 9" block wasn't completed it was missing the outside border. The complete block is 16"! When I realized the dimension problem, all of the pieces were cut so I went ahead and made all six blocks.

When I put them on the design board, I thought I would need 3 more blocks for a lap quilt. But I didn't like the arrangement of just blocks so I began playing.

I ended up with a 51" square quilt, Coral Stars. It took quite a while to figure out the corners but I like it. It used every bit of the yellow fabric that I had. In fact a few of the yellow curved corners are pieced together.

Here's a block up close.

I still have two finished blocks which I'll use on the back. 

I'm really glad I didn't have a special place for the table runner that didn't get made!

You can teach an old dog...

I learned to knit in 4H many years ago. My mom and I sat down with my book and we learned together. Mom was a wonderful crocheter and never pursued knitting any further. I started an afghan in college - and finished it over 2 years later! Periodically I would pick up my needles and knit. I knit ski sweaters for DH and me. When our boys were young, I made their sweaters and I made their mittens - many, many red mittens. If they lost a mitten, there was always a replacement! 

Imagine my surprise when I read this post at Juniper Moon Farm Blog. My purl stitches were all twisted! So... I'm learning to correct them and I'm succeeding! It is so much easier to knit the next row now! 

I am also learning to knit and purl continental style. Yes, I was teaching myself to purl twisted stitches this way too! So I am relearning and I'm making progress.

Not only can you teach an old dog new tricks - sometimes the old dog can teach herself!

2013 NewFO Challenge - June Update

I'm following the NewFO Challenge where projects don't have to be finished ... just started each month! Visit Barbara over at Cat Patches and see what everyone else has started this month.

I began Black White Orange All Over.

Even the back is done. 

It is pinned and just needs to be quilted!

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I did make progress on some earlier 2013 projects.

Spring Bouquet is finished! I do love it!

Flannel Snowmen made with the Yellow Brick Road pattern is finished! It is so soft and cuddly.

My BOM square for June:

Crazy Eights is finished! I love the this modern quilt.

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I really don't want to add too much to my UFO pile this year so I am trying to finish things also. My six month update on 2013 projects:

• Everything started in January, except my BOM is completed!
• I still have a QOV to finish from February.
• Everything started in March is completed!
• Everything started in April is completed!
• I need to finish Starry Night from May.
• I need to finish Black White Orange All Over from June.

Not bad - I can live with 3 new UFOs! Especially since I have also completed 4 UFOs which were in my pile January 1, 2013!

Crazy Eights Finished!

This is a "free" quilt - it is made entirely from my stash! But my stash didn't diminish in size???!!! I really like this quilt - it is bright and cheery. It is a little bigger than 50" square.

The whole quilt is machine quilted with feathers except for a wavy line in the small white inner border. I learned LOTS! I did the borders first and my feathers are too skinny. The interior of the quilt is much better. I'm glad I finally decided to just go for it - next time will be even better.

 The back is large scraps in the same colors as the front.

Crazy eights is a donation quilt. I hope it brings joy to some young person.

A dilemma

I watched the Missouri Star Quilt Company tutorial about The Big Star Quilt last fall. At the very end, Jenny Doan mentions using two charm packs for the project instead of a layer cake. I liked the quilt and just had to try it. I think I started this in late fall of 2012.

It was one of those projects that keeps getting put aside for other things - that is the only explanation!

This small quilt will be used as a table topper. It is about 30" X 40". I machine quilted it with a large stipple. I think it would have been neat to use gold metallic thread. Of course, you have to have gold metallic thread to be able to use it!

Notice the secondary design - the gold units in between the stars. Don't you just love secondary designs - I do! 
And then I saw a problem! OOPS!

Pretty obvious error!

And then a SECOND problem!

The top triangle on the left is wrong!

The quilt is totally done even laundered. What should I do?  I'm thinking the problems won't show when I use it but I know they are there... a dilemma for sure!

American Players Theater

We went to the American Players Theater in Spring Green, Wisconsin, last night. What fun! 

Yesterday began with strong storms at home and in Spring Green. On our trip north, we saw lots of flooding including water on the highway at times. We wondered if the "show would go on" since the theater is outdoors. We decided not to picnic prior to the performance since we did not know the lay of the land and the weather was so questionable.

We enjoyed dinner at a 50's Diner right across the street from our motel. Then, before heading to the theater, we grabbed the insect spray and our raincoats. 

W. Somerset Maugham's Too Many Husbands was performed in the Up-the-Hill Theater. We hiked up the hill to the theater and passed many patrons picnicking. There is a great picnic area - which we will remember for next time! 

The theater was a pleasant surprise with comfortable padded seats. I think every seat was a good seat! The stage looks much further away than it is. This picture is from the last row - just as you walked into the theater.

The play was wonderful - that great British comedy with many one-liners and a zany plot! And no rain! Except for maybe 10 drops!

We woke up this morning to more heavy rain and storms - ugh! At least there was no rush to do a few errands and head home.