October 30, 2011

The Big Winter Stitching List


FairyFace Designs
Isn't that a great name? I just love it to pieces. Sarah over at Fairy Face Designs has created a link-up so we can all share our ongoing project lists with one another!
So....here comes mine.

1) Summer Splendor Quilt
I have all the fabric, 2 copies of the pattern (one to write on and one to keep nice and pretty) and my list of color selections.

2) Train Quilt
There is no intended recipient of this quilt as of yet. I had some train fabric in my stash and I enjoyed making the Sock Monkey Quilt so the plan is to use the same pattern, but with a train theme.

3) Christmas Quilt (from 2010)
I made this quilt last year (it was my first) and I cut the binding too short, so....I need to add some more and do it right but I just dread it, so it just sits, waiting for attention.  The sad thing is this could be crossed off of the list in less than 20 minutes because I have already hand sewed the binding down, except in the spot of the "short" binding.

4) Fall Bee
October was my month for a Fall Bee so I am looking forward to putting these blocks together and quilting with a leaf design of some sort, at least that is my plan today for the quilting, of course I reserve the right to change my mind.

5) The Colorful Sampler Quilt
NuBees is a swap I have been in the past three months and I requested rainbow blocks so I need to figure out how to put these together, with or without sashing, and if it will be a gift or a keeper.
6) Let it Snow
This is a quilt I was really excited to start and I bought a whole stack of fat quarters and diligently cut them up over the course of two weekends.  Then I started to cut the Kona snow fabric and lost all interest.  The finished size is 96 x 96 so there is a lot of Kona snow to cut.  Since the fabric is already cut up in the dimensions of this specific pattern, I really do need to finish it and I thought for sure by Christmas 2011 this one would be completed.  Nope, not happening this year.
7) Sports Quilts
I would like to make something with the Dallas Cowboy fabric for DH and I am holding the Husker fabric for something wonderful (I just don't know what yet).
8) The Terrain Layer Cake plus extra yardage is for this pattern from Moda Bake Shop.
9) Winter quilt for Sam
This is a winter quilt for my niece Sam.  She has a purple room so I am whipping this together real quick with the use of a borrowed serger and I hope to finish sometime this week, even though I just started yesterday. 
10) Fleece Blankets
These are my gifts of choice for children of my close friends this year.  I hope to finish these up by Thanksgiving, I have 7 to make.
11) Bedroom Quilt
I was in love with brown and blue for a good long time, but now I am not so not sure what will happen with this.  I had started a wonky log cabin to make for our bedroom but lost interest along the way.  I really do love the fabrics - but this might be reallocated to a gift or a "in the car" quilt.

October 29, 2011

Bloggers' Quilt Festival :: Fall 2011



Welcome to any first time visitors!

Wow! As I was recently blog hopping (one of my most favorite ways to spend time) I wondered upon the Bloggers' Quilt Festival which is a virtual quilt show coinciding with the International Quilt Show in Houston, Texas.  I am participating with my most recently finished quilt. Click on over and you will see a few hundred (or more) quilts.  Grab a beverage and get ready to browse - you'll be there a while.  Enjoy!
The Details

Why : This quilt was made to match the colors in the family room.  Funny story, I wanted cherry apple red and gray.  The red paint was easy to pick out and it looks fabulous but the gray, well....not so much. As it turns out I didn't realize that I should really take the paint chip outside in the sun before buying 10 gallons of it and asking DH to paint the whole room.  Once it was finished it wasn't a steely gray but more of a cornflower blue and he wasn't going to redo it so, I decided to make a quilt to match. As a new quilter, my quilts up to this point are to be admired.  I take pictures of them, hang them on the back of the easy chair for a week or two, roll them up and put them away but I don't really USE them.  I wanted this to be a quilt that got used, and snuggled in and not so special or nice that it was just a showpiece.
The Lesson : I learned that I much prefer to do ALL the cutting first and then the sewing another day.  I don't mind cutting but piecing is more fun for me when I just grab the fabric and step on the pedal!

What I Love :  I chose this pattern from Modern Basics by Amy Ellis because it was modern and simple.  In fact, I almost love the back more than the front.  The red speaks to me and I think it is fantastic with just a little splash of the gray and blue.  I would love for you to leave a comment and tell me which side you like better, the front or the back and why.
Fabrics: As I am a Kona girl, this is made with just three colors, Kona Ash, Kona Dresden Blue and Kona Red.  On the back, there is one square of Kona Tomato - can you find it?  

A special thanks to Amy for putting together this Blogger's Festival so we can oohh and ahhh over some fantastic quilts, special thanks to the generous sponsors for offering prizes and thanks to YOU for reading this post!


October 27, 2011

Countdown to Christmas - Wonky Star

This is a wonky star for one of the swaps I am in this year.  She sent out everything already cut and this block was moving right along, looking excellent until.....I realized that I cut at 4.5" and not 5" as she had requested.

I emailed the hostess and we got it all squared away but she is going to get a little bonus in her package as my way to say I am sorry.  When I purchased it at the LQS, the woman cutting asked me what I was going to do with the fabric and I had to tell her the truth.  "I'm not going to do a thing with it.  This is apology fabric since the block isn't the correct dimension".  She found it comical and I hope that Dawn just smiles and can use it in a future project.

October 25, 2011

Yellow & Gray for Hexagons

Greetings!  This is the fabric that I have selected for my Hexagon Swap.  We are sending in 25 6x6 squares of gray and 25 squares of yellow.  They will be cut into hexagons and then swapped out and returned.  Who knows what I will end up making but it's exciting to think about a new shape and a new color selection. Do you have any ideas on hexagon projects?

October 22, 2011

Weekend Projects

What are you up to this weekend? I am going to be cutting fabric for not one but TWO charm swaps that I just couldn't say no to this week. One is for for black, white and grey charm squares that I have absolutely no idea what project they will be incorporated into and the other, hexagons! If you tuned in earlier this week to the Spiked Wheel post you will see my first ever attempt at a block with hexagons. Well, attempt number two is coming soon!  This second swap is where we send in yellow and gray squares (6x6) and they will be cut into hexagons and swapped with folks all over the county.  Whatever will I do with them? Well make a quilt of course! 

And just to give you sneak peak, here is just a little glimpse of a simple but modern quilt that I intend to finish the binding on this weekend.  Enjoy your weekend!!

October 21, 2011

Boxed Squares

This is the second quilt I have ever made and my favorite to date. I used a Sugar Pop layer cake designed by by Liz Scott. The pattern came from KarrieLynne on Moda Bake Shop.  This one was fun to make and it went by quickly as I made the quilt top in one weekend. The print is really busy (which I love) so I added some sashing to calm it down just a little bit.

October 19, 2011

Spiked Wheel

Whew! This was my first time working with pentagons.  Sheryl requested we make a Spiked Wheel for her this month in my Travelling Circles Bee.  I was nervous but this block was actually pretty fun.  She provided us with a tutorial, precut pentagon templates and precut squares which were quite helpful! The challenge for me was what to do after I had sewn the pentagons together and how to get the big circle lined up. She had a great little trick (folding) to make this so easy.  We selected the middle from our stash with an explanation to her why we decided on the fabric we did.  This is in the mail on the way home to Australia.  Hope you like it Sheryl!

October 17, 2011

Teal We Meet Again

This weekend I finished my blocks for the Teal We Meet Again Swap.  The requirements were 10 1/2 inch blocks using red, teal and white for the colors and the "plus sign" or "you+me" block design.  I have not yet decided what I will do with my swapped blocks but that will come later.  These blocks are fun to make and you don't have to be perfect - right up my alley!

October 15, 2011

Take a Look!

Welcome to Jolie Maxtin and for those of you who are visiting for the first time - thank you for stopping by. Although I wish the design talent was mine, it was not. The lovely person responsible for the design is Danielle Moss.  She not only does custom blogs, but provides other services as well, such as etsy banners, twitter backgrounds and much more!  Check out her services or portfolio and let me assure you, she is professional, talented and easy to work with. I highly recommend her to anyone needing a whole new look, or just a refresher.

October 1, 2011

NuBees - October

October is my third month as a member of the NuBees block swap over at Flickr and it is FUN! Each member is required to make a mosaic of inspiration so we can get a feel for the style they like and of course the colors they would like.  The twist is that we get to select which block pattern we would like to make for our bee members but in the colors they select.  I can't wait to get the spreadsheet with my hive members - oh wait!  I need to decide which block pattern I am going to make for my October bee members. I'm off to ponder, and look at quilting magazines, and look at flickr and make a decision! Check back for periodic progress.