Orange Crush Part 5

to RED

to WHITE

PERFECT

 So I started by auditioning oranges! Honestly, I was going to use the 'red' one!! But that was before I changed up the colours and laid it out! EEWW!! Then I pulled the only other oranges I had enough of! The flowery one was just to white and I thought it might blend into the quilt! Don't want that!! The bird cage surprised me with the aqua (that I am using for the centers) already in the fabric! Umm YES!! Plus, it MIGHT just create an opening for yellow binding! (maybe!!??)

Cut and ready to roll!

So, I cut and stitched and finished up my album blocks, half album blocks, and quarter album blocks! Have I ever said I am a NUT for on point quilts! I just think it changed the look SO much!!
I was all ready fro next week to put these blocks together (part 6) but then I realized that there was an optional pieced border!! Well we all know I could NOT pass that up!! So I'm going to split part 6 up into two weeks so I'm not overwhelmed! I mean, I KNOW what the end of Orange Crush looks like, but I'm not sure what Grand Illusion looks like and weather or not the next clue will be more challenging! It's not a race ... right!!
Come back and check it out! Getting SO close to a completed top here!!
And be sure to check out Bonnie's Blog for part 5 instructions!
See Y'all soon,
Josie

Half album blocks

Quarter Album blocks

Album blocks finished!!

Grand Illusion Part 5

Quick and easy

This week clue was quick and easy! That was a great break I got a little after the Holiday cleaning done. (not really my FAVORITE thing to do, but I guess it has to be done!)

Thanks for visiting! Check back tomorrow for clue 5 of Easy Street

Linking up with Bonnie's linky party up!

Josie

Easy Street finished!!!

I'm so happy to have this one on the DONE and GIFTED list!! Our oldest Daughter laid claim to this one not long after the top was finished. I wanted to be sure I was in good standing with my long arm before I took on another big quilt! This beast finishes at 98 x 98!! (That's a biggun!!)
We were at my In-laws for Christmas so I was able to take an on the bed shot! (they have such an AMAZING home!!)
I hope it is well loved with our Daughter! (even though I'm SURE her bed will never be made!! )
Thanks for visiting! Linking up with Bonnie for a holiday linky party!
Sadly this was my only hand made gift for this holiday! I DO hope to be better NEXT year!!!
Josie

Easy Street!

A LOT of texture!!

Orange Crush Part 4

Cut

Done!!  Keeping up nicely with OC! Oh Yah!! This week added in new colours!! I chose to use my neutral here instead of black and pink instead of red! First step was HST units!
Then on to the first block! Spinning stars!!

Spinning Star blocks DONE!!

I love it when a block comes together!!
Be sure to come back and check out my next blocks!
Be sure to check out Bonnie's post for part 4


AND I'm FINISHED with my Easy Street!! It is bound and ready to be gifted! I will have to get good pics when I give it to my Daughter!

If I don't make it back before then I hope everyone a blessed Christmas!
Josie

HST

Grand Illusion Part 4

Binding!!

Got it!! I've been a BUSY girl!!
This weekend I finished binding my Easy Street (Post to come later when I give the gift!!)
Then after that I started in on my part 4!! I am happy to say I'm finished! Thank you for being a quick one!!
Linking up with Quiltville!
I'm off to work on my Orange Crush! This whole binding thing has gotten me just a bit backed up! Wish me luck!!
Josie

Part 4 finished!!

Orange Crush Part 3

Cut and ready

This was a quick and easy week! I'm keeping up and doing great!! This is the end of the Black and lime! (on a side note I MIGHT have to buy more lime to finish my Grand Illusion!! LOL OOPS!!)

At any rate! Here's part 3!!

See you next time!!
Josie

And DONE!

BHMQAL Grand Illusion Part 3

Oh so close!!

Oh, my lord!! I'm so glad this past week is done!
 First the thread debacle for my Easy Street! What 's that you may ask... well I'm THIS close to being finished and I ran out of the thread I was using King Tut that had been given me when I purchased my Long arm. I have to say I am not really a fan of this thread! It says 'low lint' but I'm not seeing that!! I see a LOT of lint! But when you are this close to finishing you use the same thread to finish... right??? It is on order, but I will have to wait till it gets here to finish! I'm so sad!!

Double four patches

Then this step!! It was SUCH a simple step and yet for some reason I just could NOT get through it!!
 First, I sewed every last one of my black strips to a white strip!! That led to forty five minutes of unstitching!! I got them all properly stitched. THEN I did the worst thing EVER!!! I didn't listen to Bonnie's words!! I know better!! Thank goodness I was only stitching 20 units together at a time! I sewed the first batch correctly!! Then I sewed the next batch together with the black square in the WRONG corner!!! That ALSO led to about a half hour of unstitching!!
All is well now and all of my units are finished!! 

I also sat down the other day and did some quilty math! For these three quilts I'm currently working on (ES, OC, & GI) I need 405" of binding for ES, 370" for OC, and 364" for GI... that's 1139" for binding!!! Almost 95 FEET!! Maybe I will start on those while I'm waiting for the next clues and my thread!! LOL


I'm on to my next adventure for now! (well more Orange Crush) Wish me luck!!
Linking up to Bonnie's linky party!!
Josie

Easy Street on the frame

On the beast!

I'm just on a roll right now! I have to admit it feels GREAT!! Can we all say I'm just a little Bonnie Hunter obsessed?? OK Yes at this current moment I'm working on Grand Illusion, Orange Crush, and I go throw Easy Street on my Long Arm! I know! Someone call the police! I'm a stalker!!

If you follow me you may remember I was having some issues with my machine! I sent the beast in and they fixed it, however my love for where I bought it is dwindling! You know I have not heard WHAT they did to fix it! Not a word!! At any rate.. It's fixed and purring like normal!!

Close up of quilting

I am going with a paisley repeat kind of deal! FMQ and making it up as I go along!! I'm just about half way done! I decided I should work on this while I wait for week three to begin! I like to have a few things going at once anyway!!

As I work on this I am reminded why I don't quilt for others... #1 I'm still learning!! My set up does not allow me to work on pantographs (because it is to close to the wall AND I don't have a laser) #2 Do you charge extra fro the dog hair you lovingly quilt into the quilt?? Try as I might there are short white from Little Dog and long black from Big Dog!! What can I say?? We re a dog family!!

OK I'm off to start my morning!! Wish me luck on my quilting!! See y'all soon!!
Josie

Orange Crush Part 2

Split four patches ready to roll!!

Whew! Keeping up!! I can do this!! So far so good!! I really do love the simplicity of Orange Crush!

Part 2 is split four patches! Once again for this quilt I have changed up the neutral with Lime green and the dark I chose to use black like in step 1! I popped it in my EQ7 (Oh wait did I not tell y'all that dropped on my doorstep...) I just LOVE how the four patch look much more BOLD with these choices!

They are all finished and I'm ready to move on to the next step!

On a side note it is very trippy to cut lime green on a green cutting mat! I go to my large mat for strip cutting! But for dog ears and such I sit and trim on this little gem!

OK week 2 is done ... Now what???
Josie

BHMQAL Grand Illusion Part 2

Cut

Whewh! DONE!! ;0) Be sure to check out everyone's progress at Bonnie's Linky party!! Then come back here tomorrow to see how my Orange Crush is coming along!!
Josie

DONE!!!

Orange Crush Part 1

Cut pairs

Because I'm a glutton for punishment and sometimes one is not enough...
I have decided to do a second Bonnie Hunter QAL!!!
I have said it before and I'll say it again... I love Bonnie Hunter! She said this year would be a little more laid back so I have decided to do Orange Crush (a previous QAL) I can't really call it a mystery because I do know what the final result is, but it reminds me of Easy Street!
I have changed up some of the colours (actually going with most of the colours from Grand Illusion)
I have finished part 1. I chose to go with lime greens instead of her neutral and black prints instead of her dark selection!! I just can't sit still right now! It is after all cold outside and that makes it time to quilt... right!! LOL
SO both part ones are finished... and cut for part 2 for Orange Crush!!
Maybe I will start working on part 2 while I await Fridays clue to go live on Grand Illusion!!
Just call me crazy!!
Josie

150 Four patches!

BHMQAL Grand Illusion Part 1

Guess what time of year it is... SQUEAL BHMQAL!!!

Cut and ready to roll!!!

Part 1 went live on Friday! I went shopping!! And then spent Saturday and Sunday cutting and sewing!!! And I am happy to say part 1 of the Grand Illusion is finished!!! I had tossed around the idea of mixing up the colours... but I LOVE the fun bright choices Bonnie made! So, I stuck with her choices!! Can't wait to see the next part!!
Josie
Linking up to Bonnie's Post!

Done Done and Done!!!

Monday morning Diamonds (still 3... and two halves!!)

Well, we had an AMAZING weekend weather wise! Honeyman was off Friday and Saturday so we decided to pull the camper out! And guess who didn't take any hand work with her??? This gal!!
I did the inside of two diamonds done! So my count still stands at three (and two halves!!) There seems to be a LOT of blues and yellow going on here! I will have to find more reds and pinks to balance this out! A laid back kind of day today! I hope to get these two done while the kids play outside today!
 I do love this 80 degree weather!! It can stay this way for another couple of weeks and I would be VERY happy!!
Linking up with Jessica!

I hope everyone is having and AMAZING day!
Have a great week!!
Josie

EPP Monday Morning Diamond count (3)

Going to try to be better about linking up and being accountable! Trying anyway!!
I have two more diamonds to add to my new pile! I have to pick up background so I can add that to my finished diamonds and really call each one 'done'! I'm pretty sure I'm doing a black background because... well that's just my go to!! I love it and bright colours!!
I'm linking up with Jessica! Go check out what the other amazing ladies are up to!!!

Josie

Twisted Sister Finished!

Anticipation is the worst!! Why does it take two hours for the washer and dryer to deliver to me my finished quilt??
A little bit back I finished a quilt top! OK YES the date on that IS Jan of 2012!! I have more tops finished than I care to admit! This one I had all pin basted and ready to quilt! I started and then didn't know if I liked what I was doing! At that point however I was WAY to far into quilting it to even THINK about pulling out the stitches! So it sat in the WIP pile!!

Easy Street

I am still having troubles with my long arm (GRRRRR) and am calling in today to see if I can send it in! (and this time I will NOT speak to Scott because he was just not nice!!)  I WILL get this beast fixed because my goal is to get my Celtic Solstice quilted prior to starting Bonnie's QAL this year!! (and my Easy Street!!! OOPS!! And Oops again I don't think I ever posted a finished pic of the top! Not like me!) Well here's my Easy Street... a quarter of it anyway! I'm not sure if I like it but the Brat has laid claim to it and says she likes it! So, when I get it finished it will go to her!!

OK, my Dryer has finished and here we go Twisted Sister!! FINISHED!!!

Twisted Sister!

Wrinkled goodness!!!

Backing

Normally I like to piece a back, I did not however piece this back and I'm not even sure what I'm going to do with this little critter! I will say this is the first quilt (other than the quillows) that I machine stitched the binding! I'm not really a fan of it, but I do like to have it in my wheelhouse just in case!!


And just my luck, too... I was going to link up a Friday Finish with crazy mom quilts and there is no link this week! Shall I tell her it is my fault because the universe is shocked I had something to contribute!! LOL

Crazy stuff my friends!!!! Have a great weekend!!
Josie

Star Dust Quilt Along

Fabric pull!

Howdy friends! It's been a minute or two!! To tell the truth not much gets done over the summer! That's family and vacation time! The kids are now back to school and I have my nap time back to get down to business!!
I LOVE Tula Pink! I love her fabric, her patterns!! She just speaks to me!!! I would LOVE to try her butterfly quilt! But for now John decided to start in a QAL!! I'm in!!! I love the look of Space Dust and decided WHY NOT!!!
I did start a week late, but I'm all caught up now!!! I decided to pull fabrics from my stash! Aren't we always trying to use what we have?? I will have to get more for the background! I'm running low!!

Row 1

Row 2

Row 3

Row 4

 I do love how bright the colours are against the black background!! I am a bright gal!! I have the first 5 rows done and only have one more to go!

Row 5 #SDQAL

I hope to sit at my machine for a bit today! Thank goodness it's a holiday weekend!!!
Hope everyone has a great one!!!
Josie
Linking Up with Lee

TENSION!!!

SO, here's the ugly truth... I have been SWEARING at my long arm! I CANNOT get the tension right! I get it! I REALLY do! eyelashes = top tension to loose or bobbin to tight!! Well I CAN'T tighten the top any more! I have had to loosen it because it was TOO tight! thread breaking!! So I loosened the screw on the bobbin!! I CAN NOT loosen it any further! And I am STILL getting eyelashes!! I'm just gonna show ya! Brace yourselves...

Eyelashes 

Eyelashes

                                                                                                                                         So I didn't change ANYTHING between these 3 photos! Same Bobbin same stitching! And yet about 1\3 of the stitching has eyelashes! IN THE MIDDLE of the rest of the stuff! I just don't get it! I am pretty steady with my stitching. I do use a stitch regulator and not a constant speed so in theory even if I am not even it SHOULD keep up with me! (believe me when I say I am NOT a quick stitcher! LOL)

No eyelashes???

Puppy

This quilt is for a little guy and I did throw in a snake a snail and a puppy dog tail! These pics are from the back of the quilt. The from is white so they are not very noticeable from the front! But that was what I wanted! It is all together possible that his name is ALSO on the quilt! But since he is not yet here I can't really share that part!! I am going to leave the quilting eyelashes and all! (Her daughter after all has the first quilt I EVER fully finished) 

Snakes

Snails

Eat Play Sleep Repeat 

The pattern is Baby Life Quilt from Moda Bake shop I have had this one on my must do list for some time! I did have to alter it because I only had a yard of the background. So I made the outer border orange with white polka dots! I hope to get this bound and washed up in the next day or two!  

Happy stitching!

I haven't decided yet what to bind it with... I will probably go with blue! OH, I have more polka dot binding from my last quilt still!! That would work nicely!!

 OK friends! Wish me luck!! Have a GREAT day!!
Josie

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