Back in the saddle....

Thank goodness for online challenges and goal setting linkies!  While surfing the net, (when I should be doing more productive things like cleaning, laundry, cooking or sewing), I've stumbled upon a few Hexagon fellow lovers blogs!  After seeing all of the wonderful hand stitched goodness, this inspired me to dust off an old UFO and start working on it again!  After a wonderful evening of stitching some hexies together while watching some adult tv (by adult I mean no kids shows lol) - some Criminal Minds and CSI, I really wondered why I had put them away for so long.

This is my first ever attempt in paper piecing.  After seeing the gorgeous Hexy MF Quilt Along by Katie Jones about to start up at Fat Quarterly, I knew I had to try it!  I immediately ordered the Hexagon templates and paper piecing Hexagons and pulled a recently purchased Fat Quarter Bundle of Paradise by Pat Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics from Moona Fabrics to use with a wonderful Kona Chartreuse Green cotton as my hexy flower centers.

I tried hand basting my hexies for awhile and although relaxing, I found it a bit time consuming with everything else going on so I started glue basting instead (I hope I won't regret this decision when I go to pull  my papers out).  I am definitely hooked now on paper piecing now and hope to try some more different shapes and patterns!

So now that I've pulled my UFO out of hiding, I've been keeping it close to the couch so I can sit and stitch while watching some TV in the evenings and hopefully get this quilt done some time this year!!!

I only have 17 flowers stitched together and I need 68 full Hexy flowers just for the body of the quilt and another 6 flowers for the border ones on the vine.

Here's my beauties all stacked up:

And here they are spread out:

I'm planning on using a dark grey background just like the sample pic to really make everything pop!

So wish me luck on my adventure and any tips or comments would be greatly appreciated!!!

Linking up with Sarah at Sarah Did It for HeLP with Hexie-Aholics Friday! and Richard and Tanya Quilts for Link a Finish Friday!

January 2014 - Goal Party - A Lovely Year of Finishes

Well, now that 2013 is over, absolutely the worst year of my life ever, I've set some new goals and blogging regularly is one of them!  I contemplated starting a new blog, just for my sewing and quilting projects as that is what I'm doing most days now, but figured I didn't need the added stress of having another blog going.  I'll still post my papercrafts and art projects here on this blog too when I get back into the swing of things.

One of my goals this year is to definitely finish up one of the many UFO's floating around my sewing desk. This year I'm going to participate in a Lovely Year of Finishes with Melissa from Sew Bitter Sweet Designs and Shanna at Fiber of All Sorts!  You set a sewing goal for yourself that month and finish it!  I definitely need the motivation and love deadlines!

This month, I'm going to finish the applique and piecing of this quilt top, Late Bloomers, by Kim Diehl which was published in the April, 2012 issue of Better Homes and Gardens American Patchwork & Quilting.    I have only one panel left of the applique to finish then I can finish piecing the top together.  Sorry for the basement photos (that's where I sew and my design wall is).

I also joined a few (just a couple lol) BOM's and have two commissioned baby boy quilts to start on this month so lot's of sewing time for me (hopefully).

Blogger's Quilt Festival

 It's been about 8 1/2 months since I last blogged.  On August 25th, 2011, we welcomed the newest addition to our family, Julianna Gabriella Zito, weighing 5lbs 4 oz.  Life has been so busy but so wonderful with little Julianna!  I haven't been paper crafting very much but have been sewing up a storm! I may have to start another blog for that......

Today I'm sharing a quilt I made for the Missouri Star Quilt Co. Iron Quilter Contest.  We had to use a special ingredient in our creations - at least one charm pack of Moda's Summer Breeze fabric.  I used 3 charm packs, Moda Snow White and Summer Breeze yardage.  The the pattern is "Sparkle" by Margot Languedoc of the Pattern Basket.  The finished quilt measures  71 x 79 inches. I had a such a fun time putting together this quilt before Christmas and thank goodness baby Julianna was super co-operative during it all! The quilt was longarmed locally by Nancy Renaud of the Quilt Fairy.

I definitely learned how to quilt under pressure and strengthened my chain piecing skills while working on this quilt! The quilt turned out beautifully and is one of my favourites!  I even came in 2nd place for the contest!  I'm submitting my quilt into Amy's Bloggers' Quilt Festival - Spring 2012!