Deco Shimmer Quilt Top!!

Yay!!!!  The Deco Shimmer quilt top is finished!!  I ♥♥♥ it!! Things I love about it are the solids, negative space, how the quilt "moves" - just to name a few.  It measures 53 inches square, although I think it would be a really sweet bed runner with the 4 blocks all sewn into one row...hmmmm.

This photo just makes me smile...maybe the angle, or maybe it's Branson's legs hanging out the bottom, lol!

I picked up some Aurifil thread yesterday that I thought would be perfect for quilting. 

Pattern Testing - Deco Shimmer

I am so excited about this pattern!!  Helen at HDMR Deco Quilting needed some pattern testers for her new pattern Deco Shimmer, and I happily volunteered!  I have only gotten one block sewn, but the rest of the pieces are all cut out and ready to be put together.  This pattern uses the Quick Curve ruler and makes sewing curves a snap...no pins required!!

Each block measures 28 inches unfinished, so only 4 blocks makes a very nice throw. Would also be a great pattern for a larger quilt.

I have always loved the cheddar and white quilts from back in the day and recently bought about 5 yards of  gorgeous Kona fabric called Schoolbus.  It's just the perfect shade of cheddar.

WIP Wednesday

It has been a while since I have had a WIP Wednesday, so I am excited to be back to sewing!  I am totally caught up on Sweet and Sassy orders (yippee!!) and am ready to get started with my 100 Day Hustle list.  Thank you, Kelsey, for the kick in the pants to get going  :o)  I tell ya, I just love the online quilting community.  I have no local quilting friends even close to my age so it's nice to find others with the same interests!

My first WIP to show today is the first quilt for our do.Good Stitches Promise Circle.  I cannot decide which layout I like the best.

 Layout Option 1

Layout Option 2

Other WIPs:

1.  Branson's superhero quilt - I think I am going to go simple on this one.  I tend to overthink and that's what makes my projects last forever long!

2.  Single Girl - finally dug out my fabrics, templates, paper-piecing papers, etc and am going to get started on piecing this week!  Cannot wait to see how they finally come together...eep!!!

3.  EPP quilt - no progress, sad to say.  I am on the fence, but leaning towards machine quilting, just need some grey thread.  Will get that this weekend.

4.  Christmas Brr! Quilt - fabrics pulled, pattern chosen!

5.  Baby Chevron - no progress.  Need to make the back, baste, quilt, etc.  Any ideas for how to quilt this one??

And...because I didn't have enough on my list, I added a new project.  Something a little different, but amazing!  I am testing a pattern....and am about 1/2 done with the top.  Can't wait to share!!

I'm linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced.

100 Day Hustle with Kelsey Sews

Can you believe we are almost done with September??  And that Christmas is really just around the corner??  Whoa.  The past 2 months have been a bit of a whirlwind for us...my father-in-law passed away, I had surgery, my sister and her family moved here from ♥ CA ♥ and are staying with us until they get their feet on the ground, school started back, and I could just go on and on. Work has ramped up, taking more of  my time, causing me to really re-evaluate how I spend my "off" hours at home....cuz we're never really "off" are we??  Most days I really love my job, but all I really want to do is spend my days quilting in my jammies...just bein honest!!

Anyway the purpose of this post is not to glorify my busy schedule (haha!), but to say that sometimes I just need a list, a plan to get the fun stuff done, the stuff that isn't completely necessary to day-to-day life, but is pretty important to my mental health!

Kelsey over at Kelsey Sews is hosting a 100 Day Hustle...because it is officially 100 days till the end of the year (as of yesterday...what's new, I'm behind again)!! This will be a great opportunity to get stuff done!

So here's my to-do list:

1.  Branson-superhero quilt.  My sweet husby has been waiting patiently for a quilt of his own.  This is priority one!
2.  Finish my EPP quilt.  I am still not sure if I want to hand or machine quilt this one but I just need to make a decision and get 'er done!
3.  New stockings and placemats for Christmas for my kitchen
4.  Piece my queen-sized Single Girl quilt...notice I am just planning to have it pieced by then.  No need to get crazy!
5.  Make baby quilt for my new niece or nephew!!  He/She is due in April-ish, but I would sure love to have something done by Christmas!
6.  Make Christmas quilt with my bundle of Brr fabric
7.  Start a new project using my Out to Sea fabric....still mulling that one over.  Depending on the gender of our new family member, #5 and #7 could be combined

Another fun tidbit is I have finally upgraded by well-worn, beloved Blackberry to an iPhone...and I ♥♥♥ it!!!  So I am now on Instagram, because you can't have too much social media :o)

WIP Wednesday

Yes...posting about this quilt again :o)  I had originally decided to hand-quilt this one, but I think my impatience is going to win out.  I sat down last night to start, but I just don't have the patience...this coming from the girl who hand-pieced a quilt that is almost 90 inches square.  Anyway, am I going to ruin this by machine quilting it??  Is it weird that there is a little bit of guilt involved, like I'm taking the easy way out?? 

Modern Baby Chevron Quilt

I've been in a bit of a slump lately...hate that.  This weekend, I finally dug out my sewing machine and whipped together this super easy baby chevron quilt top.  I have never made a solids-only quilt before and I have to say, I really like it!!  The negative space kinda scares me in terms of quilting...but I'm sure it's not that scary once you just get moving and do it.

The colors are 2 of my faves ~ gray and cheddar yellow.  I am thinking of some super simple quilting and binding it with this solid color...kona glacier.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Labor Day weekend!!  Another major accomplishment this weekend is getting my EPP quilt basted...my sister was HUGE help!!  Now onto quilting that one....

Linking up this week to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced!

Fabric Intervention

Why is it that whenever you are trying to NOT spend money and buy more fabric, that is when all the wonderful fabrics come out???  I am trying REALLY hard to not buy anything right now, but I feel my resolve slipping as I see these floating around ~

Chicopee by Denyse Schmidt for sale at So Bright Fabric on Etsy

or this one

Madrona Road by Violet Craft for sale at Westwood Acres on Etsy

tying with this one as my FAVES right now

Out to Sea by Sara Jane for sale at Westwood Acres on Etsy

What's a girl to do...except buy them all and pray for an opportunity to use them!!  Just kidding :o)  Seriously, does anyone else collect fabric??  Seems like I buy it and set it aside for that "perfect project" and then it just sits on my shelf in it's pristine bundle-y goodness, like a vintage toy on my husband's shelves...that's for you babe!

14 Years...and Counting!

Today the husby and I celebrate our 14th anniversary!!  We don't usually do anything too big for our anniversary, just out to eat and a gift for each other.  This year, though, we are getting our passports and have put a deposit down to reserve our spots for next June's trip to Europe!!  I am BEYOND excited about it....11 days of European bliss with my sweetie :o)  I CANNOT wait!!!  The only bad thing is that I have put myself on strict fabric-buying diet....I'd rather save it up for Paris *sigh*

Honestly, it's pretty amazing for me to think we've been married for 14 years.  We've been thru so much together, and I just love this man more than I ever have before.  And I'm not just sayin it, either.

So, even though I am on a strict fabric-buying hiatus, my sweetie bought me the FQ set of Lilly Belle for our anniversary...isn't it yummy??  I may or may not have sent him the links to these from Julie's shop on etsy.  I ♥ The Intrepid Thread!!  Now...what to do with it!

Brrr! Giveaway Winner!!

Sorry for my delay this morning, folks!!  Yall rocked my socks off with the response to this giveaway!! I had no idea we were all so ready for winter, lol!  so without further ado, our giveaway winner is:

I will be contacting you shortly :o)

Thanks so all of you who entered, shared, and started following!!  I love the online blogging community...I have met so many great people!

do. Good Stitches - Promise Circle

Have you entered the giveaway for some great Brrr! fabric yet??  you can enter HERE!

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I am so excited to share that this month is my first month as the host of one of Rachel's do. Good Stitches Quilting Bees!  My bee is the Promise Circle.  I chose the name Promise because of the wonderful charity that we will be donating our quilts to....Threading Hope.  This charity takes quilts to children in poverty-stricken and war-torn countries.  I love that they personally take the quilts you make to the kids and send you a picture of the child who received it.  I know it's "just a quilt" but it's more than that...it's a promise that others care.

So, I along with 9 other quilters will be making and donating a quilt each month.  If you are interested in joining a do. Good Stitches quilting bee, take a look at the flickr page and sign up!