Hogwart's Castle

I spent all Memorial day weekend (4 days) at a gaming convention, playing Pathfinder (a D&D offshoot) all weekend. I had a ball, but came home feeling quilt-deprived.

I spent Tuesday cutting fabric, and finally finished my Hogwarts Castles (for both quilts, one solid, one Grunge) this evening. Glad to put these behind me.

Tomorrow I start cutting Hagrid... though not sure if I'll get to piece him til Saturday (Friday is the Central Coast Quilt Run and I'm going on a road trip with friends). Maybe I'll be caught up by mid-next-week.

Challenges

Wow... I attended my guild meeting last Wednesday... It was the day of the challenge reveal. I won first place!!!  This was my entry:

 I can't believe it, because there were some pretty awesome quilts!!! In fact, they were all wonderful! Anyway, since the theme was 'the beach', the prizes were some beach themed totebags... Since i won first place, I got first pick (each one was different)... love my new tote bag... Of course winning has a downside.. it means I have to run the next challenge in 2 years (we alternate years - one year is the challenge, the next year, we do a round robin, then back to challenge and so on)...

Last Wednesday, I took a little trip to a LQS that just happens to carry every color of Moda Grunge... dangerous!... I didn't go there for Grunge though... I picked up a few pieces of sale fabric and one other piece, and while just perusing the Grunge aisle casually, it occurred to me that the Harry Potter quilt would look awesome in Grunge, with a starry Grunge background. Sigh...  So, I got out my trusty phone (what we do without internet access on the go?!?) and looked up the fabric requirements for the HP quilt... I bought everything I'd need and walked out with 2 huge bags of fabric...

I waited til Saturday to start making the Grunge HP quilt, but since then, I've been making 2 blocks a day.  I'm doing last Saturday's block (#17) in both colorways today, so I'll be all caught up before the new block is released tomorrow.  Here is a pic of the first 12 blocks in Grunge (I didn't have room on the wall for the other four blocks that are done)

It frightens me a little that I can do THIS much sewing (normally I don't... it's not for lack of time (obviously). It's not for lack of projects to work on.... I've got a zillion (okay - about 60) UFOs, not to mention kits not even started yet... and fabric galore to choose from for non-kit projects. Where is my inspiration, my enthusiasm, my initiative??? Usually lost somewhere between TV, computer and napping... I've really gotta work on being a self-starter!!!

 (btw- If you're wondering why there is a gap between the blocks in that picture, that is our door to the backyard, so 1/3 of my design wall is on the left side of it, the other 2/3 is on the right side... We do have other doors to the outside, but they are less convenient (big sliders in the game room, but harder to unlock and use, and we DO try to keep the dogs out of there, so we don't want them using it as their path to the outside) - so I'm stuck with a door in my quilting room in the middle of my design wall.  Not ideal, but better than no design wall at all! 

BoM, BoW & Mysteries, Oh My

So I've been working on a lot of projects that are proceeding slowly because the blocks are only released weekly or monthly... I just completed Pat Sloan's free mystery block of the month (BoM) for May:

Also just completed is Fawkes from Kelli Fannin's (over at Seriously, I Think it Needs Stitches) Harry Potter quilt-a-long.

And I've finished the top I was making, mitered corners on the border and all... This one is just a simple friendship star pattern, but made using a method for making 8 HSTs at a time that I'd never tried before, making 8 at a time.  I combined a Tula Pink layer cake with some greys from my stash to make this.  This is for the 'Get To-Gather' at Quilt Emporium in Woodland Hills, CA.  I've decided I like this method, and will most likely use it again in the future.

May the Fifth

Today is Cinco de Mayo... a very sad and special day for me... it is the day of my mother's yahrtzeit (the anniversary of her death)... I miss her lots... We didn't always get along.. in fact, we clashed a lot, especially when I was younger, but we had our close moments too.  It's always a hard day for me.

Mom and Dad, miss you both

I got up early, and to distract myself from my personal feelings, I put borders on my friendship star quilt... Just need to make a back for it and it will be ready to go.  A task for another day.

Friendship Stars and Sample Blocks

Kind of busy quilting and other activities too since my retreat a few weeks ago. Saw this block on facebook, and figured out how to sew it... made a sample block from some dot pattern strips I had from an old exchange.  Haven't decided if I want to do more or not.. it's pretty, and an easy 4-patch block, but do I like it enough to repeat it?  A friend suggested putting it on point... maybe I should put it in EQ and find out of that works...

So that's what I did.. came up with three layouts... a straight set with no sashing... kind of blah... a straight set with sashing... a bit better, but I think would look even better with different fabrics in each block and just a constant background... and on point with sashing, I think my favorite of the three... Maybe I will make some more blocks... but I will play some more with it before I make a final decision.

Straight set, no sashing, my least favorite of the three:

Straight set with sashing... not bad, but not great:

My favorite of the three, on point with sashing and cornerstones:

 Then, started the friendship stars top, probably for a donation quilt, made from a Tula Pink layer cake and some greys from my stash. Today, I spent all morning sewing a grey piano key border for it... still have some piecing to do to make the strips long enough to miter the corners... Tomorrow, I'm headed off to see Fiddler so more sewing will mostly have to wait til Monday. Kinda tired now, but might do some sewing later today too.

As for finishes? not so much... sigh... procrastinating a lot lately, esp. on bindings and quilting... making tops is easier...