Happy New Year!

Enjoy a safe evening. See ya next year!

Circle of Friends Civil War Quilt

Circle of Friends

This quilt was made for Barbara Brackman as a thank you by quilters participating in her Civil War BOW. The block I made is Calico Puzzle, fourth row down, first on the left. 

Becky Brown pieced together our blocks and added a mitred border 

Quilted by Deb Jacobs

Big thank you to Dustin and Becky for setting up and maintaining the Flickr site

Becky also made each week's block posted on the Civil War blog
Click here for a link to Barbara's post about this quilt

Being a part of this project in 2011 has been so amazing. I've "met" some wonderful talented quilters from all over the world. Started my first blog. Spending way too much time blog hopping but enjoying every minute of it getting inspired!

This project led to the 1880s Sampler BOW with Cheryl Miller. 

Love the precision piecing and challenge of making both of these quilts this year.

Looking forward to some new UFO and FMQ challenges in 2012!

Getting these two and other quilts I am working on completed.

Improve my FMQ skills and try to keep up with all of you! 

Wishing you all a Happy and Pieceful New Year!

2012 UFO Challenge

** For complete updates with pictures, go to my UFO page under my header **

UFO Challenges. Judy Laquidara is hosting a new UFO Challenge for 2012 and my guild is doing one too. First time to join a UFO challenge for me. It will be a fun way to get some UFOs out of the closet.

Here is my list of 12 projects that I would love to finish...

#1 ~ Red and White Quilt ~ Most of the top is finished. To do: add borders, quilt, bind and label. Finished in February!

#2 ~  Chips and Strips Quilt~ NYD Mystery quilt. To do: finish top, quilting, binding and label. Top is finished. Quilted and binding done.

#3 ~ 1930s Dresden wall hanging. To do: finish top, quilting, binding and label.

#4 ~ A Mystery Quilt I did in 2005. Top was finished back then. To do: Quilting, binding and label. Quilted.

#5 ~ Friendship Stars Quilt. This is a top made from fabrics I swapped in a Celestial Star Swap that Luna Lisa hosted while we were members of AAQMB. I finished the top soon after the swap and it's been tucked away for far too long. To do: quilting, binding and label.

Finished in January!! Even added a sleeve!

#6 ~ Tree of Life Quilt. Made with HSTs cut aways from the snowball blocks of UFO #1

#7 ~ Simple Scrappy Pleasures Quilt. This is a BOM started in 2002! All of the blocks are complete. To do: Finish month #13 which are the pieced borders, assemble top, quilt, binding and label. Top is complete

#8 ~ Simple Scrappy Pleasures wall hanging. Same BOM. I had such a stash of calicos I made a smaller version at the same time. To do: same as #7 Top is complete. Quilting is complete. Added a sleeve. Finished in March!

#9 ~ Modern Dresden Flower Power Sampler. Took a class with Anelie Belden in 2011 and started this quilt. To do: finish blocks. Hope Judy doesn't pick #9 first! lol This is one of the blocks. My goal is to finish the blocks.

# 10 ~ Galactic Twinkle Quilt. Another BOM in 20?? lol. Blocks are all made. To do: Put top together, quilt, binding and label.

# 11 ~ Wee Flower Patch wall hanging. A 2003 BOM. Now this one I finished the top! To do: quilting, binding and label.

#12 ~ Nine Patch small doll quilt. I have 2 pizza boxes of nine patches that were swapped with members of AAQMB. This is one of many quilts I made this year using the nine patches. To do: quilting, binding and label. Finished this one and a second 9 patch small quilt ;0)

It was fun looking for UFOs tonight, like finding old friends. I promise to update this post with pictures. Wishing you a Pieceful New Year!

I found 24 UFOs in total. Two are special occasion quilts that need to be completed soon and two are BOMs that I can't complete until October so I did not include them above. My Civil War Quilt and 1880s Sampler are WIPs that I will keep working on all year, plus six more that I will try to finish for my guild's 2012 UFO challenge. 

Seems a little overwhelming now that I see how many projects I have. Perhaps unrealistic but I will be happy with how ever many get finished :0)

Happy Quilting!

Christmas Star

Here is the most recent Civil War block that I finished this morning. 

Block 52 Christmas Star posted on Civil War blog on Christmas Eve.

52 ~ Christmas Star

Four of the fabrics I used to make this block are from 8 inch Civil War charms I swapped in 2004 with members of AAQMB. They were left over pieces as I used some of them in a previous block. I kept waiting for the right block to use them and this was the perfect one! The background fabric in the corners is a new fabric that I brought in since I did not have enough to make the entire block. There was also not enough fabric to fussy cut either but I am happy with this block. 

This coming Saturday will be the last block posted on the CW blog!

I also finished last weeks block 51 New York

51 ~ New York

In place of a four inch square of blue star fabric I pieced a Tri Recs star. Others quilters did the same and I like the look. I also used the same red and cream fabrics to make block 30 ~ Peterson's Stars and Stripes.

30 ~ Peterson's Stars and Stripes

This block was posted on the Civil War blog on July 23, 2011. This is one of a few blocks I have not completed as I was deciding on whether or not to hand appliqué.  As you can see I went with the not and machine appliquéd the star with a variegated blue thread ;0) and now it's done!

I haven't said much about Christmas as it was a challenge with my Mom. I keep it pretty low key as she is extremely uncomfortable with people she does not know. Recently her dementia has progressed that there are times she does not know who I am. Needless to say, it took the wind out of my sails...thank goodness for quilting... it's the best therapy!

Peace on Earth

Goodwill tword Men and Women
...On this Christmas Eve

Wishing Peace for everyone around the World 

Happy Holidays!

Are your stockings hung?

Wishing you and yours a Wonderful Holiday

CW block ~ Union

Finished #44 block ~ Union ~ for my Civil War Quilt.

Union

I have a few more blocks to catch up on, less than 10. This block was posted on October 29 on Barbara Brachman's Civil War blog. The block has five fabrics, which is always a challenge to pick fabrics and colors for these blocks. That and fussy cutting are but two of my favorite parts of making this quilt.

Saturday will be block #51, then just two more Saturdays until the end of the year and we will be at the end of this Block of the Week. The last block for the 1880s Sampler was posted last week and the setting triangles will be posted after the holidays. So sad that both of these BOWs are coming to an end.

There are lots of pictures now of quilters that have started setting their CW blocks. Many different ideas and versions. Some set on point, some with sashing, some with alternate blocks. Lots of choices. I have not made a decision for my quilt yet. Many of the blocks look great set on point and yet others look best straight set. There was a post with a version drawn up on software with straight set blocks AND blocks set on point in the center medallion style. So many choices, all are gorgeous.

Barbara Brachman is working on a book that will be about this project that will be published in 2012. Rosemary Youngs made her version of this quilt and it will be in the book. A picture of her finished quilt is posted on The Civil War blog. We have a sneak preview of the last 3 blocks!

I have a busy day today. Embroidery to finish on a stocking and baste the sample quilt for my Quilting 101 class. I decided to baste it on the longarm and then do FMQ on my faithful Bernina. Take mom to a doctor appointment this afternoon, vegan cooking to do for tonight to celebrate my son's birthday and have a nice evening with my son Chris, his girlfriend Christie, mom, Michael and I. 

Enjoy your holidays!

Fussy Four Patch

Here is a picture of the sample quilt for my next Quilting 101 class

It starts in January of 2012

at Cathy's Sew and Vac in Chico, CA

Fussy Four Patch

Visit Cathy's Sew and Vac website for more info:   http://www.cathyssewandvac.com/

Grapes of Wrath

Block #50 ~ Grapes of Wrath ~ Civil War Quilt

Newest posting today on Barbara Brackman's Civil War BOW blog. I followed the suggested colors for this block. It was a perfect fit for this gold fabric and it's wine colored leaves.

This block is a modification of a traditional block called Grape Basket. 

BlockBase #712.

The grape basket represents the history of the lyrics of the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Written by Julia War Howe, the poem was published in the Atlantic Monthly in 1862. "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord: He trampled out the vintage where the grapes of wrath were stored." 

Click on the Civil War link on my sidebar to read more...  

Also finished a block for the 1880s Sampler that Cheryl Miller posted yesterday.

Elaborate Ohio Star

Snowball and QSTs are unfinished at 2 inches. The block finishes at 5 inches square.

Original quilt made by Barbara Snyder in the 1880s was made in different colors than the browns and pinks that a couple of us are doing, this block would be black and pink.

Click the link on my sidebar to find out more about this quilt.
(For some reason I can't get embedded text links to work)

Back to more quilting...

Two more blocks for the 1880s Sampler Quilt completed this evening:
This block was allot of fun to build. 

New Album Variation

Love stars and HST so this was a fun fast block. Seams were a little bulky.
I may make this one again with Y seams.

LeMoyne Star

Not too many stars outside with the full moon. It's clear and frosty cold.
The lunar eclipse this morning was beautiful despite a hard freeze.
We are in for another freeze tonight. Good night

Workweek complete

Finished the quilt top for my next Quilting 101 class at Cathy's starting in January. Fussy Four Patch is a baby quilt with 5 inch blocks fussy cut from an alphabet panel alternating with a four patch block and a fussy cut mitered border. It's too dark to take a good photo so will save that for tomorrow. Wednesday we made block #4 for the BOM at Cathy's. 

Would love to put up my holiday decor this weekend. At the very least to put up the tree we cut down last weekend. It's been waiting outside in a tub of water. Temps have been freezing every night for almost a week now so it's still very fresh.

There is a new blog set up with a link for Annie's Star Quilt Guild. The link is from an old non-functioning website that is now embedded to open up in the new blog. There is a link on by sidebar. We had our December guild meeting with a cookie exchange, block exchange and a display of the quilts guild members made. Here are pics of a few of the quilts that I quilted for the guild:

Added my Koi to the last one :0)

There were a few more but I don't always get pictures plus two I pieced and quilted. Anyway, check out our new blog. I forget the count of how many quilts were made this year but it was well over 100 plus small items like placemats we make for Meals on Wheels, pillowcases for hospitals and stuffed hearts for heart recovery patients. 

Tomorrow will be my day for quilting ~ looking forward to a new CW block and a block for the 1880s sampler quilt that Cheryl posted today. It is the last block! Of course, I have many to catch up on. To quote Cheryl's blog name, too many quilts, not enough time...

1880s Sampler

Elaborate Shoofly

My second attempt at this block and yea! Happy with this one. It is spot on 5 1/2 inches (unfinished)!!! These little guys are so much fun. This one, altho not perfect, is a keeper. Also changed the medium fabric from the first block. Better contrast with this one.

I had to force myself to sew a full 1/4 inch seam allowance instead of a scant 1/4 that I am in the habit of. Just one thread over made all the difference. Also, discovered that my needle was lightly bent and not hitting dead center. After a needle change and adjusting my seam allowance this block is just the right size.

Cheryl's posts and instructions on her 1880s Sampler blog are great! There are two outstanding quilters from Australia that have kept up with Cheryl. At the end of the year they will have all their blocks finished and ready for setting.

It's going to be sad to have the Sampler as well as the Civil War BOW both end soon. Barbara Brackman posted that she plans to keep her blog up until the middle of next year. She is also putting the CW quilt into a new book.

Until tomorrow...

Yankee Puzzle and 1880s Sampler

Yankee Puzzle ~ Today's block posted on Barbara Brackman's Civil War blog

This is my version of the block...

Block 49 Yankee Puzzle

Also made a few of the 1880s Sampler blocks...

Roman Cross was posted on Cheryl's 1880s Sampler blog on Friday  

1880s Sampler ~ Roman Cross

1880s Sampler ~ Square in a Square Variation

1880s Sampler ~ Courthouse Steps

Elaborate Shoofly attempt!

Should have quit while I was ahead! lol Even with Cheryl's warning that this block tends to "grow on you", mine did! There are more pieces to this block but I stopped here. Will make another attempt at it but not tonight! Happy with what I accomplished today...

Michael started a native plant project last year for Big Chico Creek Watershed Alliance. With volunteers, we hike and harvest seeds in the fall, start seeds in the spring, re pot into bigger pots in the summer with volunteers that take the plants home over the summer to tend and water them and then we plant them at the beginning of winter so they will get watered by the winter rain. Today was planting day and with the help of volunteers, 65 native plants and trees were planted in Bidwell Park today, along Big Chico Creek in Chico, CA. Michael and I also volunteer as team leaders through out the year for the Bidwell Park Volunteer program to remove invasive plants in the park. It's nice to be able to replant the same areas. Lise, the volunteer coordinator treated everyone with pizza.

Checked in with mom (she is having a really hard time with Christmas again this year)...and worked on blocks. Not too bad for a Saturday.

Hope you all are having a great weekend!

Jo