Paintbox Gingerbread

Number 12 for the year, Paintbox Gingerbread, more fancied up than the original Paintbox.

Whew.... That Was a Challenge

Two and a half days spent mostly basting and I have these four to show for it, Breanna's, Kerri's, my purple paintbox and my Sunrise Sunset (Orca Bay).  Wow was that Sunrise Sunset a challenge.  The wool batting seems to have made it heavier and harder to baste than my Iowa Christmas or my brother's Fourth of July quilts, which were also large queen sized quilts.  I hope that it isn't too much of a challenge to quilt on my Juki.  The plan from here is to finish Breanna's and Kerri's quilts and then to work on the bags for Marcy and Mackenzie.   I'm hoping to finish them and then to hopefully have time to finish the other two before the July visitors come.  Kerri and her 4 little ones will be coming and Nathan, Marcy and their little one will be here.  Vince and I are hoping that it can work out for all of us to go to Camp Blanding while they are here, that'll be fun. 

One Down

One down.  It's girly.  I have tried Kona solids and now Moda solids and they both seem to fray to the max.  Does anyone have a good quality solid fabric that comes in nice colors and frays only a little?  I have one more border to put on my leader and ender quilt, and two more still on my Sunrise Sunset (Orca Bay).  I am half done and then need to work on the backs and bindings.  I'm not exactly racing to the finish, but I'm moving slowly. 

A Break from Orca Bay

Since I ordered my new sewing table for my Juki and FMQ'ing, and since it isn't due to get here for 3 or 4 weeks, I decided to take a break from Orca Bay and orange.  I had wanted to have a finish for January, and chances are 50/50 that I can finish this one.  It is a smaller quilt than my Sunrise Sunset, Orca Bay and so easier to quilt with my current set up, too.  I had all the blocks made and waiting from "oh Fransson's Paintbox quilt along" and so yesterday and today, I've been adding sashing and cornerstones.  I still have the 2 borders to do on Sunrise Sunset, and now I have 2 borders left to do on this one.   It also has a fancier back than my normal, so that will take a little time.  As I said, I 'may' be able to finish this this month.   I divided my blocks up to make two quilts, and here is my first one.  As you can see, they look rather different.  This is the first time that I've done a quilt with cornerstones, and I'm not sure they are right for this quilt, but they are staying, lol. 

I must say, in some ways it was easier with the cornerstones.  It's always a challenge to get the blocks liked up in rows, and with the cornerstones that part was a breeze.

June Goal Quilt Finished

My first paintbox quilt is finished.  I could have finished it a couple of days earlier but I had already put June on the label, and I liked the idea of finishing it on what would have been my parents wedding anniversary.  Sixty-six years if they were still here.

The back was a little fancier than my normal ones.  I've gotten to where I have backed several of my last quilts with 100 percent cotton sheets.  This one is a Moda solid, and somehow it seems heavier to me.  Maybe it's partly due to the piecing on the back.  It seems to weigh a lot for its size.   It hasn't been washed yet, so maybe that will lighten it up a bit.

Another embroidery machine label.  No recipient's name on this one.  I haven't decided what to do with it yet.  There are a few possibilities.  For a while it will live at my house, probably at least until I finish the other one, which will probably be this month.  I've ordered some lavender solids for it, so it will be lavenders and purples instead of browns and tans.

PS   I gave this quilt Last night (June 10th) to my visiting teacher, Becky Thomas, who has been visiting me for over 4 years.

Paintbox Flimsy

Oh, Fransson finished her Paintbox Quiltalong back April 2010, and I've finally gotten one of my smaller lap sized quilttops to the flimsy stage, without the borders.   Hers had 80 blocks, and mine has 54.  Hers has no borders and mine will have a small and a large border.   Hers is gorgeous and mine I hope will not only be half sized, but at least half as pretty.   I will end up with 2 quilts, but I don't know yet whether the other will have this color sashing, or maybe white or some other color.  I delivered my Gator quilts to my brothers this week, and they seemed to be happy with them.  It was very good to see them.

Last Six Done

Last of the 24, I now have 108, 54 for each lap quilt.  Now on to the 3,500,000 sashings, lol.

Yea, for leaders and enders, now I have lots of 2 patches. 

Six More to Go!

Back to the Paintbox

My goal for April is either to finish at least one oh Fransson Paintbox Quilt Along quilt, or at least one Gator Quilt.   The original Quilt along was for 80 blocks but I decided to do 2 lap quilts so even though I had 84 blocks, according to my calculations I need 24 more.  Here are the first 10 of the 24 blocks.   These are also excellent for doing leaders and enders as you go, so I'm off to cut more 2 1/2 by 2 1/2 squares.  I cut a bunch last night, but these 10 blocks have used them up.  I'm sure that it could be figured out how to do assembly line sewing, but I haven't done that so it's do one seam on the paintbox, and then do a leader and ender, and so on and so on.  Not too efficient, but I'll have lots more leaders and enders, lol. 

goal

Paintbox Quilt Again

Here we go again, I just finished a very witty (ok, if you've read my blog before, maybe not real witty) blog entry about my future plans with lots of links and I was really very pleased with it.   When I finished, I made a tactical error and so now I'll just say that a soon project will be to finish my paintbox quilt.   I think that I may have also permanently deleted my signature.  Is it just me, or are the blogger changes a bit challenging.

oh, Fransson Paintbox Quilt Along Week 10 and Leaders and Enders

I ended up with 41 and 1/2 blocks from my 2 1/2 inch squares. Next step on my leaders and enders is making approximately 328 HST's. Also, I'll be needing to cut up lots of 2 1/2 inch lights for the blocks for my Chiclets quilt.

Yeah! No more photos of Paintbox blocks, I have my 80, plus 4 extras. Now I just need to wait for the 10 weeks to be up. It's really only week 5. Whoever would have thought I'd be ahead, lol. Not me.

oh, Fransson Paintbox Quilt Along Week 9 and Leaders and Enders

My leaders and enders are moving along, I have a nice little basket full of 4 patches now. I got my Leaders and Enders book from Bonnie Hunter, and there are some very pretty quilts there, but I think that my use for them will be a Chiclets Quilt. I've liked the looks of them for a long time, and this seems like a good project. The free pdf is right here and it is for a small one, but I think that I will probably have enough for 1 or maybe even 2 lap quilts. I guess my next leaders and enders will be HST's.


Below, are blocks 67 through 74 of my paintbox blocks, and then I have the last 10 blocks cut out and ready to go. Since I am several weeks ahead, then I need to concentrate on my new great granddaughters monkey quilt, or my Iowa (Carolina) Christmas.

100th Post Giveaways on BedofRosesMQ and oh, Fransson Paintbox Quilt Along Week 8

Anita is giving away some great prizes on her blog BedofRosesMQ
and you've still got until Sunday, February 7th to sign up. If I don't win, I hope that you do. There are 3 prizes, so the chances to win are better than usual.

Another giveaway, but you have to hurry, it ends today, is on Bella Vista

I just discovered this wonderful blog of Barb's today, and will be adding it to my google reader. No wonder I am always behind, I can't resist all the wonderful blogs. Sorry, my heads up was too late, the winner is already posted, but it is such a beautiful blog that I hope you still visit and ooh and aah.

These are blocks 59 through 66 of my Paintbox blocks for the oh, Fransson quiltalong, you're probably tired of seeing them. I'm working on my February blocks for Amy's 2010 BOM now, two down and one to go, then back to the last 18 of my paintbox blocks. Yes, there is an end in sight.

oh, Fransson Paintbox Quilt Along Weeks 6 and 7 and Busch Gardens

My pictures are all in different places than I wanted, but I give up, they are where they are. The other day DH and I decided to go to Busch Gardens Tampa, as our passes were about to expire, and even though we have lived in Florida for years and years, we had never been. The freezes that we have had recently weren't kind to their flora, but they brought in some new flowers to cheer the place up.

We didn't get to see a whole lot, as we were only there a few hours, but DH did get to see the gorillas, he's always been partial to them. It was funny to watch them, as they reminded me of humans, daddy would do something, and then the little guy would have to do it, too. (Not DH, the other little guy)

We took the train ride, and passed the restaurant where we ate dinner. The food was so so, but the restaurant was very nice. Below, are the stairs leading up to the restaurant. When we ate I had to take the requip that I take for my restless legs, so I was having a tired attack by the time we finished, and didn't get any pictures of the actual upstairs. Unfortunately, then I just needed to go home, and slept all the way while my husband drove.

This fellow was at the beginning of the park and really seemed to enjoy his job.
(this note goes with the gentleman on stilts)

Blocks, 43 through 50 and 51 through 58 of the Paintbox Quilt Along. I'm getting there. It's really strange to be ahead for a change.

oh, Fransson Paintbox Quilt Along Week 5

I bought 21 fat quarters of Fairy Frost, and now I've used them all and have 42 blocks done. On to the second half. I'll end up with 4 extra blocks, but I'm sure I'll find something to use them for, maybe the back. I have done well so far, and all the coordinating prints are from my scraps and stash.

I have heard on different blogs and forums about Queen Anne's Lace in Kissimmee, and so decided to check it out today with DH. I only bought this yard of clearance fabric and one fat quarter. I'll use them in my Paintbox quilt, and a few other quilts too probably.

I have a Bernina 1130, and I have one of the #37 1/4 inch feet. They had another 1/4 inch foot there that has the vertical piece for keeping the 1/4 inch. I think that I would like to have one, as I'm not that perfect on my 1/4 inch seams, but I hope to get a few opinions before I invest fifty something dollars. If anyone has a Bernina and that foot, would you leave me a comment of how you like it.