Pillowcase Shopping Spree

I read a few years ago about the "ConKerr Cancer
Pillowcases 4 Smiles" program and have been meaning to make pillowcases for them. By the time that I finished making them for family, I was usually burned out (usually about 25). I decided that this is the time, so DH and I went to JoAnn's yesterday to check on fabric, and luckily the Debbie Munns fabrics were all half price. The first four pictures are what we bought for the pillowcases, and I hope to get 12 from the fabrics we purchased.
















Neutrals seem to always be in short supply in my sewing room and I'm going to need quite a few for my leaders and enders project, so I picked up a few while I was there.















While on the way, I called my brother on the phone to say hi, and he was birthday shopping with his daughter for one of his grandkids. The grandchild is a little guy, and wanted some fire trucks for his birthday so I was requested to check on fabrics for him a pillowcase, too. Fire trucks were rather short in supply at JoAnn's, but DH found some flannel and I found some flannels that don't really match, but don't scream too loudly, to make the 3 fabrics needed. When I called to report, they had another idea, that he would like a blanket too, so we couldn't find trucks, but we did find Dalmatians and fire hydrants, so hopefully, the little guy will be happy.
I bought rubber ducky fabrics about a year ago to make pillowcases for a thank you present, and hadn't made them yet (I did purchase another gift also), so I guess that I will probably end up with about 15 pillowcases this time. That's a lot less than 25.

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.

2010 BOM BY AMY - Block 1,2,3 February

I think I'm more of a Yellow Brick Road type quilter than one who is used to being challenged, but Amy is changing that.
I enjoyed making these blocks, but I'm glad that it is one of each a month, I'm not craving to make a whole quilt out of any one of them yet, lol.

If Amy felt bad about having to do some ripping on the Florida block, she now has company, I ripped and ripped. I wasn't smart enough to try one before doing all four. I didn't learn my lesson the "first" time either.

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.

oh, Fransson Paintbox Quilt Along Week 4

I thought I was moving along on these blocks, but someone in the group has already finished all 80 blocks, this makes 32 blocks done for me.









There have been posts on several blogs about a quilt along of snowball and nine patches, here's an example from Quilterscache. I like this one, and think that I may do something like it with my leaders and enders, unless I get a better idea from Bonnie's new book. I'm not going to join, as I have too many projects going already, but it gives me something to think about.

oh, Fransson Paintbox Quilt Along Week 3

It's really week 2, but I'm ahead for the first time in my quilting life, lol.








See, more leaders and enders, too.












I have to confess that I should be doing MacKenzie's monkey quilt instead, but I have to watch the videos to refresh on my basting boards, and this was fairly mindless.

Housecleaning Day?

Today was supposed to be housecleaning day, but DH isn't feeling well, and I got sewing this morning and didn't stop. I guess the dust will still be there tomorrow.

I started out by cutting out my next 8 Paintbox Quilt-Along blocks, and then decided to cut 2 1/2 by 2 1/2 inch squares to sew together in Leaders and Enders. I used some today, and as you can see, I still have quite a few left in my basket for next time.
Here is my sewn together patches from today, a good start for something I think, but not sure what. Yesterday, I ordered Bonnie Hunter's new book "Leaders and Enders" and hopefully there is an idea for them in there.












Now, I am a little ahead on the quilt-along, I have the second weeks blocks done.
Next project is to hopefully finish the Monkey Quilt. MacKenzie and her parents are out of town now visiting her family, and it would be nice to have it done when they get back.