Surprise! There's actually progress!

Hello, lovelies!

It doesn't feel like I've been doing a lot of sewing since last Wednesday, but when I take stock of it, I've been clipping along! I have almost all the hexies sewn together for my Kona solids challenge mini-quilt, and I've started putting rows together for my kaleidoscope quilt. I'm a little intimidated to quilt it, but I won't ever get it done if I don't tackle it, right?

I've also been sneaking a half-hour here and there to work on my hand-quilting on the spring wallhanging. I finally got the right size needles and I feel like I'm getting the hang of it, and it's going faster than I'd thought--I'm already at the point where I need to move my hoop!


I spray-basted this, and so far the quilting is going smoothly. I keep having to stop and pet the quilted parts, though!

Just a reminder: I'm offering two fabulous prizes in my first-blogiversary giveaway, and entries are easy! Stop in on the giveaway post to enter--the giveaway closes on Saturday, so you've still got plenty of time!



The WsIP stats:
New projects: 0
Completed projects: 0
In progress: 9

Happy Blogiversary to Me!

One year ago today, I decided to start my own little quilting blog: so I could comment, and join the community, and keep track of my own slow-poke projects.

It's been quite a year--I initially got back into quilting (after a six-year absence) to deal with an incredibly stressful tenure situation (which isn't resolved, but that's neither here nor there). I have found a lot of inspiration, community, and satisfaction in the online quilt-o-sphere, and what better way to celebrate that than with a giveaway of my own?

I'm going to be giving away TWO--that's right, TWO--fabulous prizes!

Number one:

I have some leftover bits from my Kona challenge classic charm pack--I have a stack of 2 1/2-inch squares that I don't have plans for, so: For this prize, I will baste those squares into 1-inch hexagons before I send them along, and you'll get a rainbow stack of hexagons ready for a project! Just like this one:


Number two:

My LQS always has some treasures that are out-of-print, and this one is no exception. For this prize, I'm offering one yard of fabric--four fat quarters of Luna II by Maywood Studios. These luscious chocolates will make a delicious little treat, or a lovely addition to your stash!




You'll get one chance to enter for each prize--I'll keep separate lists and use a random-number generator to pick the winners. To enter, comment and tell me what you'd like to do with each prize: for example, if you tell me you'd like to make a mug rug out of the hexagon prize, that counts as an entry on the hexagon list!

If you'd like to enter for both prizes, you can include your plans in a single comment. (I'm using 'plans' quite loosely, here--if your immediate plans include nothing more than petting the pretty fabric, that counts!)

I'd appreciate if y'all would spread the news of my little giveaway--or not, if you want a better chance of winning! *g*

The giveaway will close on Saturday, August 27th, at midnight CST. Please make sure you aren't a no-reply blogger, or if you are, please leave an email address where I can contact you to arrange for your prize.

A big thank-you to everyone who has made this year a good quilty one for me, and I'm looking forward to next year!

Why yes, I do enjoy starting new projects!

...although I'm trying to finish some, too?

I haven't been sewing as much as I thought I would, lately, but I am feeling the end of summer fast approaching and have missed chatting fabric, so I thought I'd stop in and share what I have been doing. Which isn't so much finishing as it is starting new projects!

At the beginning of August we traveled north to visit my brother and his family, and since I finished the piecing on the spring wallhanging, of course I needed another hand-piecing project, right? So just before we left I cut the batik fabric I'd bought (ahem, six years ago) for the autumn wallhanging, and while on the trip I pieced almost half the blocks I need!


I starched my fabric before cutting it, and I'm unsure if I like hand piecing the starched fabric. We'll see how it turns out!

I've also started hand-quilting on the spring wallhanging, but so far I don't really have enough to show you. I think my stitches are horribly large, but I'll get it figured out by the time I'm done with the quilt. And the kaleidoscope quilt didn't get finished in time for the quilt-along prizes, but I'm getting close--the rows are complete, and the top is almost together!


And last but not least--the other new project! My guild (the Rock River Modern Quilt Guild) got some charm packs of Kona solids and we're challenged to make something with it--here's how far I am right now:


I already know the name for this one, and it's going to be a mini quilt for my sewing room wall. I'm very excited, as I'm really feeling like I'm designing this one, all by myself. (I really should identify which Kona solids are which, as it would be like having a 'color card' on my wall. *g*)

This is my 50th post, and I see that my one-year blogiversary is coming up on August 22--I'll be posting a giveaway that day, so make sure you stop by to check it out! :)



The WsIP stats:
New projects: 2
Completed projects: 0
In progress: 9