Some Fussy Cut Love for Terrie

OK. I know my photography skills leave something to be desired. I also know that taking pictures at night is a 'no-no', but goodness, it is hard to wait!!! Especially as I wanted to get these in the mail before I left town.  Terrie is our bee mama for The Fussy Cut Love Bee and her month was the last for this group. She sent out this cute pixie fabric and asked for them to be 'peeking out' from our block.



I was able to do 2 blocks for her, because her size was between 6.5"  and 12.5" unfinished. I love making these pieced frames!



Thanks for being such fun, Terrie!

What am I doing?

I am staying with my son and his family while taking a class on teaching and assessing sight singing in the choral classroom, (Sound like fun?? It does to me, which is why I am here!!). But, before heading down there, my sweetheart did another triathlon. Here he is setting up his transition area. (I can't believe I even know what that means!!!)



Here's his group starting to move toward the lake for the start.



Now I am staying with this little guy, who is more interested in watching the early morning lawnmower than me.



They currently live in a town home, but their family is moving to a new home at the end of the week. His mom and dad are feeding me some pretty terrific meals. This contains some lovely mexican spice rubbed chicken from the charcoal rotisserie, fresh cilantro and guacamole delicious-ness, all in a flour tortilla!



And I did cut out one set of my sashing strips for these blocks the morning of my first class. No time to do more until the class is over. This teacher is giving us homework!!! Doesn't he know it's summer??? ha!



And, my sister is actually the one who got me started on these birds. She is using it with some bright batiks to make a throw quilt for her MIL. I really like how these look, too!!!



What are you doing?

This will be it! (Mostly...)

This will be it! (Mostly...), a photo by myfullcolorlife - Vickie on Flickr.

The photo may not do it justice, but in person the red is so much less harsh than the black. It needed to be a much narrower border (1" or less) and then the black frame on the outside edge really sets it off. The black will be no larger than 1.5". We tried the blocks without the sashing, but my sisters liked it this way much better, and I agree. You can see the details of the blocks, this way. In person, the red/pink border is so much calmer and allows the eye to flow from block to block. The black didn't. We realized that when we tried the red one more time with the narrower frame (thank you, Terrie!!!) Adding the black border provides a stop, and it needs to be fairly thin. However, looking at the picture, I am definitely going to try it without the black once the top is pieced.



This will be part of the backing. The rest will be pieced.

More Choices!

OK, friends, I will ask for your help one more time. Those of you who have kept up with this know that this is the 3rd blog with questions about how to finish this quilt top. If you haven't, feel free to go back in time and chime in. So...what are your thoughts???

Photo 1



Photo 2



Photo 3

Sashing trial

 First, thanks for all your great comments, both here and on flickr, to help me with ideas for putting these blocks together. I am a total newbie when it comes to doing this, and I love these blocks so much, I don't want to just hurry and put it together. Your ideas have been invaluable in helping me think in different ways!! So...tell me what you think of this...

Sashing trial, a photo by myfullcolorlife - Vickie on Flickr.

I added Alexander Henry's tiny dots in black for the sashing. This is a 2.5" strip to finish at 2". But, I think it is a bit too wide and overpowers the blocks. I used the frothy pink Oliver + S fabric in the corner pieces. I am thinking about only putting them on the inner corners and leaving the outer black frame solid. Or maybe the corner pieces are too much???

But now I am going back to liking the pic with no sashing...it did have great movement...perhaps using these fabrics for some sort of an outer border...hmmm. I am going to try narrowing that black first.

Bee Unique Spring Birds

Help. How do I put this wonderful top together? Here are all the blocks I have received from my bee friends.

This is a little closer picture of the blocks without any sashing.

Here are all the blocks with the new Oliver + S modern workshop fabric, Frothy Pink Textile Wave, used as sashing.

I could also add a narrow border of this fabric around each block and then sash the quilt with the AH fabric that matches the bird fabric.

Close up of top set of blocks.

Close up of middle set of blocks.

Close up of bottom set of blocks. Do you see any problems?

Here is a close up of the Oliver+S fabric.

Here is another close up of the Oliver+S fabric.

So...what do you think???

I'm a lucky duck!

Every once in a while (a-hem), I have been known to enter a giveaway on a blog I follow.  Well, today I got an email from Kathy at the Pink Chalk Studio blog telling me I had won something from her Quilt Market Trend Report {if you read her info on how she got the Lizzy House Tote Bag I am going to receive, you will see why I am a 'lucky duck'}.

from Pink Chalk Studio blog

I loved looking at the pictures and reading her take on the direction of new fabric lines and modern quilters. All those wonderful fabric designs keep me excited about my new pastime. 

Thanks for the giveaway, Kathy!

I have also been working on these again. I love this green!! I have 2 more of these blocks to finish, then they will go up on the design wall. I may ask for your help!! 

I will also be putting up all the blocks from my month at Bee Unique Bee Knotty (here is mine, again). I will definitely need help with these!

What are you working on?