Celebrate!!!

I have been wanting to finish this quilt, but have been dragging my feet because I wasn't sure how to do it.

But, I finally figured out how to use my walking foot and it worked great!!! :) The binding is stitched to the front and just waiting for me to hand stitch it to the back. I used that polka dot on the yummy chocolate background.

Little Goldfish for Karie

I had so much fun building these liberated blocks around these cute little goldfish.

Meet Andrew and friends. I was feeling badly that I didn't have any navy fabric, but I like how these turned out.

And here is Swimmy!!! (Is it wrong to have favorites??? I hope not!!!)

Meet the whole swimming-pond gang, so far!

This will be one cute quilt for Karie's youngest son. He is the youngest of 4 boys and always has hand-me-downs. Well, no longer!! He gets his very own quilt for a new big boy bed. What sweet times!!!

A Way to Help

One of my favorite designers, Anna Maria Horner, is thinking of families in the Tennessee area that were affected by devastating floods in May. She has organized a project to get as many quilts as possible into the hands of people who have lost everything. I started thinking how I would feel if I were in that position and someone cared enough to do this for me. It is a simple thing to make one or two quilt blocks or give a few dollars. Her info follows or click on the sidebar to get to her site. :)

A quilting project for families in Middle Tennessee who lost their homes to flooding

Our Mission:

Not everyone can be on the front lines of an effort like flood cleanup and rebuilding, but we believe that there is always

a way to help. So many families lost their homes, cars, and all their belongings during the floods of May 2010 in Middle

Tennessee. As they begin their rebuilding process, we hope to combine the efforts of generous quilters nationwide in

order to make as many quilts as possible to distribute to families who are in need of new items for their homes. It is a

simple mission, but its one that we hope will be far reaching and one that will give homemade comfort to as many

people as possible.

How You Can Help:

Just like any good charitable effort it all starts with your very own block! In this case it starts with your quilt block! We

are accepting unfinished 12.5” x 12.5” quilts blocks (12”x12” finished) preferably in a monochromatic color scheme (or

two main harmonious colors, like red/orange, or blue/green etc.) in any patchwork style that you'd like. Please also keep

in mind that just because we are asking for blocks that are relatively singular in color, that we still encourage all shades,

including neutrals and murkier tones, i.e. it doesn't have to be just rainbow brights. There is no limit to how many

blocks you can send. With the help of some local Nashville volunteers, we will assemble your blocks to make as many

quilts as possible. We will also accept donations of completed quilts in any size or style.

Details & Deadlines:

Since not too many people need the warmth of a quilt during the hot Tennessee summer, we have time on our side. But

with that in mind we've set three submission deadlines for your blocks, so that we can begin the assembling process

early and have it all wrapped up by the fall. You can submit to one or all block deadlines which are as follows:

July 1, 2010 - first block deadline, August 1, 2010 – second block deadline, September 1, 2010 – last block deadline

Please send your blocks to: Anna Maria Horner, attn: RAINBOW, 1730 Old Hickory Blvd, Brentwood, Tn. 37027

When you send in your blocks, please provide us with your email address so that we can offer you a proper thank you!

(We will not give out your info or put you on any other mailing list other than news related to this project. Promise.)

Getting in Touch:

* For ongoing updates and a more in depth FAQ page for the project please visit annamariahorner.com/rainbow.html

* Please also visit the Rainbow Around the Block Flickr group to post pictures of your blocks, view other blocks, post

questions, start discussions about the project and more: http://www.flickr.com/groups/rainbowaroundtheblock/

* For any questions, suggestions, or if you'd like to send us info about a family that you know is in need please contact:

rainbow@annamariahorner.com

Foray into Paper Piecing

I have become enamored with paper piecing and on a whim decided to try my hand with this block. The pattern was tiny, so I had to enlarge it (thanks for the help, Papa-lop!) I dug into my stash to give it a go. It was fun!!!

I learned a thing or two. First, you want to be generous with your fabric. More than once I covered the pattern area, but did not have enough fabric for the seam. It is tricky "working backwards" with the pattern on the back side. You end up with a mirror image of your pattern.

I also learned that ripping seams is not that big of a deal. Thankfully, the seams are short.

Lastly, I learned why you have a 'stash'. Red. I need more red.

If you have ever wanted to give paper piecing a try, go for it! It was so fun and not really that hard. And there are several great internet resources to teach you how. Isn't it nice that everyone is so 'sharable'?

Here it is on Flickr.

Joy to you!

Latest Bee Block--Traveling Bee

I added this block to Cindy R's in our Quilting Journey Round Robin, that is now called "The Secret Society of the Traveling Bee". :) Blogged here.

This is my block.

Here it is with the other two blocks for Cindy.

Joy to you!

My Owl Star has Company

Look what Lisa did!!! She gave my owl some friends in a flower and a tree. You have got to go see!! :)

Joy to you,

Quilting Journey Bee goes Blogging

If you would like to 'meet' some of the wonderful quilters my block will be visiting on it's journey around the world, go here to visit our groups new blog and check out their starter blocks.

Joy to you,

I changed my mind....again!!!

You know how your brain works better when you let it 'simmer' a bit? I have discovered, when working with my kids on a particularly difficult musical passage, that if we don't overwork it and then leave it till the next class, the singers become brilliant! I love how God made us!! :)

Well, when I went back to 'visit' my block for the Quilting Journey Round Robin Bee, I had some ideas twirling around up in my brain and I changed a few things. I am much happier (even though I still didn't have sunlight for my photo). As my sister would say, it is exactly the same, but different.

Oh, I also have my signature block. Everyone will sign over and around those cute owls that remind me so much of my Grandma W. :)

Joy to you,

My Star Inspiration, Star WIP & Blocks for Balinda

My Star Inspiration

My Star progress for A Quilting Journey Round Robin.

Blocks for Balinda for the Sew Bee It VQB.

Joy to you!

A Quilting Journey Round Robin

I am always telling my students, "Step out of that box called 'comfortable' that we all live in". Now, the shoe is on the other foot. I have joined a Quilting Journey Round Robin.

There are 21 of us from all over the world. We each will make a block in the style and fabrics we like and mail it to the next person, with some of the main fabric we selected and a journal. In the journal we will put info about the block and ourselves. 

In about a year, my original block will come back to me with all the ones made for me by these creative women from around the world, along with my empty journal that will be full of information about each of them! FUN!!

I choose some fabric that reminded me of my Grandma W. She had a macrame owl on the wall in her kitchen, where I always found her when I went to see her (which sometimes was almost everyday). Grams was a woman, full of joy and love for her family. And she was a little ornery (read: playful), in a good way, and usually smiling. I love that about her. 

Thanks to suggestions from the ladies in this group, I am going to do stars (because owls are at night). I chose to make the background dark because I liked it better with the fabrics, but I am telling everyone it is because it represents night. :) I can hardly wait to see what everyone comes up with!!! But first I need to make my block!!!!!

Joy to You,