Tag Archive | Snapshots QAL

Rodeo Time in Houston!

Feb26

That time of year.  Every year.  Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has started up again…

I’m not one to go to the rodeo typically, but this weekend I think our family will go and look at the animals.  My Mom and Dad called last night and said they were interested in going to the fatstock show.  She said it is what they called it before they said “livestock” show.  Sounds like my Saturday is planned.

My little cowpeople dressed up yesterday for school for Go Texan Day.

 

Here they are last year.  We took a lot of time prepping that morning.

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Jump ahead now to this week.  Notice the disheveled look?  They look a bit rough in this picture, and the clothes are almost all the same from last year (we don’t buy western wear often)…

We got up a little late for school that day and threw it all together.  No one (including myself) got the hats located the night before, so I’m scrambling through closets of toys and shoes and managed to get her hat at the last second.

She wanted to wear the bow tie as a hair clip.

His head has grown significantly since last year.

Tuck in our shirts?  Heck no!

Cute as buttons?  I think so…

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On the quilting front, I worked when I could during the week to start the quilt top assembly for the Snapshots quilt.

Here it is, starting with the bottom half.

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It should be no problem getting the rest of it done by Monday.  I already have the outside borders cut and ready to go as well.

See you next week!

Yee Haw!

Jennifer

 

Friday In-and-Out

Feb19

Making this quick – I am on my way home for the WEEKEND!

I got Block #12 for Snapshots Quiltalong done this week (A Walk in the Park).  And I really love how it turned out.

IMG_1507Since I’m not a fan of alcohol (generally, I won’t say I don’t touch it – but I would rather drink a Coca Cola).  I tried to make my beverage more of a summertime lemonade.  Perhaps with bits of strawberries.

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And by the time I got to this block, I had received my pre-order of Vintage Picnic jolly bar (5″x10″ precut exclusively by Fat Quarter Shop) by Bonnie & Camille.  I really wanted to use it in the picnic basket.  However, I needed longer strips than 10″ per the pattern, so I made do…

IMG_1498One step in the pattern is to cut squares from the background and from another fabric for the picnic handles.  I didn’t have a square big enough, but I could look ahead to see I would be wasting the corners off the square anyway…

 

I stitched on either side of the middle line, sliced and pressed and ended up with these two.

 

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Then I used my rule to mark on the gingham where the corner piece would have lined up if I had my correct sub-piece.

IMG_1501I stitched, flipped, pressed and trimmed.

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Perfect!  Gosh, I really like that red gingham…

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Here are the last three blocks all together.  I also didn’t have a long enough piece of the navy gingham to make the top of the basket, but it was easy enough to add a piece on either end.

Time to start framing them out with background fabric (wish I had known to do that all along) and then create the sashing strips for the front of the quilt.

 

IMG_1508I hope you have a great weekend planned.  Thanks for stopping by as always and I’ll see you next week!

Jennifer

Friday Check-In

Feb5

We are on the brink of another glorious, beautiful weekend!  My husband is enjoying another birthday today, so we have a weekend long celebration of family and food and relaxation.

My daughter and I are invited to a tea party birthday for our neighbor tomorrow.  Her birthday was this week as well.  I decided to convert my plans for my Valentine table topper into a gift for Emily.  Here is the quilt top I pieced based on a free pattern put out by Allison through Cluck Cluck Sew:

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I was going to use it just for seasonal decoration, but I thought it would make a perfect pillow sham for a 9 year old who loves pink and purple.

Now, for some personalization…

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Ignore the wrinkles and such…

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It has been a while since I did some embroidery work.  But I love how it turned out!

I just need to back it with some white fabric and do some quilting, then make the envelope-style backing pieces with a purple polka dot fabric I picked up last night and stitch it all together!

After that – I think I am going to knock out the last blocks for the Snapshots Quiltalong.  Getting so very close on that finish.

Last weekend I was able to finish up the car block and started with all my prepped and labeled pieces (I really want the BLUE set of Alphabitties now, but I have two packages of the pink ones already!):

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Then the final result:

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And lastly – my Mom is planning the wedding for my brother and sweet fiancé in May, so she brought over some sample dresses for her granddaughter to try on.  This was early on a Saturday morning during cartoon hour, so it isn’t intended to be a glamour photo.  I think she will be getting a hair cut this weekend also, now that I see this picture again… 🙂  I can also spot in the background that it is time to rotate my Lori Holt Bee in my Bonnet calendar now too!

 

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Have a super weekend everyone!

Jennifer

Another Weekend – Another Snapshots Block

Jan29

I’m ready – are you?  Friday is here and I’ve got no big plans for the next two days.

Last night I pulled out my Snapshots box and sorted through fabric to decide on the next block.

I decided that I was going to do the original #10 block in the series, called GONE SURFIN’.  You can do this block too, by following this link to the Fat Quarter Shop blog site for the Snapshots Quiltalong.  As with all of their blocks, they have the PDF pattern and a video tutorial.  Picture below grabbed from that web page.Snapshots10Pic

 

I have been doing my own color scheme, using a variety of bright fabrics, from the beginning.  Now that I have the majority of blocks done, I’m working on these last two to repeat some fabrics and create balance in the overall quilt top.

Here’s my pull for fabrics last night.

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I’m hoping it goes quickly, because this will only leave Block #12, WALK IN THE PARK, and the bonus CAMERA block for the back to do.  Then on to framing out each block and adding the sashing and pieced backing.  Still a long way to go before it is ready to quilt, but I can’t stop now.  Too close to the end, right?

On another note, I was able to leave a wee bit early from work yesterday and we had a particularly nice evening ahead of us here in Houston.  The traffic was still terrible, so during the stop-and-go periods I took a couple of pictures of the pretty skyline.

This is my city.

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I wish you a wonderful weekend ahead!  See you on the other side!

Jennifer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snapshots – A Picture Quilt

Jan13

On to brighter topics and colors!

Last weekend I finally buckled down to get through my Snapshots sew-along blocks.  Going to get them done before all of these 2016 BOMs get ramped up.

I plan to join in the Fat Quarter Shop Crossroads Charity Quilt-a-Long using the Fig Tree Quilts Strawberry Fields Revisited collection … but isn’t everyone??  Also, based on some affection for other blogger posts – I felt ‘talked into’ joining the Kim Diehl Simple Whatnots Miniature Quilts monthly kits.  The first one should arrive at my house today.  This will be my first time participating in her program (also through Fat Quarter Shop).  Then there is the Fig Tree Quilts 2016 Mystery Sampler BOM that should start in a month or two … and Midnight Clear BOM through FQS using a pattern by Sherri Falls from her upcoming book Holiday Wishes.  I’m also waiting on kits from the Vintage Picnic collection and I know I want to make something with “Little Ruby” – both of which come from Bonnie & Camille.  So much great stuff this year!!!

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Baby girl is holding up the hot air balloon, which took longer than I thought it would to make.  But quick enough regardless.

Neighbor friend is holding up the bicycle block which I had stressed over starting because I thought it would take forever.  It did take most of my day, in between watching some football and hanging out with the kids.  Not too bad at all.  Those tiny pinwheels!

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The sailboat block went together super quick.  Cut and pieced it while the kids took their baths on Sunday night.

Here is a group picture of all but the sailboat:

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I think … think … I am going to make the camera block instead of the car block for the front, and that would then only leave the picnic basket.  Two blocks and I’ll be ready to start the sashing!

I wanted to share this other rare picture.  We feed a feral cat named “Ralph” on our porch each morning and we are owned by another black cat who lives inside with us.  I think Ralph has started inviting his friends over now …  can you see all 3 black cats?  Black as night and as skittish as they can be.

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Have a great week and thanks for stopping by!

Jennifer

Did I say two weeks? I guess I meant two months…

Oct12

So, I finished this baby quilt over the weekend.  I didn’t take the vacation days I expected when I planned my ‘two week challenge’.  I’m going to take some days at the end of this month instead, with the intent to spend one full day at the annual International Quilt Festival!

This baby quilt is made primarily with Urban Zoologie and Remix prints by Ann Kelle with a gray background by Riley Blake.  It will finish around 58″ square and uses the Tumbleweed block pattern by Lori Holt in her Farm Girl Vintage book.

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Here’s a little closeup.  I want to quilt it myself, but I’m just not sure.  I bought a plush minky fabric for the backing and I’m scared how hard it might be to quilt it without getting puckers and uneven results on my own.

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Since I still had some time available, and Houston Astros baseball to watch on TV… I went ahead and started cutting out fabrics for the 9th installment of the Snapshots Quiltalong, called Quilty Cat!

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I wanted to replicate the look of our black cat, Violet – without making the cat pitch black in the quilt.  I had this really pretty gray fat quarter that worked perfectly.

Once I got started, I couldn’t stop.  I had to finish it before I went to bed last night.  Isn’t she cute?

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Here’s my model, Violet, with her Quilty Cat block this morning.  (And my lonesome little Farmhouse block waiting patiently for me to get back to that project)

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Now I just have to do the Hot Air Balloon and the Bicycle block to be caught up.  The 10th installment gets released on Thursday however, so I’ll be down three by the weekend.  But, for me, I’m doing really good to stay caught up this far (7 blocks out of 9).

Hope you are all enjoying the changing of the seasons!  I’m rooting for the Astros to win their Game 4 right now!

All my best,

Jennifer

 

Moving on to Ice Cream!

Aug10

Well, Christmas is now back into storage for a few months.  I finished up my Little Joys/Jingle quilt top, following the vintage inspired pattern from Fat Quarter Shop for the Delectable Mountains block.

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I haven’t decided about more borders.  Although I made it to the specified “lap size”, I think my family has larger laps than the general population.  Perhaps a border of scrappy random mountain peaks and valleys all the way around?  I’m thinking….

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Looks great against our green grass!  Would love to find a matching light teal blue minky-style backing.

I was already close to finishing this quilt top when the weekend came around, so on Saturday, I was able to cut out my pieces for Block 6 of the Snapshots Quiltalong.  Last month was the Ice Cream sundae block!  I love ice cream!!

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And I pulled out one charm square from my Farmhouse charm pack and used it for the Cherry on Top.  Perfect!

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The sewing took no time at all, and soon my block was finished.   I went with milk chocolate, strawberry and whatever would be a green flavor for my sundae.  Whipped topping with sprinkles courtesy of Sunrise Studios.  Other fabric from Fog City Kitty and Modern Minis.

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Can you spot my error?  I think it is better for it.  My green/mint ice cream has the sprinkled whipped topping melting further down the right side.

Love seeing them all together here:

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Finally – a splurge purchase from Amazon.com at only $15 (tax included).  The Farmer’s Wife 1930s Sampler Quilt book.  I have the other one, and I haven’t done anything with it yet.  I love looking through the pictures though.

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I hope you are having a great start to the week.  Ours will finish with the kids back at school and summer officially over.

Jennifer

Have a Safe Holiday and Snapshots Review

May22

We are going to see how well we remember our swimming skills this weekend.  My kids tell anyone and everyone that “they can swim”, … but they would sink like a rock I’m afraid.  Going to practice, practice and practice this weekend until we are sick of chlorine.

I have been doing some sewing and quilting, here and there.  I find it harder to set aside time to upload pictures and write out these blog posts.  I really want to share as I go along, but a lot of pictures never make it here because I end up finishing my blocks while I procrastinate!

Here you go!  Blocks 4 and 5 of the Snapshots Quiltalong are done!

Puppy Love!  We are going to look for some blue translucent buttons for his eyes…

Snapshots 4 Puppy

Kindred Kitchen!  I added a little back stitch embroidery to the front of the apron to make it stand out from the background.

Snapshots 5 Apron

Here they are all together … waiting for their ice cream treat next month!

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I also sent off my U of H schoolhouse gift quilt (Arkansas Crossroads) to be quilted by Linh at LiMa Sews.  She has turned it around for me so fast, it is already on its way back to me this weekend!

Since I was shipping her a box anyway…  I threw in some small quilt tops.  This is truly a feeling of accomplishment when a quilt flimsy makes it from the corner of my cutting table to Linh.  It is a real milestone and feels GREAT!

From top of the stack to the bottom … Fig Tree Pears window valance for my kitchen, Fig Tree mini sampler made into a baby play blanket (butterflies, flowers, sun), Yellow/Gray Sunshine baby quilt (also a gift that is long overdue) and the Arkansas Crossroads schoolhouse gift quilt.

Ready to Quilt

 

Again – have a wonderful weekend and a safe one too!  I’ll see you again soon with some finished projects!

Jennifer

Vacation – Day 1 Progress – Put the Kettle On!

Mar20

I am on a short vacation from work to close out Spring break with the kids.  They have been enjoying the grandparents thoroughly (I know my Mom is not having any problems with her insomnia tonight).  We spent half the day cleaning up my parents house before we could head back home.  Once we got here, they were happily into their electronics that were left behind to ensure quality time while visiting.  That left me to decide on which project to do….

Hmmm…..

Many choices for sure, and although I have plenty that I should probably tackle first – I decided to knock out Block 3 from the Snapshots Quilt Along, called “Put the Kettle On“.  It was released last weekend and I was trying to tell myself that I don’t have to do all of them … but that just made my OCD kick in a little harder.

It certainly isn’t too late to join in and sew along – even if you just pick and choose the blocks you love.  Click here for a link to the Fat Quarter Shop’s blog for this block and you can get all the information about this project to benefit St Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

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Since I’m not using the kit (because, again, I told myself I was going to do this quilt) – I am pulling together bright and happy colors from many different collections.  Therefore, it took as long to decide on fabric as it did on making the block…

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I knew I really loved my new additions of colors with this purchase of Fresh Cut by BasicGrey:

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So, it didn’t take long for me to select my main fabric for the teapot, then go with accents of the blue and green:

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I little bit of Daysail, a bit of Flower Sugar and the Fresh Cut fabrics got all cut out and ready for sewing:

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Here is my finished teapot by the light of my Ottlight lamp at midnight:

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I’m lovin’ it.  I can’t wait to stage a picture of all three blocks together tomorrow when the sun is shining.

My project tomorrow will be to construct a school house block for the center of my gift quilt.  I don’t have an actual pattern, but it should be easy enough to figure it out with the pictures from Pinterest and some graph paper (I need a particular finished size).

Hope you are looking forward to a spectacular first weekend of Spring coming around the corner.  Have a great Friday!!

Jennifer

Snapshots QAL Block 2

Feb15

A beautiful weekend and an opportunity to do some sewing.  I already had my plan for today … Block 2 of the Snapshots Quilt Along.

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The Snapshots Quilt Along is being hosted by Bonnie & Camille and the Fat Quarter Shop during the entire year of 2015.

It is a special Quilt Along in that the patterns are free, but donations are for the direct benefit of St Jude Children’s Hospital.  The initial goal of $10,000 was already reached in the first month, so they have bumped up the goal to a wonderful $20,000!

If you would like to participate, you can find everything you need on the Fat Quarter Shop blog.  Here’s a link to Block 2, named Sew On and Sew On.  The pattern, donation link, material requirements and YouTube videos about each block are available on the 15th of each month.  Click HERE to open up today’s post from FQS.

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I couldn’t stop working on this block today, until it was done.  It was really fun and quite easy to make.  Love it!

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I’m really curious about how the color plan will come out with these blocks.  I have stocked up on a lot of these bright fabrics and I am really enjoying them on my design wall.

SS B1 and B2

Here’s to an easy and relaxing week ahead!  Thanks for stopping by today!

Jennifer