Project Updates & Hooking Stuff

In my last post I shared a glimpse of a quilt I was making. The top is now complete so I'll show you the whole thing and tell you how it came to be......

Months ago I joined hundreds of other quilters and started stitching Bonnie Hunter's Easy Street. I made nearly 70 of these sections - - - 

and then realized I had the colors wrong! What to do? (correct colors are below)

One day I was browsing through my quilt books and I noticed the quilt on the cover of Kim Diehl's most recent book. I realized it had the same block section as the one I had messed up.

So I did some more piecing and ended up with this. The center stars are scrappy reds & the churn dash parts are all scrappy green, but the background is only one gold fabric.

For the sashing I finally used a Moda paisley print that I've had for years - it helped me choose the colors for the entire quilt and I quite like it. After cutting the sashing and the binding strips, I had one small strip leftover so I barely had enough. Whew!

I had originally planned to set the blocks 4x4, but ended up doing a longer, skinnier version. Working with 12" blocks was a real different experience for me because I rarely make any that big, but it was worth it. Since this will be used as a couch quilt for watching TV, long and skinny will work just fine.

Another project I have been working on is a Christmas wall hanging. This is what it looks like right now.

I used this book for piecing all the alphabet letters and plan to add some applique somewhere before it's done.

I've used the book before to make this quilt that hangs in my studio- - -

- - - and this one that hangs in the bathroom downstairs.

Saturday at the Hook-In I was thrilled when my Row Rug won 3rd place in the People's Choice Awards! It was a fun, fun day! For more pictures from the hook-in, please go to the Guild's blog here.

On Tuesday Eileen showed me a small hexagon quilt that she made using the same pattern I've been working on. I think she said her hexies were 3/4". Mine are 3/8" and the size difference on the finished product is amazing. Her colors are so beautiful.....

Here's a picture of the rug that she's working on - a classic Emma Lou Lais design. We brainstormed some ideas for the border - she's so close to having it finished!

I have finished polka dotting all the burlap on the twelve table runners for the wedding reception next month. I was pretty impressed with myself because I only made one single mistake on placement! Here's a sneak peek. They're not as shinny as the fabric you can buy at JoAnn's but I think the price difference more than compensates for that.

I've got nothing on my schedule today except to stay home and sew, so that's what I plan on doing.