~ Intermediate BOM ~

I should have started with the intermediate block instead of the advanced one. Maybe I wouldn't have been so frustrated at all my inept attempts to complete the block. I guess this is what I signed up for - to learn how to do more difficult piecing methods. And Yes!! ............ I got what I signed up for!!!! On this block, the lesson was mitered/set in seams.

This block ...... I think is also called the "White Cross" and it came from the Electric Quilt library. The only problem with the pattern coming from this source is, they don't tell you the steps on how to put it together.

Now ....... to be fair ........ the swap mom did send out directions on how to put this puppy together. Did I read it??? NO!!! I have a hard time deciphering directions without pictures!!! Sssssoooooo ........ I earned (and rightly so!!!) all my frustration.

One thing I can say for myself is ......... I don't give up. I will try until I get it done and quilt blocks are included in this.

This version of the "White Cross" actually went together pretty easily. I had already wasted my frustrations on the advanced version ...... so this one was a piece of cake. The fabrics are from my scrap stash - I felt like going the purple direction. Hope the recipient is feeling the same way. Reminded me of spring - something I am not personally experiencing at this time in this part of the country!!!

And of course, I did one for me in the fabrics I have chosen as my theme. I intend to make a sampler quilt top for myself out of these blocks. I don't know what I will do with the swap blocks I receive - might end up being a scrap sampler. I'll have to wait and see what I end up with.

Keep Quilting

~ Annie ~

- - Good Grief!! - -

The last couple of days I have had a very bad potty mouth!!! Sorry if you were able to hear me ......... I am so bad when I get frustrated!!!

Why .... do you ask??? Because I just came across a block that tested my limits as a quilter. If you follow my blog, you know that I decided to join in an intermediate/advanced BOM swap being held by "The Quilting Sisters" Internet quilting group. For some reason, this year is going to be my year of doing monthly projects.

I signed up to do this because I wanted to test my "horizons (abilities!!)" as a quilter. Every so often, I get to feeling stagnate and need a challenge. I knew when last months block seemed a bit easy I was in trouble. You see ...... being easy - I just thought I was the cat's meow!!!  WOW!!! ....... I must be advanced if I could do this one pretty easy!!! BOY!!! Was I wrong ........... February's block sure put some humility (obviously very sorely needed I might add!!) in my attitude!!

The block is called "White Cross" and is from Electric Quilt software. When I first peaked at it, I didn't think it was too hard looking. It has 4 set in corners - I've done those before (not my favorite technique might I add!!). SSSSSooooo ....... to my scrap bag to dig out some fabric to do my swap block. It took me a while to figure out how to put this block together - Electric Quilt doesn't give you instructions on how to construct blocks. But, I managed to figure it out after a couple of ripping secessions. Once I got it together, it seemed OK except that I wasn't too happy with on of the outside seams - it wasn't quite 1/4 inch ......... so this block is a reject for swapping.

Back to the scrap bag for more fabric!!!! I really should have just backed away from my sewing table. You know the feeling ............. nothing goes right!!!! And for me ...... nothing went right. I ended up ripping out several seams and then once I thought I had it all ready to do the final sewing ........... half of my units I introverted the colors. Which means .......... the block is all wrong!!!! Back to the table to cut all those half units out again, so I can get the placement right!!!! I did decided to give up at this point ......... I was in a very nasty mood at this time. Amazing how simple pieces of fabric can do this to me!!!!

But, luckily second time is a charm and the block did go together right. Not easily ......... but right. The dimensions were right on and I managed to end up with my seams a 1/4 inch from the edge ........ so I have a swap block!!!!

Ssssoooooo ...... by the time I cut out my block, I had the process down pat. Mine went together just fine. I don't think I want to be doing a whole quilt with this block though!!!!

I suppose my downfall was making the advanced block first ........ maybe I should have started out with the intermediate one. That one I still have to do ........... lets hope I have better luck!!!!

Happy Sewing

~ Annie ~

**Christmas in January!?!**

YUP!!! That is what I said!!! I was cruising the Internet and came across several posts for the new Fat Cat BOM that started this January.

Of course, I have several other projects to finish, but I just feel like doing something new. Don't I always!!! And I do like to do appliqué - and a row a month isn't too much to ask for???  Right??? This makes the third monthly project I now am doing .............. I hope I don't come across too many more that catch my eye!!!


This project is also mostly made from my scrap bag, I only needed to pick out a background for the entire quilt. I found 4 yards of this blue with what looks like snowflakes on it. I think this is the perfect fabric choice for this project.

I have seen Fat Cat patterns before, but I have never attempted to do them. I do my appliqué with Steam-a-seam 2 and then edge the pieces with a blanket stitch. This pattern has a lot of tiny pieces- I wasn't looking forward to tracing and cutting out. Sssssooooo ......... I decided to try an experiment. Since the pattern is done in PDF form, why can't I print onto the steam-a-seam itself???? I had never tried this, but it's worth a shot.

I buy my steam-a-seam in a giant roll, so the first thing is I had to cut it down to paper size. Once I did this, I printed out the first sheet with no problems. The second kinda got stuck and the top sheet crumpled up - YUCK!!! Sssoooo ........ I took my iron and I just pressed the first 1/4 inch at the top of the steam-a-seam. This bonded the front and back sheet together so it wouldn't get caught in the printer ......... AND ......... it worked ....... went right through!!! I was able to print of all three sets of my sheets (need 2 of each since the first row is two of the snowmen blocks) ............ No tracing for me (can we say lazy)!!!!!

Now, it's just figuring out what piece goes to what. Unfortunately ......... the layout sheet isn't marked with the corresponding parts (if you look at the picture, I had to pencil the letters in) - do you like puzzles!!! Good thing I do ....... and it didn't take all that long to figure it all out.

Next step is to start getting everything laid out and begin to iron the pieces down.

Happy Quilting

~ Annie ~

>> Can You Believe It!!! <<

Let me tell you .................. I decided it was time to get back to my "Carolina Christmas" quilt top. As I last left it - I had all the 4 unit blocks all done. I am at the stage to where I am putting the 4 unit blocks into rows.

Sssssoooo ............... I get my blocks down on the floor into the layout I am doing (Bonnie's original). And I put together a couple of blocks, and iron the seams out and do a couple of more blocks. Just minding my own business ........... getting eager ............. it seems to be going together good. Contemplating that I might even get this top completed a lot faster than I had anticipated ........... WHEN ............. as I am ironing some more seams ................ I come across this!!!!!

Where did this come from???? It looks like the tip of the scissors snipped it. Did I do this accidentally?? Or did one of my kids borrow my scissors and toss them back on my sewing table??

Regardless to how this happened ............ how am I going to fix it!?!? Can I patch it??? Do I just try to embroider some kind of design over the top so it isn't noticeable?? What quick fix can I do???

It didn't take long for me to realize .......... I need fix this the right way. If I want to quilt top to be half way decent - there is no short cut!!! I would have to get the seam ripper out and start to rip the seams all around the triangle so that I can remove it.

YUP!!! If you have been following my blog (an hundreds of others doing this quilt top), you know it has millions of pieces in it!!! OK, that's an exaggeration - but it does have a lot of pieces to work around. This triangle happens to be 3.5 inch half square  ....... and lucky me!!!  ......... I just happen to have only one left over!!!!

Sssssooooo .......... I placed the triangle in and sewed it into place, crossing my fingers that this is going to work out OK. Lucky for me, it went together much better than I had anticipated!!! I was so worried that the seams wouldn't match, or that I might end up with a wavy block.

But ........ the quilting gods were smiling on me!!! Once in place - it looked as good as new. You wouldn't even notice that I had to replace a piece. I really am happy that I was able to fix this disaster!!!

I now have 2 of my rows put together. I need to get the other 3 rows to complete this part of the layout. I am playing in Electric Quilt 6 to figure out what I am going to do for borders.

Ssssooooo .......... the end is coming to light!!!

~ Annie ~

~ SnowBound ~

NO!! I'm not SnowBound ......... it is actually raining on our snow this week. Must be the infamous "January Thaw"!! Shoveling the slushy snow is back breaking ........... so I just step on the gas pedal and hope for the best. So far - it has worked, I haven't gotten stuck yet!! I'm sure it will freeze up soon!!

"SnowBound" is the name of the new, twelve months of Snowmen BOM that is going on over at Bunny Hill. I became aware of Bunny Hill BOM's last year, when they did the basket BOM. I didn't participate, but I saved the patterns to do one of these days!!! We all know how that goes ........... someday ....... one day!!!

Anyway, when this years design was released - I just had to do it!!! I like snowmen and I don't have any quilts with that theme .............. Ssssoooo ............... of course I am going to do it. I am always looking for new things to do ......... aren't you?????

It didn't take me very long to do this month's block. I really like how they keep the design very simple. I picked out a blue speckled background for all my blocks. This is the only common link I will have in the blocks - every thing else will come from my scrap box. Even thou they released the quilt layout, I haven't decided what other fabrics I am going to use. I'll wait until I get there to do that.

Keep Sewing

~ Annie ~

I remember a time when I use to really enjoy participating in block swaps. A few years back I was quite active in them .......... I have multiple containers under my bed full of blocks to prove it!!! It's funny how none of those numerous blocks never became quilts. There are on my "one day" - "some day" list!!

If I had to take a wild guess as to why I stopped ........ it might be that the postal rates really increased. Along with the containers under my bed!!! How many blocks do you really need?

But, I have slowed down, and I am not doing as many projects as I use to. One is the time aspect ........ doesn't it always seem that there is not enough time in the day to do things? I am now trying to work on "quality" instead of "quantity", meaning I am taking my projects slow so I can enjoy them. I set no deadlines, sssssoooooo .......... there is no pressure.

On one of my internet quilting groups, one of the ladies introduced an Intermediate/Advanced swap. It sparked my interest because it's (a) one block a month, (b) it's scrappy & (c) it will push me to increase my skills by doing blocks I would never dare to try.

Of course I signed up. But, as usual, I can't just be happy to settle for one block a month. My thinking is ......... I want a quilt out of this in the end. So ........ I picked out 5 fabrics for me to make a "me" block each month and I will make the "swap" block to trade from my scrap box. I decided that I am going to do a combination of reds/blacks/whites for my quilt top. And of course, I will be getting a "swap" block in return for the one I am sending in ........ that will be the scrappy top.

OK ......... now you know why I have a bunch of boxes (did I mention they were rather large!!!) under my bed, with lots of swap blocks!! YUP!!! You would understand how that managed to build up - one of these days I will have to take a picture so you can see all of them. Someday I am going to put them together into a quilt top. OH wait!!! I think you have heard that one before!!!

At any rate ....... the first block is the "Grandmother's Cross". Now ..... I am in no way an expert quilter, but I found this block went fast. I have a sneaking suspicion that they are just easing me in and then are going to "pop" the difficult ones on me. For now ......... this one was good. I just had to follow the directions and the piecing was perfect.

I really liked my "reds" - the color combination is going to be pretty. I chose to do my "swap" block in blue - can't go wrong with that color. I can't wait to see what I get back in return!!! Yes ......... I forgot the fun of anticipation!!!

Happy Quilting

~ Annie ~