Not So Last Minute Christmas Quilt Along - Snowflake

So, did you get your snowflake blocks for March completed??? I finished mine up over the weekend. Today is the day to show off those blocks and link up for our Not So Last Minute Christmas Quilt Along!  Here's my snowflake block...

 

Let me just say that this one was a bit more challenging.  We had 17 paper pieces.  My paper piecing skills are definitely improving with this quilt along.  Here are my first three blocks together...

 

I'm having so much fun with this one!  Now it's your turn.  Come show off your snowflake block and let's see how everyone is progressing!

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<br><a href="http://aquiltingchick.blogspot.com/2015/01/not-so-last-minute-christmas-quilt-along.html" title="A Quilting Chick - Not So Last Minute Christmas QAL"><img src="http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj507/AQuiltingChick/Nutcracker_zps154dd2c0.jpg" alt="A Quilting Chick - Not So Last Minute Christmas QAL" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
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Today I'll be linking up with Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story, Show and Tell Tuesday at I Have to Say,  Too Cute Tuesday at Funky Polka Dot Giraffe, Handmade Tuesdays at Ladybug Blessings, and Sew Cute Tuesday at Blossom Heart Quilts.  And on Wednesday at WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced and Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts.  And finally, on Friday with Quilt Art Designs for Paper Piecing Friday and Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?!?

 

Now here's our linkup for your snowflake blocks...

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Zodiac Stars - Scorpio

I've pretty much decided that, except for my block of the month's that I'm trying to keep up on, April is going to be a paper-piecing month for me.  I am bound and determined to get my niece's quilt finished.  For those that don't remember, I am making her a quilt called Zodiac Stars.  Here is the block I finished yesterday, Scorpio...

 

There are 12 large blocks, one for each sign in the zodiac, and then there are a lot of smaller stars, called starlets.  I'm making 2-3 of the starlets out of each color combination as I make the larger blocks.  I already have them started for this red combo and should finish them rather quickly this evening.

Here are the first four of the larger blocks together...

 

I also have a few Doctor Who block patterns that will be added into this quilt top.  I really cannot wait to get to those.

I think my paper-piecing skills are definitely improving.  I finished up the snowflake block for our Not So Last Minute Christmas Quilt Along yesterday before doing this block.  After the snowflake block, this one was sooooo easy!!  :)

Speaking of our quilt along, the link up will open tomorrow!  So there is still time to join in the fun.  Here's a link to this month's block, the snowflake, and here's a link to the page telling all about the quilt along.  Love to have you join us!!

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<br><a href="http://aquiltingchick.blogspot.com/2015/01/not-so-last-minute-christmas-quilt-along.html" title="A Quilting Chick - Not So Last Minute Christmas QAL"><img src="http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj507/AQuiltingChick/Nutcracker_zps154dd2c0.jpg" alt="A Quilting Chick - Not So Last Minute Christmas QAL" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
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 Today I'm linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times, Keep It Simple, Make It Fun at Modern Tradition Quilts, BOM's Away at What A Hoot, Main Crush Monday at Cooking up Quilts, Show and Tell Monday at Bambisyr with its Quiltglädje!, Monday Makers at Hug a Bit Quilts, and Monday Makers at ayliN-Nilya.

Sunday Stash - 3-29-15

Another great week for my stash numbers!  I didn't have any fabric come in, but I did finish up my Grand Illusion Mystery quilt top!!

I still need to get outside and take some decent pics.  But let me tell you, this thing is gorgeous!!!  And it used up almost 13 yards of fabric.

So here are the numbers for this week:

In This Week - 0 yards
Used This Week - 12 3/4 yards
Total In This Year - 32-5/8 yards
Total Out This Year - 28-1/4 yards
Net Used This Year - -4-3/8 yards

HA!  Almost positive again!!!  :)  Come see how everyone else is doing on their fabric reports at Patchwork Times.

Grand Illusion Top Finished!

Every single time I look at these pictures, I fall in love with this quilt all over again.  Last night I finished up the flimsy of my Grand Illusion Mystery designed and hosted by Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville fame.

 

I loved all the steps as they were released.  Then the big reveal at New Year's and my love chilled.  A lot.  This is by far the busiest quilt I've ever put together.  So I set it aside and let it marinate.  A while.  Earlier this month, I felt ready to work on it again.  I'd seen other people's versions and slowly fallen back in love with it.  And now that it is finished, I do truly adore it.  Cassidy came out to look at it when it was finished last night and claimed it.  Which is funny, because when the reveal came out, she was in the same boat I was.

 

I think a lot of our love for this quilt comes from the fabric choices and color choices I made.  I made sure to go with crisp colors, very sharp.  I toned down the yellow just a tad by using the lavender in the border.  I just love every tiny piece of this one!!!  I'm so, so happy to have it done.  

Either tonight or tomorrow, I'll get outside for a photo shoot of both of my flimsy finishes this week so I can blog them and put them to rest.  Now I don't feel guilty at all about the other 12 WIP's in that stack I told yall about.  :)

 Today I'm linking up with Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story, Show and Tell Tuesday at I Have to Say, WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced, and Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts.

 

Also with Crazy Mom Quilts!

Flying Geese Flimsy Completed

So, let me begin by explaining what spurred my very productive weekend.  :)  Friday evening I had a friend over to visit.  He noticed my pile of blocks on an end table, stacked quite high, and asked me if that was all for one project.  I explained those are blocks from projects that I'm currently working on, 7-8 of them, maybe 9.  He kinda laughed and said that maybe I need to get some of them finished.  After he left, my curiosity got the better of me.  So I pulled them out, sorted them by project and counted.  FOURTEEN!  There were fourteen WIP's in that pile.  Needless to say, I decided that was way too many and decided to try to finish up the ones that were really close.

That, my friends, is why we have a flimsy finish to share today.  I started this quilt at least five years ago.  I pulled it out over a year ago swearing I'd finish it.  Even had a few of the blocks on my design wall.  But I got busy on other things and it continued to linger.  No more!!

 

When I pulled it out and began work on it on Friday night, I couldn't believe how close to being finished it really was.  Yay!  I'll try to get better pictures this week, outside in the sun(!) and do a final post for this one.  Once I got it finished, I pulled out the next one that was almost done:  Grand Illusion designed by Bonnie Hunter over at Quiltville.

 

The blocks were done and the sashing was on one side already.  So I finished putting on the sashing, got it all laid out and arranged, and have all the rows pinned and ready to go to the machine tonight.

So, for the weekend, 1 DOWN 13 TO GO!!! (and no, that's not all of my UFO's, just the ones I consider WIP's).

There is still another day to linkup with this month's leader/ender project.  You can grab a button below and see the linkup here...

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<br><br><a href="http://aquiltingchick.blogspot.com/2014/11/our-first-leaderender-linky-party.html" title="A Quilting Chick"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghl5ugFNY3GXFl5r17VbnZWiY236HeXEHtdd7Qtwr34jY38dnI7dByAXqmqAyKbpHrBiKkvA8e5XzamGrNGoREtAdRzBgT4_KkYYdZqTykmk3NhMglVQDwcjM7B0qDt0_j75azKJ9zxAhV/s1600/leader+ender+button.jpg" alt="A Quilting Chick" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
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And also, there is plenty of time to join in our Not So Last Minute Christmas Quilt Along.  It's paper pieced and is so pretty!  This month we're working on the snowflake block.

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<br><a href="http://aquiltingchick.blogspot.com/2015/01/not-so-last-minute-christmas-quilt-along.html" title="A Quilting Chick - Not So Last Minute Christmas QAL"><img src="http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj507/AQuiltingChick/Nutcracker_zps154dd2c0.jpg" alt="A Quilting Chick - Not So Last Minute Christmas QAL" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
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Linking up today with Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday, and Monday Makers with aylin-nilya and Scraps Monday at A Quilting Life.

Sunday Stash - 3-22-15

This was a good week for the stash. I had nothing come in, and....I finished a quilt top.  Here's a sneak peek at the quilt...

I'll post better pics of it later this week.  If my calculations are right, that used about 5-1/2 yards of fabric.  I also got all the blocks sashed for the Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt that Bonnie Hunter designed and hosted.  I'm hoping to finish it up this week which will add to my used numbers next week, even if most of it is from scraps.

So here's the numbers so far this year...

In This Week - 0 yards

Used This Week - 5-1/2 yards

Total In This Year - 32-5/8 yards

Total Out This Year - 15-1/2 yards

Net Used This Year - -17-1/8 yards

There is still time to show us your leader/ender progress!

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<br><br><a href="http://aquiltingchick.blogspot.com/2014/11/our-first-leaderender-linky-party.html" title="A Quilting Chick"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghl5ugFNY3GXFl5r17VbnZWiY236HeXEHtdd7Qtwr34jY38dnI7dByAXqmqAyKbpHrBiKkvA8e5XzamGrNGoREtAdRzBgT4_KkYYdZqTykmk3NhMglVQDwcjM7B0qDt0_j75azKJ9zxAhV/s1600/leader+ender+button.jpg" alt="A Quilting Chick" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
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I'm linking up with Patchwork Times and Oh Scrap! with Quilting is More Fun than Housework.

Snapshots QAL - Tea Pot

Last night I finished up my Tea Pot for the Snapshots QAL being hosted by the Fat Quarter Shop to benefit St. Jude's.  It's a terrific cause and has already raised $20,000 since it began in January.  Isn't this block adorable???

 

Mine is going to be a bit different than everybody else's because I messed up.  See that spout there on the left side?  It's supposed to be on the right.  But....you see how it's a HST sewn onto a rectangle?  Yeah, I sewed it on the wrong corner.  Then cut.  Then realized my error.  So....it's being made useful and not wasted.  :)

In case anyone is wondering, I'm using my Miss Kate fabric for this quilt.  The Fat Quarter Shop is offering kits for this quilt using Daysail.  

Tonight is the Friday Night Sew In being hosted by Sugarlane Quilts.  I'll be working on the snowflake block for our Not So Last Minute Christmas Quilt Along.  Head on over to Sugarlane Quilts to signup and join us tonight!

Don't forget, there is still time to link up your leader/ender projects.  Grab a button and come share your project.

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<br><br><br><a href="http://aquiltingchick.blogspot.com/2014/11/our-first-leaderender-linky-party.html" title="A Quilting Chick"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghl5ugFNY3GXFl5r17VbnZWiY236HeXEHtdd7Qtwr34jY38dnI7dByAXqmqAyKbpHrBiKkvA8e5XzamGrNGoREtAdRzBgT4_KkYYdZqTykmk3NhMglVQDwcjM7B0qDt0_j75azKJ9zxAhV/s1600/leader+ender+button.jpg" alt="A Quilting Chick" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
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And there is plenty of time to catch up with our quilt along.  This link will take you to the home page.  Here's the button.

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<br><br><a href="http://aquiltingchick.blogspot.com/2015/01/not-so-last-minute-christmas-quilt-along.html" title="A Quilting Chick - Not So Last Minute Christmas QAL"><img src="http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj507/AQuiltingChick/Nutcracker_zps154dd2c0.jpg" alt="A Quilting Chick - Not So Last Minute Christmas QAL" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
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Hope yall have a fun, productive weekend!!!

Today I'm linking up with Ft. Worth Fabric Studio for Friday Frenzy and Can I Get a Whoop Whoop by Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Massdrop Fun - Wonder Clips and FriXion Pens

Hey yall!  Hope your days are going well.  I thought I'd drop in again today to let you know about a few deals I saw on Massdrop.  If you haven't gone and visited before, do yourself a favor and take a look.  Sometimes the deals aren't that great, but some of them I just have to take advantage of and share. 

For example, there are 7 hours left in this drop for (50) Wonder Clips.  The price is down to $21.99. 

The other thing I saw today is the FriXion Pens.  Here's what the drop includes (from the Massdrop website):

Note: This drop includes three packs of FriXion pens: 7 retractable 0.7 mm fine point pens in Black, Blue, Green, Pink, Purple, Red, and Turquoise, 6 assorted 0.5 mm capped pens in Black, Blue, Red, Green, Pink, and Purple, and 3 highlighters in Pink, Yellow, and Orange. Please be aware that the FriXion LX metal body pen pictured is neither included in the bundle, nor available as an option.

Those are also $21.99 and have 3 days left!

Hope it helps!  I just love finding things like this.

Quilts on a Line - Final Block

Yay! I finished the last block for this month's row of the Quilter's Garden Swap, designed and hosted by my good friend Deanna over at Dreamworthy Quilts. Here's my rail fence block...

 

And in case you missed it yesterday, here are the other three blocks for this row...

 

Isn't Deanna super talented??? She is also hosting/teaching another of her designs, Shimmer Braid, over at Fort Worth Fabric Studio.  Here's a picture of how far I've gotten on it...

 

I haven't seen anything she designs that I don't want to make.  Seriously, if you don't follow her yet, you really should go check out her blog....Love you Deanna!!

We only have one more month in the Quilter's Garden Swap and they will be border blocks.  I'm really sad to see this one ending but can't wait to see my finished quilt top.

Don't forget, there is still time to link up your leader/ender projects.  Grab a button and come share your project.

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<br><br><a href="http://aquiltingchick.blogspot.com/2014/11/our-first-leaderender-linky-party.html" title="A Quilting Chick"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghl5ugFNY3GXFl5r17VbnZWiY236HeXEHtdd7Qtwr34jY38dnI7dByAXqmqAyKbpHrBiKkvA8e5XzamGrNGoREtAdRzBgT4_KkYYdZqTykmk3NhMglVQDwcjM7B0qDt0_j75azKJ9zxAhV/s1600/leader+ender+button.jpg" alt="A Quilting Chick" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
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And this month we are working on the snowflake for our Not So Last Minute Christmas Quilt Along.  Isn't it pretty???

And there is plenty of time to catch up.  This link will take you to the home page.  Here's the button.

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<br><a href="http://aquiltingchick.blogspot.com/2015/01/not-so-last-minute-christmas-quilt-along.html" title="A Quilting Chick - Not So Last Minute Christmas QAL"><img src="http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj507/AQuiltingChick/Nutcracker_zps154dd2c0.jpg" alt="A Quilting Chick - Not So Last Minute Christmas QAL" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
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Today, I'm linking up with My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday.

Quilter's Garden - Quilts on a Line Blocks Completed

I was in a groove last night after work.  I got home, baked cookies, cooked dinner, and then finished up these cuties!  Here's the clothesline block for the Quilter's Garden QAL.  This one needed the applique sewn down and the clothesline put on.

 

I'll be keeping the clothesline block.  All of the mini quilts are made of bonus HST's from other projects, trimmed to 1" prior to putting into pinwheels.  Everything except the white background fabrics came out of my scrap boxes.  Next up is the first of the tree blocks.  Again, it still needed the applique sewn down.  I'll be keeping this one too.

 

Here's the second of the tree blocks.  Again, just sewed down the applique last night.  I'll be swapping this one.

 

Here are the three together to give you an idea of what the row will look like.  Once they are sewn together, a clothesline will be added to attach from the tree to whatever is in the block next to it.

 

I have one more block to complete.  It's cut out and I've started sewing it so I should be able to finish it tonight.  It's a rail fence block and is too cute!  

Just a reminder that the linky party for our leader/ender projects is open.  Come link up and join the fun!

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<br><br><a href="http://aquiltingchick.blogspot.com/2014/11/our-first-leaderender-linky-party.html" title="A Quilting Chick"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghl5ugFNY3GXFl5r17VbnZWiY236HeXEHtdd7Qtwr34jY38dnI7dByAXqmqAyKbpHrBiKkvA8e5XzamGrNGoREtAdRzBgT4_KkYYdZqTykmk3NhMglVQDwcjM7B0qDt0_j75azKJ9zxAhV/s1600/leader+ender+button.jpg" alt="A Quilting Chick" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
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Also, it's not to late to join in our Not So Last Minute Christmas Quilt Along!  It's one block a month and started in January so plenty of time to catch up.  Link ups for March will start on March 31.

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<br><a href="http://aquiltingchick.blogspot.com/2015/01/not-so-last-minute-christmas-quilt-along.html" title="A Quilting Chick - Not So Last Minute Christmas QAL"><img src="http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj507/AQuiltingChick/Nutcracker_zps154dd2c0.jpg" alt="A Quilting Chick - Not So Last Minute Christmas QAL" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
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Today I'm linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and with Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social.  Also linking up with soscrappy for Scrap Happy Saturday.

Leader/Ender Linky Party!

It's that time again! Time for our leader/ender linky party.  Let's see how much progress we've made in a month.  Here's where I was last month...

 

And here's where I am this month....

 

Yup.  That's right.  Absolutely no progress!  I have a bunch of partially done blocks on my table but nothing ready to add to this yet.  The flu really put a crimp in things getting done over the last month.

So now it's your turn.  Come show us your leader/ender progress!

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<br><br><a href="http://aquiltingchick.blogspot.com/2014/11/our-first-leaderender-linky-party.html" title="A Quilting Chick"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghl5ugFNY3GXFl5r17VbnZWiY236HeXEHtdd7Qtwr34jY38dnI7dByAXqmqAyKbpHrBiKkvA8e5XzamGrNGoREtAdRzBgT4_KkYYdZqTykmk3NhMglVQDwcjM7B0qDt0_j75azKJ9zxAhV/s1600/leader+ender+button.jpg" alt="A Quilting Chick" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
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Linking up with Show and Tell Tuesday at I Have to Say, and Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story.
   

    An InLinkz Link-up