Dresden Update

I've making excellent progress on my dresden quilt. I enrolled in the Finish Along for Q3 and it's one of my goals (left over from Q2). I'm enjoying it and very happy with my results. All the petals are sewn together.

There are a few partials in there - on the left hand side - I like to have a few running off the quilt.

This week I need to get to a fabric store to pick up some solid for the centre. I have Kona watermelon in mind, but I need to see it in person.

I'll keep you posted.

Q3 Finish Along

I found this Finish Along in March and joined for Q2 - April to June. I only got one of my goals completed - and I'm good with that since there is no penalty for not meeting a goal (other than those we impose on ourselves). There are great prizes available for those who finish and are lucky enough to get chosen as a winner.

This quarter (July - September) I'm entering a few more things for finishes.

In no particular order:

Mittens for me - 1 is 3/4 finished

A cardigan for my oldest niece:

The dresden quilt I was supposed to do in Q2:

And Christmas pillowcases for my nieces (in this adorable Pixie Noel fabric):

I feel like I've given myself a good variety of projects to finish - the pillowcases will be quick - the rest will take more time. A deadline will help (I hope).

I'm linking to the Q3 Finish Along.

A Little Tardy

The beginning of April I signed up for a Finish- Along, in hopes that I'd be motivated to work on some quilts.

I finished one of the them and the other has been a slow start. This quilt is for me. Over last weekend I started putting pieces up on my design wall - hopefully that will help me get a little more motivated.

And now that I've put this on my blog, I'm a little more accountable too.

I`m Playing Too

Sometime in the last month or so I found a hashtag on Instagram that took me to a blogger who is hosting a Finish A Long, with a bunch of other bloggers.

The idea is you make public the finishes you want to accomplish in the next 3 months. For every finish, there are a lot of great prizes to be won. You are entered for a prize for each item you finish - there is no penalty for not finishing an item on your list.

I need a little motivation sometimes, so I decided to play along and now the 2nd quarter (Q2) entries are open.

Here are my plans:

1.  This lovely charm square stack of Vintage Modern by Bonnie and Camille will become a dresden quilt for my bed. I`ve had this idea in the works for ages but haven`t taken the leap. I`m leaping. There is no pattern, I`m going to make a bunch of dresdens, then scatter them all over the white background and stitch them down.

2. This pile of fabric on the left, along with some from the right, and some from Buttons, will make a quilt for a young woman who is having a child.

The pattern is this one from a magazine (also borrowed from Buttons). I used this pattern last year for another baby quilt and it turned out great and was quick and easy.

I`m only setting two goals. That`s it. That`s all I have in the works that I think I can finish by the end of June, and my goal is to finish.

I think I`ve convinced Buttons and The Edgy Perfectionist to join too.  We`ll see.

I`m linking up, planning for finishes, and hoping for a win.

Quilt Retreat Part 1

I was lucky enough to be invited on a quilting retreat again this year. I went with my friend, her grandmother, and friends of her grandmother. These women have known each other for years and are good company and excellent sewers and quilters. There is so much support and experience in the room it's so fantastic.

Unfortunately, this was our last retreat at the place we went because the owner has sold the property. I've only been there twice and am sorry to see it sold. Hopefully we can find another venue for next year. (And I'm hoping we can convince L to come along).

I finished two quilt tops, more or less. The more part is today.

This is a quilt for my cousin's 5 year old daughter. This little lady has a mind of her own and loves pink. I hope this meets with her approval!

This is the finished top...

I've always had a dresden plate in mind for this quilt and I'm so happy with how it turned out.  I used an 8" dresden ruler and it took 20 pieces to make a circle. I varied the height of the fabric to get the different sized dresdens. The inside circles are all the same size.

The original fabric I purchased years ago didn't suit my fancy anymore so I picked up a bunch more pink last week when I was out with L shop hopping. I'm really glad I went with the new fabrics.

The centres are a solid that I've appliqued on - by machine. The dresden's are appliqued on by machine as well. Before putting the solids on I added a circle of batting to the back of them for two reasons - I'll get some extra puff when I quilt them and the uneven centres of the dresden's are hidden as well.

This will likely get a feather design of some kind when I get to quilting it. I'll keep you posted!