Snow Day!

Wednesday was an unexpected snow day. The snow totals weren't high, but roads all over the Atlanta area were impassable, bringing the entire city to a standstill. I am very grateful that I ride the train to and from work because I had no problem getting home on Tuesday, unlike so many people who were stuck on the roads for 20 hours or more. It looks rather pretty on our back patio though, doesn't it.

I took advantage of the bonus day off and spent most of it working on a baby quilt for one of my co-workers. My initial inspiration was these two fabrics, which will be the border and the background.

I pulled out all sorts of yellow and aqua/turquoise and pink scraps and stitched up a pile of bowtie blocks. I still need to make some more in pinks and maybe a few purple/lavendar, then I can start arranging them on my wall. By the time I quit making bowties, there will probably be enough blocks to make two baby quilts!

I am linking up to "Let's Make Baby Quilts" Friday at Michelle's Romantic Tangle.

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 1/27/14--Finished Top!

Instead of a design wall, today I have a "design bed" to show my finished Scrappy Sampler quilt top! I completed the top last night too late to get any outdoor photos, and it is too big to hang on my wall.

Autumn Scrappy Sampler
80" x 100"

This quilt was started just over a year ago as a block-of-the-month project at one of my favorite local quilt shops, Intown Quilters in Decatur, GA. Many of the other BOM participants were making their quilt from a kit of the same fabrics as the sample quilt, which were very bright batiks. Below is a shot of the BOM sample. As you can see, mine went in a very different direction as far as color palette.

I am so thrilled to have this quilt top together and can't wait to get it quilted! Finishing this top also means I achieved my January goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes. That's a good way to get the year started. Now to figure out what project to work on next. I'm sure there must be a project or two (or twenty!) that I could pull out.


I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. Check it out for tons of amazing ideas and inspiration. I am also linking in to BOMs Away Monday at What a Hoot.

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 2014--Week #4

I was so happy to get an extra day off last weekend for MLKing day. Sunday turned into a very fun, spontaneous day for hubby and me. We took care of the grocery shopping early, then made a trip to the fabulous Dekalb Farmer's Market. I wanted to get some more black-on-white prints to use for the background with my hexie stars and snowflakes. We stopped at two different quilt shops, and I came home with this lovely stack of fabric, 2.75 yards total

Used this week:                    0 yards
Used year to date:            2.0 yards

Stashed this week:            2.75 yards  

Stashed year to date:       2.75 yards 

Net year to date:               .75 yards stashed


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

Scrappy Saturday--End of the Blues

Unfortunately, there hasn't been much time to play with my blue scraps this week. The long hours at work have continued, plus I haven't been riding the train the last few mornings because of our cold weather, thus losing my morning hexie stitching time.

I have nearly finished my first blue snowflake and hope to get another one together next week. Then it's time for a new color!

Check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts every Saturday to see how others are using up their scraps. So many beautiful projects! I am also linking up to the Hexie Weekend at A Quilting Reader's Garden

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 1/20/14

I finally finished making the bowtie blocks (180 total) for the borders of my Scrappy Sampler quilt. Now I am in the process of joining them together, then they will get stitched to the center of the quilt. I'm getting very excited to see this quilt top all together! Unfortunately, it is too big for me to get a photo of the whole thing indoors. When it is complete, I will be sure to get some outdoor shots of the finished top.

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. Check it out for tons of amazing ideas and inspiration.

Julie in GA

Hexies on Sunday

I have been stitching hexies since last August as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. They have turned out to be surprisingly addictive and the perfect portable stitching project. Most of my hand stitching is done during my morning train commute or while "watching" TV in the evening.

I finished a hexie star in blue a few days ago. This brings me to 5 completed large stars, although the light blue one needs some help. Those outer points disappear too much against the background.

Next up will be a couple of blue snowflakes, to go along with the 7 done previously.

I hope to find some time to stitch hexies today and tomorrow (an extra day off--heaven!!) If not those days, I will definitely continue my morning commute stitching, despite the funny looks I get on the train. I was glad to see another woman pull out her crocheting one day last week. I'm not the only crazy crafter!

I am linking up to Slow Stitching Sunday at Kathy's Quilts, HeLP for Hexie-aholics at Sarah Did It!, and Hexie Weekend at A Quilting Reader's Garden. On Monday I can add the Monday Morning Star Count at Life Under Quilts. Check them all out to find great hand stitching and English paper piecing inspiration.

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 2014--Week #3

After working 55 hours the previous week, it was a relief to get back to a more normal schedule last week. It also meant I had some time for quilting again, and that is a good thing. I was about to go into withdrawal over not getting my quilting fix!

In the past week I was able to make 6 more LeMoyne Stars plus 9 little scrappy blue nine-patch blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I also made 44 bowtie blocks for the border of my Scrappy Sampler quilt and have started joining them together.


Used this week:             1.375  yards
Used year to date:        2.0  yards

Added this week:            0 yards  

Added year to date:        0 yards 

Net year to date:            2 yards used


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

Scrappy January Blues 1/18/14

This has been a good week for using up blue scraps for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I finished up five blue LeMoyne Star blocks with light background, to go along with the stars on black background. I am planning to alternate light and dark in my quilt.

I also completed my Scrap Hexies Star and am now working on a snowflake or two in blue. I need to replace the outer points in the light blue star at the bottom right--they just disappear against the background. This has been my hand-stitching project since last August.

Lastly, I made a batch of little nine-patches that finish at 3". Not sure what they will end up going into, but they are a great way to use up scraps.

Check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts every Saturday to see how others are using up their scraps. So many beautiful projects! I am also linking up to the Hexie Weekend at A Quilting Reader's Garden

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 1/13/14

I finished a few more LeMoyne Stars blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I started out using the black background and have added the white background to the mix, with the idea that I can alternate the two in the finished quilt.

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. Check it out for great ideas and inspiration.

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 2014--Week #2

Too many hours spent working this week, leaving very little time for quilting.  No additions or usage for the week.


Used this week:               0  yards
Used year to date:         .625  yards

Added this week:            0 yards  

Added year to date:        0 yards 

Net year to date:            .625 yards used


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

Blues for January Week 2--1/11/14

There hasn't been much progress on most of my quilting projects this week because machine stitching time has been in short supply. We have been putting in long hours at work and even have to go in today (Saturday.)

However, I have managed to move ahead on my blue hexies. I got them all basted last Monday night during the BCS Championship Game, a real nail-biter won in the last minute or so by my husband's beloved Florida State Seminoles. Yeah, Noles!! I've started joining the hexies together into columns for a star and will have plenty left for a couple of snowflakes.

Check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts every Saturday to see how others are using up their scraps. So many beautiful projects! I am also linking up to the Hexie Weekend at A Quilting Reader's Garden and to the In Hand EPP Party at splish splash stash. EPP inspiration all over the place! On Sunday I will link up for Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.


Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 1/6/14

My design wall is mostly covered with the blocks for half of my Dancing Stars quilt. The rest have already been joined together into two large sections.

The new additions to the design wall are  LeMoyne Stars for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge--can you tell I love bright colors on black?! At the lower right are the first 2 star blocks for the Tell It to the Stars mystery. I am going scrappy with my fabrics for that too.

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. Check it out for great ideas and inspiration.

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 2014--Week #1

It's a new year and that means a fresh start on the stash reporting. It feels good to be starting with all zeroes on the board. I met my goal of using 100 yards last year (just barely!) and came very close to my other goal of using more fabric than was added, ending up with a net addition to the stash of 3.25 yards. 

I am shooting for those same goals again in 2014, and this week is a step in the right direction. I made 2 blocks for the Tell It to the Stars mystery and 4 LeMoyne Stars for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  No additions this week.


Used this week:             .625  yards
Used year to date:         .625  yards

Added this week:            0 yards  

Added year to date:        0 yards 

Net year to date:            .625 yards used


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

January Blues

This is the beginning of my second year of participating in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge which is hosted by Angela. Each month has its assigned color, and every Saturday we all link up blog posts showing our progress. Saturday is one of the blog-reading highlights of my whole week when I get to see what everyone has been making. I always come away with way more ideas than I have time to make!

This year I've had a little trouble settling on my rainbow project for the year. The current top choice is to make more 6" LeMoyne stars like the ones below. These were started many years ago and have been sitting in a box ever since. It's about time they were allowed to come out & play!

So far I have made 4 stars in blues, our January color. The three bright ones look great with the previous set, but that one at the lower right is not going to make the cut.

My carry-over project from last year's RSC is my scrappy hexies. I have been basting blue hexies and hope to start sewing them together next week.

Check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts every Saturday to see how others are using up their scraps. So many beautiful projects! 


Julie in GA

A Lovely Year of Finishes--January 2014

I have so many UFO's and WIP's in my sewing room that they are threatening to drive me crazy! It's time to buckle down and do some finishing.

To that end, I am joining in on the "Lovely Year of Finishes 2014." My January goal is to finish making the bowtie blocks for the borders of my Scrappy Sampler quilt shown below. This quilt was made as a BOM last year, and just needs two rows of bowties around the outside as borders. By the end of the month, I want to have this top DONE and ready for quilting.

Many others have posted links showing their January finishing plans at A Lovely Year of Finishes. Let's all get sewing and achieve our goals!

Julie in GA

Getting It Done--December 2013, January 2014

HAPPY 2014 to all!

I realized today that I had not posted my "Get It Done" list from December and goals for January. I did pretty well on my goals for last month, especially considering how difficult it is to find time over the holidays.

December goals:
1.  Dancing Stars--join blocks into quilt top. Started, but not complete

2.  Scrappy Sampler BOM--join all the 10" blocks to the center of the quilt; continue making bowties for the borders.  All blocks joined; need to make more bowties

3.  Scrap Hexies--continue my hexie hand stitching project.  Done!

4.  Finish 3 sets of placemats for Christmas gifts.   Done!

5?  Maybe start Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice mystery--I still haven't decided if I am going to do this one or not.   Decided to wait on this year's mystery

January 2014 goals:
1.  Scrappy Sampler--finish making bowties for border
2.  Scrap Hexies--make blue hexie star & snowflakes
3.  Rainbow Scrap Challenge--decide on my project and make blue blocks
4.  Tell It to the Stars (Judy L. mystery)--make January blocks
5.  Begin quilting Dancing Stars

See how well other quilters did at reaching their goals this month and what they hope to accomplish in the month ahead at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA