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