#30: "Hallowtide Fun" {March 2013}

What can I say. I saw this panel and busted out laughing. I really, really dislike scary stuff and most people have a tendency to swing towards that for Halloween. I love the fact that the monsters look so sweet and of course the cats. Now, understand, I actually got this panel because of ET and Edelbrock. If you look carefully you will see Edel in the middle right block and in the top right, next to the witch, is ET. ET was my 24 year-old, blind, deaf, brain damaged one-eyed cat. My blind step mother discovered him, just minutes from being born and having fallen from the tree momma had her litter in. ET (Teasers) was a cool cat, just like the fine fellow in the block.

This is NOT ment to be a scary, mean, negative way to look at Halloween. Rather, bringing it back to being a kid again; where monsters weren't mean and could be chased away with Monster Spray or a stern word from my Mother to go back under the bed because it was past their bedtime too.

Size: 25.5" x 29"
Fabrics:

• Front: "Scribble Monsters II" by Leeré Aldrich for Clothworks - 100% Cotton
• Back: Solid black - 100% Cotton

Binding: Solid black - 100% Cotton
Batting: Pellon Legacy White Quilt Batting, 100% Cotton
Thread: AURIfil 40wt Thread - Black
Pattern: Panel from Clothworks

#29: "Skyfall" {March 2013}

I am a sucker for 3 things:

1. Beautiful fabrics
2. Simple, elegant designs
3. Ikea. Both my ex-husband and my current husband call me The Ikea Queen.

Not necessarily in that order.

When V & Co. came out with her fabric line called “Simply Color” I just pointed to the computer screen and whimpered at Steve. All of our funds were tied up in getting him the Service Dog. I put it on the “Please Father Christmas drop this in my stocking” list. He gave a delightful surprise of a Layered Cake, a Jelly Roll and a charm pack from the fabric line. After I stopped bawling at the fact that Steve got these for me, I sat and petted the pretties for a very long time. All the while looking at my Ikea catalogs and wishing I was closer to Seattle to get the furniture we need for our home and thinking about clean, modern designs to make this OUR home Then I saw a photo or something of a traditional quilt block but blown WAY up. The colors were clean, the block was traditional, but the way it was made was so modern; a stunning twist. Then it hit me...I could so DO that! After much thought and much wondering, I popped open my Layered Cake of the “Simply Color” fabrics. The rest as they say is history.

Please, enjoy the yummy fabric colors and designs. They not only have that Ikea feel too them, but they have been given Norwegian titles. In this case "Skyfall" is in fact "Skyfall" in Norwegian. In this case, I broke with my themes for the 4 quilts. This quilt was my second attempt at free-hand quilting. Originally, this was going to be named "Rain" but as I was quilting the rain drops in the center of the quilt, I was listening to the "Skyfall" soundtrack and the theme song by Adele came up. I discovered I was not only moving the quilt easier, I was almost swaging and dancing to the music. I then decided to challenge myself for the wavy lines on the sides and the star points. If you look carefully and put on the music, you will see that my lines are to the rhythm of the brass section of the music! Each lump in the wave is a note or beat change per that section!

Size: 36 x 36 inches
Pattern: Adaptation of "Giant Vintage Star" of a traditional Starflower block by In Color Order Fabrics:

• Front: "Simply Color" by V and Co. for Moda - 100% Cotton
• Back: Solid white - 100% Cotton

Binding: "Simply Color - Gray Ombre" by V and Co. for Moda - 100% Cotton
Batting: Pellon Legacy White Quilt Batting, 100% Cotton
Thread: AURIfil 40wt Quilting Thread

#28: "Varen - Spring Time" {March 2013}

I am a sucker for 3 things:

1. Beautiful fabrics
2. Simple, elegant designs
3. Ikea. Both my ex-husband and my current husband call me The Ikea Queen.

Not necessarily in that order.

When V & Co. came out with her fabric line called “Simply Color” I just pointed to the computer screen and whimpered at Steve. All of our funds were tied up in getting him the Service Dog. I put it on the “Please Father Christmas drop this in my stocking” list. He gave a delightful surprise of a Layered Cake, a Jelly Roll and a charm pack from the fabric line. After I stopped bawling at the fact that Steve got these for me, I sat and petted the pretties for a very long time. All the while looking at my Ikea catalogs and wishing I was closer to Seattle to get the furniture we need for our home and thinking about clean, modern designs to make this OUR home Then I saw a photo or something of a traditional quilt block but blown WAY up. The colors were clean, the block was traditional, but the way it was made was so modern; a stunning twist. Then it hit me...I could so DO that! After much thought and much wondering, I popped open my Layered Cake of the “Simply Color” fabrics. The rest as they say is history.

Please, enjoy the yummy fabric colors and designs. They not only have that Ikea feel too them, but they have been given Norwegian titles. In this case "Våren" is Norwegian for "Spring" like my yummy green mosses and gray skies of Camano Island. These quilts mean a LOT to me. Not only for sheer joy of getting of make something I’ve always wanted, but for the fact that they are are very much a reflection of our home. Oh and for those following the trail of what I was listening to while I quilted each quilt, this one got "The Water Garden" by Diane Arkenstone. The repeating echo's are reflective of this piece of music, making it a no brainer for this quilt.

Size: 36" x 36"
Pattern: Adaptation of "Giant Vintage Star" of a traditional Starflower block by In Color Order Fabrics:

• Front: "Simply Color" by V and Co. for Moda - 100% Cotton
• Back: Solid white - 100% Cotton

Binding: "Simply Color - Gray Ombre" by V and Co. for Moda - 100% Cotton
Batting: Pellon Legacy White Quilt Batting, 100% Cotton
Thread: AURIfil 40wt Quilting Thread

#27: "Arts & Architecture" {February 2013}

"Arts & Architecture" is named in honor of Dean Nancy Cornwell and her incredible husband, Stan Downs. We were downstairs neighbors of these wonderful folks who used to come out in the late evenings and sit under a tree in the back yard and watch students play their intramural games. When Dean Nancy is out "Deaning" at MSU's school of Arts and Architecture, Stan is working/building on their home located on one of the beautiful mountains near MSU. Dean Nancy’s encouragement for both of our educations has been one of consistency and amusement. She very much gets what it is like to be a non-traditional student in this day and age. Stan, in all his quiet ways, as taught us to not only laugh at the rough times, but measure twice, cut once.

Size: 51" x 47"
Pattern: "Charmalade Quilt" by Pamela Lincoln
Fabrics:

• Front: "Etchings" by 3 Sisters for Moda - 100% Cotton
• Back: Solid navy blue - 100% Cotton

Binding: "Etchings" by 3 Sisters for Moda Botanical Print - 100% Cotton
Batting: Pellon Legacy White Quilt Batting, 100% Cotton
Thread: AURIfil 40wt Quilting Thread

#26: "Retro Vogue" {January 2013}

The retro/vintage red's and teal's blend beautifully into the grays, pinks and sage greens giving this line of fabric a fun, funky, vintage feel without going overboard on the colors.

Size: 19.25" x 19.25"
Pattern: The original quilt design. The pattern is a series half square triangle blending from light gray to pink to red to teal. These were left over scraps from the “L4” quilt and I wanted to challenge myself to make a mini quilt.
Fabric:

• Vintage Modern by Bonnie & Camille for Moda
• Kona Solids - White

Backing: Apple Of My Eye" by The Quilted Fish for Riley Blake
Binding: Apple Of My Eye" by The Quilted Fish for Riley Blake
Batting: Mountain Mist White Rose 100% cotton needled batting

#25: "Present Primitive" {January 2013}

I am a broke quilter, so when I get fabric I will use everything up to and including the "Scrap Barf" a.k.a., the little tiny pieces. So when I made our Kat and Goggie Yule Stockings this year, I purchased 2 charm packs of this fabric. With the exception of the backing, all of these fabrics were leftover "Scrap Barf" from the project. At that time, the chevron patterns were starting to come back into fad again, so after the New Year, I decided to give one a try! The colors leaned to a very "primitive country" style, particularly when paired with the deep reds and blue. The quilting along the red boarder what my very first ever attempt to free-hand quilting. That's where I discovered that if I listened to music instead of my audible book, my quilting would become more free-flowing and I would have a lot of fun just playing with it!

Size: 20.5" x 23"
Pattern: Self created chevron
Fabrics:

• Front: "Holiday Medley" by Kansas Troubles Holiday Medley for Moda - 100% Cotton
• Back: "Navy Blue Stripe" by Kansas Troubles for Moda - 100% Cotton

Binding: "Navy Blue Stripe" by Kansas Troubles for Moda - 100% Cotton
Batting: Pellon Legacy White Quilt Batting, 100% Cotton

#24: "Because I Said Sew" {January 2013} - UFO

The ultimate UFO in my project list. This is my ultimate UFO. I'm not to sure I will ever get to fix this quilt or even play with it for awhile. I wasn't happy with the blocks touching and I"m not happy with the small black windows. It just needs...something!

Size: 75" x 47.25"
Fabric: "Mama Said Sew" by Sweetwater for Moda Fabrics