October is Going to be Ghastly!

Are you obsessed with Alexander Henry's Ghastlies?  

You know I am;-)  Starting Monday, October 1st things are going to get a bit Ghastly around here.  With a little help from my friends I'll be sharing tutorials and hosting giveaways.

Looking for even more inspiration?  Made something Ghastly of your own?  Link up at the Ghastly Gathering between October 10th and 28th.

Grab a button and join the fun!

<center> <a href="http://www.alidiza.com/p/ghastly-gathering.html" target="_blank"><img alt="A Ghastly Gathering!" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1pQplzGu6rH-iv1FmV_GE4t_IHhEKLSNmZB8OXSFYXo7pPXlz8f8CQHMq18_aQAgsIAt21iBJPzQiqyx-0AQDbeZ26vRV2_5MB5G8IcOrd-LFZt-HgW-6qnuWtYX2wSRjr9NxhzHxNA/s160/ghastliebutton.jpg"/></a></center>

W.i.P Wednesday: Just Keep Sewing

This week wasn't nearly as productive as I'd hoped.  I was so inspired by my fabulous weekend with Angela I spent a lot of time staring at my UFOs and doodling design ideas.  Hopefully there are a few more finishes in my immediate future!  I did accomplish a few things...

Decisions, decisions...  these fabulous fabrics arrived from Sew Deerly Loved so I can make my last Union Jack block for the Baby Brit QAL at dream quilt create.  Kerri's ascetic was exactly the look I was going for with this quilt so it made sense to get some fabrics from her.  It's almost like I got to raid her stash;-)

And I'm still sewing Ghastly things to share with all of you:-) I'm dying to announce the details of the Ghastly Gathering.  Stop by on Friday to get the dirt!

Weekend with Angela

If you were putting together a quilter's fantasy weekend this would have to be it!  Friday night kicked things off with a book signing for Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters.  There's a good reason why Tula Pink, Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts and Jacquie Gering all boast about having Angela Walters as their quilter.  Not only is Angela an amazingly talented quilter with an innate ability for using quilting designs to accentuate quilts, she is one of the sweetest people you could ever be lucky enough to meet.

Saturday Angela did a trunk show for the BMQG and showed us many of the quilts she made for FMQ and her next book In the Studio with Angela Walters.  After the meeting I totally abused my vice-presidential powers and wrangled dinner with my new BQF (Best Quilting Friend) and the rest of the officers.  You just can't beat quilt talk and Tapas;-)

As if that wasn't enough, Sunday I took Angela's class Moving Beyond Feathers.  If this whole quilting gig doesn't work out Angela could go on to be a life coach.  She's amazing at breaking down a design and cheering you on as you practice it.  So many of my quilts stall in the TBQ pile because I can't figure out how to quilt them.  Angela's belief that "quilting the quilt is the best part" is infectious!  After class I raced home to pull out all my UFOs and start planning how to quilt them;-)

A huge thank you to the gang at Quilter's Way for orchestrating this weekend and making my quilting dreams come true!  You guys are the best!!!

W.i.P Wednesday: Momentum

This week...

My hexie blob grew...  the goal is a 15" square so I'm about half way.

I made another Union Jack block for the  Baby Brit QAL at dream quilt create.  11 down and I'm just waiting for some fabric I ordered to arrive to make the last one:-)

And I made something Ghastly.  I'll be hosting a Ghastlies Gathering next month.  Details are coming so Ghastly lovers check back to see the horrors I have waiting for you;-)

Also, 2 of my blocks for the QuiltCon Block Challenge are featured today on the Modern Quilt Guild blog as rainbow blocks:-)  It's so fun to see everyone's blocks together.  There are going to be so many amazing quilts made from these!

Quilter's Way Grand Re-Opening

This weekend my LQS, Quilter's Way had their grand re-opening.  They've got a lot more space so I can't wait for them to start filling it up with new fabric!!!  The best news, they're now open 7 days a week!!!  You don't know how many times I was waiting at their front door Tuesday morning with another quilting emergency!!!

I'm so honored that they asked if they could borrow my Ghastlies for their display.  Like I might say no;-)  They did a fabulous job styling the window, I ♥ the giant spider in the bird cage!

Of course I was inspired to make (and buy) something new...

And it wouldn't be a celebration without games and prizes.  Thanks to my mad quilting trivia skills (and iPhone), I was the lucky winner of this fabulous Dear Stella Anchors Away fat quarter pack.  So perfectly preppy, I feel another project coming on!

W.i.P Wednesday: British Invasion

This week Union Jack blocks have taken over my life.  With the kids in school all day I sat down and planned out the remaining 6 blocks.  All the fabrics are cut and waiting so it's easy to just grab one and start piecing whenever I have some spare time.

Of course sometimes that approach backfires!  I thought I had just enough time to finish this one up before I had to be somewhere;-)

Only 2 blocks left to make and the Baby Brit QAL at dream quilt create is giving us an extra week before we start sashing so I have time to get caught up.  You should definitely check out all the blocks being made, it's amazing to see how different the same pattern can look!

Just Three: September Schedule

I need to start with a huge thank you to Tracey not only for keeping me on track all summer but also for sending me these fabulous fabrics!  I was so in need of another project;-)

So my goals for August were:

1.  Use my long hoarded Flower Sugar FQ pack to make Union Jack blocks for the Baby Brit QAL hosted by  Dream Quilt Create and the My Precious QAL.

I've made 6 blocks so far and used some of my favorite Flower Sugar, Nicey Jane, Tanya Whelan and Jennifer Paganelli fabrics.  I could call it done but I decided I wanted this to be bigger so I'm going to make 6 more.  I didn't actually link up for the My Precious QAL but I'm OK with that.

2.  Make a block for the QuiltCon Challenge.

Not one but three QuiltCon blocks!!!

3.  Quilt one of my UFOs.  

Yea, another check off my list!!!  I finally finished this Rouenneries Table Topper:-)

So for September I plan to...
1.  Finish up these Union Jack blocks.
2.  Halloween is coming so it's time to break out the new Ghastlies for another quilt.
3.  Make a cozy for my Kindle.

Hopefully I can keep my streak going:-)

Rouenneries Table Topper

The weather in Maine wasn't quite as nice as promised this weekend which gave me a chance to catch up on some quilting.  I finally finished this table topper.  One of my very first posts back in 2010 mentioned that I wanted this done in time for Thanksgiving...  I finished the matching napkins last year so I am way ahead of the game for this year;-)

The rail fence blocks are leftovers from my Rouenneries Rail Fence quilt.  This originally had another outer border that matched the center square but I was getting bored with this and really just wanted it to be done...  we'll call that a design decision:-)

The quilting is based on Angela's fabulous paisley pattern but rather than using it as a fill I let the petals meandered back and forth for a free-form feather effect.  I really like the way it uses the space without being too dense.

Quilt Stats:

Finished quilt is 29" x 29".

Fabrics:  Rouenneries by French General, Wiscasset by Minick & Simpson.
Batting:  Quilter's Dream Orient
Thread:  King Tut Fig 968
Quilting:  Paisley from Angela Walters fabulous book Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters