Burgoyne Surrounded

My schedule today has been a bit odd.  Instead of working in the morning I switched to the evening shift so I could chaperon my son's ski trip.  The ski trip was canceled last night due to the RAIN we are getting instead of snow.  So, I spent this morning basting two quilts so I can machine quilt them (on my sewing machine) and then I made my block.  Thank goodness I finished the block because now that I am done working I am tired.  Funny how I get so used to my schedule.

Today's block is another big one...15 inches, and it was a chain piecing dream!  Even though there were a lot of pieces it actually went together quickly.  My husband was looking at this block tonight and he suddenly realized he had a blanket when he was little that had the same characters in it...circus animals and clowns.  What is old is new again..isn't that the way it works?  This is block number 59 of 366.  Don't forget to enter for the Fat Quarter Shop gift certificate give away here.  I am linking with Fabric Tuesday.  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Fifty-four Forty or Fight

Today's block as you can see uses the templates.  The last time I used them I wasn't fond of them.  I will be able to practice using this template again as it will be in six more blocks this year, and four of them are in May.  The weather should be better by then (we are expecting some sort of winter storm tonight until Wednesday), and using it probably won't bother me much then.

I think when the pieces are sewn together correctly it makes for nice star points (thus the reason for using a template).  :)  I actually really like this 12-inch block...and wouldn't this be amazing as a bed-sized quilt?!  Oh the wheels are turning.  This is block number 58 of 366.  Don't forget to enter the Fat Quarter Shop gift certificate give away you can find here, you only have until Friday!  I will be linking with Judy for Design Wall Monday.  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Clay's Choice and Commenting Problem Fixed

I was informed today by a very sweet reader that my comments weren't working for the Fat Quarter Shop give away you can find here.  They are working again, and if you weren't able to enter before, please go back and enter now! :)  Thank you so much Pam for letting me know there was a problem AND how to fix it!

Today's block is Clay's Choice.  It is an 8-inch block and is number 57 of 366.  The finished blocks are begining to stack up, so much so that my husband and son actually got excited about them tonight.  There are quite a few 8-inch blocks, and I think they will really make a fun quilt.  Of course I am getting very itchy to start putting some of these together because for years I've been the queen of unfinished projects.  A lovely stack of fabrics arrived this week for finishing the quilts, but I am still going to wait for a while.  I'd hate to get to the end of the year and have a block I wished was in a quilt that was already finished.  

And I pretty much blew the stash report right out of the water this week, BUT, a person can't finish something and add it to the used stash if they don't have borders or backing for a quilt.  I also found a great sale on the Toy Box fabrics, and as I am horribly afraid I won't have enough fabric to finish these quilts, I had to purchase some...about 11 yards worth.  They didn't have the whole line so I am still looking to add some more.  I have great plans for the borders for these quilts.

The Stash Report:

Used this week:  0 yards
Used year to date:  2.5 yards
Added to this week:  20 yards
Added to year to date: 42 yards
Net used for 2012:  -39.5


One of these weeks the tables are going to turn on the Stash Report...I promise!  I'm linking with Judy today at Patchwork Times.  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Barbara Frietchie Star

Today's block is another something fun in a star block.  It is a 12-inch block and is number 56 of 366.

After finishing this block literally 2 seconds ago I realized something, I need to do some studying on flying geese units.  I need a much better way of putting them together...or maybe I just need a ton of practice at doing them, but for some reason they frustrate me, and I don't like being frustrated.  Maybe I should start a flying geese quilt out of scraps so I could try out every known way of making them, and by the time I've finished I should know how to put them together easily and correctly.  Do you have a favorite way of piecing them or a great tutorial you've seen?  I finally figured out the 1/2-square triangle and they are no longer a problem, now I just need to master this.  Happy Stitching!! --Kristen

Happy Birthday to Me and a Give Away For You!!!

Yep, today is my birthday, and I celebrated the whole day.  My husband and son spoiled me rotten by simply taking me to a quilt shop so I could get the borders and backing for my son's quilt and then out for dinner.

Unfortunately you can't tell how purple the middle fabric is, but it matches perfectly with the purple in the quilt.  I was really happy I could find these fabrics, I think they are going to work well.

Today's block is Dolley Madison's Star.  It is a 9-inch block and number 55 of 366.  I'm really enjoying this theme of something in a star.

Now for the give away.  I had so much fun making the Full House quilt I'm actually going to make another one.  I received a second Full House pattern in the mail this week with an order, and I thought I would share it with one of you.  I was also thinking about how much I enjoyed receiving a $25 gift certificate from the Fat Quarter Shop for Christmas this year.  So for my birthday I'm also giving you a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to the Fat Quarter shop!!!! :)  You can pick what you want to spend it on, and I get to know that you are enjoying doing it!

Fat Quarter Shop

So here is how you can enter to win:

1.  Leave a comment telling me when your birthday is (you don't have to include the year).

2.  Become a follower of my blog or let me know you already are a follower.

3.  Blog about the give away and leave a comment with the link.

4.  Put a message about the give away on Facebook and leave a comment.

5.  If you don't blog or have Facebook, send an email to your friends telling them, include me in the email, and leave a comment.

Everyone has multiple chances to win.  This give away is not sponsored by anyone, I just want to share some of my happiness from today with you.  I hope your birthday this year is as happy as mine has been.  I will use the random number generator next Friday, March 2 to choose the winners.  I'm linking with Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Martha Washington Star and Some Major Progress

Have you ever spent an entire day doing something so fun that it just seems to be unreal.  Now what might be really fun for one person may seem like shear torture for another, but today I spent an entire uninterrupted day in my sewing room and it was wonderful.  Days like this are few and very far between.  I think the last time I did it was maybe 13 years ago.  So it has been a long, long time, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I finished all 30 blocks for my son's quilt.  I can't even tell you how many blocks I pieced today, but the excitement grew as each one was finished.  I now have to pick them all up off the floor and do some rearranging so the colors are distributed evenly and then the rows will be sewn together and it will be ready for quilting.  We did some quick math and there are only 1380 pieces in this quilt.  It will be nice when it is just one big quilt.

Today's block is the Martha Washington Star and is an 8-inch block.  I love stars, and I really love making stars that have something interesting in the middle.  It is number 54 of 366.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Washington's Elm

Today's block is another huge 16-inch block, and the more I think about it, the more I'm realizing I need to start these bigger ones earlier in the day.  I end up working until the last minute on them every time.

This is block number 53 of 366.  I'm thinking that these larger blocks will quickly make a bed-sized quilt.  I did also finish seven blocks for my son's quilt, and I will have pictures of hopefully a completed quilt top tomorrow.  I'm linking today with WIP Wednesday and Made by Me Wednesday.  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen