Challenge Block...DONE!

Here is what I have to work with....
And not a lot of rules. Must be 12 1/2" square. Only use the fabrics in the kit. Must have a white background.
So, I sat down the other night with my laptop and almost every quilting book and magazine I own. I went through ALL of them before I settled on a creole puzzle block. I was sorta nervous about it but felt better after sketching it out on graph paper.
I decided I better start or I wasn't going to do it.

ACK!!!! It's all pieces! What if they don't fit?

Hey, whaddaya know? They sorta fit together.


All the 4 inch blocks done...time to join.

TADA!

I'm pretty sure I'm just talking to myself at this point but I really don't much care.

I got a bunch done today. If I can find where I put the camera, I'll get pics up later.

I pieced, backed, and started to quilt one of the baby quilts that I need to finish by the middle of February. It's adorable and BRIGHT.

I've also found many quilt blogs to read and be inspired by. It's been a good day.

I've been better at making time for quilting this week. I've spent at least an hour each night.

This is essential because I have 4 baby quilts to finish by the end of February. I Have 3 of the 4 pieced. I bought backing material yesterday. I am going to piece the last one tomorrow then get to quilting them.

I'd post pics but the mommas might stumble across this and that just won't do.


I also decided on a pattern for my challenge block for the quilt show. I will post pics of that soon.

For the first time ever, I'm going to enter our local quilt and stitchery show. I'm scared. I've never had work judged before. I also decided to make a challenge block. I think I have an idea but I'm still workin through it.

I am going to enter Bug's quilt as well as some pieces of cross-stitch. I bought a fantastic hand painted needlepoint canvas when we were in New Orleans after Christmas. If I finish that in time, I'll enter it too.

Okay, off to design a block!

Kyle

Sweetest little boy. He just makes your heart smile. He's my husband's brother's child and I adore him.


I make him quilts now too. It's good to have these adorable little reasons to actually finish a project.
This was the first quilt I made for him. We're all Fightin' Texas Aggies. I modified a star pattern I found and TADA!


Kyle's Christmas quilt is soft flannel pirates.
I got a new sewing machine. It has cool stitches.
LOVE the texture of this fabric.

Bailey Bug

The cutest little girl ever. No, I am not biased. My sweet and sassy little niece (who might look a wee bit like me) is the cutest little girl ever. She's two and driving her mother crazy. I.LOVE.IT.



So, every year for Christmas, Bug gets a quilt. Oh yeah, I stuck the Bug nickname on her before birth. I also explained shoe shopping.



This year, she loves the mouse. Mickey Mouse. She gets that from her mother. She liked her quilt. Aunt Jenn was smiling big. Isn't it fun to watch them fall in love with something you made?

Tonia's birthday quilt

So, I have actually been quilting even though I neglected to blog about it.

My best friend, lady love, one who shares my brain is a kitchen witch. No, really, she is. I saw these fabrics and had to make her a quilt for her birthday. It's lap sized and I made some awesome quilted coasters (which I didn't take pics of) for Christmas.

I gotta work on my photog skills.

Wow. I really suck at this blogging thing. I should probably work on that.

Life has changed A LOT since I decided to start this. I'm now happily married. I'm used to the new job. I have a new nephew.

Most importantly, I make time for my crafts. Not as much as I'd like but unless someone else wants to start paying the mortgage and the grocery bill to feed a teenager, it'll have to do.

I currently have eleventy-billion WIP. Okay, not quite that many but too many! I think I'll count them Sunday.