Deciding the Layout for March MiniMadness quilt

I've been having fun making these little blocks and finished enough yesterday so I can decide how I want to lay them out!  I have many options:

Squares with light points in.

Squares with light point out.

Rotate the center squares.

I created 10 different layouts and could have continued on!  I picked the four I liked best and I hope you will help me choose which one to make!  In the layout below I have labeled them with A, B, C and D.  Leave a comment here or on my facebook page and let me know what you like!

Here they are:

Thanks for helping me come to a decision!

When Life Gives You Scraps,,,

Make a Quilt!  Here is my finished little wall-hanging quilt:

I'd say it's pretty cute for just using up some scraps :)  Do you have this panel, too?  I might have some more hiding in one of my boxes - they were really popular way back when....

I tackled another project I had been shuffling around from flat surface to flat surface - you probably know the drill.  I had a charm pack and even some fabric for borders and the back and didn't want to hide it away and forget about it, so I just kept moving it around my sewing room until I would have time to sew it together!  So I started last night and finished the top this afternoon:

Isn't it nice and bright?  I have totally forgotten what line this is, but I love the colors!  This will make a fun lap or baby quilt, I think.  I feel very happy about finally sewing it up, and hope to get it quilted in the next few days - sneaking it in between my wedding dress alterations and a set of drapes I need to finish.  Quilting is always a nice reward for getting my other jobs finished!

Crazy Jane - D-8

I've only been working on this project for over 6 years now, it's about time it had a name - so Crazy Jane it is. Cause I will probably be crazy before it ever gets finished! When I started this I had a hair brained idea that I would do one block every day and have it done before the year was out. So here I am, almost 7 years later and only 1/4 of the way finished. Oh well. I am going to strive for a block a week, and we'll see if I get inspired to do more!

I had hoped to finish this block sooner this week, but that didn't work out. But it's done, and looks absolutely smashing! I think it looks a bit like a snow flake actually. It was a very straightforward block, just applique the 8 pieces in place. Pretty easy. I folded the background block in half diagonally and horizontally and vertically to make placement lines for the pieces. I stitched the footballs first, then the diamonds. I used a neat technique of painting starch on the seam allowances before pressing them under to make them nice and crisp. (Then I got a little sidetracked and made a roll for my paintbrushes so I didn't have to stuff them back in a plastic baggie in my drawer.)

Pictures done, added a swatch to my sheet for this page and crossed it off the list! Next block is D-11 and it's a bit tricky. Piecing, odd angles and some applique. Might have to go study up on that one!

Happy sewing!

Getting back to Jane - D-7

My quilting pal who is also stalled on her Dear Jane quilt and I decided to challenge each other to get back on the project. The challenge is a simple one, just make one block each week before the next quilt guild meeting. I hope this will spur me on toward getting this project finished within the next year or so - at least the top. I think I will want to hand quilt this one, so that part will probably take me a while as well.

This block is D-7 and it was super easy! I made the side triangles by piecing a strip of the blue with the white, then cutting into the triangles. The sides and center were cut in strips, I sewed it up like a 9 patch, the trimmed the corners to the correct size. Woo-hoo! Block 1 for November is done! Now to add the color swatch to the right card and put the block in the envelope for the D row. The next block is hand applique and I have it cut out in a kit, ready to go. So I will work on that through the week and have it done by next Monday!

Happy Sewing!