Circle of Life

 I am so excited to share my latest finish. It's been in the works for about 6 months. I just saw the Broadway play "Lion King" last weekend, so the timing feels perfect for this.

This is Jacqueline de Jonge's "Cirlce of Life" design.

I absolutely fell in love with it when I saw it, many many years ago. When I saw her in Houston at the big quilt show, the pattern just had to follow me home.

I have made friends with paper piecing finally, so it was time to dive into it.

While "Y" seams were a bit daunting to begin with, I survived them. I found that pins were my best friend on this one. For the record, I hate pinning things! HAHAHA

There are 24 different colors or shades of a color in this. I used mostly batik fabrics.

Seeing the progress was really exciting, as I worked on it.

Getting this far really wasn't as hard, as I had convinced myself it would be.

Here it is prior to quilting. Apparently I neglected to take photos of the final circle process. Now that was a challenge. The background is in 4 pieces, so there were some crazy curves to stitch, but that being said, it ended up fitting together and was perfectly square. Happy dance!!! 

I had hope to get a better outdoor photos, but between the shadows and the wind, it just wasn't happening. We are supposed to get weather coming in finally, so I wanted to get the photos done. I know it's November, but I am not ready for the snow to fall just yet. How about you?

What's in my future???

Well Bonnie Hunter releases her first clue for the yearly mystery quilt on Thursday. You know that one is a must.

But, I was gifted another Jacqueline de Jonge pattern for my birthday and yes...that one is calling my name now too.

See you in a couple of weeks for Carols

Have a blessed Thanksgiving season!

 

Island Batik Paper Piecing

What a fun month it has been with all these incredible paper piecing projects. Oh how those Island Batik Ambassadors love to dazzle us with their talent.

Check out all the fun from my fellow ambassadors. 

They are all linked for you!

Purrfect Spots

Pamela Quilts

Lemon Tree Snippets

Ark Angel Creations

FreeMotion by the River

Quilting Affection

Stone Cottage Quilts

BejeweledQuilts by Barb

For Quilts Sake

Sallys Quilting Corner

InchWorm Fabrics

Kauffman Designs

BeaQuilter

Adele Mogavero

Patchwork Breeze

Kissed Quilts

Knitbug 2

FunThreads Designs

Adventures in Applique and Quilting

MooseStashQuilting

Patchwork Pearl

Maria Michaels Designs

Tamarinis

Keep on Stitchin'

Playful Paper Piecing with Island Batik

When I think of playful, I think of the times we've gone to Disney

to get our "silly" on.

So, my first thoughts turned to that Disney experience.

A quick search lead me to Fandom in Stitches.

It's linked for you!

:-)

They offer so many fabulous paper pieced projects.

I knew that Disney was one of the themes...

Oh they did not disappoint!

Lightening McQueen!

Is he just the cutest.

This was created using fabrics from Island Batik 

Sea Salt Sandy Collection along with London Fog,

on a background of "Sprinkles".

Now that's a face you just have to love!

:-)

My fellow Ambassadors will be sharing their projects this month as well. Make sure you don't miss a single one of them.

As always, I will have a wrap up at the end of the month for you.

Til then...

Keep on Stitchin'

Paper Piecing Class

Now if this isn't just the cutest...

One of the gals in our quilt group, found these kits on a quilt shop adventure, and bought them for all of us.

Then she tells me that I am going to teach them how to paper piece.

Now if that's not a way to loose friends!

LOL!!

Especially the one who just started quilting.

;-)

After a long day, everyone was dazed and confused...

but done...

and a celebration was in order!

Oh yes, that's Joi who started this all in the corner there!

:-)

I'm no fan of corn, but this lil thing just brings a

smile to my face. 

Oh those corn silks...now that's what makes it sing!

Who'd a thunk?

Last night we had the most beautiful skies.

I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to take a few photos.

Tonight is the red moon...

We will see if that photographs as nicely!

BeaQuilters Peanuts BOM #9 Final Reveal

Our last block...and the center of it all!

 

Snoopy and his sidekick Woodstock.

Snoopy made his debut 2 days after Charlie Brown

October 4, 1950

and is Charlie Brown's pet dog.

Woodstock came on board on March 18, 1966

The little yellow bird who was Snoopy's best friend.

I do hope you have enjoyed the little trivia I've included with these guys

I would love to say, I am an expert...

but the joys of the Internet make us all experts...

with a little help from Wikipedia!

 ;-)

This block was not for the faint of heart, but Bea did such a spectacular job of choosing the order we stitched our blocks in. By the time you got to these guys...it was a piece of cake to piece.

If there is one thing you can say about paper piecing...

nothing gives  you better accuracy.

Here's my finished quilt.

I chose to use my hand dyes to frame each character.

I went on to paper piece the border with the colors from my frames.

The background fabric is from Project Linus.

A perfect find,  for this quilt.

A big thanks to BeaQuilter

You can read more from her right HERE 

Of course it's all possible thru the generosity of Alida and her wonderful 

paper piecing patterns. See more of there right HERE

;-)

Harry Potter and the Mystery Box!

You haven't heard much from me lately, but I'm not ignoring you.
The petal has been to the metal and the sewing machine has been smokin' hot lately. Figuratively that is...thank goodness there have been no fires here.  LOL!!

First off, a box arrived almost 2 weeks ago now. Oh yes, it was another of those wonderful surprise packages from Island Batik. The new fall line. Since I had some projects that were nipping at my heals, I decided that I would use that box as my motivator. I was not going to open it until I got a few things done.

I've been participating in a Round Robin this summer and I am happy to report that I have done my part on all the quilts involved and am awaiting mine to come home.  Once everyone has their quilts, I will post photos. Looking forward to seeing what all the gals have done with mine!
                                                     ;-)

Next up...Harry Potter. You know how I love to pattern test. When this one came up, I jumped at the chance.

He's a big boy...

Measuring in at 19.5" x 25.5"

Kristi over at "Fandom in Stitches" designed this one.

It is paper piecing, for those who love a challenge.

I love jigsaw puzzles and paper piecing is my "fabric" version of just that.

LOL!

If you have never tackled paper piecing, I don't recommend this as your first project. I would definitely rate this as an "advanced" pattern.

This is one challenge that I am really happy I conquered!

Oh I've come a long way since that first class, where I wanted to go home in tears, but didn't want to look like the class baby!

LOL!!!!!!!!

 This photo, as you can see was taken before I cleaned up the threads.

What I found remarkable was the difference in the richness of the colors.

The top one I used a camera the bottom one a cell phone. 

 Same lighting just the difference between a camera and a phone.

Interesting...  I think I like the phone photo better.

Sorry camera company!

;-)

With these things done...

Now I can open my box from Island Batik!

Happy dance, happy dance.

 Here's a sneak peek...

Best eye candy in the world, don't you think?

Oh yes, and there's blog hop planned in January for the new line!

Whoop whoop!

Your gonna love it!

;-)

Also...

Marlene, one of our fellow Island Batik Ambassadors,

has co-authored a book that's a great reference,

 no matter if your brand new to quilting,

or been quilting for years.

Starting Oct 9 

She will be hosting a blog hop.

The Island Batik Ambassadors will be sharing

 blocks from each chapter.

As for me, I'll be sharing none other than...

"Paper Piecing" with you all!

You know, just a little something, so you too can be stitching your own Harry Potter soon!

;-)

You can find more on this book right HERE.

A big thanks to 

Kristi from Fandom in Stitches  (linked for you)

and

Marlene from Kissed Quilts (linked for you)

Island Batik (linked for you)

Your the best!

BeaQuilters Peanuts BOM #8

 

It's Lucy van Pelt

She joined the gang on March 3, 1952.

Linus's older sister...a crabby, malicious and moronic girl who likes

to torment other often, especially Charlie Brown and her own

brother Linus. She's the worst baseball player on Charlie Brown's team.

If your thinking she really is like me...

just remember I don't play baseball!

LOL!!

A big thanks to BeaQuilter

You can read more from here right HERE 

Of course it's all possible thru the generosity of Alida and her wonderful 

paper piecing patterns. See more of there right HERE

BeaQuilters Peanuts BOM #7

This month brings us, none other than the man himself.

 

The day was October 2, 1950

The guy is Charlie Brown!

The main character, an everyman with ever changing mood and grace.

Both befriended by all and ostracised by everyone

a loser yet leader who rises out of every downfall, 

with shining hope and determination.

There is a lot we could all learn from him isn't there?

A big thanks to BeaQuilter

You can read more from here right HERE 

Of course it's all possible thru the generosity of Alida and her wonderful 

paper piecing patterns. See more of there right HERE

Don't forget that the Island Batik Ambassadors 

"Our Favorite Things" blog hop is happening right now too.

Stop in and visit the girls

Monday July 13     The Patchwork Pearl

Tuesday July 14   Bejeweled Quilts

Wednesday July 15  Mary Mack Made Mine

Thursday July 16  Made in Scraps

Friday July 17  Maria Michaels Designs

Saturday July 18  Tamarinis

Sunday July 19  MooseStashQuilting

Monday July 20 KISSed Quilts

Tuesday July 21 Perfect Spots Designs

Wednesday July 22 Adele Mogavero

Thursday July 23  For Quilts Sake

Friday July 24  BeaQuilter

Saturday July 25 FreeMotion by the River

Sunday July 26 Pamela Quilts

Monday July 27 Kauffman Designs

Tuesday July 28  LemonTree Snippets

Wednesday  July 29  Fun Threads Designs

Crazy for paper piecing

I've been on this crazy roll lately.  I've become a paper piecing maniac! LOL!

Again Katie Olson, with Fandom in Stitches, has let me test out, some of her designs.  Testing isn't really the right word. It's more like playing!  LOL!!

It's all about "Peter Pan",  "Hook" and "Neverland". Cause we never want to grow up!

Tic Toc, that mean ole croc.

Capt. Hooks greatest nemesis

All this gal needs is a watch!! 

Remember she swallowed a watch along with Hooks hand.

You can hear her coming!

;-)

Skully

Polly wanna cracker?

I'm just "Crackers" for Skully!

He's the wise one who looks out for the kids in Neverland.

These patterns, along with many other "Hook" designs will be available later this year at

Fandom in Stitches

The patterns are all.. FREE...

Check them out and be sure to thank

 Fandom in Stitches, along with all the designers who are so generous!

And the Answer is...

              LOL!!  You're all wrong!
                        

Looky, looky...we got Hooky.
(I think I heard that in a movie once!)
Yep, ole Captain Hook!

 I just loved the movie "Hook"

I know you can see it now!

:-)

I had more fun this weekend playing this little guessing game.

Oh the answers I got...

Kangaroo

Dr Who

An eyeball

Penguin

Dogs Head

Donkey

The Count of Sesame Street

A Butterfly

Flamingo

A Sheep

Pink Panther in Beige  (LOL)

An Ant Eater

Lucy

An Ewe

Polar Bear

A Moose Eye and Face ( my all time fav! )

The Farm Quilter and Deb W, my work buddy, were the 2 who  came the closest. 

They both new it was a face with an eyeball.  

You girls are soooooooo smart!

:-)

I must admit that the Pink Panther in Beige is what it looks most like to me!

LOL!!

I also put together "Smee".

I must say that phrase,

"Bring me Smee" ran thru my head all weekend.

 I'm pretty sure it's something I just made up!

;-)

Both of these are patterns I tested for Katie Olson, a designer for Fandom in Stitches.

These guys and many more of the "Hook" gang, are coming out later this year.

I think part of the fun of testing, is having them first!

;-)

If you haven't checked out Fandom in Stitches, you can do so 

HERE

All the patterns are paper piecing and best yet...FREE

A big thanks to Fandom and all the designers, who have allowed me to play for them!

I've got another 2 on my table right now, that I can't wait to share.

Ahhhhhhh, life is good!

Happy Stitchin

and thanks to all of you, for making my weekend!