I'm Going To Be An Aunt!

Is it odd that one of my first thoughts on hearing the news was that this means I get to make a new baby quilt? Here are the fabrics I've collected for my nephew. Check out the Heather Ross I've acquired, as well as the Katie Jump Rope and Robert Kauffman. The dogs fabric by HR was just too perfect to pass up. Ill stretch it with lots of fussy cutting.

Scrappy Hand Sewing Projects

First, let me say a big thanks to each of you who commented on the previous post about my son's quilt. I got lots of great suggestions for names. While I'm deciding on the backing and binding for it, I seem to have caught the hand sewing bug. I'm not sure how it happened except that there are so many great pictures on flickr and other blogs of hexes and cathedral windows.
Besides being beautiful, they also appeal to my propensity for using scraps. I've got the bug so badly, I've even been buying scraps. It's a little embarrassing to admit, but I have fabric envy - all those goreous bits of Anna Maria Horner, Amy Butler, Heather Ross prints I see in the inspiration pics. Sigh. Anyway, I'm having lots of fun snuggling on the couch with these tiny beauties each night.

Thinking of trying a cathedral window yourself? Two words: spray starch. It made a world of difference in getting those folds to stay down and corners sharp.

Help Name This Quilt

The top is finished! Now I just need a name for it.

This is going to be a real challenge to quilt too - lots of seams. Ideas on how to quilt it without free motion? I don't want to quilt through the vehicles/houses.

The last three blocks

Yippee! Just some sashing to do, then I'll be able to assemble the top.

Only three more to go!

These are numbers 31 and 32 in my pieced vehicles, houses, and trees quilt. Only three more to make!! I clearly need a better name for this quilt. Ideas?

And let me say thank you to all of you who left such nice comments about my HST quilt. It really encourages me to get such positive feedback, especially on quilts that are my own design. Thank you!!

Neptune Quilt - pieced top

Here is the pieced top. I decided on a new layout, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. I like the softness of the colors when they are randomly placed, as opposed to separating them. As you can see, I mostly alternated direction of the honey bun strips in the HSTs, but I wasn't a stickler about it. I think quilts are a lot more interesting if the blocks aren't completely uniform.
It turned out to be a nice lap sized quilt. I'm working on a pieced back, and I need to order the binding. I'm finding that Neptune fabrics are getting really scarce out there, so if you like them, gather the jelly rolls, etc. while ye may.

Back to work

Back to work on my tiny vehicles and houses. My deadline for this quilt is fast approaching, and I've had enough of a break from the project to enjoy it again.I'm going to place the yellow house to the right of the crane I made earlier, so hopefully it will look like the crane is going to lift the roof into place.

More Quilting Bee Blocks

Is it tacky to make lots of blocks for yourself when it's your month in a quilting bee? Hope not, because I'm having too much fun to stop. These blocks are easy and relaxing to make. This is my favorite color combo too, since I decorated both boys' nurseries in it.

Quilting Bee Blocks

I've had fun making some bee blocks for myself for this month. The beauty of Isa's diagram is that there is a basic pattern you are shooting for, but the color choices and widths of squares/rectangles are open to improvisation. Very fun. I'm excited to see what my bee creates!