Town Square Quilt - first finish for 2015

I love Lori Holt's books and patterns.  Her patterns are so well written, you can piece a block just from the pictures she provides.  I'm currently working on one of her patterns now and will show you soon but here's one that is ready for quilting.  It's from her "Quilty Fun" book and it's called "Town Square".  I started it mid last year and put it aside for Christmas sewing.  I had a lot of the blocks done so I made a point to get it finished for the end of 2014 and I got it finished on January 3rd, 2015.  Not bad.

I made a change to the quilt top and didn't do the star outer border.  I did a scrappy border.  Fits me just fine.

I need to get backing for this and get it quilted ASAP.  I want to change the quilt on the wall in my bedroom and this is it.

I'm also working on getting squares cut for a border for the Christmas quilt that Lori designed and hosted a sew along on Instagram.  I need to dig in my stash a bit for some fabrics to add to the border for that one.  Once I have that border done, I will show you.

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!

Geez.  I have been MIA, haven't I?  I'm sorry about that.

Merry Christmas!  Happy 2015!  I trust everybody had a nice holiday?  I did.  12 days off from work.  Relaxing, sewing, and hanging with my Punk.  Today was rough, getting back into our morning routine.  Give us a week, we'll get it down pat again.

I had to look back to see where I've stopped with my updates.  Ah.  Swaps.  Okay, let me show you what I gave (and received!) in the couple of swaps I participated in over in Instagram-land.  AND I joined another one that starts at the end of this month for Spring.  Can't wait for my partner assignment. I already have a few ideas brewing.

Okay, here is the mini that I made for my partner.  She liked purple and rainbows.  I've been wanting to try this block style and tried to figure out how to do it in a rainbow fashion but it would not work.  So I stuck with purple and green.

I did my best with the quilting.  I did some straight line and echo quilting in places.  Here are the extra goodies I included.  I made her a rainbow Dresden mug rug, thread catcher and a few other odds and ends.  It was well received.

I received this:

I happened to be paired with the swap organizer.  Or should say, he was paired with me.  My partner made his and I made for my partner.  It was a triangle swap.  LOL.  This was his own design and foundation pieced.  It's all dotty goodness and I love it. I watched his progress on IG during our creative time and never thought it was coming to live with me. I also got a bar of genuine Cadbury chocolate from the UK but I've been nibbling on it.  :)

Ellyn and I did our own personal swap.  I was whining that I was seeing all the swaps happening over in IG-land but was always late to the party to sign up; I was itching for swap.  It's been some time since I was part of one.  She took pity on me and we did a personal swap, just the two of us.  LOL!

This is what I created for Ellyn:

Mini version of the Moda "Love" layer cake quilt.  I love it and I bought the layer cake in "Horizon" for myself to make. I even shamelessly copied Kate Spain's layout of fabrics.  That's how much I loved what she did. I will make my version as soon as I bulk up on my white solid. I ran out right before Christmas.

Since this was a mini-mini, I added another mini for Ellyn:

She can use it as an overgrown mug rug or hang it on her wall. I think she hung it.  Thread catcher, matching half Dresden pin cushion and other odds and ends.

Ellyn made me and I love it!:

Hand quilted too!  Isn't it fab?!  Someone need to teach me.  I want to learn so that I can be cool and creative and hand quilt a mini or two.  I was sent extra goodies but I can't find the picture I took!  And she blogged about our swap too!  I've been very lax in my blog reading.  I will get back on it in the evenings again.

I have more to talk about but I will save it for another post.

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)