Capturing Tongan Escape

Here's my design wall. I'm so impressed with this BOM! The designer is Sharyn Craig with Cozy Quilt Designs. She has worked in many neat ideas with equally nifty construction methods.

The six, interior chain blocks were all constructed using strip sets so they went together lickety-split. All of the sampler blocks are sashed generously and trimmed to 12 1/2." No need to stretch or ease in areas of the sampler blocks to make them just the right the size. Mine were all darn close but not quite perfect...now they are with the sashing.

And the setting triangles! Love this technique. Strips were cut to size and then the corners trimmed before sewing. A template was included in the pattern that you tape to an acrylic ruler to trim the corners.

 There were three different size templates for the three corner sizes. 

The sewing went so smoothly with this technique!

My favorite part of the entire design is how Sharyn flipped the colors of the corner triangles. She does offer a special acrylic ruler for the corner cutting. I certainly love this border technique and just might have to keep my eyes open for that specialty ruler...I'm sure I need it!

Making Progress

I am having sew much fun with this kit. I got the setting blocks done. Next up with be adding dark brown sashing to the sampler blocks.

And my night time project is moving right along. I just started working on Santa's reindeer.

Play Time on Monday

I got all of the 12 sampler blocks done for "Tonga Escape." All but two went together without any fussing. There had to be a few problems! (i.e., seam ripper usage)

Tomorrow I will cut out the setting blocks and borders. We'll see if my luck continues with plenty of fabric for the remaining steps.

I got  Santa's sleigh all put together. I added pipe cleaners into the runners to add nice body to the pieces.

I haven't been doing any linking parties lately but I feel like joining in on a couple today. I'm joining What A Hoot Quilts for BOMs Away and Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

A Crafty Sunday

I started another Bucilla stocking, "Over the Rooftops." Since I am on my own until Sunday I'm pretty confident I will finish this stocking in a week. It looks pretty simple.

I really enjoy working on sampler blocks. I am halfway through the set for my latest project. I'm relieved as I look at the photo below that I don't see any mistakes...all the pieces seem to be in the right place!

I sure hope it warms up a little in the next week...I have visitors coming!!! On my daily walks along the Seine this week I have seen so many teenage visitors moving in large groups...most likely school groups. No signs that people are afraid to visit Paris...it's as busy as ever!

New Stuff on the Design Wall

I just couldn't get motivated to work on an UFO so I started a new quilt...one of the kits I bought in Atlanta, "Tonga Escape." The pattern is set up to be a block of the month...instead I purchased it as a complete kit. The pattern has six sampler blocks that are made twice. I got all the blocks cut out today  but decided I should really sew some of these little pieces together before I put any more stuff on the design wall. 

I'm wondering if the person who put my kit together made a mistake...I have a lot of excess fabric for the blocks. There is another bundle of fabrics for the borders. I'm thrilled I have excess and not the other way around!

I finished another Bucilla stocking kit, "Football Santa." I just can't say it often enough with these kits...they are so gosh darn cute!!! That's why I am addicted to making them.

I've gotten great tips from other Bucilla enthusiasts on my Facebook page devoted to construction of these kits. I added a backing felt piece to all the leaves in this kit which was not the original design. I really like this idea that others gave me! I also backed the scarf on Frosty. It sure makes the felt piece much more sturdy that is hanging off the edge.  I almost passed up making the pompom too but so glad I made the extra effort.

It Worked

Just like the EQ drawing.

The borders went on like a charm. It feels so good when it all works out as planned. 

The final size is 60 x 76 inches. 

Finished up my latest cross stitch ornament, Grandfather Frost.

And I even worked on my stocking project...getting to the final steps on this one.

My husband is going on a trip tomorrow and will be gone for a week. Trying to decided what quilt project to tackle. If I wanted to be a good girl, I would work on one of my UFOs. I think I have four officially in progress in my Paris sewing room. I only have two months left until I head back to Alaska.

Decision Made

Thank you! I love all the input I got on my border dilemma. I took Carol's advice from The Polka Dot Chicken and worked on something entirely different...a cross stitch ornament.

While my mind wandered...I decided the little pinwheels where just not relating to the main pattern like I had envisioned so I got rid of them. I also had very little background fabric to work with which meant a smaller border.

The version I'm going with...

I just finished cutting out fabrics for the remaining pieces. I have one, 2 1/2-inch strip of the background fabric left after cutting all the border pieces. What a relief! It is always a challenge to figure out how to get my ideas to work with the EQ program. I did not cut a ton of 2 1/2-inch squares to make the border pieces...I just had to draw it that way to make it work in EQ...the border portion of the program is a bit limiting on what you can introduce. I really need to learn how to use the custom quilt portion of the EQ program. Can't beat the ability to use the actual fabrics in the layout. I bought one of EQ's stash programs that was all batiks from last year to add to the programs fabric library. I can get JPEG images of all the Moda fabrics from the Moda website. I wish all the fabric manufacturers offered the images to download.