2017 Finish-a-long third quarter finishes

Back in July, I set a goal of four projects to finish this quarter. Well I didn't do too bad! Three of the four projects are finished. The fourth, that darned New Hexagon quilt, is still hanging on. I did get all of the hexies joined, but the borders are not yet added and quilting/binding is yet to be done. Maybe next quarter!

Here are my finishes for Q3:

My new ironing board cover was a quick finish and continues to make me smile every single day...

A pink baby quilt has been delivered to a new baby girl in Ohio....

And fancy foxes to a baby boy here in Texas...

So not a bad quarter! Q4 will be a bit slow, just like last year, as I am getting my other knee replaced next month. That will be my major finish for the year!

I'm linking up my finishes here

fancy foxes

Baby quilt #2 that I pieced on retreat has been delivered to it's new tiny owner, so I can share it here! I was amazed how quick the foxes went together. I had cut them out (all from my stash) so when I got to retreat I was ready to sew sew sew...

Diann quilted it in a woodgrain pattern with minky on the back and it's super soft

I loved making this one! Just might do it again. Pattern is Fancy Foxes by Elizabeth Hartman.

This is finish #3 in the third quarter of the 2017 finish-along.

baby quilt

I shared in my Q3 finish-a-long goals post that I had two baby quilts to make for babies due early September, a boy quilt and a girl quilt. Well we all know babies have minds of their own! Both arrived in August! I was able to deliver the baby girl quilt this weekend....

Pink and gold was the request! I cut squares from my stash and did offset borders. Quilted it with crosshatching in the patchwork and curvy lines for the rest.

Backed it in flannel for lots of cozy baby snuggles, and pieced the back with some extra squares too...

checking this one off as DONE! The boy quilt is done too... will share that soon, after it has been delivered!

ironing board cover

As I showed in my last post, my ironing board was seriously in need of a new cover. I bought 2 yards of this cute cotton fabric CHEAP at Joanns (because seriously, I'm just going to trash it, right?) and set right to work.

I'm mostly documenting this here for my own future reference (although I will undoubtedly forget it is here & recreate the wheel anyways. oh well). 

When hubby helped me create my ironing station, we staple gunned the batting & original cover to the top board. I planned to make removable covers down the road.

I cut a piece of fabric, 67" x 25" and rounded the corners (fold them all together & use a small plate)

press under 1/4" all the way around, then press under again, 1/2". 

Stitch it down all the way around, forming a casing for the elastic. Don't forget to leave an opening at one end!

Thread the elastic through (I used about 3 yards). You can stitch the ends together when you get the fit you want. I'll be honest, I just tied mine in a double knot! It goes under the board & you can't see it anyways.

Stretch the cover over your board, tighten up the elastic & poof! you're done.

I wonder how long I can keep this pretty cover clean and pretty. Any bets?

This is my first finish in the third quarter of the Finish-a-long.... took about an hour!

finish-a-long Q3 goals

I love linking up with the finish-a-long each quarter! It really nudges me to get things done. This quarter I'm going to start off with something that has needed to happen for a while now. My ironing surface is a mess! I need to make a new cover for it...

I bought this bright & pretty fabric yesterday and this WILL get done pronto!

I have two baby quilts that need making. Here's my fabric pull for Fancy Fox, which has been in my pattern stack for ages...

And these charms cut from my stash for another baby quilt...

Every quarter I debate whether to add this next WIP to my list. Well I'm going for it! I've been working on the New Hexagon quilt for more than 2 years and I need motivation to get this done! Thanks to encouragement from my friend Chantal, I have all of the hexies made and the joining process is well under way...

Good thing I laid them all out today, seems I made a mistake on that last row I joined! I need to remove the triangles on the left end and add another hexie to the right. Easily fixed...

So that's it. Four projects for Q3. I think I can, I think I can.....

Linking up here

Second Quarter Finish-along finishes

I did it! I finished all of my second quarter finishes for the finish-along! Just to review....

Placemats have been finished and gifted.

Liberty baby quilt is all done.

as is my Liberty dainty tote.

and finally, my hand dyed hashtag quilt. whew!

I'm linking up here!

hand dyed hashtag quilt

Remember way back last fall when I hand dyed these beautiful fabrics?

I had great intentions of making them up into a quilt for ME right away... and then, well, life happened. Factor in a knee replacement, holidays and vacations... you get it, right?

Also I had a very hard time deciding what to make. There was lots of searching on Pinterest. Lots of internal debating. And finally, I settled on hashtag blocks. I put it on my second quarter finish along list because I knew that would push me to get it done. Low and behold....

I finished it! And I love it!

Each block os 12 inches, so the finished quilt is 60" X 72". The background is Kona Steel Gray and I think it really makes the hand dyed fabrics pop.

The amazing quilting was done by my buddy Diann. 

And so, I am finished with my second quarter list! Whew!

Liberty quilt

Finish number three for me in the second quarter of the 2017 Finish-along! I really love this little quilt made with some of my Liberty Lawn and low volumes from my stash.

I quilted it in a diagonal grid and backed it in flannel, so its very soft and snuggly. Will make a great quilt for a baby someday.

Each block is 6 inches square and the quilt measures 42" x 48".  And the best news? I still have plenty of Liberty left!

Liberty Dainty Tote

I'm still working my way through the glorious bundle of Liberty I bought last year. After piecing a quilt top, I had little pieces left over, just big enough for 1/2" hexies. I combined them with a solid aqua and soon I had this pretty panel...

in my usual fashion, I had no plan for it! Then I realized it was the perfect size to incorporate into a dainty tote. I hadn't made one of these in ages and it's my favorite little bag to make. I ended up cutting the panel in half so I could feature it on both sides of my tote. I lined the cut edge up with the top edges of the background panel and hand appliquéd all the way around the hexies.

I used a dark, denim blue grunge for the background and a blue & white check for the binding.

More Liberty Lawn for the handles, side gussets and top zipper placket. 

I'm so in love with this little tote! Oh, and this is finish #2 in the second quarter of the 2017 finish-along!

placemats and towels

I had a fun bridal shower to attend today for the daughter of a good friend. She had tried to make off with Mom's hand woven dish towels last time she was home, so I knew I needed to start off her gift by weaving her a set of towels of her own. Then I decided to make her a set of placemats to go with them.

My local quilt shop was selling some of the cap sets (these are the samples the sales reps bring when they are selling new fabrics) of Sweetwater's Sunday Supper line and I just loved it! I bought most of what they had, went home & started cutting 3 1/2" squares. It's really the perfect line for placemats!

I quilted a crosshatch in two colors on my Janome and I love the way they turned out

She was very happy with her gift!

And guess what? I had enough fabric for four more placemats!

And I still have some more fabric left over for another day!

This is my first finish for the second quarter of the 2017 finish-along.