Quilt Alongs 2015

I WAS HACKED THIS AFTERNOON PLEASE DO NOT OPEN ANY WEIRD E-MAILS/DOCUMENTS FROM ME!

 There are several Quilt Alongs I want to do in 2015, but I hesitate to start more projects when I have so many UFOs. Hence, one of my goals is to get tops put together and ready for quilting. This is my Sugar Stars top--a design by Lori Holt...I used a layer cake of Marmalade by Bonnie and Camille plus a couple of other of their fabrics from my stash. I decided not to use white as the background and instead opted for Kona navy. 

I wish we had snow on the ground to make this pop more against white snow, but even though it is mid-January we have had very little snow. This is a bad thing for my skier hubby, but a good thing for my teenaged driver--she even drove around with the top down on her Mustang yesterday! Plus, we walked around the neighborhood this afternoon enjoying the gorgeous sunshine.

This is an enormous quilt and I will probably use my mom's long arm once I find a backing for it and they return from snow birding in California in the spring.

This is the Snapshots Quilt designed by Bonnie and Camille for the Fat Quarter Shop. The colors and blocks are amazing! But, the last thing I need is another UFO top that I have no where to display anyway, so I am planning on making some of the blocks as mini quilts and hanging them in my sewing room. I got this picture from Camille's blog--aren't her fabrics precious? Plus, these "free" designs are raising money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital--great cause! Here is a link about it http://fatquartershop.blogspot.com/p/snapshots-quilt-along.html

 Here is my block. I think I will add a small border and machine quilt it to maybe have a quicker finish! I have yet to have a finish in 2015 and we are more than half way through the month!!!Ugghhh!

I am also working on this Charm Square Sampler. Shannon posted the directions for the first block today. It is the Sawtooth block. Here is the link to the instructions http://moderntraditionquilts.blogspot.com/2015/01/charm-square-quilt-along-part-2.html

 Here is my Sawtooth block. I am using Eat Your Fruits n' Veggies charm squares and I picked up a red background. I want to make this into a tablecloth, so I did not want to use a white background. I thought about grey, but the red will go well in my kitchen and with the fabrics. I can't wait to see my Fiestaware dishes on this tablecloth! We are doing one block a week, so it won't be too long until we are done.

 I only sewed one blue Carrie Nation block this week, but I did cut a bunch of scraps to make more. This is part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2015 I am doing to use up scraps. You can be inspired by others at ScrapHappy Saturday here 

http://superscrappy.blogspot.com/2015/01/scraphappy-saturday-blue-man-group.html

I am also joining Quilting is More Fun than Housework for the first time with her Oh Scrap
http://quiltingismorefunthanhousework.blogspot.com/2015/01/oh-scrap-not-so-dramatic-life-coin.html

Sarah is hosting a Quilt Along where she is showing ways to use 16 patch blocks into several designs.  I have started to cut fabrics for these blocks, but I am waiting to sew any together until I see the ideas she will be posting on Sundays. Find more info here http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/2015/01/join-sweet-sixteen-quilt-along.html

Today's design is a must make!!! Just a simple 16 patch block with pinwheels--I had already posted the picture on my Inspirations page...

 Sarah also organizes this charity quilt challenge. I donated one last year and plan on donating another quilt--either a UFO or something made from scraps.

Lorna is hosting the Elephant Parade Quilt Along

http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.ca/p/elephant-parade.html

I am not sure if I will make a big one or a few blocks, but I am definitely going to dabble.

My Journey of a Quilter is still being hand quilted, but I am almost onto the outside border. Slow stitching indeed!

I also am embroidering on my Valentine door banner. I will Slow Sunday Stitch through the NFC and AFC Championship games tomorrow.

Kathy is having a giveaway if you include a picture of your hand actually sewing--it was impossible to do it as a selfie!
Check out other slow stitching here http://kathysquilts.blogspot.com

I am looking forward to having Monday off and getting more quilting in and I hope even my first finish of 2015!!!