WIPs With Friends

I have been doing some pattern testing this past week.  

Testers had a 3 week turn around to get a top done and mine is done 

(well almost done), 

in just over a week!  

I don't see any way to get it quilted and bound by the three week deadline either, but oh well!  

This pattern is called Diamond Falls.  

We were allowed to choose our own fabrics so I'll start there.  

I chose to use some older Lizzy House fabrics, her Lizzy Dish line. 

 I was thinking about turning this into a picnic quilt for myself. 

 Since I didn't want to repeat a fabric, I threw in 2 of the duck/swan fabrics from Red Letter Day too.  

Even though most of these photos don't really do justice to the Kona Jade, that was the background.

There were a bazillion diamonds (or 196) to cut out.  

I got those all cut and was able to spend some quality time sewing over the weekend. 

 I got a lot of the diamonds sewn into rows and *some* of those sewn together.

Man oh man there were a lot of diamonds.  

I had to pay serious attention to placement especially as construction was on the diagonal!

Sorry for the bad photo.  My "design wall" is a flannel piece tacked up to the hallway wall. 

 It is the only wall big enough for me to use but the lighting is crap.  

Here is half of the diamond portion (actually 1/4 of the quilt) finished.

This gives a better idea of the true color of the background.  

It was almost dark and super windy so this is the best I could do for a photo last night. 

Phew half way there.

I have to say a few things about this pattern. 

 The cutting directions need some clarification, but once I figured that out, 

it was not a difficult to put together as I had thought it would be.  

It went together fairly easily.  

Makes me think I should try another diamond quilt. 

 I don't think I would have been able to do as good a job a few years ago. 

 I'm confident my piecing had improved a LOT as this actually matches and lies flat!  

Now I will be back at the Folksy Fish, sigh.  

This was a nice break.

Linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts too.

OK, your turn.  

What are you working on?  

Please click on the blue Inlinkz button to add what you are working on.  

Remember to use the #WIPsWithFriends on social media and go ahead and 

grab the button for your blog!

~XOP~

An InLinkz Link-up

Pattern Testing

I *finally* chose my background fabric for the pattern I am testing. 

 I went over to my friend, Crazy Quilt Girl's house and brought my focus fabrics.  

We laid them on lots of different backgrounds.  

The one we both liked the best was Kona Jade.

Even though the pattern uses a patterned background I think this will work, or at least it will work for the effect I am going for making this quilt. 

 If I'm cutting a bazillion diamonds, they should be a color I love right?

These are the fabrics I am using for the focus prints and they looked really great on the Jade.

I didn't remember to take a photo when I got home so this will have to do.  

(Hey anyone else notice it is almost the same color as my mat? LOL)

So I see emeralds (actually diamonds) in my future this weekend! 

 What will you be up to?

~XOP~

Playing Catch UP

I feel like there are not enough hours in the day or days in the week to get everything done.  

A co-worker once said to me that I would never have enough to do if I retired. 

 LOL.  I'm pretty sure that's not true at all!!

When hubby and I went to Shipshewana last week I picked up a few things and thought I would share with you what I found (I always love to see what my friends are buying!)  

I bought this bundle of goodness to make a quilt designed by my friend, Kelly.  

You can read about her design on her blog.

This is the quilt and her pattern is available FREE on Craftsy right here.

The quilt is called Postcard from Sweden as her inspiration was from an actual IKEA postcard!

Isn't it gorgeous?

I also stumbled upon some OOP Scrumptious so had to pick some up!

While we were in Indiana, we saw a sign for a trout hatchery and on the way there passed this gorgeous field of sunflowers.

You can't really see it but the hatchery man just tossed in some food and the agitation you see on the water are all the trout eating!  

They stock the streams and lakes in Indiana as trout, apparently, are not native to Indiana!  

Who knew?

Now this came in the mail, some sweet Marmalade.  

Trying to pick up the florals as I LOVE this line!  

If anyone knows of somewhere that has the print on the left in aqua please let me know. 

 That is my all time favorite from that line.

My friend, Auntie Pami had this Elizabeth Hartman FQ Kona solids bundle and I could NOT resist.  EH's Aviatirx Medallion quilt is on my quilting bucket list. 

 LOVE IT!!

I leave you with a few shots of my best helper.

We all need to rest and recharge sometimes!

Have a wonderful weekend and I hope you get time to sew!

~XOP~

Time Well Spent

I want to take a minute and say that I realize I have been MIA lately.  

Many things going on personally that have taken me away, and 

not anything anyone really wants to hear about, trust me! 

 I have also had a really, really bad cold for the past week and

 haven't even turned on my computer at home to blog, so sorry.  

I do have a little trip to share with you though.  

DH and I went to Shipshewana last week.  

We go several times each year and he had the day off so we decided , why not?

First stop was the cheese shop where Mr. Spark was caught acting kind of "cheesy".

He has his silly moments.   

(but seriously I had to swipe that hat off or I wasn't going anywhere with him!!)

The next stop was Jo Jo's Pretzels.

We love these pretzels, so much!

I had popped over to Lolly's while he stood in line.

When I came back he was walking to a table with all this!

Then he smiled sweetly at me and told me he had a surprise coming for me!

 

 It was a pumpkin pie milk shake!

Oh Mr. Spark, you know me all too well!

I am a sucker for pumpkin anything!!!

It makes me so happy that he does little things like this still after 28 years!

 (Although he is still stumped why I take so many photos of everything, LOL)

 

 

Then we went to Lolly's and Yoders.

I decided I didn't really need much in the way of fabric but there were a few things I did buy.

In the downstairs part of the building is a Little Bit of Lolly's

It's like the sale section

I picked up some Moda Bella solid.

We went back upstairs to the full price store and I found this interesting bit of fabric

The Constitution

I eventually want to make Mr. Spark a "Lincoln Log Cabin" quilt.

I thought it would be nice to put in the constitution.

Even though it will be cut up!

Anyone that wants to get rid of any "Lincoln" fabric, send it my way.

I'm collecting for this quilt.

I have been wondering about some of the new Kona colors, especially the new grays.

I found them both at Yoders.

I present to you

Iron and Steel

Oh and some Pale Flesh too

Steel and Iron

I really like both of these grays, very nice!

I needed a few other solids for a few projects so added these to the cart as well

Pale Flesh

Blue Jay

Buttercup

Sprout 

Chartruese

I saw this reindeer fabric and how could I resist when it went so nicely with this embroidery?

Not sure if I couldn't, but I didn't.  Won't this make a darling Christmas quilt??

Those reindeer remind me of fabric from the 50's!

I also bought a pattern that I have been stalking for some time.

I can't say that I am really keen on the BiG doll in the center, 

BUT

I thought the little ones might make nice leader and ender blocks to use scraps with.

I will let you know how that goes.

I have finished all the blocks for my first leader/ender quilt.

Now I need to sew that baby together!

But I digress.

We stopped at Rebecca Haar's place and I found some GREAT new rugs

(sorry no photo)

I asked what the Amish make them from and the woman working there told me

"Oh they use bolt ends"

I said,"Bolt ends of what?" 

She said,"They don't really know"

HiLaRiOuS!!!

But seriously the rugs are GREAT!

I also found these amazing blue bobbins

Mr Spark asked me what was I going to do with so many of them?

Why put trims around them and put them in a basket, of course!

Cute?

I think so!

Now what is Shipshewana without this shot?

And if any of you need a laugh for the day (like I did yesterday)

We were in E & S Sales when I spotted this

I busted out laughing right in the aisle!

I hope it makes you chuckle too!!

Happy Sewing

~XOP~