Leap Day

Leap day makes me want to write the date on everything! I've long thought it should be a holiday- because who wouldn't want an extra day off every 4 years?  Since that is not the case, I'll use the bonus time to share my retreat projects (as promised several weeks ago...). 

In addition to the table topper block I made, I brought enough fabric for more projects than I had time to work on. Retreat is the perfect chance for me to start new quilts and this year I finished 2 quilt tops.  The first is a pattern from a blog hop via Fat Quarter Shop using their Jolly Bar pre-cut, found at From Bolt to Beauty. 

This picture is still just blocks on the design wall, but I do have the finished top together.

Did you know a layer cake cut in half is the equivalent of 2 Jolly Bars? With the extra fabric, I added several rows and columns to the design and used a layer cake of Aspen Frost for the quilt, with assorted whites cut for the background. 

Making the Half Rectangle Triangles (a new to me skill) took some time but it went smoothly and I love how they create diamonds and diagonals in the quilt. Here's hoping it'll be finished before Christmas 2016!

My second quilt utilizes a good selection of my sketch print fabrics and is a pattern from the book Quilt Lab. I grumbled about the method for piecing these curves and the wording of the instructions, and tried to do it my own way. Sigh, that never really works well does it? >Thanks Momm for helping me try to do it my way even though it didn't work.< 
Ultimately, I followed the book as printed and it worked out beautifully- of course. While the book pattern pulls the design from sound wave echoes, I see it as radar waves since I used to work at an Electronics Museum.  This will be a quilt for my entry-way wall once it's finished.

Hope your Leap day was extra fun readers and full of good thing!

Sunday Snapshot #25

Lately my finish-it power has been strong, so obviously I've been giving it free reign! Got my Science Fair quilt all quilted and am auditioning binding fabrics now.  It feels so great to have it >< this close to finished. (Even thought it's hard to tell it is quilted!)

Next up is my polar bear quilt which I basted today and will be ready to add some quilting in the coming weeks. Both quilts are on my Finish-Along Q1 list and I love making progress-Cheers!

Table Topper

Hello!  I'm happy to report I've finished my February OMG goal which was finishing my single block table topper (original post here). 

I had fun matching colors of Aurifil threads to the fabrics and kept it simple with straight lines using my walking foot. This fits my hexagonal end table and certainly brightens up my living room with some handmade cheer.  I also used a favorite print for backing so it looks good both ways. 

Linking up at RedLetterQuilts!  
Also linking for Finish It Up Friday at Crazymomquilts! 
Crossing this off my Quarter 1 2016 Finish Along list too, original list here, and linking up at Slo Studio with the finish.

WIP Wednesday:: 2/3/16

Had a great time at Quilt Retreat last weekend!  It's always fun to spend a whole weekend sewing with Momm! Not to mention seeing quilty friends, a stellar view of the beach and not having to stop sewing except for sleep & food.  :) Of course, I brought a whole suitcase full of fabric (no joke!) with a bunch of projects to work on during retreat. 

I managed to get three quilt tops together and will share more on them soon. Here's a sneaky peek at one in progress!

Today I want to highlight this block I made on retreat.  It's from Jaybird Quilts Park Bench book and will be a topper for my hexagonal end table. I'll be choosing backing fabric next so stay tuned!  Linking up at the final (for now) WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.  Choosing this as my OMG goal for February - getting it finished and on the end table! Linking up with Red Letter Quilts for the month.