A Quilty Weekend

This is my view outside... it's so depressing to see snow in April. The trees look like a Currier and Ives painting, and they would have been lovely in December, but not so much in April. It snowed again overnight and the streets are covered with the white stuff again.... in protest I have not gone outside all weekend. I look quite a sight, hair pulled up in a ponytail, Capri pants, winter hunting socks, old sweatshirt.... maybe I'm depressed. Haven't emptied the mailbox in two days since I don't even want to walk outside in it! last year at this time my Cherry and Apple trees were blooming.The greenhouse opens in a week...lol...  I'll put money down that it's postponed. We are forecasted for more snow this week... yuck. So I have decided to sulk and have a quilty weekend in. It's the perfect excuse for a quilty weekend!

I've set my machine up in my kitchen so that I can watch TV too!

Here's my feathered wreath, I think it looks like a flower.

I've been quilting feathers around the edge of my quilt...

Here's another picture of my feathers, I'm using a variegated thread for my machine quilting. This quilt still remains un~named, any ideas? I'm hoping something comes to me while I'm sewing. I'm a little over halfway with my quilting, almost 3/4 done. I took lots of breaks yesterday, maybe I can get the quilting done today.

Now on to some Quilt Doodle announcements.... the BOM 2013 is on~going. The April block is out and I've been having fun seeing the pictures that are getting posted on to the flickr group! Everyone's blocks are so different, it's been so much fun to watch everyone's progress! For this month's prize giveaway Michele from the Quilting Gallery has donated her Quilter's Cookbooks! So keep posting those blocks for a chance to win! The recipes looks soooo yummy! 

Spring Fling Blog Hop hosted by Soma at Whims and Fancies is still in full swing! My Baby Birdie pattern was posted on Friday...all the patterns are free!  there's a giveaway also being hosted on Soma's site too! Hope you have time to check it out.

My new pattern~ 'Bundle Up Snowman' is available for purchase too! It's a wonderful wintery snowman table runner and mini quilt (mug rug) pattern! Easy to follow directions.  PDF copies are available on my Craftsy and Etsy sites. The packaged version is also available thru  Etsy and my website. Pattern Peddlers is also taking wholesale orders for this and all my other patterns. 

Happy quilting,

Spring Fling

Welcome Spring! (which is arriving late to Minnesota... we have snow and are forecast-ed for more snow over the weekend) Wilson and I love to watch the birds on the feeders and in the birdbath, so I designed a bird block which I named 'Baby Birdie'. A cute, little, fat rolie polie baby bird. I made my bird look like a blue bird. Have fun and switch up the colors to be any type of bird that you would like! I had a lot of fun putting this block together and hope that you do too! You can find the pattern FREE HERE and also on my Craftsy store  I've seen some of the blocks to come and they are wonderful! All of these blocks made up would made a delightful spring time quilt! I hope spring arrives soon to Minnesota.

After I printed off the pattern, I cut the pieces out. Two of the pieces need to be taped together to make the 'A' section. I use my window to line up the lines, I don't have a light box.

I just use scotch tape to tape it together.

I went through my fabric stash and pulled out three fat quarters (Hoffman's Bali Handpaints) and some cream for the background.  For the bird's beak I only need a tiny little scrap of yellow.

I cut all my blues into manageable strips to work with for paper piecing.

Sewing on the lines....

Shown here are all of my sections, they need to be trimmed up before I can sew them together.

Here I am trimming my sections....

All ready to piece together...

'Baby Birdie'
I sewed two little seed beads on for the eyes.
10 1/2" x 10 1/2" (including seam allowance)

In addition to the prizes that I donated to Soma at Whims and Fancies for the hop.  I am also hosting a giveaway. Wilson and I will be giving away 2 PDF patterns of Thumper to two lucky winners! I'm trying out Rafflecopter for my giveaway.... you have three chances to win... leave a lovely comment, like the Quilt Doodle Facebook page, and be a follower....Wilson and I will pick a winner on the 30th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thumper

Have fun hopping around!

Happy quilting,

The Designers -

1. 04/01 Teri Emerson, handiwerx

2.  04/02 Barbara Cain, B’s Modern Quilting

3.  04/03 Ruth Davis, Ruthie quilts! And quilts…

4.  04/05 Marissa Nichols, MKissa Creations

5.  04/08 Cyrille, Bubblestitch Quilts

6.  04/09 Gaya, Le borse di Gaya

7.  04/10 Vicki Ruebel, Quilting Lodge

8.  04/11 Lilja Björk, liljabs.com

9.  04/12 Cindy, Quilt Doodle Designs

10. 04/15 Jennifer Ofenstein, Sewhooked

11.  04/16 Caroline, Trillium Design

12. 04/17 Sandy in Buenos Aires, Peek a Boo !

13. 04/18 Lynn Provencher, Thimblemouse & Spouse

14. 04/19 Jessica, Plum Patchwork

15. 04/22 Aalia,  Joy Of Stitches

16. 04/23 Michele Foster, Quilting Gallery

17. 04/24 Amy Gay, ButterflyAngels Quilts

18. 04/25 Soma Acharya, Whims And Fancies

19. 04/26 Michelle Thompson, misha29

20. 04/29 Regina Grewe, Textile Landscapes

Spring Fling

Starting tomorrow is the Spring Fling Block Hop.... hosted by Soma at Whims and Fancies. 16 designers, 16 paper pieced blocks to make a beautiful springtime quilt. The blocks measure 10" x 10".  Let's celebrate springtime! I will be presenting my block on April 12th. It's time to dig through your stash and find some springtime fabric and colors to work on these wonderful blocks. Let's have some fun!

The Designers -

1. 04/01 Teri Emerson, handiwerx

2.  04/02 Barbara Cain, B’s Modern Quilting

3.  04/03 Ruth Davis, Ruthie quilts! And quilts…

4.  04/05 Marissa Nichols, MKissa Creations

5.  04/08 Cyrille, Bubblestitch Quilts

6.  04/09 Gaya, Le borse di Gaya

7.  04/10 Vicki Ruebel, Quilting Lodge

8.  04/11 Lilja Björk, liljabs.com

9.  04/12 Cindy, Quilt Doodle Designs

10. 04/15 Jennifer Ofenstein, Sewhooked

11.  04/16 Caroline, Trillium Design

12. 04/17 Sandy in Buenos Aires, Peek a Boo !

13. 04/18 Lynn Provencher, Thimblemouse & Spouse

14. 04/19 Jessica, Plum Patchwork

15. 04/22 Aalia,  Joy Of Stitches

16. 04/23 Michele Foster, Quilting Gallery

17. 04/24 Amy Gay, ButterflyAngels Quilts

18. 04/25 Soma Acharya, Whims And Fancies

19. 04/26 Michelle Thompson, misha29

20. 04/29 Regina Grewe, Textile Landscapes