Knowing When to Ask for Help

I guess it's my turn to ask for help. I appreciate the concern with my absence. I am embarrassed about dropping the ball with the Quilt Along. I love all the quilts on flickr!

Here's what happened. It isn't anything very exciting. I had too much going on and there weren't enough hours in the day to take care of everything that needed to be done. It's so funny because I would say to myself that it would just take half an hour to do thus and such if you just did it. But when there are a hundred things that take half an hour, there aren't that many half hours in a day, even when you get up early - which I don't like to do.

The Quilt Along fell apart because I had only had it half planned out in the beginning. In the past that has been good enough because I have been able to fill in thelast few spots after we started. It wasn't good enough this time.

I had an idea if you are up for it! Because I still have plenty of charm packs that want to travel.

First, with the ones we missed, it might be easier to skip them and start where we are at. If you want, we can start from where we left off though. Let me know!

Second, since I don't have the next quilts scheduled, do any of you who are doing the quilt along want to be the featured artist?!? Normally, I would give those who volunteered a free book, but you already have the book. SO I do have a new book that I need to show you! It's been out for a few months, but that's one of those things that I got behind on. Anyway, I will send you one of those for helping out!

Leave a comment about whether you want to skip the quilts we missed or play catch up.
AND
Email me (kluckau@moosequilts.com) if you would like to be the featured artist and tell us all about yourself and show and tell your quilt from Simply Charming Minis on my blog.

Thanks so much!!!

P.S. I have the prizes that were announced and not delivered packaged to take to the post office today. If you don't get it in a week, let me know and I will send you another one!

P.P.S. We need to do a bigger prize just for quilts that are quilted. I think I'll wait and do that with the next random prize drawing.

It's a Mini Quilt Along - Criss Cross Applesauce

Is anyone feel as crazy as I do in December? Between getting other people's Christmas quilts quilted and my Christmas sewing done, and helping children with Christmas presents, I don't know what time of day it is half of the time. I think it's getting worse too.

 

First, my apologies to all the winners who haven't received prizes. That is next on the list. I have a stack of charm packs that are begging me to be sent on to a new owner.

 

This week, I played with Criss Cross Applesauce. My kids learned in school how to sit criss cross applesauce. When I was a kid, we sat indian style. I guess somehow it has evolved. I thought it was a fun name for the little quilt that reminded me of sitting cross-legged.

 

This is a flannel charm pack by Holly Taylor for Moda called Christmas Spirit. Instead of making the entire quilt, I put four blocks together. I also played with the layout. Here is a diagonal layout.

 

 

Here is a circular layout.

 

I can't decide which I like better. These measure about 8 inches. I was thinking about how to turn them into Christmas gifts. I really liked the circular layout to put under a candle. Are they called candle mats?

 

My ideas were a potholder, mug rug, or candle mat. I would love to hear any other ideas. What do you think?!?

Autumn Glory Quilt Block

Today is my day in the Glorious Autumn Block Party. There will be a total of 45 free blocks by the time it's over! My block is called Autumn Glory. It's a scrappy leaf.

 

 

Here's the link to my designer profile and all the other blocks:

 

http://quiltinggallery.com/quilters-fun/autumn-block-party/

 

CLICK HERE for the link to the block instructions.

 

When I designed this block, I had a Juggling Summer Layer Cake that I thought was perfect for this block. I made four leaf blocks and wanted to use the rest of the layer cake. This quilt is what I came up with.

 

My block is a celebration of fall. We don't get much of a fall in Utah. Doesn't feel much like fall now that it's December even though it is technically still fall. To celebrate, I'll be giving away one of my books Simply Charming Minis.

 

 

Need a last minute Christmas gift? Try a mini quilt! Simply Charming Minis has 16 patterns from 13" to 21" all shown in two colors. Mini quilts are so fun you'll be done before you know you started!

Here are the other designers whose blocks are being posted this week:

 

Wednesday, Nov. 28
Erin - One Piece at a Time   
http://erinrussek.typepad.com/

Thursday, Nov. 29   
Nan - Purrfect Spots   
http://www.purrfectspots.blogspot.com/

If you make this block, I'd love to see a picture of it on the flickr group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/autumn-block-party/

Karlene's Simply Charming Mini

Konda asked me on Wednesday if I would make a quilt from her Simply Charming Mini book for this blog hop.  Thanks Konda, it was a lot of fun.  I actually have a lot of this Fig Tree Fabric "Butterscotch and Rose" because I wanted to make Konda's pattern "Charming Flowers" from her book Simply Charming.  So when she asked me to do this I thought it would be fun to make this pattern "Mini Flower Garden" to go with the big quilt that I hope to make one day.  I tend to change patterns that I make, for instance this quilt I made 16 flowers instead of Konda's 8 flowers. I used 2 charm squares for the red in the center of the flowers and I used the same yardage for the background, border, binding and backing.  I love to make little quilts like this, they don't take much fabric, I love putting them out on little tables, and I love practicing my quilting on my Bernina.  Hope you enjoy!

My daughter who is my photographer has gone to bed, so I didn't get some things on my blog that I wanted to tonight.  Please check out my blog today or later to see what I enjoy doing - www.karleneskreation.blogspot.com

Water in my Basement and Sandy

When I came home from Quilt Market, I found that the hose behind my washing machine had overflowed sending lots of water into my sewing room. My husband had noticed, and cleaned up, the water that was in the laundry room. He didn't go into my sewing room though. Why would he?!?

Of course, I noticed this on Thursday, November 1. Sandy had already done her damage on the east coast. It's hard to feel sorry for having no measurable amount of water soaking a couple magazines and some fabric that will dry when so many others have had water wash away their houses. Sandy helped me keep things in perspective. 

I have heard chatter about people wanting to donate quilts. Of course they are. That's what we do. It's nice to be able to donate money, but there's something about sending a quilt that tells people we are sending them our love. But we don't want all our time and effort not going to the people that need it. What to do? Today I heard about one reputable place to send quilts if it is something you are interested in.

Luana at eQuilter has worked with Mission of Love many times - for 9/11, Katrina, Haiti, and Japan relief efforts. She is collecting quilts for Sandy. If you want to send quilts, I would suggest sending them her way. Here is the link:
http://www.equilter.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/quiltrelief.html

She will be updating that link with current information.

Thank you for being the good and kind people I know you are!

Giveaways Postponed

In getting ready to attend the International Quilt Market in Houston, I was not able to post winners. I know it doesn't take that long, but there are already 6 undone things on my To Do List.

We'll have some fun giveaways when I get back along with the Quilt Along prizes!

Thanks! Houston, here I come!

It'a A Mini Quilt Along-- Flying Around in Circles

I am SO glad that Konda invited me over for a visit today :)  

HI!!!!, I am Marion (I blog HERE) and I met Konda back in January when I began my SUPER Awesome Quilting Adventure!
(You can read all about my Quilting Crusade HERE)

I soon discovered that Konda was probably the best person I could have happened upon as I was learning how to quilt.  Little did I realize, at the time, that she was FAMOUS and so TREMENDOUSLY talented!!

(DON'T DELETE THIS PART, KONDA!!!) :D

So, are you ready to party??? YEE HAW!!!

I chose "Flying Around in Circles" because, let's face it, it's what I do best ;D

...and it's so DARN cute ;)

So, SERIOUSLY, how did I not know how much fun making Mini Quilts is/are/was???

(Which is it?  That sentence is making me CRAZY!) ;)

How cute is this MINI 16 patch??  The squares are 1" :)

This quilt came together in a SNAP!!

I have a serious crush on these little flying geese ;)

I whipped this bad boy up in no time and gave it to a fiend for her birthday :)

My friend has two little kids, and isn't "Flying Around in Circles" exactly how life is with babies running/crawling around?

I have to add one more thing :)  Konda is a FANTASTIC pattern writer.  Her instructions are SO clear and easy to follow.  A++++++++++++

So it's time for you to show me how you Fly Around in Circles ;D