QOV Scrappy Trip Around the World

It started on New Year's weekend.  A few people on Instagram decided to sew a scrappy trip around the world using the tutorial from Quiltville.com.  It spread like wildfire along the IG community and became a hashtag monster of its own, #scrappytripalong. Many drank the kool-aid, so to speak, including me. I made two tops total!   The truly scrappy one is waiting to be quilted but here's a sneak peak.

The second one was made for a donation to Quilts of Valor.  These came together pretty quick and I love how you can get different top looks out of the quilt.  Just check out the Flickr page set up to show all the photos (that's how many popped in to join this unofficial sew along).

So, I created strip sets, sewed them together per the tutorial and then finally ended up with a block. Then I had two blocks, three, and four.

 The quilt was starting to grow.

I'm excited, I'll be attending a local sew-in for QOV this upcoming weekend and I'll be able to hand in my quilt then but before I was to do that, I needed to take photos for you. The thing is, I had a dog interfere. He wanted to model, I think. He was actually posing so, I figured I'd let him have his day and publish his handsome mug.  I hope you enjoy.

And now some quilt details!

Cheers!
Beck

I'm going to join a quilt guild

I've spent a lot of years with the internet quilting community. Heck, you wonderful people on the other end of this web link have been my guild.  However, I made a commitment to myself a while back that once Hubs retired from the military and we settled for a few years in one place until the kids graduated, that I'd start meeting some of you and some new quilters in real life.

I started with the Sewing Summit and a class in TN.  At the end of Dec., I was invited to an impromptu day of sewing at a fellow and local IGer's house.  Kim at My Go-Go Life graciously hosted myself, Katie of SwimBikeQuilt, and Amy of AmyLouWho fame.  I was able to get a little quilt binding done and I most certainly was able to enjoy the company of friends (meeting Kim for the first time).  During the conversation shared, Katie reminded us of the DC Modern Quilt Guild meeting coming up and I marked it in my calender.

(Amy, Kim, Katie)

In the same mindset to meet people in real life, I attended today's DC Modern Quilt Guild for a day of sewing, guild business and show and tell.  I was so pleasantly surprised to see there were a few blog authors I read or have read, Flickr feeds that I stalk or IG users I chat with as attendees.  The atmosphere was open and welcoming and even though I arrived late, sewed a bit on the floor and didn't have any official show and tell (I was able to show the blocks for 2 projects I have... the members asking to see what you are working on if you don't have a finish handy), I really enjoyed myself.  I will gladly join up and plan to submit my dues next month for the year.

It's always so nerve-wracking to walk into a place where you aren't sure of the environment or if you will be comfortable or welcomed. To be pleasantly surprised. It's also very nerve-wracking to stand up and introduce yourself, hold up a couple blocks in their rawest form to show other quilters, many who you have an inferiority complex about (whether true or not).  Honestly, why do we do that to ourselves? Why do we always have this insecure question of, will my work be good enough?  I make a lot of mistakes and I love my quilts for them b/c they are unique and yet, I still have that nagging fear of acceptance.  ugh...

I digress... I held up these 2 blocks for what I was working on. One, a bit of an impromptu sew along over on IG.  The hashtag, for you IG users, is #xplusalong.  This is the second impromptu sew along this month, the first being a scrappy trip around the work (using a tutorial from Quiltville.com) and I decided that when I did these, because they are quick blocks, I could make these my Quilts of Valor quilts this year for donations.

 

The second block is this never-ending Jinny Beyer quilt for my sisters.  I am committed to completing this one this year and openly asked anyone to feel free to question me on its progress if it crosses your mind.  I want all the incentive/help to stay on target as I can get.  

The attendees gave me warm and fuzzies, with oohs and ahhs and asking for me to hold them up for pictures.   It's so nice to have oohs and ahhs and the nice thing is, it's freely given by you and everyone else because I found myself sufficiently interested and impressed in what everyone else was working on and/or their finished projects and the creative process through all.

Is this what I've been missing all these years by not being a part of a guild or have I landed into a good one with a great group of folks willing to share, listen and enjoy each other and each other's creations?  

I'm a happy bean at the moment. Thank you, Katie, for reminding me of the meetings and thank you DC Modern Quilt Guild for being so welcoming and warm.  I'm really looking forward to being a part of this group this year.

Cheers!
Beck

First Finish of 2013

First off, Happy New Year to all of you. I would like to say I vow to blog more this year but then, I think I always say that and until I get organized, I just would be fibbing. However, I do plan to try harder to blog about what's been happening with me.

For now, here's my first finish of 2013. This quilt is a twin size for my niece, Al, and she chose the Hearts Abloom pattern out of the McCalls QuickQuilts Magazine. However, she asked for turquoise instead of pink. After making it, I think I like the turquoise better.

I chose the black & white fabrics and a turquoise print with a little sparkly.  She was big into gymnastics and is all girly-girl so I figured it would work.  She likes it so I guess it was a good gamble.

A lot of applique.

Four blocks together.

Layout tested.

Rolled onto the frame for quilting.

Wavy line quilting and a bit of binding.

Then a shot of the completed quilt.  Yay!

Cheers!
Beck