February Goal COMPLETE

In the beginning of the month I set out a goal to finish up July, August and Septembers' Lucky Stars 2013 BOM's for this years' A Lovely Year of Finishes, and I almost forgot to share it.  So without blabbering too much about them, here they are :-)

July Lucky Stars BOM - Dulcet Star

August Lucky Stars BOM - Pinwheel Star

September Lucky Stars BOM - Windmill Star

Goal setting post can be found HERE.

Linking up to ALYOF Finishes Party #110

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My Goal for February - Lucky Stars BOM 2013

January - June Lucky Stars BOM - 6½ Inch Blocks

I cant imagine why or what happened that I stopped half way through the year making each months' Lucky Stars BOM hosted by Elizabeth Dackson from 'Don't Call Me Betsy'.

But I decided to piece at least July, August and September's blocks this month.  Leaving October through December for next month.

Because I make both the 12½ and 6½ inch blocks I think its plenty, and to not give up half way, I am going to split it up.  So this will be my goal for February to link up to A Lovely Year of Finishes.

January Lucky Stars BOM - Funky Star

February Lucky Stars BOM - Exploding Star

March Lucky Stars BOM - Ninja Star

April Lucky Stars BOM - Black Hole Star

May Lucky Stars BOM - Spotlight Star

June Lucky Stars BOM - Sunlight Star

Wish me LUCK...

Linking to ALYOF - February Goal Setting Linkup #81

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Anything Goes Quilt 'n Sew #20 - May in review

When looking back at the month of May, what seemed like a 'not so productive month', have in fact turned out to be quite busy.  In between all of my sewing and quilting, I even had a week where I babysat a 7 month old baby girl.  

So, to recap, I started a baby quilt, played around crocheting butterflies, pieced my Lucky Stars BOM, free motion quilted a fabric postcard as part of a FMQ Postcard swap I joined on Facebook.  I started piecing and played around with hexies.  I also joined in a 'Feathers' Challenge along with others over at SewCalGal, and for fun I made a few Cathedral Window MINI key chains.

While I was busy sorting out photos on my camera I realized I never shared with you my Sugar Block Club BOM's for April and May.  So here they are:

April BOM - Sunny Days (Foundation paper piecing)

May - Signed-Sealed-Delivered BOM ... can you see the envelopes?

So all and all, I have quite a bit to show for this past month.

Sew now it's time for this week's linky party

It's Monday and a new week, so lets all share some of our projects, please link up any current projects you've been working on, anything at all...  This link is open for a week and will run every Monday.  Remember to come back next week, or follow my blog to get regular updates.

If you wish feel free to add any other blog posts you write during the week, since this linky stays open for a full week, I think its a great idea to share and keep sharing.

All I ask is that you either add the 'Anything Goes' blog button to your sidebar or add a text link to your blog post, and comment on a few of the other links too, share the love and make this weekly link party a fun way to connect.

<div align="center"><a href="http://marelize-ries.blogspot.com/" title="Stitch by Stitch"><img src="http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj592/MarelizeR/LinkyButton2_zps83805f35.jpg" alt="Stitch by Stitch" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Happy quilting.

Lucky Stars BOM - May "Spotlight Star"

This month's Lucky Stars BOM, Spotlight Star is my favorite, so far anyway.  Not just the look of it, but the fabrics and colours I used, works really well together, or at least I think so.

I've really enjoyed piecing this month's block, I didn't have to use my seam ripper once throughout making the 12½ inch and 6½ inch blocks.  I guess I'm becoming a bit more confident with this technique and remembering my previous mistakes reminds me what NOT to do.

If you've never tried foundation paper piecing, I really recommend you try it out, once you've experienced the precision and crisp look of your blocks it will really inspire you to try out more.

If you'd like to see the other BOM's I've made, you can find them all here.  Of course there are hundreds of blocks made by others who have joined in making this BOM, you can find them all on the flickr group.

Linking up with WIP Wednesdays over at Freshly Pieced.

Happy quilting.

ps.  Just a quick thank you to everyone who joined in this week's linky party ((hugs))

Hexie fun!

My hexie quilt is going to be one of my biggest projects ever. When my mom sent me the hexies she basted for me, together with mine I decided to start piecing right away.  In case its your first time visiting, it comes to more than a  1600 one inch hexies.  I am still adding more basted hexies to this collection.  Most of the colours being used is either green or pink, so I'm adding blue and purple too. 

(I apologize for the bad light in these pictures, its early morning and the sun is shining directly against the orange curtains right behind my cutting table.)

I started piecing hexies at random, 4 pieces at a time and by shade separating them light, medium and dark rather than colour.  I have not really decided on a layout yet, but this morning I had an idea of making 'blocks' with 16 hexies in one shade.  So far this is one placement I have in mind.  Its rows moving diagonally from light to medium to dark, then starting again with light.  So far I think I am going to stick with this placement, but I'm sure once I have pieced a lot more that this I will be able to see if I really like it and if it will work. 

This has become a really nice pass time, especially on Saturday's when my husband watches every single Rugby match on tv.

I am using a light thread and was a bit worried that the stitches will be visible in the front, but the few stitches you do see, will definitely not be a distraction.  I think because they are spaced so close makes the difference.

Enough playing around, I have to get busy cutting fabric for my Sugar Block Club and Lucky Stars BOM's.  I still have to do April's block (sugar block club) together with May, so I have to get started, at least I've already picked out the fabrics I'm going to use for these blocks...

Linking up with WIP Wednesday over @ Freshly Pieced.

Happy quilting.

Lucky Stars BOM - April "Black Hole Star"

Usually before I even start planning my BOM's for the Lucky Stars BOM, I would read up on the flickr group for any issues anyone might have with the block, trouble with seams not lining up, cutting instructions etc.  I found no comments or discussions so I went right on ahead and picked my fabrics and started cutting.

It being so close to the next BOM, and so many blocks already made by others, and because there was not any updated emails notifying us of mistakes with the pattern I thought it'd be safe to carry on.  I was just a tad bit upset after cutting all my fabrics, pieced half of the block when I found that there where two pieces of fabric that was one inch smaller than it should have been.  I went back to the instructions thinking that I made a mistake, but there it was written clearly, some of the pieces had a one inch difference and both should have been the same size.  So it meant that I had to start from scratch.  I'm making this quilt all out scraps, so the colours and prints I wanted to use was already cut and just enough for this block.  If it was larger than the instructions it would have been a different story.  If not for time I've already spent piecing I guess it would have been okay, making a block using this technique really takes hours.,.... sigh!

So, ...let me not complain to much about it, what's done is done, and I do like what I've ended up with.  Now at least I will know to look twice before even starting, regardless if anyone has posted concerns or not.

After piecing the separate sections, we had a choice of two different layouts.  'A' which is the  original placement and 'B' another variation.   

        

Layout 'A' Left - Layout 'B' Right

I liked 'B' the most, but felt that the light pink fabric was just too bright, and I think for it to have really worked it should have been a neutral subtle colour to not draw attention away from the center star.  So I went with 'A'.

As with all the other BOM's I used the scraps that was left after making the 12½ inch block to make the 6½ inch block.

The only thing that worries me a tiny bit, is all the bulk of fabric that comes together at most of the points.  I actually broke a needle going over one of the points of the star, I guess when I quilt it I'll have to try and move around it rather than stitch over it.

To see the other BOM's I've made you can find them all HERE.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday @ Freshly Pieced.

Happy quilting

Lucky Stars BOM - March "Ninja Star"

This month's Lucky Stars BOM with Elizabeth at Don't Call Me Betsy is called 'Ninja Star'.

I was honestly surprised at how easy this block came together.  I liked the fabrics of the block on the pattern so much that I tried to match my own fabrics to the colours as closely as I could, except for the background fabric, mine is all black.

So with all my pieces cut I jumped right in.  My biggest concern was matching the seams since there is no real guide.  So when it came to piecing the blocks together, I matched the ¼ inch line which should in at the edge of the block, marked on the paper (left picture) and hoped that it will be a good enough guide.  To make sure it worked I changed the stitch length to three and sewn just to the right (right picture) of the stitch line.

The picture below clearly shows the larger stitches, if I had to rip them out, it would not be too difficult, if I made a mistake and I kept my stitches so small, it would be much harder.

It worked perfectly.  So I just went back and sewn on that same line with a smaller stitch to secure it properly.

I had again used the scraps from the large 12½ inch block to make the smaller 6½ inch block.  Unfortunately my seams did not match up as neatly as with he large block.  I did rip out quite a few times, but that was as close as I could get it.

Here is a LINK to my other blocks I've made so far.

If you'd like to see hundreds of other beautiful blocks, visit the flickr group.

Happy quilting.