Using my stash

You may know that Amanda Jean is trying to help us use our stash this year by offering a free pattern each month of quick ways to use up what we've got. Well, I need to do that AND I need to whittle down my scraps, but this is the year of the FINISH. I'm focusing on my UFOs, so I haven't been making Amanda Jean's lovely patterns. Until this month. Well, it was March's pattern, but she posted on the 31st of March, and I read it on the 1st of April.

This is her Easy As Pie pattern, and let me tell you -- it IS. I read the post last Friday and made the top the same day. I am posting it now only because I already had two posts on Friday for my UFO Challenge (which is coming along quite nicely, thank you for asking). My oldest daughter has a friend who has been driving her home from theater practices, performances, and competitions for the past couple of years. It has helped me so greatly that I am making her a quilt as a thank you. Since I am notorious for not finishing things (!), I decided it had better be something quick and easy.

Her favorite colors are blue and purple. And I have a lot of purple right now thanks to Jill. Well, it has diminished just a little thanks to Amanda Jean. Here's hoping I'm so speedy that I don't even have to add it to my sidebar. ;)

Birdie Stitches #2

I finished this in February, but I don't think I ever posted it. I made the block for March, but I haven't even drawn it on the muslin yet. And now April's is ready. I'll have to catch up. :/

March's 2011 UFO Challenge #2

Stacked coins from a jelly roll I won a couple years ago. It's Spring Magic by April Cornell.

Each coin is 2"x5" finished. There are 35 coins in each stack. The sashing and borders are also 5" finished. There are 6 coin stacks. The finished quilt is approximately 65"x80" before washing. This is a Quilter's Only solid. I think it's called Honeydew, but I'm not sure. :/ Can you see my organic line quilting? Also a first for me. I did three lines in each coin and did not quilt on the seams. I did not continue the lines from edge to edge, but left the borders free. I then just quilted around the border with three lines to sort of frame it. I LOVE how it turned out.

I may not be the only one who feels that way. :)

March's 2011 UFO Challenge #1

I was going to show you all this last week -- when it was in progress -- but I never made it happen.

And now it looks like this. All finished in time for Judy's 2011 Challenge! It's made from Nicey Jane and uses Amy Butler's Lotus Brick Path pattern -- except I made mine into a quilt instead of a throw with tassels and no batting.

Large pebble quilting -- my first time. I'm surprised at how quickly it went -- very easy -- and I LOVE the way it pops on the quilt.

All those polka dots on the back, mmmm.