Renovation Giveaway #5 - Strips... (Winner Announced)

Life has been busy here lately with quilting, cleaning, painting and some cat training (which is not going well!)  I had intended to start this giveaway earlier, but blogging and computer time have suffered from a lack of time.

Just as I found that I wasn't using my collection of charm squares, I'm finding the same is true of my 2.5" strips.  So I'd like to find a new home for them.  I've been collecting them for years - some have come from swaps and others from the scraps at the end of a project.  You can see that I obviously favor some colors over others.  FYI - Although the strips will go to a new home, I'm going to keep the containers!

Collection of 2.5" strips

Yellows and Purples

Neutrals and Pinks

Oranges and Reds

Batiks and White/Blacks

Christmas, Blues and Greens

If you're interested in winning them, just leave a comment below.  (Sorry, but due to shipping costs, this giveaway is open to US addresses only.)  I'm not sure yet how long I'll leave this open.  It'll be a surprise to both you and me and probably depends on how busy I continue to be.

9/10/13 - Congratulations QueenB!  I've sent you an email.

Snoobi - A Finish!

This has to be my first quilt related finish in a very long time.  But it's a big one.  And I'm pleased to say that I finished it in time for my brother's birthday.  It was close though as I was still hand sewing the label down at 9 o'clock the night before our get together.

The quilt gets it's name after my brother's 2 cats - Snoopy and Ubi.  It's so hard to think up names, but this seemed appropriate as they'll likely spend more time on it then he will!

This is by far the largest quilt I've quilted on my frame so far, but I didn't have a problem with the size.  I also managed to finish it in 2.5 days, but they were very long days!  I used the Celtic Braid Pantograph by Patricia Ritter, but re-sized it to 2.75" because I wanted to make sure I didn't run out of room at the end.  (I only have a short-arm setup.)  However, because I used such a thin batting, I really had plenty of space and could have gone with something larger.  I now wish I had, because it would have taken me much fewer passes.  As it was, I ended up with 38 rows and I averaged a couple of rows an hour.

The quilt is 102" x 105" so I tried it out on our king-sized bed.  I now really, really want to finish a quilt for our bed!

Of course, I didn't have it on there for more than a couple of minutes before I had company.  Par for the course in this house.  Sam agrees though that we need our own quilt.

So the stats for this quilt are:

• Size: 102" x 105"
• Fabrics: 4 Jelly Rolls (Assorted), Batik fabrics for the borders and backing
• Batting: Quilter's Dream Request Natural King Size
• Thread: Aurifil # 2326 (piecing), Superior Threads So Fine #425 (quilting)
• Pattern: Magic Triangles in the Strip Therapy 7 book by Brenda Henning
• Quilting: Celtic Braids Pantograph by Patricia Ritter (38 passes, 16 bobbins)
• Started: May 2012
• Completed: August 25th, 2013
• Recipient: My brother
• This quilt was a joint effort by my mom and I and contains 3,469 pieces.

I was really surprised to find I could finish such a large quilt so quickly.  And I learned a few things in doing it as well.  I have another king sized quilt that I've almost finished piecing and this success has me eager to get back to it.  However, I have a few smaller things I have to finish up first.  (One day we will have a quilt for our bed!!!)

Pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 

1 Timothy 2:1 (NLT)

Renovation Step #6 - Counter tops, Steps and Baseboards...

Aside from the flooring and cabinets, I've been the most excited about getting the counter tops installed.  It was rather nerve racking picking them out, because I knew whatever I chose, I would be living with it for a long, long time.  I went with laminate counter tops and ordered large samples from the manufacturers.  Once I narrowed down my choices to 3 or 4, I taped them to the walls and cabinets to see how they would work in the room.  Of course, a 5" x 7" sample can only tell you so much, so I was nervous waiting for them to arrive.  Fortunately, I like them.  They're neutral enough to go with everything and I don't see myself growing tired of them.

When we started the renovation, the stairs entering the sewing room were carpeted so we had to re-do them to match the new floors.  It's not something we've done before, but it was actually good practice because we're hoping to do the same thing to all of our stairs in the not too distant future.  I love the new look of them! (Plus they'll be so much easier to keep clean than carpet.)

That big black blob is actually David entering the room.

We've also installed the new baseboards and under cabinet trim.  I just need to touch up the paint in a few places and it'll be done.  My dad is coming this weekend to take a look at the ceiling and let me know my lighting options - recessed vs. track.  Lucky for me, he happens to be an electrician! (I have a very handy family.)  Also my husband starts vacation next week and he'll begin building my cutting and sewing tables.  (Picture me doing a little happy dance.)  Until then, I'll be patiently sewing on a folding table, envisioning the day when this renovation will finally be done!

Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses. 

Proverbs 10:12 (NLT)

Snoobi Revisited...

Let me start off by saying that I've been told I'm overdo on pictures of my renovation and I plan to share them in my next post!

However, right now my focus has been on trying to finish a quilt by this weekend.  It wouldn't have been such a big deal if I hadn't also decided at the last minute to make it so much larger!  Initially, it was a respectable 82" x 95".  We made it so the quilt would fall to the bottom of the mattress.

But when we thought about who we were making it for, we realized it needed to be longer.  This person only has a frame and isn't the type to use a bed skirt or dust ruffle, so we wanted the quilt to fall to the bottom of the box spring.  Otherwise, you'd see this unsightly white expanse below the quilt.  And of course, I was out of the border fabric already!  But we did have plenty of HST's leftover.  So I decided to added another pieced border and to try and find a coordinating batik for a final outer border.

As usual, David was oh so helpful while sewing...

My sewing buddy David

After days of furious sewing, I've finally finished the top.  It's now 102" x 105" and should be plenty big enough!  And for as much work as it was, I really do like the look of the pieced border.

Snoobi

This quilt has 3,469 pieces in it and I have exactly 4 days to quilt it!  Is it possible?  Maaaybe.  Probably not.  But I'm going to give it my best shot.  Wish me luck!

Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 

1 Peter 4:8 (NLT)

My 'Little' Helper...

I was all set to load this quilt on the frame (now that I've finished the window seat cushion) when I decided I needed to make it bigger.  I've been trying to work on it, but as you can see, it's slow going...

My helper David

By the way, as I'm writing this, David is curled up in my lap with his paws tucked under the laptop.  It's one of his favorite positions.  He's 22 lbs though, so not all of him actually fits in my lap.

The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

Psalm 103:8 (NLT)

Renovation Step #5 - The Window Seat...

So my little project involving this...

finally turned into this...

New window seat and window seat cushion

I got the idea for the window seat from the DIY website.  You can find the plans here.  However, before you use them, I have to warn you that we didn't find them very helpful.  They did give a good high level overview of the process, but the steps weren't very accurate and we found ourselves having to think through any number of unexpected problems.  

But we persevered and several of the pets have already given it their stamp of approval!

Step by step, piece by piece, it's moving forward!

The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm. 

Exodus 14:14 (NLT)

A Small Detour...

Although I should be busy getting that queen-sized quilt quilted (since it has to be done in 2 weeks), I decided to stop and work on a side project first.  Any guesses on what this is for?

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. 

Acts 4:12 (NLT)