Fancy pot holders (and a linky party)

Not much to share but a couple of small finishes are better than nothing!! 

The Ongoing Project List:

1. Play with Me QAL - August completed (cannot share)
2. WGACA projects (abandoned the idea... the strategy didn't work, oh well, it was good to test it)
1. Charity Quilts for DC General Homeless Shelter project - no progress
2. Minion QAL - quilted around all characters. 6 blocks quilted, 5 missing
3. Mirror Mirror Afghan - no progress
4. Hello Block Swap - paused until next month 
5. Splendid Sampler - two blocks done (see below)
6. Road Home Row-A-Long - no progress on finishing my piece
7. Folded star pot holder - two, done (see below)

The EverythingElse List:

1. 70273 Project - no progress
2. Jane T - no progress
3. The SK project - no progress
4. the 31000 Xs project - no progress
5. Spirit cross stitch project - no progress
6. Alice in Wonderland quilt - no progress
7. As You Wish -  no progress
8. Crazy optical illusion - no progress
9. Memory quilt 2 - no progress
10. Gyleen's BCP Mystery QAL - no progress

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I also finished a couple of blocks for the Splendid Sampler project.

Block 31

Block 41

Current total: 29... you can see them all on my Sampler page!

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The only other thing I made are these two fancy pot holders

10''x10''

Tutorial available on the modabakeshop

I used several pieces that I received in various Quilty Box. I tend to really like the fabric but I never used them with the project/pattern they come with :) I guess it's my rebel nature.

Well, I hope to have a more productive week ahead!

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How about you? What are YOU up to?

Link it here and share it with me!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Three projects finished, a prize (and a link party)

A week full of finishes, and few of them can be shared!! ;)

The Ongoing List:

1. the SK project - no progress
2. Tea Towel challenge and PPV BOM - no progress, needs quilting!!
3. SYS2015 future projects - next project done! cannot yet share but sooo fun!
4. Embroidery calendar - 4 numbers done (see below)
5. Color of the Year challenge - no progress, needs quilting!!
   (this will be my March project for a Lovely Year of Finishes)
6. J wall hanging - dooooone! (cannot share)
7. HST pillow - doooone (see below)
8. Squirrel Pot Holder - dooooone (see below)
9. Mug Rug Swap - decided on pattern

The EverythingElse List:

1. Animal blocks for charity quilts - no progress
2. Project of Doom 2015 @ Fandom in Stitches - no progress
3. Reversible sewing machine cover -  no progress
4. College Days Blog Hop blocks for tote/grocery bag -  no progress
5. Alice in Wonderland quilt - no progress
6. As You Wish -  no progress
7. Happy Halloween wall hanging -  no progress
8. Crazy optical illusion -  no progress
9. D wall hanging -  no progress
10. B quilt -  no progress
11. Memory quilt 2 - no progress.

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The HST big pillow is done, washed and all nicely wrinkled!

Big HST pillow, 28'' x 28''

I really like the how the quilting looks like (even if on the back side there are some big puckers... but it's the inside of a pillow, that will never be seen... so I didn't fix it ;) )

The geometric design of the quilting is pretty cool... it's not very visible on the front because I used black thread on black. Next time I may use grey, just to make it pop.

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My mom really like squirrels and her birthday is approaching... so I thought that two pot-holders with squirrels would make a perfect gift! I really like how they turned out, I played with the orientation of the border to get a different vertical/horizontal effect. I will use the same fabric for another wall hanging in the future, and I wanted to see which effect I like best... and I don't know, I like both of them!! I may actually do the other binding on the bias with a 45 degrees angles ;)

Squirrel pot holders (8''x8'') pattern by Amy @ During Quiet Time

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I finished few numbers for my embroidery calendar... I still don't know if they will "work" because it was pretty hard to stitch the elastic in place so some of them are not perfectly centered... and I don't know if that will affect how they hang to the background... I will finish my first 8 numbers and then test them. Stay tuned for more details ;)

Embroidery calendar

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And as a last note: a friend told me that "wins come in three" and she was right!! Last week I won a giveaway from Jennifer @ Sewhooked and this is what I won!

Project and pattern by Jennifer @ Sewhooked

Isn't this amazing!! 

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What are YOU going to link?

An InLinkz Link-up

MOP Monday - the list is shrinking

The list is shrinking!! almost invisible ;)

-- MOP: The Xmas presents list --

1. Topolino quilt (MPB) - all sections quilted, start joining them (this is my project for Lovely Year of Finishes (Dec))

2. the Z quilt (CO) - DOOOOOOONE - off the list

3. convertible bag (IG) - cut the pieces!
4. something (SZ) - potholders done, pouch done!! - off the list

Extras (because if I have tons of projects to finish I need to add some extras anyway O_o):
1. the SK project - designed 3 patterns
2. small project for magazine - the block was not accepted for the magazine :( but this means that I will have a new pattern soon to share in my shop!! :)
3. block swap Nov - done and in the mail! cannot share but off the list
4. block swap Dec - decided pattern and fabric
5. Bonnie's Hunter Grand Illusion - put aside some fabric for this, but no time to actually sew anything so maybe I am going to wait until the mystery is revealed to start it :)
6. Color of the Year mini - the color of the year 2015 has been announced! I designed my yearly mini, more on that after I am done with the Xmas presents ;)


(Linking up at Let's Bee Social)

-- MOP: This week updates--
And finally I can share the finished Z quilt... its official name is actually "Message in a Quilt" and you can read below why.

"Message in a Quilt" 63''x84''

The quilt contains a message in each "element", from the design, to the color/fabric choice, to the quilting! These are the messages:

1. (easy to see) the three symbols are Fu, Lu and Shou, the symbols for Happiness, Prosperity and Longevity
2. (easy to read, at least in person) the word "Love", my name and the name of the recipient are quilted using a "text quilting" method shown by Jacquie Gering in the class "Creative Quilting with Your Walking Foot" 
3. the color chosen represent the colors of the Chakra and they are arranged following that order
4. the size of the blocks (22) and the size of the strips (3) have special numerology meaning (Number 3 resonates with the energies of optimism and joy, inspiration and creativity, speech and communication, good taste, imagination and intelligence, sociability and society, friendliness, kindness and compassion (from here),The Master Number 22 symbolizes the principle of precision and balance (from here) )
5. the fabric used is Stonehenge (from Northcott) and the different colors have names connected to elements of nature (Stonehenge is a mystical place in UK, you can read more about it here)
6. the quilting around the symbol is similar to the traces in the sand of a zen garden
7. finally (since me and the recipient are scientists) the vertical quilting around the text is arranged following the Fibonacci sequence :)

So this is a quilt full of mystical power, and I am sure it's going to bring good energy for the recipient and for our entire house :)
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I finished the other two pot holders and I made the zipper pouch! I really love the way they turned out... they are not perfect, but the design has been customized for the recipient and I am sure that she will like them :)  I will send the package next week so I hope to be able to show them off soon (right side up ;))!!

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All the sections of the Topolino quilts have been quilted and I tested few more times my cheap and quick basting method (you can read more in last week post)!

I think this is the first time that I don't have even a single pucker in my back!! I love this method.

And as you can see, my helper gave her contribution as well, even if for her this is kind of booooring.

"Basting is so yaaaaaaaaaawn boring"

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And now, what are YOU going to link?? :)

An InLinkz Link-up

MOP Monday - many things are cooking!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving week and a safe Black Friday :)

I had a very very productive week!!!

-- MOP: The Xmas presents list --

1. Boxes of Rainbow (UO) - label attached to the quilt! off the list!!

2. Topolino quilt (MPB) - quilting started! see below for a "cheap" technique to baste it :)

3. the Z quilt (CO) - quilted the last section! (Couldn't finish the quilt for Nov, but I will finish it for Dec :) this is my project for Lovely Year of Finishes (Dec))

4. pillow (VP) - last week wasn't started, and now is doooone! off the list!!
5. convertible bag (IG) - printed pattern, and picked fabric
6. coasters & table runner (MO) - finished last week! off the list!!
7. something (SZ) - 2 potholders and half a pouch done, missing other 2 potholders and the other half of the pouch

Extras (because if I have tons of projects to finish I need to add some extras anyway O_o):
1. the SK project - printed next pattern
2. small project for magazine - block completed, but I cannot share (secret projects are fun ;) )
3. block swap Nov & Dec - printed patterns
4. food for Thanksgiving!!

(Linking up at Let's Bee Social)

-- MOP: This week updates--

First let me start with some updates from my Thanksgiving dinner:

Picture with the Fandom In Stitches mug that I won for my "Make it Mosaic" block!! :)

I took the picture after eating our Thanksgiving dinner for which I made: special braid bread (with olives), mayonnaise, risotto ai funghi (and arancini di riso the next day), and Pumpkin Crunch! If you want my recipes I can share them with you, just drop me an email :)

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And since I had few days off from work I had the chance to spend time finishing up some Xmas presents!!

This is a fun & quick project perfect for a man who likes ties!!

I found this idea on Pinterest, but there was no link to the original pattern or designer. I made myself the pattern and it went together super fast! I used 4 actual ties and 2 are cotton fabric that looked like ties to me :)
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The Z quilt is all quilted! Now the final step is to join the sections and bind it, for sure it will be done in a week or so!! I will share pictures once it's all done :)
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I have completed 2 potholders and half a zip pouch for a special person, but since I don't know if she is reading my blog, I don't want to share too much about them until she receives them ;)
But this is the back (fun fabric that a Block Swap partner sent me... isn't it perfect for a pot holder??)

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And finally, let me share this cheap way of basting my quilt! Pin-basting with a Foam Can Holder! :)
Ok, this is the story.
I didn't like pin basting for two reasons: 1) on a big quilt, I can never make the back smooth enough and then I spend hours trying to make it good and I just get frustrated; 2) I keep getting stabbed!! I don't like safety pins (they are too hard to put on and to move while quilting).
Now I found the solution for both problems!! 1) I quilt smaller pieces and join them later, so now having a smooth back is easier to achieve!! 2) I watched some videos where Leah Day suggests using straight pins but using some silicone "caps" to hold them in place and avoid stabbing! I checked them online and while they look cool, honestly they looked too expensive for me to buy not even knowing if this method would be good for me. So I looked around my craft shop and I found those Foam Can Holders (like these ones) for about 50 cents each... they are pretty thick so I cut them into 1 inches "squares" or weird shapes, and that's it!! here I have a ton of pin caps, super cheap and they work just great!!

They are big enough for a pin to go inside and be pretty stable, but they are easy to remove and reposition while you are quilting! Probably they are not as nice and durable as the official silicone ones, but I don't think anything can beat a 50 cents piece of think foam ;)
Now I am looking forward to baste more pieces of my quilt! :)

Here a picture before I started basting... my helper was really helpful in smoothing the three layers ;)

"Hey, I didn't do that, I found it that way!" :)

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And now, what are YOU going to link?? :)

An InLinkz Link-up