Mystery Quilt Block 2: Alex's Star

I am enjoying the "reveal" of Eleanor Burn's mystery quilt block party--a new one each month for six months. I've never done a mystery quilt before, so I find it a little scary to commit to the fabrics, but committed I am now! I like some of the techniques that Eleanor teaches and she's been quilting for years.

Here's the new star I made for February, named after her special guest Alex Anderson:

 
I made 8 of these which were then joined to either side of January's stars named after special guest Marianne Fons. I'm excited to find out what the next star will be which will be revealed March 11.

Have you ever participated in a mystery quilt? Was it hard for you to wait and to select fabrics, too?

Happy WIP Wednesday!

What's in a Name? Fun with "Leftovers"

It's WIP (Works in Progress) Wednesday! I continue to make progress on that big queen-size folksy or homespun "Stack the Deck" quilt I'm making for my husband featured in last week's post (January 29). Will it be finished by Valentine's Day?? I doubt it... My sister and nieces came to our house for part of the weekend. We had a great time together, laughing, talking, eating a great lunch and dinner at restaurants in town (The Plank and Toshi's Ramen), and most of all, SEWING!! I worked on my quilt, putting long strips of vertical sashed rows together. My sister, Diana, tried her hand at sewing ovals, which she found discouraging. My oldest niece, Aubrey, made progress on a quilt she's making for her in-laws.

This is NOT the in-law quilt. I believe the pattern for this quilt is called "Hip to be Square" by Me and My Sister Designs which she's making for a friend, a generous and talented young lady!

Yesterday I worked on machine embroidery. I produced a quilt label for my sister (SewCraftyChick.blogspot.com). Then I pulled out some "leftovers" from machine quilting practice and scraps of fabric to make mug rugs or coasters for the two international university students living with us. With a little machine embroidery, they now know where to place their beverage glasses and cups on the kitchen counter! Keep in mind these little items are not "professional", they're just "experiments" that are imperfect but fun to make.

One student from Saudi Arabia and one from Japan

No more overloading the dishwasher daily with a ZILLION glasses and cups they've used throughout the day, a little pet peeve of mine. Perhaps they'll learn our custom of re-using them throughout the day, and then getting out new ones for the next day. It's not unlike little children (and even some BIG children) changing their clothes frequently in one day and throwing whatever they've rejected on to the floor, or into the dirty clothes basket...they're usually still clean! (I hear there's even adults who do this, LOL.) What's the custom in your home?

Have fun with your leftovers, too! It's fun to create.