Plus Quilt Using a Jelly Roll

Seems I am always drawn to the Plus quilts that have been floating around for the past few years. I've made one and gave it to my Mom and have been hankering to make another. That, combined with leftover jelly rolls strips that were begging to be used, turned into this today:

                                

It's just baby sized now and I'm debating on whether to make it bigger. I do have another jelly roll of this Moda Breath of Avignon. It's an older line that I still really like, but need to use. Those jelly rolls have got to go and it's awfully tempting to just sit here all day and sew:

New Life For an Old Project

I finally cut up my Portobello Market quilt top.

 I knew it wasn't working, but I was absolutely clueless as to what to do with it. Well I finally made a decision. Its finding new life as a Plus Quilt.

I've got the first couple of rows stitched together, but the rest are still in pieces. I'm cooking for the crew for a few days this week, but hope to sneak in a few stitches here and there.

I wanted a pattern that would make the best use out of the fabric I had on hand and I have been stalking the Plus quilts that have been floating around the Internet for some time. Most of them use modern fabrics, but I kind of like the combination of these vintage-y fabrics in this modern pattern.

 I almost nixed the idea because most of them use larger fabric pieces than what I had to work with, but then I figured that I could adjust the pattern to accommodate my fabric. I wanted to take advantage of my layer cake and that led me to using 3" strips. This is all I had leftover from a single layer cake square:

Then I stumbled upon Just Crafty Jess's tutorial  as well as a handy pdf sheet from For the Love of George with a layout that simplified things greatly. I don't know how big I am  going to make this quilt. I just plan to keep adding to it until I run out of Portobello Market fabric.

Ummm...side note: Yesterday I was hunting a particular fabric... and a cat. I found both, but I also unearthed more Portoballo Market fabric in a bin. I must have REALLY liked this fabric. :) I've probably got enough for a couple more quilts. LOL.

I've noticed that there are 2 different schools of thought on the Plus quilts. Some are solely constructed of squares and some use rectangles and squares. I am using 3 x 8" rectangles and 3 x 3" squares for this one, but I plan to make more Plus quilts and I'll use squares on the next one and then decide which method I prefer.

There is a lot of trotting back and forth going on as I don't have a dedicated sewing room. My sewing machine is in the our bedroom and I've laid out my pluses on the bed in our girl's room, which is where my iron is as well. With each seam, I'm hopping up and wearing a path on the floor back and forth through the hallway. Its the only way I can keep the pieces straight. It works for me.

With both kids grown and only coming home occasionally, I really have no reason not to fix up a sewing room, but I guess I'm just not ready to make the change. :)

I think I am smitten with this pattern and that surprises me because I tend to be drawn to the more traditional patterns.

 I would really like to make a couple of baby quilts though, as well as  one using the Moda Grunge fabrics. I snagged a fat quarter bundle on sale a few weeks ago and if I can bear to cut into it, it may just end up in this pattern.

It feels good to be working on something new. I've decided that if I start one new project for every 2 UFOs I finish, then I'll be making progress. Come to think of it, this IS a UFO, but it feels like it has a new lease on life.*Rolls eyes* That's a sign that it's way past my bedtime and I am in need of sleep. I should not be allowed at the keyboard in the middle of the night.

Losing Focus

It was bound to happen eventually. I've been so good about working on UFOs and not buying fabric... until now. I haven't bought fabric since September. And yes, I am telling you this so you won't judge me too harshly as you scroll through this post. :)

Since I finished my floral quilt, I decided I needed to make another one and the voice in my head said, "It'll look nice, but it'll REALLY be amazing if you have more variety!". Did I listen to the voice? Of course I did and before I knew it, my friend, Tony, drove up in his pretty brown truck and handed me a couple of boxes filled with these:

                                       

Tony is very cool and not just because he brings me brown paper packages. And just so you know - that stack of fabrics also includes the 25 prints that I used in my floral quilt and I just added some variety.

I want to make a simple patchwork flower garden quilt and this is my way of growing a wildflower garden in the desert.

I stopped at Joann's while I was in Texas to look for a particular fabric for a friend and I bought a bit of this for a kitchen valance. I pulled the dot from my stash for a ruffle.

And when I was in Amarillo, I picked up some basics to add to my stash:

And I found this in Amarillo too, but I still need a plan:

 I stopped at 2 quilt shops on my way home from Texas last week and added some odds and ends for various projects at my first stop which was One Quilt Place in Fredricksburg

They had every color of grunge and I was sorely tempted to get into lots of trouble, but I reined myself in and only picked up a few small pieces of other prints for a couple of scrap quilts:

I've been on the hunt for a backing for my Granny Square quilt - I'm working on the pieced borders - and I stumbled upon the perfect fabric at my 2nd stop.

And here's the really exciting part: it was only $3.49 a yard! So I might have come home with 11 yards, but the sashing is such a rich, dark, brown and I think this this'll set off the blocks nicely. It's hard to beat quilt store quality fabric at that price!

More bargain priced fabric at $3.99 came home with me for a Christmas quilt backing and borders and binding:

And I was doing so well! When I lose focus, I REALLY lose focus!