PickingandStitching: Christmas in July

Sarah, with Confessions of a Fabric Addict, ( confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com) is sponsoring a blog hop and I am participating It was going to be loads of fun from the beginning, but she has now announced a HUGE giveaway! Here is her announcement.
12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop
"And as if great holiday ideas and a tutorial weren't enough, this year we've got something extra special! The lovely folks over at Free Spirit Fabrics have donated not just one item for a giveaway, but THIRTEEN! And it's pretty drool-worthy stuff, too - it's Tula Pink's new holiday line, Holiday Homies!!!"

She has six design rolls, six layer cakes, and one fat quarter bundle to give away - and here's how we're going to do it! Visit each stop on the hop, including Sarah's blog, and leave a comment on each post for the day. If you comment on all the blogs involved that day, you'll have that many entries in that day's drawing! At the end of the hop, she will do a giveaway for each day by putting everyone's name in the hat who commented that day and drawing a winner for that day. That will be twelve winners - the design rolls and layer cakes. Then she will put all the names from all the days in a hat and draw out a grand prize winner for the fat quarter bundle! Only one prize per person, though. So carve out a bit of time to visit all the blogs and comment.

Here is a list of the blogs and their dates:

Friday, July 14th

From My Carolina Home

Vrooman's Quilts

Pampered Pettit

Saturday, July 15th

Citymousequilter

Vicki's Crafts and Quilting

Quilting Fun

Sunday, July 16th

Swimming in a Sea of Estrogen

Everyone Deserves a Quilt

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting

Monday, July 17th

Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats

Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life

Crayon Box Quilt Studio

Tuesday, July 18th

Seams To Be Sew

Stitchin at Home

Domestic Felicity

Wednesday, July 19th

The Colorful Fabriholic

Smiles From Kate

Thursday, July 20th

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting

The Inquiring Quilter

Selina Quilts

Friday, July 21st

Katie Mae Quilts

Quilted Blooms

QuiltFabrication

Saturday, July 22nd

Devoted Quilter

Kathy's Kwilts and More

All Points of the Compass

Sunday, July 23rd

Mel's Quilting Blog
Resourceful Momma
Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting

Monday, July 24th

Anja Quilts
PickingandStitching
A Dream and a Stitch

Tuesday, July 25th

Christina's Handicrafts
Abyquilts

Kathy's Kwilts and More

As you can see, my post will be on Monday, the 24th and I am working hard to have it ready for you then. Meanwhile, visit those other blogs and comment so you can get into this fabulous drawing. Here is just a little teaser to keep you interested.

I do have a few things to show you from the past couple of weeks. I decided to join the Bonnie Hunter Leader and Ender Challenge this year, so did some cutting from my overflowing 2-1/2" strip bin. Bonnie's little blocks are so much cuter, but this is the bin that needs some work at my house.

I'm using dark brown and cream for my 4-patches because my rails all seem to be those warm darker colors rather than brights. I did a bunch of cutting in preparation for a sew day on one of my vintage machines. My go to machine for piecing at home is my Viking Megaquilter and it has a thread cutter, so no need for leader/enders. These blocks are 12-1/2' unfinished, so I can make a big quilt over a year's time.

The other finished project is something from a class with Shelly Pagliai (Prairie Moon Quilts) about a year ago. I had it pieced, but not quilted. I knew I wanted to practice some more elaborate FMQ on it and just kept procrastinating out of insecurity. I finally have it done and if you don't get too close, it isn't too bad.