Honey Honey Patchwork Lap Quilt + Finished or Not Friday {a linky party!}

Welcome to Finished or Not Friday where you can share your finished {or not} projects!

My Finish is a patchwork lap quilt in Honey Honey.  This is why I like hosting Finished or Not Friday - this quilt wouldn't have been finished today if I didn't.

This quilt is a regurgitated chunky race quilt.  Yep, regurgitated.  It turned out so bad without fabric placement planning that I had to cut the strips into 5" segments and sew them back together.  This is why a few of the blocks are made from more than one fabric.  If you'd like to learn how to do a planned Chunky Jelly Race quilt, go check out Jasmine tutorial.  It will save you the headache I gave myself because I didn't follow any plan when sewing the pieces together.

I played around with whirly quilting and had a lot of fun!  I ♥ that border print!

In 2017 I'll be piecing more quilt backs to get more stash off the shelf instead of buying more yardage to match!

The quilt finished at 44" x 60" and is made entirely from Honey Honey by Kate Spain, quilt top, backing, binding, and all.

This quilt is for sale in my Etsy shop.

The most viewed link from last week was A Flock of Cardinals by Not Afraid of Color.

But wait, did you all see this one????  It measures 120" square! It's Changes in the Stars by Quilts and Cakes.  Hop on over to see the actual pictures of the quilt.  {The pictures have people in them, so I didn't share them here.}

Save up to 70% off quilting supplies and kits at Craftsy through Saturday!

You might pick up a Postcard From Sweden kit for the Quilt Along I will be hosting in 2017!  It will begin in March after the rush of other quilt alongs has ebbed and I have returned from visiting my parents in Arizona!

Here's what I bought:

Aria FQs by Kate Spain // Kaleidoscope Kit // Split Square Jewel Kit

All patterns in my Pattern Shop are 25% off through Monday!

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It's your turn to share your finish {or not}!  What's welcome at this party?  

• Any in-progress or finished project made with fabric, yarn, or thread is welcome!  
• Projects from this week only!
• ♥ ♥ PLEASE!  Link to the actual blog post, not your home page.  We'd like to see your post and don't have the time to go hunt it down.
• Include the Finished or Not Friday button or a text link that links back to this week's link-up in order to share the fun.  No, I won't delete your link if you don't, but hey, adding a link in your post is just being friendly, so be friendly and share!!

I will pin your links to my Finished or Not Friday Pinterest board to get your link more exposure.

<div align="center">
<a target ="_blank" href="http://busyhandsquilts.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" title="Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts" target="_blank"><img src="http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/hearts4homeschooling/ad81745e-293c-4ab3-92aa-56185203a444_zpsr7ir28dz.png" alt="Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts" style="border: none;" /></a></div>

To grab the code for the button above, left click in the box, press Ctrl-A for Select All, then Ctrl-C for Copy, then go to the HTML code for your post and press Ctrl-V to paste it where you want it to appear.

An InLinkz Link-up

Linking to:
♥ Finish It Up Friday ♥ TGIFF ♥ Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?!? ♥ Fabric Frenzy Friday ♥ Let's Make Baby Quilts ♥ Off the Wall Friday ♥ Midweek Makers ♥ Let's Bee Social ♥ Needle and Thread Thursday ♥ 

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Get a free pattern when you sign up to receive the latest info on what's happening in my studio, new quilt patterns, subscriber-only sales and Giveaways, quilty window shopping, and other fun news!

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Picket Fence Quilt by Wendy

Wendy posted her Picket Fence quilt on Instagram.  I ♥ the subtle gray sashings! It looks so different than white.  Picket Fence is a layer cake pattern that includes instructions for 6 sizes from baby to king.

A photo posted by Wendy (@wensharpe) on Dec 25, 2016 at 2:22pm PST

I'd love to post pictures of your quilts made in my patterns, so drop me a note or tag @busyhandsquilts on Instagram or use a hashtag with busyhandsquilts or the pattern name.

Follow Busy Hands Quilts!

Best of 2016 @ Busy Hands Quilts

I've enjoyed looking back at 2016 and discovered I made a lot more quilts than I thought I did.  You can see all of my 2016 projects HERE.

Brick Cottage Lane had the most page views and the most comments. 

Kite Flight ranks pretty high on my favorite list of 2016.  This was a custom order.

Castle Dreams made with Handmade by Bonnie and Camille and Moda Crosshatch in Black is my favorite fabric used this year.  You will be seeing this color combination again in 2017!!  This quilt was a gift for my parents.

This is my favorite rainbow quilt from 2016 which I made as part of the Trip Around the World Quilt Along I hosted this year here on the blog.  I ♥ wrapping up in it on these cold evenings.  I keep very few of the quilts I make, so you know this one is my favorite for 2016!  This quilt kit is available here.

I released 7 new quilt patterns and 2 tutorials in my Pattern Shop!  My patterns feature up to 7 sizes and include traditional piecing as well as strip piecing instructions with precuts whenever possible.  My goal is to give you the greatest value for your dollar.

I bought two new sewing machines this year, a Juki TL-2200-QVP mini (identical to the TL-2010q but with a few more feet) and a Brother cs6000i.  Of course I love the Juki more because it's like comparing a Mercedes to a Geo Metro, but the walking foot on the Brother cs6000i works better, so I use it quite a bit.  On the Juki, I ♥ her amazing speed (more quilts, faster!), the knee lever for the presser foot, and the automatic thread cutter; and I love the needle down option on both of them.

Here's the breakdown in numbers:

• 2 King quilts
• 3 Queen quilts
• 1 Full quilt
• 7 Twin quilts
• 10 Lap quilts
• 5 Baby quilts
• 14 Wall Hangings / Table Runners / Curtains
• 12 Pillows
• 13 Custom Quilting projects

Total: 67 quilted items.  13 were rainbows, and 20 were custom orders.

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Check out the Best of 2016 on other blogs at the Linky Party hosted by Meadow Mist Designs.

Linking to:
♥ Linky Tuesday ♥ Let's Bee Social ♥ Finish It Up Friday ♥ TGIFF ♥ Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?!? ♥ Fabric Frenzy Friday ♥ Off the Wall Friday ♥ 

Get a Free Quilt Pattern!

Get a free pattern when you sign up to receive the latest info on what's happening in my studio, new quilt patterns, subscriber-only sales and Giveaways, quilty window shopping, and other fun news!

Click here to sign up!

Kite Flight Lap Quilt {a Finish!}

Kite Flight in Summer fabrics enjoying a frolic in the snow!

Flight Kite is just H.A.P.P.Y.!!

It happens every time I begin quilting in organic wavy lines.  I see my hopelessly unordered lines with no apparent rhythm, and I wonder why I didn't just do a safe allover meander, I wonder if I am ruining the quilt.  And then something magic happens in the process of quilting.  At the moment of great reveal when it's taken off the rails and spread out in its fullness, all doubt vanishes, and I see I have not ruined the quilt; the quilting is actually perfect for the quilt.  Modern quilts need modern quilting.  Organic wavy lines win again!

I added a rod hanging pocket on the top because this custom quilt order is a gift that is intended to be hung.  I suggested my customer buy a Hang It Dang It quilt hanger which requires only one nail in the wall, and I sized the rod pocket to fit the hanger.

Kite Flight is available as a custom quilt in my Quilt Shop.  This fabric collection is no longer available, and you may choose the fabric collection of your choice in an oversized lap or twin size.  

Follow Busy Hands Quilts!

Linking to:
♥ Linky Tuesday ♥ Let's Bee Social ♥ Needle and Thread Thursday ♥ Finish It Up Friday ♥ TGIFF ♥ Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?!? ♥ Fabric Frenzy Friday ♥ Off the Wall Friday ♥ 

Get a Free Quilt Pattern!

Get a free pattern when you sign up to receive the latest info on what's happening in my studio, new quilt patterns, subscriber-only sales and Giveaways, quilty window shopping, and other fun news!

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Finished or Not Friday {a Linky Party!} + Triple Barn Star Lap Quilt

Welcome to Finished or Not Friday where you can share your finished {or not} projects!

My Finish is a made-to-order Triple Barn Star lap quilt in Birch Farm fabrics. This was a last-minute Christmas gift order, and, having promised delivery in time for Christmas, it was in the mail within two days!

The quilt measures 72" x 72" and was a kit that Craftsy sold several years ago.  It was a well aged quilt kit in my fabric closet, so I decided to list it as a made-to-order item in my Quilt Shop.  I have enough fabric left to make another quilt as a made-to-order item in my Quilt Shop.

The most viewed link from last week was Garden Party by Inch Art!

Follow Busy Hands Quilts!

It's your turn to share your finish {or not}!  What's welcome at this party?  

• Any in-progress or finished project made with fabric, yarn, or thread is welcome!  
• Projects from this week only!
• ♥ ♥ PLEASE!  Link to the actual blog post, not your home page.  We'd like to see your post and don't have the time to go hunt it down.
• Include the Finished or Not Friday button or a text link that links back to this week's link-up in order to share the fun.  No, I won't delete your link if you don't, but hey, adding a link in your post is just being friendly, so be friendly and share!!

I will pin your links to my Finished or Not Friday Pinterest board to get your link more exposure.

<div align="center">
<a target ="_blank" href="http://busyhandsquilts.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" title="Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts" target="_blank"><img src="http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/hearts4homeschooling/ad81745e-293c-4ab3-92aa-56185203a444_zpsr7ir28dz.png" alt="Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts" style="border: none;" /></a></div>

To grab the code for the button above, left click in the box, press Ctrl-A for Select All, then Ctrl-C for Copy, then go to the HTML code for your post and press Ctrl-V to paste it where you want it to appear.

An InLinkz Link-up

Linking to:
♥ Finish It Up Friday ♥ TGIFF ♥ Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?!? ♥ Off the Wall Friday ♥ Linky Tuesday ♥ Let's Bee Social ♥ Needle and Thread Thursday ♥ 

Get a Free Quilt Pattern!

Get a free pattern when you sign up to receive the latest info on what's happening in my studio, new quilt patterns, subscriber-only sales and Giveaways, quilty window shopping, and other fun news!

Click here to sign up!

Finished or Not Friday {a Linky Party!} + Kite Flight Quilt in Progress

Welcome to Finished or Not Friday where you can share your finished {or not} projects!

My Not Finished is a custom Kite Flight quilt in the Summer palette.  This kit is available at Craftsy.  I've completed the full blocks and have begun the side setting blocks.  It's going together much quicker than the red version I made because I'm pressing the seams open and pinning rather than pressing and repressing to try to get the seams to nest together.

The most viewed link from last week was Preeti's Angel's Midnight Garden!  It's  a great use of large prints!

Follow Busy Hands Quilts!

It's your turn to share your finish {or not}!  What's welcome at this party?  

• Any in-progress or finished project made with fabric, yarn, or thread is welcome!  
• Projects from this week only!
• ♥ ♥ PLEASE!  Link to the actual blog post, not your home page.  We'd like to see your post and don't have the time to go hunt it down.
• Include the Finished or Not Friday button or a text link that links back to this week's link-up in order to share the fun.  No, I won't delete your link if you don't, but hey, adding a link in your post is just being friendly, so be friendly and share!!

I will pin your links to my Finished or Not Friday Pinterest board to get your link more exposure.

<div align="center">
<a target ="_blank" href="http://busyhandsquilts.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" title="Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts" target="_blank"><img src="http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/hearts4homeschooling/ad81745e-293c-4ab3-92aa-56185203a444_zpsr7ir28dz.png" alt="Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts" style="border: none;" /></a></div>

To grab the code for the button above, left click in the box, press Ctrl-A for Select All, then Ctrl-C for Copy, then go to the HTML code for your post and press Ctrl-V to paste it where you want it to appear.

An InLinkz Link-up

Linking to:
♥ Finish It Up Friday ♥ Fabric Frenzy Friday ♥ Linky Tuesday ♥ 

Get a Free Quilt Pattern!

Get a free pattern when you sign up to receive the latest info on what's happening in my studio, new quilt patterns, subscriber-only sales and Giveaways, quilty window shopping, and other fun news!

Click here to sign up!

Ombre Rainbow Wall Hanging + My Path to More Energy

Another project off my cutting table!  This wall hanging is made from leftover tube sets from the custom Trip Around the World lap quilt I recently made.  Another addition to my growing rainbow quilt collection hanging in the hallway!

The quilting is in the ditch with Superior Monopoly invisible thread.

This is the third project I have finished over the last week from the numerous unfinished projects on my cutting table.  Two others are in progress.  Oh, yes, and I also started a Flight Kite quilt, my last custom quilt order for 2016.

What's my secret to so much sewing?  I'll tell you.  I'm applying the principles outlined in The Elimination Diet by Tom Malterre (he's local to Bellingham, BTW!) and have eliminated gluten, dairy, sugar, nightshades, beans (legumes), eggs, beef, pork, corn, yeast, nuts, and citrus.  I've also eliminated all grains such as rice, although this is not part of the plan, because I have a history of intestinal candida and SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).  Quinoa is my friend!  It's the tastiest little seed when boiled in Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base.

I roll my eyes when my kids walk into the kitchen, open the fridge and all of the food cupboards and say, "THERE'S NOTHING TO EAT!"  I look at the options they have and don't feel even a bit sorry for them.

After two weeks of eating this way, I have more energy, my aches and pains have mostly gone away, all sugar cravings are completely gone, and I have lost 8 pounds.  In a few days I will begin adding foods back in to see which foods are causing problems.  I am really, really hoping eggs aren't one of them because I sure miss an egg for breakfast, and oh my, a beef taco salad sounds rather heavenly right now!

I should note that I began taking a supplement to help with sugar cravings a few days before I went off sugar.  It is Energetix Mycocan-Chord, one dropperful first thing in the morning and again last thing before bed.  It works by killing off bad bugs that need sugar to survive which is what causes us to crave sugar.  It has been no problem going off of sugar because of this supplement.

Linking to:

♥ Works in Progress ♥ Midweek Makers ♥ Let's Bee Social ♥ Linky Tuesday ♥ Needle and Thread Thursday ♥ Finish It Up Friday ♥ TGIFF ♥ Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?!? ♥ Fabric Frenzy Friday ♥ Off the Wall Friday ♥ Linky Tuesday ♥ 

Get a Free Quilt Pattern!

Get a free pattern when you sign up to receive the latest info on what's happening in my studio, new quilt patterns, subscriber-only sales and Giveaways, quilty window shopping, and other fun news!

Click here to sign up!