Quilting KP's Quilt and Other Stuff

I began quilting KP's quilt.  I'm hoping to make the curves within the squares design that has the cathedral windows look.  Of course, my curves curve all over the place but that's what makes it my quilting.

 

The only batting I had at home the day I made the sandwich was the extra loft type.  I hesitated using it but now I really like the results.  So, it would be nice if I can get this done by early July, but whenever I make a plan something happens so no plan, just doing.

 

I won this great book from Quiltmaker. 

It's Farm Fresh Quilts by Kim Gaddy. 

 

I love, love the designs in this book.  You may see a bee skep or chicken runner soon.

 

And because I appreciate her approach to quilting, I ordered Mary Ellen Hopkins' book, The It's Okay To Sit On My Quilt Book.

It's out of print, so I ordered a used book through Amazon.  My book is like new.  Love it.

 

I like my Sizzix die cutter very much, and get emails from them when they have sales and such.  I was able to buy all of these dies for under $40.00, including shipping, which I think is pretty good shopping.

 

If you like die cutters, visit SewCalGal  http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/ .  There is an eBosser blog hop going on with how-to's and giveaways.  Apparently, the eBosser is compatible with dies from multiple manufacturers.  Sounds nice.

 

The sun is out and so are the lawn mowers. 

Not mine:-)

God Bless You.

 

 



Hello World

The thing about working on UFO's is that there isn't much to post except the bits of progress so I 've let my blog rest for awhile.  I've reached the point on my America the Beautiful quilt where I am auditioning fabric for the binding and that makes me very happy.  I just have a few pictures of the FMQ I've done.  Look at the difference a little stippling makes.

 

And I've enjoyed making twinkly stars because they look nice and are easy. 

 

 

I am surprised at how long finishing this quilt has taken.  I am just not a fast quilter. 

I made the 10th block in the Ben Franklin qal http://erikhomemade.typepad.com/files/our-editor-block-10-benjamin-franklin-mystery-quilt-page-1-3.pdf  It is called Our Editor.

And I put together a body pillow cover using Blank Textiles' Bora Bora.  These fabrics transport me from my very sedate home to daydreams of the tropics. 

 

I finished the mini quilt I was making during SewCalGal's International Quilting Day.

 

I have won some nice things as well.

This is from the Worldwide Quilting Day site.  They had a whole month of giveaways.  I've never tried Aurifil thread so now I have the chance.  Thank you.

This I won from Judy Chain of Sew Fun Quilts during SewCalGal's Golden Quilters Awards.  I love that I have the makings of project already cut and ready to sew.  Thank you, Judy and SewCalGal.

And also from SewCalGal is this collection of batiks from Hoffman Fabric.  I hope you can see the pansies, daisies, ferns, leaves graphics and in the upper fabric the shells. There is also one with sea horses.  I had just purchased a Bali Snaps pack of Hoffman Fabric and as you can see it blends well with the other pieces.  This will be another fun project to put together.  Thanks again SewCalGal.

Is that it?  Think so.  I did put together another I Spy quilt for my sister's grand kids and my day was made when my nephew posted a picture of his little one and in the background was my quilt on the floor.  It's being used. That warms a quilter's heart. 

That's where I am.  Hopefully America the Beautiful will be a finish this week.  I hope you all had a blessed and happy Easter.

 

God Bless You. 

WWQD Post 2

I have the mini quilt sewn, sandwiched and ditch-stitched.  This is a good opportunity to play with FMQ so I'm going to take some time to think about what I would like to do in that regard.  I have the sleeve sewn to my log cabin quilt but need a rod for hanging, so that's on hold. 

 

 

Hope you are having a fun day.  You can link in to this sew-cial at SewCalGal's.  http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/

Today is Worldwide Quilting Day

Here I am at home sewing alone, but in fact, I am probably sewing with , perhaps millions or is that too high an estimate, of other quilters around the world.  There isn't a quilt shop in my area, but quilt shops everywhere are hosting activities to celebrate this event.  Bloggers, too.

This is what I'm working on today;  Putting a hanging sleeve on a log cabin quilt I made from my Little Quilts All Through the House book ( one of my first quilts and now I want to hang it,)  a mini quilt to replace my Valentine mini quilt and my America the Beautiful quilt that is still in the 'stitch in the ditch' stage. 

 

 What's appropriate about this mini quilt is that the fabric is aTy Pennington strip set that I won from Quiltmaker and the quilt block is from Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks edition Volume 1. 

 I have taken two Craftsy courses; one by Cindy Needham and one by Ann Petersen and both advocate ditch stitching before any decorative quilting is begun.  But on this quilt I think I will never get to the decorative quilting stage:)

One place you can join in with other quilters online today is SewCalGal's qal.  http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/  Join us if you can.

 

God Bless You

and

Happy Worldwide Quilting Day!



There's Nothing Like a Finished Quilt

 

This is a big finish for me.  The QOV is done.  I am going to add a hanging sleeve to the back in case my brother wants to use it, but other than that, this project moves across the finish line.  I feel very good about that.

 

I added a friendship star to the backing.  It's very appropriate. 

 

 

When I was at MQE last spring the person at the Quilt of Valor booth gave me one of the labels they use when they present a quilt.  I doctored the picture so my brother's name isn't visible.

 

 

Some of the backing fabric.  My very poor hand quilting is visible but that's ok. 

 

This means I can move to another UFO and push it across the finish line.  I selected the Festive Mystery Quilt because all I need to do is quilt it and bind it and it's done.  I've already run into problems with that simple intention, so I'll begin today with some unsewing.  That's the quilting life. 

 

I want to give a shout out to SewCalGal for a recent review she did on a Craftsy class with Cindy Needham.  http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/2013/02/craftsy-class-design-it-quilt-it-with.html  Based on her post and review I decided to take the course, mostly because one of the segments was about a table-top method of basting the quilt sandwich.  This part of quilting for me has always been the big dread.  Last night I watched the intro and the basting segments and feel that I have already learned so much.  Cindy is terrific, and has a nice way of conveying what she knows.  FYI, when I clicked on the Craftsy link through SewCalGal's post, the course was discounted 25%, but when I opened Craftsy from my browser the course was the regular $40.  I don't know how long that discount is in effect.  

 

Wishing you a finish soon.

 

God Bless You.

 



GQA Voting and Adventures in Squirrelville.

Yesterday Moxie was jumping from window to window facing the backyard so I looked out and saw a squirrel hanging like a monkey by his tail in the redbud tree.  I was thinking "wow, I didn't know squirrels could loop their tails around and hang like that" (duh) when I realized it was in distress.  Now the snow was still mid-thigh high, but I put on boots, hat, scarf, coat and gloves (mostly to protect myself in case he got violent), went out with branch clippers and tried to help it.  The poor guy had gotten his tail caught in the Y of a branch, but I could not cut it.  However, because I had lowered the branch he was hanging on, he could get his forepaws on another branch and pull, which he did, and suddenly he was loose and running for cover.  This was left in the tree:

That's fur and it's still there today, so it's caught really well.  He removed the bark trying to get free.  I think that should make up for the squirrel who jumped under my moving tire a few months ago. 

It's time to cast your votes in SewCalGal's 2013 Golden Quilters Awards. http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/2013/02/2013-golden-quilter-awards-voting.html

The thing to remember is that not only can you vote for someone you want to acknowledge in the quilting world or for something that you rate highly, but you give yourself a chance to win prizes donated by sponsors who support SewCalGal's event.  There are gift certificates, fabric, quilting tools, thread, books, and a neat set of lotions.  You can vote until 2/28/13.  When I first began quilting and blogging a few years ago, few of the faces and names meant anything to me, but I am happy to say that I recognize many of them now so it's a bit of a challenge to choose.  The easy ones are those I nominated.

This morning I intended to drive to the library, post office and drug store.  But, parking is a mess what with snow mounds covering any parking spaces, so all I got done was the drug store.  However, we've been lucky in that fog has eaten up some of the snow and it's sunny and warm today, so maybe tomorrow will be better day for doing errands. 

 

God bless you.

GQA at SewCalGal

The Golden Quilter Awards at SewCalGal http://www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com/p/golden-quilter-awards.html are open to nominations.  Don't you just love the button?  The sewing machine image is just the ticket.  One thing that I enjoy about this award event is that I find new people in the quilter world that I can learn from or just appreciate what they create.  It's a nice event.

I've been good about hand-quilting the QOV, so don't have much else to show but today I may take a break and make the latest block from the Ben Franklin QOV so that I will be completely up to date on that.  Thank heavens for audio books.  Whoever invented them is a genius.

Have a wonderful day.

 

God Bless.

 

 Am I in your way?

 

Well, you'll just have to work around me.