The Brightest Quilt Yet

I had pieced a top several months ago from the Girly Girly line by Pat Bravo.  It is really bright.  I just finished up the quilting.  That fabric was wonderful to work with.  It was soft and draped well.  I used warm and natural batting.  The quilt came out very light weight.  Perfect for Texas weather.

The back is a little more restful on the eyes

I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year.  I still have three more quilts to get done.  I see light at the end of the tunnel though.

More Christmas Quilts

My husband finally emailed the pictures he took of more of my Christmas quilts.

I made a table topper/wall quilt for my sister using a Glace charm pack and some extra fabric.

Next is my Dad's Quilt.  My husband picked out the fabric.  It is Jo Morton/Andover Fabrics.

Jo Morton/Andover Fabrics

I also finished up my son's fiancee's quilt.  She likes blue.  I had some beautiful batik fabric I picked up at the Chishom Trail Quilt Show.

Beautiful Batiks

Pieced Back

The last one was for my oldest son.  There is a story behind this quilt.  He had a quilt that was polyester camo fabric that his great aunt made for him.  He had that quilt into his 20's until it fell apart.  I made him a quilt with fabrics that have a camo look for the front and flannel camo for the back.  It is really a cuddle quilt.  

Yes that is really flannel camo

Finally my husband took a bigger picture of the churn dash quilt I sent to our daughter and son-in-law.

As you can see I was really busy get things finished up between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I have four more tops done that need to be quilted for both family and friends.  All of the children and grandchildren now have their quilts though.  Yeah!!!!!

A few more December projects

I made a quick Christmas table runner for my gift swap at work.  I used a pattern I found on PinInterest.  It was originally made out of canvas.  I used fabric and batting instead.

I also finished up a churn dash quilt for my daughter and son-in-law.  That was the late Monday night sewing spree.

I did not get the whole quilt in the picture as I took this at 11:30 at night because I was mailing it early the next day.  

I have more quilts that my husband took pictures of and has not emailed them to me yet.  I will post as soon as I get him motivated.

Daugher and Grandson Quilts

These are two of the quilts I made this weekend.  One for my daughter and one for my grandson.  My daughter is not a bright color, modern fabric kind of girl so I made a neutral quilt for her.  The fabric for my grandson's quilt is zippety doo dah.

I did not get them photographed in the daylight so my husband made the best of it when he photographed them tonight.  I wanted to get them in the mail for their birthdays, the 17th and 18th respectively.  I have to be out of town all week on business so my husband has been tasked with mailing duty tomorrow.  

I have one more almost done.  I ran short of thread with 8" to go on the binding.  Oh well.  

Busy, Busy

I got my son's Asian inspired quilt sent off last week.  I used Daiwabo taupe fabric in cotton and woven cotton on the front.  On the back my son had picked out two fabrics he liked when he was here last December and I pieced them together like he wanted.  Some math involved.  It turned out really great.  I love that fabric.  My husband and I took a field trip and he photographed the quilt at our favorite spot in Austin.

I have been busy over the holiday finishing more quilts.  My dad's is all done except hand sewing the binding to the back.  I have my daughter's pin basted and I have the back of my grandson's quilt all pieced.  Whew.   I also got my November block done for my block swap.  I have one more day off to get more done this week before I go back to work.  I have lots to get done before Christmas.

Wildfire Quilt

I finally got done with my Wildfire Charity Quilt for kids whose homes burned in this summer's Bastrop wildfires.  I had to do a little math to get the pieced back done.  It was not too bad.  I had some low loft poly backing which I used for this quilt.  My machine really did not like it very much.  I had a little trouble with my bobbin thread.  Note to self:  Don't ever use this again even if it is on sale.

My block swap adventure blocks

I got my October block from my block swap adventure swapper and I have a sneak peak at the block I made her.  She wanted a specific block from Lily's Quilts called Lynne Bob Square Pants.  It had a lot of hst's.  Luckily they were the size I had on my Accuquilt Die.  That did speed things up a little.

I had my own adventure.  I had a nuclear stress test a few weeks ago that my doctor had some questions on.  I went in Monday for my follow-up and she suggested a cardiac catheterization.  I went in on Tuesday and they found a blockage in my right coronary artery.  Now I am the lucky owner of two stents.  I only had to stay one night in the hospital and I am going back to work half day today.  The miracles of modern medicine.  I am a little gimpy from them going through my femoral artery up to my heart but otherwise feel great.  

Block Swap Quilt Block

I sent off my first block last month and forgot to post a picture of it.  She wanted red, white and blue.  I did a star in a star pattern I got from my daily blocks I get from Quilt Pro.  Those blocks finally came in handy. It is so easy to import the block pattern, pull it up and print out templates.  Yeah Quilt Pro.  Well you are going to have to imagine this in red white and blue since I forgot to take a picture of it.  This is my practice block with my purple themed fabrics.  These are 12" blocks.

Quilting Fun

I have been fairly productive, I just haven't posted recently.  I went to a local quilt show recently and saw some beautiful quilts and bought some beautiful batik fabric.  I am making a batik quilt using my "Fat Quarter Shuffle" easy peasy pattern.  I used the same pattern for the charity quilt below that I pieced several months ago.  I ran out last week to get border fabric and luckily found a match to one of the fabrics in the quilt.  I need to get that quilted up by the end of the month for the "Wildfire" quilt drive in our area.

I also finished up a table topper that I had pieced a while ago.  I used a charm pack of Terry Thompson Clothier fabric.  Can't remember the name right now.  This was for our silent auction for our charity drive at work.  We put together a kitchen basket with some homemade and some store bought items.  My contribution was the table topper and two machine embroidered kitchen towels.    I had a busy weekend last week getting those items done.  I also pin basted my son's Asian themed quilt with a pieced backing.  I will get a picture of that tomorrow when I get it done.  I also have to cut my 2 1/2" strips together for my Civil War fabric swap.  I am getting tired just talking about it.

My Recent Projects

I have finished FWQAL blocks.  This brings my total to 30.

I also finished quilting granddaughter #3's quilt.  I just have to finish hand sewing the binding.

I went in to get thread at my LQS and came out with six Civil War FQ's plus thread.  It was my birthday so I didn't feel so bad about getting a little extra.

Denyse Schmidt fabrics

I was looking at my e-mail and Jo-Ann's has a sale on the new Denyse Schmidt (DS Fabrics) line.  If you are a lover of Denyse Schmidt this is the time to buy fabric at $6.99 per yard.  See link below:

http://www.joann.com/joann/search/searchall.jsp?qsearch=DS&keyword=_usrch%3ADS

From Linda to Susan

I joined Block Swap Adventure.  I received my first block from Linda and I couldn't be happier.  It is pretty in purple.  I have not finished my block for her yet but it is going to be in her red, white and blue color scheme.

Samantha's Quilt

I got another quilt top done.  Granddaughter Number 3.  Her room is purple and lime green so I tried for those colors.  I embroidered the label but I ran out of bobbin thread in the middle of the background and when I started up again it was slightly off.  Next time start with a full bobbin is my motto.

More FW Blocks Done

I did a redo of Block 23 - Country Farm.  My other block was too small and askew. I also did #69, #30 and #39.  I am now at 27 blocks.

I almost have my granddaughter's quilt done.  Just have to embroider the label.

I also took a picture of the Sunbonnet Sue block I found at an antique mall in Brownwood last month.  I like the lace trim.

Flannel Rag Quilt

I got the rag quilt done yesterday.  Luckily I have spring loaded scissors.  Clipping all the seam allowances only took about an hour.  I took a quick pic this morning and took it with me to work to give to the lucky grandpa.

Four More Blocks

I got four more FW blocks done this weekend.  I am now caught up.  My Ribbons will probably be a do over.  I kept trimming and trimming.  It would be great if it wasn't too small.

I am doing a flannel rag quilt for a co-worker.  They bought the fabric.  All I have left to do is the cutting.  Luckily I bought those spring-loaded scissors.  They are amazing and save the hands.  I should be able to add a picture tomorrow.

I have two quilts I need to get quilted.  My Dad and one of my granddaughters have birthdays this month.  Since this month is almost over I need to get cracking.  

New Quilt Finish

Man, it took me a lot longer to do the binding than I figured.  First you have to sew the strips together, then iron, then sew it around the perimeter of the quilt doing all that mitering stuff and then hand sew to the back.  Whew.  I also had to mess around with my embroidery machine in order to get the label right.

I feel like I have been through a marathon the last two weekends but it is done.

Bottled Rainbow Block

I finally finished one of my Bottled Rainbow QAL blocks.  The QAL is over by the way.  Oh well.  This is a quilt-as-you-go kind of quilt.  It uses Kona solids for the border and white in the middle. It is all sewn to the batting.  Then the fun part.  You use scraps that match the border fabric.  In this case the more orange the better.  I don't have too many modern scraps so this was a stretch for me.  I think it turned out okay.  I have lots to go.  Maybe pink is next.  I have a lot of pink.

I got two more blocks for the Farmer's Wife QAL.  I now have 20 done.  Only 91 more to go.  

Today I am quilting my son's quilt.  I am starting out with stitch in the ditch.  I am not sure yet what I am going to do with the border and the 9" blocks.  They look sort of empty with no stitching in them.

More Farmer's Wife Blocks

My company is finally gone so I got back into the quilting groove this weekend.  I got four more blocks done for my FWQAL.  I also had four blocks from my other Farmer's Wife quilt that I did not use because the colors did not end up fitting in.  I am not sure I still can use them but I've got them up on my design wall with my other blocks.  They are the ones with black and white fabric.  I am still thinking about it.  If you have any opinions please share.  Sorry for the quality of the picture.  Not my best effort.

I also got my son's quilt pin basted.  This is the first time I have done this.  My other two quilts that I completed I used fusiboo.  Speaking of the 2nd quilt I completed.  I sent it off to my granddaughter without taking a picture.  My daughter is supposed to send pix so I can have a record of it.  Pin basting on the floor for a few hours made me a little creaky.  I am going to straight line quilt it.  Not sure exactly how.  I had to stop at the pin basting point and read my book for my mystery book club for Wednesday. It was set in Saudi Arabia.  Being a women a Saudi Arabia sounds like it is very constraining.

First Complete Quilt

Yeah.  I finally did it.  I was under pressure to get a quilt done for a baby shower.  I had pieced the top a few months ago.  I bit the bullet.  I pulled out my fusi-boo and my top and backing fabric and ironed away.  Then I put on the walking foot and did some straight (or semi-straight) lines to quilt it together.  It was not as horrible an experience as I anticipated.  It inspired me to get started on a quilt for one of my granddaughters.  I had put the sandwich together but had not quilted it.  Stitching in the ditch is not as easy as it looks.

Anyway I took pictures of the baby quilt.  I used a max and whiskers by moda charm pack and then a yard of coordinating fabric for the backing.  Hopefully my next top will look a little better.  First time with binding also.  That turned out pretty well.

I only managed one of my FW quilt blocks.  We were on vacation and last week my allergies were so bad I couldn't breathe.  Dang the heat.  Hopefully when I get back into town next weekend I can put more together.  I am getting behind.

Finally a chance to sew

I finally managed to get one block for my Farmer's Wife QAL sewn.  Yeh.

I got three more cut out.  My grandson helped me.  He liked to turn the handle on my Go Baby.  I picked some with the 2 1/2" triangles.  He also picked out the fabric.  He did a good job.  Maybe quilting is in his future.  (HeHe).  I have all three grandkids over now so I better get back to my grandma job.

More Farmer's Wife Blocks

I managed to get six more blocks done before I am descended on by grandchildren.

Busy Day

I have been a busy camper today.  I got eight blocks cut out for my Farmer's Wife QAL.  I got two of them sewed together.  I have so much fun picking out fabrics for the blocks.  Yeah.  I did get two sewn together.  Spool and Bat wings.

I also got all of my fabric washed, ironed and all the Kona solids cut for my Bottled Rainbow QAL which is ending this month and I am just getting started.  Oh well.  I need to get more scraps in order to do the blocks. Most of my scraps are pastels or civil war and don't match the bright fabrics in this QAL.  I will get it done eventually.

This is a quilt as you go ticker tape quilt.  I am excited to get started.  I might even have enough purple fabric.

On Saturday we went to Buda and I got to pick out some fabric for my Farmer's Wife Quilt at B&B Quilting.  They have the nicest selection of florals.  I love going there.  

Sunday we headed down to Blanco for the Lavender Festival.  They always have good speakers.  This year we learned how to make cleaning products using lavender and how to grow lavender.  Also had a great lunch at the Uptown Cafe.   It was a little warm but not too bad.  There was one quilter there.  She had quilts that were hand-quilted.  They were very nice.  It didn't look like she sold too many even though her prices were reasonable.  

Farmer's Wife Redone

Well call me crazy but I signed up to do a Farmer's Wife QAL.  I guess I am a glutton for punishment.  I completed a lap quilt with 50 blocks earlier this year from blocks I made for my Farmer's Wife class last year.  It was so much fun I guess I am inspired to do it again.

I am doing to blocks in florals and matching solids.  I have lots of fat quarters that are floral.  My husband and I both like floral fabric.  The first block was number 9.

Then I did number 73.  I guess I am going to do whatever strikes me.  That is what I did last time and it worked well for me.  I am going to try to get all 111 blocks done for the king size but the paper piecing of some of them might do me in.  We will see.