2 SMALL FINISHES!

 This is a baby quilt that I am going to keep "on hand" for future possible needs.  Most of the fabrics for it were either from the scrap chest at my LQS  (polka dots) or from garage sale purchases (backings).

I love the panel that I put on the back.

This one is my Round Robin from my quilt guild last year (Sept, 2016 - May 2017).  I made the center block and then didn't see it until May when we all received our RRs back.  Again, I was amazed at how nice it came out!

The red backing was from a garage sale - perfect size!

Here is a short video of the robins nest with Mrs. Robin and her babies in it.  It took me a few seconds to get them in the right place, but towards the end it is pretty good.

I think the babies are getting ready to fledge any day now.  Hope I get to see them leaving the nest.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2017!!

Another year is over!  Wow!  A new year to plan for and think about.

Before we get to that, here is one of the baby quilts/wall hanging that I finished before Christmas.  The panel was found at a quilt show that had a "store" of items from the members.  It has a hanging sleeve in case someone wants to hang it up, or it can be a baby quilt.  It hasn't found a home yet.

I made this robe for Abby at the last minute and it fits!

Here is Abby opening her gift from our DS#3/DIL.  A sewing kit!  My DIL sent the box and I helped her fill it with supplies.  The small Altoid tin has pins in it.  Abby is anxious to start sewing more (a friend of hers got a sewing machine for Christmas).  Hopefully, we can get started soon.  With the holiday, some sickness in the family, etc.  we haven't been able to start yet.

Here she is with her robe on.

I haven't really made a complete list of goals, but here is what I have thought of so far:

1.  Secret project
2.  Finish Dear Jane quilt this year
3.  Finish American Crossroads - the blocks are all done.
4.  Continue working on Bowdacious, a Bonnie Hunter design - I have about 12 blocks done.
5.  Make a Christmas wall hanging - "Merry Trails" from the Quiltmania magazine, Dec. 2015.
6.  Make a quilt out of men's shirts for GS for next Christmas - I have Virginia Bound finished for his brother.
7.  Use up fabric - try really hard to make things with fabric I have on hand.

That's enough!  I also want to make lap size patriotic quilts for veterans in hospice - a project from my quilt guild.

Happy New Year to all you dear readers/friends!

2 FINISHES FOR MARCH

Here are 2 finishes for March! Obviously, they were started before March - both in February. I'm happy with this patriotic wall hanging (Judie Rothermel) and it is hanging in our entryway.

This is one of the 2 baby quilts that I started and it is finished and delivered!

I love the dogs on the backing of the baby quilt!

In addition to these finishes, I completed the hand quilting on my tumbler table runner. I'm hoping to get both the table runner and the wall hanging bound soon. I'm also going to start hand quilting my cheddar cheese & crackers doll quilt. Never a dull moment!!

We have been busy trying to get our camper ready and looking for a truck (which we just purchased today). We have been so busy that last night I forgot to go to my quilters guild meeting!!! Can you believe that?

BABY QUILT FINISHED & SENT

I finished the baby quilt and mailed it yesterday!  We decided we would not make the trip to Florida for the baby shower because of DH's bulging disc.  The 11 hour drive would be pressing our luck too far.  

I decided to do a meandering quilting on it and I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.  It's not a perfect job, but it's he best I can do right now.  I have a Patsy Thompson quilting DVD which I want to view some more & do the practice mini quilts - if I can find it (I "put it away" when cleaning up for company and now can't find it)!

On to the next project!

Some Very Special Treasures

The pin on this old quilt is one that my mom wore in the 50s.  I always loved this pin, so when she died I got it - noone else wanted it anyway.

My mom made this baby quilt when she was expecting her first child, my older brother (who is now 71).  I think we all used it in the crib.  I remember my little brother using it after me (I don't really remember using it myself)!  My mom loved applique.

Baby Shower Quilt

This baby quilt is made entirely from my stash and it isn't real "babyish."  I decided to use the fabric in the border because the mom & dad have 3 dogs and at least 1 cat, so I know they are animal lovers.  I bought the fabrics several years ago and wanted to use it.  I had no idea if it would turn out or if I would like it.  When it was ready for quilting, I decided to do an overall design and I had this clam shell stencil - which I had never used.  I started tracing it with a tracing pencil and after tracing it once, my hands were tired and I didn't want to do the whole quilt that way.  So I decided to go out and purchase a "quilt pounce."  The top of the quilt is quite busy, and the quilt pounce chalk didn't really show up too well, but at least it was easier than using a pencil.  While doing the free motion machine quilting, I remembered what Bonnie Hunter said in her 6/10/08 blog post.  She was quilting by hand on a particular quilt and she found it easier to quilt it from the back.  Since the back of the baby quilt is predominantly black (an odd color for a baby quilt), the chalk showed up a lot better and I finished it from the back.

Here's the back view.  It has cats scattered on black.  The binding and green in the top of the quilt is balls of yarn and goes with the backing fabric.
Don't look too closely at the quilting job.  I'm about to give up on doing free motion quilting.  This was a pretty simple quilt pattern, but I still had a hard time staying on the lines.  
Here's a close-up of the border.  This is my favorite part of the quilt.  I love the pet shop!  This is the first time I have ever done a mitered border.
So, for better or worse, this is the shower quilt.  I guess I'm somewhat satisfied with it and hope she likes it.  It certainly is a baby quilt made to be used, dragged and played on.