Mystery quilt

I couldn't resist posting this photo. We love our dogs and they love us.

Here are my fabrics for Judy L.'s mystery quilt. We're supposed to just pick a bunch of fabrics, not paying attention too much to color choices. If we don't like it in the end, she said she will be happy to quilt them and donate to charity.

Christmas BOM blocks

1st 2 blocks are from Nancy Halvorsen's book, 12 Days of Christmas. I'm working on them as a BOM at my LQS.
Here is part of the BOM from last year, also a Nancy Halvorsen. This one is Be Attitudes. I have all the blocks made, but still have to do the blanket stitching on the last 8 or 9. My own red, fuzzy slippers sneaked into the shot... Don't mind the floor. It's hideous, I know, but since it's the laundry room, no one ever sees it. Well, at least until now. :)

Baby gift, Crocheted flowers

The lunch bag I finished on the quilt retreat last month. I have a couple others cut out and ready to roll, but not motivated to finish Christmas stuff right now. I need some spring-y colors!

My great grandmother was a crochet queen! My grandmother has hundreds of these flowers and framed them for each of her daughters, and most of their friends. Recently, Grandma made tiny frames with 2 or 3 flowers in them for each of her granddaughters. The little frame is upstairs. This oval frame is the one she originally gave to my dad's mother eons ago. The colors are still beautiful - this picture doesn't do them justice.

A baby quilt and tiny pillow for a co-worker. She has bought several of my lunch/gift bags, as well as a large bag for herself. The blocks are actually parts of a "book panel" that I got in a grab box from Fat Quarter Shop. I LOVE when they have the grab boxes. They are usually 12 pounds. I've only bought one, but the unusual mix of fabrics has stretched my imagination - even if the bits were tiny. Those small strips have become trim for some of my bags. Or handles. Or were used in quilts. Some were "not my taste" (meaning u.g.l.y., but I didn't want to say that out loud) and I gave them to some friends who really liked them. A fun way to expand your horizons - and about the only surprise I truly enjoy. MOre on surprises another time....

PS - can't post this until after the gift is given. Will be sitting in my drafts for awhile.

Just for us

I started this quilt about 3 years ago with a surprise fat quarter medley from Keepsake Quilting. I fell in love with the center panel and built my quilt around it. It is all my own design and is the largest project I've worked on. Needless to say, I do not think I am up to the task of quilting it. It will be sent out - hopefully soon! I can't bear to let it out of my house, but I will have to let go for a short time.

Some of the other fabrics are from my mother-in-law, some are from my mom. Most are from Abigail's Quilt shop. Those ladies were great helping me pick colors and fabrics!

The blocks across the top and bottom are modified broken dishes blocks. My great-grandmother had a similar design in a red and white quilt she made out of flour sacks sometime during the 30's or 40's. Her quilt has a sold color center, but I added the contrasting square. I'll get a picture of that next time. You can still read the labels!

Little Pink Houses

I don't usually join groups on blogs, but this quilt was so cute, I couldn't help it! My DD took one look at the first four blocks and made me promise to let her help when the next patterns are ready. Mama Spark had the idea.


I've seen so many folks post pictures of their irons on their blogs. Since I took these quick picks on my ironing board, I thought I'd add my iron too. I really like this one and paid a pretty penny for it. (Don't tell DH! He would have a kitten if he knew I'd spent that much on something that I don't use except for "sewing and quilting.") It's an Oliso and a long story behind it's purchase...

I had been using my grandmother's iron since I moved into my own house (12.5 years ago). Grandma passed away in early January 1989, so I can only guess how old the iron was before I inherited it. It was awesome! Never dripped or spit, got hot as heck-but didn't scorch anything unless I really wasn't paying attention. It was heavy, but didn't cause any trouble. Hee hee, plus, before I started sewing/quilting again, I only used it on very rare occasions.

Well, enter two new dogs into the house and one of them needs to be near a person at all times. I even have an extra bed for her near my sewing machine. She bumped the ironing board and knocked Gram's iron to the floor - concrete floor. No one got hurt except the poor antique. I bought a cute purple thing at Wally-world. It was light, not too expensive and best of all, it was PURPLE! I sure got what I paid for and tossed it out when it dripped and scorched some quilt fabric! Only 3 months old! Grandma's iron was easily more than 30 yrs old when it bit the dust.

I trudged up to my sewing machine repair shop (Pins & Needles is great!) and they sold me this great iron. Well worth the cost. I don't even have to stand it up. It stays on little pop-out feet as soon as I let go of the handle. My kids love to touch the handle and make it pop up and down. Hey, if only they would do some of hubby's shirts... one can dream.

My own quilt retreat projects

I designed this bag at my mil's request for a bag to hold her scrapbooks for crops. She is very particular (just like me...) and it took me 6 months to even start cutting the fabrics!

Made this for my niece for an Easter gift. Quilted bags are big at her school and everyone loved the first one I did for her.

This was supposed to be a gift for a friend of mine, but I loved it so much, I couldn't give it away. It's also my first foray into free-motion quilting, so probably not good enough to gift anyways... well, that's what I told myself!

Ahhh - the bulk of my weekend was spent doing the sashing on this quilt. It was started as a BOM 2 years ago and I LOVE it! My son picked the colorway the first month so this will eventually be his. Because it's a BOM, I don't have much extra fabric, but it is asking to be bigger. I'll figure somehting out! I have to confess, some of the pros and the retreat really liked this one too. ;-)

I did work on two other small projects: the replacement baby quilt (see previous photo :) and a small Christmas gift bag. I'll take those pics soon. I had a few other gift bags cut out, but never did get around to finishing them. People were intrigued by my technique and the brand of interfacing I used. I'll take these again to do at retreat. I was hoping to finish several to sell at work. Maybe next time!

Retreat - part 2

An all wool quilt - very cute!

The tiniest block I've ever seen.

Next two are by my friend - Streak of Sunshine. They go together quickly and she always has a couple on hand for baby quilts.

Retreat!

Perfect caption and quote for the above quilt: "This kind of project you have to bring to a meeting like this. You receive the validation you need for all the hard work you've put into it." It was stunning!

Cute table runner by the person who showed me the ropes/shopped with me last year.

This sweet lady showed me how to do continuous binding last year when I ran short of binding on my cousin's baby quilt.

Looks like stained glass, doesn't it? Definitely one of my favorites.

Pretty - another from a friendship trade.

This lady went with my friend and me shopping. This mantel scarf was her own design. I couldn't believe all the work she put into it!