Back in the BlogLife Again

It's been a really long time since I took the time to blog anything. I've been lurking and posting and reading tons of blogs, but...since Blogger changed it's templates (how long has that been now?), I haven't been compelled to update this blog. But, not I'm back and determined to begin blogging again...

To begin with, I thought it might be nice to share a few finishes that haven't been posted yet.  This quilt is a "Bento Boxes" quilt made for my mother (since she threatened to pack my flower quilt in her suitcase when she came to visit).  We used the leftover fabrics from the flower quilt and this one was designed and cut by my daughter Kayla (age 16 at the time).  I pieced and hand quilted it according to her direction since she just didn't have the time or patience.

 

This "Amish Sampler Quilt" was begun by my mother.  The quilt began with a sample block made at her quilt guild and then she just chose a few more blocks to make.  My mom brought the blocks to my house and told me she needed help with a setting to finish the quilt. No problem...samplers are always nice with a bit of sashing...the simpler the better!  There wasn't much fabric left over from the block and mom was tired of piecing on this quilt, so we cut strips and just made a couple of very simple borders.  Then she dropped the bomb..."could you quilt this?  You hand quilt so much faster and I need to show this at the quilt fair.  It won't be done if I have to do it"...so I did :)

And just one more for today...this is an Apple Table Runner that I made for my friend Bea.  Her whole kitchen is done up in burgandy apples with their dark green stems (too bad my picture looks like orange pumpkins, but I promise, they are really red apples - bad photographer).  When I visited her last, she wasn't using this quilt as a runner, but it's hung in a place of prominence on her kitchen wall...I guess she liked it!

Well, that should do for a first back-to-blogging post!  Let's see if I can do a better job keeping up!





Happy Mother's Day!

Make a photo album

A Few More Blocks...

Just posting a few more blocks for our Quilts Your Way Squishie Swap 2010:

The top 2 blocks are more 12 1/2" unfinished Mosaic Windmills made for Sheri and Natalie.  Sheri's fabric is a lovely Asian print with gold outlining running through it andNatalie's is from one of the yummy BG (Basic Grey) lines.  I can't wait to get my hands on more of that one!   Here on the right are 2 - 6 1/2" unfinished windmill (pinwheel) blocks made for Lyn.  She sent different fruit fabrics to each swapper, so I can't wait to see what kind of market fresh quilt she'll come up with!

Finally....A Finish!

Sorry to be gone from blogging for so long...I really didin't mean to be!  After about 3 weeks of hand quilting, my bright floral quilt is finally bound and finished!  Still no tag on the back (as with so many of my other quilts), but finished all the same.  Woohoo! 

My mother has alread claimed that this will be the quilt she will be sleeping under all summer and warned me that it may end up in her suitcase for her trip home.  Well, it's ready for her to sell under, but I'm not giving this one away just yet.  Both of the girls like this one as well, so I guess it was worth the wait!  YAY!

Ostrich Round 3

Round three is all about the number three...three dimensional, that is. Yep, this round's theme is 3-D! The challenge is to add some type of three dimensional elements to your quilt. It could be something as simple as embellishments or a bit more challenging like prairie points or yo-yos. You could even try your hand at trapunto! The possibilities are endlesss, but the deadline was April 15th -- needless to say, I am lucky enough to have ahd an idea right away!
First, I tacked down the yarn tails that I added onto the elephants in the very beginning.  I then added gold sequin and blue beaded eyes to the elephants, thanks to my mom and sister for sending the sequins to me!  And last I made piping and sewed it into the outer border.
 

Piping is something I've never tried before and I've been wanting to try and make some.  Actually it was pretty easy once I figured out how to sew closer to the inner roping!  Just measure out the length of fabric you'll need, fold it over wrong sides together to form a tube.  Push your "filler" roping in to the fold (I pinned it in to keep it from shifting) and then sew as close to the roping as possible to create the piped effect.  I found that leaving plenty of seam allowance (close to 1") worked well for sewing the piping onto my border.  Then I went back and trimmed back the seam allowanxe to 1/4" later!