When a quilt screams....

you should listen.

This quilt kept telling me it should be quilted with straight lines, but did I listen?  Nope!  I always think that free motion quilting is cozier plus I wanted some practice before I started quilting two oversize queen quilts that have been waiting to be finished.

It is backed with flannel and is so warm and cozy you could almost overlook the quilting.

Struggling with my regular machine really made me remember why I want a long arm so badly.  If only I could get the hubs to sell the pool table I could have room for one.  Ah well, straight line quilting it will be for the next quilt.  On to basting.

Enjoy the upcoming week.

Mary

....and I thought I would post more often

....but summer got in the way.  I have not been doing much sewing but have had alot of time with my kids and nephews.  They are hardly kids anymore (all in their 30's) and so much fun to spend time with.  Luckily we have been at the family summer cabin for much of the summer and I have had the most incredible 'studio' in the screened porch.

I did manage to start and finish a twin + doll quilt for a charity auction.  I am hoping a doting grandpa or grandma will spend the big bucks for this cute pink pair.

After my last HST quilt I was pretty sure I did not want to tackle another for quite some time but  the scraps I had were begging to be HST's.  For the white I used an  IKEA sheet.  I took the time to trim the HST's and as much as a pain that was it sure more accurate points.  Next time I think I will press the seams open then trim to eliminate some of the bulky seams.

On the back I used a sheet for the orange/white/pink squares, probably won't just use a random sheet again without knowing the fabric content.  It did not shrink the same as the rest so it looks really rumpled, but hey it's the back anyhow. I quilted it with a wavy cross hatch.  After washing it is crinkly and cozy.  Can't wait to see if it sells.

funny little fish.

The first and only kit I have ever purchased sat on a shelf for a couple years.  Since I have been trying to reduce my stash a bit I decided to pull out these cute little fish and try paper piecing again.  My first try was not so great.  I waste alot of fabric with miss cuts, jeeez you'd think I would learn after one or two miss cuts.  Anyhow these turned out okay and on the third fish they started to come together pretty easily, maybe they were even fun!  I am giving them to my sister-in-law cause we are going to visit for a few days.  Hoping the weather in MN is nicer than our weather in MT.

sashing standstill

I have started sashing these blocks and find that I really don't like to sew the sashing on.  I had so much fun making the blocks but the sashing not so much.  I really like the colors and some blocks I like sooooo much more than others but I think this will be a really fun quilt.  I had planned on giving it away but I made something else for that person so now I think I will keep this quilt myself.  I think it is perfect for the guest room.

Here is a picture of about half the blocks, some are sashed some aren't.  I am sure this isn't the final layout.  It seems I either spend too much time on the layout or I put them up on the board and don't move anything.

We are hitting the road for a week so guess this won't get finished anytime soon.

Have a fun week sewing.

Mary

a ufo finished

Well it is not a quilt but it is a finish.  I had forgotten about these little diamonds I knit about 10 years ago.  I had a pattern for a wonderful sweater but I guess I chickened out and was going to make an afghan.  I unearthed them while I was looking for a certain fabric(yet to be found).

Anyhow I am glad they are all sewn together now.  I wonder how many other ufos I have forgotten about.  Ignorance is bliss in this case.

Yahoo.

M

Inspiration overcomes willpower!

I have been reading my way thru the entries in the blogger quilt festival.  Wow, all the talent and imagination blow me away.

And just when I was doing so well at finishing my ufos I see Angela's quilt at my three sons and I know that is the quilt I need to make and of course start right now.  I really liked her color combos. I added some black and white but otherwise pretty much copied the colors.  I'm not sure what size I want the blocks to end up, usually I get 10 or so up on the board and then start cutting and adding to get the look I want.  The ones that don't make the cut are going to be turned into hot pads so really I am getting two projects done in one.

Keep on stitchin'

M

Is spring over?

 My last tulip.  I bet the petals will be falling off in an hour or two.  It sure was beautiful.

My son was home for the weekend so no sewing.  We don't get him home very often and I would rather spend time with him than down in the sewing room on a beautiful day.  Maybe to the sewing room tonight I have some plans for hostess gifts that I better get moving on.

On to summer

M

My quilt for the Bloggers Quilt Festival

Yup, you saw this yesterday, but that was before I knew about the quilt festival.

I love this quilt, it makes me smile when I look at it.  Generally I do not like to hang a quilt, except around someone's shoulders but this one was screaming to hang on my wall.

With this quilt I tried new things like: quilting parallel lines

and hand quilting.

Just the little hand quilting I did gave me a whole new appreciation for those of you who actually hand quilt a quilt.

It was good for me to push myself to do things out of my comfort zone but I think I will stick with free motion quilting. I LOVE that.

Thanks to Amy for putting this festival together.  Check it out if you haven't been there.

I am glad you found my blog and have fun browzing the quilts in the festival.

M

Light at the end of the tunnel

I am seeing a light at the end of the tunnel!  I only have one

more ufo to finish (well from the pile I said I would finish).  This one is finished and hung.

It so fits into my living room.  I love it.

Rain today so it is a good day to clean the much neglected house.

Happy sewing.

M

Lazy hazy crazy....

This quilt reminds me of those hot lazy hazy crazy days of summer.  I think it will be a good picnic quilt.  I didn't notice it in the quilt but in the photo I really see how I pieced the zig zag border.  I guess I really was lazy about matching at least the color of the zag.  Oh well I still like it.  I think it will be a donation for the community fair this summer.  I do love to see the bidding in silent auctions for my quilts.  Sometimes they go for waaaaaaay more than I think they should and sometimes they go for less than the fabric cost.

It was supposed to be rainy today but the sun is out so I am heading to the golf course. Yippee

M

1 more finish.

I have had this in my ufo pile for a couple years.

It started off  as a quilt for a Christmas gift and these were the leftovers.  Don't know why I didn't pay attention to see that I had enough to make another lap quilt but I just set the pile to the side and it was buried for way too long.  I still like this fabric so I just may keep it for myself.
We'll see.
This is my 4th finish in the last couple weeks.  I am actually seeing the bottom of the ufo pile.  YAY

M

spring strings

It finally feels like we have spring!  Blue sky and sunshine.  Today was probably the last day that I will hike up the mountain and slide down on a black garbage bag!  It was so fun and so fast.  What a great way to start the weekend.

I finished this last week.  It was my first string quilt.  Next time I will do the middle string the same color to add some definition.  This floral fabric just never ends and maybe multiplies in my stash. I am not sure how I got so much of it and WHY I just can't get rid of it.  How many quilts have to have it before I can just throw the rest or donate it and move on to something I really like?

Tonight I am going to do some hand quilting for embellishment on a wall hanging that has been sitting around just wanting to be finished.  Maybe I can show it tomorrow.

M

turning over a new leaf.

I have started a new blog and am hoping I do a better job at keeping this one up to date.  I have been finishing up my ufo's at a good steady rate...... So I think I am turning over a new leaf!  Haven't cleaned my house yet but, hey, I am not sure that is ever going to get very high on my list.

This is a baby quilt I made for my niece's new baby. I like how fresh and snappy it is.  I used minky for the binding hoping he likes carrying it with him.  I really, really, really, am disappointed when the quilts I make get left in the nursery instead of being drug thru the sandbox, slept on even by the family dog, used for a picnic, taken in the car, thrown up on, used to make chair tents and end up a rag by the time he doesn't need his blankie any more.

I am hoping to finish a wall hanging tonight that I will post about soon.

Enjoy your day.

Mary