last finish for a while

again, click for a closer view.
It's been fast and furious hasn't it? That is what happens when you go on a quilting marathon and then have a stack waiting to be trimmed and bound-it seems you have a whole lot of finishes in a very short time. Actually, a few of these were pinned for quite a while waiting to be quilted. Here is the last of the pink quilts until I sketch out the quilting design on the remaining pink pinned top-I am going to be lazy and try and draw it on without unpinning it! anyway- this is a small donated top, that came about from taking apart the much larger quilt top it was originally. I managed to get two charity quilts that way! I ended up doing very dense and fun free motion quilting on it-not real stippling but sorta, kinda. At any rate, I had a total blast quilting it. I pulled scrap green binding from the bags of leftover bindings and it worked great. This will be going into a box destined for children in need in Mexico-check out my sidebar under Pam to learn more.
Would you believe it? I fell asleep last night designing a special baby quilt for a special long distance friend! In digging out my cute preprinted labels I found some great little kid fabric stashed away with them. I noticed a great floor tile design at some bathroom, somewhere that has stuck in my head as being a terrific quilt pattern idea. I think I will at least, sketch it out and play with some size ideas. I mean, I could use this idea as a leader/ender project while diving into my summer class project right? Isn't it great when a new idea comes to you??

another finish-FAB Convergence

This photo will get larger if you click on it. I am happy to have this done, including a label. This measures at 24 inches by 26.5 inches. I have done the free motion quilting re-do on the next quilt and am in the midst of putting together binding and machine stitching it on. My sweetie taped the NCAA women's games Tuesday night for me while I was at guild. Nice to have it on and enjoy watching some b-ball. I am a huge women's basketball fan-both at the college level and the professional level. Ok..on to that last quilt waiting for binding.

almost done

does this happen to you? I am binding my convergence wall hanging-oh...it needs a label, hmmm.
right, I have a printed label that would be just right...but it's not with all the other labels in the wire basket. where, oh where on earth have I put it now??? and, with some effort and digging-I found it this morning-in time to use it as I like to include part of the binding stitching with the label stitching. My plan is to use this wall hanging not as a wall hanging but on the table. that makes it a table mat and no need to add a sleeve-clever right? I will finish this hand stitching today at work on my break and tonight it will be ready for it's final photo. folks loved the pink quilt last night by the way. it's now tossed in the fabric room . I have the last quilt to bind, plus free motion a small part where I quilted some of the excess backing flipped over on itself-ripped out and now ready to be re-quilted. I have one last pink quilt-from last year-still waiting. I have a heart pantograph design I borrowed from a friend to see if I like it on that quilt-usually I hate following any drawn line on my quilts-however, I may make an exception for this design.
And...yes, I have pink scrap leftovers and an idea what to do with them-and a person for that quilt. That idea will be put on the back burner until after April and May. April and May I have decided will be gardening and personal quilting months. Except for my charity quilting once a month-I am going to focus on more personal ideas I have been waiting to explore, which includes making stuff for Ton's summer class - hurray!

another pink quilt night

Here is the completed pink guild blocks won in February -binding finished last night. I am jotting down my name etc right on the backing as a "label". I am happy to be able to show this off tonight.

It will be a keeper around here. It's larger than my usual 40 inches by 60 inches charity size.
I quilted it in my usual zoom straight line cross hatch style. One day it may be given away to someone in need-someone who likes pink!

I may squeeze out time this morning and machine stitch the binding on the wall hanging. It is always good to have hand work at a guild meeting.

Please note: the cloth book I made came from a panel-I merely cut it apart on the dotted lines and put it together-however it has inspired some create your own cloth book ideas-which may show up eventually here. These can be found at various shops, like your local quilt shop or maybe Jo-Anns, a local discount fabric shop. They zip up fast, are usually a hit with babies/toddlers and look like more work than they are!
Thanks for all the sweet comments on Alice-also known as LMAIW...littlemissaliceinwonderland. or Alice Wonderful ...awwww for short. so far my one and only grandchild-needless to say the light of my nonna heart.

another Sunday ends in pink

I spent time quilting and making binding this weekend. We also delivered a few Easter presents to Alice-I think the photo sums it up nicely. ( yes, I made that book) if you click the photo, it will get larger.

A photo of the first pink quilt-pieced by a gal in my small charity group and quilted/bound by me. If you click on the photo, it will get larger...
I do a lot of donated top quilting given to our group-it's always nice to get them finished up and ready for shipping off to headquarters. I have the guild top(2nd pink) ready for hand stitching the binding on and the third pink top is waiting for binding to be machine stitched plus a bit more quilting. That third one will count as a finished ufo. All the others are current projects.
A bonus of feeling better - I hit the gym both Saturday and Sunday-not overdoing it, but at least getting some cardio in. got to celebrate a small step back to more "normal". I will wrap up the binding by applying it to the convergence wall hanging-quilted though not entirely to my satisfaction-but in the done is better than not done bucket.

So, after I finish more binding, there will follow photos of the various quilts. Once these are all in the done, done catagory-I am taking a break and doing a few personal FUN projects. First and foremost being an idea I want to explore as part of Tonya's summer class assignment. It's been way too long since I played making free form letters and letting those creative juices flow.
I hope your weekend was as much fun as mine! Too bad I have to go back to the office tomorrow-I feel like I am just getting warmed up in here...

treading water

A short note to say I have 2 pink quilts quilted waiting to be trimmed and the quilting I did on my convergence wall hanging has been taken out. I was given another idea on how to quilt it, and I am going to try that at some point. Life has just turned extra hectic and by the time I can sit down in the evening and think about quilting-it is either too late or I am out of energy. My stack of string blocks are all pressed and waiting to be squared up.
I have to say I had so much fun with my free motion quilting on these last two quilts. I still have one pink top needing a backing and so on before I can quilt it. I zipped out last night to go visit the kids and have some play time with Alice. She was in running around mode, one sock/slipper on, one barefoot! She always make me smile and giggle with her high energy and joy in playing. A dose of Alice is so good for the spirit! Easter is this Sunday...and I am ready with a few treats for her. I will have to share them another time as I am too lazy to get out the camera and take photos this morning. It's been mostly rain with a few sun showers lately-I am so ready for some steady sunshine! I am pretty much over the 'flu bug thing, just working on getting my energy level back up. Thanks for stopping by!

National Quilting Day

I was well enough yesterday to go into work late and on to a co-worker's baby shower at the end of the work day. She received many, many gorgeous things-however, I was the only one to give a handmade gift. I took my camera to snap a photo -it's nice to see someone enjoy opening a gift you made. Her husband is a mechanic so the one side of flannel with the cars and trucks and other vehicles was a hit. {click to enlarge photo-sorry you can not really see the vehicle side} I included a set of instructions on how to swaddle your baby as well - it has been my experience that none of the women her age seem to know anything about doing that. I know they wrap up babies in the hospital in that manner, but, somehow the value of doing that is not communicated to new parents. The gal I made one for six months ago is still using hers and said her baby loves that blanket best! How sweet that was to hear. The plush super soft blankets that they have to buy in stores seem so popular, I am never sure how a flannel homemade blanket will compare. For anyone interested-the website I found my directions is here.
Tomorrow is National Quilting Day.
I am part of a virtual retreat tomorrow to celebrate by quilting as much of the day as I am able.
I have been working on a stack of string blocks and of course I still have several quilts waiting to be quilted-those are the projects I want to make progress on tomorrow. My sweetie said, I spent last Saturday quilting all day-and now I am going to spend another Saturday doing it again ? I think my response went along the lines of I consider the whole month a good quilting month.
Truthfully, the joy I experience from my quilting is well appreciated by my sweetie-I think we all prefer to live with happy partners! I want to say thanks for the many kind comments on my 'flu battle-this bug seems to keep being passed along in our area since last December or so-and keeps popping back in another guise. As you may relate, I am so tired of feeling tired! And, I noticed all the cherry trees have flowered and our daffodils have bloomed-must have been that day I spent down for the count! If the sun comes back, I will snap a photo to share.

'flu knockout

I had lots of plans for Sunday-some necessary, some fun. guess what? the nasty 'flu bug had plans-knocked me out for the day. With a fuzzy head and no energy it was a mostly napping day-some reading online but not much. Today I am better, but, not enough to focus and do my day job.
So, another jammy day and maybe a bit of sewing too. I could do string block stitching I am in the midst of working on and I could do some of the sashing re-cutting and stitching on my flannel quilt. There is the sandwiching of the convergence wall hanging as well. No lack of quilting around to chose from that's for sure. As long as I take nap breaks I actually might see some progress-then again, if my head hurts too much-napping will be all the progress I make! I hate losing time to being ill, I would so much rather be productive with my time at home. I am astonished at how tiring it can be to simply sit here and write! I hate it when the 'flu bug bites.

new top mission complete

a few photos of progress to the final top ready for sandwiching/quilting. (size finished at 24 inches by 27 inches) A pretty decent day of playing with fabric and a new pattern. I was the last of the FAB's to finish-though I may have squeaked ahead in terms of getting my borders on ahead of a few of them *vbs* I also managed to do a load of laundry and not a whole lot else - tomorrow the chores will come first, the quilting second. How the weekend can fly by!

start of new project

These are the 4 squares I chose to turn into a Convergence wall hanging using Ricky Tims book.
Some friends and I are going to spend Saturday playing with our fabrics and seeing what we come up with following the directions from the book. Here is when having a large and varied stash really pays off- I pulled and cut these squares in the last 30 minutes. The print is a Hoffman-many years old that I fell in love with and had zero idea what I ever would make from it-a large wild print and I bought maybe three yards of it. the fabric to it's left is a Northcott Quest for the Cure fabric-looks like I bought about ten yards of that. It always feels great to pull from the stash and come up with just the right combination of colors/texture/mix that I feel will be just right for the project in mind.
I had no qualms about cutting into this yardage for a square 14 inches by 14 inches either!
I am going to wind a bobbin and thread my machine and quit for the night-my throat is a bit on the scratchy side, so I doubt I will be up early and stitching like the wind. I will have a grand time once I am up and ready to start my machine. and.....
let's not dwell on the various ufos and wips going on in this room either!

March....what I have been up to so far

A bit of what I am up to currently. I have been working on string blocks, started at my fall retreat, and pulled out last Sunday at our charity group sewing day, as a nice mindless project.
I cut 7 inch foundation squares, so they move right along. I prefer to press after I add two strips, so that takes more time. I have a stack of waiting quilt sandwiches, which I seem to be ignoring at the moment. Saturday I have a new project I am doing with online friends. By the time I wake up and have my coffee I imagine a few of them may be done! They either live in another time zone or are early birds- hey, it's my day off and unless I wake up early, I get up whenever. I am still in the process of gathering tax info to do three sets of tax returns. I always did my moms, and now that she is gone, I have inherited my aunts. So, I have that task hanging over my head. Spring is on it's way with lots of almost blooming daffodils in the backyard-the crocus are great in the front-at least the purple ones are up. I have packed up a quilt and sent it off to a friend to have BP fans done on it. I have a guild committee meeting tonight-bringing my lentil/barley soup as part of our potluck part of the meeting. I know that means I will get home too late to have energy to do anything quilty. Tomorrow night I am picking up LMAIW (Alice Wonderful) from daycare and babysitting until her mama gets back from a business trip. No matter how I feel when I get home, I need to pull fabric and get ready for the new project come Saturday morning. I am still mulling over which fabric to play with. oh, photo of ironing board-somewhere on blogland someone wanted that shared...guess I have a photo to share after all....hey, it's Thursday- almost Friday...enjoy your day!

hearts blocks into a top-just add pink!

The pink keeps on getting used-this is all stash added to the blocks I won at our guild meeting on Tuesday night. It came out at 49 inches by 66 inches-I cut some of that pink swirl for binding before realizing I needed more for the side borders-I had to do some extra piecing to eke out enough of that fabric. That yardage is now reduced to a few pieces left in the scrap bag. I went over to the quilt shop to drop something off and check out the donated fabric. It was all non-cotton or non-suitable quilting fabric! Two large garbage bags worth-so it was disposed of to the proper place. I did pull backing for another donated pink! top - next up is sandwiching and pinning that tonight. I already prepped the backing to be the right length. I have some great pink ribbon backing fabric for the heart top. I am on track to have this heart top completely done by the next guild meeting in March-we meet the 4th Tuesday so I have plenty of time to finish it up by then.
I have variegated pink to red thread perfect for quilting it too. I am happy with how it turned out. It's amusing to think I had zero pink in my stash until 2005-the year I made my mom a pink quilt for use during chemo. Of course I had a bit left after making that quilt-then I needed a small amount for Alice's first quilt. Then, I needed enough pinks for my dil's quilt-in that collecting process I ended up with enough for two quilts with still some leftover yardage. I think I may be able to see the end of the pinks with one last quilt-it would be nice to play with some other colors. Hope you are feeling in the pink!