challenge top done

I can't show the top, until after the reveal, but... I am very pleased to be at this stage. I did the complicated/time consuming parts yesterday before going in for a six hour work shift.
This morning I slept in and rose to pouring rain. Terrific! A stay inside jammie day perfect for sewing away. With a few interruptions of household chores and coffee drinking-I did the next time consuming part as I decided to go ahead and add a few wonky hearts to the design. For my first time making them I am happy with how they turned out. Then it was time to put all the parts together into the top.

We are supposed to go swimming (inside pool) and should be leaving soon. I had to widen the back I made as I ended up going wider than I first planned. I ran out of bobbin thread as I was doing that part, will wind more when we get back.

With luck I may get to the quilting after dinner tonight. I know how I am quilting it and it should go pretty fast. Once the quilting is done, I have one more tricky part to add.

I am so pleased this project has come together as I had envisioned it. Often what I create in my mind proves to not work out in reality. And, this has been so much fun to work on!

Ok- time to throw my suit on and get out the door...hope your weekend has been as fun as mine.

first quilt done for 2010

It was a very busy weekend but I managed to get the binding on this quilt and a photo taken. It was a ufo from last March and I will pop it into the mail tomorrow-it may be a holiday for many businesses, but it's a regular work day for me.

This quilt was a brown bag challenge and I used 99% of the fabric (plus a bit of my own scraps to widen the color range) -the back is from 10.5 inch squares of the various fabrics that were large enough to yield that size. It's an empty bag now and I am happy about that!

Nice to have one ufo off my list and soon out of the h0use. I pulled the FAB challenge fabric and started working on my plan for it. It's a secret until we mail and we are able to open via online chat what we all received. It's an idea I have had for quite a long time and it's great fun to be playing around with the design of it.

Also this week I want to start prepping for my class later this month with Margaret Miller. I have been considering what fabrics to pull from stash that would be fun to work with. I really appreciate being back in the quilting frame of mind and playing with my fabrics.

Make it a joyful day!

quilting at last

The first Sunday of each month my charity group meets and works on various quilts for the kids.
I have been working on string blocks and made real progress that Sunday. We had a relaxing weekend -yesterday the sun was out long enough for me to take down all the outside Christmas lights..and that motivated me to put away the rest of the holiday related stuff-back up in the attic until next year. I had finished 99% of the string blocks Saturday night so Sunday I trimmed and put the blocks together into a top. I had cut squares for backing and I was able to piece that together as well-wrapping up by making binding from the leftover fabrics. This project was a brown bag challenge from my local guild. It was due last March-I will quilt it up and send it in to the gal nearly a year later-but-it will be one less ufo sitting in here weighing on my conscience.
Once it's quilted I will post a photo.

January usually finds me busy in the creative quilting mode. This year I am joining fellow FABS in doing 10n10- check out Linda (sidebar) blog for a great explanation of what that stands for.


Some of my 2010 goals is to make the Alice quilts she and I have agreed she "needs". She pulled yellow fabrics as yellow is her favorite color- that stack is in here waiting. She is a huge dinosaur fan currently and I found some wonderful dinosaur fabric to go with other dinosaur fabric I already had-plus for her birthday I am giving her a larger doll with a doll bed- which of course will need a matching quilt. I have a FAB challenge due February 1st. I know what I want to make and that is up next on my goal list - I might just make that deadline.


The end of January I will be in a one day workshop with Margaret Miller-whom I have been a fan of since 1999. We will be learning her Angleplay blocks and that should be lots of fun.


March will bring a trip to Sisters and a two day class with Gwen Marston. I can hardly wait for that to come.


And then I need to send in my class application for the July Sisters class week. Some really remarkable teachers will be there. Choices, choices to make.


I was stalled on an art quilt postcard idea but when shopping at Michaels during the holiday season I may have found a solution. I am anxious to play with that idea.


I also want to step up on my charity quilting- last year was my lowest contribution ever and though the time off was reviving...I am ready to get back into that groove as well.


Plenty of wonderful inspiration abounds it's just making the time a priority once again to quilt.


2010 is starting off well- my hope is to keep that quilting flame burning bright all year long.


have a joyful day!