Too Late

Updated: I waited for my SIL to call back with the address to send it, but when she called, she told me that Uncle D had died.


A Comfort Quilt:
Sadly, extended family member Uncle D is in poor health and is now on Hospice. I am sending a comfort quilt to Uncle D and his wife Aunt M.

Medallion Quilt

1/4 of Medallion Quilt Showing Fabrics

Center of Medallion Quilt

Simple medallion design, 60" x 60"; pieced in 2005 from stash fabrics which were already several years old then. Fabrics used were inspired by a class in color and fabric selection given by Louise at The Quilted Fox. Long arm quilted in 2006 by Sandy Etheridge.

Yes, back then I had a stash of country blue, barn red, and mauve, as well as border prints due to the influence of Ginny Beyer. I also had an appreciation for four corner symmetry due to the then-new use of hinged mirrors to visualize the design.

I've always liked this quilt but it has never been used because it never went with my décor. It's been hanging in a closet ever since it was finished. Now it's going to a new home where I hope it can offer some comfort to the recipients.

Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Crazy Mom Quilts.

DWM 8/11/14 - What I'm working on this week:

Yesterday I worked on new First Saturday blocks. The Quilted Fox started a new BOM series this month with a "Fox in the Forest" theme. I really like this. I love the colors; they go great with the décor in my family room. Each month there are kits for a Main Block (the leaf) and two Alternate Blocks. At the end of the year we'll have 36 blocks for at least a 72" quilt, depending on the setting options.

QF First Saturday Blocks

Must do this week: get the special baby quilt quilted and bound. It's pinned and ready to go but I'm still dithering over how to quilt it. I need to quit procrastinating and just do it. It will be a combination of walking foot and FMQ meander quilting in pale green thread to match the background (which looks a bit washed out in this photo). The backing is the same forest critter print as the front, with more of the same for binding.

Special Baby Quilt Ready for Quilting

Also in work, my 30-Something challenge, due in October, to commemorate my guild's 30th anniversary. I'm only showing part of it here. I'm still playing with color layout; it will flow from light in the center to darker around the edges. I really need to get going on this if I'm going to finish it in time.

Layout in Progress

 

Looks like I have plenty on my plate for this week!

Check out Patchwork Times for more quilty inspiration.

Stash Report 8/10/14

Whoo-hoo!!!
No fabric in this week.
3/8 yard used for binding for the blue baby quilt.
Finally moving in the right direction!

Check out the other stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Friday Finish Photos on a Gloomy Day

I was hoping to take some good outdoor photos of the two little quilts I finished at retreat last weekend. Yesterday it rained all day. Today it's dreary and gloomy out. I thought I caught a glimpse of the sun so I went out to take photos, but it's still dreary. I should have taken the photos earlier in the week but I didn't plan ahead. Oh, well...

First up, the blue baby quilt. I don't know if I'll donate this or if I'll have a purpose for it; I'll wait and see.

Blue Baby Quilt

 

This one will for sure be donated - it was made for that purpose. I still like the colors, although I've done so much with orange lately that I'm ready for another color. Someone at retreat mentioned that the colors look better live than they do in photos, and I agree. There are tiny hearts of pink, orange, and lime green in the white print.

Girl Charity Quilt Front

 

Girl Charity Quilt Back

 

And a glamour shot, just because...

Charity Quilt

My Helper

 

 

Linking up today with Whoop Whoop Friday over at Crazy Mom Quilts - check out all the quilty eye candy over there. 

 

 



So Much Fun at Retreat!

There were six of us, 4 quilters and two scrap-bookers. We were there from Friday noon to Sunday late afternoon. We had a great space with lots of room, plenty of table space, plenty of room for all of our gear plus the ironing station. We had music, movies, the Cardinals games on the radio, plenty of food, and great conversation.

Workroom at retreat

 

Getting Set Up

 

I got a lot accomplished. First, I put the binding on this little blue baby quilt that was already quilted. Since I machine-finish all my bindings, that went pretty quickly. (Sorry for the indoor, poorly lit photos)

Blue Baby Quilt

 

Next I worked on quilting and binding this girl charity quilt (for donation to CSQ's charity quilt drive). I had it already layered and pin-basted, so I marked it and quilted it using the walking foot. I was able to get it bound and finished.

Girl Charity Quilt

 

Then I worked on some machine applique dots and some framed squares using batiks. I love batiks, but I haven't used them much lately! Late on Sunday, when I had the blocks together, I laid them out on a flannel-backed tablecloth, and one of the girls helped me move blocks around for better color placement. I'll put them all up on my design wall at home and work some more on the layout. This photo is before we started moving the colors around. Obviously the color placement needs adjusting in some places: there are several background batiks, and too many of the darkest ones are clustered together.

Design Floor - Blocks Laid Out

 

I had such a good time! This retreat was held at a Girl Scout camp, where our hostess was on duty as the Supervisor. Since her duties did not require 100% of her time, she was able to spend time sewing, and she invited us all to keep her company. Our hostess has been invited back by the GS event organizer for next year, so I hope we get to do this again! Thank you, Chrissy!

 

Linking up today with Judy at Patchwork Times; check out everyone else's design wall - or floor - over there for inspiration.

 

  

 

 

 



 

July Stash Report and Goals Update

A good month for the stash, more out than in.

July IN: 7.125 (LQS sale - 3; Sample for Kristen's Quilt - 1-3/8;  fabric for Kristen - 2-3/4)
July OUT: 11.5 (Add'l for Churn Dash top - 3/4;  Special baby quilt top, back, binding - 4-1/4;  Flying Geese workshop samples - 1;  Girl Charity Quilt back & binding - 2-1/8;  Sent to Kristen - 3-3/8)
July net change: 4-3/8 yards out

YTD IN: 137
YTD OUT: 99
Net change: 38 yards in. 

Think I can still manage to break even for the year?  Can I really be that disciplined?!! Really???  I'm planning to go to a retreat in October at Missouri Star Quilt Co. I don't think so.

JULY GOALS UPDATE:
1. Complete special baby quilt top. Done plus back and binding made.
2. Quilt & finish girl charity quilt. Not done but basted & taken to Aug. 1-3 retreat at Girl Scout camp.
3. Work on Broken Chevron UFO. Not touched.
4. Keep up with bee blocks. Done.
5. Press Mega Medallion top & backing and give to Sandy for quilting. Done.
6. Optional: CSQ 30-Something challenge, due Oct.21. Designed and top started.

Additional accomplishments:
1. Reconstructed ugly Churn Dash top into DCD
2. Designed quilt for Kristen, pulled/acquired fabric, and cut pieces for my sample. Found fabric for hers and sent it to her.

AUGUST GOALS:
1. Quilt & finish girl charity quilt.
2. Finish special baby quilt.
3. Finish top sample for Kristen's quilt and write instructions.
4. Keep up with bee blocks.
5. Work on CSQ 30-Something challenge, due Oct.21.
6. Work on Broken Chevron UFO.

Mega Medallion quilt top ready for quilting

Linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times; check out the other stash management progress over there.

All Ready

Everything's packed and the car is loaded up for retreat. I'll be leaving this morning. Looking forward to a fun weekend of sewing and hanging out! I have lots of projects to work on, everything from piecing to machine applique to quilting to binding, so I surely won't be bored!

One project I'm not taking along is the special baby quilt. The parts are all ready: the top is complete, the back is made, the binding is prepped. I haven't figured out how I'm going to quilt this one yet, so I need to think about it. But since all the top is finished and the rest of the parts are done, I'm linking up with Whoop Whoop Friday over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. Here's a sneak peek; I just love that critter print:

Special Baby Quilt