Christmas gifts

Christmas gifts  have been gifted

I made this one for my mother. It was 10 years in the making and she LOVED it!! (there were tears involved)

This quilt was made for my Father in law to use while he watches TV. He LOVED it.

This quilt was made for A. of Course He LOVED it! 

This quilt was made for E. He LOVED his also.

THIS YEAR was a WIN!!! 6 UFOs completed. 77  new items sewn and at least 10 new UFOs created that 2017 should handle just fine.

Triple Irish Chain

This quilt is for me. Nontraditional fabric choices with traditional pattern. I love it. I originally made it for my husband but once finished I claimed it for myself.
Keep it up, buttercup!

Quilting through paper

Christmas is fast approaching!!

(This quilt is finished but it must remain a surprise)

^^^^This was my game face last week^^^^^

   One thing I would like to share today is quilting through paper. Below are 4 examples. The first and second are relatively easy to figure out where to start and stop. The designs are easy to see after being quilted and the paper is ripped away. 

  This beauty was a bit more challenging and not as nice in the end. I was extremely sad when that list large chunk of paper was ripped away to reveal a big mess of lines running all over the place. I didn't get the helmet quite right and it ended up looking more like a bowl cut on a 2 year old who took a bath in his spaghetti instead of the angry face of a dog. Life goes on and all is well.

I quilted Cotton on a puffy batting and then layered it over fleece. I am not a fan of fleece quilting yet but I'm sure the more I practice the better it will be.

This is my favorite line art in quilting. The face looks more angry than I intended.

Live, Learn and Quilt on.

** Disclaimer: None of these line art pictures are mine. I searched google for football images and the images didn't have copyrights.

 All sewing on fabric is mine.*****

The little things

 This is my October PinkDoxies #bravequilter challenge. I wanted to make something that reminded me of spring and PEEPs hit the spot. I don't mind eating one or two but more than that and they are redundant.

Every piece is sewn. I do have to say I didn't leave enough fabric on some ends when I sewed. I will have to pay closer attention. I did take the time to measure the pattern pieces. I cut the pink fabric exact measurements which I WON'T do in the future.  I had one piece shift so much that I didn't have quite enough for the seam allowance.

Trimming the body. 

Attaching the ears to the head.

The original pattern is for a 2 1/2" X 5" peep. She is on the left. I enlarged 200% and she is on the right. I used white Christmas scraps for the enlarged peep.

Linking back to PinkDoxies with my finished October Challenge.

#Bravequilter

This month i would like to try paper piecing.

 I'm participating in the Pink Doxies new link up, #BraveQuilter. As part of the link party for October, my goal is to try making one 2 1/2" X 5" block. 

** i copied the bold text from Pink Doxies ***

Here is the pattern i have chosen: http://quiltingdigest.com/bunny-peeps-quilt-block/

***This picture is not my own. I copied it from the URL link above, made by sewhooked.com.***

Granny square quilt

This top is finished. I would have had it quilted by now except I'm not sure which is the best way to go about it on the long arm. i want something that will blend in and not detract from the blocks.
any suggestions would be great.

also an update on finished projects for this year is 73. I had forgotten about the pincushions and pillowcases!!

Last 3 1/2" blocks finished for the year challenge


January- July Update

I have fallen behind. With everything. 

The garden is starting to give cherry, grape and pear tomatoes and the zucchini always stops producing half way through the summer. I have to brave the jungle of weeds to get to my plants. I used preen but it doesn't cover every weed out there.

Started in late April early May:

•  2.5" many trips around the world - top completed July 12th
• string quilt with scraps from seahawks fabric - for charity- top completed in early May, crib size

Started June or July

• Picking up the pieces string quilt - Half done
• 2 50" square charity quilts, need hand bound (4&5)
• 1 wheel chair size charity quilt, needs bound (6)

Finished:

1. lined pouch for toys at church
2. lined pouch for violin chin rest and pencils
3. wheelchair quilt -donated
4. throw quilt -donated
5. crib quilt -donated
6. Quilt guild Bicentennial quilt block
7. "Mom's pride and joy" - twin quilt
8. birthday turtle
9. Chicken pin cushion
10. Thread catcher
11. Violin recital
12. Bumble bee quilt
13. charity quilt 4
14. charity quilt 5
15. charity quilt 6

Hawaiian Box quilt

Hawaiian Box quilt

I made this quilt for me. I feel like I haven't finished anything in quite some time but the truth is I have worked on so many charity tops lately and I forget about what I've done soon after turning them in to the Guild. I have also been piecing on roughly 6 quilt tops at a time for leaders/enders and I love to use up scraps. I purchase other quilter's scraps because they are easier to cut into than a fat quarter or larger piece.

Funny story. I quilted 2 charity tops and was starting on the third. As soon as I pushed the down/up to bring the bobbin thread to the top of the quilt my open toe foot broke. The bottom piece fell off and I really wanted to cry, not knowing how much it would cost to purchase a new one or where to even find one. I sat down at the computer and was able to find and purchase one with in 30 minutes. It arrived 4 days later!!

Enjoy the day.

Circles, rectangles & squares

Circles, rectangles & squares

I love scraps. I enjoy working with smaller pieces because I feel I have better control over them. These blocks ended up 10 1/2" square. As I was working on this quilt Mr. Joe asked if he could have it. Of course I said yes because if he liked it enough to ask for it then that is who it belongs to..... right? I had to pick out new backing fabric because well, he loves green and I had black picked out. I had even purchased 4 yards of 108" utility backing to make sure the back matched the front. I have used those extra yards on 3 other quilts and I've got some left. 

2016 UPDATE:

Ready to Quilt for charity:

• Boy coin quilt
• Girl coin quilt
• 2nd crib size

To make/finish for my family:

• maternity pants quilt (never worn as they were to big)
• twin little twister - top needs finished
• busy bee sew bag- not yet started
• 2 mine craft quilts - in the works
• Up to date on the 365 day challenge
• 2" many trips around the world -top is finished, my quilt guild ladies told me i must keep this quilt.
• Civil war log cabin - orphan blocks/fabric from guild Christmas exchange. 2 blocks were finished. i set out to make 7 but ran out of fabric on #5. I turned it into a wall hanging consisting of  6 16" blocks. ready to be quilted
• Modified Triple Irish chain. Started, didn't like color choices and put it in a box
• Teady Bears- needs bound
• Green triple Irish chain- needs bound
• Hawaiian box quilt -needs bound 

gifts

• bumble bee baby quilt - ready to quilt

To continue to work on:

• twin/full grandmothers flower garden (hand piece) - haven't touched it this year

What does your 2016 hold?

I have added so many projects for 2016 that I have a list of 21 27 going strong. 

Finished:

1. lined pouch for toys at church
2. lined pouch for violin chin rest and pencils
3. wheelchair quilt -donated
4. throw quilt -donated
5. crib quilt -donated
6. Quilt guild Bicentennial quilt block
7. "Mom's pride and joy" - twin quilt
8. birthday turtle
9. Chicken pin cushion
10. Thread catcher