Home Stretch

I got this quilted today. I still have to bind it and sew on the hanging sleeve.

I can be pretty stupid sometimes. I spent so much time worrying about the interior of the quilt I forgot to plan for the outer border. I stitched a simple border. I think it shows that I didn't plan it as well. Oh well, I've go to get it done tomorrow so that my husband can deliver it on Tuesday.

Sunbonnet Sue

I finally finished the Sunbonnet Sue quilt with the ruffly borders. I'm pleased with the way it turned out. I'll be much more aware of borders when I take in a customer's quilt. Another lesson learned.






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I'm thankful for family

Spicy had requested a purple scarf. Being a doting grandma, I made one. The yarn was a spur of the moment buy at JoAnn's. I was able to get it done in time to take it to her today.




Spicy was kind enough to model it for me.










It's too bad the child has no personality or style.

















On the quilting front, I've been struggling with some overly full borders.
They have been quite the challenge to tame. It has taken me about three times as long to finish the borders as I had allowed. I'll be playing catch up all weekend.

I'm glad that's over!

Whew! I'm sure glad that panic attack about the exhibit quilt is over. With some help from Carla Barrett, the Quilt Whisperer, and time, I feel that the exhibit top is under control. I plan on starting it as soon as I finish two more customer quilts. I'll let you know when I start and post some pictures.

It also helped to have a bit of retail therapy on the Santa's Holiday Hop. My friend, Pauline and I went to all nine shops. I have high hopes of winning the prize basket containing 45 yards of fabric (not really).



I bought fabrics for Bonnie Hunter's new mystery quilt as we visited all the shops. The fabric requirements have been posted, but the first clue won't be posted until the day after Thanksgiving. I think I need a few more Christmas green fabrics, but otherwise I'm happy with the fabrics.

How do you decide?

I've been given an opportunity to participate in an exhibit at a large local quilt show. Everyone that is participating in the exhibit has the same design for their top. The exhibit is to demonstrate how the quilting of a top changes the look of the quilt.

The project was given to me in a rather round about way. The person that first received the top decided she didn't want to participate, so she gave it to me.

I'm a part-timer, a nobody in the quilting world, but I want to knock their socks off with my quilting.

This is the top that I was given.








These are some of the ideas that I'm playing around with. But, I'm not 100% sold on any of them. I just can't decide, and I don't have lots of time to hem-and-haw. This top has to be done and returned to the show people by December 1. I have several customer quilts that I have to finish before I can work on this. I'm on Thanksgiving break right now and will have to finish it before I return to work on November 30th..

I look at it and think, pearls in the spines of the feathers? no pearls? simple feathers? innovative feathers? give it all up and do an edge-to-edge design?
arrgghh!!

I know that part of my problem is that I'm placing so much importance on the project, but I really do want to wow them.

What's on my design wall?

Nothing new with the flying geese, but I have started a couple of new take along projects.
This is in the November/December issue of Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting.

This is as far as I've gotten. Obviously, it won't be ready for this Christmas. It is fun though to work on something seasonal during the actual season that it is for. I always have a hard time working on Christmas things in July.









I also started a new pair of socks. No big surprise there.
They are from the book Socks a la Carte. It's a flip book. You pick the cuff, leg and foot that you want. You're supposed to put elastic around the pages to hold your choices, but the elastic on my book doesn't reach the pages. Still it's a fun idea.







I've also been working on my Quilt Whisperer homework. Quilt Whisperer is an online class being offered through MQ Resource.
Nothing wonderful yet. I'm hoping I'll get better.

Grandkids are Great!

I had a wonderful, grandchildren filled weekend.

Yesterday, Spicy and Bubba allowed me to take them to the park near where we were visiting a gift boutique. Spicy's BFF came along for the fun.

As I've mentioned before, Bubba loves climbing and slides.








This evening Twinkle Toes and Little Man brought their parents over for dinner. Little Man is sporting his new big boy haircut. Our canine puppy, Ginger, loved having the company of two-legger puppies. She followed them around all night. Of course, she also loved the way a one-year old eats. Ginger was quite attentive by the high chair.
Twinkle Toes drove them over in her sporty pink Jeep. She's such a good big sister!
















As they say, "A good time was had by all."

Decisions, Decisions

So, I was playing around this morning before DH woke up.
I thought, I don't have to put the geese units pinwheel style. I could put them where the same fabrics are on a side.

I think I like them this way. It's less busy. I'll have leftover geese units though. The Eleanor Burns/Quilt in a Day method I get 4 geese each time, and I only need 3.

That could be good. I might be able to come up with a use for them. I'll have to think on this.

I love having a design wall where things can sit up there. I go away for awhile, then come back and see how I like it after being away for a bit.
Well, I've been away. Time to go back.

What's on my design wall?

I've been plugging away at pressing and trimming up the flying geese units that I made at the Temecula Quilt Show. I've decided that I like this block, but I think the blocks need sashing between them. It seems too busy without the separation.










I also started making these blocks for this quilt. I need to keep some handwork with me for those unexpected down times, and waiting rooms.
Applique Outside the Lines is from the Piece 'o Cake team, Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins.







I also keep knitting with me. I'm almost finished with these socks. I just have a few more rows of the toe to do. The pattern is a free one from Knitting Daily. They are the Broken Cable Socks. I think my teaching buddy Karen is getting these.

Too Cute!

I delivered this quilt to Anelise today. Isn't it cute? I just meandered around the applique. I don't know what the name of the pattern is, but it is just adorable.