Happy Halloween!!!

 Here's the only Halloween decoration I have out this year a new Priority: Alzheimer's quilt I received just in time for the holiday in question!

#7991 Boo-tiful Night by Caren Rich, Mobile, AL

Isn't the detailed thread painting creative?  

Love the addition of these glass beads too!

Happy trick or treating!!!

Bloggers' Quilt Festival Fall 2011

Welcome!  I am so glad you stopped by for another edition of Bloggers' Quilt Festival!  This time around I'd like to share with you the SuperStar quilt I made for my son who just went off to college, which seems appropriate as it is also Parents' Weekend ;-)

There are so many aspects of this quilt that I like:  the various sizes of wonky stars, using two different cream background fabrics, random layout of the stars, scrappy binding, pieced back, the leftover star on back for the label, and deciding to quilt it myself.  

If you are interested in more details about the quilt or the process, you can click here.

It was a big deal FMQing this on my machine, and it seemed to take forever.  Spirals were quilted in the star centers using variegated thread, while loops and stars were densely quilted in the negative space with matching cream thread.

Best of all, my son loves it!!!!  Doesn't he look all comfy lounging on his dorm bed?!

I hope you enjoyed your visit.  Feel free to leave a comment, look around and come back again!

Enjoy the other festival entries and have an amazing weekend!

Going in Circles

This blog post title describes how I've been feeling lately ;-)  The downside of my weekend traveling is missing so many guild Sew Days (not very presidential of me) which also means missing out on much needed friend time.

Happily, a friend came over the other night so we could chat and sew.  Well, she sewed and I cut.  Hope worked on hand stitching the binding of two gorgeous table runners.  We were too busy talking about our perfect children solving the world's problems to take pictures though.  Maybe she will email me some pictures to share.

I put my AccuQuilt and circle die to good use and now have plenty of circles in denim, corduroy and plaids for a few projects on my to-do list.  These plaids are just a sampling from that great stash gifted to me by Sara.

I've been hoarding old jeans for a long time and recently saw this quilt that I'd like to make (and this one and this one).  I decided to make a sample mini quilt before diving into the charity quilt I have in mind.  (This way I can also link up to Amanda Jean's finish it Friday and Amy's Sew and Tell Friday since my big project is still being quilted.)

Glad I did, because I'm not really feeling this.  Next time I will quilt it differently, and maybe that will help.

The cute backing fabric is a gift from Shelly.  Love the cowboy fabric with the denim!  This mini may or may not end up as a Priority: Alzheimer's quilt....we'll see.

Have an amazing day!!!

What's Up Wednesday

Notice anything different?  I've moved my Friends front and center just like Annie did!

So happy to have this basted and ready to be quilted!

Are you ready for the upcoming Bloggers' Quilt Festival?!  Know which quilt you are going to show?  I was hoping to have my Liberated Coin quilt finished in time, but that's not happening.


To those of you who use an iPad app for blogging, which one do use and would you recommend it?
I have been using BlogPress as it is easy to use and has worked fine until recently.  This last four hour road trip was spent rather than quickly typing up my blog post, but trying to figure out why BlogPress kept quitting on me, giving up on BlogPress, researching other apps, trying the Blogger app (too limited), before finally installing Blogsy (rather complicated) and publishing my post minutes before the midnight deadline.  Of course, riding in the car is probably not the most conducive atmosphere for learning something new with a deadline ;-)

So...what's up with you this Wednesday?
Have an amazing day!!

Go Bags

It's gotten to the point that with all the traveling I am doing I have several "go bags" always packed and ready for the specific occasion!  

For example, this past weekend saw another road trip to Tallahassee which meant bringing out the packed and waiting tailgating go bag...

 my things-to-do-while-riding-in-the-car go bag.... happies-for-son go bag....just to name a few. 

.....even Max has a go bag! (Although his go bag takes him to the puppy hotel.)

 You'll notice none of these go bags are hand made by me.  That's because as my sister and I like to point out, "we can't sew"!

Every once in a while, I will forget that fact.

Sorry for these they-all-look-the-same-pictures...it's all I have...the shirt in question is in the wash!

I needed a pink FSU for last weekend's game (it's still October which means I'm still wearing pink), so came up with the brilliant idea to make my own.  How hard could it be?  I had a stash of my favorite t-shirts (yes, I also have a stash of t-shirts) in pink that I bought on clearance for $1!

I was so proud of myself (it doesn't take much....ha) for making and cutting out my own templates.

This Fight Like a Girl fabric in black is the perfect fabric for my FSU letters and in keeping with the Think Pink theme, I thought.  Instead of using a satin stitch around each letter, I just stitched using bright pink thread inside the edge of the letters like I had seen on a store bought shirt.

Things were going along pretty well, until I tried to appliqué the pink ribbon on the t-shirt sleeve.  What a mess!  That's why I had to keep my jean jacket on the entire day ;-)

Now back to quilting!

Have an amazing day! 

Friday Finish

I am happy to report that not only did I finish one of the quilts on my list, but also I managed to write a blog post (on the road with blog app issues no less) in time to link to Amanda Jean's finish it up Friday !

This quilt is for a dear friend's mom who starts chemo on Monday. My hope is this quilt brings her some measure of warmth and comfort during a very difficult time. The idea of a whole cloth quilt with borders came from Stephanie's blog post sharing pictures of her quilt group's September gathering. Those posts never fail to inspire me!

For those who like the details, the quilt measures 48x63; the inner piece of circles is Olivia by Rosemarie Levin; the purple outer border is Zoo Menagerie; backing is pieced from more Olivia (also the binding which was machine stitched) with green Moda Lush by Erin Michael and purple Chloe's Imagination by Tina Givens.

I don't often say this (if ever), but I am very pleased with the quilting (stippling in this case) effect. I might even admit to liking the quilting step of the process. Amazing, right? I think having proper tools helped such as an extra side table to support the weight of the quilt and those lovely gloves for traction ;-) The thread was a greenish blue variegated from Mettler which provides just the right balance between blending in and standing out. After washing and drying it has the loveliest crinkly look and feel!

Max loves to take part in the photo shoots, this time protecting the quilt from curious neighborhood squirrels. I like the idea of the circle quilt having its picture taken inside the brick circle.

I'm learning the best times of the day to take pictures outside my house. For example, the sun is too bright in the morning when these pictures were taken, but the afternoon was too hectic for a photo shoot. Hopefully I'll remember this for the next quilt's portrait;-)

I gave much thought to the question of a label and the appropriate wording for this situation. Until this morning I didn't even know the name of my friend's mom (who doesn't live nearby). I felt playing twenty questions (what's your mom's full name, how do you spell her hometown....) was not a good idea at the time. For now this is the only label.

Thanks for letting me share this quilt's story. Have an amazing weekend!!!!!

Moving right along...

Two quilt backs pieced....one quilt basted....four buttons sewn....two cabinets assembled...

Whew!  Even Max is exhausted!

Hoping to get this one quilted today.

Here's the back.

My husband has been patiently waiting many, many months several weeks for me to sew missing or broken buttons on four of his dress shirts.  He was very appreciative....I guess I better get on that belt loop he needs fixed ;-)

These tools are getting quite a work out!

After three visits, IKEA finally had my daughter's cabinets in stock.

Ta da!  All assembled and ready to be filled with junk school supplies.

Now to get back to "moving right along..."

Have an amazing day!!! 

This that and the other

I managed to survive jury duty, my every other year annual mammogram, and all the other craziness that was thrown my way last week.  I even found time to sit at my sewing machine and squeeze in a family reunion!

Jury duty was interesting to say the least, but I have officially served and am hoping my average of 25 years in between summons holds!

Continuing with my 31 Days of Pink, I treated myself to a pedicure and pink painted toenails after my mammogram.

The latest addition to my pink ribbon collection is this cool glass trivet from Around the Block Designs.  Thanks Cindy and Mark!  (Michelle, I'll put yours in the mail tomorrow.)

I finally finished piecing this quilt top that is WAY overdue.  Completion didn't happen before graduation, but my niece's birthday is rapidly approaching, and I am determined the quilt will be finished by then.

Another quilt top was quickly made for a needed last minute gift.  I found a big print in my stash and added a wide border to finish at a decent size.

 Sure hope to find the time I need this week to quilt these two tops!

Last but not least, was the quick trip to my annual family reunion in Mississippi!  As one cousin posted on Facebook, our reunion lunch was attended by 73 people from the states of Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, Minnesota, Florida and North Carolina!

Michelle and I now have joint custody of our great-grandmother's wooden quilting frame which was recently discovered in a cousin's attic.  Since I traveled by plane, my sister (and her family) took possession, and I am sure enjoyed having the extra "passenger" on the long drive back to Georgia!

Anyone know how to operate one of these quilting frames?!  If so, please tell.

Have an amazing day!