Yellow Brick Road pattern

Our quilting bee had a sewing day this last Thursday. Elaine taught us how to make the Yellow Brick Road quilt. I finished piecing this morning and will need to shop for border, backing and binding fabric to really finish it. This will be a quilt for our house. It was made from the scraps of Jacqueline's quilt.

Four Patch

I finished up this four patch this week. I took an embroidery motif and added an appliqué center with my new software. I am very happy with the results!

Finished Jacqueline's quilt!

I finished sewing on the binding for Jacqueline's quilt this week, it was started on November 5, 2009. So it didn't take a whole year!!! Only 10 months! :)

Papa Bear Chair

Baby Quilts

First quilt is the quilt I didn't really "make" for anyone, so it will be donated to Birthright. The second is for my newest Great Niece, Olivia!

Memoirs of Martina Swift Bailey

I've just added a link to the book, not sure why it isn't showing up in my facebook notes. Hmm...lets see if this works.

Prairie Queen

My blocks came!!

Sharing and UFOs

I'm getting a new lesson in sharing...I have to share my sewing space and it isn't easy to do! We thought we had it all figured out that Jacqueline could use the sewing room/bedroom as a bedroom and that I'd just keep some of my sewing things in the game room. Ha! We keep such different hours it doesn't always work. The main issue is that the cutting table is in there. I'd wake her up but she and Mary were up painting the bathroom last night so it only seems fair to let her sleep.

So what am I working on that is so important that I want to wake sleeping beauty? Well, lets just say I'm on a UFO kick. I thought I'd start on finishing up the table runner that I had just made. The ladies in the bee just keep inspiring me to start new quilts so I feel I had better get some of these UFOs done before they double!

Lets make a list, just so I can check it off!

UFO

Veggie Table Runner

Baby Quilt made with leftover nine patches

Online Mystery Quilt - I think it will be twin sized

Puppy Dog Car Quilt

Red, White and Blue lap quilt

Four Patch lap quilt

Polka Dot disappearing nine patch

Ralph's family tree

Then there is a pile of patterns and fabric that I haven't started but I won't go there!! Of course there is also the Grandmother's Garden quilt but I don't think that can count. Hmm, but that Christmas Wreath quilt that I'm hand quilting counts just because I don't work on it as much as I should, poor thing!

Ok, enough... time to get something done!! ;o)

Beach Quilt

I made this quilt in two weeks. It started as a workshop in our bee (Needle Dreamers); peer pressure helped me get it done quickly. I'm glad I did because one of the woman in our group has had a recurrence of her cancer so we are going to add ties to make it a Prayer Quilt. Please pray for Lynda too!

36" Wide and 63" Long

Purse

Here is a purse I made last week. I used it as an opportunity to practice using the new embroidery program with my Bernina.

Done piecing Jacqueline's quilt

I have finished putting the top together, now I need to find a quilter here to quilt it on their long arm machine.

June Block

The is Janet's block exchange, the last in this year long exchange. Janet sent the rose fabric along with one block (the one in the center below). It will be interesting to see what she does with this group of blocks.

This is the block that I made. It is simple, kind of like Janet's in that way, but my main idea was that there was so much going on in the other blocks that a plain Jane was needed.

Now I'm done and can't wait to get my blocks, hope I don't have to wait until next month!

Back to Jackie's

I'm finally getting back to Jackie's quilt. Started again yesterday, finished the last blocks today and have begun to sew rows together.

Quilt Square Exchange

The winter was a block for Rochelle Bride. The first time I made the block it was to big so I fixed the measurements and made it again. Creating half square triangles must be done with 7/8 added if you want to do the square trick but Rochelle didn't know that because she is new to quilting. The one below was for Lois Shumate...took awhile to cut all those different scraps! It doesn't look very good by its self but when you put them all together its not too bad.

Zach's Baby Quilt

Happy St. Patties Day!

Made this last year...

Mary's Birthday Present

I started this as a Christmas present but didn't get further than sewing the pear on the fabric until after but finished it for Mary's 19th birthday on Feb. 26. I took the pear from a magazine that showed how to make a needle case. I did not have a pattern to go by to make the rest but just knew I would need it to be bigger than just a needle case. Once I was finished it was very floppy so I added Temtex wrapped in fabric on the back. Works great. A friend suggested that the scissor was dangerous sticking out like that and suggested I could buy something to cover it. But I just used a short piece of a straw (not pictured), hope that works for her!

Veggie Table Runner update

Thought of a cool end cap to the runner. So one more change and the top is once again finished. Off to buy fabric to bind it.

FOLLOW UP, February 14:

Are you the quilt police? A few years ago after joining a guild I got up during show and tell and showed a table runner that I had just finished. Someone in the crowd commented, “That’s not long enough to be a table runner!” Now I hate to get up in front of the group now because of the fear of such comments.

Here I am making another table runner and I encounter comments from my husband, didn’t you already make something like that? Uh, no…other than the other table runner was also a table runner. Different pattern, different fabric, plus I have made a few table runners. But I try and brush off the negative vibes.

Off to the quilt shop I go to find the perfect fabric for the border. Ok, so it wasn’t until I got to the third shop before I got close to what I wanted. I go into the back room with three bolts and ask if it alright to audition the fabric on the table back there. Sure go ahead was the answer I received. Laying my table runner out, I could sense that I was now the center of attention. For the women who were in the room talking about something else all of a sudden stopped to watch.

“That’s not a table runner! It’s too big! You must have a very big table!!” Is what I heard instead of what every quilter wants to hear…oh that looks so nice. So I mumble something about no, I don’t think it’s different than most tables. Then I had to hear her opinion on each of the fabrics I choose. And had to justify the one I decided on. Finally she agreed and I made my purchase.

In truth everyone in life has to endure criticism but I just never seem to be prepared to hear it in these circumstances. Some may say, it is good to get someone else’s point of view. Can’t disagree with that but I usually ask for it, then I’m ready to hear it. Art is a very different thing for me. If you decide what I should do, well then it’s not my art.

So, if you are the QUILT POLICE please wear your badge in quilt shops, at guild meetings and quilt shows. I will try my best to avoid you and your opinions. I love everything I make, it’s my art, it is a part of me. I am not new and am not looking to you for guidance or your approval. Your badge will be a sign to the world that you are a know it all. Congratulations on that accomplishment! Just say’in!

Veggie Table Runner

Change of plan...making a table runner instead. Finished piecing the top today. Its not a great picture but if you click on it you can see the fabric better. ;o)