Two Finishes

Since I returned from retreat, I've been busy, busy.  Last week, I was able to finish binding two baby quilts that I quilted while at retreat.  Here is the first:

 Here is the second:

Both quilts were made from leftovers of other baby quilts.  If you think I've made a lot of baby quilts, you are correct.

I also put together the block of the month for December, inspired by the leaves at Wonder Valley.

Here is the block for December, made in "Fall" colors.

The block for November was a crazy quilt block.  I was concerned that the amount of handwork included on the block would decrease participation.

 I was quite pleased to find that I was mistaken.  Look at the wonderful blocks that were turned in!

Since then, I've been doing more crazy-quilt-type work.  I can't show you what I'm working on yet, not until I am finished.  I have a few weeks of work ahead of me, if it's going to be ready before Christmas.  Goals are good!

I hope you all are looking forward to a meaningful Thanksgiving next week.  I doubt I'll be posting much.  My days seem to be overly full with things not related to computer work.

And with that, I'd best get back to stitching.  Goals are good!!

Keeping Busy

I've been busy, putting together more baby quilt tops.  sew sew sew.

This one was composed from leftover blocks from other quilts.  Most of them are recognizable from recent baby quilts.  The star points were made from binding trims.  Things rarely go to waste around here, that's for sure!

 This one was also made leftovers: some Double 4-patch blocks, some 4-patch, and some 4.5" squares.  I think these are really cute.  Some baby somewhere will love them.  :)

 My bin filled with string strips was overflowing.  This picture does not capture the color.  The center blocks are a limey green.  A friend says, "That looks like Giverny!"  I've never been there, but I love the comparison.

Rather than quilting these at this point, they are hanging with backs, waiting for basting.  I've chosen to focus on some handquilting.  I'm more than halfway through one of my quilts from the Katie Pasquini Masopust class that I took last year.  (or was it the year before?)

Block of the Month for guild continues to go well.  These are the blocks turned in for the July drawing.

 I asked everyone to make a second block, to be turned into a Quilt of Honor, for presentation to a local veteran at the county fair in September.  They rose to the challenge.  Just look at this nice stack of blocks!

 Here are my samples for next month:  Dutchman's Puzzle.

I made the Flying Geese units using squares on rectangles and then trimming.  I couldn't let those trim triangles go to waste.  I am behind on birthday cards, so I stitched them together.

See that piece of applique above the bias squares?  I am in the process of inserting it in the frame.  It's turning out to be a delightful piece.  I'll be sure to take a picture before I send it off.

And, lest you think I'm focusing on quilting, no, not really.  My current project is bark.

 I had 6 yards delivered on Friday.  I was able to clear out and fill my "secret garden" area on Friday.

 On Saturday, I cleared out the "island."  I added the bark yesterday.

 I also worked on this area, between our house and the neighbors.

Temperatures have been above 100 for the past several days, so I limit how long I'm out there working.  I make sure to stay in the shade, and when I can't take it any more, in I come.  This morning, I focused on a patch in the backyard.  The sad thing is that the pile of bark does not seem to be getting any smaller.

This afternoon?  I will be doing more hand quilting.  Goals are good!

More Baby Quilts

Yes, you read that right.  More baby quilts.  More, more, more.

 I finished this cute little quilt, for a baby boy due next week.  Once he's here and I know his name, it will be labeled and shipped to him for cuddling.

 I bought the fabric for this next one because I loved the cats peering into the fish bowls.

 Unless you are right on the quilt, you don't really know what you are looking at.  The back is a turquoise all over print, with just cats.  Very cute.

 I cut out another three Double 4-patch baby quilts, to sew at a later date.  As I was putting the trim strips into my bin, I realized that I was out of room.  I decided that maybe it was time to sew up another string quilt.  This is #9.  I find them to be quite addictive.  I made them with 6.5" foundations.

If you look carefully, you can see some of the fabrics from the kitty fishbowl quilt scattered across the top of String Quilt #9.  Cute, right?

And I guess that's all I've got for you today.  Enjoy!!

Another Finish

I finished another baby quilt.  woohoo!

It's really square, there was just a delightful breeze that kept it from hanging straight.

On to the next one!

A Finish, and a Trip to MO

When I last posted, I left you with a picture of my design wall.  Since that time, I have sewn the borders onto the oceanside houses quilt, and hung it in the closet for quilting, eventually.  Once that was out of sight, it was also out of mind.  whew!

I then took down the first basted baby quilt, and finished it up.  I will ship it to the beautiful baby today.  I had hoped to give it to her mama last week, but by the time I finished it, I was on my way to Missouri.  By the time I returned, her mama was back on the East Coast.  oops!

Last week, I traveled to MO, to attend a baby shower for my daughter-in-law.  I arrived late Thursday afternoon, and left on Sunday.  The shower was on Saturday.  I don't often get a chance to visit one-on-one with this son and daughter-in-law, so it was a special treat.  Here we are, on our way to their home, getting ready to leave the airport.  :)

 Early in the morning, I would sit at their dining room table and watch out the window.  It is so peaceful.  The red red robins are constantly bob bob bobbin' their way around the yard, first thing.  It also rained every day that I was there, over 2"!

 Rabbits are also a frequent sight, busily mowing the lawn.  I didn't get any pictures of the squirrels, but they are a special kind of invader.  While I was there, they stripped the apple tree of its four apples.  My son & DIL were pretty miffed about that.

 The shower was held on Saturday afternoon.  My son was invited to arrive about an hour into the festivities, to assist in opening the presents.

Back in the 90's, my quiltie friends advised me to make baby quilts for the grandkids because "when they arrive, you won't have the time!"  I am very glad that I took that advice.  I began my granddaughter's quilt in 1997, and finished it a couple of years ago.

 I was thrilled when I heard that they painted the room a pale shade of purple.  (Look at that Baptist fan quilting - it is quilted by hand!)

We had a lovely visit.  My husband stayed home this trip, but we plan to go again in a few months, to welcome our new little granddaughter.  I highly recommend taking Alaska Airlines through San Diego to St. Louis.  It is SO comfortable compared to some of the flights we've been on over the past several years.

We currently have a vet student staying with us.  On Monday, she asked if she could watch me quilt.  Turns out, she did not know how to work a sewing machine.  I have several baby quilts ready for quilting, so after demonstrating a few lines of in-the-ditch, I turned the quilt and the machine over to her.  She quilted about 1/4 of the quilt.  I finished it up yesterday.  Today, I hope to cut and attach the binding.  Perhaps I will have a picture by the end of the week.  goals are good!

And on that note, duty calls.  Hope you're all staying cool and finding time to put in a few stitches here and there!

Trip Wrap Up

Our last stop was Venice.  By this time, I was tired, and ready for the cruise to be over and done with.  But it wasn't.  I am so glad we chose the excursion that we chose!  We began with a water bus to the island of Murano, home of the famed glass blowers.  There, we watched a demonstration of a Master at work.

 After seeing the skill needed to produce a bowl, we were invited into the Master's Gallery, to shop.  Everything was well out of our price range, with all of these asking 100's or 1000's of euros.

 It wasn't until we were almost ready to catch our waterbus that we realized there was more for sale downstairs, that was more affordable. 

From there, we went to St. Mark's Square, and hiked a bit to catch our gondola ride.  It was quite reminiscent of Disneyland.  I don't know if you can see (click the picture to make it bigger), but the gondolas were stern to bow to stern to bow as far as you could see.

 It didn't really matter.  We were in Venice!  In a gondola!  :)

 On our way back to the waterbus, we stopped for a few pictures of St. Marks Square.

By this time, I was exhausted.  It was time to return to the ship for one last amazing dinner, where we were serenaded by gondoliers.

 Fast forward to last week, when I finished another little seascape.  I think this brings me to the end of the half-done littles that were on my design wall.  yay!

 There are a couple of lines of beading and French knots on the piece.  I do the French knots first, then fill in with beads.  This picture is a bit blurry, but it gives you the idea.

 I've basted the four baby quilts, which are ready and waiting for quilting.

Unfortunately, I suspect it will be a while before I get them done.  We are expecting a house guest for the next two weeks, so I've cleared all sewing accoutrements from the sewing annex.  Where did I put them?  I stuffed them into the "studio," which is once again the Dump.  sigh.  Maybe one of these days I will be able to sew myself out of this mess.

Then again, each time I begin, I get distracted.  Witness what I have up on my design wall.

yep.  That is more that enough to keep me busy for a month of Sundays, let alone all the quilts that are currently basted and waiting to be quilted.  Let us hope that the next time I check in, I've quilted something!

Goals are good!!

Croatia, and some sewing

 After Montenegro, we traveled to Dubrovnik, Croatia.  For those of you who are Game of Thrones fans (personally, I've never seen it), this scene should evoke squeals of delight.  Or so we were told.  GOT gear was everywhere.  If you're not interested in it, well, there's always a Croatian soccer jersey to spend money on.

I found Dubrovnik to be disappointing, probably because we arrived a few minutes before the beginning of a marathon through the city.  There's not a lot to see when the streets are roped off for the runners.  The rooftops were clear, and the sky a gorgeous blue.

 Our guide definitely shaded my impression of Croatia.  She spent a good portion of our time talking about the war with Serbia/Montenegro.  Though she insisted people need to forgive and move on, she also says they will never forget, and Serbia and Montenegro, well...she had lots of opinions as to what should be done with them.  I guess this is what happens when one grows up in a war zone.

There were bay leaves around the town. We were told they symbolize peace.  I think they also ensure that they never forget.

We went to an "authentic" home, where we were served a Croatian meal by a woman in traditional dress.  She was on the move, so I didn't get a picture of her.  However, I did get one of a street vendor, who was working on her wares as people walked by.

 The items were pretty, but I did not buy anything.

Fast forward to this past week, when I've been sewing up a storm.  My "studio" is in an awful state.  I can't get to anything.  There are piles of this, that, and the other thing everywhere.  I decided to cut the pulled fabrics for baby quilts, instead of stashing them then pulling them out again later.  In the past 10 days, I pieced 4 tops, plus part of one for veterans.  Here they are, waiting to be basted and quilted.

 In a mystery box, I found this Xstitch that I hadn't touched since 1995.  It needed a few hours of backstitching to finish.  So I finished it, and it is now at the shop, for framing.

 This little quiltlet is kind of an inside joke.  I sent it to a talk show host because I lured him into talking about quilting several times before and after Best of the Valley Quilt Show.  At one point, he said that he'd talked so much about quilting, "Those quilters should send me a quilt!"  It's not a big one, but it's a quilt!  hahaha!

And other than that?  Well, there are still other projects that are moving forward, as I try to get them off my table or off the design wall and back into production.  It's definitely a challenge.  As I think I said, it's out of control.

Thanks for hanging in there until the end.  I have one more day of cruise pics to share.  After that?  Hopefully I'll have some quiltie things to share as well.  Happy Stitching!

And It's Over

Best of the Valley 2019 has come and gone.  All of the preparations, all the paperwork, everything.  Over and done with.  In retrospect?  I'd say it was a mighty fine show.  But I always say that.  I am biased.

When trying to think of what to enter, I went through my list of quilts finished in 2018.  I had two baby quilts, which are exactly that:  quilts designed to be used and spit up on by babies.  Are they show quilts?  No, they are not.  But my husband said, "Of course, enter them!"  And so I did.  After all, they did have a story to them.

Are they cute, or what?  My daughter-in-law wanted me to be prepared to participate in their gender reveal.  When push came to shove (no not THAT kind of pushing), she couldn't wait for a package to be shipped cross country.  A girl is due in late August.  I mailed the quilt on the left after the show.  It should arrive tomorrow.

I also had a number of my little seascape quilts to enter.  Three of them were in the same class, which all hung together, with the exception of one that was hung back with the quilts by quilters 80 and older.

They did okay, all wearing ribbons.

 I still don't know if I prefer California Dreamin' or O, Foggy Day.

Last, but not least, was Sunset Stroll.  It came in third, in a tough category, Wall Quilts, Pictorial Landscapes.

I spent some time both yesterday and today, making Easter eggs for the grands and our faraway son and DIL.

 Each one was cuter than the last.  I made them like postcards, with fusible peltex.  They go into the mail tomorrow.

And I guess that's going to do it for now.  We've got some plans for the remainder of April.  Part of it includes some hand quilting.  Goals are good!