Ahh! A finished quilt

Lilac Breeze

I finished quilting this quilt by Jan Patek and Alma Allen.  The pattern is called Baskets, Berries, and Leaves.  I couldn't find a link for this pattern, I'm not sure it's still available.  I call the quilt Lilac Breeze because of the fabric line I used to make it (Lilac Hill) and the thing I like best about lilacs is the wonderful scent wafting in the air.

I used Barb Vedder's baptist fan template for the quilting.  I like it because you can mark two units at a time.  You can find out more about it here.  I bought the large single fan.

This quilt took me five months to hand quilt.  I was expecting to get it done sooner but hand quilting is something you can't hurry if you want it to look nice.  Sometimes my hand would go numb if I quilted too long at a stretch or didn't allow myself some days off once in a while.

It's a big quilt measuring 103 1/2" X 84 1/2"  I need to put the bedskirt on this bed so you can't see the aqua colored mattress - Ha!  Feels good to have it all finished.

I had my youngest daughter pick out some quilts so I could share the wealth so to speak.  I have far too many quilts on shelves and in closets.  She ended up taking the quilt that is usually on this guest bed.  I guess she knew I had another one almost ready.  It's funny how things turn out.

I put a toile border around this little challenge quilt but I think it still needs some more red.  I pinned that red strip up to see if that is the answer but I don't think a solid stripe will work.  I could do some HSTs or a checkerboard or applique on the toile.  Who knows?

 I'm going to ponder on this for a while because I need to catch up on the Cheddarback quilt here and my house desperately needs some attention.  I think I'll start out by cleaning the refrigerator.

Hope your day has a needle and thread in it.
Robin

Little flowers finished

I finished appliqueing the little 6 1/2" flower blocks for the "Floral" Ad Hoc challenge.  They are based on a Cheri Payne flower that I enlarged and gave a different setting.   I got out all my big floral fabrics to audition for the alternating blocks.

Top is blue background Blessings by Brannock and Patek.
Bottom is light background "Coming Home" " Country Paths" by Brannock and Patek.

Top is Navy background "Fern Hill" by Jan Patek.
Botton is green backround "Blessings" by Brannock and Patek.

Top is "Harvest Home" by Brannock and Patek.
Bottom is "Madiera" by Blackbird Designs.

This is Black background "Blessings" by Brannock and Patek and I liked it the best.

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This is where I am so far - it's not sewn together.  I have cut out green setting triangles.  I think it needs red next.

I love creating colorful projects but it is so disappointing when one of them bleeds.  Yes, it happened again!  I try to be so careful and pre-wash everything and I am very particular about the reds I use.  Well the red in the flower center with the black and green check stem/leaf is a bleeder.  I had some of this (chicken) fabric that I used in another quilt without a problem.  What I think happened is that my sister gave me a bunch of fabric and she had this chicken fabric too.  I neglected to wash this one - argh!  The bleeding is only noticeable on the back, it bled on to the backing and a little on to the green surrounding it.

Do I replace it?
Robin

Next quilt in the frames

I have wanted to make a quilt for a friend of mine for a long time.  It's finally time.

I took some quilt tops over to her house yesterday and she picked one out.  It's not the one I thought she would choose so I was glad she had the opportunity to make the decision.

This is the one she picked out.  It's a bigger quilt than I was planning on because I want to get two of them done before Christmas.  So I got busy and put it on the frames this morning (my knee will attest to that).  I only have a partial ball of pearl cotton so I need to go to the store before I begin.

I think I can work on it first thing in the morning and then again after dinner to make the progress a little faster.  At least, that is my goal. . .

Hope you're having a lovely Saturday.
Robin

Christmas in Cedarburg

The book that I used for the pattern had the sawtooth border on these blocks going two different ways.  If I had looked a little more closely at the other blocks I would have noticed that some of them have that border all going the same way.  I wish I would have noticed that sooner but my blocks are done and they are all made crazily alike.

I can't decide if it needs another border.  It is 72" square and so I'm leaning towards it being done.

Look what greets me every morning as I look out my back door.  We have six hibiscus bushes but this one seems to be the heartiest.  Such a cheerful greeting each day.

Have a great Saturday.
Robin

If you want to find out the story behind this quilt, go here.

Hexies and Flying Geese and a finish and a new start

I read an article many years ago in the Reader's Digest.  It was called "The Positive Power of Procrastination".  I looked it up so I could give you a link but I guess it was too long ago - over 20 years.  

Anyway, it stated that when you are trying to avoid doing something, use that time to do something else, something positive/productive.

So, a few weeks ago I was trying very successfully to avoid working on the 240 flying geese units I needed to complete my blind man's fancy project and I decided to productively use that time to finish up this hexie project.

Ta Da!

I had no plans when I started this.  I just wanted to see what I could come up with.  It measures 55 1/2" X 53 1/2".  I'm going to use it as a table cloth.  I'm not sure how I'm going to quilt it but I don't have to think about that right now because I NEED TO GO SEW THE FLYING GEESE.

I sat down to my sewing machine this afternoon and made some good progress.  I only lack two more units on each of the 20 strips.  I can finally see light at the end of the tunnel.  Hopefully I can finish these up tomorrow and get them sewn around the quilt.  The next border should be much easier.

I finished the hand quilting on this quilt today.  I've been working on it since March.  It was supposed to be done in June and then July and now it's August.  At least it's done!  I found the fabric for the binding this morning and will soon get to work.  I'll take a picture when it's all done.

This is just the back frill of a flower.

I basted some arcs on 6 1/2" squares to start making some flower blocks for the newest floral challenge with Adhoc/Improv group.  I have one completed and 11 more to go.

Hope you're not too hot~
Robin