Sunday, December 28, 2014

Just took another one off the long arm......

I am going to call this one my Black/White/Red Chinese Coins. 
 
 
Not sure if it is really a Chinese Coins, but that's what I am going with. 
 
This was my attempt at using up all my black and white fabrics.  Of course, I didn't have enough and had to go out and buy more.  Then to make matters worse, I just cut up ALL the black and whites and had enough to make one, two and going on three quilts.  Geesh.
 
Anyways, I started this one last winter.  It's a big one.  I think it was 92 x 111.   Wasn't sure how I wanted to quilt it so put out the request for ideas from a lot of friends and the majority suggested a panto that showed movement yet maybe had some hard edges to go along with all my straight lines.   My friend Ruthie suggested "turbulence", so that is what I did.
 
 
 
I am going to have to remind myself though that I really don't care for solid backings.  They show up all your little jumps and starts.  A print or a pieced or a minky would have been a much better choice, but I had this all prepped a year ago and I think I had made this decision about not liking solid backings since that time.  Oh well.  It all worked out pretty well. 
 
Now to get into the sewing room and find something that will work for a binding.  I don't want to go and buy something if I don't have to.  I am trying really hard to use up what I have and to get my old projects done so I can check mark them off my so-called UFO list. 
 
I usually have my bindings made as soon as I make a quilt top, but apparently I wasn't sure which way to go on this one....black, white or red or black/white.  Time will tell.  I would like to mark this one off the list as done in 2014.  We will see. 
 
What's your first project going to be for 2015?!!!  Gosh, can you believe we are that close to another new year?  Where is the time going?
 
 

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Green giraffes and alligators.....

 
 
Needed to hunt through my stash  to find a binding that would go well for this quilt.  I so did not need or want to run to the quilt shop for this. 
 
On looking through my solids bin, I came across a great green that matched the giraffes and alligators....aka....Kona Cotton's  "Melon".
 
Now the binding is on this quilt which makes this quilt done.
 
 
 
 
.....and I managed to do this during and after getting three double batches of Christmas cookies done today....which I might add, I had no intention of doing.....but daughter #2 said she wanted to come over and bake cookies and daughter #1 who has had the flu all week was complaining that she wasn't going to have time to bake any for the boys, I thought...."oh, what the heck".  We don't need cookies here, but I made several dozen and sent some off to DD#1 while DD#2 took hers home.  We have a few and will eat them sparingly. 
 
Hope you are getting all your Christmas preparations done!  Thanks for stopping by. 
 
 

Friday, December 19, 2014

I must have things under control......

Never in a million years would I think I would have time to work on a quilt a few days before Christmas ...AND...it's not even FOR Christmas. 
 
Either I am forgetting to do something or I have things under control.
 
I just took this piece of fabric off the long arm.
 
 
I have had this in the closet for a very long time. 
 
It's a Windham Fabrics.
 
 
It would be interesting to find out just how old this fabric is. 
 
I watched a video on YouTube  called "loopy clams" and that is the pattern I used on this quilt.  It is a free motion E2E (edge to edge).  Really pretty easy to do. 
 
 
I backed it in white minky.  (Yes, I am getting very comfortable using minky).
 
 
It really shows up the quilting nicely....AND....feels so soft and cuddly. 
 
Now I have to hunt up some fabric to make the binding and this will be added to the pile of quilts that are finished. 
 
Hmmmm...I wonder if I have some yellow dot fabric.  Maybe I will just have to make a run to the quilt store.  Heaven forbid!!!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Had some time the other day.....

so got out some linen/cotton blend fabric and quilted it on the long arm, did some stitching at the sewing machine and came up with this.
 
 
 
 
This is what I will be using as the "wrap" for my secret Santa gift at work. 
 
Hope she likes it. 
 
She received her gift today (December 18) and loved the stocking more than the packages inside.  Said she always wanted something quilted.  I am a happy camper. 


Saturday, December 6, 2014

Done and outta here.

 
427" of binding machine stitched to the front and then flipped over and hand stitched to the back and made a label, too.
 
Called my customer and she was here in less than 30 minutes. 
 
She loves it!
 
I'm happy.....and this was all done in plenty of time for Christmas. 
 
Now I can breathe and get my house decorated. 
 
Then?  What's next?  I'll have to decide, but it will most likely be for me. 
 
If you have decorated for the holidays already.....good for you.
 
If you haven't....have fun and then enjoy. 
 


Michigan quilters, take note

  Come see us at our first Quilter's to Quilter's sale.   Don't know what that is?  Well, it will be 28 quilters/vendors selling...