June 30th!! How can that be?

The month has just flown by.  

I have kept myself busy this month quilting though; and I can share what I have been working on, too. 

At retreat earlier this month, I worked on a commissioned quilt for a co-worker.  

I had complete freedom to make whatever I wanted  for a baby quilt as long as it was gender neutral.  I found that to be harder than having specific requests.  There were just way too many choices.  She has since found out that it is going to be a boy, so I did eliminate the pink panel that would have been in the Farmland quilt and replaced it with another blue. 

Anyways, I had this one cut out prior to retreat and got the top completely done.  

Then I decided that this one was probably a little larger than what she might want and the cost was starting to go up pretty quick with the fabrics that I chose, so during retreat I went shopping and bought more fabric for another quilt.  

I found these fabrics in a shop called Jackman's in St. Louis, MO.  The fabric line is called Babes in Farmland.  This was a smaller quilt AND a little more baby-ish. 

So since being home, I have put both of them on the long arm; and quilted them both with "daisies".

Babes in Farmland is bound and if you notice, I used a white minky on the back of this quilt.

Found a great diagonal stripe to bind the Chain Reaction quilt and the backing is the same as the focus fabric on the top.  

So in less than a month, I made two baby quilts to present to my co-worker and let her make the choice of which one she wants.  

Now the plan is to get back to my UFOs and start making a dent in that pile.  

I'll let you know which one of the quilts got picked tomorrow.  I am guessing the Farmland one.  I think the minky alone will sell that one.  

Ok....let's bring on July!!!

I'm back!!!

I am back from my retreat that was held in St. Louis, MO at the Mercy Center; and I had such a good time and was pretty productive while there, too.  

Here is a picture of most of the ladies that were in attendance.

 

My goal this year was to get another UFO done and that was my fermenting 9-patches that I have had since the early 2000s.  They were from a swap with a bunch of gals and the theme for them  was Robyn Pandolph.  I found at least 10 yards of four different gold fabrics in my stash (meant for this project originally)  that I cut up to be the alternating blocks and now this quilt is a top.  I have to order a backing (hoping to find a 108" wide back in Robyn's fabrics, also).

Then there was the baby quilt that I cut out prior to attending the retreat.  I got it all done.  I have the backing here at home, so it will probably be the first one on the long arm so that I can say it is done.  I even made the binding at retreat.

 

Did make a little shopping trip to Jackman's ( a great shop for all kinds of sewing things and it is huge!!!) and Janie Lou ( this is a mostly modern fabric shop...I love it!)  where I bought this adorable pink giraffe minky.  I threw it together as a little baby throw and will be gifting it this weekend at a baby shower.  (so that makes three projects done)

 

Also, picked up some fabric (and a book for the pattern) to make another baby quilt.  They didn't have all the fabrics in stock, but I did find them on-line and will be ordering them tonight so I can throw it together soon.  I am missing the panel and the piglets. 

Then there was this lovely gray and white stripe (diagonal) that I just couldn't resist for a binding.  I have yardage of a gray with tiny white dots that I plan on using someday for a background and I thought this would make a great binding for that quilt.

I, also, took a bag of prepared Hearts and Hands paper piece blocks, but they take a long time to complete; but I did get three done.....from sewing them, pulling the paper off and appliqueing the center circles....like I said, very time consuming,  So I am three closer to being finished.  I think there are now 37 more to go. 

While at Jackman's, I picked up the roll of batt that I had pre-ordered from them a month ago, so I was driving home with a 30-yard roll of batting in the backseat.  They did a pretty good job of vacuum packing this thing.  I am afraid that once I break into that shrink wrap, it is going to explode like the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man.  We will see.  

I am going to try and post my pictures of everyone's show and tell AND the projects that they were working on at retreat.  Hopefully this works.  We have a lot of very talented ladies in this group.  So, please take a look at what all was accomplished and I hope you enjoy the show.  I know I did.

 https://www.flickr.com/photos/qltnbe/sets/72157654194379278

Quilts of Valor Challenge quilt reveal

I am writing this post on November 23, 2014 because that is when this quilt was finished, but the reveal isn't until my retreat of June 9/10 thru 14, 2015 in St. Louis, MO.   

Hopefully, I am in attendance.

You've had some peeks while I was making it because I just couldn't resist.  Apparently I have a hard time keeping this type of secret.   

ALL my Americana fabric is used up in this and I am so excited to donate it to one of our soldiers that fights for our freedom. 

At this point in November 2014, I don't know what I am working on at retreat, but you can bet I will be sharing it very soon. 

Thanks for looking in. 



Four more days.....

Retreat starts in four days.

Can't wait. 

So much so that I am still digging into my projects and working on them here at home. 

Just can't resist dabbling in my Hearts and Hands paper pieced blocks. 

This one is ready to stitch the center circle on.

This one just got its center glued down and I will wait for it to dry before stitching it.

The next one is laid out and ready to go.

For this one, the dark fabric will be the background and the lighter one the spires.  After it is completed, then I will decide which one of all my "already made centers" will work best for this block.  

That will make 12 of these done.  Still have plenty to work on at retreat.

Just wish I wasn't so antsy to get going on these projects.  It's getting hard to wait when I have the time now.

Ok....just need to tell myself....I can wait, I can wait.