tap....tap....tap....

Beyond the Cherry Trees is at the quilter's.

Binding is made.....and I used this fabric which was the largest piece I still had in my French General stash.

I guess while I am "not so patiently" waiting, I will make some more hexies.

tap....tap...tap...



Prepping a retreat project.....

I thought I would squeeze out one more quilt using the left overs of my French General fabrics.

Swoon.

I have chosen these fabrics with their mates to make the 9 blocks.

Here I have the center stars cut out and have the corresponding background wheel underneath them.

...and now all the pieces for the blocks are cut out.

One difference though...since I am using up my scraps, I had this one picked out for the background wheel and came up short one 3 1/2 block. "darn"  I was sure there was enough fabric, I think I just cut it out in the wrong order. 

I had to settle for this one, but it is ok, too.

I still have to find a background fabric, so as soon as I can get to a quilt shop that carries French General, then I can get the background cut and this quilt will be ready to go.

Now, this will be the third quilt with these fabrics ....and most likely the last one, too.

There was the Beyond the Cherry Trees and the Gwen Marston liberated baskets, but I still have this much fabric left over from the Cherry Trees. I think I may have gotten carried away. 

I am NOT going to make another quilt with these fabrics.  It's time to move on to something new or complete some of my UFOs. 

Well, ALMOST one project cut out for retreat.  I need to get busy, it's just around the corner. 

Betty Davis eyes......

Don't ask me why that song stuck in my head while I was sewing on these eyes.

Anyways, this is Betty the turkey.

I found this pattern on Sandy Gervais' blog  (Pieces of my Heart)   back in November 2009.  In fact, that is when I pieced this little quilt.  I did make one little change from hers though.....I added legs.

Apparently life got in the way since I started this little guy/gal.

Well, one wasn't enough, so now I have a flock.

My daughter had seen this and said she wanted one.  The two are made from one charm pack (Amazing) with just a couple more squares added from the stash. 

This is number 3 and 4 from my five little quilts. 

Number 5 is my half-square triangle quilt table topper.

These hst were left overs from another quilt that I made.

Here's a close up of the quilting.

....and here's a look at the backing (one of my favorite fabrics).

Wow....all my little quilts are now finished.  I am a happy camper. 

Now it is time to get the backing made for the Cherry Tree quilt and start getting projects prepped for my upcoming quilt retreat.

See you when I come up for air.

Fairy dust....

Someday, I hope this little quilt puts some little baby to sleep with the fairy dust that the little fairies are dispensing.

This is the second of five little quilts I got back from the quilter. 

I had bought this fabric bundle a couple years ago with no pattern in mind other than to just make a baby quilt that I could put in the ready made stash of baby quilts that I want to have ahead of time, so that I am not rushing to get a quilt made for some mommy-to-be  at the last minute.  The problem with buying a bundle and not using it right away is  you may end up with a shortage of fabrics.  So  for this border I tried to make it interesting with what I had. 

I

I just have to show you the  backing that shows the quilting  my quilter, Karen, did.  It is an  adorable daisy and leaf panto and I think it is just perfect. 

Ok..onto the next little quilt. 

Peas and Carrots

Maybe I will call this quilt "cooked" peas and carrots because it sure was hot putting on the binding tonight even for a little quilt. 

This is a Schnibbles quilt with lots of little pieces, but I love it and will probably drape it over a table so that I can enjoy it. 

Here's a close up. 

....and here is the backing. 

This is the first of five little quilts that I got back from the quilter.  So, one down and four more to go. 

Stay tuned. 

Think sub zero......

In my last post, I was telling you that I was knitting a cowl for my daughter. 

 I started it after work on the 15th and finished it last night (the 18th). 

This was a project that I offered her since I felt the need to do some knitting....back in the wintertime.  She was to buy the yarn and I would knit her the Gap-tastic Cowl.  She didn't get the yarn until just the other day, so I decided to get it out of the way just in case I needed to buy more yarn or if there was a skein left over, them she could return it. 

I was hoping the weather would cooperate and not be 80 degrees when I finished it for her to try on.

Well, it was 86 degrees. 

It's a warm one and even I was having a hard time getting into really enjoying fussing with it, but she loves it and it was an easy one to make.  I may make another one, but not until winter this time around. 

Now....onto putting on some bindings on one of those little quilts that I got back from the quilter.  I'll be showing you something soon. 

What's new?

I have been living a nightmare at work, so my friend, Sharon,  and I went to see Ami Simms for a little entertainment at our guild on Monday. 

If you have never heard her speak, you should put it on your bucket list.  It was just what I needed. She is a hoot.   You can find her here on her blog/website.

http://www.amisimms.net/

Then to top off my week my daughter brought me over some yarn to make her a cowl (I asked her to find something so that I could make this back when we had sub zero weather).   Anyways, since she bought it now in the middle of May, I thought I had better get to it so that if she needed to return yarn or get more, she could do it in a timely manner.  Here's a peek.

When I finish it, I will show you the whole project.  I just hope it isn't 80 degrees out when it has to be tried on.

On an even happier note, I picked up the five little quilts that I sent to the quilter a little while ago.

Here's a peek at them.

As I get the bindings on these, then I will show them  to you. 

I think I will have plenty to keep me busy and in a much happier mood than I am in while at work. 

Ahhh, yes....quilting and knitting.....what could put you in a happier mood?  Maybe chocolate, but the boss has supplied us with plenty of that for this week knowing all that we are going through.  It's helping just a little. 

Happy crafting.