Fun Baby Quilt

I made this quilt in mid-2002 for the arrival of my husband's first granddaughter. The hearts and stars are applied with raw-edge machine applique and the rest of the machine quilting varies from block to block. In some places I quilted rays, in others wavy lines, and hearts in some others. Again, I used monofilament thread (I was getting quite predictable).

The pattern is from a book called Patrick Lose's Special Delivery Quilts.

Friends and Fabric...What Could Be Better?

I think everyone who attended yesterday's mini-retreat agrees that it was a great way to spend a Saturday. Many projects were either completed or well on the way to being completed. We had tablerunners, baby quilts, bags, hot pads, and I managed to whip up 10 Christmas pillowcases for the young grandchildren and great-nieces and nephews on my husband's side of the family. I think you can tell by all the smiles that we really enjoyed ourselves, even with all the troubling things happening in our world. Some of us may be having financial or health issues and some may just be worried about the state of things, but yesterday gave us a chance to forget about the negatives and concentrate on the positives. Great weather, great friends, and great fabric!
I can't wait until we do this again...

Gone For The Day

I'm off on a mini-retreat with 19 other quilt guild members today. We'll be sewing like mad from 9 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon. I suppose we will find time to eat the pot-luck lunch that's planned.

In the meantime, here is "G-2 Mohawk Trail", an intermediate-level paper-pieced block. I don't really care for my fabric choices, but I can live with it. The block is really quite easy; just remember to print a mirror image if using the software. Otherwise, it won't look like Jane's.

As Promised...

This could be better, a lot better, but it will do. I used the "freezer paper on top" method for this block, which did make it a bit easier to turn the fabric under; however, I did find that it was a bit more difficult to place the pieces exactly where I wanted them to be. They are supposed to all meet in the center, but as you can tell, they don't.

Anyway, this is "E-1 Aunt Exie's Phlox", a beginner-level applique block.

Still No Applique

Although it is an advanced-level paper-pieced block, "F-2 Kaleidoscope" wasn't too difficult to make. However, because of the angles and some matching of seams, it is not for those who are just starting to paper piece. Be sure to cut your fabric pieces for the small triangles large enough -- the angles can fool the eye.

I did work on an applique block at Monday's meeting of the Laurel Janes, but it's not quite finished...maybe tomorrow...

Anniversary

"Love does not just consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction."

--- Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author of The Little Prince

It's hard to believe, but it's been exactly 19 years since we said "I do". Happy Anniversary to me and my best friend. We're still on the same journey...

Another Month Has Flown By

I can't believe that it is time again for the monthly meeting of the Laurel Janes. I have a block ready for some applique work that I will take with me to the meeting. Maybe I'll finish it today, maybe not.

In the meantime, here is "K-10 Quandry" (yes, that is how it is spelled in the software), an intermediate-level paper-pieced block. I'm glad I found the Dear Baby Jane blog so I can get hints from someone who is actually making the blocks. That's where I was reminded to print out a mirror image for paper piecing if I wanted my block to look like Jane's. The author of this blog does a wonderful job showing the steps in how she makes her DJ blocks. She doesn't always follow the directions in the software, but finds what works best for her. I highly recommend the blog to anyone who is working on the DJ blocks.