Three Rivers Quilters annual show was last weekend.

 This was my entry. 

I didn't take too many pictures the show was quite crowded.  They have a slide show of the winners here.  The Best of Show quilt is amazing.

*******

I finished this customer quilt yesterday afternoon. It's all flannels top and back.
I did a swirl echo on it (from the Pajama Quilter), it gave it really nice texture, especially with it being flannel fabric!

*******

I loaded my little Swoon block sample and got that quilted before I load the next customer one.
I'm going to make this into a pillow...so my first Christmas gift is about done!

*****

Urban Birthday is a flimsy.

On the design wall now is this one from Sunday Morning Quilts.
 I am going to try to just take my time with this
 and piece the rows s-l-o-w-l-y.
(ha-ha --I did say "try")  
I don't need another baby quilt (right this second anyway) nor do I need another flimsy.

This pattern uses the cut off triangles from piecing binding. I use 2 1/4 inch strips for binding rather than the 2 1/2 strips most people use. I didn't have enough of them so I would say a good half of these I just cut from the 2 1/2 inch strip bin. 

After I got it all arranged on the wall, I thought perhaps I should make it bigger.
And then I smacked myself and came back to reality.

Quilting joy

or
 quilting  "Joy"

pillows...

a few more before the 25th...

(Joy is my version of this and this.)

Life is good.

Quilting

 I did this all freehand. 

 I need to get some arc shaped rulers and learn to use them...

 I did the dresden on the left first and then thought of the squiggly rays that I did on the blue one.  

 The signature quilt is done.

This morning before work I made the binding and sewed it on this evening.

I just need to hand stitch it to the back.  

Our co-worker, whom this quilt is for, is back in the hospital so I feel an urgency to get this done.

Saturday sewing

After Shop Hopping all day Wednesday, working Thursday and finishing the Shop Hop on Friday, I was ready for some serious sewing time.

First thing was to finish the binding (by hand) on my Opal Pillow. I sat on the deck  while stitching.

 Next, I sewed the last signature block together, which meant I could sew the final row together and add it to the rest of the top!  

(54 x 64)

 I sewed a border around the Metro Rings block to get it up to size for a 20 inch pillow  and then cut the leftover batting and muslin for it and the two Dresden blocks, also destined to be pillows.  Now just need to finish a quilt that's waiting on HQ to be able to quilt these up.

And finally it was on to Curve it Up Sampler. 

I sewed the first row together and then decided I wanted to add a narrow strip between the blocks.  I measured the small piece of grey fabric I had left and figured that if I didn't make a single cutting error I would just have enough for

1 1/4 inch strips.  I would have preferred 1 1/2.

So after un-sewing the first row I got busy and have the top together now and one row of the outer sashing on...I see a flimsy in the near future.

You may remember that I LOL when Jenny & her sister challenged us to get the top done by July 1. 

But then they added that those who did would be entered to win 3 of her patterns....that stopped the lol-ing. :)

Is there a method to this madness?

After running around this morning trying to get an organized list for

 Shop Hop, I thought perhaps I'd sit down and sew a small border around the MetroRings block I made yesterday and have it ready to quilt.  

But I didn't do that.

and get these 2 ready for quilting too. I didn't do that either.

 I took down the signature quilt rows---it's as together as I can get it until I have the last 2 signed blocks.

I was going to put up the Curve it up blocks and figure out the fabrics for the final outside border (keep it the same grey/white or instead of the grey use one of the yellow prints I bought but hardly used for it oh and make sure I have enough)

um, I didn't do that.

I was sick of looking at the Bl-a-days in rows  on the other side of the design wall so I started sewing them together and after a few hours;

a new flimsy.

(61 x 77)

Oh and after looking at the picture of the curve it up blocks while I'm writing this post, I think I will be using the grey/white to finish the top.

almost a ta-da.

I have the blocks all sashed but need to made 28 more units to go round the outside to frame it nicely.

The challenge was thrown down to have the quilt together by July 1.

I laughed....out loud.

One of my coworkers had a stroke.  She's doing well but it will be a long recovery.

This is the signature quilt I'm making for her.  I have all the blocks ready now, just need all the ladies I work with to get the signed pieces back to me...

The colors are a bit off, it's very soft, feminine and has a peaceful feel. I think it fits the bill. It's all from stash and most of it is actually charm packs,  French General some light CW...forget the designer

I finally finished quilting a H.U.G.E. customer quilt 102" x 121"

all over feathers, I never thought it would end.  I timed myself and it took me an hour and 15 minutes for one pass...yikes!

 Jenny  is having a new QAL-perfect timing as our local Shop Hop is next week and now I have something to actually shop for.

I quilted up this pillow yesterday morning, forgot to take a picture. I'm going to make binding for it now and then I'll show it all finished.  

new projects and the block a days that just won't end.....

Yesterday I saw this pillow on Moda's Bake Shop. And I immediately started to make it.

I am making it a bit smaller, to fit a 20 inch pillow insert.

Of course I should not be making a pillow.  I should be working on the pieced borders for these blocks.

 all neatly piled up and ready to go

or quilting 

This is a baby quilt, the maker wanted something simple. It's for a boy. The quilting design is from The Pajama Quilter; double loops or 'olives' she calls it.  I was just flipping through the book before I started quilting and her words describing the design jumped out at me that if you quilt this giant size on a baby quilt it looks darling.  I was skeptical but liked it better than what I was thinking of doing and dang it does look cute!

  

********

After Amanda was here last week, I had some quilt re-folding to do.

It was quite a pleasant task.  

During the refolding I pulled out a bunch that need to go.

I'm not in love with them anymore,a few I never was, they don't have a 'special' meaning for me and it's time for someone else to enjoy them. 

Of course, this doesn't reduce the quilts near enough and I am percolating a few different ideas of how to deal with this.  

********

I also shamelessly got my block-a-day box out from under the cutting table yesterday as well.  

I don't know why I did, just to 'check on them' ???

I looked at them and thought, may have actually said out loud;

'this is ridiculous'

'these need to be done'

'sheesh'

So I started to play with blocks.

(there is another row of 5 blocks on the floor that you can't see)

I'm thinking of making two quilts from these 12 inch CWrepro blocks.

I'm thinking wide sashing between 3 rows. I'm thinking 2 lap/twin size instead of 1 queen...better for donating or matching for 2 twin beds (what??-yep I actually thought that even though I don't have two twin beds and don't know anyone who does and would want coordinating quilts in CW fabrics to cover them!!)  

It was great fun playing with them!  I still have two leftover blocks-they just don't fit in so will go into the backing.

This will end the twelve inch blocks and use up some of the large pieces of CWrepro fabric I got on sale a year or two ago.

I'm thinking I think too much and instead of starting more stuff should stay focused and finish what I have started  

hahahahahaa

I crack myself up.

a new pillow cover

 I made it with stash.

Nice for spring.

It's a gift-I think she will like it.

Christmas Pillows and quilting

20 x 21 

I made two of these pillows. I got the pattern here  They are both gifts.

This is Libby's hand print quilt for her granddaughter.  It's adorable.

Sorry for the shadows, that was a sunny day and I didn't notice the shadows until I snapped the picture.

(50 something X 70-I think)