a new pillow cover

 I made it with stash.

Nice for spring.

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

Quilter's really are the best-est people!

I had the pleasure of spending a day with one of them. Amanda Jean Nyberg from Crazymomquilts was in Pittsburgh to speak at our guild. 

One of the other guild members showed her around Pittsburgh on Sunday and I continued the fun on Monday.

 I picked her up in the morning and we went to The Strip District.  Amanda got to see a cool area of the 'burgh, me too because although I've lived here all my life, I've never shopped in the strip.

She also got proof of my being directionally challenged--what can I say; I think I only almost turned left instead of right, two or three times.... or was it right instead of left?

We came back to my house and had lunch on the deck and relaxed.  Amanda asked to see my quilts. 

I'd hold one up give a little story and fold it on the couch....

 then on the chair...

Sometimes you just need to sit back, put your feet up and look at some quilts!

  

The day flew!  

We talked about quilts, our kids, quilts, family, blogging oh and quilts.  

Her trunk show was excellent.

We saw and heard the stories behind the quilts; the making of them and how her book came about.  If you get the chance to see her, go! You will not be disappointed.

Today was an all day workshop where we learned her slab technique.

I had to first separate my scraps into colors before I could even begin piecing.

(I see a long overdue fabric re-organization in my future.)

Here are the three I made.

  The pink one and the red one pretty much used all the scraps I had in those colors.  I have tons of blue and greens too, the amount of greens was a surprise to me.
fun, fun!

******
and finally
This is a terrible picture of a stunning quilt.


the 'crapola photographer' (that would be me) strikes again!

It's the raffle quilt for our fall quilt show.  I'll get a better picture in the future.
It is just gorgeous.

I hope I win it.  I have plenty of room.

as long as I don't put that last pile of quilts away.

Urban Chained went from a flimsy to quilted this weekend.

I have the binding made but in my haste to get this quilted I forgot to make a label and attach to the back before I quilted it...so I have to get a label ready and sew it along the edge with the binding.  (that way I only have 3 sides to hand stitch to the back).

I did make a cute pillow cover and quilted it real fast yesterday but alas no picture.

Tonight is my guild meeting.  Our speaker is Amanda Jean from crazymomquilts.  

How fun is that!! 

OK a busy day today so I better get dressed and get it started!

   

As April blurred into May, things remained pretty stagnant here.  I did quilt

a few customer quilts but piecing went out the window.  Finally last week, I spend most of a day sewing....

these blocks became

an Urban Chained flimsy!

 Yesterday the  last 3 rows were sewn together at 6:30 am-before work!

The X's quilt has been sewn together; 3 X's across by 4 down.

I should say "I can't believe I didn't get a picture", but I can believe it!

I bought Kim's Fantasy Feather's booklet and it arrived just as I was getting ready to take down the X's flimsy.  Unless I forgot, I'm going to use her design ideas on this quilt.

I also "flimsied" (did I just invent a new term?) this one.

It measures about 53 x 56.  I was trying to keep with the modern look which in many cases means, no borders.  But adding the border made the size better.  I think it's a good baby size now.
It felt really good to get these half finished tops off the wall. 

I also pieced the final block for the Curve It Up quilt along. 

This picture has the block with the curved border already on.

I am going to put each block up on the design wall as I finish them. 

 I cut out the rest of the pieces and ran out of the white on white and the grey solid.  

Separate trips to two different Jo-Ann's and I finally found the same grey--who know there were so many 'shades of grey' (ooh that could be a bad pun if you know of /read those steamy books from last summer).
 

***I did start the first book and after about 100 pages, couldn't find a plot and was thinking "no way in Hell anybody could do that so much and still be able to walk***
Call me a snob but if I'm going to read smut it has to be believable smut. 

I returned the book to Target. And was told by the clerk, when I gave my reason (I really didn't know it was THAT kind of book). She said I must be the only person who didn't, as it's been all the morning shows etc have been talking about.
 

Sadly, I do not watch morning TV or most any other TV so I am out of the loop on matters trivial and important. 
 

Does this make me an ignorant snob??????

whoa-that was a digression-  and I hope not TMI !
And finally, since it is Facebook official on my DIL's page.  I feel it's OK to say.

******

My son, John and his wife, Jen are
GOING TO HAVE A BABY!!

...IN DECEMBER!!

...I AM EXCITED!!

...CAN YOU TELL!!


***SMILE***SMILE***SMILE***

so much to do so little time

quilting... 

 quilting...

quilting... 

and more quilting

This is the 2nd baby quilt for Libby (the top picture is the first one)

 the patterns are from Rebecca Silbaugh her blog is here.

 you can find the patterns for the Alphabet Stitchery's here. I took the pictures on the deck.  The sun is coming through the bare tree branches....but it's the SUN!!!

woo-hoo.

Rebecca and her mom did a trunk show/lecture at our guild a few months back and we each bought 2 of the patterns.  Libby has hers made --they are going to be gifted to newborn twins.  

They are just too adorable.  The first one pictured at the top of post is 'Noah's Ark'

the 2nd is the 'Jungle Animals'.  Libby said the stitchery one the Noah's Ark one took a bit more time but the Jungle one stitched up very fast.

I was most surprised when she told me she bought the fabric at JoAnn's!  It's really, really nice. It was a bundle they had.

I'm almost done piecing the X blocks. The blocks on the right are this months guild BOM.  I like making the little 6 inch blocks more than the 12 inch ones, they're just  fun!  I should take down that darn asterisk block.

   

And here's my latest treasure made by my dad!

It's a side table with glass (plexi-glass for safety) on the front and sides and a hinged top.

 I have 6 full/queen quilts in it and a few small ones I switch out for decorating.

I LOVE it.  And have asked for a matching one for the other side of the sofa. 

Filling it will be no problem!

Of  course now I think I need new lamps....

Design Wall Monday& Curve it Up QAL

Block 11 Drunkard's Path

16 inch block

 

*******

My stack 'n slash has been fun.  I think it's close to being done.

I started with 5 inch charms, alternating white and batiks.

They squared up to 3 3/4".  

 I made a second set of blocks and cut some white squares to fill in and separate them.

I made a 3rd set of blocks and cut some larger white strips and squares.

Two reasons for this: 

1. I really want the color to be spread out.

2.  I was trying to make it work without having to piece another set of blocks.

This is where it is now. 

I do believe I will make that last set of blocks.  If I add a border and sew these together now it will be a bit small for a baby quilt. 

********

This weekend I needed a quick little something to go with a birthday gift card so I enlarged a bunny applique and made these two tea towels. 

One was for the birthday girl--one was for me!

and while I was digging around to find the perfect fabric for the bunnies I found this dog panel quilt all done except the binding. 

 

Imagine that! Me, not finishing the binding!!

The binding wasn't even made, what a slacker!

Now it is, sewn on and I'm half way around hand sewing it to the back.

It will be donation quilt for Quilt for Kids.  

design wall stuff

I made another group of stack in slash blocks.  After piecing a few more I think I will play with arrangements and adding some larger white pieces.  I'm thinking this will be a baby quilt or if I get carried away a lap quilt.

I like it.

 A lot.

I was gifted with these gorgeous batik FQ's at quilt retreat by my secret sister.

There were enough to use for my next Quick Curve Ruler pattern Urban Chained

I'm using a light blue print for the background.

My first test blocks.

I also have the binding on Urban Candy, just need to do the hand sewing.

I have 60 yo-yo's made (of the 409 I need) for this one.