A Big Finish - Aidan's Quilt

A month ago Aidan's quilt was a top, and now it's a finish.  A big finish!  81" by 98" to be exact.  It should work okay for a few more years until he's done growing.

It was "fun" (you know what I mean!) man-handling that thing to machine stitch the binding on .....

.....and it was very warm hand-stitching it down. (The weather is not cold enough yet for that!)  I didn't even ask Hubby to hold it up for me to take pics because it's so big.  I just threw it onto the ground and had a fall photo shoot.

I had the fun of gifting it in person when the family was together for Thanksgiving dinner.  

He was a good sport about wrapping himself up in it ....

..... to reenact a photo of him with another of his "Gramma Quilts" when he was three years old.  I didn't dare ask him to pose at the window, though!  

He really likes his quilt, and I think it's big enough .....

..... for now!

An Early Finish - Safari Babies

I may have planned too easy a goal for November.  The Safari Babies quilt is already done!  I quilted it with a simple meander on my domestic machine and put on a bright binding for a fun finish.

 

Such cute safari babies!

I've already found some line drawings for another quilt like this one.  This time - underwater babies!

Linking up with So Scrappy, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and One Monthly Goal

Mar/Apr Goals Finally Met!

I am happy to announce (happier than you know!) that my March goal (which became my April goal) is finally done!  I knew I was right to not give up on it.  I put the binding and label on Natalie's quilt this week and it's ready to gift.

I was finally able to get some photos that show the true colors.  It's amazing what a little natural light will do.

I'm excited to be able to gift this one in person next weekend.  I've had to mail an awful lot of niece and nephew quilts the last few years, and that's not as much fun.  Isn't that a pretty quilting job by my friend, Shirley Jackson?

It's almost time for May reports, but I haven't done the April reports yet.  So, here they are -

APRIL

Fabric Added in April - 5 yards

Fabric Used in April - 8.9 yards

Fabric Added Year to Date - 26.3

Fabric Used Year to Date - 69.2 yards

Net used in 2022 - 42.9 yards

Days I sewed in April - 25/30

Days I sewed this year - 114/120

Percentage - 95%

Linking up with So Scrappy!

Debbie's Quilt - A Finish!

The last time I shared with you about Debbie's quilt the top was finished, the backing was ordered, and I was getting ready to mail it off to my quilter friend, Shirley Jackson.   The pantograph and thread choices are perfect for this quilt.  But, of course. Shirley always does a beautiful job.

In 2017 Debbie asked me to make her a new quilt because the one I had made for her 36 years earlier was worn out, I was more than happy to. That's why this quilt will no longer be known as "Debbie's Quilt", but rather "Because You Asked".   (I'm not usually any good at naming quilts, but I like this name!)

This is my first finish for 2019.
























I was excited to be able to make a trip to St. Louis recently to gift it in person.  Partly because it weighs a ton, and I didn't want to mail it. 



















Mostly because I wanted to see Debbie's face and bask in the glow of her love and admiration.  Not really.  I just wanted to love on her a little bit.  I don't get to see her often enough.

So, it's finally in Debbie's arms.  Seriously.  It's probably actually in her arms this very minute.  She was so happy when I gave it to her the other evening I feel certain she's yet to let it go.

Making a Dent - Another Finish

One of my goals this year has been to use up some of the 2.5" batik strips I cut last year.  In May I completed "Hypnotic", a 72" x 72" beauty (if I do say so myself!) for Stephen and Kailey's wedding.  I blogged about it here.  Then in November I finished piecing a gorgeous 98" x 98" top (if I do say so again!) for my sister, Debbie.  I blogged about Debbie's quilt here.  This top is currently with a friend waiting to be quilted so it won't make it off the UFO list this year.  

As the year is winding down I have a third batik quilt finish to share.

"Gemini" by Janine Burke for Blue Underground Studios has been on my "to do" list for a while, and I had fun working on it.  

The actual construction of the blocks didn't take long at all.  I made two-color rectangular blocks, and cut them in half .....

.....then mixed them up and sewed them back together.

You can't really make a mistake putting blocks like these into rows.

Shirley, did another great job quilting this one for me.  

Don't you love the Grunge fabric I found for the back?

I didn't make as big a dent in the box of strips as I'd hoped I would, but I definitely did make a dent.  Here's the box of strips "before".

Here's the box "after".

"Gemini" will be gifted soon, and I'm excited that I'll be able to do that in person in just a couple of weeks.  Now to decide what the next batik quilt will be.

Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict.
Linking up with Tish's Adventures in Wonderland.

Another Great-Grand Finish

Not only did I just finish another quilt to put back for the great-grands, I also got something checked off my UFO list. That's two things to be excited about!

I started this quilt at a retreat in April of 2016, but I just barely started it.  That made it officially a UFO, and now that list is down to only five. The pattern is called "Framed" from the book "Simply Retro" by Camille Roskelley.  The fabric line is "Bright Sun" by Sherri and Chelsi of a Quilting Life for Moda.   Cute, right?

This one is hand quilted with echo quilting and a square-in-a-square design in the largest pieces.

A simple design with simple quilting still makes for a special quilt to put back for future babies.

That's the third baby quilt I've made to put back for the grands .....

..... and my 14th finish this year.  I'd say this has already been a very good year. 

Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict.
Linking up with Tish's Adventures in Wonderland.

A Hypnotic Finish

Well, this turned out to be a very quilty weekend!  On Friday I made a pieced backing for a 72" x 72" quilt, on Saturday I basted it and started quilting it, on Sunday I finished quilting it and made the binding, and today I finished stitching that binding down.  I made this quilt in about three weeks!  I am a happy girl.

I like the back as much as the front.  You might even say this quilt is reversible.

I made a little dent in my stash on this one, using more than nine yards of fabric. 

I'm really excited about gifting this because the couple receiving it has a special place in my heart.  I didn't decide until the beginning of this month that I was going to make it.  Getting it done this fast just goes to show you what I can accomplish when I put my mind to it (AND don't do any housework!)  

Doll Quilts

Small quilt projects that can be completed quickly are such fun especially when they're cute, little doll quilts.  Last week when I shared about sewing for A Doll Like Me, I still needed to stitch down the binding on the turquoise quilt. That went together so quickly I couldn't wait to make another one.



















Today was a cold, rainy day here, a good time to make a second doll quilt.  Pink this time.

I'm a Boy Mom (and a Boy Gramma, too, actually) so there aren't any dolls around here to use for staging a cute photo. I do have stuffed animals, though, so I pulled one out of the toy closet.  Gotta have some kind of doll on a doll quilt, right?  

How about that?  Two finishes in one week.  I've decided that a finish feels good no matter what size quilt it is. 

Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework,  and Tish's Adventures in Wonderland. 

Another March Finish and a Stash Report

Whew!  I finished my 6 & 6 in 2018 and my Scrap Attack March goals by the skin of my teeth.  Not really, I still have almost five hours left in the month, but I need to rest once in a while.  It did help that I was able to use the same project for both goals, but it's still two finishes this month, and I like it.  A few days ago I told you about the blue Tom and Jerry quilt I finished.  Today I finished the orange quilt.  

I backed it, quilted it, and bound it with yellow.  I thought it looked good with the cheese!

I had fun taking photos of this one, but I think I need a new venue.  It's getting harder to figure out how to get good shots in my courtyard!

Both quilts will be in the mail next week to Little Lambs Foundation for Kids.  You can see details of the quilt drive for Hands 2 Help Charity Quilt Challenge here.

And now for my March stash report.  I did okay even though I bought way more fabric than I wanted to.  My goal is at least 10 yards a month so I have a little catching up to do.

Fabric Added in March  -    4.5 yards

Fabric Used in March  -    17.37 yards 

Fabric Added Year to Date  -   8.5 yards

Fabric Used Year to Date  -   36.6 yards

Net Fabric Used in 2018  -  28.1 yards 

Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict,  Pomegranate and Chintz, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and Tish's Adventures in Wonderland.