A Quilting Week

 I'm doing all kinds of quilting this week. The blanket above is squares that friends made at a baby shower and afterwards for the new Mom to be. I have just finished crocheting them all together. She has had a boy so after I put all the ends in I'm going to add some blue to the border. It's a little lumpy here and there but I can feel all the love that went into these squares. This is honestly my favorite kind of project for All Stitched Up.

The tenth and eleventh squares of my quilt are done. Saturday we go to get the last square. Then we have until January to put them together. In January the next Saturday Sampler class starts and we are going to sign up. I'm excited to see what they have instore for the next quilt. This has been a lot of fun and I have learned a great deal.

So with all this rain it's been a quilt week. I think we have more rain to look forward to and I have more jobs to work on. I think I'm all set.

I Did It

This is the first quilt I have ever made. I must say the ladies at my local  quilt shop guided me every step of the way. I was hesitant but I shouldn't have been. I learned a lot. It's not perfect by any means. My quilting in the ditch didn't always stay in the ditch. I think overall it's a good quilt. I was sad to give it away today. I felt like my first quilt should be mine but it was a job for All Stitched Up. I am looking forward to finishing my Saturday sampler quilt for myself.
I do think there will be more quilts in my future !

Quilt Block 10

I should have taken the picture before I folded it up to take to the class. But you get the idea. This one was done by paper piecing. This month is also paper piecing. I can't believe that I have only two more months to go on this quilt. I am looking forward to putting this all together.  I also have had so much fun with this that I think I will sign up for next year too. It is a great pace for me. One block a month is not stressful and it's a little something different in my life.

It's All Come Together

I've been trying to think of something to tell you about for the last few days. I think I've had a touch of spring fever. Today while I was walking the dogs I realized my crafting has been like the leaves. Last week the leaves were very new. Today they are filling in very nicely.

 I actually have done a few things in the last few weeks.

I finished the next quilt square. This one was easier than the last few.

 I finished this baby present. Luckily I made a 6-12 months size because it's 3 months late.

 I finished sewing this afghan together and crocheted a border on it.

I've been enjoying the windows being open and the cool nights and warm days. We've been planting lots of flowers.

All in all I think spring fever suits me just fine.

 

Quilt Square #4

When your car looks like this what else is there to do but this months quilt square.
It was much more complicated than the others. But I used the seam ripper less and my corners matched better. This time the ironing was a problem but overall I'm happy with the results and can see that I'm improving.
I feel lucky that when we get walloped with snow there's always something to do at home.

The third quilt square

I am learning so much. Thank goodness I have this big counter, you couldn't do this on a tray table. I'm going to need a lot more thread, I cleaned up tons this am. Quilting takes a long time. Everything has to be pinned down or it gets folded up in the seam. Not all corners are going to meet perfectly. But all in all it was good fun

I'd give myself a B+ today and I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning when we find out what the next new challenge will be.

What I've been Doing

I have been working hard sewing. As a novice quilter I bravely took this project on for All Stitched Up. A customer had the women at her daughters baby shower design these letters and my job was to put them together into a quilt. I think it's a wonderful gift for Mom and baby. The grandmother picked out the fabric and I did the sewing. It was good fun. I have really been getting back into sewing. Next is figuring out how to put the quilt together and quilt or tie.

I have to tell you this is the coolest house plant I've had in ages. I bought this at my local farm shop. It cost a little more that a head of lettuce and we've had fun putting the leaves in our sandwiches. What could be better than a kitchen plant that you can use.

Block two of the Saturday Sampler. My friend and I did our squares together this time and it was a fun afternoon. I have become friends with a seam ripper thanks to all your encouragement. We saw the small quilt of all these squares and it's beautiful. I'll take a picture to show you.

I'm skipping the bathroom pictures. I don't know what crazy lady thought now would be a good time to do this. Between my jobs and holiday life I've been going slowly on this. So far my husband is finished spackling old cracks and I'm washing the wallpaper paste off the walls. Hopefully when I actually get to paint it will finish up quickly.

Quilting - Block 1 - Oops !

Watching all of you has been very inspiring. I finally dove in and joined the "Saturday Sampler" at my local quilt shop. The long and short is every month they give you the instructions and fabric for a block. If you bring in the completed block from last month the next block is free. All that is required is an initial investment in the background fabric of $25.00.

I was going to say the hardest part for me is to be so exacting. But now I see reviewing my blog entry that I have put some of it together wrong !!!! This will be harder than I imagined. Now what !!!!!

Every month is a different star. They sell finishing kits but that ups the ante. I also have been thinking if I used the brown/taupe shades to finish it my daughter might like it. We'll see a year is a long time. I need to get the first block right.