2nd OPAM Finish

This is my 2nd project finished this month. Not really very much for me, but at least it's progress.

I finished the binding on the last holiday placemat this week. I actually have 5 of them but that last one was still in the washer. Somehow it got left out of the load where these 4 got laundered.



This was a panel and I used 5 of the squares and added the stripe fabric from that same line to the sides of the panels. They are all different, but sort-of the same.

Mabel is back in business!

Dan and I attached my new zippered leaders last night and I was surprised at how easy it was.

I loaded both pink baby quilts and got about half way finished. I'm feeling a bit behind right now on customer quilts, but hope to get a couple finished this weekend.

Time Flys!

Well, I don't know if I've been having fun or not, but have been spring cleaning, so no quilting at all. The carpets have been cleaned, windows washed, and the quilts all washed. We have a new bed from Denver Mattress, so we're sleeping very well.

Here's a note to all longarmers:
If you think your zippered leaders are looking dingy, DO NOT take them off and throw them in the washer. Why? Because the canvas shrinks, but the zippers don't. I have brand new leaders ready to attach to my rollers. That's the job for this evening.

I do have the last quilt top that I made at Threads of Time quilt retreat last weekend to show.



This one is made of leftovers from the Fig Tree Club table runner that I made in Shipshewana. All the projects that I made were from leftovers.
In the past, I have stacked leftovers in a pile and then every so often, I would move them to the appropriate colored plastic shoe box. Well, I'm going to try to use them up so they don't have to be stored. These last 4 quilt tops have worked out well for me.

Here is the full shot of the memory quilt from mens dress shirts. It was shipped on Tuesday and received yesterday. I hope they will send me some photos of giving it to Mary's mom.

Another one from scraps

These fabrics were leftover from the secret garden quilts from several years ago. Now they are a quilt top!

2 More Baby Quilts

I finished piecing these 2 quilts this morning. What a great way to use up some pink and Brown scraps.

Sock Monkey

This quilt was made by Becky's sister and she used sock monkey fabrics. I quilted it with a new panto, Monkey Business, Permacore Chambray thread and Hobbs 80/20 batting.



Here's a close up of the monkeys, cute, huh?

The Birthday Party

Here's Andrew with his Choo-Choo quilt. I think he liked it and his cake also.


He got lots of Thomas the Tank cars and tracks.



Here's Elizabeth, who didn't know it wasn't her birthday. She was having such a good time with all the festivities.

Thomas the Tank Engine

Andrew's birthday cake is finished and ready for his 3rd birthday party tomorrow. Turned out pretty good, I think.

I can't believe how these 3 years have flown by. Guess I better go sew the label on his quilt and wrap his gifts.

Just a peek!

You can see just a peek of Andrew's train quilt for his 3rd birthday. His party is Sunday, so I better get busy and stitch that binding down. I'm making a Thomas train cake also, as he LOVES Thomas! I certainly can't believe that he's 3 already. The time has flown by.

Memory Quilt

Here is a shot of the memory quilt made with a deceased gentlemans shirts. The quilt is for his wife and I used all the leftovers for the back.

Can't believe it's Thursday already!

I finished this quilt for Rosemary and it's on it's way home to her. She wanted something swirly, curly and I thought Waterworld by Jodi Beamish would look great. The batting is Hobbs 80/20 and the thread is Camel PermaCore.

And the back:



Mary's Christmas Lights, a Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt that appeared in Quiltmaker last year. I have my blocks made, but not assembled, so Mary has me beat on this one. I used a new panto, Echo Holly & Poinsettia, PermaCore Old Gold thread and Hobbs 80/20 batting.



And a closeup:

Design Wall Monday

Here's what my design wall looks like today.



Now, you're probably thinking, "It's a baby quilt in the making."
Nope, it is the remainder of the mens dress shirts from this quilt. I'm piecing a backing out of them. I think I may cut each row in half to make the pieces square-ish, rather than leaving them as rectangles, but it just may 'stay as it lays'

We'll see later this evening.

Check out all the design walls today at JudyL's blog.

Stashbusting 2010 - Week #15

Fabric Added This Week - 0 yards
Fabric Added Year to Date - 13 yards

Fabric Used This Week - 4.25 yard
Fabric Used Year to Date - 39.375 yards

YEAR TO DATE STASH USED: 26.375 yards

WOW, I went to a quilt show and didn't buy any fabric.

Old Tippe Quilt Show

The quilt show was great. I'm always so inspired by all the local talented quilters. Thank you so much to all involved with putting on the show. I know a lot of behind the scenes work happened and I so appreciate it.

The trading post was full of goodies but all I purchased were 2 partial cones of thread and some ric-rac.... my purchase total was $1.

I watched a demo from Betty Campbell on Drunkards Path blocks again and I really want to try those.

I turned in my 2nd NICU quilt and also a womans shelter quilt, but I neglected to take photos before I left home.

25 Years In Stitches

The biennial quilt show of the Old Tippecanoe Quilt Guild will be held Today, April 10, 2010, from 9-4, at Christ United Methodist Church, located at 3610 S. 18th Street, Lafayette, IN.
In honor of our 25th Anniversary, the theme is 25 Years in Stitches. The featured quilter will be past president, Roseanna Halsema, who passed away in October 2009.
In addition to the beautiful quilts, the show will include a merchant mall with vendors from near and far, a Trading Post where you can buy gently used quilting items, a 25 Year Challenge exhibit and several other Special Exhibits, along with an Opportunity Quilt and ongoing demonstrations.
Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for Nursing Home Groups, and children are free.

Hope to see you there!

April Finish #1 for Me

The quilt I made for Vicki's new baby girl, Kati, is all washed and ready to be gifted.



I love a crinkly baby quilt and this one crinkled up just right.....enough to look great but not so much that you can't see the quilting pattern.



YEA! This one's off the floor....and look how straight it is. Rosemary is one-fine-piecer. Her quilts are always a dream to quilt.

Done, and done!

I quilted this QOV on Sunday and applied the binding last night after I quilted Shelley's baby quilt. The binding was done Sharon Schamber's way with fabric glue and then stitch in the ditch on the front. The center of this quilt was made by Linda and she donated it for a QOV. I added the borders, the freedom and flag at the top.



The panto is Stars and Loops, which I haven't used in forever. I think I can almost do this one with my eyes closed. The thread is PermaCore chambray and the batting is Hobbs 80/20. I had a bit of an issue with skipped stitches and think it was because the backing was permapress muslin from Joanns and it has quite a tight weave, and the blue mottled seems like it has a lot of sizing on it and it wasn't prewashed. I changed to a smaller needle and then it worked like a dream.



And the back:




I loaded and quilted this cute, cute baby quilt for Shelley, using the Square Spiral panto by Keryn Emmerson, Lave blue thread and Hobbs 80/20 batting.




And the back:

Stashbusting 2010 - Week #14

Fabric Added This Week - 2 yards ( I really did need that blue fabric!)
Fabric Added Year to Date - 13 yards

Fabric Used This Week - 7.875 yard
Fabric Used Year to Date - 35.125 yards

YEAR TO DATE STASH USED: 22.125 yards

I made a little dent this week and now I'm on a roll.

How sweet is this?

I spent the afternoon at Julie and Jim's while they went out for their anniversary. Here is Elizabeth trying on her new dress and hat that Nana made for her last night. It's been a long time since I've done any garment sewing and it was certainly enjoyable. She wore the hat all afternoon.

Matt and I assembled Andrew's basketball center and then he spent some time with an Ipod, or maybe it was a game. He is quite the young man now and so helpful with the little kids.

Andrew's new basketball center.

Here's the back of her hat....cute, huh?

Before I left for home the kids had an easter egg hunt in the front yard. My phone battery was dead, so I didn't get any photos, but Julie said they would send me some.