Quilt For Kids From Stash

After making a Quilt For Kids from a free kit, I'd been meaning to make one from my stash for months. On family craft day I finally started .... and foolishly bragged to Karen "oh, I'll finish the top today" - she knew better.

There was just enough focus fabric for the big squares and binding.... a 2" x 2.5" piece was all that was left.  And I used that to test the "fancy" stitch for the binding.

The quilting pattern was something I'd been wanting to try.... just horizontal lines of varying lengths looping back and forth.  I'm glad I tried on a small quilt because it really wasn't much fun to do and didn't look as cool as I imagined.  It looks ok but certainly is not a favorite.

I found the perfect place for taking pictures of quilts when the weather outside isn't good. The sunroom has lots of light and big walls. I just need to fine tune the hanging. This quilt isn't nearly as wavy as it looks.

Sunrise on Periwinkle Lane

HOME! ...sort of

Adam has landed on US soil! His phone call early this morning brought tears of joy and prayers of gratitude.

Still a few days to a week before we can actually see him and hug him so the anticipation continues!

Another Sneak Peek For Amy

I love this quilt top that Amy sent to be quilted.  Simple design with beautiful fabrics.

Quilted flowers in the center stripes and meandering in all the outer parts.

ANTICIPATION....

I'm waiting for something good to happen.

It IS going to happen.

I know what it is.

It will happen soon.

It may have already started.  (I hope).

It's gonna be good.

HURRY!!!!

Happy Birthday Jay!

Sneak Peek for Amy

Amy sent these tops to me to be quilted. This first one is muted greys and greens and greyish blue in fish motifs.  My son-in-law spotted it and said he liked it, he's not a fisherman, but liked the colors and the layout. It's quilted with waves.

This red white and blue flag top is quilted with loopy meandering and sprinkled with stars.

One more of Amy's to quilt and it's going to be a fun one!

Southwest Quilt

When the subject of quilting comes up around my family - not that it does very often because, for some odd reason (except for Karen), they just aren't as consumed with it as I am (go figure) - but when it does, I generally tell whoever I am talking to that I would love to make a quilt for them.  The response is usually non-committal.  But recently, my sister-in-law Kathy said "really?!"   Well, I jumped on that and asked her right away what colors before she could change her mind.  Her colors.... Southwest.   This is what I thought looked like Southwest colors. The block is Hovering Hawks, suggested by Ranny, a quilter from Quiltersbee yahoo group.

I played with the layout and thought this looked the most Southwest...

I played with the border until I found a design I liked.

Quilted with big spirals over most of the quilt, plus quarter suns in the corners and a full sun in the middle.

She liked it!

Craftapalooza Pictures And Comments

Our Second Annual Family Craftapalooza has come to an end.  The house is quiet.  The adults visitors have all gone home and they took their dogs and kids with them.  The sewing room is empty.  No more overflowing bags of fabric and other crafty items.  No more sewing machines humming along.  No more grumbling from Colleen about how she doesn't craft as she finished more crafts than anybody else.  We all know she is just pretend grumbling and really is crafty, but just doesn't have time for it now. (Colleen tells her own version of Craftapalooza on her blog.)

Sarah had the first finish of the weekend... a towel for her etsy shop Cooped Up

Karen continued work on her ticker tape quilt.  I think I need to make one of them.  I'll have to see if I have enough scraps.  hmmm.

Kathy worked on her jewelry, repairing some items and designing something new.  She has really cool storage containers.  And look at the healthy munchies!

 

This is Colleen avoiding crafting.

Karen brought gift bags for all of us.  Each one had things she chose special for that person.  She is so danged thoughtful.  Mine had lots of graph paper for designing and yo-yo's and ric rac and candy and....

... a calendar with a block for every day!!!

and...

 ...this cute little sewing machine with a cute little quilt!

Thanks Karen!

We all got some "Creative Juice" which is a Karen patented recipe.

Colleen had plenty to drink.

And then started crafting away, making holiday plates.

She brought one for me! with super yummy cookies on it! Isn't it cute?!

 

That's my floss in the foreground.  I need better storage.  I worked on that a bit and on a Quilts For Kids quilt and quilted some on one of Amy's quilts.  (pics for you soon Amy!)

And while we crafted away in the basement, John took care of the boys. He looks like he's having fun too, doesn't he?

It was so wonderful to have everybody here.  I just loved it.  Thanks for driving down and for the great company.  Everyone up for it again next weekend?

Second Annual Family Craftapalooza

Last year the girls in the family got together and spent a Saturday doing crafty things.... sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, preparing photos for scrapbooking, making jewelry and a centerpiece.  We had a good time being creative and talking and eating.

We are doing it again and this year everyone is traveling all the way to MY house. (WOO HOO!)  It's anywhere from a 90 minute trip for the closest ones, all the way up to a three hour drive for the farthest. (YIKES - and they are still coming!)  And since it's such a long drive some of them came a day early and will leave a day late. (again WOO HOO! - not just a craft day... a craft weekend!)  I love my family!

Colleen claims she isn't crafty. Hah!  She has the most creative parties, the best ideas for interesting gifts, and I have this beautiful cross stitch that she made for me a long time ago.

Sarah, Karen and I had fun already today sewing and chatting.  More fun tomorrow when Colleen and Kathy arrive.  Plus we get to play with Cooper and Dexter (while their Dad is responsible for their care!) and admire and pet Karen's new dog, Sophie.  She's soooo cute.

Tea Is Ready On Periwinkle Lane

The Boutique Is Open For Business

My first paper piecing project is finished.  It's not perfect but I'm a fan now.  I'll do paper piecing again.  It really should have more quilting but I was pressed for time.  It's a sample for a show that the LQS is going to this weekend so it's finished just the way it is.

It would have been fun to add a bit of lace to the window curtains or use a fancy stitch and white thread to add the look of lace . . . maybe the glass of the street lamp should have been yellow . . . a necklace on the mannequin . . . coulda, woulda, shoulda.  That just gives me an excuse to make some more!

Sharing Quilting Is So Much Fun

Niece Karen makes awesome quilts.  Uncomplicated designs, thoughtful designs, creative designs.  And I get to quilt them!  

This cheerful sunny quilt had a subtle pattern that I almost missed.  Do you see it? Yellow was the color requested for the thread (duh) and it made for a cheerful quilting session.

Her sampler quilt is blocks and pieces from the quilts she made in her first year of quilting.  It was so neat to see bits of other quilts I had quilted, bits of quilts she had shown me in person, bits of quilts I had seen on her blog . . .

. . . and bits of fabric from the first day we got together to share quilting.  (aww . . . warm feelings)  

Karen found this quilt top at a thrift store and bought it REALLY cheap.  It's, um, er, interesting. 

But is was SO FUN to quilt.  Karen said I could play.  And I did!  It doesn't show so much on the front. Here's pics of the back.

So much fun.  And then I had the fun of talking to Karen when she first saw the quilts.  It's always more fun to share. 

Thanks for trusting me with your quilts! Did I mention that I had fun?