October Was Productive

Got some pieces finished, so I have something to post... finally!


Kaylin's graduation quilt is back from Kerstin's, and has been "Gifted" to her! She (Kay) was back from school in California a week or so ago, and I gave her the quilt. She was thrilled! Her University's colors are blue and gold, so Here s blue and gold... without being too 'in your face' about it.

Here is a close-up showing off the design, and Kerstin's beautiful topstitching. Lots of tiny teal and pin-dot batik HSTs, but the result was worth it! Don't you just love the Blue fish batik? It is so Kaylin!

This one is "The Road Not Taken", a Drunkard's Path Sampler that Kerstin, Vicki and I were working on together starting in 2009. We were trying to improve curved piecing skills here, and I accomplished that; I'm comfortable with sewing curves now. I'll probably not do another DP, but it was a good experience. Now that it is finished and sashed/bordered, I like it... in progress, I hated it! Background too fussy, wrong colors - all of it. Right now I have no plans for it's home, so it will probably stay a flimsy until I make some sort of decision.

Frankenquilt !

The rains have started up here in the PNW,
and the animals are coming in with muddy feet. The kitty spot in the window gets lots of use, and the way up appears to be across Nan- Nan's teacart. I have a few pieces of antique furniture that I'd rather weren't too badly damaged by water (actually mud), so I decided table runners were in order. This is the first one: "Frankenquilt".

Miss Parker thinks it is a nice addition, but she objects to the colors, even though grey does go with everything.

Only One New Baby This Year.

This Summer, Erin and I only made one special Baby Quilt.

Amanda chose periwinkle, lime green, and yellow for her quilt colors, and Erin went through the stash... finding fabrics she liked. We did a Disappearing Nine Patch with two borders. Very quick and satisfying... and cute, too! DNP has become my "go-to" baby quilt.

Kids and Quilts

When Erin and I made the baby quilts for the "New Moms" last Summer, she asked if we could make one for Claire, too... so she wouldn't feel left out of all the new baby goings-on at their house. Of course we made Claire her own special quilt. I posted a picture of the baby quilts a while ago. Mom Sarah sent me an eMail saying it was really sort of hard to get the quilts AWAY from the kids so they could be washed (the quilts, not the kids!) Don't Claire and Grant look happy and snuggly?

Twins' Quilts are FINISHED!

I'm pretty excited this weekend. I finished the Graduation Quilts for the twins. They've been sent to Kerstin for topstitching, and will be presented to the kiddos on June 4th at their party. I know this is a bit of a risk, but the chances of either one of them looking at my blog are so slim that I'd rather my friends see what I've been doing than worry aboout it.
Kaylin's is the top one; the dark blue batik was purchased in Roseburg last year when Kerstin was up for the Sisters' Quilt Show. It is fish.




John's is the second one... "Super Surfer". The light blue came out with a very green cast in the photo... it is actually a pretty true blue, but I had to take the picture in the house. It was raining, DUH! It is OREGON in Winter.

And now, for something totally different...

It is String Hearts for "Block Lotto"!

One of my "Bloggy Friends" mentioned she was making some string hearts for her Block Lotto group... and it looked like so much fun, I emailed Sophie to see if I could join their group. I thought one or two blocks a month until I manage to finish Kaylin's quilt would be do-able. These heart blocks are a bit addicting, though. Very quick to make and really good stash busters. All those little bits that are too narrow for the strip bins, but too big to throw out... what a good way to use them! This one is my first (and the one I like least - the strings are too wide and the colors need to be brighter).

February's UFO is Number Ten

Well, I figured out which UFO I need to finish for February!

Judy L. drew #10, and for me that was the "2006 North Bay Shop Hop." I had managed to put all the blocks for the quilt (still unwrapped) as well as the backing and setting fabrics for it into a bag to keep everything clean and tidy. Nice Fall colors in the fabric selection and I chose an interesting setting pattern, too.

I liked the idea of making this quilt "someday" and reliving memories of the Shop Hop trip Kerstin and I took... driving around to the twelve different quilt shops, miles and miles apart in the North Bay, to collect all the blocks in one day. It wasn't getting any closer to becoming a completed quilt, though, hiding in those bags-within-a-bag.

So far I have completed two of the blocks, and on the third one I'm doing a "new" thing for me... needle-turn applique. I'm glad I have joined Judy's UFO challenge. Soon I will have two quilts from the list finished! YYAAY!