The "Cotton Robin"

I can't post a photo of the center square I made yesterday for the Round Robin that Julie is hosting... it is a secret. Originally I had said I'd like country colors in my quilt, but I changed to all blues and greeny-blues in the block I made. My favorites!

I love the idea of working on a quilt with new friends from far away and close to home... there will be four of us working on each of the quilts, but nobody will know whose quilt they are working on. We send our current quilt to the next name on our list (not it's owner), but we won't know whose quilts we worked on, or who worked on our quilt until they all return "Home" this Summer! Lots of fun and surprises, yes?!!?

Number Five, white courtesy telephone, please.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, Everyone !! I've been upstairs cleaning up my sewing space so I can work on baby quilts, charity quilts, and Judy's UFO Challenge. Speaking of challenges, I've also decided to try Denise's 12-in-2012. Pairs of knitted socks, that is.

The number in the UFO Challenge that Judy (or Vince... or maybe even Speck) drew for January is "Five". My number five is the Bonnie Hunter Mystery "Orca Bay". Hooray! I've already got it out... on my cutting table, in several bins, and some little baskets. All ready to go. I didn't take a picture, but I'll add it tomorrow.

2012 UFO Challenge...

I didn't do really well as far as UFO finishes were concerned in 2011. I had some bespoke quilts to make: John and Kaylin graduated from High School (that is two large quilts), three of Erin's friends had babies (I actually made five lap/twin sized quilts - two older siblings were gifted their own quilts as well), and three charity quilts that weren't on my UFO list were made up and given to the Guild. Hmmm... that is ten quilts that I hadn't counted on, so I guess my "miserable" showing of only two UFO finishes isn't really all that bad!
OK, so for this year I'm going to list the ones I didn't finish from the 2011 UFO list. I take that back... I'm going to list SOME of the UFOs from last year, and swap out a few for ones I really want to finish (unfortunately, I have more than 12 UFOs). Here goes, with more description and photos to follow.

1.) Chicken Quilt - pieces and pattern in bag.
2.) 2006 NB Shop Hop - Three blocks made, directions and fabric in bundles.
3.) 2007 NB Shop Hop - Bundles for blocks in bag.
4.) Judy Martin BOM from Petaluma - Ten blocks finished
5.) Bonnie H's "Orca Bay"
6.) Blue/White Snaill Trail -
7.) "Olivia" Quilt -
8.) "Funky Chicken" - Two blocks made, Eleven to go.
9.) Cathy's "Bento Box"
10.) Stars and Courthouse Steps - in a bag, status unknown.
11.) Log Cabin Single - most strips cut, in a bag.
12.) Bright Strips - cut out, don't remember much about it.

OK, so there it is... the ugly truth. I'll have to replace the list on my sidebar so I can keep up with what I've completed. A Happy and Productive 2012 to Everybody!

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?