A GOOD DAY TO STITCH WITH FRIENDS

I had a great time at QOV (quilts of valor) sew day yesterday; 

 I even came home with some 'homework'!  

This is a pile of 3 1/2" strips with some white yardage included;

I was told, " Just make a quilt!"

I also bought some pieces to make 2 1/2" strips for a project in January.  The white is to have some on hand at home and the black is to make the binding for the last quilt I need to finish for my friend.  The orange is for some paper piecing pumpkins that I needed some more orange to play with.  Our meeting is held in our local quilt store so it is very convenient for finding just the right fabric for any project!

When I got home in the late afternoon,  I was thrilled to receive in the mail, this wonderful red/white 'n blue project from a generous blog friend!  Thank you so much!

I was very tired  from my busy day but not too tired to spend some time with this guy;  

we are enjoying our grandpup for the weekend!

 

A STITCH IN TIME

The Disappearing 9-Patch QOV is a done deal! 

 I managed to get out of bed finally (MS is a hard taskmaster)

and worked on my pile of quilts that need bindings!  

We have our QOV sew day on Thursday, 

so I am feeling good about getting it done in time to hand in! 

 It was 66" x 80" before washing and after drying, it is 64" x 76". 

 I think I will be doing this pattern again changing the colors to make diagonal rows - one in reds and one in blues!

 

GOALS ACCOMPLISHED

The Liberty box quilt is completed!  A very enjoyable kit.

The Layer Cake blocks is also ready to turn in at the next QOV sew day.  I hope to load the table runner and get that quilted today.  Then I will be on the hunt for the next pattern to piece.  
 

A PANEL QUILT FINISH

Bound, labeled, washed and dried and ready to hand in to our QOV group this week!  The quilt ended up 60 x 72" in size. 

 

Today, I hope to load and quilt that table runner

 and piece a few stars!

MARCHING STARS

The Winter QAl from Alycia is absolutely finished and ready to hand into my QOV sew day on Thursday.

I love the way it turned out!  

 

A BIG FINISH

The QAL from Alycia is now a completed top

and ready for the quilting frame! 

It was a very enjoyable project and soon it will be quilted and donated to my QOV group!

 

A DIVERSION

 The binding was attached, and the quilt folded up to go to the label lady from QOV.  I will be delivering it next week.

The stars and swirls go well together

 and are an easy panto to use.

I'm staying at my sons for a few days;  and though it looks like we have gone into the everglades, it is just a short walk from their home.  So much of the wetlands have been filled for new housing and it is a foolish way to build.  When the wetlands are destroyed, so is the water table.  This is an old neighborhood and the builders maintained a balance between the low, water areas and the places they built houses.  Much smarter!  

We also saw so many birds-storks, herons and egrets to name a few!  The tree cover was so dense,

 I couldn't catch a photo of any of them!

CLEARED THE FRAME FOR NOW!

Done before the deadline!  It is now folded 

and in the pile to be handed in to the QOV group on Friday. 

(I only quilted this one, I didn't piece it!)

I loaded this one right on the frame 

 and quilted it and even put the binding on it so that I can give it to one of the ladies in the group--this one was pieced and quilted for her.  (she had started it but lost the love! 

Don't we all know that feeling!)

 

RIBBON TWIST FINALE

The Ribbon Twist is finished!!! The binding went on without a problem. I thoroughly enjoyed this QAL from Alycia of Quilty Girl!

I quilted it with a simple ribbon and star panto, 

which I thought was fitting! lol

 

A SALUTE TO QOV

My Ribbon Quilt is off the frame! 

 I will trim it up and add the binding today!

I have two quilts from the QOV group to get on and off the frame asap so I didn't waste any time getting the first one loaded! 

 I hope to stay on track and not procrastinate away this deadline!

 

AUTUMN ANTICIPATION

The wall hanging and and placemats are completely completed! 

 I applied the binding to all the edges which was quite the marathon!  The set is called Autumn Vibes.

The placemats are 18" x 11".

The panel is 48" x 24".

I ended my creative energies on loading up a QOV quilt.  (I didn't make the quilt, I am only doing the quilting portion of its making!)

 

CLEANING AND PLAYING

My daughter helped me rearrange the border so now I have an idea of what to do.  I will be putting the blue border on so that I can see how the actual dimensions work out!  

I finished up one towel and have begun the second one.  

Look what was on their car before they 

(daughter and family) left for home this morning! 

 A Katydid.

 

QOV FINISH!

What a good feeling to finish a quilt for the Quilts of Valor charity!  I powered through the binding yesterday-struggling to rearrange Lena all the way! lol

As soon as I was done inspecting for stray threads and such, it went right into the washer and dryer so it is ready to be folded and turned in to my local QOV group.  This quilt was started in February on the QOV sewing day.

My friend Mary is coming on Friday to work on a quilt for her grand daughter and as soon as hers is finished, I have another QOV to load up and finish! 

 (the Long May She Wave quilt-a-long)

 

AT THE FRAME

I finally stopped whining and vascillating on what quilt design 

I should use, I just did it!

I chose a feather panto which I am calling seaweed 

to go with the clamshells! lol

I promptly loaded up one of the Quilts of Valor tops;  it is considerably larger than my usual lap size! 

Being a generous twin size, it maxes out my frame!

I am using a simple star and banner pattern for this one! 

 A good day in the studio!

 

STUDIO TIME

It's starting to come together! 

 I made the blue/white units, added some cornerstones. 

 Seeing it up on the design wall

 really sparks the energy to make some more stars!

  I have all day to play!

 

TOPPED!

 I did it!  I pieced the two extra rows

 and put it all together and then added the borders.

  I will be turning this in on Quilt Group next week!  

    I also bound, washed and dried the MQAL that Alycia designed                         this year in Long May She Wave.

I will also turn this one in 

to the local QOV chapter. 

 A good feeling to be finished

and a prayer for the ones who will receive them.

LONG MAY SHE WAVE!

The quilting is finished and now this great MQAL is awaiting its binding which will happen soon.

 Thank you, Alycia, for the great design!

The quilting lines read, Your Service ... Our Freedom!    The thread if variegated red/wh/blue.  As soon as I come home from a trip to NY to sing happy birthday to my Dad, I will bind you and donate you to Quilts of Valor!  My Dad turns 90 on Friday--more pictures from the frozen north will be sent to you!

 

QOV FINISH!

The mystery QAL from QuiltyGirl concluded recently 

and I finally managed a finish myself!

I made so many mistakes, I almost despaired of ever completing this one but I took a lot of deep breaths and ripped out and then sewed it back together too many times to mention!

  But when I put those borders on, 

I was thrilled!

I will get this loaded on the frame later this week!

 

WHAT'S NEXT?

The quilting is finished on this QOV and it will be turned in so that the next set of hands will put the binding on it!  Nice team work!

I used a new panto of stars and waving flags. 

 It was an enjoyable job. 

 What's next?  I will be putting the Sock Monkey quilt on the frame!

We bought this tile for the shower wall.  It is large-9 x 18". 

 It will go on in this position like bricks.  We also bought some dk brown glass subway tile for a stripe around the whole shower.  

The stripe will bring the accent color of the dark stones of the floor into the rest of the area. 

 I felt completely drained after shopping/deciding on what to get!

This is what the area looked like at the close of day yesterday!  Flooring is next!

THE LAST ROWS

I was off on my estimation of when I would finish quilting this but this morning will be the last row.  I have another group quilt to load on and work at my leisure.  That's a good thing right now!

And just making it before the new video is released to work on the next Tunisian square, here is the square for January.  It was blocked overnight and it took a lot but not all of the roll out.  They will all lay flat when sewn together into a blanket.