Changed #5

I switched #5 with #6 on my list for the UFO Challenge.  I found a home for the original #6 - the Traditional Sampler BOM for 2010.  So, it had to be bumped up.  My deadline is Feb 10.

Some close-ups..

A good time was had by all...

...especially the birthday girl!

Love is.. #2

I finished my second "Love Is" quilt. Of course this means that I have lost my backdrop for taking pictures of my little projects that I finish. I had better get busy and get another one loaded so I can have a new backdrop... :-D

 I love the colors! In case you can't tell, it is yellow, pink, and green.

Here are a couple of close-ups of the quilting.

More of the swirly flower..

 

This is from the "Love Is" pattern by Paula Stoddard of Pacific Patchwork.  You can find the pattern here.

I like having an embroidery project to work on at a leisurely pace.  I have actually started another one for my sister. There's no telling when I will finish that one. I started this one over a year ago. 

Oh! I wanted to mention that I used Mountain Mist Cream Rose batting. Bad idea!  I will never use that batting again.  It is very thin. It's a good thing I got the king size so I could double the batting for this to make up for the thinness. And it kept clogging up my bobbin holder and the whole needle mechanism.  I had to stop and clean everything twice for each bobbin-full.  It took forever to quilt at that rate.  Very frustrating!

Small things

Today was a very productive day for making small things.  I finished all the potholders.

I really like how these turned out and will definitely be doing more like them in the future. They are fun and easy to make.  Nothing like instant gratification... :D and who couldn't use a few more potholders/hot pads?

My favorite is the churn dash. I think it is just because it has dots in the fabric. I hope the recipient likes them too.

Next I made a tortilla warmer for the wedding couple. I almost didn't have enough fabric for it. That is why there is a seam down the middle of this side. This took all of 15 minutes to cut out and sew together.

I had made one for my SIL last year and my daughter loves to use it.

I also made a birthday bib for my granddaughter. She turned one this month and we are having her birthday party this Sunday. 

I think it turned out great! Of course, it will be covered in real cake Sunday!  My daughter told me that my granddaughter took her first steps today.  How exciting it is to see these little ones experience life's firsts.

Finally, I made a growth chart for the birthday girl.

I quilted it on my Elna. Boy was that strange after using the Juki on the frame. I think it turned out ok, though.

Having fun with Potholders

I am having fun making some potholders for an upcoming wedding shower.  The couple has chosen coffee browns for their home decor.  I think this will fit the bill...

I actually did some SID quilting!

I came up with this idea based on a block-of-the-month I am participating in at Quilter's Dream.  The middle square is from the monthly patterns. I cut a couple of charm squares diagonally to make the square bigger. It finishes at 8 1/2".

Here is a picture of a couple of the blocks from the BOM that I got the idea from.

I had a charm pack of 30 squares which was enough to make 6 tops.  More pictures of the others to follow...

Loaded

I have discovered a new meaning for "loaded"!

First finish for 2012

Here is my first finish for 2012 and the 45th quilt I have made. I call it "Prism". Not a very original name. It is based on the "Depression Era Quilt" pattern by Paula Stoddard of Pacific Patchwork.

I love the effect of this pattern because it is pretty scrappiness!  Here is a close-up of the quilting.

It is a free motion flower that I copied from a tutorial by Judi of Green Fairy Quilts at flower-swirl-quilting-tutorial.  Of course, her flowers are much prettier and consistent than mine.

I said in my first post on this blog that I have gained much inspiration and information from the blogs I have followed the last year or so.  This is a prime example of such inspiration and knowledge.  I desire to take my quilting skills to the next level by improving upon free motion quilting techniques.  Bloggers like Judi who share their knowledge are wonderful to learners like myself.  I am sure many who take on the task of quilting a just-pieced quilt stare at it for a while wondering where to begin, as I do.  Merely looking at some of the designs that other quilters have used (and shared online) is oftentimes inspiration enough for me to plunge into my next quilting project. So, thank you to all who share online. It is most appreciated!

#2 - Broken bricks

Here is the second quilt I made for my nephew when he got married in 2009.  It is the "Broken Bricks" pattern from M'Liss Rae Hawley's book Fat Quarter Quilts.  I really like the colors.

This was my first experience with strip piecing and I enjoyed it very much.  I started this quilt late on a Wednesday evening and finished the binding on the way to the reception on the following Saturday afternoon.  I believe this still stands as my fastest finish.

This is the back.  I stabilized the quilt with SID between the rows and then did a loopy line. This was my first and last attempt at SID.  I do not like the way the back looks with the combination of both stitches. And, of course, SID is tedious to stitch.

Turning 20 turned stars

Here is my first attempt at making a quilt (finished 2009). It was originally a "Turning 20" pattern, but after I got it put together I decided I didn't like it. So, I took it apart and re-made it from a pattern from Quilt magazine.

 This is the front..

 

..and the back. 

 I had enough scraps to make just 4 more blocks, so I decided to make it reversable.

Here is a close-up of the quilting. 

This was my first attempt to free-motion quilt on a Singer Confidence Quilter. I used tan thread so the quilting would show so I could compare future attempts at FMQing.  I guess it isn't so bad for a first-timer.

#5- Oh Joy

Judy at Patchwork Times has selected #5 for January's UFO challenge.  This is too sad - not a good start I am afraid. #5 Mending Fences (based on Trish Stuart's "UnderCover Strips" Bali booklet) on my list is my least favorite UFO.  Oh well. At least I will get it over with and out of the way.

The Mending Fences sample at Quilter's Dream in Colleyville where I took a class for the project was made with a Blueberry Bali Pop (I think - or at least something very similar).  When I went to purchase my supplies, the only Bali Pop left was Spumoni (I believe) and it is just not turning out as pretty as the other color scheme.

So, this is already proving to be a challenge to me! But I will press on and finish this project and hopefully, give it to someone who will appreciate it or at least get some use out of it.