finished but not posted yet

I finished a quilt just after Christmas that I haven't posted about.  This quilt I've been calling Not Toasty is for my 13 year old son.  He was eager to start sleeping under it - mostly because I made it extra long so it will stay tucked in on his extra long twin bed.  

I really should have a picture of it on his bed but his room has been a little chaotic of late...  So, here it is in my room instead :0)

It's hard to photograph such a long quilt.  It was wonderful to free motion quilt this on my new (well it still feels like new) Juki sewing machine.  The tension was perfect on the back every time.  The extra harp space was wonderful for maneuvering this large quilt. 

I didn't want it quilted too heavily as I wanted it soft and comfortable for sleeping under.  The stitches might not be exactly the same length and a few awkward spots happened with my quilting designs but overall I am very pleased with the results.  He chose the pattern and colors.  It's Just Toasty by Betsy Chutchian in the Oct 2016 issue of AP&Q. 

With that finished I can relax and enjoy no quilt deadlines for awhile :0)  I laid out my 2 side borders for my signature quilt a few nights ago.  I think I can applique a few more flowers on the ends of these and still have room for some corner applique so I haven't started on the bottom border like I thought I would. 

Happy Quilting!!

free motion quilting



Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends.  

I was so pleased with this little pumpkin that I grew in the garden I wanted to share a picture.  I've never tried to grow pumpkins before - the squirrels chewed off all the other little ones that started but they never found this one hiding in the rhubarb :0)  Pretty soon it will be time to put out Christmas decorations so this little guy will get cut up and used.

 

 I finished all the blocks for a quilt for my son recently. The pattern is Just Toasty by Betsy Chutchian.  I wanted to make the quilt super long so it would stay tucked in on my son's extra long bed so it was a lot of blocks to sew. 

 Of course I had to play a bit before I sewed them together :0)

 This was the arrangement in the pattern and its what my son wanted.

 I added borders to frame it and to make it a little longer and wider yet.  It's really long!

On Tuesday I managed to get it pin basted and yesterday I started quilting it.  It's going so well and I'm so very happy with my Juki machine.  The extra size of the opening makes it so easy to maneuver and it is much easier to free motion quilt with this machine than with my old one.  The bottom tension is perfect everytime. I'm doing a fairly simple boxy pattern in the squares and not too dense - I want it to be soft and comfortable to sleep under.  I hope to get this finished soon so he can use it!  (And, because I promised myself I could do the Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt this year if this quilt was nearly done ;0)

 

I made a bag last week too.  I used a French General Moda candy pack.  I was pleased it went well with this brown fabric because it has names of Jesus on it and the bag is for carrying my Bible to church, Bible study, etc...

 I free motion quilted it a little denser - fun and a good warm up project for my son's quilt.

 I'm starting to get a small forest of these trees - pieced for fun every once and awhile.  No clue how I'm going to set them.  I'm just going to keep making them until I get tired of them and then I'll decide.

 I was delighted to win this giveaway prize from Barb at Fun with Barb  I was most interested to read the Quilt Study seminar booklet.  One day I would LOVE to go to a seminar.  It was great to read about the offerings and tours.  I love Barb's blackbird cards and the fabric very much too :0) 

Happy Quilting!!

a May basket and starting something new

I have been enjoying some other blogger's posts of May baskets and it got me thinking about this appliqued basket block that I've never done anything with.  Finished in Sept 2009 - I think it needs some attention but I really don't know what to do with it.  

 I have started another new project.  My son is next in line for a new bed quilt.  I was chatting with him a couple of weeks ago and he reminded me that I should make him one.  He's turning 13 soon and I figure if he actually brought it up he probably really wants one. 

 I already knew he wanted green and blue for the color palate.  I dug through my tremendous pile of magazines and gave him 5 or 6 options for the pattern.   He chose this Betsy Chutchian pattern called Just Toasty in the Oct 2016 AP&Q magazine. 

It will need a different name because there is nothing toasty about this  :0)  The blocks are big with few pieces so this should go quickly??  (I hope)  I will need to make a lot of blocks for this quilt needs to be a really long one to stay tucked in on his extra long bed. 

Happy May Day! and Happy Quilting!