Patriotic Quilt

This is my design.  I started the center with strip quilting 10" blocks using up old pieces of blue and red fabric.  The finished center is very scrappy looking.  Simple strips for the border sashing 8" wide and the corner stones are 8" New York Beauty blocks with an extra tip in the center to extend the ray.  I'm happy with the design and with the center finished, I will work on the corner stones this weekend and perhaps the sashing as well, we'll see how far I get.  Should have this top finished up in a couple weeks and ready for quilting!  Stay tuned for the final product.

The Weekend Plan 6/18/10

This weekend I plan to set up my quilting machine tracks which allow me to essentially use my regular sewing machine as a quilting machine.  I plan to set it up in the living room (don't tell my husband)(first I'm going to see if it will fit in the master bedroom) and finish up some quilts that have been calling my name lately.  Also I have a design that I'm working on for an art quilt for winter and during my fabric folding, came across two pieces of fabric that are going to be absolutely perfect!

     How is it that when you are "organizing" things seem to get a bit messy first?  I have a pile of scraps on the living room floor left over from my frenzied folding this weekend (ah Red Bull, a girls best friend when you need to get something done!)  I am getting fierce with tossing out the random small bits, proud of myself for that.  Stripping up the bits that are 1 1/2 inches or larger in width and tossing them into the pile.  I think some plastic shoe boxes will work for the color sorting and then I will start working up some strip quilts to donate this year and get that stash off my shelfs!  

     I have a dear friend Mona who lives in Ukiah and my next BIG quilt project will be for her.  She has been an amazing friend and I really don't know where we would be without her!  Right now her brother is very ill and needs all our prayers.  Her favorite color is blue and I have a pretty good idea of what she would like, so I am sorting with the thought in mind of fabrics that will work in her design.  I sorted and folded 5 boxes this weekend and there are STILL several more to go!
    Okay...so take a look at this!  Here is what I can do with all my tiny bits...http://www.quiltsbyann.com/Shredded_Quilt_Technique.html  Am I losing my mind???  Here's another method...http://www.hgtv.com/crafting/fortune-cookie-challenge/index.html

Finally! It's On The Bed!

     This photo just in from Andrew!  I finally got his quilt finished and he was able to carry it home to London, England in his suitcase.  I think he's really happy with it, I know I am!  Almost sad to see it go, it's been such a part of my life for the past year.  I'm grateful to Deanna Wright for letting me use her quilting machine, I would not have been able to finish it without it.  So much fun, I really want one now...have to save those pennies for a long time though, they are rather costly. 

     Starting on a new project this weekend, a red white and blue quilt from strips with kind of a basket weave effect and a little pink baby quilt out of some left overs for donation.