Having Fun Quilting!

I’m still test-driving digital quilting patterns and having a ball!  Since I have a bunch of very well made, perfectly square and flat quilt tops to work with, my job is easy (thank you, Beth!).  The digital design from this weekend was Butterflies:

And it was going so well that I got bold and daring and added flowers at the bottom few rows so the Butterflies had something to flutter over:

The flower pattern was called Romance by Anne Bright.

And for the latest top (still on the frame since we have those dratted thunderstorms every afternoon) is called Monkey Business!

One monkey is a full side view and one is hanging upside down:

We did get a walk in after the rain on Sunday but not yesterday.  This is my husband wondering why I am taking a picture of a triple palm.  Because it’s pretty in bloom, that’s why!

Memorial Day

I hope you get the opportunity to have time with family

and friends and please take time to remember those

who chose to serve and make this country a wonderful place to live.

A Quilty Weekend

I received a wonderful box from a fellow member of the Sunshine Quilters with nine tops ready for quilting that will get donated to Wrap-a-Smile.  I spent some happy time matching backs with tops so I could start my assembly line.

But first I finished up this little quilt, my first for Project Linus, and got it off of the frame.  I was given the top, backing and batting and just had to whip up the quilting part – easy-peasy!

Just a simple block design but makes a darling presentation with cute kid’s fabrics.  I quilted this one with stars and clouds.

And I got some cute photos from my niece and nephew in Colorado with the quilt that I sent for their second daughter (6 mos late, but hey! Who’s counting?).  They took a mid-year vacation with the girls to the beach, hence the beach-y theme!

Annabeth

Finally, on my walk, I tried to catch a picture of this stray bird swooping over our pond.

It has me wondering because it is in between the sizes I would expect for a Forster’s Tern (smaller) and a Frigate Bird (larger).  I haven’t been close enough to see if it had the orange bill and legs of the former.  But, he’s been back several days, so I’ll try again to get his pic. This is a Frigate Bird and I don't think my bird's wings were that V-shaped.  We'll see (maybe).

photo credit:  Carolina birds; Birds of the World, Dick Daniels

Meanwhile, I should have been watching my back because this guy has been known to stalk along side - see who's in the middle of this photo:

Always have to pay attention here in Wild Kingdom!

Another Cute Finish

I can call it a cute finish because it’s not all mine!  This darling quilt was sent to me by a fellow quilter from Kansas who needed someone to finish it and send it to Wrap-a-Smile.  Sarah made the center and I added the outside red border to make it a little larger to last a tot just a little longer (although I’ve known teens who drag their blankies to college!).

Sarah made the first border with cotton seersucker fabric and the texture is lovely.  I quilted it with a digital panto called Simple Hearts from Legacy Quilting.  It's just hearts and swirls and is perfect because the Ann and Andy fabric has little red hearts on the white.  I’m just nuts about this quilt – can you tell?!!

Here’s the close-ups:

Not Running Out

No, I’m not running out of things to do anytime soon!  I finally got around to clearing off my cutting table and found 4 unfinished projects.  So I carefully put them in bags so they could look up at me with reproach from a box on the floor … I’ll get to them soon!

This is what I took off of the frame today:

The top was made by Janice, a friend from my Quilts of Valor group.  I think it’s the right size to go to Quilts Beyond Borders, but I’ll have to re-measure to make sure; and if so, add a label.

I quilted it last night with a digital panto called Merrily Flowers by Anne Bright.  This one has hearts, flowers and fleur de lis in the pattern. She’s rapidly becoming my favorite digital quilting designer.  Her patterns work up quickly on my Side Saddle (and her designs are available for any computer file type).  My system came with a lot, but I feel a buying binge coming soon!

The magnolia’s are what’s blooming in my area now:

These big blossoms are lovely and the glossy leaves of the trees are wonderful.  Our pond has lots of fish for those who are willing to get their feet wet!

Happy hunting, Heron.

Box Mailed and One More Done

I got the second box off to Wrap-a-Smile last week with six finishes.  I showed 4 of them in this post and one in this post, as the box was getting filled, and this is the last one:

The center crumb blocks had adorable fancy VW Bugs in the print so I quilted it with a digital panto called Groovin’ On.  Reminds me of the movie with Herbie the Love Bug (I guess that dates me …).  But it was fun to see the quilting evolve!

And this was last night’s finish. 

I had called it Soccer Frolic since the pattern came from a pattern the designer called Frolicin’ Frogs.  I used a digital panto called Square Dance by Ann Bright and I think the squares and rectangles looked really good with this pattern. 

I’m still keeping up with adding the bindings right away when the quilting is done and not letting them stack up … wonder how long that will last?!!

Busy Week

It’s been a little hectic around here.  My DH had surgery before and after Easter and the last of it will be completed tomorrow.  It’s been rough for him and the dog and I are trying to pick up the slack.  I haven’t finished any more children’s quilts, but I was able to quilt up a monster sized Quilt of Valor (well, they seem so big after the kiddie quilts!).  I tried a new panto called Star Spangled, but I’m not sure I like the backtracking it does.

It’s really only in the solid colored areas where the backtracking is most visible that I don’t care for – I might use it again on something with just printed fabrics. 

I put the binding on and might get to hand-sewing it down, but I expect I’ll leave that for someone at my QOV meeting that really loves to do it.  We’ll see …

Spring Blessings

Today’s quilt is perfect for Easter.  This little pastel beauty is brought to you courtesy of Sunshine On-line Quilt Guild member, Sarah L.  It is so very soft and done up in perfect, sweet Easter egg colors.  I quilted it with Fancy Flowers, an Anne Bright panto.

I kept wanting to hug it, but I put it into the box for Wrap-a-Smile.  It is sure to comfort a child after surgery.

Still Busy as a Bee

I did have to stop a little early this afternoon because the winds were picking up and the sky was getting quite dark.  Here in the Land of the Lightning, I unplug all expensive equipment when the thunderstorms threaten.

 

Rain on the Way

But I was able to finish quilting and putting the binding on this one that I called my take on Modern.  Without having any Chinese coin strips or crumb blocks, I had just used stripes.  It has a cheerful big star quilting motif where the stars have eyes and a smile.  Good for any age kid!  Into the box it goes …

Oh, and I did get up last night to see if the Blood Moon was spectacular.  In my area, the eclipse didn’t begin until about 2 am so it hadn’t turned red when I caught this image at about 2:20.  I went out again about 30 minutes later and it was turning reddish, but wispy clouds were coming in so I didn’t get a worthwhile shot of it.  This pic was enough to prove I was out there!

So as soon as this next rain band moves thru, I’ll go back upstairs to quilt.  I still have three more in the basket to quilt, then it’s back to working on those UFOs … they abound!

These are the ones already in the box that I already told my group about:

 

Pink/yellow lotto blocks

Feathery Quilting

Sportin' Ties (with soccer balls)

Solar System Quilting

More lotto block winnings

Geometric Triangle Quilting

I can't believe there are four in the box already ... Feels good to get another box almost ready to mail in a timely manner for a change!

Palindrome Day

Pal.in.drome

noun

“… a word, phrase, or sequence that reads the same backward as forward”

Today is 4-14-14

The day when you don’t know whether you’re coming or going …

That happens to me a lot - LOL.

Still Quilting Away

I just took another child-size quilt off of the frame - this one is destined to go to my great-niece.  The little dickens was born last October and has been waiting patiently for me to finish up a little something for her!  I'm such a bad Auntie.  She recently went on vacation to the beach in Mexico so this one's for her ... beach memories and bubbles and fish quilting!

And this is the gardening that I have also been neglecting:

Those Daisy bushes were cut back last month and are again threatening to overtake the birdbath.  The poor birds won't use the birdbath if the bushes are too thick because snakes and other threats can hide there and ambush them.  The weather has been excellent, so I'll be getting out there this weekend to do some pruning, for sure!

I love the African Irises and always take lots of pics when they bloom.  They have such a pretty flower that it's a shame that they only last one day.

Finally Got a Box Mailed

These all made it into the box that went off to Wrap-a-Smile (WAS) yesterday:

All of the quilt with squares were from Beth in NJ and each has different quilting – orange peel, stylized roses, hearts and vines, and a lotus bud and swirl panto.  They turned out great.   

Beth's detail - look at the Roo's!

detail of lotus blossom bud panto on Beth's

The purple/green is from Janice in FL, who is also in my QOV group, who wanted to donate to WAS.  The rest were mine, some using lotto blocks that I won from the Sunshine On-line Quilt Guild that supports WAS.   Glad to get this box off and the quilts on their way to kids.

And this little guy is the “seed quilt” in a new box – you know, the quilt that attracts other quilts to jump in the box?!  I finished it up last night - binding and all ...

The quilting panto I chose was a little too geometric for the quilt squares – I think I would have preferred a more swirly pattern, but live and learn I always say.  This was also made from lotto blocks that I won.  I’m chipping away at some long-time UFOs.

And remember that walking that my dog’s vet is “making” us do?  This is what happens …

That’s one tired puppy you see there.  But that shepherd's ear is sticking up, ever-vigilant in case one of the sheep tries to escape the fold!

And PS  I was slacking off on the couch when I took the photo – LOL.  We have no stamina here at our house!!!