oldies but goodies

if you were quilting in the 1980s like i was, chances are you used one of these books.  though not very thick, they are jam-packed with hundreds of quilting designs.  time and time again over the years, i have pulled them out to find just the right quilting design for a given space on one of my quilts.  there are block, border and square ideas galore.  and so it was last night too.  i've finished the urn design on the amish pinwheel and started quilting the individual squares.  the gray background makes it own sort of pinwheel and it needed something.  and of course i found just the right thing for that background space, a sort-of feathery pinwheel that fits the theme perfectly!  **** yesterday i also brought out phoebe for a little bonding time.  i saw a color combo recently of civil war fabric that i wanted to try and i've started on another little quilt, phoebe's very first--since she's been mine of course.  her little sojourn in the case after being thoroughly lubricated and oiled did wonders for her, and she is running smoooooth!  **** our snow?  gone before lunchtime yesterday; more was predicted for today, but at 42 degrees it seems to be a weather miss. 

say it ain't so!

even though the date on my camera is sooo wrong, this was THIS morning, march 28th.  hard to believe one week ago it was 80+ degrees, we were at the beach, thinking we had completely dodged the winter bullet but nooooo!  not that snow is unheard of here in march, but we were hoping it was long gone.  we'll just have to wait a bit until later today, although the same is predicted for tomorrow morning, eeeeeekkk!  enough already!  maybe THIS is the end of it.  ****  today it's back to the batik pinwheel and quilting on the amish pinwheel also.  with 3 days left to finish my march little basket quilt, it isn't going to happen.  but, i have now arrived at a finish for my blue cheese bow tie/cheddar piece, so that'll become a finished flimsy at some point soon.  ***** it's my weekend so i'm off to get started, winter hat and itchy sunburn notwithstanding.

work accessory

this is what the well-dressed cube is going to be wearing tomorrow!  with all the scraps i have on hand, i could make one for everybody (not free of course) but especially me.  with the help of carol doak's book and PP alphabets, i got this done in lickity split time.  i'll hang it up tomorrow, which is friday for me, yippee!  i am far too design-challenged to do these freehand for sure.  **** peeking out from the name is my batik pinwheel piece...i love it, don't you?  i can't wait to get it all pieced...this week i hope....

not pretty....yet

it's over half quilted as of now, hoping to have it done in another week or so.  then i can start on the squares and switch back to the smaller square frame.  the hoop works great for this size design but can be unwieldy.  the transfer-eze is ideal for this but it makes the quilting a bit more difficult, not to mention little surprises that might be revealed once the web is washed off.  while i don't like to use sprays or chemicals on my fabric, it seemed the best solution for this large and intricate design.  ***  a few more little basket blocks are done as well.  i don't know how many more i'll need for a little quilt; that will need to be decided soon.  ****  also on this week's list?  mark and baste the feathered star and finish sewing the batik pinwheel puzzle, among other things.  maybe i'll get that basted too.  but tonight?  mad men and sleep after an 8-hour workday.

mini quilt arrived

this little, lovely, meaningful quilt arrived from Lynne in Oregon just the other day with a couple of gorgeous FQs, some special tea and butterscotch candies.  With Easter just a couple of weeks away, this will go on my door for a seasonal decoration and will be for years to come.  Thank you, Lynne! **** our beach weather has flown, which we knew it would; now back to temps that a bit warmer than usual but not outrageous.  it was nice to get my toes back in the sand, even though it was on the cool side.  *** i am off to work this morning but i have been quilting on the amish pinwheel's center medallion design, a large, feathery urn.  it's half done or more so by next week some time, i'll start on the actual squares.  this is my first experience with a wool batt and like everyone says, it's like quilting through butter.  i've also been at the old viking continuing with the batik runner.  ***** i've a few new civil war fabrics and itching to cut into them to make a small quilt but i am resisting....so far....mainly because i'm still making little baskets for the one in progress.  a few more days and i'll have another long weekend to play in the stash. 

look familiar?

it's the pinwheel puzzle tablerunner, this time in batiks.  when i was making the last one (in lilac fabrics, remember?), i had this vision of batiks, oohhh color, sooo i pulled out some of my scraps and immediately cut them out.  they have been in a little plastic baggie on the sewing table all this time but no more!  this is an official UFO so i didn't start a NEW project.  no destination for this as yet, same for the lilac one too, but it'll go in the tote for that "someday" when i find the right venue to hopefully sell some stuff.  this doesn't empty a shoebox but it's still busting stash.  did i mention i really like to sew?  yeah, i do...not mind altering, but definitely addictive! 

time out

yes, i HAVE been quilting in the evenings on the amish pinwheel but today i've been out of doors on this record-breaking temperature day (record is 79) doing some errands, basking in the sun and the enjoyment of a day off! 

another scrooge

this quilt was made by karen combs, a very talented and renown quilter.  unfortunately, she has been victimized by a thief who broke into her rental car in new braunfels, tx; she lost many of her quilts and teaching supplies (details here).  pox on the thief i say.  it's a horrible feeling when that happens but hopefully, because of the wide reach of the quilting community, they will all be found and returned to karen without damage. 

starting a finish

this is the amish pinwheel in the oval hoop and i get to start the quilting on this solid scrappy.  i usually use the square pvc snap frame, but because of the size of the design, i can use the hoop and get nearly all of the design in the hoop, hopefully not disturbing the basting at all.  maybe this will be an april finish?  that would be very good indeed.  **** last night i started quilting another of my little quilts already basted but i'll put that aside until warmer weather.  so many projects.....and i'm making the most of the free time i have now to sew whenever i can. 

another finish!

this little 30s dresden plate quilt is all done!  i can knock another UFO off the list, always a good thing.  next up?  a bed-size quilt as i've got 4 of them basted waiting for attention.  even though it's been more than spring-like here this week...60+ yesterday and today....it isn't hot, hot yet, so i want to get another big quilt done before it gets that way. **** short weekend; off to work today, but part time schedule starts too, so that is a good thing as well.  enjoy the day!