Home from Atlanta, but still holiday busy!  Here I am running two full days behind on WOW.  I thought I would share a pic of our Christmas tree this week, since I have spent absolutely NO time on sewing.  On the right hand side, toward to back of the pic, you can see the entrance to my sewing room.  Across the back of that room, I have a triple sliding door.  Lots of wonderful light in there!  Someday, when I clean up the sewing room, I will share more pics of it.  I am really spoiled!

I am thinking about some New Years resolutions..... the usual " I want to lose 10 pounds" of course, but then I am resolving that I simply must finish a bunch of UFOs.  I have at least 3 large quilt tops that are screaming to be basted and quilted.  Actually, I am afraid to check the closet to count them, because there are probably  more than 3!

So, I resolve to start only ONE project until I have caught up with these orphan quilts, and that project will be Esther's new mystery BOM, which is scheduled to start on February 15.  I know it is applique, and I love hand applique, so it should slow me down enough to get my act together!  I will still do the samples for our quilt shop too.  I am about half quilted on the one I am currently working on and will post a picture of it in a couple of days.  I do have today and tomorrow to spend on that project so I hope to accomplish a lot.  We leave on the 8th for a 7 day cruise, and I really hope to be able to finish it, bind it, and deliver it to the shop by the 7th.

Off to work on that project.  I wish everyone a very Happy and healthy New Year!

Here is the quilt that I designed for a Christmas challenge using EQ7.  I learned a lot about the software, including how to convert it to a jpeg file so that I could share it here.  I do intend to make this quilt! 

I am having trouble getting this blog to cooperate with me today.  The top picture is a wallhanging that I made about 5 years ago, my first and last attempt at watercolor quilts.  I do like it though, it is one of several Christmas quilts, including an embroidered lap quilt.  The table runner under the wreath quilt is cutwork and embroidery that I did last year.  I didn't think to take a picture of it by itself, but I hope you can see a bit of it in this one.

I have spent most of this week working on a large quilt for our local quilt shop.  I make samples for the shop, although this is the first really large one that I have done.  It is 82 by 82.  I dont have a picture to share this week, but I will try to get one for next weeks WOW.

We are off to Atlanta first thing in the morning for a visit with my daughter and her family.  She has my youngest grandchild who is 6.  I can't think of anything more fun than Christmas with a 6 year old! Off now to pack the gifts.  I wish everyone a wonderful holiday! 

Hearts Desire

Here it is, the final picture of my completed Hearts Desire.  Not sure what I plan to do with it, so I will store it for now.  I plan to take it to my next guild meeting in mid-January for show and tell. 

I am up to date with my progress on Peaceful Pathways, waiting for the next installment.  I just purchased some quilting designs for my EQ7 software and I am planning to use it for quilting on it. 

I am still obsessed with learning EQ7.  Sometimes I get so frustrated that I need to walk away from it for a while, but I sure am learning a lot about it. 

Todays project is working on preparing some applique pieces for a hand applique that I have started.  This isn't my favorite thing to do, but it is a necessary part of the hand applique that I love to do. 

I still need to spend a couple of days doing some Christmas shopping....maybe tomorrow. 

Part 4 is completed

Here is my Peaceful Pathways with the 20 Lovers Knot blocks finally attached.  I am so happy with it. 

Now the next WIP is my Hearts Desire binding.  I can't believe that it has had the binding on it for at least 3 weeks and I haven't found the time to stitch it down.  The binding and thread are black, which makes it hard for my aging eyes to work on it in the evening.  So now with PP up to date, I will set aside some daylight hours to get it finished up.  I absolutely must get some of these projects under control before starting anything else.

We have had a couple of very busy weeks here,so not much sewing progress has been made.  Here are some pics of my Peaceful Pathways, I have 16 of my lovers knot blocks completed. 

I will be on my own for the next couple of weeks, John has to be in Tacoma.  So I am hoping that I will have lots of sewing time while he is gone.  It shouldn't take too much time to complete my last 4 blocks.  They are cut out and just waiting for me to get to them. 

I have been spending a lot of time on the computer.  I have joined a Yahoo group for EQ7 users and I am determined to learn the software.  I just received an order for quilting designs for EQ7.  I need to practice my free motion quilting skills.  I love quilts that are heavily quilted, but I always have a hard time deciding on the quilt designs to use.  With these two packs of add-ons for EQ7 I have over 1000 new quilt designs.  Will that help?  Or confuse me even more?  Time will tell!

Hearts Desire is finished..... well, mostly finished.  It has a couple of things in it that I need to pull out and redo, and it doesn't have the binding on it yet.  I plan to make the binding today, and maybe get it onto the quilt, but the hand finishing will need to wait a couple of weeks.  Company coming this weekend, and then Thanksgiving, so I will not have time to do the handwork.  But I am very happy with this quilt.  I loved making it and doing so much hand applique.  Thank you Esther!  Your designs are beautiful!

Wednesday again

As a quilter, I am used to getting a piece of fabric and cutting it into little pieces to sew back together again.  I bought this fabric to make placemats and napkins for my dil for Christmas.  I was so taken by this beautiful fabric that I was quite unable to cut it up.  So I made up some yards of a mini piping in a lavendar color to match her dining room walls, and then fussy cut a coordinating stripe for each side and for the napkins.  I am very happy with the results and I know that she will love them.  It took a couple of days to make up 8 sets, but the work was worth it.  One Christmas gift done! 

All other projects are currently on hold.  I am up to date with Peaceful Pathways, waiting for installment #4.  I have most of Hearts Desire quilted, just have to decide how to quilt the borders.  With a bit of cooler weather, we have been doing some long needed gardening, but I will get back to the sewing machine in a few days. 

Spent most of this week quilting my Hearts Desire.  Two more blocks to go, and then the border.  I have stitched in the ditch and then stippled the background fabric.  I can't get it to show up in the picture, the thread is the same exact color as the background.  I haven't yet decided how I want to do the veins on the leaves.  My first thought was couching, but that seems pretty labor intensive.  I picked up some 12 wt cotton thread and I will experiment with that later today. 

I won't be able to blog next Wednesday, we are heading to New York to celebrate my mom's 100th birthday!  I will follow WOW and read all your blogs though.  I really enjoy getting to "know" everyone who posts on Esther's blog.

Another visitor

He is a bit hard to see, I wasn't brave enough to go outside the screen room to take his picture.  We think he is a lynx. We have had bobcats several times, but this one seems to be too big to be a bobcat.  He wasn't shy, he stopped and stared at us several times. 

Just another day in paradise!

WOW

Started the quilting on my Hearts Desire yesterday.  It took me a while to decide how I want to quilt it.  I took it to my guild meeting on Monday and everyone loved it.  They tried to talk me into hand quilting it........ I gave it some thought and then decided to machine it anyways.  I have always rolled my quilts while working on them, but I tried a new method, kind of nesting the quilt around the machine bed.  It is working out really well.  My new machine has a big area to the right of the needle and that really makes a difference. 
Off to make some lunch, then back to my quilting.  I hope everyone has a good week.

Backyard Visitor

We had yard work to do today, but our visitor stayed out there for quite some time, and we didn't want to disturb his nap.  We aren't very brave!  but we do enjoy seeing the wildlife.

Sunday, Sept 25th

Just finished getting 3 quilts ready for my guild's annual show at the local college.  Sadly, this is the last year that we will have the show, our numbers have dwindled and it is just too much work for those of us who are left.  We won't be making a raffle quilt for 2012 either, same reason. 

The quilt above is called "Sew Many Blocks".  It was a block of the month for our guild, but I was having sew much fun with it, that I just kept on going until it was finished.  It is heavily quilted, but hard to see the quilting in the picture.

I finished the center of Peaceful Pathways yesterday.  It is coming together nicely, but I confess to doing a bit of un-sewing to get the triangles lined up with the HSTs.  I wasn't paying enough attention to that detail when I was adding the HST borders and a few of them weren't lined up like they should have been. 

Next project is sandwiching my Hearts Desire, basting it, deciding on how to quilt it, which is always the hardest part for me. 

Tuesday, September 20

Here it is, my completed Hearts Desire top.  I am quite pleased with it, it is a lovely design.

We are settled back in Florida, lots of gardening to do, but the unpacking is completed and I can almost find everything again!  Spent the morning doing a huge food shopping trip so we can settle in and spend our time playing again.  I have to search through my stash to see if I have an appropriate fabric for the backing, otherwise a trip to the quilt shop.

My Peaceful Pathways is coming along nicely, the center is completed, I just have to hand applique the hearts.  It really went together quickly.  I have hesitated a bit on the hearts, considering a machine embroidery design that I have.  But today, I cut the hearts for applique.  I really enjoy the peaceful handwork.

Two corners are done!

Such a busy week as we prepare to head south for the winter.  I had hoped to finish quilting a small panel wallhanging, but I doubt that will happen.  We are ready to start packing the van, and the sewing machines go in first!  But I have a few hours to myself this morning, so maybe........................  if only I could get off this computer, lol.  WOW Wednesdays take up a bit of time, I love reading every single blog! 

Here is a pic of my Hearts Desire, with two of the border corners finally finished.  I have put it aside for this week, as it will be my handwork to do on the trip.  The original plan had been to start my Cherry Thieves table runner, but that just hasn't happened yet.  Maybe it will become my project for the trip back here next June.

So we will be off on Saturday morning on a two week trip to Florida, with lots of stops along the way.  I doubt that I will post next week, but I will be sure to catch up on everyone's work when we are settled back in Florida.

Border almost done!

Here is my version of the border for Hearts Desire.  I did not have enough of any of my fabrics to do the border as Esther had planned it, so I had to improvise.  Using the black fabric really sets off the quilt, although it is not something I would have chosen to do if I had the extra fabric.  I have one corner basket  completed, still doing the prep for pieces for the other 3 corners.  This is really been a fun project!

Embroidery on first blcok

Thought I would show off my first block.  I really like this font, but I tried at least 10 of them before I found it.

WOW! is it really Wednesday again?

Time is just flying by.  Our social life is busy, gets this way every year when friends realize we are heading south again.  We leave here on Sept 3rd so I need to prepare some hand work for the trip.  If time gets away from me, I may just leave the rest of the  borders on Hearts Desire and work on it while we travel.

Off to the quilt shop yesterday to get my fabric for Peaceful Pathways.  I don't have a really large stash, and certainly not enough yardage for such a large quilt.  Spent an hour in the shop, hemming and hawing about color choices.  Ended up with red/white anyway!  My white is a soft ivory with teeny tiny red dots in it.  I fell in love with it!

French braid quilt top is completed, but the quilting will have to wait until we are back in Florida.  I will work on the Pathways project so I don't fall behind with it.  Embroidery unit is on the machine, so I am off to start on it, 

August 10

First picture of my French braid quilt.  Background is black and white, the double chain is bright greens and reds.  It is going together very quickly, all panels are completed, and the sashing is done as well.  Went to the quilt shop late yesterday to get red fabric for borders and outline sashing.  Asked for 2 1/2 yards.....  got home, laid it out on the cutting table and realized the saleslady had cut just 2 yards!  So now, I am off to another quilt shop, hoping to find the fabric I need and not have to drive quite as far as the first shop.  So I am happy to see that Esther's next BOM uses red fabric!  Hoping I have enough for it. 

Silent Auction Quilt is finished too!

Here it is, I have really had a productive day!  I am happy with the way it turned out even though it was really a simple project.  The embroidery was time-consuming and I decided against the pieced border that I had planned as it took away from the embroidery.

Friday, August 5

Here is the label for my NY Beauty.  It is finally finshed!  Just need to do a quick check of threads on the back and then file it away in the pile of stuff to go back to Florida next month.  I am going to work on that silent auction quilt next and then hopefully be able to start to cut for my French Braid quilt, which is part of my graduation quilt series.  I have been wanting to do a French Braid for a long time, and picked up the fabric in Lancaster PA in May.  Progress continues on my Hearts Desire, working on the final border now and planning to cut the corners out this weekend too. 

August 3

Didn't get to participate in WOW Wednesday this week.  We made a day trip into Seattle, had a great lunch, did lots and lots of walking up and down hills.  Weather is spectacular this week, so we took advantage of that.
My Hearts Desire is coming along, just started the 4th border last night.  Of course, my borders aren't as extensive as Esther's, I have run out of my focal fabric, so I am kind of winging it from here, trying to decide how to finish up the borders. 
NY Beauty has the binding on it, and I am working on stitching the back down by hand.  I have tried so many times to do the binding by machine but have never been satisfied with the results.
And yesterday, I finally started work on a small quilt for my quilt guilds silent auction at our quilt show in October.  My quilts have made the highest amount of money for the past 3 years, so I have a reputation to preserve.  LOL.  I will work more on it tomorrow and Friday and will post pics as soon as I can.

Wednesday July 27

Wow, it's Wednesday again.  Here are some pics from this week's work.  The center of Hearts Desire is finished, two of the borders are finished.  I have to spend some time today making some more of those tiny circles for the borders and cutting out a few more leaves.  I haven't worked on the border corners yet.  I didn't trust myself to do it Esther's way and assemble the border and then insert the  center blocks.  I will put my borders onto the quilt, then miter the corners and then do the flower pot appliques.

The tote bag was an afterthought, had some pretty fabrics in fat quarters and an embroidery design that I wanted to use.  Picture doesn't show the embroidery too well, it is a tiny cross stitch.

NY Beauty is still a WIP, I am really slow at free motion quilting, and do quite a bit of un-stitching when I am not happy with the result.

So, it is back to work for me.  My Designer SE doesn't usually like invisible thread, but she is behaving herself this time. 

Monday, July 25

Working hard on the NY Beauty today.  The couching is done, using a sparkly multi colored lightweight yarn.  Machine embroidery is coming along, but placed on hold for the rest of today because I ran out of black bobbin thread.  Will pick that up tomorrow and hope to finish the quilt by weeks end.  I did a close up trying to show the couching, but it is still hard to see.  Now I am off to set up machine for some free motion work, which is how I will quilt the spikes.

WOW Wednesday

Almost done with pin-basting the NY Beauty quilt.  I had been procrastinating on this one. 

Now the hardest part of quilt making for me is deciding HOW to quilt it.   I like a heavily quilted quilt, but the decision making process of the quilt design really holds me up.  I guess I will start out with some stippling and see where that takes me.  So, this is my WOW Wednesday project for a while. 

Hearts Desire is coming along, one border is appliqued and I am working on the second.  As I have mentioned before, I am short of fabric so I have just done one of the scalloped sides.  I haven't gotten to cutting out the corner flower pots yet.  Can't wait to see installment 6!  Tomorrow!

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Sew Many Blocks
This was a block of the month with my quilt guild, but I was enjoying it so much, I just kept on sewing and finished it up in about 3 months.  The photo isn't that great and I will post a better one when I get back to Florida.  Still in my batik phase with this one too! 

NY Beauty

As a tried and true former New Yorker, I have always wanted to make a NY Beauty.  I am no fan of paper piecing, but this was actually fun to make.  It is all batiks, I am still in my batik phase, lol.  It isn't sandwiched or quilted yet, but it is on my to-do list.  Maybe I should make it my WOW project.  

.Latest quilt- Hollow Cubes

This is done in all batiks.  Picture doesn't do it justice, it is really quite pretty.  I have started on graduation quilts for the grandkids, this is part of that series.  Not sure who it will go to yet..... but I have at least one year before the next graduation.

Block 4 Hearts Desire

Brand new today at blogging.  I really hope I am doing it right, but I want so much to participate in Esther Aliu's WOW Wednesday.  Here is the 4th of my block 4.  I am loving doing all this hand applique.  If you can make out the fussy cut fabric in the small corner circle, that was my focal fabric.  My intention was to use that in my borders, but I am really short of fabric, and an extensive internet search has not helped me to find more.  I am also short on my background fabric, which has a tiny black design in it, so yesterday I went to the quilt shop and found a similar fabric that I think will work well on the borders.  And while I can't do Esther's border because of my lack of focal fabric, I think I can do at least one side of the scallops with what I have.  I can't wait to see the finished layout, and then I will play with the borders to make them as close to possible with Esther's.  I might also go back to block 1 and add to it, because I like the block that Esther posted by mistake.