Caleb's Strippy Quilt

Caleb-5 is the grandson of my friend, Betty. He had cancer and is now doing very well. He likes frogs. So I decided he needed a quilt. I had made strippy quilts for my grandchildren and great-grandchildren . They are rugged and versatile and he can lay with his dog, build a tent city, as little boys like to do, and it will not harm it. It can be thrown in the laundry and drier. I sew the binding on and do a fancy stitch on the front. This quilt is every mom's dream!!...you do not have to be careful with it. Except for the sun!! It is cotton and will bleach out easily. I did a meandering stitch on my short-arm quilter.
If you would like to see pics and read Caleb's story it is on my other blog.

Chicken pin cushions

Our quilt group made chicken pin cushions on Wednesday. The tiny one I had made a long time ago. I made the one log cabin with the gals and will stuff with white rice.
When my grandsons, J and J came to stay overnight they saw them and wanted to make 'big' ones. They knew exactly what color and 'how' they wanted it. So these are their designs. Josh's is the yellow one. Jacob's is the brown rooster. We used felt for the red and yellow cones. They are simple to make unless you get the tails turned around as I did. J and J pulled from my stash and of course took those wonderful moda etc. fabrics. What is a Gram to do ...oh yes, the best for the grandchildren...what joy they bring!!

I keep this blog for quilting....I have one where I posted their pics...it is a family and inspirational blog. You can check it out if you like.

Star BOM #12

This is #12 in a series of 13 with Block of the Month with Judy Laquidara. This has been a learning for me with 16th measurements. Below all the block are pictured. They will be set on point so they will look different but this gives you an idea.

Table Runner

Our group took a trip to Sewing by the Sea in Trenton a few months ago and they demonstrated how to make a runner using the 60 degree cut on the ends. One of the gals, Pauline(above) came home and held a workshop for us. The choice of material is the making of it. Some of them are so beautiful. Saturday I went to Fabric Garden in Madison and they had many fabrics that would make beautiful ones. We used a micro stitch gun (size 11/64" fasteners) to tack it together to line it up which is very important. I used Jinny Byer material for mine (below)This table runner was sent to Tn. for my son, Mike and daughter in law, Nancy . He surprised all of us and came home for his brother's 50th birthday party. Had not seen him for a couple of years.

Star BOM #11

This is Block of the Month I have been doing online with Judy Laquidara and many other ladies. We get 2 blocks a month, complete and post on her blog with a link back to ours. We have 2 more blocks and then the borders. This is the type of quilt I would never do on my own so this has been good for me. We also used 16th inch and that was been a stretch for me but I conquered it. Always nice to add more expertise to what you already know.

Hearts-Tacoma

We got up this morning and it was a very light snow and so the thought was that not many would show up to our quilt meeting because of the possible slick roads. We all came except for one gal that was sick. Each month we decided to do a block with a theme. We would put our name in the pot for each block we made and the person whose name was drawn would get them all.This month was a heart that could be 6" or more and any technique you chose and signed. I chose to do a paper pieced block with an appliqued heart. The winner was Pam....this was her first meeting and she became a member. What a welcome gift. We were so happy for her. She is a gifted quilter and we told her we expected it put together in about a month. (smile) Next month will be a Spring Block using pastels. Our chapter banner is behind Pam...

We always have show and tell....quilting projects, purses that some of the ladies had done at a workshop and this was Rayna's offering today. I had a full picture but I am good to the gals and I promised I would never show anything on the blog that they would not like. But I told her I would fix her up and so here are her socks she made...she is a gifted knitter and she always has something in hand that she is skillfully doing. There were a lot of laughs...

This was a quilt that Kayleen did in an evening and we all really liked it so we decided to each make one using material from our stash. It is called Fool Around Fun by Susan Fuquay. It is always good incentive when working with a group to get things done that we would not do on your own, and also enjoyable to see all the different colors that will be used.
It was a fun day...we were suppose to work on a charity quilt but forgot some of the elements and so decided just to enjoy one another. We are a small group of about 17. It was a great day and the sun was shining by the time we were headed home.

Camille's Bag

It is has been unseasonably cold here in Maine in January. Our local quilt group had a workshop for this bag and I chose bright Spring colors and lined it with green plaid.Can you tell what I am looking ahead for!!!! This is a ps013 Camille bag designed by Penny Sturges. I made some minor changes, enlarged the band at the top and also made the handles a little lighter by not using full wide of the fusible fleece. I also put more pockets inside with Velcro. It does not look big in this picture but it is about 14" wide x 14" tall. It is an easy bag to do.

Funky Valentine Hanging

WOW the first day of another month. Where did January go? After Christmas it is like you take a deep breath after finishing all the projects for gifts. Then you realize that time is still moving and you better get going again with projects promised, projects in the wings waiting to be finished, new projects and on and on it goes. I get older and realize that I will never accomplish all I want before I die. Last year my goal was to finish UFOs. This year I am still working on UFOs or WISP (works in slow progress). One of the groups I belong to did a valentine project making covers for Kleenex boxes. I would have no use for it so decided to do something different. Do you ever feel like you try to get ahead but you get be hinder??? Another group I am in decided to do a block each month and draw names and someone will get the whole batch. This month it is a valentine so I got mine done in pink/reds and hand appliqued only to find out I need to have red/white...Soooo I took the pink/reds and made the above block for the valentine project in place of the Kleenex box. And made a new red/white block for the monthly drawing. So if you are confused so am I. But I think I have got it right. (smile it is called life)


Candace wanted to see a picture of the quilt 'flowering green' that I finished recently on my bed. I would recommend if you are making pillow cases to make them extra long so they would hang down on the sides.