60 degree table runner-Octagon mat

Our quilting group had a workshop for a 60 degree table runner. This idea has been around for a while but if I do not have some walk me through certain things it goes right over my head. I finally conquered it and was told to just add a couple more to the octagon. They came out very well and I am pleased with them. These will probably be the only ones I make but at least I challenged myself.

Sassy Purses

Sassy Purses

I have made eight of these purses for family and myself. The pink one is for a friend...she saw it... like it and asked me to make one for her. She picked out her own fabrics. The handles have screws on the ends so you can make several and just change the handle. The pattern is very easy and they come out so good. It was designed by Barb D. 

Funky Folk Flowers

This is a class I took with Busy Thimble over 10 years ago. I had finished 8 blocks. This was a learning experience in learning 'how to ' do freezer paper needle-turn applique. The center blocks are 8" and 1 1/2" border. This was designed by Susan L. Powell 1998/99. I really stretched myself as far as choosing colors. The idea was funky folk.....I really am glad it is done and really like the result.

March BOM, panel, wall hanging

I have been busy the fist part of the month ...This Mini Wall Hanging is the third in a series of 12 offered FREE by  www.countryjunktion.com. I used  freezer paper and needle turn applique....machine quilted....also different colors for the clovers and gold buttons. 

 This is a kit from Keepsake Quilting in NH. I like to name my quilts and this is "Wild Animal Kingdom". It is machine quilted and bound.

I named this one 'Bird of a Feather". I found wonderful fabrics with cardinals on a shop hop with my quilt group last year. Pattern is from Fons and Porter-Love of Quilting Nov/Dec. 2011. 18" x 52". I used various quilting designs on it. The colors and depth of it do not show up very well. It was a fun one for me to do.

Reversible Apron

Our Tacoma Quilt group met today and we had an all-day workshop to make aprons for those who chose to. This is not my cup of tea if you know what I mean. But I had this beautiful Christmas fabric given to me about 2-3 years ago by my quilter friend Sherry. She had been making aprons that were reversible with stitching that you could run the cord free so it would fit anyone. Today there were several patterns offered but I like 'simple' and 'quick' so decided to make this. Sherry was sick so I improvised and took a basic pattern and made a pattern and created this version. It really came out nice and I will give it as a Christmas gift. I never finish anything at a workshop but 'I did'...hooray!! Thank you Sherry for the inspiration. You can see the gals at our Tacoma blog.http://tacomalakesquilters.blogspot.com

February Mini BOM -

Block of the Month - February ....Country Junk'tion pattern by Amy Heaton. 8 x 22". I did needle turn applique and used heavy bonding for ribbon.

 A funny thing happened while I was beginning to top stitch. I had made myself a healthy drink ...chocolate based with bananas and blueberries and sat it next to me. Well, I hit that and it covered me and my hanging...broke the tall glass and covered the scatter rug and floor.....what a mess!  I washed the hanging and it came out beautiful......thankfully! I learned a valuable lesson....do not put your drink on a sewing machine...The thing is I never do...I usually place it behind me on a table....It sure was a mess. But I really like the way this turned out. The original was done in Pinks and Greens. BUT I am a black and white person so decided to do my own thing.

Part #2 America the Beautiful

This is the second section of a 6 part McCall's 'America the Beautiful' (see side bar for finished quilt). Four of us started out doing it and have been joined by another. I thought I would never get done these trees...stars are needle turn applique. The star within a star was part of the fabric which I fussy cut. 

Part #1 America the Beautiful

This is part one in a series of 6 of 'America the Beautiful' sampler Quilt from McCall's Quilt magazine 2011. There are four of us doing this using only our stash. We have given ourselves a year if we need it. It is challenging because you are tempted to purchase that 'right' material.You can see the finished quilt on the sidebar.The names are 'Fields Block'...'Shining Sun Block'...'Barn Block'....Designed by Lynn Lister.

Sampler Plus-Tacoma Challenge

Our quilt group had a drawing to receive 9 blocks and we could finish off any way we decided. These will be finished and displayed at the State of Maine Quilt show in July. I chose to add one more block and then use embroidered flowers that I had purchased at an auction a few years ago, which were made by a fellow quilter in my chapter.

I cut these down to 4" to showcase these as a center for this quilt.

Size is 51" x 65". Great to have it finished!!!

BOM Mini quilt

This is the first in a series of Monthly Mini quilts. 

Designed by Amy Heaton for Coun'try Junk'tion. The nose and Big Button are heavy heat 'n bond. All the other pieces are put on with lite heat 'n bond and then button hole stitched. It was a fun project. Heard about it on Quilt for Us.. I am a member. 

New Great-grandson

Had to show off my new great-grandson. My son's first grand child...9 lbs 5 oz. Nathaniel Xavier. BIG BEAUTIFUL BOY!!! Born yesterday Dec. 20....

December Finishes

This is a purse for my grand-daughter's 16th Birthday last week. She picked out the material. Design by Barb D. There are removable handles so you can interchange different purses. Very popular by those who has seen it. Bags for Great-granddaughters for Christmas. They have 3-D glasses that come with them and the fish look like they are swimming. Pretty neat!!
A quick baby quilt for a family at my church who are waiting for a son to be born.
A popular Strippy quilt. I have made several at different times...this one has little chicks for the focus fabric. Check out the backing(below)...wonderful!!!


This is the backing...elephants, hippo's and giraffe's. Colorful and perfect for a boy!

These were purchased fleece and made borders and put the children's names on each one and used fancy stitching. A quick fun project for a couple of kids 9 and 12.

That is it for the year at least the ones that are finished. Of course I have several waiting to be done as always...

"Nature's Rhythms" This is Clothworks collection by Johnny Karwan. A free download and decided I needed to do this...It is waiting to be quilted but I so enjoyed picking out the fabrics. Really like the dimensional look it has.

Size 54" x 57" "Christmas Cardinals" I really liked the pattern but not the original fabric used in Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting. November/December 2011. I was on a shop hop with my quilt group and saw these cardinals with a black background and then I built in my own coloring. Original design by Betty New....www.bettynew.com - size 18" x 52"

Close-up....I will be hand quilting around the cardinals and not exactly sure how I will finish it off.

Sparkling Stars Quilt

I began this in 2009 as a Block of the Month designed by Judy Laquidara and it has set in my UFO pile. I was very intimidated by the zig zag border. But finally dug it out and decided I could do it. I paper pieced the border with the instruction of 'how to' and it was time consuming but very easy. There are 7 borders but it is done and I am very satisfied with it. It is 92" x 92" and I had a friend Ann quilt it for me. It will be in the West Gardiner quilt show this weekend.

Baby Quilt

I bought this baby quilt as a kit at the Maine Quilt Show in July. A great little gift for a baby girl. I was able to match the pink for the back. (This is a close up. Below is 29" x 35". Perfect for a carriage or bassinet. I had fun doing it.

Sashiko - Flag Runner

At the Maine quilt show I saw patterns called Sashiko by Pat. Of course they were displayed with beautiful Japanese fabrics. I purchased this one Chrysanthemum part of the Circle Series. It is just a basic running stitch. A no-brainer...I really enjoyed the process and then I added the stitches 1/4" from edge and framed it with some material from my stash.

This is a a Flag Table Runner. A friend did it and I just liked the look of it and had the material in my stash. I did everything on the machine except for the buttons. I took 2 buttons ...a beige and a star red button and put them together.

This was a challenge for me...I am a quilter at heart and usually find projects like this challenging. But, nevertheless I finished it and I like it hanging better than as a table runner...Farmyard Creations...Karla Eisenach 2001

Baby Quilt

What do you do on a really hot day in Maine when the temp is in the high 90's and high humidity. You stay where the AC is and head for the quilt studio. I have just organized everything changing some things around and what a joy to sew now. I found these 5" blocks and decided to just sew them together and then it took off from there. You will notice the inside borders are not the same...I used what I call 'funky' material and also backed it with that. It is really cuter than it is in photo...babies love 'bright'. Feels good when I finish a project.

Pillow Cases for J & J quilts

I have been very busy re-doing my quilt studio...took out a rug and couch...purchased a 5 shelf bookcase/plastic bins and I finally have everything in place. Amazing what I found .....lots of unfinished projects. It has been a great experience..now I know what 'I have'. There are enough projects to last me the rest of my life. Now I am ready to get going.
These are my finished pillow cases to go with the quilts for the twins, Josh and Jake....their birthdays are Sept. 1.

Stack 'n Whack & BQ2 (2)

These have been in process and finally finished quilting and binding them. Brown/Turquoise is a stack 'n whack....did my own thing on it... I have twin grandsons and they wanted a quilt for their twin beds...it is BQ2 pattern. They both picked out their fabric. This is Joshua's and he chose motor bikes with blue/brown that looked like wood...he said it looked like a boy.

This is the back so it can be used both sides.This is Jacob's with a baseball glove/bat.

The background is map of US...(not true to placement)take note of the lobster (Maine)

Christmas Fantasy & Windmill Frenzy

Our Tacoma Quilt group finally had reveal day...Above is 'Christmas Fantasy' . It was a mix and match wall hanging. There were 5 elements. Theme: Christmas; Block: Sawtooth Star; Fabric: Plaid; Embellishment: Ribbon;. Nineteen of our group did them and had different choices that they drew. It is 24" sq.

Twelve of us finished this 35" wall hanging below. This was our mystery quilt that we received instructions over a 4 mo. period. We did not know what it was going to look like until the last instruction. Original name is "O Tacoma" by our Pres. Barb who designed it in EQ7. I decided to rename mine 'Windmill Frenzy'. It reminded me of windmills and I was frenzied a lot of the time...smile!!!

These were both fun to do. You can check out the rest of the designs on our blog for Tacoma Quilters