Saturday, January 28, 2012

A Quilt Show

I just realized I never posted pictures of my December SBS block and this year's Christmas project.

So here's my December SBS block:



Every year Tasha and I make a Christmas project. When there is time and money, we make them for everyone in the family. This year, she made one (well, she's still working on hers) and I made one.



Now on to the quilt show. This weekend was the annual Mennonite Central Committee quilt auction preview. Lots of beautiful quilts but not lots of space. So a good portion of the quilts are folded and hung on racks - racks that are pretty close together, making it rather hard to get a good picture but I managed to get a few.












This is something I am considering for a Christmas quilt for this year:



This is my pick for large quilt:



This was my pick for wall hanging as well as my inspiration quilt:



I always find at least one quilt I want to make for myself. This is a concept I have worked on more than once. Start with a schoolhouse block but instead of the house section with the windows, replace that with a traditional quilt block. I started it in Civil War repros, I started it in shades of blue. Neither time did I like how it turned out. But I am inspired to try again. I have a different idea of how to make it work and hopefully this will turn out as I want it to be.

Until next time, hugs and stitches. Jody

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Christmas Presents - Finally

It's been quite some time since I've had anything to show for my efforts. Mostly because working retail, December does not leave a lot of time for quilting. But also because what quilting I did have time to do was for Christmas presents. More specifically, Christmas presents for people who use my computer. lol.

Every couple of years I make quilts for the kids. And based on a comment my oldest son made - he's been staying with us and when I asked him one night before bed if he needed an extra quilt he said something about being fine with the 37 or so quilts I've made for him - I kind of thought maybe I have made too many quilts for my darling children (if there actually is such a thing as "too many quilts" - and I personally am not sure there is).

But my middle son asked for a quilt this year and then the youngest chimed in with a request of his own. There's apparently an issue with the fact that they are getting too tall for the previous quilts to cover their feet. What's a mom to do? Other than stop feeding them - I did suggest that to the youngest one. But he thought a new quilt was a better idea.

So for my football fans. Joe got a Ravens' quilt:



Tim got an Eagles' quilt:



Tasha got a Transformer's fleece (which I did not take a picture of) and a Kindle cover:



She has abandoned her long love of purple and moved on to black and red. Snowmen are also favorites - so I was thrilled to find red and black fabric with snowmen on it.

And don't you know that Christmas morning the oldest child (the one who would just use the 37 or so quilts I've already made him) asked why he didn't get a new quilt for Christmas? lol.

On to 2012. The first finish of 2012 is a big one. It's big enough to cover my queen size bed - one of the few large quilts that I have completed. I hand quilted it - which is why it took over 2 years to finish. I even did a bit of decorative quilting - there are butterflies quilted on the borders. It was to be my first entry into a quilt show (my guild is having a show this spring). Alas I don't think it's to be. It has a couple of places that the border is a bit puckered. I'm happy with the results - for me - but not so much to put on display in a quilt show.



I have made a list of my quilting goals for 2012. Though the list is modest, the results (should I actually finish them) won't be as more than half the list are tops ready to be quilted and they will be mostly hand quilted.

But the list will need to wait for another day. I am being kicked out of my own living room by the Ravens' fan. He wants to watch the play off game and just because they seem to lose whenever I'm in the room, he thinks that's my fault. Go figure. But since I love him (and want to see the Ravens advance) - I will go. lol.

Until next time, hugs and stitches. Jody