Accomplishments - at long last

Seems like so long since I've had anything finished to blog about. It's terrible when your job, husband, kids, house, etc. intrude on your quilting time. sigh.

The first update is the finished project from the Weird and Ugly challenge from my Yahoo group.

Again, this was the fq I was sent to work with:



And this is what I made:



I had visions of a stained glass window. It was certainly interesting. I don't like to work with small pieces and the little squares finished at 1 inch and have four triangles in them. I'm happy with how it looks and am thinking it may be the center of something larger - but I'm not sure what the "something" will become.

I also did a few small things lately. A friend passed along a link for a bookkeeper - perfect for holding a Kindle. And since I have a Kindle, I had to make one.



The original had some applique but I decided to just embellish mine with a few buttons.

The pattern is a Moda BakeShop freebie that can be found here

Last year for my birthday I got some embroidered Sunbonnet Sue blocks off eBay. There's one for each month. I didn't really have an idea what I was going to do with them but they were too cute to pass up. Finally I decided to do a small wallhanging. I'd like to get a table top scroll stand to hang them from. I finished February and March. I added a bit of seed beads to each.




The February one has hearts quilted into the corners. I can't wait to work on the other twelve months.

It feels good to finally finish something.

Until next time, hugs and stitches. Jody

Two done and a bit of an unusual project

More than a year ago, I purchased some embroidered Sunbonnet Sue blocks on eBay. I had a terrible time figuring out what to do with them. For one thing, I don't think the colors the lady who made them used all worked well together - but I wanted to use all the blocks together.

Finally I gave up on trying to find a block to center them in and decided the best way to go would be a simple sashing with a fabric that would work with all the different colors and not detract from the beauty of the embroidery.

And this is what I came up with:



In the past year or so, a number of ladies in my quilting guild made lovely bags called Mini Bow Tucks bags. I have made a few bags and decided I would give this one a try too. Of course, being me, I couldn't make it exactly as the pattern called for - the straps were much too short for me. And that really sounds funny because I'm a short girl. But I like my bag to fall about my hip level.

I finished it up today and I'm very pleased with how it turned out:



I've mentioned before the wonderful Yahoo group I am a part of. This year the two lovely ladies who run the group have come up with some interesting challenges for us. I posted about the first quarter's challenge - a UFO challenge.

The challenge we are doing right now is called the Weird and Ugly Challenge. Everyone participating received a piece of quite interesting fabric. We have until June 30 to come up with a project. There will be voting so I won't be posting my finished project here until probably mid July but to whet your appetite - here's a view of the fabric we have to work with:



I have an idea and have even started working on it. So check back in a bit and see what I came up with.

And of course before I go, Thunder wants to show off his Easter basket, um, bone.



Until next time, hugs and stitches. Jody

A couple of finished projects

I finished a couple of things in the past week - which is amazing since I spent so much of the week sick in bed. But I had three tops that were done and ready to be sandwiched and quilted and I managed to get two done.

This is the second quilt that I made for my granddaughter to use at our house.



I have mentioned the wonderful Yahoo group I am part of. At the beginning of the year, we started a UFO challenge. I picked three things I thought I could reasonably expect to get done by the end of March. This is the third project so I got them all finished.



It was nice to have a little gentle push to get me going on finishing up these projects.

And speaking of the wonderful Yahoo group I am part of, it has long been our practice to make love quilts for members who get a new home or who are going through a challenging stage in life. This week I became the latest recipient of a love quilt. Done in my favorite colors of pink and green, this is the beautiful quilt they sent me:



And that's a perfect place to leave things.

Until next time, hugs and stitches.

Jody

Quilt Show!

Two of the most exciting words in the world. lol. The last week of January each year the local MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) hosts the quilts for the years annual relief sale. The quilts are auctioned in April and the proceeds are used to help folks over seas. So Tasha and I braved the bad weather and went up to the show.

The first couple of years I went they just displayed the quilts. The last two years they have had a Quilter's Attic and voting for Viewer's Choice.

The problem they have is a small building - meaning most of the quilts are folded and hanging over rails. You can't look at the entire quilt and taking pictures is rather difficult - the racks they use are pretty close together. But I did manage to get a few pictures.

I was surprised by the number of quilts that had a large portion of embroidery or cross stitch as a main component. Here are a few:







Each group was asked to make a quilt representing peace and this was their offering:



This was my first runner up pick for viewer's choice:



I so love Sunbonnet Sue quilts and an Amish SBS? Oh my. lol.

But I really had to pick this one for viewer's choice:



And look at this close up - check out the quilting - all done by hand and it is stunning:



I couldn't resist snapping a picture of this cool weaving machine (do you like my technical terms? lol).:



So here are a few of the pieced and appliqued quilts:










What a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Until next time, hugs and stitches. Jody

Another baby quilt

Here lately I feel like I don't get much of anything accomplished other than baby quilts. We have been overly blessed with babies in the past year.

This one is such a labor of love though. I have made a number of quilts for my new grand-daughter. But they are all quilts her parents have. I wanted to have at least two quilts here at our house for her too.

When my Yahoo group presented the UFO Challenge I knew immediately that Shianne's quilt for here must be on the list. I had the first top ready and it just needed sandwiched and quilted. So on a rare two days in a row off work, I sandwiched it one day and quilted it the next.

This truly a quilt made by Shianne's Grammy - it's pink and green. lol.



It still needs all the little strings snipped - I really hate doing that. sigh.

Until next time, hugs and stitches. Jody

The first finish of 2011

I got something finished today! Because I'm supposed to be working on my UFO Challenge - I'm finding all these other things I want to do. lol.

I finished my bag. First I have to thank my darling husband. Two days before Christmas we were having the yearly discussion of do we get each other something or not. I ended up saying that I wanted to make a new bag and some cash to get fabric, etc. would be great. So that's what he did. And here's what I made:



I did the front pocket on this one and decided to add a little bead embellishment.

And I did a bit of experimenting with the inside. I put a small pocket on one side and did a "divider" on the other side. It's called a divider but I think it works more like a big open pocket. I might adjust that a bit if I do another one.



One of the things on my "to do" list is a second quilt for our grand-daughter to use while she's here. So last night I was looking for a pattern - the first one I made for her is a patch quilt - I wanted to do something different for this one. I didn't find a pattern for her quilt but I did come across a pattern I had looked at this past Christmas.

I really don't care for scrappy quilts. Too busy for me. But every once in a while there's a scrappy pattern that I decide to try. I wanted to try this one for Christmas but I didn't have enough fabric (or time). But looking at it last night I realized how nice it would look for an Autumn quilt - and fall fabrics I have in abundance. lol.

So here's the pattern, fabric choices and a few completed blocks:



I'll probably try to do a few blocks each day until I get this one done.

Until next time, hugs and stitches. Jody

UFO Challenge

The Yahoo group I am a part of is having a UFO challenge from now until the end of March.

It has to be a project that is already started - not a new project. I have picked three that I think I can reasonably expect to complete by the end of March.

This top is ready to be sandwiched and quilted. It will be a quilt for my Grand-Daughter to use while she is at our house.



This top is ready to be sandwiched and quilted also. It will be for our niece Kathlene's daughter Makensie, due in May.



And this quilt that I started last December. It will be a lap quilt so I think I can get it finished in time.



I'm also working on my design for a table runner for on my treadle sewing machine.

I'm really trying to finish up some things and not add too many to my "have to do" list.

Until next time, hugs and stitches. Jody