Farmer's Wife enjoying time at the Spa

The LAQ spa!!

Instagram post from my LAQ Cathy Kirk.... can't wait to pick up my quilt!

For the backing, I used a grey print from another of Bonnie and Cammile's lines.  My extra block was all nested nicely in the back as my quilt label.

Deciding on the borders and the backing was my May goal for Another Lovely Year of Finishes.  I'll be linking up at Another Lovely Year of Finishes .

Happy Stitching!

Linus

Linus joins Schroeder and Marcie (who needs her glasses) and Marcie's best friend Peppermint Patty -

Join the fun on this one here - the pattern is from Tweety Loves Quilting..  

Happy Stitching!

Blogger's Quilt Festival - time to vote!!!

Amy from Amy's Creative Side hosts a virtual quilt show twice a year.  It is so much fun to participate in!

Now it is time to vote for your favorites!

Here are the two that I entered.  If you like them, I'd appreciate your vote.

I entered my New Hampshire quilt into the Original Design category.

and my Pebbles quilt into the Mini Category

You can choose 3 quilts from each of the categories = here are the links to all the categories!!

Mini, Small, Large, Appliqué, Art, Hand Quilted, Home Machine Quilted, Modern, Original Design, ROYGBIV, Scrappy, Viewer’s Choice



Happy Stitching!

Farmer's Wife

I used 110 of my 111 blocks to assemble my Farmer's Wife quilt.

I left block #68 - Postage Stamp - off of the quilt. For a block that is a simple postage stamp block, it came out quite bad.  Either my pressing or my paper piecing really distorted this block.  

This is what it looked like:

I decided to remake the block for the back and use scraps from all the fabric used on the front of the quilt.

It will sit in the middle of my pieced back!!

Happy Stitching!

Snapshot Quilt Along: - Kindred Kitchen

I'd love to have an apron made from this fabric!  Block 5 from FQS Snapshot's quit along!

This one was really fun to put together!

I need to gather them for a group shot.  Until then, here are the other blocks.

Block 4 - Puppy Love 

Block 3 - Tea for Two 

Block 2 - Sew on and Sew on:

Block 1 - Let them Eat Cake:

You can find the pattern for this month's block here and more information on the Fat Quarter Shop page.  Besides the fun of building the quilt, this is all about donating to St Jude.

Happy Stitching!

Graduation Weekend!

My oldest graduated from college on Saturday.    

I went early to get a seat in the first row behind the graduates.  

In the photo above, the ceremony is over and the processional for the graduates to exit is about to start.

If you look carefully in that photo - just to the left of the tree in the distance, you'll see him.

Let me help by zooming in....

Waving to his mom and dad.   (Standing on the chair!)

So proud!

Love my boy!

Happy Stitching!

Blogger's Quilt Festival - New Hampshire

New Hampshire is my entry into the Original Design Quilts category of the virtual quilt show hosted by Amy from Amy's Creative Side. 

I gifted this quilt to my Aunt - she is married to my mom's brother.  She lives in New Hampshire (hence my original name!) and is a wonderful person.  A few years ago my daughter and I were stranded in an airport near their home and my aunt and uncle rescued us late at night only to return us very, very early the next day to catch our rescheduled flight home.  My daughter still calls her "the aunt who saved us!!"

This quilt is my own design using a Fig Tree fabric layer cake.  It finished 60" x 70".   Cathy Kirk did the edge to edge quilt design called JS Panto 27.

I just love this quilt and need to make it again!!

Visit the  Blogger's Quilt Festival to view lots of amazing quilts across multiple categories.

Happy Stitching!

Blogger's Quilt Festival: Pebbles

Pebbles is my entry into the Mini Quilts category of the virtual quilt show hosted by Amy from Amy's Creative Side. 

Why Pebbles? The mix of colors reminds me of a stream full of rocks and the circular quilting the pattern is the ripples in the water after you throw a pebble in the water.

The pattern is Little Bites pattern called Sample. I made 9 of the blocks.  The quilt finished at 19" square.

I really love to do spiral quilting and this mini was quick and easy.   I've a tutorial if you are interested.

Visit the  Blogger's Quilt Festival to view lots of amazing quilts across multiple categories.

Happy Stitching!

Mini bags

I used a mini charm pack for each of these bags.  24 squares in total for the bag, plus 2 for the handle and another 2 for the zipper tabs. I also used 2 layers of fusible batting.   To assemble, I used instructions from this tutorial and boxed my corners at 1 1/4".   I've made a bunch of these bags at different sizes - they are a lot of fun.  

They each finished at (roughly) 5" by 3" by 3".  The one of the left is a Fig Tree line and the right is Bonnie & Camille.

Happy Stitching!

Blogger's Quilt Festival start's on Friday!

Amy from Amy's Creative Side hosts a twice yearly Blogger's Quilt Festival during Quilt Market.  You can enter two quilts into this virtual quilt show into any of the following categories:

• Mini Quilt Category 
• Small Quilt Category
• Large Quilt Category
• Applique Quilts
• Art Quilts
• Hand Quilted 
• Home Machine Quilted 
• Modern Quilts
• Original Design Quilts 
• ROYGBIV Quilts
• Scrappy Quilts

I've entered quilts for several years now.  It has been a really great experience.  

Here are the quilts I entered in previous quilt festivals - the links to the blog posts with more information is below the photo.

Top Row:

• Infinite - October 2011
• Tardis - May 2013
• Hello Sweetie - October 2014

Middle Row

• Cupcake Picnic - October 2014 
• New Jersey - May 2014
• Starburst - May 2014

Bottom Row

• Family - October 2013
• Pure & Simple - October 2012
• Romance - May 2012

The show starts on Friday - come join!!


Happy Stitching!

Happy Mother's Day!!

To my mom and all the mom's out there - Happy Mother's Day!!

Happy Stitching!

Binding away

I'm working on the binding for my Grand Illusions quilt - this year's Bonnie Hunter mystery.  It is nice to sit outside on a nice afternoon and bind.

I've not made the label for this yet so haven't fully attached the binding at the last corner.  Still thinking my way through a quilt name!

My SMS giveaway for 2 mini charm packs can be found on this post!
Happy Stitching!

SMS Giveaway Day starts now!

Giveaway Day!!!  It is that time of year when you get to visit blog after blog and make new friends and - if you are lucky - win some fun stuff!  I find Sew Mama Sew's blog always informative and fun - today is just better than usual!  (smile)

Making this as easy as possible - because I know you've plenty of places to visit - let's get right to it.  I am offering 2 mini-charm packs of Potluck. Great fun colors and fabric prints in this line.

The rules:

• First entry, leave me a comment and tell me nearest city  from where you live  (it is so much fun to see where all the blog visitors are from.)
• Second entry (optional), follow my blog and leave me a comment telling me how you do so - Feedly, Bloglovin etc.
• Giveaway is open to everyone worldwide.
• Giveaway closes Sunday, May10 at 8pm est.
• Ms. Random Number generator will choose the winning comment.
• Winner will be contacted by email - entries without email address (i.e. no reply bloggers and anonymous) will be invalid

Comments are moderated so there will a delay before they post.  Although I typically respond to comments, I won't do so during the giveaway.

See more links to more giveaways for Supplies as well as Handmade at Sew Mama Sew

Good luck and happy quilting!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.  Winner is #301 - email has been sent.  (edited 5/11)

Happy Stitching!

Drum roll please .....................................

111 blocks done, all paper pieced.

110 blocks assembled together in a quilt top.  (The 111th block will likely go on the back.)

I started in July 2014 and made 3 blocks most weeks - with a bit of a gap over the holidays.

Now, I've got decisions to make.  The quilt currently measures 80 by 88 inches.   I had originally planned this to be for our bed (queen) which means it needs to be at least 90 by 108 inches.   

The 108 dimension means 10 inches of border all the way around the quilt.  Of white.   I'm not certain I'd like the look.  Too much white.  And maybe impractical - my girls love to cover visit with me in the evenings and lay all over the bed.

I've insufficient fabric left to do a border from any of the fabrics in the quilt.

So, I need your help - 

Border-less (call it done!) or add a small border - maybe 4"?

After holding the quilt for the photo, my DH 'folded' it and handed it back to me.  Rolled it into a big ball is more like it!

Deciding on the borders and the backing is my May goal for Another Lovely Year of Finishes.  I'll be linking up at Another Lovely Year of Finishes .

Happy Stitching!