The party's over - back to work

I so enjoyed my week off.  Only two years until retire and I think I will have no problems at all when retiring.  So what did I do on my week off??

• The first and second tops for H2H were completed - you can see them here
• Becky's just beachy came off frame - goodness she made a beautiful quilt.  And I started my version  Aegan Sea - I'm doing the black sea- you can see them here
• I had my first finish since 2/20, third top for H2H completed and Marge's quilt quilted - you can see them here
• Tops 4,5 and 6 were completed for H2H (I had lots of help and lots of fun), I conquered "I"m no Einstein Baby" and I put backs together for everything on my list.  You can see the tops below.
• I got Ann's Easy Street quilt on the frame - but not one single stitch in it.
• I put 13 miles on the tread mill.

Now it's time to go back to work.  Quilting productivity should come to a screeching halt. But it sure was fun while it lasted.

I ain't no Einstein baby - I can't believe I finally got this together

Graffit #2 H2H #4

H2H #5 - I had 3 helpers with this one and the next.  These ladies got two quilt tops done in 4 hours, love it!!

H2H 6

Stop by and take a look at all the linky love on the side bar, lots of inspiration out there.  I added a new Monday Linky  Monday Making over at Love, Laugh, Quilt has a new one on Mondays - go check it out

Friday Finishes

I have a finish, I have a finish!!!  Seems like it's been a very long time (last finish 2/20)  I've had a finish but that all changes today.  This is my first full completed quilt for H2H.  Big Red Star (creative huh?) is a 63 inch square, I used Premo Soft thread on top, Hobbs Polydown batting, Magna glide in the bobbin.  The back is pieced with the left over charms and cozy flannel.  Pantograph is Fan Fare by Patricia Ritter - one of my all time favorites.

Big Red Start H2H #1

Big Red Star Detail

Big Red Star - Hobbs Polydown Batting, Premo Soft thread on top, Fan Fare Pantograph

Big Red Star Back

I had a couple of helpers on this Thursday H2H session.  We finished up another top, we are certainly hitting our goal of one quilt per session.  Pattern is Graffiti Quilt by A quilters dream. The blocks are 16 in blocks unfinished,  quilt is 62 inches square finished.  I can't believe we got this together in 3 hours.  What a fun quilt.  My helpers even got a picture of me.  Next session is Sat morning, if your in the McHenry area and want to help out, let me know. We'd love to have you.

Graffiti quilt - hey that's me, I like taking pictures better than being in them

My helpers on Thursday - Ladies did some amazing work!

Graffiti 

And I just took Marge's quilt off the frame.  She made this for her grand daughters wedding who lives in FL.  It's her grand daughters favorite colors and I think the fabric is just perfect for FL.  This one has Hobb's wool batting, Glide thread on top and magna glide in the bobbin.  Pantograph is Fan Fare again.  I've got one going on the frame today that will need the same pantograph.  I should be able to do this one in my sleep.  After two pretty intense quilts on the frame, it's nice to do a pantograph or three :)

Hobbs Wool Batting, Glide thread on top and magna glide on the bottom, Fan Fare pantograph

Check out the linky parties on the side bar and see what everyone is finishing up on Friday and Whooping about.

Just Beachy fresh from the frame

It's done!!! I love Becky's quilt.  Becky from Becky's Quilt Obsession quilted this one.   This quilt has added so much sunshine to my long arm room you can't even imagine.  Ya, yesterday we got 5 inches of snow, but it didn't matter I was working on Just Beachy with dreams of the warm sunshine and sea breezes!  Details about this beauty - Pieced by Becky.  Each of the little swirly things has beautiful machine stitches, all different kinds of stain stitching, all different colors - amazing.  Batting is Hobbs wool, top thread is Superior Bottom line.  I used 3 different sand colors, light, medium and dark and also a dark blue.  Quilting just to push the background back out so those gorgeous swirls would be highlighted.  McTavishing to give some movement, like the water going back into the ocean.  On the border I  made a template that was the same as the sashing and quilted in the same way as the sashing, like a lazy river around the quilt.   Guess I'll put the shorts and tank top away until it's real beach season :)  Thanks Becky for letting me quilt this beauty.

Ah, and a new work in progress.  This little 1.5 x 2.5 patch will one day be a king size quilt.  Crazy huh?  This is the start of what I hope will be Judy Martins' Aegan Sea.  I saw this on Kathy's blog a couple of years ago and have never forgotten it. Take a look at how she quilted this beauty here.  My goodness amazing huh?  I just have to make one and this is as far as I've gotten, hey it's a start.

So enjoying my Spring break.  Carpets get cleaned tomorrow.  Guess I'll just have to quilt and stay out of the way :)  Oh and one other update.  Since I've made the move to Gmail (from Yahoo), moved both the google account and the blogger account, I have had one single bounced comment notice.  Now they may be bouncing and I just have no idea. But last Monday when I was commenting on blogs seemed like everyone bounced, or a good majority of them.  Now nothing.  Oh Google, what are you doing, let Yahoo play too, be together but different isn't that what your Android commercial says?   Not be different as long as it's not yahoo.....

Fly Away

2 Tops done for Hands 2 Help (see the side bar, not too late to sign up).  The first one is Fly Away pattern. I think I'll call this one butterscotch.  That color so makes me hungry for butterscotch pudding.  This one is 68-ish in square.  I ran out of the butterscotch color so the border is a couple inches smaller than it should be.  It's a bad picture.  I'll get a better one when it's quilted....Now this is going to be a fun one to quilt don't you think?

The second is based on one of the Craftsy quilt in a day pattern I had help with this one, that's Veronika peaking over the top of the quilt.  Together we got this top together in less than  3 hours!!  Love it.  I'm calling this one H2H Star - brilliant huh?  I got nothing when it comes to naming quilts.  This one is 56 inches square.

Look there's actually something on my design wall.  This was suppose to be a nice little quilt that I do on breaks from quilting just beachy.  This thing has tormented me, I have no idea when or if it will ever get done.  It's been sewn, and resewn multiple times, man.  I'm going to conquer this little guy I just know it.  I thought it would be bright and cheery, feel good using up some of the scraps and stash.  Well maybe someday but not today. Actually I feel like I've made progress just getting it up on the wall, that took longer to do than completeing H2H Star :)

Add caption

I think I have my blog completely on my gmail address now.  I'm so tired of the comment emails bouncing because it was a yahoo account.  I think just about every comment I made on a blog bounced last week.  We'll see if this does the trick.  If it doesn't help, well I'll have to figure out a plan B.

Need some inspiration?  Check out the linky parties on the side bar, something for everyday of the week.

It's that time of year again, Hand 2 Help

I just LOVE this time of year.  Hands 2 Help is ready for sign ups. See that big button on the side bar, click on that to get all the details.  And Sarah has prizes and perks just for participating!! There's 3 great charities this year.  My goal is to make at least 6 quilts, but would really like to 10.  I've got all the supplies and have been soliciting friends and neighbors for some help.  Don't know how to quilt, but want to learn, we can show you how.  Want to learn how to use a long arm?  Yep we can show you that too!  All ya gotta do is stop by and help make a quilt for Hands 2 Help.  I've got 4 mornings in March, 2 in April, 4 in May set aside for just for this.  Send me a private message if you want to help, it's for a great cause!  

I have been busy doing some quilting on Becky's Just Beachy quilt.  I kinda feel like I should be quilting in shorts,  a tank top and sun glasses :)  Seriously, isn't this just gorgeous?   I stitched in the ditch and then some McTavishing for movement and fluidity in the background and then the applique just pops right off the quilt.   I used  a 60 wt  light tan, a medium tan (sand colors right?) and a dark blue for water, hows that for beachy.   Now I just need to finish up the borders.  

Lots of linky parties on the side bar, something for everyday of the week, go check them out if you're looking for some inspiration.  

Clearing the shelves

I looked at my shelves this weekend and found a few projects already cut, just waiting to be sewn together. So I dusted them off and got to work.  I had a bit of "unquilting" to do this weekend, two days worth.  Not the most fun.  When I needed a break I picked up some of these little pieces and started making them into bigger pieces.  LOL looks like I needed a few breaks.  Do you know how hard it is to take out stitches with invisible thread????  That stuff is hard to see!

sorry about the bad picture, it actually is a bit brighter and cheerier, just 2.5 in squares sewn into 16 patch.  1.5 in strip all the way around and more 2.5 in squares.  Great size for a toddler

ahh tumblers, love them, just need to finish the borders on this one

Fraternal twin tumblers, girls above. Boy's waiting to be sewing together.  

HHST is together.  I'm not thrilled with it, not even sure I like it.  I'll see if quilting helps it. I wanted to do the just throw it together, I love how they look.  But I can just throw it together.  So I took the HSTs and sewed them all together the same way.  I don't think that helped.  Ehh, maybe I should just stick with a bit more control. This may get cut up into dog beds if I don't like it after quilting.  I just dunno about this one.

HHST - I dunno

Check out all the linky parties on the side bar  - lot of inspiration out there.