Batik Braid Update - I can't believe I quilted this!! and a giveaway!

I'm about half way done with the quilting.  Oh, this is going to take a while. But I thought I'd share a little of the progress.  I am really liking it!!  I can't believe I quilted the free form feathers.  It just amazes me.  When I started the FMQ challenge, I could barely do one decent feather.  Three weeks later, lots of drawings and lots of practice and I was able to do this.   I do have to say that while I was doing this on my wonderful domestic machine, I kept thinking  "I really want a long arm".    My shoulders are a little tight, no matter how many times I told myself "drop your shoulders, relax the shoulders" it just didn't work for me. Seems as though my brain thinks hands when I say shoulders and my hands would go all limp.  I need to find some trick to get my shoulders to drop and relax.  I used a some of the left over layer cake on the back.  This is heavily quilted by I used bottom line on the top and bottom which is a nice thin thread so it's not all that stiff.  We'll see how it is after it gets washed.

Hope everyone is having a good week.  Have a happy memorial day.  Thanks to all those that served or have had to sacrifice for those that have.

The rain has stopped and just in time, heading over to a friends for a nice dinner!!

To celebrate my excitement on winning my first ever giveaway and finishing the Batik Braid quilt, I'm giving away the remains of the layer cake.  28 in total - two of each of those shown in the picture (sorry about the shadows on the pic).  These are Timeless Treasure Tonga Treats - Sugar Plum.  Actually I just don't really know what to do with layer cakes. So if you would like to win the Sugar Plum fabric, just leave a comment and let me know what you do with your layer cakes.  I really do want to know.  My random number picker (my husband) will activated on Wed evening.

If you need some inspiration check out the design walls at Judy's and  Esther has some WOW things going on at her site.   Also linking up with Lily Quilts

H2H quilt done and ready to quilt the batik braid

I finished the Urban Cabins.  I pieced one large one on the back.  This time I was able to center it much better.  I marked the middle of the back and the front and things lined up so much better!!  I just need to wash it and get it in the mail.  I think I have enough time to make one more before the deadline.

I did a practice run of the feathers for the batik braid quilt and I think I'm ready to go with it.  I was really surprised how easy it was.   I'm going to do the feather pattern in the corners and some mctavishing between the braids and around the feathers.  Still not sure what I'll actually do for the braids and the border.  I'm hoping I think of something soon!!  This will end up being a table runner if I finish it. It's the back, the front has lovely green chalk marking the stems and the rough registration lines, this side is prettier right now.

And look what I got in the mail today.  It's the first time I've ever won a giveaway, very exciting.   With the urban cabins done, I'm down to 5 quilts that are either in progress or waiting to be quited.  I think this will provide some inspiration for new project.   I'm just about ready to start something new, or at least start thinking about something new.  I do have to get that Baltimore Album done by then end of June, oh why can't I get going on that one????

There are some wonderful quilts and goodies posted at Sarah's today, stop by and take a look! 

H2H top is done and dreaming of feathers

I finally finished the H2H top.  I"m pretty happy with it.  I just have to piece the back.  I think I have enough of the colors left to do a large urban cabin for the back.  I just don't want to use white on the back so I'm trying to find a different color other than white.  Any suggestions?  I think I'm going to quilt large pebbles in the white space and maybe just stitch in the ditch on the cabins.  Maybe some twirly ferns on the border.  I'm really into the FMQ at the moment and need to take advantage while I'm in the mood!



And I finished the border on the batik braid quilt.  I've been drawing some designs out for the large purple triangle areas.  I just got the DVD set from Kim Brunner - "Twirly Whirly Feathers".  Oh it was wonderful!!  If you want to do free form feathers, I highly recommend this one.  

Here's a few designs that I'm been playing with today.  the last one is my favorite.  I'm just really amazed that I could even draw these out.  This is my last feather practice quilt before the Baltimore Album.  I've cleared my "in progress list" to only two - the Baltimore Album and the wedding quilt.  The happy couple have not yet set a date, so I don't feel much pressure on that one.  But  the Baltimore Album is the last one on my list for PhD challenge which is closing the end of June.  I can do it I know I can!!

So which of the feather designs do you think for the batik braid quilt?  I"m think the feathers in the corners and then McTavishing between the braids and around the feathers.  Not really sure how to quilt the braids and the border.  I want those to be the same design.  Maybe some fern like feathers there, hmmm a little stumped on that part.  But I still have to piece the back so I have a little time.

Don't forget to stop by Judy's to see what is on everyones design wall this Monday, so much inspiration!

And Esther started a WOW (WIP on Wed).  She always has something amazing going on over there, stop by and see what everyone else is doing).

Just a little sewing this week

I did get my braid quilt center done.  Someone suggested that I leave the braid strips as is and I just LOVED that idea.  I'm gong to take the remaining logs and piece a darker border to frame it nicely.  I'm trying to come up with a wonderful feather design to go in the corners and then try some McTavishing on the remaining purple space.  Not real sure how to quilt the braids themselves, but there will be lots of quilting on those too!!

And I finished the boxes in boxes quilt.  This one is for me and Rocco, we have lap time on the floor.  I sit on the floor spread the quilt out and he jumps in my lap.  He's a german short hair pointer, but he thinks he's a little lap dog!!  I'm so happy to have a quilt of my own for watching tv and snuggly with my puppy from time to time.  The colors are perfect for me.  And I pieced the back, very excited about that.  It was practice for the H2H quilt.  I almost got this one centered right but I think I know what I need to do to get the H2H quilt just right!

And here is it just waiting or me in my chair!!   Stop by Sarah's to see what everyone else has done this week.

A wonderful Sewing Weekend

Lots of fun stuff this weekend.  It rained all weekend, so I sewed!!  Of course that means twice as much garden work next week, but that's ok.  I don't mind delaying the pain when I got so much done.

I actually finished the Mirage Bargello top..  I thought for sure this would never be completed, I really had no desire to work on it.  And then one day I decide, I'll just do a couple of rows.  So I got out the pattern, the panels and did 4 rows.  Then I did another 4, then I only had 12 left and just got it done.   At one time I had grand ideas of making a wonderful pieced Bargello border, but that was just a dream.   By the time I finished the last row, all I wanted was the solid fabric to put that last border on.    This is going to hang in the kids living room once it's quilted.

And I just haven't been able to get enough FMQing since I did the FMQ Challenge.  I'm working on curved feathers and feathers that fill up an entire space.  This is the boxes in boxes quilt.  It's a quilt for me!!  Can you believe I don't have my own quilt???  It's just my colors and it's a great quilt for lap time with Rocco.  I love a lot of quilting on my quilts.  He's a little lap dog trapped in a big body.  So we have lap time on the floor.  I spread the quilt in my lap and he jumps in.  If I'm too tired to sit on the floor I get half for me on the chair and half for him on the floor.  Oh and the back is just adorable, but that will have to wait until it's finished.

And the last thing I was working is the batik braid quilt.  This one is for my niece.  She really likes the quilts and loves purples so this one is for her.  The Cyber Quilters bucket item this month is braids, so it's time to get this one done!!