How did that happen???

Look what I got all put together!! I was so happy that I was able to keep all the rows straight, no labels and it went together so nicely. I only had to rip 6 seams for the entire thing. Then I put on the first two borders and was pleased as punch with the thought of the last border going on. When I looked a little closer - uh oh, there's a green star that is not right. Look at that!! How did that happen? Well I went back and looked at the layout on the design wall, and yep, it was wrong there too!! Dang it. Now I have to figure out how to get in there and turn those two little blocks around. I was sooooooooo close! And I did put this thing together excactly as it was on the design wall. I've been staring at this thing all week and only noticed last night. At least I did find it now rather than when it was sandwiched and quilting started. If I can get this one done by the end of July and shipped this will be my 2nd H2H quilt. We'll see how that goes!!

Finally something on the design wall!

I feel like all I've been doing for the last 6 weeks is FMQing.  I did finish the top for the Balitmore Album quilt, but just can't seem to bring myself to do any quilting quite yet.  I really want to be in the mood to quilt when I do that one.  Time to regenerate with some fun projects.   I'm working on this little number.  If I can get it done in time for Hands2Help, this will be my second quilt for a great cause.  I have until 7/31 so should be able to get this one done.   It was sooooo good to start something new.  I think it's just amazing the things you can do with HSTs.  Hmm, thinking it might be a bit of nightmare sewing it all together. I'll need to keep my seam ripper close by!  Lots of labeling to do.  I ran out of design wall space.  I have all the HSTs done and some left over for the back too!

Daughter number 2 was out this weekend.  She's expecting in January and we still don't know if she's having a boy or girl.   Soooooo we decide to start a boy quilt and a girl quilt.  The extra one will be donated to  100 Quilts for Kids.  Arlene fell in love with this owl fabric.  They have a boy version as well (she's really hoping for a girl).  So the theme is owls.  She was browsing the web and found some adorable owl pictures.  Here's what we have so far.  I think she will definitely have a one of kind baby quilt!!   She loves them and that's what really matters.

Ballerina Owl

Sherrif Owl 

Here's Ballerina owl, Sherrif Owl and Scooter Girl Owl.  Scooter Girl owl still needs stitching around every thing, but she just cracks me up!  Only one done for the baby boy quilt and that would Sheriff Owl.  What fun!

Scooter girl owl

Linking up with and

Finally a sewing day!!!

It's seems like it's been forever since I had a day to myself and could sew as much as I wanted. I've made some progress on the Baltimore album quilt. Top border and corners are done. I have all the satin stitching done on the bottom border, just need to attach it and do the corners. Soooooooo close!

But honestly I can't do another satin stitch today. I have these lovely fabrics on my sewing table just waiting their turn to be cut and sewn. Not sure what they will be but I really need to start a new project. I saw this gorgeous quilt on Kati from the blue chair.   I think I might try the pattern from Lily's Quilts.   If you have other suggestions I'm entirely open to them, would love to hear.

Oh and I did finish the Batik Braid quilt.  You can see it here.  That puts me down to less than 5 in progress and waiting to be quilted projects.  I think it's time to start another!

Don't forget to stop by Sarah's to see what everyone else has been doing all week. 

Old project done, new project started

Not a whole lot of sewing this week.  Work was a bit crazy and Saturday was spent at Lambau field with my grandson.  It was a great day, he's 9 and join the kids fan club for the Packers.  They had a training camp for the fan club this weekend.  It was a bit of hike up there, but definitely worth it.   They did a great job with the kids and it was my first visit to Lambeau Field (I'm a big Packer fan, in spite of living in Chicago area).

I did get a finish in, the batik braid is done!!  Woohoo!!  Just need to wash it and then it goes to my niece for her birthday in early July. Very happy with the quilting on this one.  It was my last practice quilt before the Baltimore album quilt.  I love seeing  the pictures of the quilts outside so I thought I'd give it a try.  I found I don't have too many places to spread out a quilt.  I'll have to work on that for a summer project.   I also pieced the back on this one, I had to do something with the left over layer cake.  I think it works.

And speaking of the Baltimore album quilt (my daughter calls it the Boston baked bean quilt).  I did get it back out and actually a little more than that.  I have the main part of the top and bottom border cut and fused.  I am hoping to get this one done by the end of June.  I have a 4 day weekend coming up and hope to get it finished then - I can do it.  Once I get a little more done, on the top and bottom border, I can sew it together and work on each of the corners. I'll be so glad to have this one done!!

It's been a while since I started a new project (April 29) so I think it's time.  I'm joining in Elizabeth's Kaleidescope Quilt along.  The fabric requirements are out, but doesn't start until June 23, which hopefully gives me enough time to finish the Boston baked bean quilt!


I just found out daughter number 2 is expect a little one!!!  So excited, we don't know yet if it's a boy or girl, so this should keep me busy until we find out.  If you have any patterns, for cute baby stuff, I'd love to see it!!

one of the side garden, a few things starting to bloom

I'll finish with some pictures of the garden, they are so relaxing and so enjoyable to me.  This is Rocco's first summer with us and he needs to learn not to dig in the garden.  He'll get there. It's taking me a while to get use to shade gardens but I'm getting there slowly but surely!

The swing where I took the picture of the braids quilt 

Rocco love the front garden, he did a little digging here.

garden just outside the front sewing room window

this is what I see when I look out my front sewing room window

Linking up with 

and

And the winner is.....

rubyslipperz from http://rubyslipperz106.blogspot.com/. I'll send you a private email to get all the vitals to send the layer cake.

The best tip I got was from Desley at http://addictedtoquilts.blogspot.com/ She said it's all about the posture. So the next time I was at my machine, I noticed my back was hunched, my shoulders were kissing my ears and my arms were more wrestling with the quilt. I told myself "straighten up silly, watch the posture". And then suddenly I no longer looked like a hunch back trying to quilt but like a real quilter. My back went straight, my shoulders dropped, my neck relaxed and the quilt was flowing through the machine effortlessly. Ah what an improvement. Thanks Desley!

And thanks to all who gave me some great ideas on what to do with the layer cakes. I still have one left so I think I'm either going to try that twister thing that everyone is talking about or the stack and wack. It's time to start something new!!