Hexie Quilt done

Well Becky's big beautiful girl is done!  I love the back as much as I love the front.  So sad to see her go (lol, she's still sitting in the box in  my living room).  I went over that quilt three times, top and botton and thought I found all the items that I missed.  I *ALWAYS* always, find something I missed on custom quilting after I take it off the frame (this is why I don't put thread away first).  This is also a large part of the reason I do take a lot of pictures, it helps you find the small spots that you missed.  I have a quilt (my picnic quilt) that I found and entire half square triangle not quilted (it was a nine in block!). The fabric were so busy you couldn't tell.  I still haven't fixed that one.  But I did put Becky's quilt back on the frame to fix that one little spot.  I should have taken a picture of how I did it.  Lucky for me it was the corner.  The magnet that I have don't work all that well with double batting.  So I simply pinnd about 18 inches of the background to the top bar.  Bot the quilt tight enough over the lower bar and stitched the remaining area.  Worked like a charm and I didn't have to load that huge quilt again.  There would been a wee bit if swearing in the studio if that were involved. But we were able to keep it clean

See that little square that wsn't quilted?  Well it's quilted now!!

Here you go the last pictures of Becky's Baby, she really needs a name, I feel like I know this sweet thing so well!!  There is a little bit of sadness (not the right word but, the right word is escaping me currently) when you finish a project that is  so big and takes so long.   Yes you take it off the frame and do a happy dance because it's done and almost like the pictures in your heard.  After the rejoicing  you realize it's time to start a new one and that brief moment,like when you say good bye to a friend that you've enjoyed seeing sets in.  I hope Becky loves the texture of the new quilt and how the back looks like a flower garden.

love love love the texture

Here's some fun facts on this quilt

2 layers of batting - Hobbs wool and Hobbs cotton
7000+ yards of 3 different shades of blue - So Fine thread top and bottom
over half a billion hand guided stitches ( that's a lot of stitches)
size 105 x 120
In 8 hours I could complete 3 rows including staring, ripping stitches, marking, thread changes etc. and then another 8 hours at the end going over it from top to bottom to find those darn places where I missed

Total quilting time - there were 14 rows - I"m putting it at 50 hours.  it might be a little high, I was going pretty fast on the second half.  But it's a good learning opportunity in pricing.  Stitch in the ditch and pearls always bring things to a screeching halt.

I think I love the back as much as the front

This color palette is wonderful

Good bye Big Girl, I"ll miss you!  Thanks for letting me quilt for you Becky.

Next up is a signature quilt for Adelina.  This will be custom but no stitch in the ditch and mostly free motion.  I have a little computerized quilting that will go in this one.

There was one incredibly bright point in the week, remember those cute Ho Ho blocks that were the lottery blocks for the quilt guild?  I WON!!!!!  I was so excited.  14 of those of beauties.  I'm going to make 15 more.  And something even more exciting, Miles (6 year old grand son) wants to help make them!  What, are you kidding me?  No, no, this is not a joke, he really wants to help.  If he want's to help with just one or all 16 he can help.  I think he likes the black the 301, maybe the green 301.  But looks right past the feather weights.  Which ever machine he wants to you is what we will do. So excited about that!

I can't wait to have Miles help me with the remaining blocks.  I think he may have his eye on the long arm too!! Oh may would that be heaven or what?

Just to show that I don't have to quilt everything to death (Although I must say Beck was enabler with the last one) Here's a quick little thing that has an edge to edge.  The pattern came with the machine, now sure what the name its but really fits nicely with the geometric fabrics.  The quilt is called Vast and is 18 in HST.  I love quilts from big block!

Vast Quilt

Hobbs 80/20 batting, So Fine thread light grey

Take a look at the linky parties on the side bar, so much to be inspired by, go spread some linky love.  Have a great week!

First July post - oh boy!!

Oh my goodness.  What a summer.  The first week in July  we moved daughter #4 to Rockville MD.  Then the last weekend daughter #2 was admitted to the hospital and went straight up to ICU.  Both girls are doing fine and in their own respective homes.  But sheesh  what a summer!  Needless to say not a whole lot of sewing going on over here.  However, there was nothing going on this weekend and you just couldn't keep me away from my sewing machine.  While I was traveling I did the last bit on my hexie project.  This started when daughter #4 started college.  This is how far I've gotten - she's graduate from college and working now.  Still not sure how this thing is going to end up, but I think it's safe to say this finish is many years away!!

4 years of hexies

Then remember those cute little nine patches that were made as 3 in rather than 9 in. Well I have all the right size ones done.  Look baby blocks and big blocks.  I'm just going to do a simple Irish chain with the small ones. The bigger ones are for Old Friends BOM and so happy they are the right size!  Really what was I thinking???

Old Friends BOM

Look at all these blocks, that's the last log on the 120+ log cabin blocks for the Black Sea quilt, starting to get excited about this one.

Black Sea log cabin blocks

Liz sent me pictures of her version of Slices of Color (the pattern is on the tutorials tab at the bottom).  I love the grey and the way she quilted it.  Rainy Day Rainbow is just beautiful. And will you look at the backing, how perfect is that.

Liz's Rainy Day Rainbow - her version of Slices of Color

Love the grey and love how she quilted it.

Last thing - if you get any email from me from my yahoo account don't open it.  I haven't and won't be using that account.  I used that account for so many years, and I think I've just about gotten all accounts moved to the new email address, but waiting to close out the yahoo account for a couple more weeks to be sure.  But I will not send anyone any email from that address for any reason. I'm so sorry if you've gotten anything from that email address.  Seriously, so disappointed in yahoo mail.

That said, don't forget to stop by the linky parties on the side bar. Always inspiration out there just waiting....Have a great week.  

hexie fun

Hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day.  We were out of town at daughter number 1's house.  So the only sewing that I got done was on the hexies.  I have a couple more point sew on, it's getting there very slowly!!

Check out the linky parties on the side bar, lot of eye candy and inspiration out there.

We're moving - Sewing rooms that is

I've had my sewing area in one part of the house and my longarm in a different part. Well that's all ready to change.  I've got the shelves in one area where the long arm will be and right in the next room is my sewing studio.  Hopefully Amanda and April will be very close to each other shortly!

Amanda's new sunny spot

April will be in the room with the fabric.  

And I even got a couple of projects completed.  First a panel quilt that is just super cute.  I quilted around it like applique then did some stippling and allover loops.  I have a hard time with stippling I need some practice.  Wish I had one more of these panels cuz it's really adorable.  And one of the girls needed a shower gift so I put together a twister quilt.  The colors are yellow and grey for the shower, I hope this is enough yellow, definitely think it's enough grey.  I think I have enough for one more.  White instead of grey?  Hmm do I have enough yellow in that fabric stash?

Panel quilt 

 Don't forget to check the side bar for linky parties, so much wonderful inspiration out there!

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two quick updates - one hexie update, I really need to go on a trip to work on these some more. One of the points of the star is attached, the other is ready to be attached. Kinda looks like a cat now doesn't it? Stop by Angie's to see all the other hexies wonders.

And if you haven't entered the give away, there's still time to leave a comment. A winner will be announced on 1/31, your choice of quilting or a fat quarter bundle, go check it out here

Hexie Friday on Saturday

Making a little progress, still not sold on the layout of this next round which is why I haven't sewn any of the pieces to the center.  I keep hoping that some brilliant brainstorm will happen, but so far not even a brain sprinkle.  My brain is in an awful drought :)  Linking up with Hexie Friday stop by and see what everyone else is doing with hexies.

Design Something Monday - 9/9

In the car most of the weekend so only working on prepping hexies, what fun.  And will you look at the container my awesome hubby brought me?  A whole $3 at Harbor Freight.  And some of the little dividers come out which is awesome.  Perfect size for my 3/4 in Hexies, just love it. Turns out there are 10 needles full of thread for the trip from mty house to oldest daughters house :)

Linking up with Judy, Connie and Fabric Tuesday, stop by and see what everyone else is working on, lots of inspiration over there. 

DWM - Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - 8/12

Ok now I feel like I actually started Common Bride.  25  - 8 pointed stars.   Seems like a few of them have a bit more twinkle than others.  I made 28 and picked the best 25.  I think I should have made a few more!  Now I just need 200 4 patch units to start setting in those cute little stars.  The dreaded Y seam is not too far away.

Common Bride beginning

A little more done on the flower blocks, not sure where this is heading, but we'll see.

Flower blocks

My daughters friend is having twin girls, she wanted one boy :)  Have to get these quilted pretty soon, nice soft polka dot minky for the back.  Picture for some reason is really dark, that's a pretty purple at the top.

Baby Girl 1

Baby girl 2

And a few more hexies done.  I really want to create some type of border around the blue so that I can get a star going or something.  Not sure where this one is going either

Linking up with 

Hexie Friday

Still haven't gotten the courage to start Common Bride.  But I was working on a few hexies and it occurred to me that Hexies are nothing but Y seams.  So why not just quickly baste the seam and then when I'm happy with how it looks, go back over with the machine.  The seam will already be marked, oh this just might be the the thing to get me started on it.  I'm getting closer.  Here's my hexie work for the week.  A few more white ones around the border and and all but two of the purple colors are ready to go.  Linking up with Angie for Hexie Friday

My procrastination knows no bounds - Hexie Friday

I've even been working on Hexies in the evenings which normally are car travel activity only.  I only have one more blue diamond for the center to be sewn to the rest.  All the yellows are done for the next round, but each of those yellows needs purple on the out side.   It's getting there.   

And Mr Smiles is having a sleep over today.  He just found his little glider and he loves it.  He can get in all by himself when he wants. 

Linking up with Angie for Hexie Friday, I've gotta get me some bears, they look so adorable next to every one's blocks.

I love sewing vacation days!!

I took a day off on Friday so I could sew all day long, and I did.  It was a slow undecided day but once I got rolling there was no stopping me.  I finished the jelly roll quilt.  I had some new thread I wanted to try and I seriously LOVE it.  I had been using Superior So Fine on top and was perfectly happy with that. But I saw a number of people were really happy with Glide. First off, the impression is awesome even before a stitch is made simply because of price.  Almost twice as much for almost half the price, my budget loves that :)  But the real test was on a quilt.  My machine loved it, the tension was great.  I can't wait to try it on a quilt that has a lot of quilting.  So this one is going in the pile for gifts or donations.  It was one of 4 scrap attack quilts I told myself I had to finish before I start a new project!  I really want to learn how to do hook feathers, I think they just add a different dimension over regular feathers.  Not too bad for the first shot at it.  I did an all over hook feather quilting on this one.

Paper piecing was the story of the day.  I finally found some of the red in "Center of My Universe" so that came out and I have all the pieces for 25 more blocks paper pieced.  Just need to get them sewn together.  Maybe I'll have an update on Monday if I can get any more quilting in this weekend.

Center of My Universe

I didn't post design wall Monday cuz the weekend just got away from me.  We went out to IN to celebrate Father's day and 2 B-days - my it was a party weekend!!  But on the way to and from I got some hexies done.  No, idea what this is going to look like in the end but the next round will be purple and gold.

Now that I have some Hexie progress I can link up with Angie for Hexie Friday  and Sarah to see what everyone is whooping about this week&