Down to the wire

I'm feeling the pressure, I can do this, I can make this happen. I may have a to take a sick day....but we'll see.  Shower date is Mar 4, I have two more Saturday's to get this baby quilted.  I want to learn to do ribbon candy.  My plan to master ribbon candy will be print out about a 50 diamonds and doodling any time I can. Mtgs at work, when they get  a little boring and slow (they're talkers at the office....) I'll just pull out a diamond or two, give it a go.  I'll print some out that I like already done as well, try tracing them, try getting a little muscle memory going.  I can do this, I just know it.  If I can't get this down by Saturday or don't feel brave enough to try on the baby's first quilt, I'll substitute a different fill. But it's gonna happen this year, this is the year I learn to do ribbon candy!  So sweet little Emma's top is on the frame and started.  I can't wait to meet her.

Baby Jedi, Hobbs 80/20 batting Glide thread on top

Tops done, now to get her quilted

And in case anything happens at all, I've got a back up quilt.  This is a proper finish, binding and all!!  This one has Hobbs Wool batting (I had a scrap big enough for a baby quilt, that's the good thing about getting the king size rolls), HabandDash Glide 60wt thread on top and in bobbin.  One color thread, white, and it looks great, really blends in well everywhere.

Bundle of Love Panel - Northcott fabrics

I just heard my Old Friends was accepted in the MQX New England show, kinda exciting, but this means I ****REALLY**** need to get the binding on.  Binding and label by March 15 so I can ship by March 20.  I can do it.  Not sure how, but I'm certain it will come to me.  Hoping the force will stay with me even after Emma's quilt it done.

Hope every has a great week! Check out the linky parties in the side bar, so many wonderful creations out there.  

Sunday funday

Lots of fun this weekend!! it the kick off the hands 2 help 2016! Four of us got together and have one quilt top completed along with the blocks for a second. This year I am doing it a little differently. For each quilt made for happy chemo, I'll make two for the Sage Cancer Center here in McHenry. With quite a few of us quilting we should have plenty to go around for all! What a great start,  this is the Hi quilt from Quilty magazine (Nov - Dec 2013 issue)  pattern to show off those big beautiful prints.  And it's good for those just starting out quilting.  Tally so far - 1 Happy Chemo, 2 Sage Cancer Center

Love these ladies - making the world a better place one quilt at a time

Hi Quilt #2

Hi Quilt #1 - Amy Butler meets Riley Blake

And I have this little sweetie on the frame. Using two layers of Hobbs Polydown  so this will be flat as a board when completed.  You know I love my panels.  This one is from Flirt I think.

A little panel fun

One more block from The Splendid Sampler, I'm only one block behind.

The Splendid Sampler Block 8

On Sunday we spent a wet day in the City.  They have a wonderful Van Gogh exhibit at the Art Institute.

Van Gogh at Chicago Art Institute

Then Sunday I helped this guy paint, we were inspired by Van Gogh but not nearly as creative.  Don't we look like little minions?

And here's a picture of the Chicago River Walk under construction. Where the gravel is, was all river before. It just amazes me how they add "land" to the river front for this project. You can see the skyscrapers going up in the background as well.  Those are right out side the window where I work so we've watched them go from a hole in the ground to full grown skyscrapers.  It really is fascinating to watch.  Last summer the little guy came down to the city to have lunch with me. He was just in heaven watching all the big machinery on the river.

Chicago Riverwalk expansion

Stop by the linky parties and go check out Hand2Help 2016.  There's a quilt kit as a sign up giveaway - yes that's right a full quilt kit that is super sweet.  Three great charities to choose from, great fun with a great bunch of folks making the world a better place  one quilt at a time!

It is my circus, those are my monkeys

Two finishes squeaking in at the end of the year.  I love panel quilts.  They are quick to put together and so much fun to quilt.  I have two more of these done, just need to add the binding.  I used bottom line thread on top, wanted a thin thread to keep it a bit softer.  Hobbs poly down batting, light and warm.  Flannel back with a strip of fun colorful cotton.  I had three of these on the frame at one time.  Nice to have them done.

I've had this sweet tumbler done for some time now.  Finally got in on the frame.  I watched a Green Fairy Quilts you tube video on feather swirls and just went for it.  So much fun, fast and easy.  I figure with this busy print if it didn't turn out, you wouldn't be able to tell!  I will definitely use that one again.  Hobbs polydown, Glide thread on top, bottom line in the bobbin

I used the left over fabric from the Sonny quilt and made this bright and cheery tumbler.  I'm calling this one Sunset, no more sunny fabrics.  I'm in the "use them up" mode rather than putting them away. LOL the leftover quilt is much bigger than the baby quilt!

Sunset

And speaking of using up, I had so much satisfaction taking all the left over fabric from Moon glow and cutting into very simple 5 in charms, them sewing those together!!  I had so much trouble with moon glow and so little trouble with this one :)  I'm calling this one Moon dust.  It will have a black border, then a partial colorfull border in two corners finishing up with a black border.

Moon Dust

So nice to get some much needed sewing therapy in the end of the year.

I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season so far!!  Don't forget to check out the linky parties on the side bar and see what everyone is getting done the last few days of 2015

Black Sea Grand Blocks Done!!!

I did it, finished all nine grand blocks.  I'm getting pretty excited about this.  Now to put that big ol' nine patch together... Black Sea is my version of Judy Martin's Aegean Sea.  I wasn't sure how it was going to be in black, grey and white, but I must say I'm liking it a lot better now that all the grand blocks are complete.

Black Sea grand blocks

 Speaking of nine patches, I've 52 of the *correct* size nine patch blocks done.  Only 28 more to go.  Still not sure what to do with those baby nine patches.  I think there's enough to use as a border for
Old Friends but we'll see.

I love the broken dishes pattern. I  really want to make a full size picnic quilt with nothing but scraps.  This is from a layer cake I had laying around.  I may add on to these, gold and white, not sure.

I did have something on the frame, just pulled it off.  A sweet little panel quilt.  Hobbs 80/20 batting, Premo Soft on top, magna glide bobbins.

Pierre's Famous Circus Panel Quilt

I'm also cutting squares for hexies'.  Two long twelve hour rides to make some progress.  I started my hexie project half way through daughter #4's first year of college.  I'll take a picture and show the almost 4 years of progress when I get back.  Boy oh boy, this one may never finish. Check out the linky parties on the side bar for some great inspiration.

DWM - Labyrinth quilting

Most quilting this weekend.  Last weekend I finished quilting the larger version of Summer in the Park Tube Quilt.  I think I may be over my tube quilt phase, well at least until I build up another stash of 2.5 in strips.

Summer in the park tube quilt

Summer in the park back

summer in the park quilting detail

And another panel, I can't get enough of these little things. They're fast, they're cute as can be and they're just down right fun!!

Lollipop #2  - panel quilt

And the most fun of all, quilting another Labyrinth quilt.

Labyrinth out squares

Labyrinth Back

Labyrinth Center

Labyrinth back

Check out the linky parties on the side bar, lots of inspiration to be found.

Lil' Buckaroo and 3 little monkeys

I am definitely on a panel kick.  It's no secret, I LOVE the quilting more than any other part of the quilting process.  These panels, all I have to do is add that last border and it's not but pure fun!!! But I do make sure I have a little piecing action in there from time to time.

Three litttle monkeys 

Lil' Buckaroo

Another Tube quilt

Go check the linky parties on the side bar, so much wonderful inspiration and quilty goodness out there.  Hope everyone is staying warm.  Spring is going to come this year right???