Monday Meanderings

Talk about a busy week. I was gone this weekend for another quick visit to Jenny and the Grands.  This time Pat and the dogs came too.  I was really worried about the dogs going all over the house and chewing on boxes and such.  Surprise, surprise.  The dogs stayed on the main floor without too much instruction from us.  Good dogs.  They enjoyed the fenced back yard.  (We enjoyed that even more as we didn't have to get dressed and take them on a walk first thing in the morning.)  

Between our weekend visit and my day at the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival I really didn't feel like I had all that much time to actually sew. So instead of sharing what I accomplished over the last week, I thought I would share a couple of pictures of what I saw at the show.  Full confession time first.  I didn't really take all that many pictures and I actually didn't take any of the prize winners although they were spectacular. 

This was by Sue Bower of Pennsylvania. She recreated a scene from the the comic book series First Kiss and added the quilt comment.  It was a fun quilt.  She was encouraged and received permission to use the image from John Lustig (FirstKissComics.com.) 

Another one that struck my fancy was Puppy Love by Jennifer Ann June.  She did a great job with her pup. 

One of the things I enjoy most about going to a big show is the vendors. MAQF always has a lot of vendors.  In fact, some years I can't make it through all of the quilts because of the vendors. (Hum, I guess my priority is all the wonderful things for sale that I've never seen before.)  This year I pretty much made it through all of the vendors, saw all of the quilts and spent time chatting with friends who were attending too.   Here's my paltry haul from hitting the vendors. That's it 2 patterns, a marking pencil and a fat quarter of turquoise that struck my fancy.  Oops, I did buy a small bottle of oil for the long arm too.

Braid Shuffle (on the left) is the newest design from Karie Patch Designs.  I enjoy her patterns so thought I would indulge myself.  I LOVED Atlantic Avenue from Sassafras Lane Designs but not for the front cover quilt.  Check out the picture on the back cover and the quilt I saw in the vendor's booth. 

Oooh la la!  Be still my heart.  Look at all those scrap squares being used in a wonderful quilt.  My only issue is 2 1/2" squares make an 80 x 80" quilt.  Yikes...I really don't need a quilt that big. I'm thinking of using 1 1/2" squares that will bring it down to about 40" if I've done my math correctly.  This won't be started yet...but it could be a good retreat project if I could go through all of my precut squares and get them organized.  Time will tell if I do this one.  

On to my goals for last week and this week. 

February 22, 2016

Attend Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show √

Finish blocks for FCQE Quilter & mail them√

Bind OMG quilt √

Put border 1 on antique quilt Sigh, didn’t happen

Not bad but I MUST get that antique quilt bordered thus it shows up again, first, 
this week. 

February 28, 2016

Put border on antique quilt

Start “Slide Show” dog quilt 

Order pictures for Slide Show

Work on next OMG quilt

Continue to work on “boy” challenge quilt

Send out info on my FCQ Equilter Block on 3/1

That's it for today.  I'm linking up with Monday Making and Main Crush Monday.

OMG Finish!

After dithering and asking for advice, I finally decided I just needed to quilt and bind my OMG quilt this month.  I considered removing partial rows to make it rectangular.  I considered adding a border. I considered all sorts of ideas but in the end... I quilted it and bound it.  Possibly a win-win situation as I have now crossed off another UFO which wasn't my actual OMG for February. (Hum, maybe time to start a new quilt?) 

I have pretty much given up sewing the final side of a binding by hand.  I am much more interested in finishing rather than spending hours hand stitching down the binding.  I apply the binding to the wrong side of the quilt using my walking foot.  Then I pull the binding around to the front and use matching thread in the bobbin and on the top.  I try to stitch very close to the folded edge on the binding and usually have pretty good results.  The back may not be perfect but these quilts are not going into judged shows.  (You should be able to click on any picture and see a larger version of it.) 

I use a lot of Wonder Clips when I do binding whether by hand or machine. They work very well.  

And, less you think I don't do anything but quilt and think about quilting, Wednesday afternoon I replenished our supply of homemade meatballs.  After cooking them (in the oven) we freeze them on cookie sheets and later throw in a Ziplock bag so we have a quick meal.  Yum! 

Yesterday's trip to the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show was great fun.  I'll share my small collection of purchases and a few pictures probably on Monday.  

Today I'm linking up with Red Letter Quilts for the OMG Finish Party and  Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. 

Happy Quilting All!  

Monday Meanderings 2 - 22 - 2016

I am tickled pink because I figured out something on the computer for my long arm.  Before you can let the computer quilt you have to set up your design for the specific size quilt you are working with.  I've been doing pretty well with the program.  But I have a couple of edge 2 edge designs that have a top and bottom row.  I had NO idea how to use them.  After about 4 hours Friday, I figured out I needed to use the advanced setting and then I could place each row separately. By the time I was done I had the following design saved to be stitched out on my February OMG quilt. (Hey, I really want to keep up with this challenge.)   

If you look carefully you'll notice the top row only has the motif hanging down while the bottom row only has the motif pushing up.  I figured out how to place different designs on the rows of a quilt.  Woot!  Woot.  It also allowed me to nest the motifs.  The quilt was loaded on Ruthie and late Saturday afternoon I started quilting.  It quilted out the first row exactly how it was placed. (Well, of course it did but I'm super excited about this...!)  Here's what the design looks like on the quilt.  (Click on the pic to enlarge it.) I am tickled PINK! 

After I was finished quilting the whole thing (and yes, the bottom row was absolutely in the perfect spot!) I decided this design probably wasn't the best one for the quilt.  I could have placed blocks on the various sections and had a more integrated quilt.  Except... this baby is done.  Binding will be done this week. I'm excited. A little back story -- this quilt was a mystery I did in 2010 (or so the note with it says.) I thought it needed a border to finish it off and/or I wanted it rectangular rather than square.  I asked people's opinions and got a lot of good suggestions.  But, honestly, I had so little fabric left and my time was running out. (Remember One MONTHLY Goal.)  I had a few hours visit with Sharon while I was visiting my daughter and asked for her help.  Sharon nixed the alternate magenta I had and suggested (as did several readers) that I call it done and get it quilted and bound.  We were hoping I had enough of the magenta to do the binding, but nope.  So, the binding is ready and waiting -- the lovely green leaf fabric.  

I did get the binding on the smaller of the two antique 9 patches I am working on. (It isn't crooked but this picture sure is.) One more small quilt to border along with a lap quilt that also needs borders.  But I must decide on the color for both. It's difficult when I really want to use the fabric that the original quilter had in her stash.  Most of it is in surprisingly good shape but some that would be perfect for borders is badly faded.  On to alternate plan B.  

I did pretty well on last week's goals despite being in Maryland from Sunday to Thursday morning. 

February 15, 2016

Hanging sleeves on 2 quilts√

Add border to antique lap quilt Nope, still didn’t happen

Put borders on 2 small antique 9 patches√ one done

Quilt a quilt√

Sew on next charity quilt√

We may go up this coming weekend to help Jen around the house and with the girls so I really don't have all that much on my goals this week. 

February 22, 2016

Finish blocks for FCQE Quilter & mail them

Bind OMG quilt

Put border 1 on antique quilt

Border 2nd antique 9 patch

Attend Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show

That's it for today.  I'm linking up with Monday Making, Main Crush Monday and Moving It Forward. (I started this post last night and am way ahead of myself.  I'll stop back later to link to Main Crush Monday.) Take a peak to see what's happening in the quilting world this week. 

Happy Quilting All!