trimmin' away.

One of the best ways to get all the blocks to

match up is to trim up!!

(or is it trim down?)

Takes a little while.

But....totally worth it!!

I'm getting close to having a very

scrappy quilt at my house.

This one's going to live in the family room with

the kids, the dog, the t.v., the computer....

I don't think this quilt will be lonely AT ALL!!

And while I trim away...

I'm shedding a tiny tear.

My fourth child got his driver's license today.

I know from experience I won't be seeing him much anymore.

Gone.

Gone are the nice conversations in the car.

Gone are the LONG waits picking him up from practices.

Gone are the moments right after school when

I hear about his day.

Gone are late nights picking him up from a friend's house

and the early mornings to get him to study sessions at school.

Gone are those wonderful talks about nothing.

Gone is the awful music!

Gone.

I'm gonna miss him.

values

I was intrigued after visiting Bonnie's blog recently

and then seeing a fellow quilter's scrap quilt

using only "darks" and "lights".

What is a dark and what is a light?

I thought I'd try to use scraps and not control the

fabric choices in ANY other way.

I happen to have a lot of scraps.

These scraps do not necessarily go together.

Can I put them together anyway???
I'm trying.

I like how it's looking so far,

but I can also imagine using a more controlled

fabric selection might make this even BETTER!!

I think.

Such a simple block.

Does anyone know the name?

I'm too lazy to go figure it out.

I made a bunch with light center squares.

Can you see how I substituted that green.

I didn't have enough of every fabric.

Isn't that what using scraps is all about???

and a bunch with dark center squares.

Here are the dimensions:

three dark 2" squares.

two light 2" squares.
two light 2"x 3 1/2" rectangles.

That all turns into a 5" block!

Do some with dark centers and some with light!
A FUN, EASY quilt!

seventh

The seventh quilt top.

done! done! done!

I think this one is one of my favorites!

Love that "piano key" border that pulls it all together.

O.k. the tops are done.

NOW....Only 5 quilts to quilt.

Only.

To celebrate I made something.

I chose a day when NO ONE would be home.

I like to cook alone.

It's so much easier to concentrate that way...

And to eat the goodies of course.

I'd been wanting to make some stuffed Jalapeno peppers.

So.....I walked to the store to buy the few things that I would need.

Yes. Walked.

I had to give myself a pat on the back for that part!

Jennifer Jo had my mouth watering here.
She normally has my stomach growling!

Here are the peppers before the 1 hour wait.



Here they are in all their glory.
What a nice treat for finishing those quilt tops!

My eyes said I could eat the whole batch!

I tried.
Don't.

proud.

I'm feeling some maternal pride today.

Now don't get me wrong.

Jenn's not my daughter...

but this is her first quilt!!

*****Thundering APPLAUSE******

AND

I saw this one coming together.

A quilt always begins with those trips to the shop.

Choosing the fabric....

Deciding what pattern to use....

Cutting the fabric.....

Making the blocks....

I got to sit on the sidelines and watch it all happening!

Like I said.

I'm a proud "quilt mother" today!

Jenn said she will be adding a white border,

so this quilt isn't quite finished.

But we can all see that she's SOooo close!

right?

And here's the beginnings of her

SECOND quilt!!

Two little girls.

You've got to have two little quilts!

Are you a "quilt mother" to anyone?

Let me tell you.

It's a great feeling!

I'm adding this to Amy's sew and tell!

Math.

Today we're going to do a little math.

Will that be too hard for you on a Monday?

It's simple math.

You know I've been working away on quilts for seniors.

About a week ago I couldn't figure it out on my fingers,

so today I'm going to document my progress.

Maybe that will help this visual learner over here! (me)

So...let's do some addition.

Two.

all done.

finished.

+++++PLUS++++++

ONE

Pinned and ready to be quilted.

++++PLUS++++

THREE:

completed tops.

They just need to be

pinned, quilted, bound...

JUST!

From my quilt along with Victoria.

I showed you this one recently.



From the quiltalong with AmandaJean.

O.k.
How many quilts so far??

SIX???
yep.



One more to go.
That makes...
SEVEN!!

The perfect number.

The end is in sight!
Horray!

And now.
Drum roll please.....


FIRST PLACE!

This quilt was entered in the 3-D category

at the local art show.

Can you believe it?

Me neither.

can't put this down.

I began quilting this yesterday

and I can't put it down!!!

This is my liberated amish basket quilt.
I've already begun quilting the third basket out of 16!
I did not mark this quilt.
I'm just following along with the piecing.

Wow!
This big old fashioned quilt stitch goes fast!!




I looked and looked for some smaller weight perle cotton...
I was patient...(amazing but true)...
and finally found some 20 weight thread at
Hobby Lobby when I was visiting my daughter.
YEAH!



Love the back!!!
I'm using wool batting.



And I'm definitely enjoying myself as I quilt away!!


I'll add this to Amy's show and tell...
then I'll go around and see what everyone else
has been up too!!
I'm always inspired!!

trash art.

Here's what I've been puttering around with

the last couple of months.

And I mean puttering.

I had a germ of an idea.....

But no idea how to execute it!!

I did have ideas....

Do you ever have ideas?

Ideas can be frustrating.

Sometimes they keep you awake at night.

Ideas can also be exhilarating!!

Ideas can work...
and sometimes they
don't work.

If I ever make a little art quilt with clothing tags again...
I know some things I won't do!!

AND I know some things I want to Try!!
But......
right now I'm out of clothing tags...
so I guess I won't be doing this project for a while!!!

This little 20"x30" piece is
headed to the local art show this weekend.

Just need to sew down that binding on the back...
I'm finishing this one JUST in the nick of time!!!

Gwen.

This is the first quilt book I ever bought!!

I met Gwen Marston here in this book about 3 years ago.

My "quilt mother" Gerda took me to a few quilt shops.....

and I bought this book!

I was hooked!

I read this book cover to cover many times!!

I even made a couple of the quilts described.

I found out about that same time there were quilt magazines,

quilt guilds,

and lots of quilt shops!!

You could say that Gwen is my "quilt hero"

since she's the one (through her book)

that got me going!!

Today I was able to take a class from Gwen!

What a treat!!

She talked about 19th century quilts,

showed pictures,

talked a bit about history,

and then...

gave us a lovely "show and tell".

I learned today what a dog tooth border is and

how to make one!!

Woo! Hoo!
The red border on the above quilt has the border.

Sorry you can't see it too well...

but it's basically a long red piece of fabric

cut with that triangle edge...

and then appliqued down!!

Someday I'm going to add one to a quilt!!

A few of her small quilts.

Most of them were hand quilted.
I love the pot on this one!



Lovely.
Simple.

The double hatched quilting on this one

was amazing!

Pretty in pink!

I like the four panels that match,

but don't match too perfectly!

It's hard in this picture to see

that it is NOT perfect.

That's the charm!

Here's a quilt with more modern fabric.

Fun, huh?


Well...

I'm dreaming about doing four big blocks

with pots and flowers or leaves.

I didn't get too far today.

I cut four pots.

That wasn't too hard.

Then I did this tiny bit of reverse applique.

That's it!!

It took me all day to do that???!!!

OOps! Guess I was talking too much.

It was fun though!!!!

progress.

Do any of you remember a 9 patch quilt along

last summer with Amanda Jean?!!

Yep!

Here's mine.

These little guys finally are making an appearance.

They may even end up in a quilt!???

Amazing, but true.

This one is headed to one of the 7 graduates

I'm making quilts for.

I still need to cut some sashing...

sew some sashing....

quilt...

bind...

You know the routine, right?

Here's another quilt for a graduate

that's quilted.

Just need to trim....

And get it ready for the binding.

One of these days I'm going to get them all done!!
Right?
Right.

Before I get to work on all those quilts

I thought I'd show you this.

Aren't those little tiny blooms pretty??

This little cactus has been with me a long time.

I can tell by the pot...

painted by one of the big kids

many moons ago.

This little cactus is showing some color...

And I LOVE it!!!

April Bees.

I sure had fun with these two blocks!!

Can I have a quilt with a whole bunch of these??

Tracy from the Nitanny Block party sent some fabric

and requested anything,

but she likes improvisational.

I was inspired by Carla....

who was inspired by Gwen Marston!

AND.....

since I'm taking a class from Gwen next week...

guess what I thought about the whole time?

You're right!!

I dreamed about that quilt class..

happening next Tuesday!!

I can't wait!

Dreaming about things is almost better than

the REAL thing for me!!

I hope that Tracy doesn't mind that little bit of

GREEN I put in there.

I hand appliqued the leaves and circles...

so she can just take them off

if she wants!!

I kind of like that little bit of green!

Then Sarah over at the Modern quilting bee

sent strips...already cut!!

And newspaper to paper piece these blocks.

Let me tell you....

It was a struggle.

She requested 3/16" seams.

Do you know how hard that was for me???

Well...it was.

I'm sorry Sarah.

When it comes to numbers,

measuring,

seams,

I'm a little challenged.

I'm sending these to Sarah.

Two corners in each of these blocks has a little

blank area.

I had four chances to get it right

and I just couldn't do it!!

AAAH!

She said that was o.k....

Really??

It just doesn't feel right.

But, I'm sending them back.

She'll fix 'em up...I'm sure!!

You know...

Trim them down...

Add a little piece....

Who knows how she'll work her magic???

But I know she will. :)

one sheet.

I have a little pile of vintage sheets at my house.

They keep looking at me...

Hinting they'd like some company.

Could I please find one more pretty sheet

before sending them away to

the vintage sheet patchwork swap??

"O.k.", I thought.

"I do like to shop at thrift stores.

Maybe there's another sheet wanting to

be turned into a quilt out there!"

I found more than one.

In fact, I had to leave some of the pretty sheets there.
:( :(

I couldn't buy them all...

Too bad.

I'll be cutting these up tomorrow...

Then I need to send them off!!

Maybe when that little pile is not looking at me,

I'll get my mind OFF of vintage sheets!!

And, of course you know, I did not leave the store without

some other little goodies!!

Fabric for my stash...

And this little doily.

I just l-o-v-e little things like this!

You see what shopping for

ONE sheet got me???