Graduation time

It's that time of year again.

The time of year I give a few quilts away!

There are 5 graduating seniors at my church this year.

They all received an extra special gift.

a QUILT!

 

Early in the year I organized a sewing day.

My helpers and I began these quilts and then....

I finished them up.

I waited TOO long to finish them up...

but I DID it!!

 

I thought May would be the PERFECT month

to quilt and bind them.

WHAT was I thinking?

I wasn't.

There were some smiling faces yesterday.

 Warmed my heart.

;)

 

I've been organizing this little project for QUITE a few years.

WAY before blogging.

So wish I had more pictures!

 

Pictured above are the quilts from 2010

I don't have a picture of all the quilts from 2011.....

but I LOVE this one.

Some of the quilts from 2012

 

It's ALWAYS fun to figure out a way to

USE up scraps for this FUN project!

 

I'm ALREADY thinking about NEXT YEAR!!!

 

a little dress making

Sometimes you just HAVE to make a dress.

 

It would be a LOT less trouble to buy one.

It would probably cost LESS too.

:)

But...

A Grandma does...

what a Grandma HAS to do!!!

And that is...

Make a DRESS!

I finished off with a BIG ORANGE buttton.

Can you see it peeking out under that curly hair?

I love it!

The pattern claims to be easy.

The "set in" neckband was NOT easy for MOI!!!

 

After ripping it out THREE times

I finally managed to get it all together

without any BIG puckers.

Whew!!!

 

This Grandma sees a future FULL of

frustrating, FUN and

FABULOUS

dress making

OPPORTUNITES!!!

 

 

 

mail call

My BIG order of batting was delivered yesterday.

I never dreamed it would come wrapped in plastic!

Sure easier than driving to the store and

lugging it to my car!!!  ;)

 

This roll was on sale and they only charged me 10 cents

for the shipping.

My need for batting came at the RIGHT time!

 

So...

I'm swirling away.

Free and easy swirls.

 

I first did a TEST run with my finger...

swirling around the blocks

trying to imagine a good motif.

Then...

I DOVE in!

Swirling and swirling.....

 

I like it so far.

I have TWO  matching quilts to quilt.

Getting CLOSE to that GRADUATION

deadline!

Woo hoo!!!

 

The new batting is behaving.

Seems very similar to warm and natural.

I'm glad I took the chance

and bought it!

 

I'm trying to match up the fabric blocks

with the appropriate thread.

Not too much trouble

and it's actually looking pretty good!

 

Easy meal tonight after all that swirling.

My husband's favorite.

:)

SO happy he likes an easy meal.

I squeeze a lemon on the fish

add some olive oil

and barbecue right before we eat!

 

 

Laurel Leaf

The center to this scrappy quilt

is now complete.

 

I began with a few orphan blocks...

made some more of my own.....

pieced them together

LEAVING an EMPTY muslin center.

 

Backwards....I know.....

But didn't it turn out nice?

Using this product made it extra speedy.

ALL the leaves are the SAME size.

That helps too!

Had to pull out my little machine

since Ms. Juki doesn't "DO" zigzag.

;)

Did you hear her SARCASTIC voice???

Yeah.

I did too.

In other news....

My husband's garden is going GANGbusters

keeping me BUSY in the kitchen!!!

 

Every night I try to figure out a way

to incorporate a Garden item

into whatever I'm making!

Kind of like scrap quilting....

...kind of....

 

 

 

Helpful Hints

This quilt is READY for Sarah's Hands2help

quilt drive! Whoo hoo!!!

;)

 

As I worked to get it finished

I realized I had some ideas for a speedy finish to share.

As I looked for binding...

I was thankful I had this little organizer FILLED.

I contains 2 1/2" strips for bindings.

(leftovers from projects + strips that were rejects.)

 

It also contains, STARTING at the top...

a 2" square drawer.

2 1/2" square drawer.

3" drawer...

3 1/2"

4-5" drawer

and

2 1/2" strips!!!

 

This little organizing tool helps me out

more often than NOT!

 

This binding is a FUN mix of pinks.

Perfect for a scrappy quilt

and...

I didn't have to search through my stash to find it!

The second little tip I want to share is this.....

Watch OUT for cotton sheets!

You never knowWHERE you might find them

and....

They make the PERFECT backing!

 

I happened to have THIS one just WAITING.....

for the RIGHT quilt!!!

 

Do YOU have any speedy tips to add???

 

Have a GREAT weekend.

UNfinished Friday

'

This quilt is NOT finished.

But....

It's getting there!

 

This was a quilt-along I started

before I new better!

HAh!

We were instructed to applique petals onto squares.

The last few directions NEVER appeared....

 

So......

How do you get all the squares TOGETHER??

 

I ended up folding and trimming everything OUTSIDE

the circle and appliqueing each circle

onto a VERY BIG piece of muslin

setting them RIGHT next to each other

as I went along.

 

I began in the middle

of the VERY BIG piece of fabric...

folded a middle line and used that for my guide.

 

It worked PRETTY good.

NOT perfect.

 

And....

I'm almost done!

 

I need a few more petals around the edge

to EVEN things out.

 

Can you see my pencil lines there?

 

A few more Thursday mornings

appliqueing petals onto this VERY big quilt.

 

It's not easy doing needle turn applique on a
VERY big piece of fabric!

;/

Good thing I have a nice big TABLE to work on!

 

This one's ALSO UNfinished.

OB-viously!

LOL!

 

I had fun with someone's orphan blocks.

Made a few of my own to blend in.

ADDED a center.....

Kind of a backwards way to do it....

Should have appliqued in that WHITE space

BEFORE sticking it in the center.

AH WELL........

That's the way I think sometimes.  ;)

I plopped a recent project in the middle

just to SEE what it might look like.

 

Hey!

I think I like it.

IF I make that applique design a bit bigger....

it JUST might work!!!

 

That's it for my

UNFINISHED FRIDAY!!!

 

the BACK story

One thing I know about baby quilts.

They're always JUST a little too big.

You can't use just ONE piece of fabric for the backing.

That 40 some odd Inch is NEVER enough.

 

You always need a SEAM somewhere.

;/

A golden opportunity

to add a CUTE little piece of fabric!

 

These little pieces were gifted to me

LAST year.

Why is it that it takes me a WHOLE year

to use

fabric that's been gifted to me???

 

I think I need to hold it CLOSE for a while

before I can LET IT GO!

;)

I made this quilt top here.

It's now been quilted up

and ready for the BABY shower!!!

 

Is everyone YOU know having babies

and getting married????

 

Makes this quilter

a Busy...busy....busy girl!!!