a couple of finishes

Finished this small floral quilt for a co-worker but I'm not sure if this is her style or not. This was started with some leftover blocks from the quilt I made for my mom. I quilted it using the Plumage panto. I love the feathers but this pattern is kind of narrow which means more passes on the longarm. Perfect for a smaller quilt as I don't run out of interest like I would on a queen size.

So in case she isn't into sweet florals, I pulled from my stash and made up this quick darker quilt...which I sort of prefer for me as well.  I put the feathers on this one too.

Carol of Brown Quilts posted about a friend of hers making pillowcases for servicemen and women. Some help could be useful so several of us are pitching in.  Feel free to join the effort if you are so inclined. It is kind of fun. Here are the two that I am sending off.

I'm currently working with more leftover blocks making a quilt for me :-)  Will show pics of that later but I leave you with improved pics from my new camera of my friends, the billboard cows on 101 north to Salinas. These guys always make me smile.



quilt show

Seven Sisters Quilt Show this weekend in San Luis Obispo was lovely. Here are just a few pictures...

Rose quilt by my friend, Rana :-)

A dog quilt that was pretty cute.

Viewer's Choice

Marianne says my camera skills are pretty boring.

But finally there is some quilt piecing going on around here. I'm making a little quilt for a co-worker from extra blocks from the quilt I made for my mom.

I'm having quite a time with this blogging template today, fighting to keep the font I want and having it align on the left. I am not much of a HTML warrior though so I'm signing off to piece. My sewing machine is much nicer to me!



2 Psalm blocks and a camera

"River of Delight" is for Psalm 36. "How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light." Ps 36:7-9

"Prairie Flower" is for Psalm 103 and is the final block I am making for my niece's quilt. "As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear Him....Ps 103:15-17

My plan was to sashing these together with black fabric and border it with grape vine fabric that I have leftover from my Women of the Bible quilt. The colors in these blocks are a little different though and may not go as well with that fabric. So I will have to see how it all looks together.

This next picture is the first I took with my new camera that I got for my birthday :-)  It just came in the mail yesterday and it was late till I could play with it...due to waiting for the battery to charge.  This shot of my sewing room may be TMI as you can see at least 2 of the cat beds in here and the dog collars off for the night. I'm kind of like an 8 year old that loves to keep trinkets and stuff around to look at... which leaves the not the neatest of sewing areas and this room shows it. 

And here is the first picture of Elinor with the new Canon Elph. She's not as annoyed as she looks...or at least I didn't think she was.  She is sitting on yet another sewing room cat bed. The girls are such big helpers in here, they deserve the best :-)



Just One Star and a Broken Heart

I was inspired by a recent Covered Porches post to join in and make a quilt block for the quilts being made for soldiers.  You can get the pattern to make one too for the Just One Star challenge that Moda is holding. Moda needs to receive them before May 1st.  I made mine out of scraps I had in my stash...and in looking for what to use became inspired to clear out a draw of fat quarters and scraps working them into either the 'scraps to be cut box'...see previous post :-) or into my wall cupboard that has the fabric sorted by colors.  Reorganization and clearing out is always a good thing.

This Psalms block was actually finished about a week ago but the pressing was not attempted and the photo not taken until today. I'm not showing the back :-) but it came out better than I first hoped. Pressing these blocks still has a ways to go on the learning curve.

This block is called Broken Heart and is for Psalm 34

I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Ps 34:4,7,18

Elinor went up to check out the beautiful blue sky.  She is a little camera shy but held her spot for just long enough.

Haven't started a pieced scrap quilt yet because I got distracted by this at Log Cabin Quilter.  I now have it mostly stitched down...had to move the pocket and still need to re-do the carrot.



it's a good week

Last year while walking the dogs, I met up with some quilters who were enjoying their own quilting retreat right here in my own neighborhood. You can read about that visit here.  So I knew they were headed back to town this year but it had been kind of a busy week for me and I hadn't seen them yet.  As I came by walking with the dogs, my DH and a nephew, I started to tell them about the quilters and then came upon this sign :-)  Quilters are so creative...even in ways to communicate.  I met up with them later and really enjoyed seeing them again along with the fantastic projects each of them were working on.  Sharon and Margaret both have blogs so you too can check up the projects they've been working on...at least maybe after they get back home.  This group really knows how to treat themselves to the best retreat and right on the ocean.

I have finished quilting a wall hanging for our friend, Tony but Blogger is not letting me add any more photos today so I will save that for another post. What I have been sewing on this week are bags to take to the market.  My friend, Tonya (hey there, Ms T) had me shorten and re-hem curtains a few years back and I've used the cotton duck from that project to make these bags. Only several more to go :-)

Ms. Elinor is still enjoying those dog beds!  Fortunately, there really is plenty of them to go around and the dogs are learning to adjust a bit.  It's nice to see the cats keeping everyone learning new style.

quick note here

Two Psalms blocks finished. The first is called "As watchmen wait for morning". This is for Psalm 130. "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. Ps 130:5-6

The second block is called Morning Star and is for Psalms 143. "I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." 

 














I chose colors that reminded me of sunrise but I wish I'd placed them differently. This doesn't look good to me.

Underneath and to the left of where I sit at my computer is a dog bed.

For some reason, the cats have taken to sleeping on the dog beds.

Bridget is not sure what to do with this change.



Scraps

 Such lovely photos here of my hoarded leftover scraps from too many projects and years to remember.  I have dug through these piles and pulled out pieces but most of it is not that useful especially when I can't find what I'm looking for. I have admired Bonnie Hunter's quilts from Quiltville for so long and I finally decided to finally organize them like she suggests. Marianne is kindly helping me.

 And Bonnie is helping me too!  I was the lucky winner of her brand new book when I commented on Bonnie's post over at Stash Manicure.  I love the patterns in Bonnie's book and am feeling inspired to put my scraps to use. Until my stash is cleaned up, I am not likely to go shopping for shirts like she does but I will sure enjoy making these quilts.
Thank you, Bonnie!