Fiddle Sticks

I've been busy the last few days quilting up a few quilt tops for a friend, they were donated to her Quilt Ministry. They are both wonderful, scrappy quilts; my favorite kind! The first one is bright and spring-like in its coloration. Working on it was like a ray of warm sunshine. (Something that has been desperately needed in our neck of the gloomy, rainy woods lately). My friend told me that this one would go to a lady from her church who's a shut-in, she's very spunky and positive.

This is the quilt, my friend included a hot pink flannel backing and I thought that hot pink quilting thread might add a bit more "punch" to the overall look; I believe it will fit a spunky and positive lady!

The next quilt, below, is to go to a home bound gentleman. 

Here it is, before, during and after quilting. I used a pantograph called "Calm Water" by Anne Bright in a sand-colored thread. I'm inspired by this quilt design; all of the "bricks" are 2" X 6", the inner border is 4", the brick off-sets are all 2" squares and the corner squares are 6". I drafted up the design in EQ (above, left), so that I wouldn't forget, and named it "Fiddle Sticks". Guess which bin of precut scraps I'll be raiding next? My friend's Quilt Ministry is blessed, indeed, to have some fine piecers in their group. 

I began quilting on my own Star Flowers low volume quilt yesterday. The sun has returned and the days have warmed up nicely, such a change from the cold rain that we've been plagued with for weeks on end. That didn't stop me from quilting "Puddles" though. This is a new (to me) pantograph, I love the effect.

Life is Good!