Scarlet Stars

"Scarlet Stars" 60" X 72"

This recently completed quilt is a compilation of two different blocks-of-the-month from my LQS. I added bits and pieces of other blocks and coping strips to fit it all together. It has been a top for years, just hanging out in the stash closet for its time to be quilted. Thank goodness I happened upon Country Threads' "Chicken Scratch" blog and jumped on board their UFO "Dirty Dozen" challenge. Twelve UFOs are assigned a unique number and each month a number is drawn for completion during that month. This top was my number eight; I met this month's goal, it's quilted and bound. A new number will be drawn on Thursday for August. I hope that I can keep up, it's a good feeling to finish projects once and for all (I even made a label for this one!!).

I used a new (to me) pantograph on this one-- "Starry" by Beany Girl quilts, it fit the bill and the theme!

Life is Good!

Thread Catching

These measure 4.5" square and 5" in height. 

Where do you toss your trimmed threads while sewing? What do you use as a thread catcher?



I saw this adorable quilt-as-you-go one on a blog some time ago and kept the reference handy as an idea for the future. Well, as "they" say: the future is now. Indeed it is. I worked with fabric and colorful scraps that I had on hand and it went together beautifully!
These are quick to make, fully lined and completely machine done except for the teeny-tiny bit of hand finishing on the binding at the end.

Here it is in place beside the machine, all ready to catch those pesky threads and snippets. These would also make great gift baskets.

In fact, one was SEW much fun to make I simply couldn't force myself to stop there. 

Triplets!

Life is Good!

"A", You're Adorable

" Alphabetically Speaking" ~  34.5" X 39.5"

I just finished putting together this adorable alphabet sampler; it's the result of a "Little Letters" sew-along from Temecula Quilting Co.'s blog .  I used Moda's Basic Grey "Grunge" line of fabrics for this piece.  It was a fun sew-along with instructions for two four inch letter blocks every week; it ran last fall, but the instructions are still listed on the website linked above. It was easy for me to keep up with the letters... in the beginning. Near the end I had to hold a few marathon sessions to catch up and, since Christmas, the blocks sat untouched. I found them, ready for setting together, this weekend and made short work of that task. I'll quilt up this little cutie as soon as the Salvaged Stars and Stripes come off the frame. When I was growing up my parents had a console-type "hi-fi" with a record player inside. I recall Perry Como's album playing, his voice singing these lyrics: "A, you're adorable, B you're so beautiful..."; that song played through my head the entire time I worked on this. If you're old enough to remember that tune you'll understand the quilt name; it seemed just right.

Life is Good!