Dear Jane remembered

Since I finished my quilt I needed to find something to do.

What can I say - the choices are limitless.

I didn't really want to start another quilt since I have so many going already.

So that left finding something that has already been started.

I knew I don't have enough time to complete anything so I decided on Dear Jane.

I worked on these part of the day Friday and most of the day Saturday.

 

I have one quilt with muslin background and one with white.

A little hindsight and I think I would rather done one with a darker color background.

So sad...So sorry --it's not happening now.

As usual the camera doesn't show the true colors. 

This will put me at 55 squares completed (for each)out of 225.

I'm not even halfway.

If I don't forget about it again I might finish it before I croke.

Finally Finished

What can I say but ...yeah I finally finished my quilt.

This is why I haven't been posting much lately

I took alot of pictures trying to get the perfect shot.

Still need to clip a few threads but it is finished.

It probably wouldn't have taken so long if I hadn't had to work on it a little at a time.

Plus I spent alot of time trying to digitize the perfect design.

I'm learning.

This was my 1st try at trapunto too

Now I need to get it entered in the Houston show.... wish me luck.

Oh yeah I still need to name it - any ideas??

If Only.......

If Only could definately be the name of this quilt.

I've had so many if only minutes..

If only I had of started sooner..

If only I had of used a lighter background fabric..

If only, if only, if only.

But I guess hindsight is 20/20.

Here are some more peeks at my slow progress.

I will probably take out the circles in the yellow sashing - I'm not real crazy about it.

But then again I really need to get this finished.

Another 'if only' ...If only I didn't have to go to work everday. 

I have been disolving the thread a little at a time.

 I'm almost finished with the cross hatchingand that will leave the pineapple pieces.

I couldn't decide how I wanted to do them so I just left them for last -

Hope that wasn't a mistake.

Live and learn - at least the trapunto came out nice.

Sneak Peak

I know it's been awhile since I posted anything but I have been so busy on one project.

I spent forever getting my designs right.

I'm new at digitizing and it takes me a while. But I will get better and faster.

You'll have to zoom in to see the pattern better.

This is the 1st run through

I decided that since the background was black that I needed to do something that would show up.

So I am trying my hand at trapunto. This will be the 1st time

I used water soluable thread for the trapunto and I'm going to quilt it with black thread. 

Here's a couple of pictures of the border.

You can't see it very well but it is really turning out nice.

I probably made a mistake using a black background but it seemed right at the time.

 

I'm having a time thinking of how to quilt the pineapples.

Since I'm using black thread I'm kinda limited.

I don't want the thread to over power them. 

And I got a new toy.

I do alot of alterations and I really needed a heavy duty machine.

This is a refurbished so I got it at a really good price.

Now I can do the heavier fabrics with ease.

A change, A mistake and A finsih

 

 

 

 

The more I looked at this the more I thought it was a little too crowded.

So I spent 2 hours ripping out the butterfly border and putting it back together.

I do like the effect it has now.

And all that trouble I went through to find more butterfly fabric.

Oh well - we know it won't go to waste.

 

I did manage to put together some stack n whacks.

This is a good example of a not so good repeat.

It doesn't look so bad but it should look much better.

 

 I finally got the truck quilt out of the frame.

I really had a hard time deciding how I wanted to quilt this.

In the long run I just used straight lines.

I thought the thread was a mistake -

should have used a monafilament instead.

The thread I used takes away from the pattern a little.

Oh well it's done. One down One to go.

Problem is I pieced 2 of these - for my 2 grandsons that live here.

I ended up making them another one and now I need to sell these.

 

 

 

Current project

I have been on a mission to try and finish some of my old unfinished projects.

This is one I started about 6 or 7 years ago.

I did all the paper piecing, trimmed them up and put them in a drawer.

I'd bring them out every now and then, lay them out and put them back up.

I never could decide on the best layout.

I'm not super crazy about this but at least it is together after all these years.

I had all the diamonds in a nice stack tucked away in a drawer.

Didn't think about keeping any of the fabric with it.

So the hunt was on.

I just knew I had some of the yellow....but where.

I finally realized I had used it on another quilt.

But while looking for a piece of the butterfly fabric i found a 12" piece.

Lucky so far!!!

Not so lucky with the butterfly border.

I finally found a piece 21 x 30 on Ebay.

The basic layout wasn't too difficult.

It took me awhile to come up with the corner square.

I like it -- I think it makes it.

Now for the quilting. Sure hope it goes like I want. 

And I just couldn't resist this piece of fabric.

My mind is always looking for good pieces to stack n whack. 

 

 

A Little Handwork

I say a little handwork but actually it will be ALOT of handwork.

I found these hand embroidered squares at a garage sale and just knew they would work up into an amazing quilt. I do know how long it takes to do hand embroidery and I know it took along time to do these 25 squares. So I decided it required hand quilting.

Considering all the other things I've got going I know this project will take some time to complete.

But it will be an awesome quilt when it's finished (if it's ever finished)

I also needed some solid fabric for my embroidery.

And naturally that led me to call Marshall Dry Goods.

I just love that store.

The fabrics are a good quality and the prices can't be beat.

I ordered these 5 bundles on Friday and got them on my doorstep on Monday.

Can't beat that.

I ordered 2 solids and 1 print for me and 1 solid and 1 print for my sister Beverly.

She is the baby of the family and she is taking care of our mother who has been in the hospital off and on for a month. I was going to send her some money to help out but knew she would like this better. Now I need to get it to her. I might just have her meet me halfway.

These are the 2 bundles she is getting

(So hard to let them go)

 

 And this is my stash all put up

Can't wait to start using them.  Hopefully this weekend.

I am working on a special quilt top that I need to get put together.

Hopefully I will get it finished this weekend also

I'm Back

Yeah --I can finally post

I guess my computer decided I wasn't going to give up trying so it just let me in.

I can't remember everything I've done since the last time I posted.

Shoot I have trouble just remembering yesterday.

I finished my Fleur de lis and it turned out awesome.

I quilted it with a e2e fleur de lis pattern.

I would show you but the backing is black and you can't see it very well.

I also finished the star stack n whack.

It also has a black backing and the pictures don't show the quilting.

This was the 1st time I did the stackn whack as an applique.

I haven't got the binding on yet either.

When the weather clears up some I'll be able to get some good pictures. 

I also finished my pinwheel baby quilt.

I wanted to do something with scallopped edges

The front turned out really nice.

I'm not crazy about how the back looks.

It's a baby blue fabric.

Here's Waldo - can you find the mistake?? 

I also bought some bobbin cases for my longarm..

But they are for a Gammill.

So anyone needing Gammill bobbin cases I will sell them cheap. 

Thank you for stopping by

Computer Trouble

I just can't get this computer to load any pictures.

Time to try something different