Spring Quilting 2018

Earlier this year I asked my sister in Texas what she was working on with her quilting and she sent me some pictures of really bright fabrics and I knew I had to join in. This quilt is Postcards from Sweden and is a free pattern from Robert Kaufman and Jeliquilts, made with  Kona cottons.

I searched on Etsy and found a site where I could order the fabrics needed and in 3 or 4 days began the quilt! 

 The fabrics were all labeled with the color and number and all was very organized with making this quilt from the pattern. We swirled our seams and made the quilt come out very flat.

 And accurate!

 A little swirly quilting and then it was finished.

 This quilt is Retro Rug Quilt and was a kit I bought at Houston Quilt Festival last year. It went together so easily and again, I enjoyed the fun bright colors - all Kaffes!

I found some interesting leftover fabrics in my stash and pieced them for the backing.

 I saw this quilt in Quiltmania Magazine 124, called Fruit Slices, and wanted to try and recreate it with my own fabrics. These are from a fabric grouping.

 I particularly liked the pink sashing and green cornerstones that separated all the ovals.

 I chose all these fabrics from my stash - except the pink and green which I ordered and began cutting. I used the starch method for appliqué so it's been very easy sewing.

These are my fabrics laid out before I began stitching. I'm now down to my last row of easy appliqué.

And then here is a totally different type of quilt - Mini Havana - designed by Laura Heine. Again, I could not resist at the Houston Quilt Festival so the whole kit came home with me. Quite fun to make and here is the finish!

I will be doing more of this type of quilting in the future!

 My Primitive Garden is still in the making - six years later. I am working on the last large border but at least got the center put together. Don't you love these tiny stars?? They finish at 2" square but I decided they would be worth it in the sashing.

This is the center of my Primitive Garden quilt, the pattern is by Lisa Bongean.

China Shop is now hanging in the stairwell so I can view it every day as I come up to sew!

 I made a round tablecloth using all Kaffe and Friends fabrics in my stash. The old and the new still went together so well.

This was the Turning Twenty Again pattern by Tricia Cribbs. Always goes together well!

Jake & Lacey's Quilt Designs

I've let the grandchildren design their own quilts on my design wall and here is their latest! We stretched this one out a bit as what they can put up on the design wall in 45 minutes can give me a week's worth of work!!

 This is Jake's quilt! As he stated to his Mom, "It has a pattern to it". That was important to him. He was six at the time of this designing. It was neat how if he did not have enough of one fabric for his rows, he was okay with substituting something similar.

I found this great border fabric that I had been saving for a long time and it was just the right amount for the borders and the back.

 Lacey is not as concerned about order as she is having fun. She did choose all her fabrics also - she is five. She did notice how the flower in the vase turned out matching near the center.

 Here is her back - other fabrics I had on hand and her border was leftover bindings that worked with her quilt colors.

I did a freehand swirl on hers.

Swirls from the front!

Another Flower Garden block finished!!

I love the colors of this quilt!! Imagine that!! This is from Kaffe Fassett's book, Quilts from Italy. There are at least two in the book I want to make. For this one, however, I am making it a smaller size so it can be a wallhanging in our family room. It just looks like spring to me!

Happy Quilting and stitch when you can!

Completing UFOs

This year I have been working - as usual - on completing some UFOs. This always happens comes January and this year was no exception except that I am actually finishing some this time. My goal is to finish one quilt per month.

I made a long list that I won't share for fear of embarrassing myself but here are my January and February finishes.

 This is Color Works, the pattern being from Kathy Doughty's book, Mixing Quilt Elements. I had so much fun making this quilt and choosing fabrics, all which were in my stash. Some are Asian prints that have been aging for quite some time; some Kathy's own fabrics and stripes by Kaffe Fassett.

 My pictures could be better but I think that is what keeps me from blogging sometimes - waiting for great photos and finding a large place to take the pictures.

 Next came the quilt you may recognize - Bonnie Hunter's Mystery Quilt from Nov 2017,  On Ringo Lake. My sister and some of my friends were going to make it so I proceeded ahead, of course not knowing how many thousands of pieces there would be! I must say it is good therapy and even though I'm glad it is FINISHED, it was fun in the process.

 Just hanging on the longarm here.

And a closeup picture. 

I still have more to share but goodbye for now and

Happy Easter!