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!

Fall in Georgia!!

 Enjoying the beautiful fall colors here in Georgia. The end of October is usually beautiful!

I spoke of my pineapple Christmas quilt in the last post but failed to show a block - here is my one completed one with lots of scraps and very traditional in color.

 I am continuing to work on my Primitive Garden, started in fall 2012. Just a little slow but this is part of the top border . . .

 and another part of the same border.

Here I have my layout for the bottom border and the words. Now they are bonded with Lite Steam a Seam 2 and ready to stitch.

 Some hand stitching on the Sue Spargo BOM 2014, In Full Bloom, still in progress. I think this is block 8. One interesting aspect of her BOMs is you are NOT allowed to post any pictures for about a year and a half until her book/pattern is published.

But you actually are not working alone, as they always have a yahoo group where you can share photos but none to the public until published. Maybe a finish for next year. A real learning experience which I enjoy with her quilts because you are constantly learning new stitches by Sue. Beautiful wools and threads to work with also.

And of course, if that doesn't look like enough quilting going on - here is another upcoming project - The Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt 2016, En Provence. Our group had such fun doing it last year that most of us have decided to try it again this year. Here are my likely paint chips, all like Bonnie's except for the turquoise instead of a green. I think I'll make the smaller size this year and it may be for my granddaughter since her room has many of these colors already.

Happy Stitching until next time!!

Rebecca's Primitive Garden

My neighbor and friend has been working on her Primitive Garden for a couple of years now, along with many other projects. I recently quilted it for her and wanted to share her beautiful quilt!

 She personalized the quilt in so many ways instead of exactly following the pattern - a flag added and another birdhouse . . .

 lots of different birds - a cardinal here . . .

 pretty bluebirds at the birdbath . . .

and special stitching on the flowers.

 Love the sunflowers and crows . . .

garden gate with flowers . . .

 watering can . . .

wheelbarrow . . .

rake and birds . . .

and some butterflies and bees, too! Beautifully done and such a huge project. I began at the same time and have just gotten to my first border. Maybe next year it will be completed! Great job, Rebecca!!

2014 Coming to a Close

It has been quite a while since I've posted so I will try to catch up before we are in the New Year! In November I went on a mission trip to Nicaragua with a group from our church. We have been sponsoring some children to go to a Christian school there and I was able to meet them in person after corresponding for almost four years.

 This is Angely. . .

 Maria . . .

and Moises, who had been out of school for a while because of some surgery. We found him at his home with his parents and what a blessing to get to see all these precious children!! It was a truly great trip!!

A lady from our church began a Sewing Ministry and Sewing School there and here is the classroom. It is amazing what these students have learned. There were 12 who graduated while we were there and took home their very own sewing machine to be able to have a home business. There was a fashion show with many of the garments they had made.

Here is an example of one dress this lady was finishing up that week for the show.

 Speaking of finishing, I really did complete my quilt top, "Words To Life By," SBOW, from Primitive Gatherings. That was all those hundreds of half square triangles I grumbled about earlier! 

 Here is one more block of my Primitive Garden quilt, also from Primitive Gatherings.

And now as the Di Ford Mystery Quilt has come to a close for 2014, I have completed the first round! Oh well, maybe in 2015 this will become a quilt.

I made this little doll quilt for Lacey who is two and loves her babies! It matches her room.

This is our quilt group (minus Gerry taking the picture) at our Christmas luncheon!

Jake has now turned four - where did the time go??

After 14+ years in the making - I have decided to finish my Bible Quilt (designed by Jan Patek as a BOM). The blocks have been completed for years except for the embroidery/words. Since I do much more hand stitching now, it will be prettier than if I had done it years ago. How's that for making yourself feel good about procrastinating!!?

 And now one last project - my Dear Jane quilt that has also been in the making for 12+ years. This is my first triangle/border block. I found a FB group, Jane Stickle Quilt Group, which is very encouraging and I can see that I might now finish this historic quilt. Here are two websites with great information also:

Dear Jane and

That Quilt, where she gives pictures and step by step instructions on how she made her blocks.

 I've had 65 blocks out of 225 completed for a while. I am setting some new goals to finish this quilt.

 It is VERY challenging at times, some blocks have 45 pieces in them and they measure 4.5" finished.

That's a LOT of tiny pieces. I chose all my center block fabrics years ago and identified them in a layout provided with the EQ Software. I chose to make them just a little brighter than Jane's original quilt, OR, as I say, what hers may have been before fading some over 150 years ago. 

Of course, Christmas was celebrated amidst all of these posts, but now the decorations are put away and I am looking forward to new GOALS for 2015. 

Happy New Year!!