First Finish of 2016

     For my first project of 2016  I tackled a top already sandwiched and waiting. 

I decided that the piecing lent itself to using several FM motifs – different for each third. I love the feathers I quilted in the top portion.  

I don’t really like the sharp grain lines in the colored part; however, they create a good contrast to the other parts.   I do like the echoed drops in the bottom portion.  The loops in the border were too spaced so I went back and quilted another line sort of echoing the first loops.

Overall I am pleased with the finished quilt and think it is a good sample for quilting class I will be teaching in February and March at Creative Sewing Machine Center in West Columbia.

Enjoy a few minutes of sewing / quilting each day. 

Ready for 2016

     As 2015 drew to an end, I sat down to take account of my quilting projects.  I began the year with a list of 9 major UFOs. That was not all of them but ones I chose to focus on. I’m not ready to give away unfinished projects.  I even accept some from others. 

     In 2015 I finished 3 queen size quilts and 1 lap quilt on my UFO list.   I tried very hard to not start a new project unless I finished a quilt on my UFO list, but I LOVE to explore new techniques and designs in magazines and online.  

     For 2016 instead of focusing on my list of unfinished projects, I plan to approach my UFOs in a new direction.  I made a list of 6 quilt tops that are just waiting to be quilted. They are stacked with their backing.  Another 2 only need a border or 2.  Since I don’t hand quilt, I hope to finish all of them this year with much quicker machine quilting. I would like to feel free to start a new big quilt project for myself (there are a few on my wish list), but not until several of those on the list are finished.

    I enjoy sewing many types of items – not just quilts.  In the new year I hope to spend more time sewing doll clothes and handmade dolls - one for each granddaughter.  My granddaughters love clothes made by Grandma.  Here is Lily in her princess dress at Christmas.  I expect my sewing machines will get a good workout in 2016.

Wishing you a wonderful New Year with time to sew and quilt!

Final Finish for 2015

     Today I finished sewing a scrappy binding on the Scrappy Duo lap quilt which makes it the final finished quilt for the year.  If you want to make one, you can find out more about the pattern here. 

      Saturday I spent most of the day playing with scraps and “made-fabric”. 

I already had a piece of made-fabric about 15 by 15” that I wanted to use for a 4” finished border but I needed more that was similar.  Here is the pile of scraps I pulled to use and there is a piece of made-fabric in the middle.  After free piecing a section, I trimmed it to 4 1/2" for the border.  The larger trimmed pieces became part of another section.

Today the top is finished.  A niece is expecting in May and she wants a garden theme for the nursery.  I hope she will like this. 

 If you are in the Columbia area and want to try playing with crumbs and made-fabric, Saturday morning, March 19^th I will be teaching a workshop at Midlands Technical College, Harbison branch. You can find out more on their website.

Enjoy a few minutes of sewing or quilting!