The Pickle Dish is DONE!!

Actually the pattern is called Matrimony but I think each block is called a pickle dish!

It's huge I tell you....huge...70" x 93"!! 

After machine piecing the arcs the rest was all appliqued and hand quilted. 

 Because it was so big I made four sections (3x4 blocks) and quilted each section.

 Wool batting was so much fun to use. It was a little thick on the pickle dishes because I didn't trim away the backs but inside the star shape made by four dishes...super smooth going in and out with the needle!

Sewing two sections together, whipstitching the backing then repeat made working on this monster very doable!

 Look at how nice and puffy it is!

 Love the big chunky quilting. Used some DMC Cebelia thread purchase on clearance at a little shop in Gloucester several years ago.  Didn't know it was for crochet!

 It is twice as thick as size 8 pearl cotton. 

Pulled colors based on the guitar/banjo backing! I will be using wool batting again but first have to try silk then green!!:)

(Need something for that bare wall!)

This was the last finish for the first quarter of the 2015 Finish Along. 

Nothing like getting it done on the last day! 

~d

1st quarter 2015 list.

Stack of Love

Getting them done tooooo close to the end of the first 2015 Finish Along!

Fifth finish...one more to go!!

This is that zippy bag of fun strips.

(This is what it actually looks like in Virginia!)

 Very colorful....not quite what the kiddies like but....

 ...I think they will like that all the strips represent their childhood.

 Hers has a red binding and his is purple.

 This block represents dad.

 This one is me...those are sewing machines above the gardening block!:)

 My pal Kathleen did the quilting and put a music note on the boy's quilt...

 ...a book on the girl's! Awesome!

 See...just fun stuff.  Music, bikes, Batman, Superman, Thomas the Tank Engine, Goodnight Moon...

... London, Dr Seuss, Golden Books, the beach...

...Star Wars, Paddington, The Hulk, Wolverine, Spidey, dinosaurs, elephants....on and on.

The story of our kids!

~d

1st quarter 2015 list.

To honor my pops!

My friend Renelda wrote a quilt book.

From Ensign's Bars to Colonel's Stars is the first in a series called

Making Quilts to Honor Those Who Serve.

Not only has Renelda written a book with patterns it also tells the story of her 25 years in the military.

She put a call out...any one interested in making a quilt from the book...that might be IN the book?

 Oh yes, oh yes, pretty please?!:)  Which one do you want me to make and what colors?

How about LT's Platoon and how about pink, grey and black? OK!

I'm a military kid and proud of it.

(page from the book)

To tell a small bit of  pop's story in a book was an honor.

 I can't wait for the next book.

It's about NCOs....non-commissioned officers.

 I'm looking forward to making the TSgt's quilt!!:)

For my pops!!

xo

~d

Oh yeah...these photos where taken in August 2013...looking forward to those leaves!!

White Stuff

This is what we dealt with last weekend....

 This is what we dealt with this weekend....

At least this time we had help with the shoveling!

 Can you see the name of the Lane on our dirt road?:)

                                                                                 ~d