Huge Courthouse Steps

 Wishing the weather was like this.  It's been raining for the last four days so snuggly hand quilting is greatly appreciated!

 Used Anna Griffin's Honoka...

 ....burgundys up two sides and greys on the other two for a huge Courthouse Steps block.

 Leftovers round the edges.  Boy I miss that sunshine!

 Size 8 perle cotton chunkiness.  The quilting goes so fast with big thread and big needle!

 This is earmarked for a special friend's daughter who is buying her first home. 

 Guess I need to make a special label!:)

Happy December 1st!:)

Oh....and voting has started for the Steampunk Challenge!:)

~d

4th quarter Finish Along list.

The leftovers

So many projects....so little finishes...or at least ones I can show. 

Here is one, second for the third quarter.

It was made from the leftover half square triangles from this runner.

 There were soooooo many different ways I could have put these forty half square triangles together.  I have over 20 different configurations on my camera but love the way this one carries your eye out.  Sort of like a square drip of water ring!:)

 A few more geese and bits in the back and the envelope opening makes this more versatile. 

Table topper or pillow...I'm thinking pillow!:)

 Made a few ornaments for a swap.  Half inch hexagons.

 Never again!!

 This is what I am working on today.  All pin basted and half way hand quilted.

Of course there are always other things going on too!  

How about those Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus?:)

Like my new Instagram button up there on the right?

Thanks little sis! xoxo

~d

4th quarter Finish Along list

Fourth Quarter 2015....Really need to get dones!

Yes...I said "dones" as in lots of WIPs or UFOs...the unfinished!

First...third quarter finish round up.

 

The only finish that remains at home is the Ferris Wheel mini in the upper left!  So freeing!

Above is the only carry over from last quarter.  This one is a priority!

Leftover HSTs from the flying geese runner.

 A Challenge!

 Another challenge using zippers and text fabrics.

 A top....for no reason at all.

 Last leftover top from Angled Frames tutorial....finally!

 Salesman sample batiks...had an idea...need to get to it!

Of all...I think what is below is the most challenging project I hope to finish....

...still trying to teach myself how to knit.  See all the yarn rewound? 

Multiple starts and restarts!

(Bunting flag swap....thanks to all my fellow swappers...she loved it!:)

Here's hoping for a productive quarter both crafting and winter gardening!

Happy Boo Month!

~d

Mom....they're a little too short!

She really loves these dresses.

Nice heavy well draping knits....but a little too short.

Mom!

Scoured the inter-world for wide black lace. Scored on Etsy!

Then stewed on it for a couple months...too afraid to...

 ...make the first cut!  Figured it this way...she wasn't going to wear them any more because of shortness so don't worry about it!

 Sliced and marked with a little thread to make sure pieces were put back in the same place.

Doubled up on the lace to make it wider.

Done and Done. Phew...marking that off my Finish Along list!!

Now for a little nostalgia.

 The boy's beloved Dino.

 The girl's fav wee family...Dad is 4" tall!

And Caveman...a rummage sale find in a bag of plastic dinosaurs.

Loved by both of them!:)

~d

Third quarter Finish Along list.

Granny is finally Squared...or umm...quilted!:)

About three and a half years ago (hanging my head in shame) Round 14 at the Old Red Barn Co. Quilt Along was a Granny Square quilt.  

 We were supposed to use 2.5" squares but you know me...I gotta go against the grain and....

 ...I had a stack of 4.5" Hoffman 1985 batik squares already for piecing.  Why not?

 So Mega Granny was born. I didn't have enough to make two more squares so  improvised with scraps in the center. I like it!

  Chunky quilting is my fav and this was easy.

Especially when you don't have to mark the quilting lines!

Yeah for the seventh finish!

At the shop we have a new service project...

"Donate a block, Donate an Organ"

It's all about making quilts to hang in dialysis centers to bring a little smile to the faces of patients while they wait.

Don't you think Batman can help with his awesome strength?:)

Some Batman strength is needed to finish this puppy. It will be following me to the last quarter of this year's Finish Along!

Protein helps too!

Oh...forgot to point out the button up there....I'm going to have a quilt at the

International Quilt Festival Houston 2015!

My Wind Cave landscape will be in the National Parks Special Exhibit AND I will be at the show working the Webfabrics booth!!  

Our shipping manager/pal Kerry has TWO quilts in the same exhibit!

Come say Hi...hugs gladly accepted too!:)

~d

Third quarter Finish Along list.

Wood and Flowers

Sixth finish of the 3rd quarter is a small runner/wallhanging that came from a previous finish.

 The runner here was going to be too long if using all the parts so I saved out a bit. Hand quilted it trying to make a wood grain since the inspiration for this pattern was a set of stairs. Would have worked better if done on the sewing machine but still pretty cool. My bro-in-law liked it!:)

 Finally finished all the flowers but when putting them on the floor I didn't like how they looked AND it would barely be a lapsized quilt! Want it to be bigger. Not making more of those puppies so...

 ...fifty-four 10" squares were cut out of the leftover prints and Grunge solids. This will be so much easier than sewing all the flowers together...and versatile.  Fifty-two more to go!!

Fall is definitely in the air.  Blackberries are done. Tomato and pepper plants are waning.  

Time to clean out and plant Fall greens!

How is your garden doing?

~d

Third quarter list.

Different way to applique...at least for me!

My boss went to Amsterdam meeting up with one of our loyal online customers.  This lady does amazing hand work...in fact she will have a quilt in Quilt Mania soon and I don't think it's the first time!  She showed Carly how she prepares her bits for hand stitching....a tracing wheel and a piece of leather! 

 (I used a piece of pleather...worked fine.)

Carly knows I love to do handwork and not only showed me this new way but bought me a lovely wooden handled tracing wheel. All you do is trace your pattern piece on the wrong side of the fabric and the edges curl up....turning under so easily!

 Makes appliqueing a few leaves for a baby quilt a snap!:) 

 Used some of the Chenille-It to add the wee ones initials and embroidered the year to the left.

 Now our girl needs to send it to her friends in Canada!:)

Set the last quilt top hanging in the closet free...now it is basted awaiting hand quilting.  

It's just too hot right now!

But the temperature is perfect for peppers!

~d

5th finish of the 3rd quarter.  The List.