Houston is just around the corner, but before...

I was able to finish my Material Girl's 2018 Challenge Quilt.  Our challenge this year was to exchange flying geese blocks (about 10 of us participated) and we had to make something using the blocks.  Here is what I came up with.  It was from a picture I saw on Pinterest. 

Pictures are kind of dark.  I had my portable design wall up in my bedroom which is dark.  Anyway, I decided to add the checked border to add more interest and to get rid of more scraps.  I had a shoe box full of 2" squares.  It barely used any of them.  The box still seems full.  I use the pellon gridded stabilizer to make that border.  It may take longer to do, but it's pretty accurate and all the seams match.  Luckily I had some extra flying geese for my quilt (because I didn't like the first batch I made - not as accurate so didn't want to give to friends) so I used some of that batch.  Then one of the ladies reversed the light/dark of her geese so couldn't use those.  (I will find something to do with those patches.)  And for the details of the challenge, we exchanged in the spring and we have until we meet for Christmas to show off our quilts.  We really don't have rules and you don't have to finish it or participate in our challenges.  It's just something a lot of us do because we do so well with challenges.

And if you are wondering, our guild's boutique did great again this year.  A lot of my stuff was sold and I also sold one quilt on commission.  (Thank you Suzie Kistler - if you want to see which quilt it was, here is a picture of it on her guest bed.)  It's so great to see your quilts being used. 

Three of my friends and myself will be heading to the Houston International Quilt Show in November.  I will be going a few days early to visit with my sister who moved to New Bruensfel (spelling?) earlier this year.  Then on the Tuesday before the show, she and I will head to Sugarland to visit with my cousin Gina.  Her daughter has an Air b&b that we will stay at.  And the next day she'll drop me off at the convention center to meet up with the three to enjoy the show.  This is the second time I'll be at the show.  We went with a much bigger group about 5 years ago. 

Am also working on a baby quilt to bring to Gina.  She's getting ready for her first grandbaby.  I talked to the baby mom to see what colors and she said teal & gray.  I bought gray Minkee to back it with. 

Still need to figure out how I want to quilt it.  More than likely straight lines somehow. 

And to end of on a cute note, here's my little Needle cuddled in bed with me one night. 

Thanks for looking