Pointless Quilter

At Road to California 2015 I took Anita Shacklefords Coxcomb class.  This weekend I put the binding on my quilt.  She gifts you a little history of the coxcomb blocks and gives you  stencils to design your own.  This is my version. I spent a lot of time contemplating my quilting.  Well actually it hung in my closet for almost a year.  I was afraid I would ruin it when I quilted it.  I did pin it about 4 weeks ago after I marked it and for the first time ever I had a problem with some of my safety pins rusting.  The older pins.  We turned our swamp cooler on a couple weeks ago and there you go  Most of the spots are in the back, but there are two in the front.  I have been given a few ideas on how to remove the stains.  Wish me luck.   Me and two friends went to Cambria this weekend for a mini retreat.  It seems I didn't get a lot done but I did.  I got the binding on the Coxcomb quilt, I also mad...

We had to put our oldest dog Walter to sleep today.  He had been sick for a while and the last couple days wouldn't eat and whatever he did eat he pooped and puked out.  He was ready. We got Walter and his sister Duchess about 6 months after I lost my shadow dog Sparky.  Kelly and Jeff first came home with Duchess and she was so sad by herself they went back and got her brother Walter.  It's a good thing they did because Duchess was pretty much blind.  Vet said about 20% sight and she needed her seeing eye dog Walter.  Duchess passed away about 2 years ago.  Walter had been sad since.  He was always overweight because he loved food.  All the time.  He knew exactly what time to get up for breakfast, he would bark at snack times and he would bark for dinner.  He lived a good life even though he only had one eye for most of it.  (That was due to a golf ball accident in 2004.) RIP Walter.  We loved you so much.  I k...

The fourth of the five quilts I pinned a few weeks ago is done!  This one is very spring-y. This quilt was started this year at Road 2 CA quilt show where I took the Sew Kind of Wonderful Metro Rings class.  Helen Robinson was the instructor.  She is one of the 3 sisters who are Sew Kind of Wonderful.     I quilted it very traditionally with feathers.  It felt like it took forever but actually only a week.  One more quilt to quilt before I can piece again.  This next one will take some time.  It's marked but it will need a lot of fill stitches.   Thanks for looking.   

Our guild has an annual mystery quilt where we get clues each month and at the end of each guild year, we all reveal our quilts.  We got the final clue in April and I was able to get my quilt top done since I tried to keep up each month.  It's a dark quilt - darker than I like but I love the border fabric. Here's a closer look at the quilt.  I spent a lot of time quilting it and you can hardly see it. We don't actually reveal until August, but I couldn't wait to share.  Everyone has all the clues so it really won't be a mystery to anyone anymore.  And I'm sure not too many of our guild members follow my blog.  The one's that do I know didn't do the mystery this year. I was also able to quilt a charity quilt for the guild.  I normally grab a kit each month and practice quilting on it before I start my own quilting.  It's a win-win. Sometimes the lady in charge of the committee will have one spray basted for me.  But this time I h...

I think this might be one of my oldest fabric pack/kit and pattern in my stash.  Maybe.  Not sure.  But the pattern from this one came from American Patchwork & Quilting June 2005.  The pattern is called "Oh My Stars" designed by Alex Anderson and Elizabeth Scott.  The fabric is Timeless Treasure Artisan.  Not sure how old it is but I've had it for a long time. Tried to get a picture of the feather's in the stars.  Just can't see it.  But it is there. I finished this quilting about a week ago, but just finished the binding today.  It's a lap sized quilt which I will probably sell or donate to our guild's boutique. Thanks for looking.

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Last year I did so many block of the months, I didn't think I got enough of my own projects done.  So this year I promised myself I would refrain from signing up for any more than just the FQS Designer Mystery.  (I already signed up for next years too that starts in May or June I think.)  I also have all the setting blocks and borders cut and ready to assemble. Fat Quarter Shop Designer Mystery Quilt -block 11 But that's not all I've been up to.  I finished 3 quilt tops and got 5 quilts pinned.  One is our guild's mystery quilt that I finished, the 2nd was a very old UFO quilt (the red, white and blue) and I finished the Road 2 California Sew Kind of Wonderful class quilt - Metro Rings.  While I was pinning I marked and pinned my Coxcomb quilt top (that I've had done for over a year) and spray basted a charity quilt.  Whew.  My neck, shoulders, back, etc. were so sore after being on the floor to pin those - but they are done.  No...

I finally finished the Bonnie Hunter 2015 mystery quilt Allietare this weekend.  I actually finished the quilting of this about a week ago, but  I didn't get the binding done until 3/27/16. I really love the way this turned out.  When she threw in the color gray with the gold and red I wasn't sure it was going to work, but it really does. And here is my Fat Quarter Shop Snapshot quilt finished this weekend too.  (3/26/16) I spent way too much time quilting the Allietare that when it came to this one, I was determined not to do too much.  However the fill I chose was pretty time consuming.  But I still like it....and it's done.  There are a few of these blocks that would make adorable little mini quilts for friends.   I brought these to work today to take pictures but it was so windy.  So the mystery quilt was taken on our conference room table and the Snapshot quilt was hung on my cubicle divider.  I really need to ...

In December the Art Quilt Group I belong to, Loose Threads, decided to do a 'stuff' challenge.  We were all asked to bring the following: 1 fat quarter of quilting cotton fabric 1 piece of any other type of fabric something metal buttons beads fiber ephemera (I can't find the email with the original list so I'm hoping I have that right.  Got a new laptop 2 weeks ago so I lost all my emails.) We put all the like items in a bigger bag and then we took turns drawing one item from each bag.  We then were challenged to make a quilt using the items we drew.  Below is a picture of the items each of us drew with their finished quilt next to it. And here is mine.  I can't comment on what everyone was thinking when they created their quilt - we discussed it when we met, but I don't want my words to skew their thoughts.  But I'll let you know what I was thinking.  (But be warned - I'm not a deep thinker.) I got lucky.  ...

My red-headed granddaughter's favorite Disney Princess is Ariel from Little Mermaid.  Her third birthday theme this year was mermaid, so Oma decided to make her a few mermaid tails for her birthday gifts. One to play dress up with. And one to snuggle in. She's a big girl now with a shiny new backpack. Just for fun I gave my little dog a Mohawk.  One day I'll do it with mousse so it will stay. Last November I took a class through my guild by Claudia Dallas Gomez and in the class I made two blocks.  Today I took a quilt as you go class by Pat Robertson.  Last night I was looking for something to use for today's class and saw those 2 blocks on my design wall and decided to make a 3rd one and then use those for a quilt as you go runner. Colors are much prettier (beachy colors) in real life.  I think I need a new camera.  Or just use my cell phone from now on. I also finished a small quilt from the guilds block of the month blocks I won la...

Two weekends ago I took a guild class with Grace Errea of  Amazing Quilts by Grace .  She has a unique method for raw edge applique.  My class sample was horrible but only because I didn't bring enough or the right color of fabrics.  I thought I had enough batiks in my stash, but apparently I didn't.  So I learned her technique and went right home and put this flower together.  (It is one of her patterns.) Over a year ago I bought some Aurifil invisible thread but was afraid to use it.  I have used Superior Threads invisible thread before and it always worked well.  But wanted to try this.  I used the clear with my Easter quilt I showed with my last post and it went well so I thought I'd like to give the dark invisible thread a try.  I LOVED IT. Had a nice visit this past weekend with my younger sister and her hubby and kid and of course my dad and brother and his wife and youngest daughter.  (It was her 13th B-day.) ...

Last year my friendship group had a signature block exchange where we got to chose the theme of our blocks.  I've been wanting an Easter quilt for a while so I asked my friends to make me 12" Easter themed blocks.  Once I received the blocks I had to put it together.  I had collected some springy fabrics and created this. I didn't do much fancy quilting - mostly in the ditch and a little scribbling.  It will be a utilitarian quilt. I also got two block of the months done tonight. The Fat Quarter Shops Designer Mystery block And our guild's block of the month for March.   I actually won the blocks last month.  I already put all 24 blocks together, slapped a border on it and just need to pin and quilt it and I will donate it to our charity committee.   I leave tomorrow to go north to visit my dad and my brother and family.  And my little sister and her family are coming for a week.  My niece's birthday is also this weeke...

Finally.  This block actually took about 16 months to finish.  I don't work on it a lot, obviously, but my goal was to get at least one done a year.  Maybe by the time I retire I'll be able to finish this whole quilt. Pattern:  Gingerbread House - Baltimore Christmas by Pearl P Pereira I'm not a great hand applique person, but I learn as I go along.  I'm using the starch turn method and hand appliqueing it down. I have not been doing much.  I have had that awful cold/cough that is going around.  I'm on week 2 and still not sleeping well because I cough all night.  Doctors just say to ride it out and come back if it's not better in a couple days.  Because I've been sick I haven't been able to visit my mother-in-law but she is home and is doing better.  Jeff said her memory is getting better.  Whew!  We were really worried. Thanks for looking.

This past week I was able to attend the Road to California Quilt Show in Ontario, California with 2 dear friends and always meet up with other friends while there.  This year I took a class from Helen from Sew Kind of Wonderful - the Quick Curve Ruler people. Here's what I accomplished in the class. Pay close attention now.  Here is what my friend Debbie and Kathy finished in class. You notice it?  Someone didn't pay attention to the placement of her blocks or even the name of the pattern/class - Metro Rings.  Easy fix though.  Just have to be more careful when I get around to finishing the quilt which won't be for a while.  I have some other items that need to get finished first.  More on that later. While at this lovely quilt show I saw many a beautiful quilt for inspiration.  Did I take a picture of any of them?  Well no, I forgot my camera and I didn't want to use all my memory on my phone for the photos.  I hope someone...