Brown is Blue

Worked on the Island Melody quilt last night until 1 in the morning. Went to a quilt shop today in Vernon, Connecticut called Quilt by the Yard for additional choices of fabric to complete my sisters quilt. We had a great time visiting with the staff and somehow my sister and I ended up singing the oldies with the customers. We went shopping for fabric and a party broke out! 

And another cool and unexpected thing happened today. I met Audrie Bidwell! She has two quilts published in a current book which I bought and she signed.  Brights are her thing! The book is Modern Quilts from the Blogging Universe. She has a blog at Blue Is Bleu. Check her out here. Also found out Audrie is not a fan of browns. So there is someone out there besides me who thinks brown is blue! You meet the coolest people in quilt shops.

Hawaiian Melody quilt Dec. 2012

Work table for Hawaiian Melody quilt pieces.   Dec. 2012

There will be three more rows added but they will have to wait until I get home. So fun to do this with my sister. The end result will be a surprise for her even though she is designing the squares. She will have to wait to see it complete with all the rows sewn together.

Louie  Dec.2012

This is Louie, my sisters cat. He is a rescue and they think he is a year old. He, like most cats think that fabric and quilts are theirs and should be shared. My nephew loves playing with Louie.

Nephew and Louie. Is that hoodie a quilt?  Dec. 2012

Louie  Dec. 2012

Louie sleeps on this quilt daily. On cold nights we put a recycled wool sweater on the top of his quilt to keep him warm. This is one of my first quilts circa 2004.

Traveling back home on Saturday, so until then quilt happy.

All photos by Hattie Wilcox.

Let It Snow

I'm having another high production year at my sisters house in Connecticut. Sewing to the max, eating lobster and having lots of laughs. I can't share the first project I finished as it is a Christmas exchange with a Modern Quilt Guild member. We are making mini quilts using an inspiration fabric our person gave to us. I am really pleased with my idea and will share it later.

My sister and I have been working together on a quilt that she designed. She made up the pattern with a little help from me so that is pretty exciting. This is a design as you go pattern so it isn't as fast as I am used to. I work on my own quilt during the design time if she takes too long!

M&W quilt  Dec. 2012

We are making progress, slowly but surely!

M&W progress  Dec. 2012

Bleeding light to dark from the center is her goal. You should see what she is going to use in the border row. She has never designed a quilt except on paper so this is a process she had no idea was so involved. Designing as you go and sewing it by the row is a pain, but it has to be done this way. How many rows? I have no idea. I try not to think about it! I leave here on Saturday so it will be finished as far as design goes. 

Me sewing at Harriet's  Dec. 2012

Stay tuned for more progress on the latest Connecticut quilt.

All photos by Hattie Wilcox.

Finally Finished

I was going to wait until I got a picture of the baby girl twins on their quilts but I will post it when I get it. I have been busy working Shop Hop. Great fun. I have never talked so much in two days, ever! Thanks again to Zany Quilter for quilting these. Check out the close up photos here.

Monica's Quilt Nov. 2012

Nicole"s Quilt Nov. 2012

Snapped these photos just as the wind was picking up. Mom wanted orange and yellow for the babies and the Timeless Treasures Pink Lemonade strips were perfect. For someone who has pattern issues this came together without a hitch. For me, that's saying something!

Back and binding Pink Lemonade Nov. 2012

I love the backs and binding. 

On my list right now are two more baby quilts, my daughters wedding quilt which we will be working on together. I am really looking forward to that. Wait till you see the pattern. My sisters quilt she designed, MQG challenge quilt and the Christmas exchange for MQG. The toaster quilt that is half finished, The Kaffe fabric one that is half finished and a class that I am taking on Friday, the fabric has to be cut and ready. These are the only the ones I can remember! Oh and my handwork hexies in 1" and 3/8".

Until next time... quilt happy.

http://zanyquilter.blogspot.com/2012/10/baby-quilts.html

Hawaii Twins and Sister

These quilts put a smile on my face and the fact they are done is due to a good friend quilting them. They would still be in a pile waiting to be quilted if I was responsible for getting them quilted. Thanks Zany Quilter. Check out the close up quilting there. She did a wonderful job. Thank you Zany Quilter. 

I didn't follow a pattern, I just stacked, cut and shuffled to do the blocks. It is all freehand cutting. Give it a try, it's fun.

Hawaii Twins Nov. 2012

The boys quilts are the same except the backs. One is blue with trucks and one is gray with trucks. The binding matches the backs. The backs being different is so they will know which one belongs to them. 

Hawaii Twins back Nov. 2012

Sisters quilt I did quilt and I am very pleased with my work. It was fun but I still think that is an art in it's self. 

Twins Sister quilt Nov. 2012

That border is called piano keys and I love doing them. I"m usually not a border person but I like this one. I also made her a pillowcase that has colorful fishes on it because I heard she loves the ocean. Now to get it all in the mail. It will arrive before the boys turn one so I have met my goal that I have a year after they are born to get the little ones their quilts. Their cousin in Virginia is on the list.

Until next time...have fun, whatever you do!

Modern Quilt Guild Challenge

Our last challenge for this year for the Modern Quilt Guild is to use all Bonnie and Camille fabrics and has to be bigger than 20" X 20'. It has to be quilted and bound. It is due the 29th of this month. Here is where I am with this project.

MQG B&C Challenge Nov. 2012

Tomorrow is my 12 hour sewing gig so I should make great headway on this piece. I think I know where I'm going with this pile so I just need to do it.

I am washing all the baby quilts as I type this and I am so excited to post and distribute these cuties. I have to admit there are two that I haven't even started. Bobby and Riley aren't very old yet so I still have some time.

See you again on Wednesday. Until then...happy quilting.

Summer Sewing

My niece was here for a few weeks this summer and was a lot of help in getting the girl twins quilts going. She loves to use the rotary cutter! She was very good at trimming the corners off. That's why that quilt seem to go together so fast. She drew the lines, I was busy sewing and she trimmed. Now I remember! 

Nicole & Monica's pieces   Aug.2012

I will be working on the binding today. Will post photos when they are both done. Finished binding one of the boy twins quilts. 

Ella's Journal  Aug. 2012

I made her a journal cover that fit the first time. I usually have to make two as the first is always too small. If I only knew what I did different! She has a great eye for color and chose her fabrics from my stash.

Ella and her journal  Aug. 2012

I think she loves it! We always have such a great time in the sewing room. She walked into my fabric room and said it always makes her so happy to see all the colors. That's my kind of girl! She is working on her yo yo stash too! Could it be possible that she will be anything like her Auntie?

Aug. 2012

Love the toes! My new favorite color. Yes, it was August and she is under a blanket! She had to share the couch by day with Sparky the cat who sleeps under the quilt at night.

Aug. 2012

Just to let you know I was not sitting around eating bon bons since my July post! Ongoing projects for when I get bored or need a change. The hexagons are my night sewing projects that I do while watching TV with Husband. Recently I have been working on bindings for all the baby quilts that seem to be never ending. I'm getting there. The toaster quilt is to help use up my stash and trading fabrics with others that are doing the same quilt.

Until the next time, happy quilting!

Caddy Pad

My Hawaii friend is here for her annual trip and we have been busy, busy, busy, shopping and sewing! We made iron caddies for those times we have to take our irons to sew-ins and retreats. They open into an ironing surface with a heat resistant fabric inside. It is the perfect solution for taking a warm iron home without iceing it down first!

Shar has to have her bling so you know which one is hers.

 Iron Caddy - October 2012

I have been working very hard on my numerous baby quilts. Thanks to Zany Quilter, she has enabled me to go from quilt tops to binding. She quilted all four that I had finished and did a beautiful job. I was putting off quilting them on my Juki as they are all large and very intimidating to an inexperienced quilter. Thank you again Zany Quilter. Check out her work here.I will post pictures when I get the binding complete. The twin boys in Hawaii just may get them before their first birthdays. Good thing the end of the year is near as I have a total of six baby quilts to make for this year. Two sets of twins. There must be something in the water! None of them grandchildren but that's okay. I still have two that I haven't even started yet. 

Yesterday Shar went with me to our monthly sew-in with the Modern Quilt Guild girls. They made her feel so welcome she thinks she wants to join! Good  company, good food, lots done. A good time was had by all.

Until next time. Happy quilting.