Summer fun

Fun day at Burleson Community Recreation Center with my darlin jelly beans!!! Shopping today without the darlin jelly beans, having so much fun this week away from sewing machine. My hands and shoulders need the rest. Country Stitches Quilt Store is on our list today always inspirational, if you are ever in the Burleson Texas area please don't miss this wonderful store specializing in reproduction prints.

Have a great summer!

Colleen

Whole cloth table square - free motion and templates

My project for this weekend is finished! I made a 44" whole cloth quilt for my table, will also be used in the future as a baby quilt for next grandchild. I used ivory, Imperial Batiste so it is a softy. I used my templates to lay out the center and corner designs, then filled in with crosshatch in the center and stippled the outside as fillin

Each side has a different fan design. I drew my fans and used designs from the book "Welsh Quilts"This was intended to be a gift but I cannot part with it. Sounds selfish but oh well---

There's No Place Like Home - Wizard of Oz

This quilt is made from the last of the 6 collections of Wizard of Oz 70th anniversary fabrics from Quilting Treasures Fabrics. " There's No Place Like Home! " This series of 6 quilts started in 2008 with a surprise for my daughter Kayla for Christmas. I will enter the series of 6 in our local quilt guild show June 25 - 26. They are the reason for the title of my blog and the beginning of my blogging experience.

Bug Jars for Reece

This quilt to so cute!!! and so much fun to make.

Little Red Riding Hood for Delainey

I am making this quilt for my great niece Delainey, she loves Little Red Riding Hood and she collects Ladybugs, her room is painted in yellow and white stripes.

Getting ready for quilt show

Entries for our guild quilt show had to be turned in May 17, the show is June 25 -26. I turned in 2 entries that I hadnt even started. So last weekend I went into panic mode, had company for grand daughters 2nd bday. When everyone went home Sunday I got busy and made my Bug Jar quilt for my great nephew Reece 5 yr old. Sewed all day Monday and Tues afternoon and evening. Machine quilted it this  morning. Then did my layout for the last Wizard of Oz quilt 6th in my series. Sewed it together this afternoon. I need to get my batting and backing.

Next I have to make hanging sleeves for 19 quilts and handsew them on. My Mother has agreed to help me with the handwork. Also I have to make labels for all of them.

I must be crazy to put myself through this. I just joined the guild and they won't have another show for 2 yrs so I want to show as many as I can. We should have over 150 quilts. Looking forward to helping with the show.

Happy Quilting!

Colleen

Tea Party quilts for Daniella and Isabella

These quilts are for my great nieces. Daniella will be 12 next month, hers is the pink, Isabella is 9 and hers is the lavender and green. I also am adding a pic of quilting on the back of the pink quilt. I am having so much fun machine quilting free motion.
Happy Quilting,
Colleen

FMQ challenge UGRR revisited

After 3 days of free motion quilting on UGRR, I took 2 days to take out the light thread I didnt like with the exception on the blue inside border. I added patterns in the small multi border in med brown thread and added to areas that were only outlined. Also I echoed and expanded the quilting on the outside blue border. I love the feel of this quilt but I sure am tired of clipping thread and using that seam ripper, feeling achey in hands and wrists. I am obsessed now and can't stop looking for something to take out! I am going crazy, quilting crazy so I guess that is okay. A note to Renee' "Thank you for your input and I appreciate you taking the time to give me the inspiration to take out what was bothering me"

HAPPY QUILTING!!!

Machine quilted Underground RR Feathered Star

I have spent the last 3 days machine quilting the Underground RR Feathered Star medallion. After taking my advanced Free Motion class last Saturday I wanted to practice and use the techniques. My goodness!!! it certainly is harder to do on a 76" quilt than on a 22" sampler. But I persevered and am finished. I was quite worried before washing but am happy now. Of course I see LOTS of mistakes and uh ohs!!! This is for me so that is okay. Our quilt guild is having a show in June so I will enter it, not a judged show just voting for favorites. Taking Aleve for my aching hands and shoulders!

Batik Puzzle quilt with new pillow shams

I finished the king size shams to go with my Batik Puzzle quilt. A nice addition! Using the leftover blocks and border squares worked great.

 In the left side background you see my CPAP machine, I have severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea and have been on therapy for 1 1/2 yrs. It has made a tremendous difference in my life. If you even think you may have sleep apnea please get a sleep study. I stopped breathing an average of 38.5 times in an hour. My Dad died in his sleep at age 61 of a heart attack, remembering how he sounded gasping for breath in his normal sleep convinces me he also had sleep apnea. CPAP therapy, although difficult to get used to, is now an important part of my life. I never leave home for a trip without my precious machine.

I must sound like a poster child for Sleep Apnea treatment, that is how good it has been for me.

Holly and her quilt

My niece Holly with her Kaleidescope quilt. I had no idea of her paint color or furniture, look how well the quilt looks with her decor. Beautiful on the leather. This pic makes me so happy, I love you Holly!!!

Happy Mother's Day and machine quilting class project

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all my quilting friends. I hope you have a wonderful day with family and full of memories!!! Yesterday I took the second machine quilting class through our quilt guild. Lots of fun and cant believe what we did without tracing patterns, only basic guide lines. I am looking forward to using these skills on my next quilt.
Colleen

English Tea Party quilt top

My first attempt at a blended quilt. This will be for my great niece Daniella she is almost 12 and she plays the violin. She also loves pink. The churn dash block is one of my favorites and this was very quick piecing.

Batik pillow shams

Today I started on my Batik pillow shams. I made the quilt last summer and I love it on the bed, but it needs shams. So I found all the leftover border blocks and the large blocks that I didnt use. The large blocks had been cut in half to use on my outer rows, but had too many.

I had this lovely Batik with all the colors except the blue used in my sashing. After several tries at different layouts I decided on this one and have topstiched all the pieces. The blue I used for sashing needs to be added somewhere, with only a few 3" strips left I will work on that next. They do have an exotic look and I have enough of the background to make the backing. I plan to machine quilt the tops. I might bind them with the blue.

Payten's baby doll Baby Stella gets a quilt

Payten's birthday, 2 yr old is May 19. I made the pinwheel quilt for her and with the leftover pinwheels, patches and a few prairie points I made a quilt for her doll, Baby Stella! Sweet dreams little darlings!!!

Stash Buster quilt

I used my Mary Englebreit prints and bright 1930 reproduction prints to make this for my great niece. Her name is Mia and she is 5 years old. My first stash buster and it is very cute.

pinwheel quilt

This week I have been making a lap size pinwheel quilt. 1930's reproduction fabrics, very sweet prints,  trying out the free motion quilting designs I learned at the class I took Apr. 10. The advanced class is May 8 so I needed some practice.

Joseph's Coat roses are blooming

I went to visit my middle daughter for a family weekend and look what I found in the garden when I returned. My Joseph's Coat roses are blooming, just had buds when I left on Wednesday. They are so pretty, this is the 3rd season for this rosebush. Thanks for joining me in the garden today!
Happy Quilting and Gardening,

Colleen

Quilts will travel to 3 states

My beautiful nieces ---
The Kaleidescope will travel to Iowa for Holly in peach shirt.
The French Braid will travel to Kansas for Shana in red shirt.

The Strips that Sizzle will travel to Arizona for Paige in yellow shirt.

Kaleidescope and Strips that Sizzle finished

These quilts are for my three nieces, Holly, Shana and Paige. See their pic on a previous post. I love finishing, such a rewarding feeling to see the vision come to life in my work. These batiks have been so much fun and the colors are so vibrant. I hope the girls will love them as much as I do. There are 3 great nieces and 1 great nephew in this family group so onward I go to the next generation.

French Braid quilt

Shana's French Braid quilt is quilted - I used the techniques I learned in the Free Motion class and it was good practice!

Stitching Memories Quilt Guild donation quilts

Last night I attended quilt guild, there were about 45 people attending. We had a speaker from the local Youth Shelter. Our guild has made 83 quilts and 30 pillowcases to donate. Each child who goes through the shelter leaves with a quilt. That is so heartwarming to know that we will touch so many children who need to know they are loved.
I joined Stitching Memories Quilt Guild only last month. When the sewing day was announced I was unable to attend so I donated 3 quilt tops that were complete. It was very rewarding to see them quilted and bound and ready to go to a child. I am so proud to be a part of this amazing group of women and one gentleman who are willing to give their time and talents for others.

Spring Garden pics

Spring is here, my allergies are out of control sinus infection and bronchitis. Don't feel like sewing but I did get some garden pics to share. Enjoy! On Apr 10 I took a free motion machine quilting class and have done some practicing. I certainly do need ALOT of practice. Hobby Lobby had my favorite batting on sale last week so I purchased enough for the four quilt tops that are finished. Also ordered my backings, so when I feel better I will have plenty to post about!!!
Happy Quilting!

Colleen

Adding pieced borders to Strips that Sizzle

I am wishing I had mitered the first borders, now I need to get rid of the blue that extends into the gold border. Thinking I might add a corner block or just piece in a new gold section. Any ideas out there in Quiltland???

Strips that Sizzle with borders

I sewed blocks and added borders, working on corners.

Today's progress - Strips that Sizzle

Today's progress

This quilt is for my niece Paige in the center, the kaleidescope is for Holly on the left, the french braid quilt is for Shana on the right. Aren't they so pretty!!!

Strips that Sizzle??? 1st layout - not so good!!!

I can see lots more turning and twisting for these first Strips that Sizzle blocks. I havent made one of these before, so many small blocks to work with on the design wall. Need a good night's sleep to tackle this again tomorrow. Perhaps I am making it harder than it has to be, not even sure about my fabric choices, but I will figure it out, suggestions are welcome!
Happy Quilting!

Colleen

Shana's French Braid quilt top is finished!

French Braid quilt top finished for Shana. I will start Paige's this week. Holly's kaleidescope quilt top is finished. The girls are all excited about the quilts I am making for them. Last year I made a Wizard of Oz quilt for my niece Heather, her favorite movie!

Borders added to Holly's kaleidescope