2015 Parade of Quilts...

Quote for the Day:

I have never done a "Year-In-Review" post before about my quilts, but I thought I'd do one for 2015...just because.

Please join me on this trip down 2015 Memory Lane...

My first finish was actually a finish-up of a quilt that I started in December 2014..."Vintage Embroidered Stars".  This was also the first (and only, so far) quilt that I sent out to be long-arm quilted by someone.  Machine-pieced, my own pattern...

My next project was "Mr. Chillingsworth", a gift for my chiropractor that I machine pieced and hand quilted, purchased pattern.  This quilt now hangs in one of his treatment rooms.  

By March I had a severe case of the "winter blahs" and made this Spring table runner for my dining room table.  Machine pieced and machine quilted, "Disappearing 4-Patch", free on-line tutorial...

Next up was another "Choo-choo Train" quilt...the fourth one I've made so far!  I give this quilt to each of my grandchildren on their first birthday (the fronts are the same but the backings are different for each one.  This one was for Clark who turned one in June.  Machine appliqued and machine quilted, from a purchased pattern...

In June, I made this "signature" quilt for Kate and Jon for their wedding in July where they had their guests sign it.  There was no pattern for this...I just got the idea from seeing a picture online and made up my own pattern from there, machine pieced and machine quilted.  It was also my first time working with batiks! 

In June a friend and co-worker of mine was diagnosed with cancer and I made this quilt for her...also a "signature" quilt...signed by our co-workers.  Machine pieced and machine quilted from free online "Wonky Stars" pattern.  These blocks were my "leader/ender" project from 2013 or 2014...

And the last quilt for the year was the hand-quilting project that I had been working on since April and finished in November...Erin & Dale's vintage embroidered quilt...

Along with these quilts, I also made 2 receiving blankets for new babies that arrived in 2015...Franco and Rylen!!

I know that I'm not nearly as productive as many quilters/crafters out there...but I do my craft for the joy it brings me and to spread happiness and smiles to those I love!

Loretta

Spring is Here!!!

Quote for the Day:

"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush." ~

Doug Larson

Last summer when we were in Tennessee when our grandson was born, I bought a tub full of quilting fabric from someone on their local Craigslist....a whole large tote of fabric for $40!!!  I emptied the tote and put everything away...well...everything except a stack of 5" X 6" squares that were tied together.  This particular stack was a mix of fabrics...seersucker, cotton, home dec and other fabrics...and I wasn't quite sure where to put them.  I could have just thrown them away, but that were such pretty colors and looked like they coordinated with each other so well...they just made me smile...so I just put them aside for the time being.  (The rest of the tote contained cotton quilting fabric with only a small handful of non-quilting fabrics, so it was VERY worth the money!)  

About a month ago when I was cleaning off the shelving units in my sewing room and moving some things around, I came upon them again, but still didn't quite know what to do with them.  I put them on my cutting table and decided that if I didn't figure out something soon, then I would pass them along to a friend that I donate fabric to now and then.

About a week or so after that I was feeling "blah" from all the snow and cold weather and wanted to work with some pretty colors to perk up my mood.  Enter that strange little pile of pretty fabrics...

They were an odd shape and not very many of them, so I decided to use them all and make a table runner to brighten my mood!  The only fabric I added to them was the blue gingham check that I used in the border and the backing fabric...both from my stash!  (The blue gingham used in the blocks was one that came in the stack of fabrics!)

Nothing says "Spring" like florals and gingham!!!  :)

Now can you see why I just couldn't get rid of these pieces of fabric?  Don't they just call your name and say "Look at me...don't I make you smile"???  

Loretta