Quilty content?

Not much sewing going on around here though I did make this base for the “Be Warm” block and rough cut the pieces for the snowman applique for the Nancy Halvorsen designed Be Attitudes mini quilt.  Notice how I left them in a safe place? 

I also whipped up a “Twin Sisters” block from Eleanor Burns’ Quilting Through the Seasons mostly because I was curious what sized block you would get if you used 3 1/2 inch strips instead of the 2 1/2 directed in the book---answer?  8 inch finished.  The little 5 1/2 inchers are cute, I must say and the two blocks at a time is nice but sometimes so are fewer blocks!

I finished up the quilting on my FAB challenge on Monday, the binding has all been applied by machine.  While watching the inauguration events I got started on the hand finishing part.  I would estimate that I am a third of the way done and inching closer to mailing these up to Norma.  Other than that, I went through both the 2 inch and 1.5 inch strip boxes and straightened those out while pulling any novelty strips for Norma as she is making one of those calendar strip quilts.  I can stick those in the box with her gift when I mail it out hopefully in a few days time.  I’m pokey when it comes to binding, I admit it.

Let me show you the latest in cat toys--mouth sized pompom balls.  For several days we could not find either of his sponge bouncing balls.  His beloved puff balls have been gone for ages though I found one under the stove after the fact.  He was moping around the house obviously wanting to play but none of his usual toys were doing it for him.  At one point DJ tossed every cat toy from the basket near the fireplace on the middle of the living room floor trying to interest him in something.  Nada. He was like an over-stimulated Alzheimer patient with too many choices.  It occurred to me that I had pompom’s leftover from a craft project and dug them up.  BINGO!  It kept him busy and playing, chasing, carrying them around in his mouth. The problem is that he loses them under the couch, the beds, appliances, dressers, the wheel of the kitchen cart--you name it.   At times it seems like he hauls them off deliberately to bat them under the bed.  No problem!  I bought another big bag of them at Wal-mart and pulled out the preferred mouth sized ball keeping them handy by the computer.  He knows the container is up there and provides an almost unending supply.  He loses one and then comes in meowing and hopping up to bat at the container.  Would he even need me if he had opposable thumbs??  Hours of entertainment on both sides.  (DJ just fished out 4 of them from under his dresser as I typed up this paragraph, LOL)

Well, I promised you quilt top pictures from our last meeting.  LOL, just in time for next week’s meeting.  I came home with one pinned top that I volunteered to quilt for Lois and the 4 tops I had taken were left behind for another meeting.  Lois and Judy had first dibs on the pinning table as far as I was concerned.  (I was exhausted from too little sleep and had to go home early that day)

Judy made this sweet little quilt for a friend who just had their first child after several years of trying to get pregnant.  Nine patches in 30’s repros.

Judy also made this top which she calls “Gypsy”  I love the bright colors in it though she said she was working a bit out of her comfort zone.  It will be donated to the kids when finished.

 

Lois’ top from about 11 years back from a Trudie Hughes workshop.  “Flying Geese in the Cabin”  from More Template-Free Quiltmaking. Her original plan was more borders or maybe even the pieced border shown on the cover quilt of the book but Lois though it best to move it along and donate it as is.  This is the one that I brought home to quilt for her---any ideas of just how to go about that?  Remember, I stink at free motion.

Another of Lois’ tops--- she probably used a pattern from either Burns’ Egg Money Quilts or Quilts Throughout the Seasons.  The star block is a variation of “54-40 or Fight” or “Garden Walk (or Garden Path)”. It alternates with the “Snowball”  block which when combined, gives the illusion of curves.  I would probably call the quilt “Tennessee Waltz” as this combo of blocks is termed that in Judy Martin’s Scrap Quilts

Lois may have stumped me on this one.  It could be Strip Bow from Trudie Hughes’ Template- Free Quiltmaking.  Maybe Love Knot? The block in two colorations is really a chevron or quarter log cabin block and the blocks set on point when the top is pieced.  I’ll ask her next time I see her or perhaps one of you knows the answer. 

Lastly, here is Lois’ version of Disappearing Nine Patch.  The JOY guild used this one month as their block of the month raffle. 

Guess that’s it for now---I need to get dressed and run an errand though it is quite chilly again (16 degrees when we got up and up to 25 right now----brrrrr.  We live in the South so where are our milder winters right now?)  Back to binding the rest of the day between meal preparation.  Thanks for stopping by------------