What Was I Thinking?

I'm finally back trying to finish up some of my MANY UFO's.  I have this Ohio Star that I made as a part of a series of classes I called "Skill Builders"  We started by making Chinese Coins (for straight cutting and seams, them moved on to a Log Cabin (to reinforce the accurate 1/4" seam, the third class we did a Double 9 Patch on point to line up intersections and work with fabric on the bias.  The Ohio Star was the 5th class working with triangles.  We went on to do Drunkard's Path for curved piecing and finished with Diamond Stars.  I'm trying to get them all quilted.  I don't know if I'll ever have the opportunity to teach the class again (I'd like to) but I want to get them quilted.  I had every intention of doing very simple quilting but I got carried away.  I guess I'm incorporating my second goal of the year-to improve my machine quilting.  

I've started including some of the designs I learned with the Free Motion Quilt Project.  I really should get back into that routine soon.  

It's not the greatest picture of the original sample I did.

I'm doing my current favorite meandering feather design in each of the corners.

You can see the leafy vine I'm using in the sashing.

It's been incredibly hot here the past few weeks so I had to put away my lap quilting.  So, at night to spend some time with my hubby, I've picked up and old BOM that I started YEARS ago. This is the last block of the 12.  It's been folded for a LONG TIME

Hopefully I can finish it this summer.

I have not spent as much time at the machine as I have been going to the pool and reading quite a bit.  It's something I really love to do in the summer.  I can hardly wait to go to Cape Cod in a few weeks to be with all my girls, romp with the nieces and nephews, visit with family and reading on the beach.

Today I finally had it with the closet by my back door!  I took everything out, wiped everything down and re-organized.  I put anything of the girls in their rooms so they can take them home with them on their next visits.  What I thought would take 1-2 hours took 4 hours!  So much for sewing today!

Happy Stitching!

Ta Done!

They're done!  I really got them done yesterday but wanted to get outside to enjoy the pool for an hour or so before getting ready for a Fourth of July party.

Quilted and bound!  I'm so glad to have these done!  I'll take them with me to Cape Cod in 2 weeks where I'll see the boys.  They have no idea that I've done this.  Their mom shipped the tee shirts to me in April.  I had to finish Bryn's quilt and the baby quilt before I could get these done.  I'll have to say, doing 3 tee shirt quilts out of the last 4 quilts was pretty tough!  I like to mix it up.  I'm looking forward to getting back to my UFO challenge.  I have some other quilts in my head I'd like to do but I'm going to finish a few more that I've started before I start anything new.

 Here's Guapo inspecting one of the quilts before it was bound!  I was pressing the binding and looked up to see him cuddling with the quilt!

We went to a party on the 4th and I wanted to try strawberries dipped in white chocolate then dipped in blue sugar sprinkles.  They turned out SO CUTE!  and they were a hit!  I also dipped pretzel rods but forgot to take pictures of them.  They weren't quite as popular but I liked the salty with the sweet.

 Bryn made this cake.  The recipe calls for using a white cake but she wanted to use angelfood.  I think it was really cute and GOOD!

 We've had some big storms coming through with all this heat and humidity.  Last night a big storm moved through and we thought there was a loud clap of thunder outside only to find this waiting for us in the morning!

Thank goodness it fell like it did!it missed the house and the deck!  I talked with the lawn guys and they said they could probably get to it on Monday!  I'm hoping my dear husband does not see this as an excuse to go out and get a chain saw!

Off to the movies this afternoon with Bryn.  I have yet to see The Most Exotic Marigold Hotel.  I've wanted to see it since it came out but the weather's been so good and everytime I plan to see it with someone something comes up!

Happy Stitching!

Almost Done!

I'm almost done with the twins' quilts!  I got Brendan's quilt pinned and quilted over the past 2 days!  I fortunately have a large island in my kitchen-it's so big we call it "The Continent!"

 Backing stretched and clamped

 Batting laid out.  Notice how it's lined up in front of the Olympic Trials!  I'm a total Olympic Geek!

 The top laid out.

 Let the pinning begin!

 This is the tool I use to close the pins!  It is worth whatever I paid for it to close the pins!  Before I got it my fingers would be so sore after pinning even a small quilt!

 Close up of the tip of the tool.  Please excuse the quality of the pictures.  It's difficult to take the picture while trying to demonstrate how it's used.

 I slide the tool under the tip of the pin so that it is one of the grooves.

 Push the pin tip up...

 And slide it home!

 Even though The Continent is big it's isn't big enough for the entire quilt.

 It's pinned and ready to be quilted!

Meanwhile, Guapo made himself comfortable on the couch!  He's so funny!  His butt's up in the air!  The funniest part is that we never allowed any of our dogs on the couch until we had Grand-dogs!

Today, I bind!  Then I'm done with these quilts!  WHOO HOO!!!

Happy Stitching!