Black and White Selvages

This is a quilt made with white, cream, beige, etc and black selvages. it is about 70x84. my sister wants it so it is going to her.

I started out making the blocks corner to corner

But that got boring quickly so i made some vertical. Even the sashings are pieced selvages.

And some horizontal or in an X pattern

Tried a crazy quilt block. they are all different....and a lot with the fuzzy selvages. 

The back is a muslin

I used a panto called Vanilla Orchid. I just quilted it and didn't worry if it turned the selvages one way or another. i figured....more texture. LOL

And the binding is a wild black, white and red stripe.

Top thread is a Gray Glide and bottom was a Bottom Line sort of sand color.

The Jesus Quilt

Thanks to Riley....she confirmed what i was thinking....cross hatching was the way to go. but i liked her idea of as wide as the blocks instead of my idea of 1".  

I don't know what that quilt pattern is called....i get several of them and i always just call them the Jesus quilt. haha  it is 45x48"

There were, i think, 3 of these star blocks....maybe 2. i just finished it and don't remember...sad.

Ten of the Jesus sayings

Three of these blocks

Back was a cream....maybe a Kona

I did the same quilting in each color....cream has pebbles, green has CC, etc.

Glide chestnut and white on top; Bottom Line Silver in the bobbin

Judy's French Braid

This French Braid quilt pieced by my friend, Judy, is so light and airy that it just feels like spring. and she gave me a sort of puffy batting, so i quilted it minimally....which is hard for me. haha

I think she will like it.

I SID in the braids ... and around all the seams in the borders

I know she likes feathers....so had to throw in some 'airy' feathers.

The back is a cream

Wasn't sure about that border but i tried to stick to the minimal quilting

Top thread was Glide Cream and bobbin was Bottom Line Champagne.

I loaded it the long way to facilitate quilting and rolling. 

I've had it for 3 months....so it is definitely time for it to go home. i have one more small one to do for her first.

Louisa's Maiden Posies

This is another design from my friend, Mary. she designs quilts and sells the patterns. there are 4 or 5 of us that are her 'pattern testers'. i didn't want to make the whole quilt, so i just did both blocks and made a table runner. perhaps she can take it with her when she goes to vend her patterns.

It is called Louisa's Maiden Posies.  all her patterns are civil war named....after battles and places and such. i am assuming this Louisa was a central figure she found in her research. she usually gives us stories along with the pattern when it is finished.

It is about 39x15"

This block was the challenge for me. took me 3 nights. and a few ripping out seams. but it all matches up pretty well....after marking an X on the corners where they came together.

This block is applique

Back of the star block

Back of the posy block

I used an off white Glide for the top and a So Fine light violet for the back. Backing and binding was something from the stash. 

Starting on 2016 Goals

OK....the goal for 2015 was to quilt up all the tops in the to-be-quilted cabinet.  i started out fabulously....and things seriously slowed down in the spring......gardening time and mowing grass time.  for the year 2015....i quilted 47 tops.....36 of them being mine. that really wasn't a very good total.....since i wanted at least twice that. and, yes, there are still a couple of months left in the year and i will be trying to get more done. 

Right now, the to-be-quilted cabinet has 77 of my quilt tops in it. and i also have 4 to do for my sister, and 2 for my friend, Mary. to finish all these by the end of 2016 is going to require about 7 tops a week. that, my friends, is not going to happen, i'm sure.

Today i dug them all out of the cabinet and sorted them by piecing date. the oldest i have dated is from 2011....3 of them for that year. 

So, i am starting early. ..... now.  haha  i will have my sister's quilt off the frame in another day or two. then i will load this one. i found it at a thrift store several months ago. it is hand pieced....and not all that well in some places. i have no idea how old it is. 

Also, right now i have 18 .... or 20, probably a couple hidden away some where.....UFOs.  

The garden and mowing is done for the year. there aren't many social obligations this time of year for us. i only have a couple more trips to the Duck planned before it gets too cold to work out there.

Soooo.....the plan is to chain myself to the longarm ..... and GET STUFF DONE.  I really, really, really need to quilt up these tops or just get rid of them. they are weighing on my mind. 

Sheesh!!    i need a clone.

Flannel I Spy top

In the interest of 'using up'....this is the last of the flannel....and a lot of the I Spy blocks.

I tried to match the color of the block to the flannel around it....sort of.

Corners are cotton dots...border is a stripe. binding will be a lime green with dots

Borders around I Spy blocks are random widths.

A few blocks got different sides....i ran out of flannels.   Top is 47x53"

Now it goes to marinate in the to-be-quilted cabinet.

I was thinking today that i would take everything out of the to-be-quilted cabinet and check the dates on those that have one....and start quilting the oldest ones first. it's only fair. LOL

A few days at the Duck....progress

I spent several days at the Duck....and took hubby with me....for the first time in a couple years. he completed so many jobs and i felt totally inadequate.  but i am so grateful that he came and helped me out. and all i had to do was feed him. haha

Jim installed my stained glass window above the back door.

I....caulked it

Jim attached the door to my dressing room cabinet.

I...held it up

Jim cut my huge coffee table in half and installed it on the wall of the dressing room so i now have a bench to sit and put on shoes.

I...explained what i wanted.

Jim installed a garage light for me....the old one was a 6' flourescent that didn't work. i loved using my metal shade that i found at a thrift store. someone made that thing.

I...held the flashlight

Jim made a handrail for my back steps into the garage

I...drove him to the place to get the pipe

Jim installed baseboards in the office

I...painted them

Jim attached my office desk to the wall for me

I...helped pick it up....and painted the pedestals

I found these colorful discs at a church rummage sale and bartered the lady down from $5 to $2.  hahahahaha   when i told her i was going to glue them to the wall .... she looked at me like i was nuts. and then just sighed and said....sure, take them. hahahahaha  i have lots left.  and i believe i am going to put some sort of graffiti on the edges of the desk....something flat and colorful.

And i found a leather S....i don't know why i needed it. 

And the coolest thing that Jim did...

He is fixing my pocket doors. already have them all fixed up and in the slots. fixed the wheels on the bottoms...added a piece of board to the floor inside the slots.  had to bring home the hardware to clean off a hundred years of grime and grease and will re-hang next time.

I...admired them

So, this weekend was like....Jim - 52.....Shirley - 3     hahahaha  I am so happy he wanted to come and do a few things for me. he did much more than i had anticipated. i couldn't slow him down. but i think he is now happy to be home in his recliner.....till next time. he is already talking about the next visit...where he will....hang the pocket doors....make a door frame for the office door....and fill in a spot in the floor between the dining room and kitchen where i took a wall out.  the man can fix it all.

Oh, he also did a little window job for my sister, too. and she bought him an apple pie. he works for food. hahahaha

I did plant more flowers and put my glass flowers out.  but, Jim carried the bags of soil out there. 

And, the highlight of Sunday....Sandy came to visit me....and brought graffiti goodies....and selvages....and a little frig so i will have cold water. thank you for thinking of me, Sandy. and it was great to meet you and SweetPea. 

My sis is working on her game room at the Beast. she recently bought an embroidery machine and made the alphabet letters....all different fonts.....and framed them all in red and hung them on a dark blue wall. it looks awesome.

And there is a whole book case of games....and another book case filling up with jigsaw puzzles.

I dug out window and door trim for the dressing room and brought it home to sand and paint. and also dug out baseboards for the same room and cut them to fit. and brought them home for paint stripping, sanding and re-painting.  i have lots to do in the next couple weeks. 

But it does seem like a lot of progress is being made.  i did do a bit of sanding on the office floor. i will work on that floor and the dressing room floor as i go down there. i can get in a few more trips before it gets too cold to do anything. then there is a long wait till Spring.  sigh!!