Size Matters Quilt Top

Here is my finished quilt top for the Size Matters quilt.  It has fifteen 12-inch blocks and twelve 6-inch blocks, put together in columns instead of rows.  The 12-inch blocks have 1-inch sashing between them.  The 6-inch blocks have 1-inch sashing on the top and bottom with two inches of the focus fabric in between them and a 3-inch piece of focus fabric at the top and bottom of each column.  The columns are divided by 1-inch sashing strips.  The inner border is one inch like the sashing and the border is three inches of the focus fabric.  The top measures 60-1/2 inches by 72-1/2 inches.

I'm happy with the design that I came up with for the odd number of blocks and the two different sizes of blocks.  I think it makes a nice sampler quilt and will be a good size for using on the sofa.

Oops, I just realized that I forgot to take a picture of the September blocks individually.  Well, I guess it's too late now.  They are all 6-inch blocks.  They are the second and third blocks from the top in the left-hand column and the second one from the bottom in the right-hand column.

October Moda blocks

These are the last of my blocks for the Size Matters quilt that our Moda Friendship group was doing this year.  The two 12-inch blocks are for my quilt and the six inch block on the left is actually for the shop quilt.  I finished them yesterday and started putting the top together.

Sept guild block - Hexi Wreath

I finished the applique on my hexi wreath block today.  I decided to machine applique it using a blanket stitch.  It was pretty quick and easy since it was all straight lines.  The hardest part was the little red hexi berries.  They are just so small.  I really don't mind applique so much when it is straight lines done on the sewing machine.

Wish Upon A Star

I finally finished my Storybook Star quilt.  I finished the binding on our trip to Memphis (Oct. 13), but I just got the label sewed on yesterday.  I had trouble coming up with a name for it.  I finally settled on "Wish Upon A Star", because I figured that work whether it was used as wall hanging, lap quilt, or baby blanket.

It was machine quilted at the Front Porch Quilt Shoppe with a pantograph called Pretty Daisies.  I really like the quilting pattern, however, if I used it again, I might get them to enlarge it a bit.  It makes for really close quilting.  I was thinking I might post this one for sale on my Etsy shop.  I haven't decided for sure yet.

Today's efforts

Today I worked on getting caught up on my monthly blocks.  Since I knew that I was going to be out of town on the day of my October quilt guild meeting, I put off working on the block that was due in October.  I had several quilt tops that I needed to get finished and delivered to the machine quilter before the Nov. 1 deadline so I worked on them instead. 

Today I worked on, but still didn't finish the block that was due in October.  It is the one on the left with the hexagon wreath.  I still need to do the applique.  It is just basted and pinned in place at the moment.  If I machine applique it, I will need to find some matching thread, and if I hand applique it, it will take more time.  Either way, I knew I wasn't going to finish it today.  So I got it to the point of doing the applique and then moved on the block that is due in November.  I got that one finished.  It is, obviously, the star in a star block on the right.

In case you are wondering what would make me be out of town and miss my guild meeting (and my Moda meeting!), it was something that was definitely worth missing them for: a Pearl Jam concert in Memphis, TN!  It was awesome!!

A Bed of Roses

I finally finished the twin bed quilt with the Ellie Ann layer cake.  It's been a pretty long road on this quilt from design to finished product.  Not that it was a hard quilt to make, there were just several design changes, and therefore lots of decisions to make, along the way.  From buying the fabric, to changing away from my original design idea, to arranging the blocks, to finishing the quilt top, to deciding on the backing fabric, it just seemed like the quilt that would never be.

I think it makes a nice quilt for a twin sized bed.  It is 67 x 92 inches.  It was machine quilted in a pantograph of butterflies and flowers by the Front Porch Quilt Shoppe in Ozark.  The binding is the same dark blue fabric as the narrow borders and was hand turned.  I made the label from pieces of the two left-over blocks that didn't get used with this layout.

Hopefully someday I'll have a granddaughter who will want to sleep under it.  If not, I guess it would look nice on the bed it is photographed on, once my son, who currently sleeps there, moves out.  I'm sure he doesn't want to sleep under a floral quilt.  He's happy with the quilt he has already.

Snowman Gathering quilt top

I finished this quilt top this morning.  I worked on it yesterday, my regular sewing day, and was one seam short of finishing it, so I had to go downstairs and finish it this morning.  I still need to get the backing ready before I can take it down to the quilt shoppe to be quilted.

The pattern was adapted from the "Easy as 10" pattern in the book, Simple Quilts from Me and My Sister Designs: Easy as 1, 2, 3.  The original quilt didn't use the whole charm pack and didn't have the side borders.  I wanted something a bit bigger, so I improvised.  The top is 54 inches by 72-1/2 inches.

I'm planning to have it quilted with an all-over pantograph of snowmen.  I'm not sure yet what color thread.  I'm thinking either cream or variegated blues.  I'll decide when I get down there.