First 2026 Finish

 I finished my first quilt for the year.

I quilted and added the binding to the not so little whale quilt last week. It finishes at 53 x 68.

I took it to my guild meeting today. You can really see the quilting in this picture. Not bad, but I need to pay attention when it comes to turning corners.

I finished the sailboat star top.

It looks much better sewn together than it did on the design wall.

I made a small runner with the odd sized blocks.

I've finished piecing all the blocks for my current leader ender project.

I still need to cut the setting triangles then I will put it up on the design wall.

I have way too many tops that need quilted! I started the year with 18 tops and currently have 30!

How did that happen.

Yesterday I was prepping a few of the tops for quilting...making sure they had backs, cutting batting, etc. I found this top that I picked up last July from a Quilts 4 Kids meeting. It's not really cotton...not sure what it is. 

Today I was going to give it a good press, top stitch the edges and decide on a back. I found a hole in one of the squares...no biggie I've fixed holes before...but then I looked closer.

There are a lot of little holes like this all throughout the quilt. In roughly the same place. They are not from a bug as they are too consistent in placement and size. Since there are so many and the fabric is kinda iffy (definitely not a kid's quilt) I'm going to do something I never thought I'd ever do, I'm going to throw it away. Yikes! Would you keep it?

It Only Took Four Years

 Four years ago, I joined in a number of Covid sew alongs. Aunt Daisy was one of them. Originally I was going to make the king size quilt. Last year I decide to break up the blocks into two quilts. I also decided to add a border to both quilts. Presenting the larger Aunt Daisy quilt...

It measures 92 x 121 inches, which is very close in size to the original king size quilt. I had to move the furniture in order to get pictures.

It was easier to let Bella give official kitty approval than move her. No, I'm not going to quilt it myself, it is way too big for my Loft frame. Can you find the two turned units? One would be easy to fix and other not so much. They don't bother me so they are staying. Now I need to find backs for both Daisy quilts.

I have gotten in the habit of having a leader ender quilt. It is usually a simple easy to piece scrap block. My current leader ender project blocks are almost complete so I need something new.

One of Angela's fabric hauls had a large number of signature blocks - actually family history blocks - in a rail fence format. They weren't her colors and she wasn't interested in them so of course I took them. I've taken them all apart over the past couple of months and tossed the family history sections. There are 348 2.5 x 6.5 pieces in about 30 different prints. Above is the block I plan to make with them.

Dilemma

 
Project Quilting released their second challenge yesterday: Scads of Plaids. Again, I have an idea. I even pulled some plaid flannel scraps. But, again, I'm not going to participate. I just don't want to start another project without some finishes occurring first.

And I have one!

Ta Da!!! The small Aunt Daisy top is done! Hahaha, small is a bit of a joke...it is 70 inches square. And yes, I know three of the units are turned the wrong way, and no, I'm not going to fix them.

The large Aunt Daisy top is half done. Putting these together is a bit of a challenge since the seams don't nest. And it is heavy! But I'm so close. 

I loaded a panel quilt on the frame yesterday. I also picked up seven quilt tops, some with backing and binding fabric at the Q4K meeting.

I previously had almost all the donation quilts tops finished...note to self, don't tell JoAnne I'm running out donation tops to quilt. I am going to try to mix a few of my own quilt tops in with these.

This is one of the tops I picked up...don't know the pattern name but I really like it. Love the fabrics used.

Overwhelmed Again

 

I really did plan on participating in last week's Project Quilting challenge. I spent a day working on the design but when it came time to actually making it...there wasn't a flat surface that didn't already have something on it. Ironing board - nope. Cutting table - nope. Juki - nope. Dining room table - nope. Babylock - nope. Even the recliner had two projects next to it. With way too many projects in process already I decided I should skip that week's challenge.

So what did I do. I finished all the binding on the table runners. Two have been gifted. I'll save the last one for next year.

I finished trimming all of these little blocks and laid them out on the small design wall. 

I been wanting to make this pattern for a while. Don't ask me why I decided on using 1.5" unfinished blocks.

I laid out both Aunt Daisy quilts on the design bed. They are so scrappy I didn't have to fuss too much.

I also decide on scrappy pieced borders for both quilts. Borders and binding have been cut and pieced.

Above are the pieced borders, binding, and my current leader end project ready for pressing and the next step.

I have a Quilts 4 Kids meeting this Friday but don't have anything ready to donate.

I pulled out this project and laid it out on the big design wall. If you think I should move something, let me know. It's not going to get done before Friday.

There is still nothing loaded on the quilt frame.

Doesn't she look neglected? Doesn't she look like she is starving? Poor abused Bella is on a diet.

I walked into and out of the kitchen about 4:30 p.m. This is the look I got. She wanted her evening treats. Not until 5:30!

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. Mine was nice and quiet. Quiet being the key word.

I feel like I've been doing lots of sewing but there isn't much to show for it.

I finished putting together the table topper I showed last month. I think I might try quilting flying geese in the open space between the actual flying geese...that should be interesting.

I quilted Stephanie's star quilt. Don't know if it shows but I used a very light green thread.

HAPPY DANCE!!

All the Aunt Daisy blocks are sewn! Sixteen 28-inch square blocks with 49 4-inch units in each - Yikes! no wonder it took four years to finish the blocks. As I've mentioned before I'm not going to make the king size quilt. I am going to make a queen and a lap quilt. Both will still be pretty large.

I did chase a squirrel.

I made three Christmas table runners. Four fat quarters and quilt as you go, so they were very fast and easy to make. One has the binding sewn down, the other two still need hand sewing. They were not gifts so no hurry to finish.

I'll be blogging a bit more over the next three months. Project Quilting kicked off today. So excited. This week's prompt is A Clean Slate. I have ideas, and I think I've settled on one.