Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving.  I know we all have a lot to be thankful for.  Here's one of the things I'm thankful for:

Our sweet little baby grandson, Zahn!

Nesting Robin 2014/15 Center Block

Here is the block I plan to use as the center for the upcoming Nesting Robin Challenge on the About.com Quilting Forum.  It's an orphan block that I had planned to use on my previous Nesting Robin but it didn't work out.  I found the pattern for it in one of my quilting magazines but can't recall who the designer is (may be Blackbird Designs).  When I figure it out I'll give whomever the credit they deserve for designing such a lovely block.  I made a miniature version (8 1/2" x 8 1/2") of the pattern and did needle-turn applique on it. 

I'm thinking a few plain borders, some more applique, and maybe even some pieced blocks could make this into a nice medallion type quilt.  Or I could go a little bit out of my comfort zone, and try something entirely different than I've done before, by placing it and other various sized blocks in a random setting - with a layout kind of like this sampler that I found on pinterest (a Sue Spargo pattern):

Baby Zahn

We had baby Zahn here visiting us yesterday (Lindzey's baby).  He's 10 months old already.  He's crawling, pulling himself up, curious about everything he sees, and squeals with laughter almost constantly.  He's such a happy baby and is so much fun to be around.  Getting him to smile for pictures is kind of hard though.  He's too fascinated with the camera and the flash.  Here are a few pictures (the last one is of Zahn with my husband Rick - Zahn's Pappo).

 

 

 

Zahn in his Superman Halloween costume

 

 Zahn watching the Broncos

Such a happy boy!

 

Zahn reading his book from Aunt Judy

 

 Zahn reading his cloth book

 

 

I'm finally back on my Blog and pictures of Nesting Robin

It's been almost a year since I last posted to my blog.  No real excuse, just living life, and spending less time on the computer.

Over the next several weeks, I'll try to catch my blog up with the things I've been working on over the last year.
 
This week I decided to join a Nesting Robin Group on the About dot com Quilting Forum.  I did a Nesting Robin a few years ago and had such fun, plus all of the quilts turned out to be soooo nice, that I decided to do it again.  Plus in this one we need to post pictures of our progress on our blogs (or similar), so thought it would be an incentive to get back to blogging.  In this Nesting Robin we're also being challenged to use our stash.  I love that!  Mine needs a good thinning.

In the previous Nesting Robin we put theme's in a hat, and pulled one each month, and made a row or round of our choice using that theme.  I think there were about 8 themes in the hat to pull from and we pulled about 5.  I remember we pulled:  classic block, stars, buildings, flora or fauna, & things.

I guess I should explain what a Nesting Robin is for those who haven't heard of it before.  A Nesting Robin is like a Round Robin with the exception that it never leaves the nest (your sewing space). You work on a piece and continue to add rounds on it each month yourself. 

Here are the pictures of the nice quilts that the ladies made during my previous Nesting Robin:

This is the one I made

 

 

Additional Vase Block for my Civil War Bride Quilt

I've been playing with the layout for my Civil War Bride quilt and decided to make an extra vase block so I can put a vase in each corner. Here's what I came up with.........

Civil War Bride Quilt - Block #15 & Groom Block

Here are the next two blocks I've been working on for my Civil War Bride Quilt.

I thought the Bride looked lonely so made a groom for her. I've also completed Block #15,the redwing blackbirds block.

I'm getting close to another decision point on this quilt - whether I'll stop at 16 blocks and make it a square quilt or push on to making the full 20 blocks. The next block I'll make is another vase block so that there will be one for each corner of the quilt and then think about which block I'd like to make for my 16th if I decide to stop there. Decisions - Decisions.

Eagle in a Garden of Janes

At our quilting group this year we had a panel challenge.  We were to use a pre-printed panel and turn it into a quilted item (quilt, wall hanging, something for our sewing room, kitchen, or other).  Here is my entry.  The panel was a Dear Jane panel.  When I was first attracted to quilting, it was because of a picture of a Dear Jane quilt that I saw.  I've always longed to have one and now I do.  I quilted around each of the lines in each of the blocks so it would be hard to tell that the blocks weren't pieced (unless you look really close-many of the pre-printed lines weren't straight).  I added a center - a needle-turn applique eagle taken from the book, "Simple Seasons" by Kim Diehl.  I was so surprised and pleased that I was voted first place in the panel challenge.  Here is a close-up of the eagle so you can see the quilting.  The quilting in the outer border is feathers.

A Tisket A Tasket Baskets Quilt

I completed the final step of adding borders to my "A Tisket, A Tasket Baskets" quilt. It was a free Block of the Month from the Bunny Hill Blog. Next I'll try to decide how I want to quilt it. The quilting will probably be something simple because I want the embroidered blocks to be the stars of the quilt and stand out as much as possible. I took some close-up pictures of the blocks and will try to add them but my Blogger is still acting up. I have to add the pictures in "compose" and the words in "HTML" to get even this much posted. For the past several weeks there's been an error message at the bottom of the page that reads "Error on page". It's such a pain. If anyone knows how to fix this, please share.

Noah's Ark Wall Hanging

I've completed the Noah's Ark wall hanging for Bobbi that I mentioned at the end of last month. It was started by a friend of ours who recently passed away. It was nearly completed - all I had to do were the leaves on the sides and top and the berries - the leaves on the bottom and the apples were already done by Marty, as were all of the animals and the ark. Bobbi helped find new homes for some of the unfinished work. I'm the happy recipient of a few items and will post them as I'm working on them or as they're finished. So here is the first one - the Noah's Ark wall hanging. Isn't it cute!

Home Sweet Home Quilt - Blocks Sewn Together




 

Here are my Home Sweet Home blocks sewn together.  I've made some design changes to the blocks - mainly to the lower part of each block (the pieced blocks & items on the grass).  The swag border is next.  I have the swags drawn and cut out so am making progress.

Home Sweet Home Quilt - Blanket Stitch in Process

 

I'm working on the blanket stitch on my house blocks using a King Tut veriegated thread.  Here's an example of how it looks.  I'm so pleased with how it's turning out.  I've completed the blanket stitch on 5 blocks so far - each one takes me about 1/2 a day. 

I'm having some difficulty with my blog though - it will only let me type between pictures.  There's been an "error on page" message for the past several days.  Nuts.  I'm hoping to post a picture that shows how I changed the flowers on block 2.  Crossing my fingers that I can figure out how to include it. 

After some difficulty and experiementation, here is block 2 with the new flowers.  Below that is the picture of the 5 blocks where I've completed the blanket stitch.  It won't let me type by that picture.

Home Sweet Home Quilt - Blocks 8 & 9

Here are the final two blocks, blocks 8 & 9.  Now onto the pieced blocks, the machine applique, and the swag border.  I'm happy with how the blocks are turning out.  I'm excited to finish it so I can hang it in our entrance-way.

Home Sweet Home Quilt - Block 7

I feel like I should start a count down - I'm getting close.  This is block 7 - only 2 more to go.

Home Sweet Home Quilt - Block 6

Here's Block 6 - slightly modified from the original pattern.  Can you find the 4 changes?

Before I finished this block I thought I'd post pictures of the way I prep my blocks when doing fusible. 

This picture is of the 4 remaining blocks all drawn on the fusible - the first step.  I've drawn whatever pieces would fit within the outline of the house base and those that wouldn't fit are placed in a baggie marked with the block number.

The picture below is of the second step that I do - cutting out the centers of the larger pieces so that the fabric won't feel stiff on the finished quilt.  I do that as I'm ready to work on a block and before I fuse them to the fabric.

The next picture is of the 3 remaining blocks - centers haven't been cut out of the larger pieces for these blocks yet - I'll do that as I start to work on each block.  This helps space out my scissor cutting so I don't get a sore hand from the repetitive motion.

You can also see how I wrap my bias stems around a cardboard roll so that they hold their shape.  I made a lot of 1/4" bias stems but, as you can see, most have already been used.  It's time to make enough to get through the last 3 blocks so I don't have to stop and do that later.

 

Home Sweet Home Quilt - Blocks 4 & 5

Two more houses to add to the collection.

 

Guess you can tell what I'm calling my quilt.  I plan to make a few more variations to the pattern as I make my quilt.  You'll have to see if you can tell what they are.  Of course, I may slip and give them away or here's a picture of the original quilt.

Home Sweet Home Quilt - Blocks 2 & 3

Here are blocks 2 and 3 for my Home Sweet Home quilt: