Friendship Star Halloween Quilt

This weekend I did not know that I was supposed to be in a class at Pieceful Quilting, but somehow I had signed up for one!!  Luckily for me, Colleen told me that I was enrolled a day before it was happening.  It was a fun and easy class and I was able to use some of my Halloween fabric on it, which makes me very happy.  I took the picture outside on the grass, which made a little shade on it, but it is really very pretty and fall-ish.  Believe it or not, I have done a little decorating for that holiday already in an effort to make my husband feel that fall is imminent! 

I just love the flower arrangement that I got at Michael's!! It has owls in the flowers!!  The black cat is a gel-type sticky thing for the window, which looks great on the living room door window!  Today was my first day using Picmonkey to make a photo collage!! It was the easiest thing in the world.  Can't wait to play around with it more and make my blog look more interesting. 

Red and white machine embroidery quilt!!

This is the quilt that I made in an embroidery block of the month many years ago!!  I finally got it quilted by Debbie Higgins of DivineQuilting and I am so happy with the work she did (as always!).  This was one of those quilts that I knew would look gorgeous with custom quilting, so a few months ago I dug it out of the attic and gave it to Debbie.  I could not be happier with the way it came out.  Debbie is an artist with this stuff, isn't she?  Holy cow!!

 Each block was an applique/embroidery design with flower pots and flowers.  Considering that it was my first whole quilt using mostly embroidery, I was happy with my color choices and the sewing.  When I decided to use only red and white fabrics, my friends in the class were skeptical, but once it was all together (which I did right away back then) we all loved it.

 Just look at that quilting!!!

 Click on the blocks to see them up close.  You cannot believe how great the quilting is!! 

 Isn't the back just amazing!!?? I could look at it and run my hands over it all night!!

 I am not a member of a guild, but I intend to show this quilt at the show next year, even though it won't be eligible for any ribbons.  My friends want me to join the guild, but I have no time for anything else on my plate right now.  Another monthly commitment just won't fit in, so I will have to be happy just showing this off for the joy of it. 

This will be hanging in my house very soon.  I am even going to put the binding on it the old fashioned way by hand sewing it onto the back instead of only using my machine.  The only thing I have to think about is if the binding should be white or red.  I am so happy right now!! :)

Patriotic table toppers

Today we are going to a party at my daughter's fiancée's parents' house. It's a 40th anniversary for them, a new baby for their older son and his wife and an engagement for Jon and Evelyn! Fun! It's 90 degrees already so I hope we manage to stay cool in the tent they got! Anyway, I wanted to give Jon's parents a gift for their new kitchen, so I finished these table toppers I started in a class years ago. It was fun to finish something finally! I definitely need to finish more of my projects.

Windmill quilt by Moda

On Monday a few of us got together and started this quilt. It was a lot of cutting and then you really do have to trim the blocks later to make them exact (not my specialty;) so it takes a while! However, it is very easy to make and the blocks are 16 inches which makes a nice size quilt in a hurry. My fabric is called Holly Jolly and it's a lot of fun to use when it's 90 degrees on the 4th of July! Happy Independence Day! 15 more blocks to go!

Fat Quarter Shop Mystery Quilt...like I need another project:)

This is who I spend my summer vacation with!!  Penny and the new puppy, Lily!  We do some chores, go for a little ride, sew, and of course, we go swimming in the river every day.  Then the dogs want to be in the air conditioning!!

Little Lily is getting big!  She weighs like 28 pounds now.  She is such a good little girl who loves to give kisses and play.  What a great swimmer she is too.

I like to clean every day for the first two weeks I am off, but in between cleaning, dusting, washing everything, etc. I take breaks!! The dogs and I sit out here every half hour or so for a few minutes, then I am back to cleaning.

So here is the mystery quilt I just HAD to subscribe to.  The fabric is the Avalon line, which is so clean and bright looking.  It's really fun to get that package in the mail every month.  This is month one!  I didn't really iron it yet because it will go into its own box until I am done and ready to put it together. 

See you soon!  I have several projects in the works now and will post them in a day or two.