Almost there......

So I have been totally behind on the Old Red Barn quilt along but given the “extra” day of this weekend I was able to finish the top and backing for my version of the quilt. It is now pin basted and waiting to be stippled on my dining room table. Here is what the top looks like:

Here is the backing (backwards ready to be taped).

I will start stippling tonight or tomorrow night. Also, today I start my first official quilting class at the Quilt Asylum. I guess it helps to actually see other people do this stuff. :) I will post my final quilt as soon as binding is done. In the meantime, good luck to everyone on the Janome giveaway!!

P.S. I hate the way Blogger is not intuitive. I place a pic in one place and it looks entirely different when uploaded!

Red, White and Blue

Well......... let's mark the end to an absolutely atrocious week for me and my family. I cannot even begin to think how did it all go so wrong but I am hoping for better times to come. We did have a great 4th of July BBQ at my house yesterday, followed by some very short but beautiful fireworks. That has been the highlight of our week. Thank the Lord for small blessings. Anyway, I have been busy with work and other things but I did manage to finish my 4th of July quilt. It was much more work than I ever imagined but so very worth it! I absolutely love it and will treasure it for years to come. We were able to lay it out on top of the hill and sit on it while watching the fireworks, which is exactly what I wanted.























My pinwheel quilt has a solid back. I actually just used a brand new flat sheet I had for a while and it was the best thing I did. It was easy to stipple and created no folds.

I got an awesome cut of fabric with stars which I used for the binding. I am very pleased with the overall result of this quilt. Here is to all the men and women who have fought and defended our freedom. God Bless you all and God Bless America. Happy 4th of July to you!!

I WON, I WON, I WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My family thought I won a car by the way I was screaming! I am so thrilled that I actually won something for the first time, and not only that, it is something I will love to use! I won the Warm and Natural Batting and I desperately wanted it, for the quilt I am making for the contest. Thanks so much Dana!!

I finally finished my peach quilt. It is made of Valori Wells fabrics, save for the pink polka dot backing. I am so in love with it! It was supposed to be for my youngest daughter when she goes away to the University of Arkansas as a freshman, but she has fallen in love with the one I am making for the contest. It is in turquoise and blacks from the Paula Prass collection and it is darling!

Anyway, I will keep this one for a gift or just to feel cozy around the house.

Signs

The signs that Summer is almost here:
1. The A/C in our car has gone kaput. (sp?)
2. The battery died on my DD's car.
3. We all have more work than we can handle.
4. The house is in disarray.

On the flipside:
1. Thank You God because we still have a car.
2. Thank You God that my DD's battery did not die while she was alone in the dark at night.
3. Thank You God that we have work in a time when many people have lost theirs and please help everyone find food, shelter and comfort in these times.
4. Thank You God that another month has gone by and we have been able to pay our mortgage.

Just Thank You because we can enjoy the heat, the sun, the flowers, our family most of all.

New Craft Room

Well.... not really new; rather cleaned and redone. Redecorated, moved around perfect sans wall paint. I am hoping hubby will take pity on me and paint it soon. I have only been asking for 2 years. :(
I put away most yarn and trust me, it was painful. I found so much yarn and the fact that I have no desire to knit anymore, killed me because what am I going to do with all this yarn? I am sure it is just knitting burnout. I have been knitting for at least 5 years straight without a break. This is the first break. Before that, I took an 8 year break. (scary). Now I just love sewing, quilting and all that good stuff. I think it is because there is instant gratification or at least I can finish a quilt in a couple of days.
Anyway, here it is:

Ta-Daaaah

Finally finished with my summer "Watermelon" quilt. I absolutely adore it!! Since these pictures were taken, I have since washed it and dried for that puckery soft feel and it is amazing. I am sure that if you look close enough, you will see plenty of oh oh's but overall I think I did good for my first machine quilting and also for the size of this quilt. It covers me from toes to chin, so I certainly will be using it a lot.

My girls have both placed their requests for quilts. My oldest requested 3!!! One for her room in college, one for the living room of her apt. and one for her new roommate. Yikes! I told her that was quite a bit and her answer was: "Don't you make those like in a day? !!! Then my youngest daughter has requested one also for when she leaves in August. I will be very busy this summer!! What I can say is that I have found my way back to my sewing passion and it is great!!

Last night I worked on a cute bag which took me over 5 hours!!! I was doing really, really well until it came time to do the wooden handles. What a nightmare! My fabric which had been carefully cut and sewn, started to stretch and warp from all the effort to get those handles under the machine's arm. Argh!! I kind of finished but I like things perfect (i know. :( ) so I think I will be changing the handles today to something else. It is stinking cute and I want to use it during the summer. I will post pictures tomorrow.

Ok; Time to go clean and get ready. Tonight is my youngest daughter's Senior Prom and we surely will have a house full of last minute emergencies and screaming teenagers. I wouldn't have it any other way!!

Down to the wire

So as I write tonight, my quilt is finally machine quilted and ready for binding. I am so absolutely thrilled with it! I am sure there are a million mistakes but I am totally pleased with the results. I can't wait to put the binding on it and we are taking it to the lake this Memorial Day weekend. It's funny, but now I have dubbed it the Watermelon quilt and you can see why. The colors on this computer do not do it justice. It is gorgeous!! It was quite a learning experience and I am ready to tackle my 4th of July quilt.

The size is 53" square inches. That is quite large to machine quilt in my little Viking Emerald sewing machine, but I must say it did not dissapoint me. It was tricky at times, and I spent 3 entire nights after work quilting and ripping where I was not happy. Overall, I can't wait to do it again!!!

On the homefront, many of us have been feeling under the weather. It has not been really a great spring, but I feel it is all about to change. We are all ready for summer and some real fun. Hope everyone is having a great week and I leave you with some signs of spring from my backyard.