Two More

Two more tops are finished!  The first one is my Number 3 for the "Dirty Dozen" hosted by "Country Threads".  The top is done but my goal was to take it to the finish line, so I need to find or make a backing for it so I can get it quilted.  The pattern is called "Pacific Grove" by Villa Rosa Designs.

I finished the last seam and took it outside immediately to get a picture.  I should have given it a bit of a press before I did that, but oh well, such as it is.

Next up is the Sampler Quilt that was a BOM that I started back in 2010 using fabric designed by Julie Larsen of PSQ.  The top is done!

I did the borders different than the pattern called for.  But this change makes it mine and more importantly, it's a top!  I have backing for this one and I'm going to have it professionally quilted.  So I'll show that to you once it has it's binding on it, so you can see the quilting.  I'm always amazed at how the quilting changes the look of a quilt.

Balancing Act

"Balancing Act" was the last Sampler Quilt that Jean taught.  I love the looks of this one.  I also had on my list of "Things I Want To Make" a black, white and red quilt.  The top is done and I'm loving it!

It's a long twin size, so I will be on the lookout for backing fabric so I can get this one to the finish line.  I'm starting to run out of room in the guest bedroom closet for quilt tops, so I need to get some of these quilted and out of there so I can add others!  LOL

Do you have a stack of tops needing quilting or are you a person who takes each top to the end before you start another one?

Busy

This has a been a busy summer.  Between sewing, gardening, harvesting and preserving and trips, I haven't made the time to share on the blog.  

I've been working on a UFO Challenge with "Country Threads" and I have the top done and it is sandwiched and ready to be quilted.  

And the next project is #3, which is a quilt kit I made up with my dog fabrics and a Villa Rosa Pattern called "Pacific Grove".  I'm hoping it goes together fast.  And I want to take it to the finish line this month, meaning all quilted and binding complete and it's ready to use.

I have a 2 fabric bargello top ready for the borders.  Love how this turned out.

And all the way to the finish line is this "Turning Twenty" from book No. 8.

I used fabrics from my bin of florals. It will be so fun to have my own flower bed in the house this winter.  

And now a look at the real flowers in my gardens.

Asiatic Lilies

Daylily

Swallowtail caterpillar

Asiatic Lilies

Asiatic Lilies

Stella D'Oro lilies

Almost Finished

My July Challenge is almost finished.  I took my sister's idea/advice and made the squirrel out of wool.  It's ready for me to pin and quilt it.

This past week we were in MN visiting and we went to see "Big Boy" in St. Paul.  My grandson is a train buff and enjoyed seeing the train.

This summer seems to be flying by.  

The Dirty Dozen

Mary and Connie over at Country Threads is starting "The Dirty Dozen" UFO challenge.  But I'm changing it up a bit.  I have some small kits that I never seem to get to.  Such as table toppers, bags, and mini quilts.  So my "Dirty Dozen" consists of those projects.

Number 8 is the number Mary drew for July and that is a mini quilt kit I have from "Bloomin' Minds" called "The Squirrel".  It was a kit that was designed for the 2018 All Iowa Shop Hop.

I'm planning on starting it today.  This is good.  I have a big project that I'm working on and this will be a little thing to give me a sense of completion.

Sampler

The center of my Sampler quilt is finished!  WooHoo!

I have the first small border on.  The next border is a stripe fabric and it calls for it to be mitered at the corners.  I've never mitered a corner before and I don't think I want to start with this one, but I'm not sure.  I'm stopped here until I decide if I'm adding corner stones or mitering the corners.  Decisions, Decisions, Decisions. 

Pat Speth Class

Two summers ago I took a class with Pat Speth of the "Nickle Quilts" fame.  The quilt I started is called "Waltzing Butterflies", and it made using 5 inch squares.  I have tons of 5 inch squares so it was hard to choose which ones to use.  Even with pulling for that quilt, I still have tons.  

I took this UFO on Quilt Retreat with me this past weekend.  Lots of progress was made.  I'm excited to get the top done.  

Last week I also finished my challenge for the Quilt Guild, a quilt on a stick.  So much fun to make.  The theme was "The Fair", anything that reminded you of the Fair.

Come to the Harrison County Fair in SW Iowa. There are over 30 little quilts on a stick to check out.   Here's a link to all of the events at the Fair:

Harrison County Fair.