The Flag. A new challenge I hope you join me.

In my blog browsing these last few days, I came across a nice little blog entitled "The Qulited Pomegranate."

The post last night was about the flag and a challenge issued to the readers. I was intrigued. As a matter of fact, I started getting ideas right away which is unusual for me. I commented I was in and mentioned I'd post to my blog a link.

I really hope you join and comment over in the Quilted Pomegranate you are in too. Challenge yourself in a very different way, with an abstract quilt!

Here's the post link.
http://quiltedpomegranate.blogspot.com/2009/03/thinking-about-challenge.html

Cheers! Becky

Tablerunners

I needed a break from quilting on the frame and from sewing the pineapple blocks so I broke my rule of "no new projects" and stepped up to face a challenge from the OST Yahoo group. Another color challenge to use a color you hate in a project. I chose, instead, a group of colors, pastel, that I tend to stay away from unless requested or required. :)

That said, the pastels I had in my stash were easter eggs and jelly beans. I figured I'd make a seasonal table runner. Since I also had clover fabric and St. Patrick's Day was arriving (at the time I decided to do this) I also decided to make it a reversible table runner. Easter on one side, St. Patrick's on the other.

I think I did well overall, but frankly, I want to brag about my mitered corners for a moment. Just look at these babies!!




Okay, now to the reversible runner itself...




Cheers!

Browsing blogs

Have you ever found yourself lost in the internet world? Tonight, as I thought about finishing one of the dozens of projects I feel are in various stages of completion, I wandered around the world wide web. It started simply enough, one or two blogs off the quilter's community links I have in my blog.

But those blogs often have links and I go visit, then I visit the links in those blogs and so on and so forth. On and on I read. As it stands, I've got 5 windows open and it looks like I might have many more to come. I've successfully passed a couple hours in this manner tonight.

There are a couple opinions I have solidified during my browsing, however, and I want to share those.

1) I truly dislike the hexagon quilts. Old, new, all of them. Granted, some can look appealing and pretty but I just dislike the shape. I never thought I would have an opinion about a shape but there it is, I do. The more of those quilts I see, the more I just dislike them. I feel so bad too because I know the quilter put a lot of work into it and I'm just an unappreciative observer.

2) I will one day create a quilt with mini-squares/triangles/sashing. They are just too cute not to. Plus, I can hand piece for years this way at the airport, around the house when I don't want to work on a machine. lol

3) I really like applique...when it's completed by someone else.

4) I wonder how everyone seems to have so much time to take care of house, family and get all these projects finished I see on their sites.

Pineapple progress report

DS quilt is a Christmas present. No, not this year's being worked way ahead but LAST year's Christmas present.

Hey, not entirely my fault! He changed his mind from a simple 4-square pattern to a 15 " pineapple block in late August. I already had 600 other things to do so, well, his came last.

He was okay with this, btw. He wants a really good quality quilt so when he's off to college next year, he can take it with him. Hmm, at this rate, might be a graduation gift...

So here's where I'm at. Out of 30 blocks, I only have 10 made. It felt like a lot more. I'm really not sure what's taking me so long for each block. Still, taking a photo of the progress has helped to keep me motivated, that and keeping in mind I'm 1/3 of the way there!

Enjoy.

I made stencils!

I've been meaning to get around to quilting J's, P's, and K's quilt tops but I've had this convenient excuse. (Aren't they always?)

I hate quilting from the back of the machine so panto design was out. That means I need to marke the quilts but the quilt motifs we chose off EQ6 are printed on paper. Yes, I can attach and sew through the paper over and over but I really didn't want to do that, either.

I took a deep breath last weekend and bought a stencil cutter (that's what 40% off coupons are for, after all!) I bought plastic sheets and started the task. While the cuts aren't smooth or neat, they will serve my purpose for marking quilts.

So what's the point of this post? To tell you that while it looks daunting, if you are only making stencils to be able to trace the design onto a quilt, go this route. It's easier than you think! The stencil cutter was about $15 regular price and frankly, cutting 6 or 7 stencils already gives you your money back right there. You are ahead of the game if you get it on sale like I did at JoAnn's.

I'm in love...with a dog. (Part 2) -NQR

Part 1
After moving off J's lap, Sasha wandered over to S and plopped down for a bit. Then to P. When we thought she'd make her way back to me, she headed straight back to J.


While on some level I was sad this 10wk pup just snubbed me, rationally I was okay with it. One goal was to get a pup that wouldn't compete with Buddy for mom's and dad's attention. I wanted a pup that would align itself more with the kids. We left, brought Buddy back to meet her and frankly, they could have cared less about each other. Just wandered around, didn't bother each other, etc. We took Sasha home the same day. Look how sad she looked but how well she and J look together! (PS - another note, the shelter takes the pups in, cleans em up, gives them their first set of shots, etc. She was healthy when we brought her home.)



After a couple days, well, her TRUE nature started to surface. She suckered me right in. She was full of pep and sass and wouldn't venture far from my side. Poor Buddy had competition for attention now. Still, we managed to handle it and we have become quite the family. Sasha still follows me almost everywhere. She still harasses Buddy and she still loves the kids but she has def. become Mom's dog. I look at her and think she's beautiful. I'm charmed by her every day and while I laugh cause she tries to get away with things, I also think I do a pretty decent job of holding her to the rules.

As it stands now, she needs to be challanged and hubby and I have decided to start looking into training her to hunt. I am seriously thinking of starting to hunt also so I can keep growing this bond of ours. It would be nice to be the lead for Sasha on the hunts DH does with the Wounded Warriors. I don't know, we'll see but either way, can you really fault me for falling in love?




And just so you know, Buddy's not just a supporting character here. He's just as cute and loveable!