Back finished and a fun quiltalong

I finished the back for the wedding quilt.  I think it looks very modern.  As I was sewing on it, and the black was picking up every piece of stray thread around, I thought I was very silly for making a black back for a couple who have two long haired kitties.  It is a good thing it is washable, in the machine.  These are the colors they are decorating with, and I hope they like the quilt.  The wedding is only three weeks away, so I need to go get thread today and start quilting.
I also pulled some fabrics for a quilt for Bella.  A girl can never have too many quilts.  This one will be very simple.  Her Grandma Diane is the spectacular quilter who creates beautiful works of art in a traditional style, and Bella is lucky to have three of them.  I will stick to a plain nine patch to add to the mix.

Bella loves pink and purple and polka dots.  She picked out the fairy fabric.  It will be the center square in each block.
I have also decided to join a Jacob's Ladder quiltalong at Adventures of the Empress of the Universe.  She is using a pattern by Bonnie Hunter that I fell in love with, except for the yellow.  I decided to use older style florals and pulled these beauties from my stash.

I will have to find more for the entire quilt, but these are enough to get me started.  Now, I have to decided on a solid for the ladder part.  I think I will check out some kona colors and see what strikes my fancy.  This will be added to my stack of ongoing long term projects to be squeezed in between quilts to make for others.  I do love to have many projects going at once.  I have read others call this quilter's ADD.  This, added to my quilter's dyslexia, keeps quilting interesting and challenging.
Joyful quilting, everyone.

Extreme to serene

The black, white and green quilt top is done.  I am really happy I decided to put in the black shashing/inner borders.  I am going to do a black binding to finish the design.  Now, I just have to make decisions about the backing and the quilting.  This is going to finish up at 52" x 52".

After working with all that exciting black and white, I decided I needed to work on something more serene.  Yesterday, I went on a quilt play date with a really gifted quilter, Sharon.  She taught me how to do an inset circle that is so easy, I just want to make tons of them.  They will go in my favorite list along with flying geese, churn dash and friendship stars.  This afternoon, I grabbed some batiks and built this small block.  It is about 8" x 11".  I am going to experiment more with blocks that convey the same mood and see what I can create.
Tomorrow, Tom and I are working a wedding event to see if we can pick up some new wedding clients.  I will miss being in my studio, but I always enjoy meeting excited brides to be.
Have a great Sunday, and joyful quilting, everyone.

Progress report

I decided to make four of these fun little 9" blocks for the guild presentation block for the month.  The presenter is expecting her first great grandson.  These were fun to make.  This is one of my favorite easy stars.

This is what I have on the design wall now.  I finished all the blocks for the wedding quilt.  It is very visually stimulating with nowhere to rest your eye.  I think I will put black sashing to help break up all the excitement in the squares.  The really light squares have a line drawing floral motif.  It is not so strikingly different as it looks in this photo.  Black and white and green.  Who knew?
Tomorrow, I have a play date with a quilting friend.  I am going to work on doing inset circles. 
Have a wonderful evening.
Joyful quilting, everyone.

Basics block and the start of a new quilt

Basics Promesa is a program in the Lower Eastside of Manhattan in New York City.  One of the wonderful things this organization does is to help families transition out of shelters and into more permanent housing.  Victoria Findlay Wolfe supports this program by providing quilts for as many families as she can.  She can't do it alone.  She is inviting all quilters to make and donate a quilt to this program.  Her goal is to gather 350 by Thanksgiving.  This is doable given the number of quilters there are.  Go to this website to learn more about this program and how you can help.  The above block is one for a group quilt for the 15 Minute Play folks to donate.

These two blocks are for a quilt I am making for my nephew and his fiance who are getting married on October 1. Shh!  They don't know I am making it, but they don't look at my blog so it will still be a surprise.  It is the same pattern I used for the H2H quilt.  This time, the fabrics are black and white and emerald green.  Do you know how hard it is to find emerald green cotton quilt fabric?  I finally found this batik that works pretty well.  I am liking the bold look that these fabrics bring.  I can't decide which one is my favorite.  I hope they like it and that the green passes muster.

For another project, I find myself in need of yellow and gold scraps.  Does anyone out there have some they would be willing to part with?  I have two small pieces left.  If you are willing to share, please let me know and I will send you my address.  Maybe I have something in my scrap box that you are looking for.  Thanks for considering it.

I have guild meeting tonight, so I need to go type up the agenda.  Tonight, I present the awards from our quilt show.  I have it on good authority, since I have the prizes, ribbons, and award list, that Hokule'a won the People's Choice award for challenge block.  My first quilt award.  I am really pretty humbled by this because there were some fabulous quilts in this show.  And to think, I wasn't even going to enter it.

Have a great evening and joyful quilting, everyone.