Summertime Sampler in Autumn!

It seems I am finishing quilts in the wrong season. 

 This one is plenty big and will be ready for my bed when summer gets here.

The back is one I purchased when back in Ohio. My first ever from Joann's! It was a wide one that I didn't have to piece and that was key. I left this in Ohio last summer and my friend Kat quilted it for me.

I'm loving the Palmateer Point versions!

See you Friday!

Making a List, Checkin' it Twice

I admit to making a list, but not checking it twice. I've been doing so many group things that I've neglected the UFO's in my sewing room. Time to get organized!

 Found this beauty in my closet ready to be trimmed and bound! I love it! 

This is 9 blocks of the Benjamin Biggs quilt that Gay at Sentimental Stitches offered for free in 2014. Check it out HERE. Quilting was done by Sharon, Grass Roots Quilt Studio in Washington state.

Next up is a cute sampler that Cheri did as a quiltalong. Basted and ready to be machine quilted by me!

 Getting my Fall Festival top assembled. 

 The last quiltalong was Back Porch/Front Porch Summertime by Jan Patek. Need to get a backing made.

More to come!

Something to Crow About!

Did you know 2017  was the Year of Rooster according to the Chinese zodiac? My brother lives in China and my SIL is Chinese, so I guess it is good for me to know these things.

 Look what came in the mail this week? Nope, not fried rice!

 A cute challenge by Two Thimbles Quilt shop! It's 2017 Year of the Rooster Challenge. I'm terrible at quilt challenges, but this one intrigued me. You have a choice of solid red fabric, or solid with gold. Get all the info HERE.  It would be fun to show them all online if several of you decide to join. Contact LEE and she'll fix you right up!

Rebecca finished her Front Porch quilt! I love everything about it! Nice work Rebecca! And thanks for sharing it.

Here's my Instagram for the week. 

Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

Porch Quilt Finale

Wow! It is January 2, 2017! Here is the finale of the Front Porch quilt designed by Jan Patek. I made the first announcement about it April 20,2016 and now several of us have a completed top. (or will very soon)

 I never thought to look at the size of the finished quilt. I put a 6 1/2" border on mine and my finished size is 96x74.

I thought I'd show you a close up of the inner border. I tried several different fabrics and colors and this one just seems to work the best. The same with the outer blue too.

Here is Cathy S quilt. The green border looks really great! Her whole quilt is very stunning!

Debby D

Debby fell behind, but thankfully she kept going and only has a sailboat mast and border to complete! It is beautiful Debby!

Thank you to all who sewed along! That accountability really helps keep me on track.
This year we are going to work on Fall Festival by Jan Patek and I'll introduce
our first block next Monday, January 9th.


Add the link to your blog post!

An InLinkz Link-up

Porch Quilt Part 7

Here's my latest section of Jan Patek's Porch Quilt.

I can't say I'm head over heels about it, but hopefully when the whole quilt is together and quilted I'll love it. (If not, it will make a great gift!)

Here are Cathy S parts. I love hers!

The only part left to do is the sail boat and whales. Let's finish up this quilt! The finale to be shown right after the first of the year. 

I've purchased Fall Festival by Jan Patek to work on in 2017. 

I think she has been doing it as a BOM in 2016. I've found the pattern in Etsy for a little lower than Jan's site.

http://janpatekquilts.goodsie.com/page/3

or  HERE for Etsy

Thanks to those that have kept me on track to work on this quilt! I love the accountability.

An InLinkz Link-up

Porch Quilt Part 6

My quilt section went together pretty well! Surprise!

 I opted for my initials on the one floral block between stars. I do wish the stars were a bit larger.

 I had to add a strip under my basket to bring it up to the correct size. I knew when I made it, that I was an inch or so short.

 I can't remember what happened to my basket. I had to add a strip there as well. 

I think it is pretty darn cute!

Here is Cathy S blocks. I love the little door on the bird house. I think I may need to use that idea. Great quilt Cathy!

Next month we are doing the bicycle! I'm going to be gone for 2 weeks in November, so I'll let you know when we will be sharing the next part. I am thinking the end of November.  

I'd love to shoot for getting the body complete before the end of the year! But, one month at a time for now.

Lets get the center section together too.

Send me your photos or link up!

An InLinkz Link-up

Front Porch Month 5

We are getting closer and closer to the end of this quilt! Four ladies (including me) are hanging in there. 

Here is my variation of flower vases.

I opted to piece a double sawtooth for the large pieces of floral fabric. My basket handle is really funky!

 Cathy S made a wonderful improvement on the large floral flower. She also opted to make a pieced block in place of the large floral fabric block.

 Good idea to sew them together as you go. I haven't even been trimming mine all down to the correct size.

 Debby D used a fancy piece of French style fabric for the large block. It is so adorable!!

The stripe for the basket is perfect as well!

Add you link! If you are just getting finished with an earlier block and haven't shown it, please add it! Or send me a photo and I'll add it.

Next month:  Block 8 and 8A- the birdhouse, basket and star to the right of it. Again we have a floral block you can choose to do what you want with it. AND we will assemble the bottom section! I'm so excited to start seeing it come together.

I have already in mind a similar quilt for next year!

Have a fantastic weekend!

An InLinkz Link-up

Friday Folly!

 I'm going to start with a little quilty news, then share a little of my vacation. 

I brought this basket, but left the background! A lot of good that did me, huh?! It's ready to go now. 

 Before I left, my friend Linda,  mailed me her "orphan" blocks. These do not look like orphans to me! Thank you Linda!!

 Here's my Instagram for the week. A lady who works at the bank (and I see almost everyday for work) asked if I'd go on vacation with her. She is divorced and doesn't want to go by herself. (makes complete sense to me!) We've been making plans for several months and Saturday morning early we took off for Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands in Washington State.
As a kid we used to take the ferry to many of the islands so it was fun to go see some of these areas again after all these years. Here are a few highlights.

 The weather was fantastic each and every day we were there! It was amazing! Here we are on the ferry which was getting us to our destination.

 We stayed in this gorgeous inn at EastSound, centrally located and easy to get to everything.

Here is the view from the highest point on the island. 

 We hiked around this lake. 

Went kayaking.

 Went whale watching and saw a pod of orcas!

And after 5 days this welcomed us home. 

Back to the desert, back home.

And after 5 days of travel with someone I didn't know, I consider ourselves friends!

Have a lovely weekend.