It's Spring!

I never thought we'd get here, but it's spring!  I couldn't resist these daffodils.  I've been admiring them every day while they soak up the sun.

50 Shades of Lavender is finished and bound!

I really like the backing fabric too, it makes it reversible.

Coco looks totally confused watching us (check out all that greenish stuff, I haven't seen it in 3 months.)

 
Aaahhh, this is better.

The painters are coming back on Monday to do the bedrooms and baths.  I can't wait to live with something other than white.

Fun For Friday - Cookbooks with a sense of humor

These two were gifts given to my husband.  My son and his girlfriend really get this guy.

My daughter got this one for Christmas.  Check out the author's name, lol.

What would Betty Crocker or Julia say?

Machine Quilting - Take One

Happy Monday & St. Patricks Day

I have only 2 more lines of machine quilting to finish today and I can attach the binding on the lavender quilt - hooray!  Here is how a finished section looks.

Over the weekend I thought I'd try a little "how to" video.  I'm not sure how to get better close ups, but it gives you an idea of how I wrangle the quilt.

Here you can see that I'm only doing a 6 1/2" line before pivoting the quilt.  It is so much easier to handle it one line at a time.

Here I am again doing the middle section.

Well, Hanna is no Marty Scorsese and I'm no Cate Blanchett, but it was fun to try a video post.  Maybe it will encourage you try a larger quilt on your home machine.

Have a great week~

Show and Tell

Thank you all so much for your caring comments about my injury.  It is healing well and I got a tetanus booster.

It was so great to see quilting friends at the quilt show and guild meeting last week.  There were two exhibits that I especially enjoyed.  Sorry, these are iphone (old one) photos and not the best.

The Baltimore Applique' Society quilts -

A Halloween themed album quilt - love the bat border!

I'm obsessed with this quilt.  It's one that I wish I had thought of, it is Sue Garman's pattern (no credit given on the placard).

I really like this one made by the Modern Quilt Guild.

Sorry didn't get a photo of placard on this modern quilt.  Very graphic and well done!

Here is an exhibit of challenge quilts.  Members of this group took pages from the fall issue of Vogue magazine as inspiration for their challenge.   So creative!

We liked this so much that 8 of us are going to have a similar challenge for our fall retreat.  We are using any magazine page from any magazine.  I can't wait to start mine.  It is going to be an art quilt.

New Toy!  Maybe this will help keep my fingers clear!

Here is the "action" shot.... I'm so exited about this light! (for norma, ha ha).

Happy Daylight Savings - more daylight hours to quilt - hooray!

Quilt Crime Scene

This is the scene of the crime:  I was the victim of a hit and run at the sewing machine on Saturday.  I hit my finger with the needle and it punctured my nail and cut my finger at the tip (I'll spare you the visuals).

I never understood how it could happen.....I was obviously speeding and also watching Grey's Anatomy and then wham, ooops, OUCH.

Warning: this is an unsafe trajectory.

 and this is how it can happen...

Please practice safe quilt driving, demonstrated in the photo below:

The quilt grab is also safe.

Here are just a few machine quilting tips:

I use a teflon sliding sheet.  It helps the quilt glide and then I don't push down and hurt my shoulders.
(I also use a mighty light that is attached to my machine for extra light.

I use a thread tree, which unspools the thread and allows it to "whip" off the spool easily.

I use bobbin washers to help my bobbin spin nicely.

Maybe some warning cones in the construction area would help me avoid future accidents ;)

Off to a quilt show on Thursday and will share some highlights soon.

Happy Mardi Gras - Shrove Tuesday.  Here at our house that means Pancakes for dinner.

Cute as a Button!

Happy Friday - I hope you had a great week.

On a trip to Ikea, my daughter spotted this rug for me.  How cute is this?

I have carpeting in the sewing room, but who can resist the cuteness?  It was only $39.99.  My cat, Luna, seems to like it.

I have finally started machine quilting the lavender chevron quilt.

This is a big quilt, so I set up my ironing board to help support the weight.  This one will take a while.

I'm quilting a gentle curve in either side of ESS (every stinking seam).  No marking, so there will be variations, which I actually like.

Fun For Friday - Hooray!  I have been driving a Hybrid for 6 year or so and I was rewarded this week at a rest stop.  Front row parking.

Sunday is Oscar night.  I'm a sucker for the Glitz and Glam.  I'm looking forward to Ellen Degeneres hosting again, her sense of humor is gentle and fun.

Have a great weekend!