"Pink"

Our son asked me to make his friend a Pink and White quilt for their new baby....born a week ago.  I picked up the fabric on Friday at the Quilt Corral outside Hill City, SD.....just a little trip.  I had a great time with one of my best quilting friends....  Here she is after our lovely lunch at the Alpine Inn, (she's a great cook)!!

We had a lovely lunch, conversation and a wonderful desert!!!

While on our adventure I purchased the 3 middle pieces for the baby quilt....the checked fabric at the top is flannel that I will use for the back and add some rickrack for some added interest!!

I started the quilt this morning and have accomplished getting the top done....ready for quilting and the final touches. I was going to do that tomorrow, but have to go help put up corn...canning season on top of everything, uhg!!

Quilt top!

Maybe I will get it totally finished on Saturday. Need to get back to some other projects!!

Persian Star

I tried a new pattern....Persian Star, which has a beautiful star....3-D.  I found this a fun little project, something different.  I made it into a wall hanging!!

This was a project that has all straight seams with no "Y" seams.  It was a quick project....as long as you keep it small. 

It's fair time!!

I decided to get some input on a few quilts, so i entered them in the county fair....an art wall hanging, a civil war reproduction and one with scrap batiks.  I entered them with the intention of getting someone's opinion on what they could use to improve.....what not to do and what to do!   They all took purples!  The comments are all very nice.  I was expecting to have something about how to improve...they must be ok.

judge's comment......."great color and quilting"

she "loved all the Bling and 3-D work"

"Batiks are so fun. Love the piped binding.  Looks like it was a fun quilt to make"

The judge was really kind!!

Vintage/Antique

Here we go.......all are finished and the customer picked them up this morning.  I have to be honest I was really not sure how this would turn out, but I have learned a lesson from this job!!  I took on a few projects that I had been unsure of....I got the "what are you thinking", "give them back and run away" and "you really can't do anything with those"....most of these are the same things I was thinking I was feeling pretty unsure of my own abilities, but I decided that I would not let this customer down, so I took the challenge.  I decided that I would complete these project to the best of my ability for a lady that found a piece of the  family "treasure".  They are a grandmother's hankies and unfinished quilt....the top was done, but it was rough.  The top of the quilt was stained from being stored, all had been hand stitched, not very straight, puckered  and many things had been cut on the bias......I was really concerned about how I would be able to help preserve the customer's memories of the past  and help her "treasures"to shine in her future.   I really wasn't sure how to showcase or incorporate a pile of "old" hankies....and a top of a quilt that was just, well..... a "mess".  After SEVERAL hours.....over 100...I got 3 crazy quilts made from the hankies she had saved as well as a quilt top quilted and bound.    The quilt actually lays flat and doesn't look too bad....just goes to show--if you are determined to Help a person with their "treasures"  anything is possible.

Her grandma's quilt that was hand pieced

Vintage hankies that I made 3crazy quilt wall hangings.

I was pleased when she came to get the projects and she said "they are absolutely beautiful"!  When she touched the hankies....as if she was remembering grandma using them and she  was pleased with the outcome--I knew I had done the job she needed.  Sometimes we have to remember that we are artists also!!