Last for 2012

 For Project Linus, I called this one Baby Butterflies.  It is 2 pieces from Barb of Bejeweled Quilts.  Thanks Barb, as always!

 This, also, is from Barb and is a big one.  I really like this one and I'm sending it to Project Linus in the hopes that an older boy or girl will like it.  They don't get too many quilts for older boys and girls, so I hope this one will be special.  Thanks again, Barb!

This shows you what I am working on now----a Christmas Log Cabin and I love it.  It is going together very smoothly---just takes time.  I have 28 log cabins to make and I have 14 done so far.

We had a white Christmas and it was so pretty, because we didn't have to be out driving in it!  Of course the snow is gone by now, but it was pretty while it was coming down.  Our country here in North Texas doesn't even own a sand truck or plow, so we just have to get along on the roads as  best as we can.

Did you get lots of quilty things for Christmas?  My hubby was especially good to me and I got lots of neat thingees.  Truly a very nice man and a keeper!  He just finished our first paying customer's quilt---what a great feeling that is!  We are really in business!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Merry Christmas!

 

Merry Christmas and God Bless You in the New Year!

Jan

Three For Me!

 Table topper from Debi, who gave the kits to us at retreat.  It is a winter one with snowmen.  I just got mine finished in time!

 This is my selvage edge quilt all finished up.  Maynard quilted it with a square design that just is perfect for it.  I used a scrappy binding on it.

This is a little table topper that Debi gave us all at the Christmas party.  It was lots of fun to do.  It was all 2.5" squares.  Went together in no time at all.  I used a different binding for it---a flange binding.  You can find it here and a thank you to Aunt Marti (and also Susie) for the directions.

Is everyone ready for Christmas?  I still have to wrap a present or 2 for hubby, but other than that, I think I'm done.  May do a little baking, but not much---need to watch the weight as usual!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Three That are Ready

 Barb's Hourglass

 Squares are IT!

Brights in My Log Cabin

     Three more that are quilted and ready to go to Project Linus.  The top one was pieced by Barb from  Bejeweled Quilts.  Thanks Barb,  you did a great job!  I'm sure some little girl will love it!

     Maynard is still working on the pile of PL quilt tops that we have.  I keep adding to it and so it continues to grow and he can't seem to get ahead!!!!.  Guess I'll have to stop and work on some of the kits I have tucked away.  I've been working on a Jinny Beyer in grays and burgundys and only have to put the borders on, but keep going back to the little quilts.  they are much more fun because you see the end so much sooner!!!!

     Let quilting help you make someone smile!

     Jan

Back to Project Linus!

 In the Garden

X marks the spot

These are 2 quilts I made for Project Linus that Maynard quilted this week on the Fusion 24.  He is doing a real nice job and has learned a lot about the new machine already.  It is so neat to see it  quilting along all by itself!

Meanwhile I'm working along on a Jinny Beyer quilt with burgundys and gray in it---I'm just hoping that it all comes out right in the end---like putting a jigsaw puzzle together----which reminds me, I got a new jigsaw puzzle at Houston Market and want to put that out to work on.  I like having a puzzle out over the holidays.  It's a non-stress thing to do.  Of course, they say that petting your dog can lower your blood pressure, too.  The dogs like that!!!!

Hoping your holidays are not too stressful!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

A Happy Thanksgiving!

 I love Thanksgiving----it is my favorite holiday.  All ten of us were able to be together this year and it was great!  Anne and Paul did a fine job of hosting all the festivities.  We kept very busy and that was good for the kids -- they had a ball swimming, jumping at Jumpoline, playing games, attending Isabel's early Birthday Party and other things I don't even remember!  This Grandma got tired just watching!!!!!

 Isabel and Ilena

Nathan and Evan

We even managed to get a family portrait done!  The time went by all too quickly.  I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving, too.  

Now all the Christmas commercialism is in high gear.  I used the internet to order all my gifts except for one. That is a nice way to go.  The kids and us decided that this year instead of gifts to each other we would take that money and give it to the charity of our choice.  We shared what that charity would be.  It was a very special time.  Of course, we still get to go shopping for the grandkids!

Maynard has a king size quilt on the quilting machine right now.  It is Debi's and it is coming along nicely.  It was nice of Debi to let him "practice" on it.  Thanks Debi!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Three more quilted!

 Barb's Tumblers

Little Purses

BRIGHT Colors

These are all quilts that I had in the pile for Maynard to quilt when the big quilting machine arrived and he has patiently been working through the pile for practice.  What a trooper!

The machine works great (and the operator understands just what is going on!)  You set the right controls and it goes by itself across the sandwich of top, batting and backing.  What a deal!  Soon we'll be taking customers!  I pray that we will make them happy.  I know I'm a happy camper with the ones for Project Linus!

We are having wonderful fall weather---cool, frosty nights and warm to cool, sunny days.  I know I say it all the time and I'll say it again----------wish it would stay this way, but I know it will get colder.  But in my book colder is better than hotter.  Does anyone out there agree with me?

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

New Quilting Machine and One for Project Linus

Our new quilting machine----a Handi Quilter Fusion 24 is here and installed and Maynard has quilted one quilt on it already.  It is a wonderful machine.  (Not affiliated with company, yada yada yada.)  Lots to learn on it.  The folks that installed  it were great and did a great job with it.  They gave 2 hours of instruction and we will have more classes in January.  The company wants satisfied customers.  Just had to show a before picture---it fit in quite nicely, but glad it wasn't any bigger!!!  We are very excited.  This will be a great retirement business for us.  Maynard isn't retired just yet, but will have time to build up the business before he does retire.

Here is picture of the PL quilt.  Called it Sunbonnet Sue YBR (Yellow Brick Road.)

It's finally cooled way down here---highs in 60's which we call cool.  Temps in mornings in the 30s---that's cold!  Love to wear sweatshirts!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Quilt Show and Two New Tops

Hope some of you got to go to the International Quilt Festival in Houston.  It was wonderful!  We were there for 2 days and had such a great time.  I don't think we saw everything even with being there two days----it wasn't because we didn't try!!  LOL!  I even got to sew a quilt top at the Project Linus booth---what a neat set-up they had.  The kits were ready and all you had to do was sew straight lines.  I saw a couple of kids sewing, too.  It was nice to see that they could participate too.  Made me really want to come home and sew and so I did.

Here are two log cabin quilt tops I did from a layer cake from the line called "Amelia."  It is very bright and cheerful.  Fun to work with!

Project Linus has published book written by National Vice President Mary Balagna and President of  Project Linus Carol Babbitt.  The book is "Quilt It With Love,  The Project Linus Story."  It has 20 patterns in it and I have called it another challenge book. I want to try to make all the patterns in it within the next year.  Should be a fun challenge to myself!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Fall Medley

 This quilt is called "Fall Medley."  It is "Yellow Brick Road."  Sorry the color is so bad.  Much prettier in person.  We are getting room ready for new big quilter, so have not been quilting many quilts.  We moved my sewing room and so I share room with computer.

This is the pile of quilts that wait for the big quilter to arrive, so Maynard will have some for practice quilts---that's where I'm putting most of my tops.  So if you don't see much from me in the next few weeks you'll know where they are!

I'm working on a Log Cabin quilt from a layer cake right now.  It is an "Amelia" layer cake and the colors are nice and bright----a joy to put together.  I'm using Kona Snow as the background light color.  Very much fun!

Fall arrived at our house last night.  Temp got down to 39 degrees and it felt so good to cuddle up in a quilt or two!  Going to be nice and in 70's for the rest of the week.  Hope this weather continues.

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Two from Barb for Project Linus

Barb gave me 2 tops for Project Linus and I got them quilted and bound, ready to go.  The top one I called "Hearts Aglow," and the bottom one is "Squares in Squares.  This was so generous of her.  Thanks, Barb!

Some of her tops (yes, there are more!!!!)   hubby will quilt on the big machine when it gets set up.  Just a sly way of telling you that we are getting a Handi-Quilter Pro-Stitcher Fusion 24 Quilting Machine .  This is the one with the computer and all the bells and whistles.  We are starting a small business of computerized machine quilting.  My hubby will be the one doing the quilting.  He has been quilting for quite a while now and has made some quilts, too.  He is an engineer, so the computer part is very exciting for him.  Start up date will probably be January 1, 2013.  We are very excited and hope to get our machine at the Houston show.  We will work with Quilt Mercantile, Celeste as our dealer.  It's very exciting and a little scary all at the same time!!!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Two Retreats!

What a week I had----full of fun and quilting!  Two retreats in one week.  Monday through Wednesday was spent with the girls from Sit and Sew.  A day off on Thursday to do laundry.  And on Friday off to another retreat with the girls I have met online--the DFW Gang.

The top three pics are from the first retreat and the bottom two from the second retreat.  Both facilities were wonderful.  Create-A-Way near Collinsville and Rayline's Retreat in Springtown.  The second facility had a family of ducks that even came up and tapped on the door for us to come out and feed them---we had a good laugh at them!

It was so much fun laughing and talking to everyone.  What nice ladies go to these retreats.  Now it's back to the mundane, everyday tasks.  Doing lots of laundry to catch up today.  Even though I have to brag, my hubby did laundry while I was gone and *gasp*  he made out the menus for the meals this week AND went grocery shopping for them!  He is a keeper!  After 44 years, he still gets my vote!!!!!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Finish-Up Week

 These are five quilts that have been waiting for quilting and binding before ready to go to the pickup place for Project Linus.  So I buckled down this week and got them done.  I called this one "Pretty Kitties."  I had two kitties left over from a panel and made up a pattern to use them.  The kitties are so cute!

 This one is called "Yellow Rules."  It's good old Rail Fence pattern.

 There is one Fat Quarter in here that shows a little boy playing at the beach, so I called it "Seaside at the Beach."

A good name for this one seemed to be "Fruit Basket Upset."  I guess tomatoes are a fruit, but I don't think lettuce is!!!  LOL!

This is a pattern off the internet that Debi sent me. I used a packet of charm squares called Hoot Owl.  There is a hoot owl in there, but he is hard to see!  That's why I named it "Charmed Hoot Owl."

Have you had cool temps where you are?  It's cooled down to lower 90's here , but cooler 70's in the mornings.  Very pleasant in the morning.  Have to start again with my walking.  I know my doggie would like that!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Cleaning Time

No pictures today, but I wanted you to know that I am still here!!!!!  I'm in the middle of a big cleaning of sewing room and moving things around.  Also have been cleaning out books and magazines, so have been busy, but not productive in quilting area!  But every thing needs clean-out every now and then---even my head!!!!!  This should clear the cob-webs, so to speak!!!!  This is what cooler weather does to me---puts me in a cleaning mode!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Busy Week!

 This quilt, called Big and Bold is just the top, hope to get Maynard to quilt it on the big machine.  Have to be careful not to nag too much!!!!  This was a very easy and fun to do pattern.

 From the Modern Quilt Company, this pattern was called Modern Salad Bar.  Debi loaned it to me.  I used ice cream cone fabric.  Anything goes with brights, I always say!  This one is for Project Linus.

 This quilt is the last one from the Zoobopples fabric that my friends from Sunday School gave me.  I thank them so much.  The fabric was so much fun to work with.  Made me smile every time I looked at it!

This one I called "Turtles on Parade," because one of the fabrics has all kinds of bright turtles on it.  A fun fabric!  Also for Project Linus.

Our temps dropped back into the low 90 degree range and that was nice while it lasted.  Now going back to triple digits and high nineties.  Sure praying the folks down south make it through this hurricane and aftereffects all right.

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Take Five, On Point Quilt

This is the "Take Five, On Point" pattern.  The Llasa Apso, Chloe wanted to be in the picture, too, so I thought, "Why not?"  She'd actually rather lay on the quilt, but that's another story!  The pattern is fun and easy to do, done the same way as the original "Take Five" only this time they set it on point.  The fabric is called Rouenneries by French General for Moda.  There also is some Rural Jardin in there, too.  This was a kit that I got on sale at Kaleidoscope Quilt Store.  I think 3 of us got the kit.  We'll see if they all turn out the same!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Selvage Edge Quilt Top Done!

The quilt top called Selvage Edges Quilt is finished!!!  It was fun and I used up a LOT of selvage edges.  There aren't many left in the box!  Now to think of a way to quilt it.  Any ideas out there????  The pattern is from the book "Quilts from the Selvage Edge" by Karen Griska.  I made my quilt a little smaller than the size in the book.  It is about 43" x 51".

Has it cooled down in your "neck of the woods?"  It has been triple digits here in North Texas for days, but is supposed to cool down to upper 90's and maybe get some rain in the next few days.  It has been overcast here today and we have a little bit of rain, which is nice.  We and about half the rest of the country really need it.

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Selvage Edge Quilt Start

This is three blocks and the start of a selvage edge block quilt.  These are fun to do and go really fast.  I have a huge box of selvage edges thanks to the Sit n Sew group from Tuesdays----thanks everyone!  It's going to take awhile to make that box grow smaller!  The pattern is from the book "Quilts from the Selvage Edge" by Karen Griska. Lots of neat patterns in there.  I may have to try another one, too.

I finished another quilt, too, but have to wait until my quilt holder is feeling better for him to hold it because it is a big one.  He has some sort of summer virus and it is dragging him down.  Also need to quilt another one for Project Linus called Salad Bar.  It is a Modern Quilt and a pattern from Debi.  It's been too hot to quilt and have a hot quilt on your lap!  Maybe some early morning I can work on that.  Too hot even with the A/C running!  105 degrees yesterday.  Very oppressive!  But I can still piece quilts together and that is what I've been doing.  Hurrah for that!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Flying Geese and Quilts

 Here is a friendly gaggle of geese flying in a circle----does that mean they are getting ready to land?  Debi shared this pattern with me from Piece By Number----a free pattern on the web.  I was going to turn it into a pillow, but thinking further on it, I think I will make a small wall hanging instead.  I think I will quilt it like Debi did---inside the geese and on the inner star.

 This pattern is called "Woven Ribbons" and is from Mi'Liss Hawley's book "Fat Quarter Quilts."  For some reason I had to do a lot of "unsewing" in this quilt, but I finally got it to turn out right!

 I called this one "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" because it happens to have a lot of yellow in it and is the YBR pattern.  The YBR is a Terry Atkinson pattern.

 This is another YBR, but I called it "To the Zoo, Blue, J and IJ" because it has blue in it and is still fabric from Jacque and IJ.

The last YBR is called "To the Zoo, Green, J and IJ," because of all the green.  I used up most the the fabric that Jacque and IJ gave me, but still have some little pieces left that I might do something with.  I surely do thank those ladies for the fabric.  I think I made 7 quilts with their gift .  I used a little from my stash and got some great quilts out of the cute fabrics they gave me.  I had a lot of fun with it.

Still so very hot here--------98 degrees today --- triple digits for the rest of the week and into next week---I am so thankful for the A/C.

Let quilting help you make someone smile.

Jan

Project Linus again

 Another Yellow Brick Road---my all time favorite pattern because it so easy to put together and only uses 6 fat quarters.  It's just the right size for baby through probably 4 years old.  It is a Terry Atkinson pattern.  This is  some more of that wonderful fabric from my friends Jacque and I.J.  Thank you again!

 This pattern is called "Just Can't Cut It" and is a pattern from All Washed Up Quilts.

The last quilt is from a freebie on the web and is from Moda Bake Shop and is a "recipe" from Cindy.  Moda Bake Shop has all kinds of neat patterns on it and a new one most every day.  Lots of fun to check out!  I was so excited to have the "recipe maker", Cindy leave a comment on my blog!!!  This quilt was fun to put together because as you saw from my block picture from a few days ago, you do not make the pinwheels blocks, but they "appear" as you sew the blocks together.

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan