What Have You Been Doing?

After being away for two weeks in Houston, then recuperating and doing all the house things that needed to be done, I've had a couple of good weeks getting quilt things done. 

As co-chair for our next guild quilt show, Fanfare 2015 Quilt Show and Sale, October 9-11, 2015, it was time to be sure the Raffle Quilt got finished.  So, I formed a "working party" of 7 other quilters and we sewed all day two days this week.  There was only about an hour when all 8 of us were sewing at the same time--people had appointments and obligations so they came and went but by 5 pm the second day the majority of the top was done.  Those two days turned out to be record-breaking cold weather but we were toasty and happily engaged in our sewing.  I heard words like "sweatshop" and "slave driver" but they all cheerfully kept pedal to the metal and got her done.   I spent another full day putting all the borders on and here we have Celtic Solstice Fanfare:

96" square, pattern by Bonnie Hunter, used with her permission

Today I pieced the 3 yard square back and it's off to the long arm quilter next week. 

The other thing I had to accomplish was getting class samples quilted and bound.  I bound three quilts, basted a twin-size quilt, machine quilted two twin-size quilts--in the ditch with the walking foot, and completed a comfy quilt to donate to my guild--free  motion quilted that one.  Still a long way to go in the practice department.  I taught 2 classes and attended guild last night.  It's been a full couple of weeks:

Comfy quilt donated to our guild, an old project finally complete

Antique Rose Star, still needs big stitch quilting, ditch quilting done and bound--class sample

Southern Super Star, class sample, binding almost complete

Ditch quilting done by machine, needs more hand or machine quilting and binding

I often complete my quilts with what I call the "hybrid" method:  ditch quilting by machine, more visible quilting by hand, either fine hand quilting or big stitch with perle cotton thread.  Free-motion skills have eluded me so far but I'm pretty sure that's because I don't practice very much.  The problem is, I get a quilt done I really like and don't want to mess it up with inferior machine quilting.  Like the quilt in the last photo--those blocks are hand appliqued and some of my favorite repro fabrics.  A couple of friends have been pushing me to free-motion this but I'm still reluctant.  Maybe after the first of the year, when it's a time for new beginnings...

Now I have a bunch of smaller projects I need to jump on.  We have a Thanksgiving invitation to our daughter-in-law's mother's house and we'll enjoy that.  I'm glad I don't have to do much cooking--just my requested Cranberry Chutney and a few other easy dishes.  More time to quilt!

Count your blessings and enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Let's quilt!

Barbara