Here's to the Red, White and Blue

As a former Marine, I just love the 4th of July, when I'm likely to hear great military bands playing wonderful patriotic music.  Sure enough, the Air Force Ceremonial Band was featured on the Today show this morning, before they head to Washington to perform as part of the DC festivities tonight. 

The 4th of July holds especially sweet memories for me too--because I first met my husband-to-be on July 4, 1975, in Washington, DC.  It was a blind double date (don't ask how that came about) and I was with the other guy.  A few weeks later Will and I had our first date,  and he asked me to marry him--the first week I said "no", the second week I said "maybe" and the third week I said "yes".  That was a great story until we had teenage kids--then, I told them "Forget you ever heard that story--you need to know someone for YEARS before you can be sure!"    I was 21, going through Office Candidate School, on my way to becoming a Marine Officer--I had NO plans to get married--but sometimes the right thing happens at the right time and we both consider ourselves very lucky--the basis for a great marriage, if you ask me.

Today we will celebrate our nation's birthday, the day we met  and new family memories to be made--we're going to a picnic with our daughter-in-law's family.  In addition to the blackberry cobbler I am bringing, I thought I'd bring a small quilt as a hospitality gift for Lauren's mother.  I saw this cute little quilt the other day on Rogue Quilter.  As luck would have it, while looking for silk fabrics for the border of Tiny Silk Cabins, I found a great baggie full of leftover red, white and blue fabrics.  So, in less than 2 hours this morning I made the 18" quilt shown above.  I finished it with Ricky Tims' fast finishing technique shown on Show 905--no binding!  If you're not a member of The Quilt Show, with Ricky and Alex Anderson, you're really missing great ideas, tips, and so many free patterns and techniques.  No relation, just a totally satisfied customer!

Happy Fourth of July to everyone!  Remember, we are the land of the free, thanks to the brave.
Let's quilt!

Barbara

The Big and the Small

Yesterday I finished 2 quilts--the queen-size Peacock Love for my son Andrew and his new bride Lauren and Tiny Silk Cabins, 12" square. 

I quilted this with silk thread, kept the quilting very simple.  The colors are just so scrumptious!

Peacock Love is queen-size so it looks odd on our king-size bed but I wanted a photo of it finished before it goes to its' new owners tomorrow. 

Today I plan to get several red and white blocks done from the latest installment of Just Takes 2--it's time to asssemble the second quarter's blocks--that's incentive to get this batch done!

Happy 4th of July to everyone.   Fly the flag and celebrate family, fun and freedom!

Let's quilt!

Tiny Silk Cabins

Here's my latest work,  tiny Half Log Cabins made from tiny silk strips I've been wanting to work with.  Each block is 2.25" so the entire little quilt is about 12" square.  I found the silk jacquard fabric in my stash--love how it suits the silks so well!

Today I will quilt it with silk thread, in the ditch so it stays together but the quilting in the cabins does not distract.  I'll probably do  gentle curvy lines in the border.

Be sure to check out Design Wall Monday with Judy L to see what others are doing as they keep cool.

Let's quilt!

Barbara

Josephine's Knot

Josephine's Knot by Calico Carriage Quilt Designs

She's done!  I  love the border fabric--obviously, it's what I used to pick the colors for the rectangle blocks.  An easy quilt, sure to be a favorite of men--they prefer hard, sharp lines, to curvy, flowery things.  This is a long twin, 62" x 96"--should be a good dorm-size quilt for my niece after I teach it.

I plan to quilt this one myself.  FMQ is a real challenge for me so I'll probably stick with those feed dogs--I figure:  I paid for them, I'm going to use them!  Any thoughts on how you would quilt this??

Let's quilt!

Barbara

Works in Progress

I finally got to start a new quilt I've been wanting to do.  It will be a class this fall at my local quilt shop then a graduation gift for my niece.

This needs 3 more borders--I'll do those tomorrow.  The pattern is Josephine's Knot from Calico Carriage Quilt Designs.  Very easy, no triangles, just straight lines.  The borders will add a lot of depth too.  Stay tuned...

Last week I taught a class on hand piecing hexagons--English paper piecing is the technique.

This very old piecing method is enjoying quite a renaissance in the quilt world right now.  I think Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville.com fame  is partly responsible for this. She has been working on an awesome hexagon mosaic quilt for the last 13 years--it's her travel project.  So many people have seen it as she has traveled to teach around the world.  Here is her Hexie project: Bonnie Hunter's Hexie Progress  Bonnie has a terrific blog I follow, she provides many photos of the places she is visiting as well as her trips to fun antique malls.    I work on mine when I travel--it's an easy to carry little project and will eventually finish at crib-size.

We are hot, hot, hot here, like so many places this week--over 100 yesterday with more of that in the next few days.  I'm picking blackberries early, making sure the potted plants are watered, then spending the rest of the day inside.  This is not my most favorite season!

What are YOU working on?

Let's quilt!

Still Crazy!

Our quilt guild is celebrating 25 years and had our bi-ennial challenge the other night:  Still Crazy After All These Years!  There were 27 entries, out of a membership of well over 200.  The voting is done by the members, so kind of "viewer's choice", with special awards for best theme, use of fabric, etc. 

Here is my entry--whipped together pretty quickly after I got talked into participating since there were so few entries;

The fabrics were leftovers from working on the Paula Nadelstern quilts--easier to use them than put them away and dig out something else.  The title is Still Crazy After 25 Fun Years--25 characterrs in the title.  25 silver 1" squares, 25 pieces in the sashing/borders, 25 pieces in each of the 4 star blocks, and it's 25" square.   It won 2nd place in the category--not bad until you know there were only 3 entries in that category!  Didn't do it to win, just to support the guild with an entry--always fun!

Yesterday I got the Peacock Love quilt back from the quilter so today I hope to add the binding, sleeve and label so I can give it to the lovebirds. Photos soon.

I've also been working on my Just Takes 2 blocks--one applique' yet to finish--and in early July we should get the next step for putting the second quarter blocks together and adding them to the first quarter unit--which means the quilt will be half-done!

Second quarter blocks so far

Like most of you, it's hot here so time to pick more blackberries for the freezer and another cobbler!  After mowing the yard this afternoon, I hope to get that binding in place.

Stay cool and let's quilt!

Barbara



New Block Swap

Like most busy quilters, I keep adding more things to my "to do" list.  Here's the latest--a block swap with about a dozen quilt guild friends.  It's an easy block:  X-block from Sharyn Craig's book, Layer Em Up!

I made these 6 blocks in less than an hour and a half, including pressing and cutting the fat quarters to cut 10" squares and sewing a block and a half without bobbin thread.  Fast, easy and forgiving, the perfect mix for group quilt projects!  Each person will trim their own--these have not yet been trimmed to 8.5". 

Right now, I'm in the process of finding 12 like-minded quilters.  I'll let you know how that goes.

Let's quilt!

Barbara