I Like It Better Now

I started to like it better when I was basting it and by the time I finished quilting it I actually downright liked it.   I think my quilts are kind of like my kids, I know their flaws, but I can't help but like (love in the case of my kids) them.   It's not bright and fancy, but sometimes men like plain better.

The dark brown back coordinates nicely I think, but it sure does pick up everything, and show everything.

The dark back also makes the label and tumbler strip show up better.   It's for a friend of the grandchildrens who just got his honorable discharge from the army this month.   I hope he likes it and isn't a quilt critic who can recognize all it's flaws.   If one of my children, this one may have been the black sheep, lol.
I linked up to Crazy Mom Quilts finish it up Friday.  Go here.

Not My Favorite Flimsy

My flimsy from  Alycia Quilts, Quilt of Valor Mystery Quilt-a-Long has borders now.  I can't say it's a favorite, as it doesn't satisfy my gypsy soul.  My colors are drab and my answer to the empty spaces was embroideries, and one is too dark and one is too light.   The mystery was designed to be followed up by a quilting class, but it looked to be geared for longarms and since I don't have one I thought I'd try this.  It still has to be quilted, which as I've said before even my meandering seems to improve things, so I still have hope.  Evidently the tan fabric should have been all turned the same direction to avoid the shadings, but it doesn't show so much in person.   As the saying goes, done is better than perfect, so I hope to get it done soon. 

OOOPS!

It was taking forever to cut out the 2 1/2 inch squares for my 72 blocks that I plan to use to make a queen sized granny square quilt.  OOps, I think I need 936 colored ones and I miscalculated and did 2499 colored ones.  I also cut 864 white squares.  I didn't have enough of the fabric I started with so I had to improvise.  I still need fabric for the sashing and cornerstones, but think that I may use a small print with a white background since they aren't going to match anyway.   I figure it's ok, if I run short of squares I'll cut more from something, and if I have too many I'll use them on something else. 

Hancock's of Paducah has been doing better about complete orders on their clearance, but this time I only got 2 out of 4.  I had ordered two possibles for the borders on my Holland quilt, but only got the two on the right.  The Holland looking fabric will be for the large border and the pretty gold and blue fabric will be for the small border.  I may add another even smaller plain border to kind of quiet things down a bit.   Next project though will be to do step 4 of the Quilt of Valor Mystery Quilt-A-Long.  It shouldn't take too long and then it's on to doing the borders on the Holland quilt.  I'm hoping to finish it in the next few days, I'm anxious to give it to them and to see the baby.

Holland Quilt and Quilt of Valor Mystery Quilt-A-Long

Step 3 of Alycia Quilts, Quilt of Valor Mystery Quilt-a-Long , I can see that there will probably be some chopped off points.  Oh well, hopefully not too bad.  I'm anxious for step 4 next week.  These blocks are only 5 inches, a new low for me, lol (except when I'm working on Bonnie quilts).

I used 42-2 1/2" strips and 42-2 1/2 by 2 1/2" squares.  It turned out about 60 x 60 inches and I didn't want to make it that size so I cut off 5 inches from each side and added it to the ends.   Now to wait for the border fabric that I ordered.  Meanwhile, I'll work on the embroideries.  Hope they like eclectic scrappy.