Three Day Baby Quilt

I got up early this morning (as usual) and worked on my deviation quilt and finished it up, except for a label. Three days is a record for me, even for a small quilt. Now that I've overcome my fear of basting and decided that I just needed to bite the bullet, I can actually finish things. It is 40 by48, and I wish that I'd made it a bit longer, but I guess that it will be ok for him until he is 3 or 4, unless he is a really big toddler. Not bad for a slacker and about 13 and a half hours, lol.

Deviating Again and Grandson's Band

My oldest grandson (25) mentioned that his new girlfriend's baby is turning one year old the middle of the month, so I got the urge to make a quilt for the little fellow. I used what I already had completely, and it may be a hodgepodge, but it is colorful and will be cuddly. I was kind of doubtful about using the sock monkey fabric as it has a pink background, but they are masculine looking monkeys, so I hope that his mom is ok with it. My grandson is supposed to check and make sure that he doesn't already have bunches of blankets and quilts, and if the answer is yes this one will be his. If he does, then I'll save it for another young lad (my FIL was English and that's what he called DH occasionally). It is 40" x 48". I got the idea from a baby quilt on about.com, only they used 4 1/2 inch squares, and I wanted it bigger so I used 6 1/2 inch squares. It is a very easy one, and I figure I have about 11 hours into it now and it is basted and ready to quilt. I'm hoping that with quilting, label and binding (which is already made) that maybe I can finish it in a total of 15 hours. Not bad for a quilt from start to finish if I can do it.


I only had my cell phone camera with me, so these pictures are really bad, but 2 of these are my grandsons. They had a "gig" last night at a local restaurant/bar, and we went to see them. It was from 11 pm to 1 am, and we got home about 2 am. It's been a long time since DH and I were out at that hour, lol. They did really well and we were very proud of them. The one with the curly dark brown hair is 17 (playing guitar) and the one with curly red hair is 22 (also playing guitar). They both did a little singing also, and the 17 year old played a little drum.

One Center Down Three To Go

One center down, three to go, and then on to the borders.

Getting Going on my Manly Quilts

I've got four to finish before the end of next month, so I figured I'd better get started. They don't look like much now, but hopefully the finished product will be good. They'll be colorful anyway, but hopefully not too colorful, as I don't think most men like that.

Finished Nine Patch

My nine patch from Crazy Mom Quilt's quiltalong is finished and will be delivered today. It has its flaws, but I hope that she likes it, it will be a surprise. It is the last of the three that I had to do, and some time in the future I may do another, as DH said he thinks it is one of his favorites that I have made, and they are certainly easy enough.
Sorry again for the terrible lighting. I need to make an effort to take them outside, or at least in my sewing room, the lighting is better there.

Misc.

My grandson was having a boys night out with his brothers, playing cards and watching fights, so DH and I got to have a visit from his wife and their baby, our great-granddaughter.

As you can see, she is a cutie, and is 8 months old already. She didn't smile at me once while I had the camera and was taking pictures, but she was all smiley most of the time while they visited.


















This morning I got to see my son and my youngest granddaughter. We took a class together at a nursery making a hanging cone basket. I didn't get a picture yet, but will try to include one in my next post. It is hanging in a tree in my backyard. Unfortunately, it tipped over in the car on the way home and we need to take the car to the carwash and use their vacumn.
I have the top done for my Crazy Mom Quilts white quiltalong quilt, now on to the borders and then a back and binding to make, and then my "favorite" basting. DH was kind enough to hold it up for me.



















I ordered some thread from J Hittle, they have very good prices, also got the bobbin holder from them, the bobbins and scissors are from Allbrands, and the fabric is from Hancock's of Paducah. My last 2 orders from Hancock's have been complete, maybe they have a better inventory system now, used to be if I got half I was lucky. It was a fun mail week. Nothing else coming now, although I am using up all my Kona Snow for the nine patch quilt, and may order a small stock of it if I find a bargain.

Nine Patches

I've made a good start on my nine patch, cut all the sashings and have them sewn on one side of each block. I'm anxious to get this one done, I think if it's half as pretty as Crazy Mom Quilt's versions, it'll be a pretty one.

P.S. I mailed my packages on Saturday the cheapest way not priority mail and I was surprised to get a call from my brother that he received his package Monday and on Wednesday I heard from the lady who received the package in Pennsylvania that she received hers. I got a text and then when the kids got home from day care a call and many thanks from them all. I think that they really liked the quilts and were happy to receive them. My brother probably won't open his until September when the birthday girls have their get together.

Taking a Break From This Project

Here are the blocks for my 4 manly quilts. As you can see there isn't much to them, but it still seemed like a job, lol. There are 45 different fabrics and just about every color, so either they will look scrappy or chaotic, I'm hoping for scrappy.
A family friend has done a very nice thing for us, so I thought how can I say thank you? I'm sure that you can guess what I came up with. I was trying to think how I could make a quilt quickly and I decided to use my nine patch blocks and finish up my last nine patch quiltalong quilt from Crazy Mom Quilts. I think this time I'll go with her original colors and use the white sashing. There are blocks in every color, so hopefully she will have a place for it, it should go with something, lol. She has 3 homes so I think there should be some place to use it.

No Imagination!

I've decided on my next project and gotten a start on it. I think that the strips pictured will be enough, if my figures are correct, for 4 manly sized quilts. The reason that I have no imagination is that they will be the same as the big boy quilts (which I made 5 of) except for the fabrics are different and they will be a little larger. It is such an easy quilt, and I need 4, 1 for each of my 2 brothers, 1 for my grandson Jacob, who is the only one of my daughters children who I haven't given a quilt to yet, and 1 for my brother in Jacksonville's son Joey, who also hasn't received a quilt previously. I told my brothers that I would probably have them done by the end of October, so they need to be time friendly. Last night I made an order at Hancock's of Paducah. Fabrics for borders for 3 of the quilts (I already have some USM fabric for my brother who was in the marines). My brother from Jacksonville and his son are both avid fishermen, so I ordered fish themed prints for them and my grandson Jacob is another musician in the family, so I ordered some fabric with guitars and other instruments for him. Instead of red narrow border fabric, on these it will be a shade of green. I hope Hancock's comes through this time. Last time I ordered they had everything, but I have had orders in the past that were very disappointing in that they were out of much of what I ordered. I was lucky in that the only fabric that I ordered that wasn't on sale was the musical themed.
We made a short trip to Ikea this past weekend, didn't look around much, just went straight to the section that we were looking for, and the green trash can was my main purchase. I have a large white one in my kitchen which I like very much, and every time I go back I covet the small ones. I don't care too much for green, but this cheerful little trash can appealed to me. Now, I have 5 trashes in my small sewing room, I think it is probably enough. They are all necessary though I'm sure, 1 by my Juki, which I quilt on, 1 by my embroidery machine, 1 by my faithful old Bernina, 1 under my cutting/ironing table, and now 1 by my desk. I must be a trashy person, lol. We had originally gone to look at their fabrics. I didn't get any of that, but I got a little bud vase for less than a dollar and a wire curtain hanger to hang the small quilt over the fuse box. That was Saturday, yesterday was DH and grandson Jacob's birthdays, so we met him for lunch. It was a nice day although not as planned. We were supposed to go to Busch Garden with my daughter, her fiance and some of the grandkids, but DH had one of his sleepless nights so we had to cancel. Hope you had a nice weekend, too.

About to be Out of Here!

Finally, everything is finished for this round. Hayley's and Naomi's (above and below) will be on their way to Jacksonville soon. The dark blue in the photo above is the bottom of the tote bag. It isn't exactly blending, but it hardly shows when the tote bag is sitting. It is leftover flannel from the backing on my Carolina Straightaway.
The pink and blue 9 patches will also be on their way to Pennsylvania soon.













The fleece blankets and travel pillows and cases will be out of here in the next day or two also, but we will deliver them locally. I wasn't too satisfied with the machine embroidery after they were washed, but they aren't horrible, just not as good as I'd like.







































Last night, my granddaughter and one grandson came for dinner and since my grandson and husband are both musical, they played with my husband's trusty old accordion for awhile. It is about fifty years old. I thought my grandson did pretty well for a first try. It is nice that my grandchildren are feeling more free to come and visit more, we enjoy their company. These are my daughter's children, unfortunately my son's children live farther away and we don't get to see them very much.
Today's going to be interesting. My daughter's non-profit is supported by doing paperwork for other non-profit's and it was very slow for awhile and now has picked up a lot. I volunteered to help her catch up. I've already warned her that the old brain is not as quick as it used to be, but it'll be interesting to go to "work" after being retired for about 4 and 1/2 years. Wish her luck.