Strange

I bought a package of embroidery patterns for the Howes quilt (the family that I'm making a quilt for) and I liked the first few so well that I decided to use the rest kind of willy nilly.   I decided to make a taggie for the baby, looked on Amazon and it seemed that the parents liked good sized ones and the most expensive ones were lined with batting.   It's about 19 x 19 inches.   I did the remaining embroideries from the pack and then started getting 'strange'.  It is made from fleece, and the odd little tail is made from velvety cottony fleece.  I wanted a handle but was afraid of danger to the baby, so I did a straight handle that is soft and feels nice.  The odd looking thing at the other end is the same fabric rolled up so that the baby can feel the outside and the inside of the fabric.  I told you it was strange.

The other side.  The odd looking half circles are satiny feeling shoulder pads that I found when looking in my dresser drawers for something to feel interesting to the baby.  Again, I didn't want to cause injury so they are secured, but the baby can put her little hands in each side.  I scrounged for what ribbons I could find and the pickings were slim.  I even resorted to 2 pieces of elastic, they filled in a spot and have a different feel.  The center has the feel of the embroideries, plus it is quilted and the borders are unquilted.  Strange, strange, I don't know if I'll get the courage to give it to them.
Maybe my time would have been better spent getting started on my Granny Square quilt, lol.

The backing fabric (a Lands End Sheet) and the label.  The blues are actually a bit darker.  
Notice I put the finish for September 2012, it shouldn't be a problem as long as the border fabrics hurry and get here from Hancock's of Paducah.

One of the four embroideries that I did for each corner of the borders. 

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.  

Cecilia's Big Girl Quilt

It's almost reversible, the back is flannel and pieced, a moneysaver, but it takes longer.   The batting is pieced too, same thing, saves money and freed up some space in my closet, but still takes a bit longer. 

This was a fun easy quilt to make, I used the tutorial that Jean MaDan so nicely provided here.   It doesn't have quite the same impact with the hot pink as with her black, but I think it turned out cute.

The label.  The seahorses aren't quite as dark in person.  The seahorses are free embroidery designs from BFC Creations here.

I'm not too good at the floor shots.  I stood on a chair and put the camera up in the air above my head, but just couldn't seem to get everything centered.  

I thought that I was finished with the jelly roll style strippie quilts, but Sunday at church a lady gave a talk about her 2 month old baby who has been diagnosed with downs syndrome.  She quoted a story about preparing for a trip to France and then landing in Holland and not being able to go to France after all.   She said that's what the birth of her beautiful little baby girl is like,  Holland is different, but France is not better, just different.   They plan to go forward with love for their little one and enjoy the triumphs and deal with the challenges.   They don't want pity, just understanding and love and happiness from their friends and family.   Being a quilter, my mind started thinking of the Holland story.  The only fabric that I found was a little steep for my budget right now, so I thought, yet another strippy as I already have the strips, and I have ordered some border material that will have a Dutch type theme.  I also thought that I'd get some embroidery patterns, I found some nice ones already, and use them for embroidery in each outer corner of the quilt and on the label.  I think I'll make it bigger than a baby quilt so the whole family can use it.  Hopefully, they will like it.

Quilt of Valor Mystery Quilt-A-Long on Craftsy

I have my back and binding ready for Cecilia's quilt and I still need to piece batting, but I saw Alycia Quilts, Quilt of Valor Mystery Quilt-a-Long on Craftsy and decided that I would do it if I could find fabric in my stash.  I had to use blue for her red and red for her blue, and tan instead of white (it looks kind of apricot in the picture, but it is tan), and my blue is more red than blue, so my mystery will be a double mystery of will it be a complete blah or a soothing wonder.   I was happy with my Borgasmord in the end, so I was ready to take the gamble.   
I got a little cocky with my cutting since I saw the tip about the shelf lining and cut my strips with the fabric folded twice instead of once.  Not a good idea to be too careless, as I got some wavies in my strips for the first time in a long long time.   I still love the shelf paper though, it was my error.
For a while it seemed like I needed a break from purple, and now I'm starting to feel that way about red, yes after this one I'll need a definite break from red.
 

Flimsy for Cecilia and Super Tip

When I saw this tutorial from MaDan's Quilting I knew I wanted to make one for my great-grandbaby Cecilia.  She just turned one a few months ago and I hardly ever get to see her.  I wanted it to be girly and bright and suitable for a few years.  It should finish up about 75 x 53 inches.  The pink doesn't have quite the dramatic effect of the black shadows that MaDan used, but I felt like the black wasn't quite the girly look I was after.   I think for the back, strippy flannel if I can find enough to make it and another scrappy binding.  I'm using up that box of leftovers.
And the tip Here it's from Pat Speth's blog nickelquilts.  I tried using the shelf lining under my ruler and it was like magic, it 'couldn't' slip if I wanted it to, what a difference. 

Borgasmord (Star Struck) is Finished

My Scrappy Borgasmord.  It is huge, there is just as much quilt on the other side.  It's not shy.

A very colorful back if I do say.  The coin strips are left overs from my border and the purple is from flannel pillowcases.  The buttercup (looks orange to me) is a flannel king sized flat sheet and 2 king sized pillowcases.  The rest of the strips are flannel leftovers.  I got a really good deal on the flannel sheets on ShopNBC, and I still have the fitted sheet leftover.  I think it works out to less than $1.50 a yard for nice heavy flannel.

  Still some too dark lights and some too light darks, but all in all I'm ok with it.   Now into the washer and dryer and it can go on the bed in my husband's office.   It may soon be covered with papers.  Oh well, the bed in my sewing room is often covered with stacks of fabric, lol. 

Even Mediocre Meandering Can Be Magic

My Borgasmord is half quilted now, if you can see, it's pretty much right down the middle.  I know that pretty quilting is much 'prettier', but I couldn't help but think as I was quilting that even mediocre meandering, which is my specialty, I think I may apply for a copyright, can be rather like magic to the basted quilt.   The raw materials are starting to disappear and it is becoming a 'Quilt'.   I might give in and send mine out to an expert longarmer if money were no object, but I'm rather glad that I do my own from start to finish as it it fun to see the transformation (plus, I'd have to do many fewer if I sent them out).   Anyway, my Juki is too noisy to watch TV or even to listen to a  CD while I quilt, so I was back to thinking this morning, you are up to date on my philosophy of the day.  
PS   I didn't mean to say that meandering is mediocre, just my non-artistic version of it.   Mine isn't all pretty and even, I have pointies and usually lots of crossed threads. 

Bodacious Beastly Borgasmord is Basted and Iphone Update

When I decided to do this pattern (Star Struck by Bonnie Hunter) I discussed it with my DH.   I said I think I'll make all the light stars one fabric, and he thought it would be better if they were scrappy.  Then I said I think I'll make all the dark stars scrappy, but each star a different color, and he thought it would be better if they were all different colors. more scrappy that way.   I agreed, and I asked him when it was laying out on the table in process of being basted what he thought.  He looked with a thoughtful look on his face and then he apologized, lol.   His ideas were sound, but as I realized before some of my darks are too light and some of my lights are too dark, those were my choices not his, so if it isn't a favorite I take responsibility.   Actually, it is growing on me and it may not be a favorite, but I think I'll like it ok, at lease the light stars are there to be seen.   It was a bear to baste, I don't know of any creases on the back, so I think it will be ok.   It was so heavy with the flannel back that I just laid it on the table (a 3 foot by 6 foot rectangle) and smoothed.  I didn't use any clips just basted what was on the table and then rearranged it 8 times and basted away.  It was an all day job, but it's done and now on to the wrestling and the quilting.  If this wasn't 'fun' it would be 'work'.
Update on Iphone:   So far, I'm loving it.  I have my texting and email set up, I've added emoticons, which are considered an international language in the settings.   I've added my favorite sites, Google Reader, Flickr , etc. to my desktop, plus a few more free apps.  I even semi-watched two movies yesterday on Netflix while I basted my quilt.  I think we are bonding just fine so far. 
PS   I even talked on it a few times and it sounded just fine.   Another biggie for me is the speaker and so far no complaints.   I think it is going to be a winner with me.
PPS   Speed dialing was something I missed even though it has the Siri (voice) and yesterday I found a $00.99 icon that gives me speed dialing.  Now, I'm really a happy camper. 

  

New - Not So New - Toy

My husband got this Iphone several months ago but never bonded with it.  He has gone back to his old phone and I've changed from my Blackberry over to his 'old' iphone.  I think that I'm really going to like it.

I did splurge on one of these covers.  It is pretty and I feel so techy.  I may be a grandma, but I've always liked gadgets. 

Flimsy Finished Finally - Fantastic

How's that for a lot of F's.   It is a bit mish-mashy, but I'm liking it.  I think it's almost the same size as my Scrappy Lattice, about 103 by 115.   (I purposely put my new chair in the picture, I thought 'everyone'  ((I'm an optimist, it may only be a couple of people, lol)) would want to get another glimpse of my modest triumph and be amazed that it hasn't fallen apart yet.)   The light stars show up pretty well, and if you look closely you can see the dark stars.

I like my Que Sera Sera Border, it is truly "what will be will be".   True scrappy spirit.