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. 

More Purple, Green and Orange - January thru June

I don't know if adding blue toned it down any (maybe not) but I'm not as bored with using just 3 colors, lol.  Twelve down, eight more to go. 

Table Topper No. 2 Finished

I'm kind of enjoying these small quilts.  This one I think will be good for winter.    
If You've thought brown to be drab go to Scraphappy here and see if you change your mind.

Ant the back, I think you can probably guess.  Same combination of wonky log cabin and Hidden Wells.  I think next will be Valentine's and Easter, but a different combinaiton of patterns.    Meanwhile though, I hope to catch up the June Craftsy BOM tomorrow.  Amanda has already done hers.

Second Hidden Wells Try

I should have been working on my Craftsy BOM today, but I got curious to use another method for the Hidden Wells.  The last one had 7 rows in the stripset and this one has 9 rows.   That and my choice of fabrics has made for a very busy quilt, but with borders and quilting I'm hoping that it will still be an attractive table topper for my living room. 

Too Short a Visit

My brothers came for a short visit this weekend.  They got here yesterday about 3 o'clock and left today about 1:00  Very short, but look what they accomplished.  This light wasn't on my list, I thought it would be too time consuming, even though I've probably had the lamp and the kit that was needed for a couple of years now.  My brother said something about did I have enough light that it was dark in that corner and I said yes, it is kind of dark but I have a light for it maybe next time you come and have more time.   Pretty soon, it was spread out on the floor and on the list of jobs.  It makes a world of difference, and hopefully since I'll be able to see better when I'm FMQ'ing, I'll have less crossed seams.  No promises though, lol.

Next, a small job to them but awfully big to me since I couldn't reach and my husbands back wasn't up to trying.  Luckily, the light in my sewing room closet went out just a couple of days ago and now I have light again. 

This job was on the list, I've probably had these shelves for almost a year and wasn't able to get anyone to put them up conveniently.   Now I have shelves for my spices on the inside of the pantry door, it'll be much more convenient and it frees up the small cabinet between the stove and refrigerator for necessary medications. 
I'll spare you a picture of the toilet seat which is now tight and secure in its appointed place.  
Yay for brothers who are so handy and so willing to help.  I am more and more grateful for them and not just because of what they do, but because of who they are.

Hidden Wells - Wonky Log Cabin Table Topper

I'm having a time trying to add this note, but if this works and you can read this go to crazy mom quilts here and you'll find a whole list of "finish it up Friday" projects. 
Oops. I lost my post. I'll fix this on my desktop. Guess I need a bit more knowledge about how to do it on the iPod. 
 Success, Good thing it was still in Google Reader.

Pretty fast for me, I started this yesterday and finished today.  Of course, everything is by machine, even the binding so that makes things go more quickly.  This turned out about 35 by 35 inches and I hurried to finish it because my brothers are coming for the weekend and I was hoping to decorate a little.  This will hopefully be just the thing.  After Thanksgiving, or the first of December, depending on my level of energy, I'll flip it over to this side, this is a wonky log cabin from the Craftsy Block of the Month class.

Not Purple, Green and Orange

 Hey, it's not a masterpiece, but at least it's not purple, green and orange.   I joined the yahoo group for Hiddenwells and one of the ladies was kind enough to suggest making just 2 stripsets to make a baby quilt (or in my case table topper) and to try out the pattern.  I thought it sounded like a good idea and I need a Halloween topper, as I gave mine away.  I like to make them reversible, so I may do a wonky log cabin out of Christmas fabrics for the back.   A twofer, and if it's wonky it won't have to be straight. 
PS  After I took the picture I noticed that the blocks on the top right weren't turned correctly, so I fixed them.  

May Craftsy BOM

For better or worse, I think better, Amanda helped me decide that I needed a little different direction than just purple, orange and green.  I added in a bit of turquoise and navy to lighten things up.  After all, I do have a scrappy gypsy soul.  I think (and Amanda, too) either a white or cream sashing with turquoise cornerstones. 

It's ok, it's supposed to be wonky.   After the June BOM's I'll take another picture to see how they mix in.   
PS   I think these are the messiest blocks I ever made, my sewing room is a disaster.   
PPS  I hesitated to add my funny little blocks to soscrappy's Rainbow Scrap Challenge, the others are so awesome, but I did anyway, so go here to see the awesome ones.  

Growth is Painful, Really Painful, LOL

I think that I'm just a piecer, the fancier things, not so much.  I'm sure that my tree started out straight, but I managed to make it tipsy.  

I know now I won't be part of the hexi craze in blogland.

My first 4 months of the Craftsy BOM.  I think I must have read the color wheel wrong.  Not liking purple, green and orange so much.   Oh well, we live and we learn.  Good thing I'm doing this with Amanda, or it might go in a box for 'later'.

Craftsy BOM March

I really like this block, but I still don't like making string blocks.  I think I've given it the good old college try, but I just can't make myself enjoy making them.  I do love string block quilts though.  
This block also fits in with Soscrappy's pumpkin color for this month's Rainbow Scrap Challenge.
You can see more orange here.

This block didn't turn out so well.  I know that I'll lost at least one point, but I just don't enjoy making them, so it'll have to be good enough.   Wish I did though, cause I sure do like how string blocks look.  They appeal to my scrappy nature. 
I'm making these along with Amanda of Amanda's Musings and she has finished at least January and February.   Her blog is here and Crafty BOM is here.

February Craftsy BOM

January Craftsy BOM

January Craftsy BOM is done, I'm a late starter. 

Holland Quilt Finished

Ready to go in the washer and dryer and get clean and crinkly and then hopefully to be delivered shortly.  Hope they aren't shy about color.

The back, of course. 

Craftsy Block of the Month

I signed up for the Craftsy Block of the Month class and have been rather bogged down, as I didn't know what colors and I didn't really have enough solid fabric (except for tan, which I used for the Quilt of Valor mystery and I wanted something with a bit more pizazz).  It's not a solid, but the lavender is going to be my background color and orange and green my other colors.  I tried to look online and pick something by a color wheel, and I wasn't too successful.  As far as I could figure, I think these 3 colors are supposed to go together.   I don't have a good eye for color, but I know I like green and purple together, and adding the orange is ok with my gypsy soul.  
Can someone tell me why I'm doing this (lol).   I still have several other projects to finish, and instead, here I am starting 2 new quilts, this and the Granny Square.  I don't know why but it reminds me of a joke that I heard a long time ago.  "A Chinese gentleman was expressing his puzzlement about tea preparation.  First they boil it to make it hot, then they add ice to make it cold.  Next they add sugar to make it sweet and lemon to make it tart.  Americans are crazy people."   I think quilters must be crazy people too, I told you I didn't know why it reminded me of the joke. 
I went to Michael's today.   My x-sister-in-law used to say you could find everything at Michaels.  Not so much.  No zippers, no zipper pulls, no color wheels.  I did get some ribbon, but that was all.  My daughter and I are making cases for her new Kindle Fire, which will come the end of November, and my new Ipad.   This is the one, Craftsy again.   We will be sizing it down a bit, and hoping for the best.  
I finished meandering my Holland quilt this morning.  My binding is all prepared and I do the binding by machine, so I'm hoping to finish it today, wash it and hopefully deliver it in the next day or two. 

Step 5 finished, Alycia Quilts, Quilt of Valor Mystery Quilt-a-Long .    Also, my Holland quilt is basted, so won't be too many days before I have a finish for September.

One Down

One down and only 71 more to go.  Maybe more, since my block only turned out 9 inches.

Holland Quilt Flimsy

My Holland quilt is a flimsy.  Hope they like colorful and scrappy.  I think it might be kind of fun for a little one to crawl on, lots to see.