Quilting Along Merrily

I finished by block of the month blocks for July and have sent them off. I am still trying to decide if I like this block. I haven't started any new projects lately (although I have wanted to). I have been browsing the internet, visiting blogs, wishing and dreaming. But I have stuck to my goals of completing a project before I start something else.
Although I am going to make what I call a quilt planner for my quilting group. Once again I won the door prize and need to bring the next prize. I want to bring something that I made instead of something I bought. I have one and I use it all the time. It holds six patterns and room for notes. Mine does not have a cover but I am going to make a test cover with mine before I make the one as a prize. I will post pictures when I finish.
I am getting ready for my trip to the Jacksonville Quilt show. I have chose the pattern I want to make and ordered it. It is paper piecing. Lots of it. So I decided to make a small ironing board to take with me. I had seen the board on several blogs and never thought I would want one. Now I do. It was fun and easy to make. I bought my dinner tray from WalMart for $8. The material and elastic was from my stash. I would say it took me less than 2 hours to make it. I did a lot of planning before I cut into my fabric since I was using left over fabric that was not quite wide enough. I am liking this a lot.

I will be starting my Sunshine and Shadow quilt next month. I have mailed the fabric to Nadine.
I hope she likes the colors I chose. I have washed and ironed my fabric. This weekend I plan on cutting into it.
My friend JoAnna will be here sometime today from Colorado. I am taking off work Monday to visit with her. We will have a good time.
Happy quilting. I hope to have a completed quilt to show and tell next time.
Jeri

Another Love

I have fallen in love again. I beginning to think I am fickle. My mother use to say that all the time when I went from one thing to another. I never thought I was. But now I think I am because I love this quilt. If you remember Crazy Mama Quilts was having a quilt-along with nine patches. And being that I love nine patches or any patch for that matter, I decided to once again be a straggler. I did not join because I have so many other projects going on and did not think I could keep up. Well, I have 89 nine patch squares and decided to start joining them together. I tried the 2 1/2" wide strips and did not like it. I knew I had seen the pattern on SoupQuilts website and decided to read the instructions. She has 1 1/2" wide (unfinished) sashing on her quilt. I decided to give it a try and I like it much better. So in order to make a quilt big enough for a queen size bed I need to make more blocks. I think I need 11 x11 blocks to make it big enough for my bed. So, on I go making nine patches and thrilling my heart with each new patch. I hope to have it completed by winter. I do not want to catch a cold from lack of a quilt.
Oh, I live in sunny Florida. I feel a trip in the making this winter. Just me and my trusty quilt. Oklahoma, Indiana, Idaho, South Dakota. Nice thoughts.

I always name my sewing machines. I do not know why but I do. I guess it is because I talk to them. Sometimes they need words of encouragement, compliments on their stitching, or a little rub on their tummy. So I decided to introduce you to my Sapphire. I have had her for quite some time but I have not used her much. My intention when I bought her was to have a sewing machine just for quilting. I would have her set up and ready to quilt one of my many UFOs. But my free motion quilting leaves a lot to be desired. It looks more like sick motion quilting or free motion quilting blind folded.

So, in June I took a free motion quilting class again. I learned a lot but my quilting looked like a four legged lizard trying to square dance. Not that I have anything against lizards square dancing-just not on my quilt. You will be glad to know that I have since started practicing my free motion quilting and I can see some improvement. The lizard is still there but now at least he is tap dancing.
I have finished my block of the month blocks. I will mail them tomorrow after I take pictures and post them. I won the blocks for June-the ribbon pattern. I like that pattern. I will make a few extra blocks and make a nice quilt.
My friend JoAnna at Banana River Quilts bought a Featherweight sewing machine on e-bay. She says she will post pictures of it. I am so glad for her. She has wanted a Featherweight every since I have known her. Congratulations on your new baby JoAnna.
Happy quilting this week.
Jeri
p.s. I want a Featherweight too.

Happy Fourth of July

I finally finished the baby quilt for my co-worker. I like the way it turned out.

This is my favorite. I like putting the birth announcement on the back.

I finished off the blocks for my block of the month club. I saw this block in a quilt over on the Idaho Quilter's blog and I thought at the time that it was a nice quilt pattern. I hope I win this month. Oh, and has anyone heard from the Idaho Quilter. She hasn't blogged since she moved closer to her family. I enjoyed her blog. She did/does beautiful patchwork and applique'.

I haven't been doing much sewing. I have been busy working on my Sunshine and Shadow that I plan to start on in August. I did not know how much planning goes into planning the quilt from a photo or image in your mind to the finished product. But I love it.

Look at what I found for $10.00. It is going to make the perfect quilting table. One of the maintance men at work is going to make an extension for the back that folds down so that when I am not quilting it does not take up much room. The only drawback I saw was that it did not have a drawer but for $10 I can live without it.
I hope everyone has a lovely Fourth of July. I plan on celebrating with my daughter and son.

I live close to the beach and can watch the fireworks from my house.

Happy sewing.

Jeri