Little Blessings

This is the baby quilt I made for DH's coworker's new baby. It just needs to be quilted. It is a made from a panel by Andover Fabrics. The name is Little Blessings and there is a download for the free pattern on their website. I am usually a panel snob, but this was so cute and quick and easy - just what I was looking for.
















The large squares have flowers, frogs, etc. with wishes for the baby like "may you grow up to be gentle and strong" and "may you always be true to yourself."
















Have a Pieceful Day!

Winter Still Life

I just recently finished the binding on this quilt. It was my first applique quilt. I've done an applique block here and there but never something of this size. I learned a lot. I did the center panel with the back basting applique method and would definitely use that method again.

Tonight I finished a quilt top for a coworker of DH - they just adopted a baby from Guatemala and DH asked me to make a quilt. I picked up a kit at the quilt store and have been meaning to start it for a month. DH kept harassing me to make the quilt - last week he texted me a picture of the baby with a caption "baby Smith - she looks cold." DH is very understanding about quilting - this Sunday he drove 30 minutes out of our way so I could stop at a favorite quilt store. We stopped at the local Thai place for lunch, but still, we could have eaten in a great restaurant without going out of our way. So the guilt overcame me this weekend and I started the quilt - I mean he tolerates a lot of quilty stuff, and then when he asks me to make a quilt I keep putting it off. Tonight I finished the top - mitered borders and all. It was too dark tonight to post a picture so it will have to wait for tomorrow.

So, I'm curious - what does YOUR DH think of your quilting? Is he supportive of your habit? Is he jealous of it?

Have a pieceful day!

Caught Up!

Last night I stayed up late and finished the rest of this week's CWD blocks.
With all this interest in the CWD blocks I thought I'd show some pics of two antique quilts I own - they are both pre-civil war. I bought them at an auction here in town. There was a 1800's era house that was being moved to make room for a Burger King and an auction was conducted to sell off the contents (the owners had recently passed away). I waited all day for these two quilts to be auctioned. In the morning there were quite a few people interested in the quilts, especially the blue one, but by the end of the day there were only a few people left. The house had been in the same family for years and the ancestors of the owners told me that the quilts were made in the house by slaves. These are the only antique quilts I have but it is kind of neat to know they were made right here in my town.



Someday I would love to learn to date fabrics and quilts. I was a history major in college and the historical aspects of quilting intrigue me. Maybe after I retire. As much as these little blocks are addicting, it is time to work on some other quilting projects that need attention today. It snowed here yesterday and its snowing again now - not sure if we are supposed to get more accumulation or if it is just flurries but I plan on sitting at my sewing machine all day watching the snow out the window!

Have a pieceful weekend!

First Block Done!

I did my first Civil War Diary block this morning before work. I used to sew a lot in the mornings until I changed jobs and my commute got a lot longer. It's amazing how much you can accomplish in a half hour or forty five minutes every morning. Of course, I should be exercising in the morning, but that's another story!

Selling the Livestock
Again, my photography leaves much to be desired - I'm working on it though. The block is much straighter in person that the picture makes it look.

I only have the Civil War Diary book (and CD) so for now I am only going to do blocks from that book. Since everyone else is working on Love Letter blocks this week, I hope to finish the first 7 War Diary blocks this weekend so I am caught up with those. Then when the next 7 are posted, I will do them over a two week period instead of one week.

Helloooooo There!

I discovered quilting blogs shortly after Megan started hers and quickly became addicted. Feeling somewhat like a stalker reading and commenting without having one of my own, I've been tempted to take the plunge for about a month. I was further enticed by the Civil War Diary blocks everyone seems to be doing and then the Sew Many Blocks web-ring pushed me into the pool!So now I have the blog... I have the book... I have the fabric... an hopefully by tomorrow night I'll have some blocks done. I also need to work on taking pictures that are not so dark. I don't know if it shows in the picture, but out of the 60 or so fat quarters behind the book, almost all are blue or brown - I am in desperate need of pink, red, green and gold - so if anyone has an abundance of any of those colors and would like to swap - please let me know!