NW Quilt EXPO

Yes, I am still here...that a long story to come in a future post!  Spent last Saturday enjoying the NW Quilt Expo in Portland  I especially enjoyed Marjorie Post's Elephants and the several exhibits by book club.


Finished a Flannel Star this weekend and started to work on a fall pumpkin quilt.  I'm having issues uploading photos, so check back for more, later today!

Distracted

Not a lot of quilting going on around here, as my weekend mornings seem to revolve around a precious little boy hanging out with grandma.  He's now six months old and so much fun!!  I did make two minkie quilts for Christmas presents, but am still working on getting the binding on them UGH!

Here are some recent shots from our morning...he's learned to roll over, both directions and creep towards toys. Then it's time to crash on the blanket, so grandma can update her blog.  I'll be back to to quilting soon!

Asian Cranes FINISHED!

Decided on the more copperish colored fabric for the smaller borders.  Probably not my most favorite quilt ever...not really sure why. But it will great on my walls during the fall.  In my house I always have at least five quilts hanging on the walls and one to two over the stairway railings.  For several years, I've been working on having enough quilts to change them all out during different seasons or holidays.  That is how I started working on this quilt due to the fall colors and trying to find something to use the outer border fabric on.

Since I had plenty of fabric for this, I convinced my sister to buy an extra panel, when we saw them on sale this summer.  Now there is a pre-cut kit waiting just for her in my sewing room to make this same quilt, but with the gold smaller border next time she is here!

Enjoyed the long Thanksgiving Holiday, but little sewing due to a great visit with my niece!  I am so thankful for the many blessings in my life!

Someone has had a good mail day

My sister and I joke that good mail days are when we go the mailbox and discover a new quilt magazine (isn't it about time for a new Asian Fabric?) or when fabric arrives via mail.  So, I decided to try sending fabric from my stash, or from shopping trips, to my sister at least once a month. 


Well the first few times went off without a hitch!  She had some good mail days and I had fun picking out fabrics to share.  Recently, while I was at the local quilt store, I fell in love with this fabric!  Have you noticed that the majority of Asian fabrics tend to be on the dark to medium side?  It is rare to find a good light that is not overly busy.  Of course, having gone to Mt. Fuji the last time we were in Tokyo made this the perfect one to send to my sis.  However, this last envelope has disappeared in the mail...So someone has had a good mail day...sorry sis!


It has been a crazy month since I last posted.  Still having some health issues...am back to work full time, but come home exhausted, so not much quilting has taken place.    Decided to start this Saturday backwards from what I normally do.  I usually start with all the regular stuff... laundry, picking up the house, etc., and by the time the afternoon is here, I'm out of energy for blogging or quilting!  So, started today with this blog update, next stop my sewing room!

Accurate stich widths

Recently after working on several quick projects, I realized that my blocks were smaller than expected.  It didn't really matter, as they were simple square blocks or triple rail fence blocks.  However, before I started on my next project (Window on the World from Asian Fabrics #20)  I decided to double check my stitch width.   

Everything looked fine on my machine, the needle was in center position, etc.  Then I realized I had changed feet awhile back, using # 34 (Bernina), which I purchased after a Ricky Timms seminar recommended for machine applique.  The clear foot makes it much easier to see the edges and your stitches.  However, the width is 3/8 of an inch rather than 1/4.

So, switching back to my favorite # 37, I was quickly back to an accurate 1/4 inch seam allowance.  Isn't it amazing how a little thing like a foot can make such a big difference!

Not much quilting has occurred, as I am back to work full time and come home exhausted.  It takes the weekend to just catch up on rest and get the basics done...hoping to sew this weekend!

Little Progress



I have made very little progress since I last posted, as I was in the hospital again. What I thought was going to be a quick trip to the doctors office turned into a week in the hospital that included two trips to the cath lab and a new stent !  I can truly say I am glad to be home!!

My wise sister suggested after my last posting that I put the borders on the quilt on the design wall before changing the blocks.  I normally would do that...but just not  thinking normally! 

Above is the quilt with a gold inner border fabric that was used in my last project.

Below is the original inner border which is a deeper gold/rust with small ginko leaves. 

Which inner border do you prefer?  The gold or rust ginkos?



Sorry to say, I won't be traveling to the Kona Bay open house in Washington next weekend.  I just not quite up to traveling yet.  Would love to hear from those of you that do go!



Weekend Project...now what??

It's been a good, quiet and relaxing weekend.  Have hemed pants for work, held the grandbaby lots, napped and even worked on a quilting project! 

I've had the panel below for some time and decided it was the project for the weekend...nothing too difficult, had lots of possible fabrics to use with it and even had a pattern set aside to try.  The pattern is Sidelights by Monutainpeek Creations.  Here's a link so you can see some of their other fabulous patterns.
http://www.mountainpeekcreations.com/patterns.aspx

Knowing that I tend to over work the design process, I challenged my self to use what fabric I had and to just put the blocks together without too much fussing or thinking...Now that the blocks are together, I'm not all that crazy about the outcome.  So I am rethinking the blocks. 
Here are the options:
A.  Change out the light border blocks for more dark and medium border blocks.
B.  Change out the dark border blocks for more light border blocks.
C. Rearrange a few blocks (they are sewn together).
D.  Leave it along and move on!

What would you do?