What I am learning.

Finally getting some little quilts off the "to be quilted" list! Been home sick all week and I have been learning (or reminded) that I don't "rest & recuperate" very well. I have to be "doing."

As I quilted this I realized how "pointless" that upper left basket is.
What was I thinking?

 Two years ago this Saturday, Temecula Quilt Co. began their Blessings Basket SAL.  I went out of control and made 4 of them, pictured below on my design wall in their flimsy stage.

Since this time I have been learning to live without
making every Temecula SAL that comes out.

This is the third one I have quilted--only the batik remains.

Something else I've been learning is curved cross-hatching. This was my first attempt on anything other than a practice piece. Can you see it in the dark blue setting triangles?
 There is a lot of backtrack or overstitching to this process and my skills in that area are not up to speed. I show you this photo of the back so that you can see the cross-hatching better, but you can also see my mess of threads in many places.

Another thing I have learned as I have quilted this week--I still think like a hand quilter. I tend to want to do stitch-in-the-ditch through the pieced areas and fill the large, solid areas with simple designs. I know that is not how everyone hand quilts, but that was my M.O.

It shows on the other two pieces I have done this week. "True", my little companion quilt to "Faithful", from one of Lori's SALs, was also completed. The quilting doesn't show here, but it is entirely straight line stuff around the piecing and a spiky design in the border.








The other piece I have quilted this week is another example of my hand quilting mentality. I have named this one "Poor Lil' Punky Loves Pineapple". The pumpkin design in the center is from Julie Letvin's Poor Lil' Punky pincushion pattern (and, of course, I made 4 of those, too). I did SITD around the black parts of each pineapple block and around Punky and his features, and put cross-hatching in the rail blocks. It is ready to bind and I hope to get to that today.

 It is hard to see the quilting design on the back but I like the way Punky's gold threads shine there. : )

I have one more little quilt basted and I am going to force myself to try an all-over design on it. This may be difficult!

My Little Quilts corner has had some recent additions, thanks to Julie and Michelle. Most of the quilts to the left of the corner were made by blog friends, five of which were AAQI quilts . So glad I was able to support the cause and have the work of friends in the bargain. On the other side of my quilting room I have a couple of pillows, a wall quilt, pincushions, and some ornaments by friends. Blogging has certainly provided me with the quilting community I lacked. Since blogging is my only computer vice--no Facebook, Instagram, gaming, and though I Pin, I don't browse Pinterest--for now, I am happy to keep blogging. I am just learning that I can't start everything I see on blogs, that I love. Some lessons are learned the hard way. : )

Until next time,
Janet O.

Progress

I have finished this little quilt and it has gone to its new home.

It was made with leftover Rail Fence blocks from the Little Temecula quilt I copied here.
You can see the quilting a little better from the back.

And I have the quilting done on the first of my four little "Temecula Blessings Baskets" quilt to actually get quilted. I'm trying to decide what color to use as binding. What would you use?

Maybe this angle gives you a little better view of some of the quilting patterns used--the backing on this is that same black fabric as in the border, and I can't get a shot from the back that shows the quilting well. Maybe that is a good thing--I really struggled quilting this one. Sorry, Randy. This quilt will be going to Randy as a "thank you" for the quilts she has donated when my daughter has held her fund raisers for Dravet Syndrome.

I've also made progress on the quilts for my grandsons for Christmas. They don't read my blog and their mother has already seen these photos, so here are the cut pieces laid out ready for sewing.                                                                                                                                                                      

This is for the oldest grandson and big
Star Wars fan. Not happy with it. I have found
another S.W. fabric that I think I am going to be
subbing for the bigger strips. This quilt will
have a "starry sky" print border all around.

This is for the middle grandson who is a
baseball nut. He loves all sports, it seems,
but especially baseball. There will be a border
all around this in the black tonal houndstooth
print that makes some of the narrow strips.

This is a crib quilt for little Ben. He loves trains!
When I get the black binding on it that red
stripe around the outer edge will be covered up.
This one is already partially sewn together.

All of these quilts are made using MaryQuilts.com favorite quick donation quilt pattern, found here. I have made these a little bigger and varied the fabric placement a little. This is a great pattern for a quick quilt, whether a gift or a donation.

I continue to plow ahead with Orca Bay (SOTMD). Hope to have a flimsy by month's end. Now I need to get plowing on the 5 Sow-Along blocks I have yet to make.

There seem to be a lot of November birthdays on the blogs I follow. I was a November baby, too. My friends have long tried to teach me to celebrate all month long, and I am seeing the value--especially when your birthday gets swallowed up in the Thanksgiving festivities. DD#2 gave me tickets  to a Gary Morris concert, which DH and I enjoyed Saturday night. Monday I went to brunch (crepes and hot chocolate made with Nutella) with a friend and DD#2 (DD#1 would join us if she lived anywhere nearby). Later that day I was doing some grocery shopping and I spotted a fall bouquet that I loved. I don't usually buy myself flowers, but in the spirit of celebrating all month, I did. Doesn't it look nice with my Fall table runner (which, by the way, I bound but never quilted)?

So to spice up the birthday a bit (as if having it on Black Friday this year isn't spicy enough), I will be posting a little giveaway that day. Tune in then for the details. Nothing fancy--just a little treat for my quilt blog friends who make my life a little more spicy.

We have had a lot of snow lately. This was the view to the west a couple of days ago.

 And this was the view to the east.

But we are warming back up this week, so it is melting away on the valley floor now. Just so long as it is back by Christmas. : )

Until next time,

Janet O.