They just keep comin'!

Three more finishes! I can hardly believe it! (Yes, the sewing has been a bit frenetic around here lately.)
Summer Stars is bound, and I realized I had never shared a good photo of the log cabin mini when it was bound. (It had been in a group "finished" shot earlier, but it was pretty covered by other little quilts.) Plus, the 9-patch leader/ender demanded completion.

Finish #15:  I have wanted to have this one finished for a long time now, but had been at a loss as to how to quilt it. I think my best solution for situations like that is to start the ditch stitching and let the inspiration flow as I handle the quilt.

Finish #14: (I know, it is out of order) Love the little log cabins. This is now at home on the mini ladder in my living room.

Finish #16: This little 9-patch was made from the leftover logs, chopped into squares. The photo on the right gives you a size perspective.

Of the quilts in my recently basted batch, I have only ditch stitched this quilt and marked most of it for FMQing.

I didn't plan to get this bunch done as quickly as the previous ones--too much else going on. Besides, I'm getting tired of figuring out how to quilt everything. There is only one more I'm sure of, and then I may stall a while.

After all of this "dark & dirty" stuff, I had an urge to do something Spring-ish, so I grabbed a bag I keep stuffed with some of the more pastel repros, and I went to work with the scraps, making 2" baskets. This was the result.  Oh, I just realized that this makes Finish #17!! (I'm a little slow on the uptake.)

Didn't turn out quite how I had hoped--I think I should have used narrower sashing. This sashing finishes at 1/2" and the quilt is just over 8" square. That is too much sashing for such a small quilt. Those are pretty small feathers, too, but not the smallest I have ever stitched.

Love those grandkids!

But even if I am not enamored with it, I think it still looks sweet in its new home for Spring. I am calling it "Easter Baskets". Real original, huh? : )

And while the pastel scraps were handy, I made a few more ornaments to hang on my Shaker peg rack for the season. All of the pastel ones I have made before have been gifted away. These still need their stuffing and fluffing, but that won't take long.

With all of the finishes I've had this year I've been hanging little quilts in new places and tucking them in previously empty corners. Maybe one of these days I will do a post of where all of these quilts are ending up.
But first I need to convince my friend Gayle to share her little quilts and rugs all over her home--it is so much cooler than mine! (Are you getting the message, Gayle?)
And now I think it is time I woke up "the beast"! : )
Until next time,
Janet O.

P.S. Thanks, Mary, for this lovely batik that surprised me in the mail! One of these days you will learn to love batiks and you will be sorry you sent them to me. *LOL*

This, That, and The Other (and this, again)

THIS...

 ...is what I did while I still had my Kim Diehl fabrics out. She designed this for a recent quilt cruise project. No, I didn't go, but Michelle did and she loaned me the pattern after she made hers. I had seen Kim's when I took her class last Fall, and I am happy to now have my own. Thanks, Michelle!

The scraps from the above project made some great little ornaments. I haven't made these for a little while and it was fun to do them again. I really like the pineapple in these fabrics. Think I'll have to make more--someday.

That...

...is my version of Pam Buda's Nabby's Dowry SAL under Gidget's needle. Finally getting it quilted up for grandchild #5. DD#1 does not want typical baby quilts, and I am more than happy to oblige.  : )

Can you see my FMQ sample from my first class hanging above my machine? That is to encourage me. When I feel like I am not doing a good job of quilting, I can glance up and remember that I have come a long way.

The Other...

...recent activity in my sewing room has been quilting and binding these two little quilts. On the left is my "Bowties in Plaid" (aka Baby Bowties), made from thrift store shirt fabrics, and on the right is the little quilt I made replicating one of Kathie Holland's creations (still nameless). The fabrics were donated by Kathie and I made the top quickly, but I stalled on the quilting.

 I got them finished in time for...

...this.

 I visited the local miniature quilt guild again. I had a few more quilts this time than when I did a trunk show last year, and I didn't have to borrow back any that I had gifted in order to have enough. This was a display only, not a presentation, and that took a lot of the pressure off.

This guild is such a great bunch of gals. What a fun evening! If I was ever tempted to join a guild, this would be the one! Thanks, ladies!

Now I need to get busy on those wool applique projects I am  finding every 30 days or so on a couple of blogs. (I worked really hard there not to say BOM--you know, those things I DON'T do).

Until next time,

Janet O.