Bonnet Girl Quilt Update

I've been machine quilting on the Bonnet Girl Quilt-after I quilted the straight lines on the embroidered bars, I marked and quilted the cable in the green floral bars. Then I had to decide what I wanted in the blue floral border. I decided I wanted a cable there too but I didn't have anything that fit-so I designed a cable. Using this cable that I had designed years ago ( you can see it used on this quilt here)...

I designed this...

 and marked it with my 100% graphite marker (which is easy to see while machine quilting and which washes out completely.)

Oops, sorry the flash is a little bright there. 
I started quilting and here's what it looks like from the back (the front had the same flash problem.)

I really like what's happening where the cables meet...this design is a keeper!


BTW, quilting cables is really fast and easy-I use my walking foot!


I think I deserve a Whoop! Whoop! (even though I haven't finished!). Hop on over to Sarah's blog and see more Whoop! Whoopiness. There's a new format there so click on "links to this post" to see all the goodies.)

I've been quilting

I'm still not totally done with jet lag...I can't believe it is taking me this long but I'm hoping that I broke it completely today. Its not just the unusual sleep patterns-I just don't seem to have the same energy level. I have however managed to do some quilting.


I had rolled the Double Wedding Ring quilt in the frame before we left and I'm now here...

and I've already completed half of this roll.

I've also been doing some machine quilting...I had basted the embroidered Bonnet Girl quilt before leaving but hadn't started the quilting at all. I've done the straight lines on the embroidered bars and I'm thinking I'll put a cable in the narrow green floral bars.

 You can see I'm just sewing right over the embroidery...looks fine to me! :) and easy too!

Antique Bow Tie Quilt

Our trip wasn't just spending time with our grandkids-there was quilting too. We met up with some old friends for a visit to the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell (don't miss that if you're in the area). On the way back to Boston, we stopped off in Concord for a nice walk on the bridge (you know, the Shot Heard Round the World on the first day of the American Revolution) and then to the lovely town of Concord. Lo and behold-an antique shop! and a second one-which held this beauty that just had to come home with me.

It's twin size and just lovely, hand quilted in diagonal lines with about 8 stitches (one side) to the inch. The fabrics are just scrumptious.

There's one stain-you just see it on the upper right above. I will wash the quilt-I don't know if I'm brave or stupid but I will wash it.
LOL! I think part of the appeal of this quilt for me is its actually quite like a quilt I would make (even the hand quilting looks like mine-I too quilt about 8 stitches to the inch (one side) and yet its quite different. I don't think I would  use the proportions she did for the bow tie-I just love that-its like a peek into another's quilty sensibilities.
I'm linking to Vintage Thursday Thingie at Coloradolady (boy, its been a long time since I had something to share there). Stop by-there are always wonderful things to see.

We're home again

Birthday Girl Mika

Birthday Girl Ella                      

Well, we're back home...definitely with mixed feelings. It was wonderful spending time with our lovely little granddaughters. We had a great time at the birthday party: just family but all three of our kids managed to be there from different geographical points-something which hasn't happened for over 3 years. We all see each other fairly frequently just not all of us at the same time!

We're off to the US tomorrow

No more will our little granddaughters only Skype with us (enlarge the picture and you'll see me and Dan on the laptop!) We'll hug and kiss and play with them soon. We leave to the US tomorrow :) but only for two weeks :( But we will be there for their first birthday! :)


BTW, that quilt in the background is a quilt I made for my son using the vintage "baseball" pattern and each block is done in the colors of a ML baseball team...its sort of a puzzle-you can guess the team.

Postage Stamp Quilt Progress

My, how you've grown!

This is now  about 1/3 of the finished quilt which will be 73" x 73" and yes, there are rows that are made up of 73 little scrap squares!(There are 2 in this section.)

I'm planning on sewing the quilt in 3 sections just to make it a little easier to handle and to help make sure of a mix of scraps throughout the quilt.

What have you been working on this week?

Handquilting update and feedsacks

Hooray! I finished that roll of the frame...

 and turned the quilt in the frame

 and now I'm ready to start quilting here.

 Nice feedsacks in this section-here are some that just turned up :)