Another bee block

Two more bee blocks for Sharon, in the style of Denise Schmidt's Drunk Love.

All caught up with bee blocks, back to my usual obsessive quilting.

Jewel Squares

Quilter Bee blocks for Theresa. Inspired by Kaffe Fassett Jewel Squares.

Striped baby for Josiah

I'm definitely keeping with the theme of simple quilts for a bit.

We learned last weekend that a couple of our good friends were adopting a baby. As in they were meeting the baby that day, and were in California. One of my first thoughts was (of course) that I needed to make something for that baby. Later I found out that they were not just in California, but near US! We hadn't seen them in three years, since we were in Alaska. I was so excited to get to see them and their brand new baby. I decided Sunday night that I MUST make a quilt for the new little boy, but I just didn't have enough in my stash for a baby boy quilt. Monday morning, I was at my local fabric store buying the fabric. By the time I went to bed that night, I had completed the quilt top and the quilting. That left me Tuesday for the binding.

(I had to include the photo with the dog's tail.)
This was definitely my fastest quilt to date. I only worked on it during the kids' nap and after they went to bed. I thought we might be seeing them Wednesday, so I needed it done fast. 

For the back, I used one print, striped binding, stipple quilting. The finished quilt size if approximately 43x62.

We did get to meet the baby last night (1 week old,) but I'm not sure how many photos the parents have shared yet. I don't want to beat them to it.

Simple Quilts

I tend to like the back of my quilts as much as the front, sometime even more. Just a hint of the design from the front, simple. After seeing this quilt a few months ago, I decided that I was going to make a couple of very simple baby quilts.

I've had a few of these sock monkey prints for awhile, but didn't really know what to do with them. Adding solids and polka dots to a simple quilt seemed a perfect fit. I started making a few blocks for each quilt.

This first quilt is for a friend of mine, due with baby boy #2 next this month.

A simple quilt still needed a bit of interest on the back.

Another view of the quilt.

And a bit of a close up of the quilting. A bit of pebble quilting for this one. I've never done any pebble quilting. I liked it for this large empty space.

This quilt is approximately 43x58.

My cousin had a baby boy (baby brother of twin boys,) um, several months ago. (I think if the baby isn't yet one, I'm still good, though. Right?) Anyway, same type blocks, different layout.

And, the polka dot back.

Another view

And, close up of the quilting. Simple stipple for this one.

This quilt is approximately 43x63.

Three in Progress

I have a few quilts I'm working on right now.

One is being quilted.

One is ready to be quilted.

And another has a few more blocks to go before I start piecing the top.

These are a few of my blocks from Modify Tradition.

More to come later...

Update on Craft Hope

Craft Hope has been doing amazing. So many things sold almost as quickly as they were posted. By yesterday, they had sold over 1000 items and raised over $20,000!

My First Quilt

I started quilting in 1998. My first quilts were art quilts, as much paintings as quilts. And, most definitely, made for the wall. I decided I wanted to make a quilt that was utilitarian. My brother had just graduated from college and was moving to North Dakota for graduate school. I decided that he was the perfect candidate for my first quilt. I wanted something simple and warm. A friend suggested that I use two layers of double loft batting, so that it was more like a comforter. (It was quilted by a longarm quilter, too.)

My brother has used this on his bed ever since. Recently, there were a few holes and the binding was completely coming off. So, I started repairing it. Let me tell you, this quilt is so different than how I quilt now. (Two layers of double loft batting?) I guess I would use the same colors again, but that's about it. It is really heavy. I talked to my brother about it, and he says that's why he likes it, it's warm.

Ranger approves of the quilt.

JoAnn's has kona cotton solids 50% off. I stocked up today. I love the plumish color on the bottom.