Flash!

UFO #1 "Finish"

"Flash"

My latest selvage quilt, measuring approximately 84 x 96, was quilted by Jan Hutchison. Flash was supposed to be a wallhanging but I kept making blocks and more blocks. I probably could make another small project with the leftover blocks.

Flash is not officially done because he's waiting for a label. Yes, this quilt is a he. I print my labels on the computer and will need to finish three more quilts before I can make labels.

My UFO count - one down and 33 to go!

Until next time,

Mayleen

Sneak Peek

 Just a sneak peek at my secret selvage project which will be revealed next week. These photos should give you some ideas as to what it is.

Its done and guess what? I still have some selvages left over!

Only one more label to sew onto a wall hanging for the quilt show and my quilts will be ready. The show is next week so I doubt there will be much stitching done for a few days. In my next note, I'll have some pictures of show quilts and reveal the secret selvage project to you!

Until next time, Mayleen

The Tub Overfloweth!

My selvage suppliers have been so generous this year that I've started two selvage quilts!

This one might be called modern except for all those repro selvages! I'd feel a lot better about making this quilt design if it would only rain. (That's a hint!) Of course, its name might also refer to another activity which, I believe, is against the law!

And this one will definitely be traditional. I saw the inspiration quilt on an antique quilt site. I've never made one of these before and it may be a bit challenging to put together.

Any guesses what these quilts will be?

Until next time, Mayleen

Selvages, Octagons & Books

Look what someone gifted me at guild this past week!

The selvage tub is getting full again so it will soon be time for another quilt but I don't know yet what it will be. I'd prefer a wallhanging as I'd probably use it more than a bedsize quilt and most importantly, it wouldn't need as many selvages! It takes a really l-o-n-g time to save enough selvages and I certainly couldn't do it without help from friends.
Quilting is my stress reliever and this past week, I started two new quilting projects. Does that give you an idea what kind of week it was for me?

Here's part of the first project, which will be a wallhanging, not sewn together yet just cut and up on a design wall. Its my version of a quilt I saw on Quiltsalott's blog. Warning: Try not to spend too much time looking at the pictures of delicious cakes on her post. Scroll down to the last photo. For some reason, I think about the cakes often and wonder what they taste like! I will probably never know because Quiltsalott lives in Australia.

I'd like to include a sunflower in this wallhanging but I need one that looks a little more modern than what I'm finding in the quilt shops. How can I live in Kansas and not have a sunflower in it? Any suggestions where I could find a sunflower that will work with the fabrics you see?

I'm still gathering fabric for the second project which is a bedsize quilt. For me, searching and hunting for just the right fabric is just as much fun as seeing the quilt finished!

Last week, I received these two books as birthday presents. In fact, my second project is from Kathy Doughty's book, "Making Quilts ..." I think I'm drawn to these kinds of quilts because they use vintage designs as their inspiration and, of course, the bright colors.

The month of July is already almost half over and lately it seems my posts are getting fewer and farther between. I hope to do a little better than my only one post in June this month.

Till next time, Mayleen

Ta-Da!

Here it is, finally finished!

"The Parlour's Tin Ceiling Quilt",
my version of Jacquie's Tin Ceiling Quilt!
You can get the tutorial and see her quilt here and here.

The quilting design is by Angela Walters. I liked it so much that I asked my machine quilter, Jan, to do something similiar on my version of the quilt. Yes, it does remind me of the tin ceiling in my parents' farmhouse! However, we certainly weren't fancy enough to have a "parlour" so that's a reference to the spiderweb. Perhaps you remember a poem about a spider and a fly, "Will you walk into my parlour, said the Spider to the Fly."

Thank you to everyone who sent me selvages! Some responded from a request on this blog and others heard about it at quilt guild. Even after making the border, which I thought would use almost all of the selvages, I still have some left. Looks like there may be another selvage project for me but definitely not one this large! It began as a throw and ended up Queen sized.

The pictures have been brightened up a little to show the quilting but the quilt is still a little on the bright side. You may have to put on your sunglasses to look at the back! Can you guess that I really like bright pink?

Catch up time!

My computer is back up and running although not the same. Even though we were running Norton Antivirus, the computer was infected with the Rootkit virus. I hope this never happens to any of you! It was definitely not good and after trying several fixes, my husband had to reconfigure the computer. I'm having to relearn how to do things in different ways. I can't change that but I sure wish I could!

I have a few things to show you - First off, here's my full size "30 Years on the Fence" string quilt back from the machine quilter and bound! Just needs a label and it will be officially done. Its difficult to get a good photo of it but this shows how it looks on a bed. Here are a few pictures of it as I was piecing it which will show you different views. My favorite part is the zig-zag edge!

This quilt, except for the backing and binding, was made entirely from fabrics in my "resource center" and some that were given to me but if I were to make this quilt again, I would probably not make it quite so colorful. This is definitely a memory quilt for me as many of the fabrics are from dresses I made my daughter years ago and other sewing/quilting projects!

On Tuesday, I finished piecing my "Holiday Inn" wallhanging from Jo Morton's Little Women Club #8. Its about 44 inches square and one of the few applique pieces I've done. This was a kit I purchased last year through Liberty Quilt Shop but was unable to finish until this year. I'm looking forward to having it machine quilted and hanging on a wall in our house!

Surprise! I received an envelope of selvages from Betty! I really needed a little encouragement on Wednesday and there it was waiting for me in the mailbox. Thank you again, Betty!

I spent part of my day today trying to make a watermelon slice pincushion. If you have seen Miss Rosie's Fruit Salad pincushions, this was what I was wanting only smaller. When I asked my daughter what she thought it was, she guessed it was "a bird". Help.

I'm looking forward to "Flimsy Friday" as I'll be showing you not only my unfinished project and but also the finished project I made from its trimmings. You'll have to wait and see but I think you'll be impressed!

Rhubarb & Selvages

Darlene, a good quilting and history enjoying friend of mine, gave me some rhubarb yesterday. Anybody else a rhubarb fan out there? This morning, I made rhubarb pie and it was so delicious with some ice cream and a good cup of coffee!

We like the green variety of rhubarb which usually tastes a little more sour than the red. You have to get used to eating green pie but mmmm!

Did I sew today? No but I did go to two quilt shops looking for some inspiration. I'm not sure I found any because I want to buy new fabric instead of working with my "resource center" fabrics. And no, I didn't buy any new fabric, even resisted the sale fabric!

There is a selvage quilt I would really like to make but since I used most of my selvages on the "Little Red Zinger", my cupboard is bare! Would anyone consider saving selvages for me? They can be any length but I need at least 1/4 inch of fabric past the white edge of the selvage and more would be even better. I'd like some of the fabric design to show after its been sewn down. Please let me know if you have some selvages you'd be willing to send me or can save them for me!