Another UFO finish - Celtic Solstice!

 While I was in the quilting mode last week, I decided that I needed to finish this quilt - I completed the top last year, and even had basted it, but had a hard time deciding how to quilt it, so there it sat.  After finishing the previous quilts I determined that it was time to get this one past the finish line (and replenish my safety pin supply!).

This was the first Bonnie Hunter mystery that I started - and the third one I've fineshed!  There was a lot of piecing in this quilt, but I really love the cheerful colors, so I'm glad I persevered and finished it!  It's heavy, lots of seams, but it quilted up nicely.  I used one of the new spools of Aurifil that I ordered last week to quilt this, and a lightweight cotton pellon batting.  I'm just about to the end of the roll that I ordered in 2020, so I guess it's time for a new one - will have to keep a look out for a good sale.

Such happy colors with the orange and yellow!  I used a spiral design for the quilting, and it worked out well, even with all the seams.  Lots of scraps were used in the process, that's for sure!  

I chose this backing from the Free Spirit selection in the shop.  Can't remember which designer it is, but the colors work well, and the fabric itself is so soft and feels wonderful on the back!  This must be my year for finishing quilts for my own use, because I'm claiming this one for myself!  I was happy to find the fun dots for the binding.  If you can't decide what color to use, all of them is a good idea!

I have a couple more quilts lined up to tell you about, so keep your eyes open for a few more finishes ahead!  March started out slow, but I'm ramping up for a big month of quilting completions!

All Seasons Basket Quilt - Vintage Quilts Inspiring New Creations

Between working on the house and travelling to take care of our grand children this weekend I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to finish my project for this month's Island Batik Ambassador challenge.  I ended up packing up my machine and supplies and taking the project with me, and really enjoyed being able to show the kids what I do, and talk with them about how quilts are different from blankets and how I do the machine quilting!

I was able to do some stitch in the ditch around the blocks and finish the large border before we left.  I really like the pointy loop I did here, and plan to try this again, stretching it out a bit to look more like an overlapping heart!

I wanted to try out some ruler work, but forgot my extension for my machine.  I did try a curve in the open space of the basket, but ended up free-motioning the curves in the background.

I added some loops above the curve and wishbones in the lover part, which filled up that area nicely!

I did some overlapping spirals in the setting triangles.  I used a green variegated Aurifil thread on the whole quilt, and was really pleased with how well it worked.  (4653 50 wt)

At this point I decided to add the binding and call it done :)  I caught a break between showers and took the quilt outside for some photos.  Next time we visit I'm taking a stack of them, what a nice yard for pictures!

So pretty!

I've been loving using bits and pieces to make up a backing, too.  It's fun to see sizable chunks of some lovely fabrics.

The pattern I used for this quilt is my All Seasons Basket.  The fabrics were all provided by Island Batik, and I used a variety of lines. 

Thanks again to Island Batik for another fun challenge - I love how using their lovely batik fabric can make a traditional pattern look entirely modern!

You can see my previous posts about this challenge below:
Design inspiration.
Making the blocks.
The finished top.

I hope you enjoyed following along with this month's challenge!

Time to Relax and Stitch for Myself!

When did life get so busy?  I think it just sneaks up on you and before you know it, you realize that you just can't fit one more thing in!  Of course, this time of year is always hectic with gifts and parties and such, but it seems like this year is over the top with all the commitments and deadlines.  I am happy to say that most of that is behind me at this point and now I can relax a little and get into the holiday mood.  The decorations are up and looking lovely:

And somehow the tree is in the right position, and the stars must be in the correct alignment because my pretty angel topper does not look like she is ready to throw herself down for once!  Every year I struggle with trying to make sure she is upright, and this year she is just standing tall and proud with no help from me at all!  Wonder of wonders!

My husband is happy because I made the first of our special treats...fudge!  I will work on baking a batch of sugar cookies this afternoon and he will be in seventh heaven - he loves his Christmas cookies!

I'm ready to work on Christmas PJ's tomorrow, and today I plan to enjoy some free time in the sewing room.  Yesterday I started cleaning up and ended up playing in my scrap pile.  I picked up a telephone book off the floor for the umpteenth times and decided to start making some string blocks.  What fun!

I ended up with 33 blocks made out of a modest pile of scraps.  I decided I want to make 100 then I will put together a top.  So much fun just stitching away!

I also pulled out my embroidery floss to find a few more colors so I can work on finishing up this embroidery piece:

I want to use this as the cover for my 2018 Quilter's Planner, so I need to get it finished up in the near future!

I'm excited to find time to work on some projects for myself for a change...the next couple of weeks are going to be wonderful!  Make sure you schedule in a little time for yourself, this time of year can be crazy and we all need to relax and enjoy ourselves instead of grinding away all the time.  I'll see you tomorrow for the penultimate Quilter's Recipe Box block!  The final one will publish on Christmas day, then on New Years Day I will show you all the blocks I've done throughout the year.  It will be fun!

This post is linked up with Slow Sunday Stitching, and Oh Scrap...two of my favorite things!

Quilts for Tennessee - Quiltsy Cares

I've been working on this quilt in fits and starts all month, but needed to get myself in gear and finish it up so I can mail it on Monday!  The Quiltsy team decided that we wanted to send some comfort quilts to the victims of the fires in Tennessee - we have a member that lives nearby that was willing to coordinate delivering these to a local church to distribute.  Thanks so much, Jennifer!

I decided to use a package of charm squares, strips and a bit of yardage that featured some happy yellows and oranges with browns.  It took me a while to figure out my plan of action to use these fabrics.  I decided to make disappearing nine-patch blocks and use the strips for a piano key border.

After I finished the center I decided that it really needed a plain muslin border to frame the center and set the final border apart.  Plus it added a bit more size to the quilt!  This block is a great way to use random scrappy fabrics.

I had a lot of choices for thread color!  In the end I decided on the orange thread, just for the fun of it.

I love the way a simple meander adds a soft, touchable texture!

And that bit of yardage?  I couldn't bear to cut it up, so used it on the back, framed with more muslin. I think this will be a cheerful quilt for someone.  I hope it brings the recipient comfort and makes them smile.

Linking up with Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun than Housework for "Oh Scrap!"  Come join the fun!

WIPs Wednesday - Busy as a Bee!

I've been as busy as I can bee working on those WIPs this week!  Finished quite a few projects, and still have plenty to work on, as usual!  The best funny I saw this week was this - "I consider myself to be a beginning quilter....I am always beginning projects"  Hehe.  I think I resemble that remark!  I am trying to be a "finishing" quilter, though!

Here is another "beginning" project!  It's something special that a friend and I are cooking up.  Pretty florals and white on white fabrics.  Mostly stash!  It's really fun to see what you get when you combine from two sets of stash.  I think we'll be going to the design wall tomorrow and starting to sew it all together, so that will be fun.  My biggest project this week was rearranging my sewing room to make better use of my design wall.  I'm enjoying being able to put things up on it and arrange and rearrange.  

These WIP Wednesdays are a bit of a challenge for me because I work in the quilt shop on Wednesdays, so I suppose I should start getting my post ready on Tuesday when I have a little more brain power left!  Today was a super busy day at work as we have Quilt Run 101 going on.  All the coastal Oregon shops get together for a fun shop hop that usually ends on Presidents day.  This year we are extending it a few more days because of the snow that hampered the north part of the run last weekend.  I think most of the northern visitors hit our shop today because we were so busy!  It's always fun to have so many visitors from out of our area.  Everyone said such nice things about our shop, and they love the new samples we have been working on - I have quite a few up, as well as my patterns.  Right now my local shop is the only one I have my patterns in, but I am hoping to expand this year and get in more shops.  I still want to give my home shop the advantage, though - Sharan has been such an encouragement to me in expanding my capabilities!

Well I suppose that's it for today - time to relax and watch some mindless TV!  After a day on my feet it sure feels good to get off them.  Make sure you go check out the WIPs on Wednesday post on the Quiltsy Blog for more fun WIPS from some of my favorite quilters!