Irish Chain

This is the very first quilt I made after getting my wonderful new sewing machine. I bought the Janome 6600 Memorycraft. It is the most wonderful machine and makes sewing easier and faster. It has the cutting mechanism that cuts your threads with the push of a button.

I decided this was too big for me to handle and sent it off to a longarmer. I wanted the wreaths to show in the white sections and asked her to quilt them using blue. It is exactly what I wanted.

I LOVE the way it turned out.

March Fun

Saturday was National Quilting Day. I wanted to do a quick little project to honor this important day. I started on Friday and just ran out of time. But here she is in all her brightness. I wanted something to go on the wall of my office to brightened things up. This sure will do the trick.

This was one of those all in one sewing on the strips and going through all 3 layers. Slick and quick.

Janome Free Motion Foot and ME

I finally received the new Free Motion foot and bobbin case for my Beloved Janome 6600. I have 4 tops ready to be quilted and 3 are already pinned. So I grabbed one of my Quilts of Valor. I knew the first thing I needed to do was all the straight line stabilizing quilting. This is done very easily with the wonderful accu feed system.

The first 2 blocks were stenciled with my blue wash out marker. It was almost impossible to see the lines on all this busy RWB fabric. This was discovered after making these 2 blocks. Then I switched to the continous curve system of no marking. This is quite easy once you get the pattern memorized.

The result was getting 2 tops all quilted. One is even bound and the label sewed on. I made all 3 labels at once using the momogram program on the machine. I still have not figured out how to save lettering on this machine. The second one needs the binding cut and then sewn on to it. That will probably happen today after work.

I sent away for the new accu feed SITD foot and will see if that makes life even easier. I should be able to quilt most of my own as long as I do not let them get too big. I still cannot imagine doing a Queen sized one.

Scrap Quilting

I have never ever done a scrap quilt. BUT, I have been quilting for just 3 years and learning so much with each quilt I complete. The Delectable Moutains I consider scrappy but I am now doing a really huge scrap project. I believe it is called 4 Patch Ladder. I know the pattern came from Quilters Cache which is a fabulous website.

I think there will be lots of red and blue in this quilt from the left overs from the Quilts of Valor. I try not to have any of the same fabric in the same block and that is IT for any rules. And sometimes that even is not the case. It is a big lesson on value.

I am enjoying this and finally figured out what to do with leftover fabric. I cut it into 5 inch blocks or 2 1/2 inch ones. If it is long enough...it becomes a 2 1/2 inch strip.

Delectable Mountains

This is my very first foray into a scrap quilt. I wanted to make something different for Quilts of Valor. I found the directions for this on Bonnie Hunters website.

If I do this again, and I probably will, I would make the mountain side the same fabric. It was quite confusing trying to get everything in the right direction. Then I had so many seams to line up. I finally decided to line up every other one. I think I could have lined up just the ones on each block also.

But it is done and really quite striking.

Super Fun Socks

I am also a knitter and just love making socks. I think they are easy and there are so many wonderfully designed sock yarns. I could never get the hang of knitting with a couple of different balls of yarn but there is no need to do that.



I am going to try some different yarns this year. The first new one I tried was Sockotta. This has some cotton in it along with wool and some nylon. I really like how they look and feel.

Next I am using some fancy hand dyed yarn. After I bought it I see it is hand wash. So I will have to be extra careful because I usually just toss all my socks in the washer and dryer.

I have found I like having some white in with the colors.

Quilt Police

I often hear things about the quilt police. Apparently they are people who will arrest you for not making a block right, points not matching up, etc.

The other day I put down an older quilt for my constant sewing buddy to lay on. He obliged me and I was able to snap a picture of him.

Decision Made- Exchange block happiness

I just love the paper pieced blocks by Carol Doak. I just received her new book Mariners Compass and found the perfect block. I may not have enough of this fabric for all the bocks but have another piece of the darker that is just as beautiful. I bought some beautiful blue fabric at Keepsake Quilting in New Hampshire in October. We went there to attend my son's wedding to the most wonderful and beautiful girl in the whole world.

These blocks are not due until late October so I have plenty of time to get them finished. I will probably make a couple each month. Each section has 4 pieces and there are 8 sections.

Possibilities

I decided that is was time to pick the star block for an exchange that I am hosting. This is my online WW quilting buddies and due next October.

I have a free pattern from Carol Doak of a Mariners compass. This took way too much time for an exchange but I do love the way that it turned out. It will go into that quilt but I will pick another block for the exchange.

Catching up with Carol Doak Group

I belong to an internet group of paper piecers using Carol Doak's method. She has the very best patterns and instructions. She is giving us a block each month for an entire year. I decided to make these in red white and blue for a Quilts of Valor
quilt.