I managed to squeeze in a last-minute finish for 2014 – the red, black & white Chopsticks quilt.

The quilt top was completed in November 2012 and, after aging for two years it is now an official quilt.  I love the sharp contrast of the red, white and black.

There are areas of the machine quilting that are not as smooth or even as I would like, but I won’t get better unless I practice – right?  I was trying out three of the machine quilting motifs from the book Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters.  The book contains pages of quilting designs with detailed diagrams and  encouragement to help a quilter succeed with their machine quilting.  I enjoy paging through the book and dreaming of the day far in the future when I may be as good as Angela.

2014 closes with 14 quilt finishes, 69 yards of fabric used and one move.   I wonder what 2015 will bring.  Actually I do know one thing that 2015 will bring – a new granddaughter.

A Blessed New Year to everyone,

Marlene

My Disappearing 9 Patch quilt is finished.

I used monofilament thread in a square meander pattern.  This wall hanging measures 28″ x 36″ and I think that it is adorable.

The Oriental Flower Garden is blooming.  All that is remaining is the black pathway around the last two flowers – which I hope to complete this weekend.

Marlene

Another top quilted and bound –

My best guess is that this top was made in 2005 or 2006.  In 2007 I started numbering my completed quilt tops and this one didn’t have a number.

I don’t remember why such a thin black outer border was put on this quilt – maybe that is what the directions said to do or maybe I just used the fabric I had – but I like how it looks with the colorful binding.

After washing, the quilt measures 55″ square.   The block pattern came from a magazine, but I don’t remember which one.  It sure is a nice feeling to get another quilt completed.

The next goal is to complete the 501 quilt top and hand stitch on the hexies.

Wishing everyone a good week.

Marlene

The Autumn 9-Patch quilt is finished.

The quilt was too large to hang on my wall, so I laid it on the bed to take a picture.  It is 63.5″ x 76″ and -I think – looks good on the bed.

Last week I sent off the Hugs & Kisses quilt to one of my granddaughters.  I had promised her a quilt when she moved from a crib to a “big girl’s bed” and her favorite colors are red, black and white, so this was perfect.

Adorable, isn’t she?  I was assured that she was smiling, she just doesn’t like her picture taken.

I will be at the Denver Quilt Show next weekend which will contain lots of inspiration.  Just what I need – more quilts to add to my bucket list.

Have a good week,

Marlene

who swallowed a fly – Do you remember this story?

I found this panel for making a cloth book eight or nine years ago.  A couple of years later my quilt guild had a challenge to use a panel in a quilt.  I made this quilt top and put it away in a box.  And now seven years later the quilt top is a completed quilt.

This is number four on my list, so I am half way through the pile of quilt tops.  I have been averaging one finish every 5 – 7 days, so I should have the remaining 4 quilt tops completed by the middle of May.

Marlene

Happy Dance – another quilt finished!  I used the same quilting design on this quilt as I used on Hugs & Kisses.  The quilt measures 47″ x 59″ and the binding is applied by machine.

The quilt top was completed in 2007, so it was time to have it finished – however, it is not the oldest quilt top in my closet.

Now to quilt Broken Dresden Plates.

This quilt top was completed late in 2012, so it is a fairly new one.  The quilting design is loops & flowers.  I have a hard time deciding on thread color with some of my more colorful quilts, but I am using a variegated pastel thread which I think blends well.

I plan to hand stitch the binding, so maybe by the middle of the week it will be done.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend.

Marlene