Grandmother's Flower Pots Finished

My Flower Pots quilt is finished!

I struggled with a basket weave type design, and finally settled on this.

Before,

and After.

I love this shot while the quilt is still on the longarm.  Most of the pictures in this post are taken during the quilting process, while on the frame.   The lighting and all just works better there.

Nothing on this quilt went quickly.  There was Stitch in the Ditch everywhere, but it was so necessary to give definition to the piecing, and the quilting. 

I stitched my binding on with the longarm.

  

To sum things up, this was not my first nor my last hexie project.  I used wool batting, Glide thread on the top with Sew Fine in the bobbin. This quilt measures 81" x 104".  It is always so satisfying and rewarding finishing up a big project, and I am so happy this one is finished.  Woo Hoo!

Thanks for looking, I do appreciate it.

Esther

Bargain Batting

I wanted to write a note about so called bargain batting.  It isn't always the bargain you may think it is.

This is cotton batting from a package.  I want to highlight the creases and folds. Cotton batting especially holds it's folds, and  these really are more trouble than you may think they are.  I let this batting "breath" overnight, and the creases did not relax.  So, while  I am all for bargains, coupons and buying on sale, not all sales are the bargains you want them to be.

Okay, enough of that, I have been quilting.

I have been working on this Flower Pot quilt for what seems like forever, and I am almost finished.

It is so rewarding when the sashing at the end of the quilt is nice and straight.  I love that.

And for some piecing fun, I started this Flower Girl quilt, and here is my first block.  This will be for little Holly when she gets her room make over.

Thanks for joining me, and my next post will have actual quilting photos.

Esther

Random

Thanks to my Craftsy class "Garden Fresh" I was successful at growing my own tomatoes.  

If you have only looked at the quilting classes on Craftsy, I encourage you to look further, there are so many great classes.  I am not affiliated with Craftsy, just addicted.  

I also did well with fresh herbs, basil, sage, mint, cilantro and parsley.  It was so rewarding to finally do well with gardening, because it does not come to me naturally.

With school starting, my Tuesdays with Ethan and Holly are back.  Today we started with tomatoes and then made cookies.

And, just to keep things random, here is my Sunshine hen.  You may remember her from this post.

Well, she is broody again, and this time she looks to have many, many eggs under her.  Too many I think, but I am going to leave her be and let her do her own chickie thing.  I am actually really surprised that she is going through all this again, but I am really pleased because we have had a run of bad luck with our hens.  I don't know what has been getting them, but I have lost most of my flock.  We live out in the country, and  they are for the most part fee roam chickens.  

And since I started with Craftsy, I will end with another Craftsy picture.  This is my needle turn applique project from"Big Techniques from Small Scraps".  I have loved this class, and this project is just one of the ideas she teaches. 

Life has been good and busy, saying good bye to summer and getting back on somewhat of a schedule.  Thanks for reading, I appreciate your company.

Esther

Karen's quilt for Susan

My friend Karen made the most special quilt for our mutual friend Susan.  Karen and Susan are both special education teachers.  Susan retired this year after a lifetime of dedication to these special students.

There are so many memories in this quilt including photos and reproduced student art work.  There is a fun and loving aspect to this piece, and I so enjoyed quilting it.

I used variegated thread, and the design of the fabric for the background quilting.

I also used metallic thread and  love the sparkle it adds.  I didn't want to quit over the photos, so I just highlighted the sashing around them.

Here are several more photos, not so much of the quilting, but more to show off the art work created by the students.  

I love all the Halloween costumes on all the children in this drawing

 (sorry it is upside down)

This is the center block

Working on this quilt made me happy in many ways.  Thank you to Karen for asking me to quilt it.

Thanks for reading,  Esther