Basting in the heat

It is a tad warm out today.  But it is August in New England after all.  So I have the fan cranking while I'm cranking on basting my quilt.

I have been anxious to finish up my En Provenance quilt.  I learned so much about color and value with this quilt and I can hardly wait for Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt for this year.

I think I have the perfect quilting plan too.  I love HandiQuilter's Minute Motifs.  They seem like just the thing for someone (me) who doesn't have all that many machine quilting hours under their belt.

The nice thing about a really scrappy quilt is that all that really will be seen is the texture of the quilting, so my "mistakes" will be hidden.  I know the only way to get better at machine quilting is to practice.  And my huge pile of quilt tops isn't getting any smaller.  So I better get to practicing....but first, back to basting (not the funnest part of the process LOL)

Piecefully yours....
Paula

Slowly catching up on my BTQ Summer Sewalong

I've been busy with my day job and wedding plans so I have only managed to fit in a little EPP here and there lately.  Even though it's just a few stitches now and then at least I'm getting my little creative fix.   It is so good for my soul.    Ahhhhh.

I can't believe my baby girl and her sweetie's big day is just about a month and 1/2 away.  We're has the time gone? Since the wedding planning is going well and I have work a little more under control, I have a bit more time to play tonight.  My Butterfly Threads Quilting summer sew along blocks have been patiently waiting for my return.

Diane, thank you for encouraging us to post what we have been working on even if it has been at a snail's pace for me.  I'm still working on the neutral nine patches from "part 2".  I'm 2 blocks beyond being half way there.  But I am getting slowly there (giggle).

 
Some of my neutrals have a little bit of color sneaking in but I think they will still "read" as a neutral with a little bit of luck.  I love how neutral nine patches make a quilt sparkle.  All of those many different little scrappy squares make a quilt so much happier.  Don't you think?  My hope is that maybe that little black and white novelty fabric of kids playing together or those little paw prints dancing across the fabric might just be as a little surprise to the recipient of this quilt and perhaps bring a smile to their face.

I'm not sure at the moment who "the recipient" is going to be.  But my plan is to gift it to someone.  I love to make comfort quilts.  I find them to be just as much a comfort to me to make.  What better way to spread a little love, but by giving a quilt.  I like to think of them as sort of virtual hugs.  I especially like to make them when I am feeling blue or when life seem a bit over whelming.  I don't know about you, but all of the hate and crazy politics in the news of late is making me a bit crazy.  I feel the need to distance my self from all of that craziness and that feeling of "what is wrong with people".  So the best thing I can come up with at the moment is to focus on making a quilt for someone else.  I think Diane's wonderful design is just what the doctor ordered.  If anyone has suggestions for a home for my quilt, I'm all ears.  Now I best get down off my soap box and get back to some stitching!

BTQ Scrappy Summer Sewalong

I am having the best time sewing happy scrappy nine patches.  The best part is that all of my fabric has come from the depths of my scrap box.  I must confess though, my scrap box is actually a very deep laundry basket and not a  cute little box.  I know I should be better at keeping up with taming my scraps, but it always seems to be such a chore for me.

So Diane has come to my rescue with her scrappy summer sew along.  I simply dug through my pile and spent a good long afternoon with my Accuquilt Go Big and cut a huge bunch of 2 1/4 strips.  I'm doing 2 1/4 rather than 2 1/2 because that is the size strippy die that I have.

I "stole" the drying rack from our laundry room to keep my strips handy....who wants to do laundry when you could be sewing instead?

I completed my 48 blocks and still have a whole lot of strips left.  Here's a peek at my 48...

 Now on to the next set of blocks.  Looking forward to taming some of my neutral scraps next.  Come on over to see what other scrappy goodness is going on at ButterflyThreadsQuilting