We meet again...

Last Friday we had our annual Christmas dinner meeting at Cindy's house. We each bring food and just sit back and enjoy. This little guy belongs to Cindy. It was her mother's and the body was made from an old quilt. Don't you just love it.

We didn't have too many shares this month. That always makes me feel better since I seldom have anything to share. This was the quilt that Laura made for her daughter and son-in-law. All paper pieced and Laura doesn't even like doing that! And it is huge!!! Luckily, Laura is sending it out to be quilted.

Just wanted to give you a closer look. She promises to show us when it is finished.

Tonight was also our gift exchange or better to call it gift grab. I'm sure many of you have participated in one of these. There were some steals and hopefully, friendships will mend in a month or two! This was one of the gifts that Fran got after, hate to admit it, I took her gift.  She also got a charm pack.

Now, when you see this you will understand why I took Fran's gift. This was a sewing basket that Lynn made. I just couldn't pass it up when the opportunity presented itself. So sorry, Fran.

We had a week of snow days off and on. This picture is from one of those days but now as our weather warms up, we are saying goodbye to a white Christmas but thinking people won't mind seeing it go. It was quite a mess.

Hope you all enjoy a wonderful holiday, wherever you may be. 

Two months gone!

I don't know how time got away from me so badly that it has been two months since I posted anything! It is a good thing we had our Good Enough Quilters meeting so I had to post. Perhaps in the new year, I will do better and fill you in on what I have been up to.
Anyway, this bright and cheery quilt was a finish by Cindy. It is a baby quilt, so simple yet looking so good. (Hint, Cindy, when you read this, can you send us the pattern, please?)

The fabric on the back of her quilt is so cute too. Great colors and darling animals.

This quilt posted a challenge for taking a picture. You might remember seeing it when we worked on it. Cindy brought it back to show us the quilting. We have donated this one for a special sale and Cindy will complete the binding for us.

Hope you can appreciate the way it was quilted. It was hand quilted and we loved the way it actually produced angles which showed better on the backing of the quilt.

Debbie shared the special quilt she made for her granddaughter. It is so adorable. Her granddaughter picked out the pattern herself. Aren't they too cute?

Dru shared a quick Halloween table mat that she made. Forgot to take a picture of the back. She used a fall print so this would be multi-purpose.

 Deb, I bet you recognize this one. Dru and her sister worked on Christmas quilts the last time Deb visited and this is Dru's. Love the presents on this one. And good colors too.

As Dru told us, she broke down and had this one machine quilted. Ruth is one of the area machine quilters and she never ceases to amaze us with her creativity. Each area of the quilt is a different stitch pattern. What a wonderful artist.

I am hoping to be back soon with more posts. So much to share, so little time...

I'm writing this post from the south of France ( I know, can you believe it?) I've been here on vacation since Thursday and came here after spending 4 days in Paris. Both places I got to stay with friends. Again, lucky, lucky me!

I brought this quilt with me to finish and leave here with my friend. This is her home in Provence and the quilt really looks like it belongs here. So happy to share a finish. 

While in Paris we visited Versailles and I saw some amazing textiles in the palace. Hope you can appreciate these just a little. 

Just love the blue and gold 

This was on the wall. Simply glorious. 

So many glorious images are in my head. Later I will share all the patterns I've seen. 

If you want to read more about my trip, you can visit that blog at 

Www.finallyprovence.blogspot.com

Au revoir

Together again!

The Good Enough Quilters met again tonight. Since we hadn't met since the spring, it seemed like ages since we had seen each other. Some of us were very busy during our summer break.

Lynn had to dump out her school books so she could bring her summer project - making a new school bag. Love the colors.

Lynn has also been busy with this wonderful quilt made entirely from her stash. This will be a fundraiser raffle quilt. Would very quickly take a chance on this one.

Close-up - we love her quilting too.

Even though she doesn't like paper piecing, Laura is making this wonderful Irish quilt. Wouldn't you say the person getting this one is very lucky indeed?

Not finished, or even started, Dru shared the packets she picked up on an extended shop hop. Can't wait to see what it looks like when finished.

Cindy showed a picture of a finished quilt and then shared the next one she is making from the same pattern. Don't you love to re-use a pattern? You already know how to make it and have probably worked out the kinks.

Debbie's quilt is such a show stopper. This darling quilt is for her granddaughter. And we all wanted to stroke it just like Fran is doing in the picture. The owls are just too cute.

I think you can see just a little of her quilting in this picture. Truly a labor of love.

Peggy made a modern quilt, truly stepping out of her comfort level. Really love the pattern and the colors are great for a gift for a man.

I was last. Not quite finished but only have to handsew the binding. This is going off to a friend who is in France right now. Perfect memories of Provence.

Happy Quilting!

Nancy

Quilters would love this

This is my birthday weekend, well, really I celebrate all month but my actual birthday is today. Yesterday, a friend took me to see Philadelphia's Magic Gardens and I loved it. It was the perfect way to celebrate my birthday since I have wanted to go there for a while. It was such a nice surprise since I didn't realize this was our destination.

Isaiah Zagar is the artist who has created this wonderful world of mosaic. It started in one building and then expanded to the lot next door and now it is on various buildings in his neighborhood. It is a wonderful feast for the senses and I think you could go back again and again and keep seeing new things.

We had a wonderful docent and we loved hearing her stories and explanations for some of the things we saw. You can appreciate the art but really understand better when you hear the stories.

Just love the colors and the quirkiness of his work. From what our docent said, he really doesn't start with a plan in mind. Hmmm, how many of us could do that?

"I built this sanctuary to be inhabited by my ideas and my fantasies."

Our last stop was at his front door. Just love his quote which could be seen repeated in many areas of his mosaics.

If you would like to know more about his work and this area, you can go to Philadelphia's Magic Gardens.  Enjoy!

I'm going quilting!

Yayyyy

I'm very happy to share a finish! The quilt I was working on 

is all done. I just finished the binding and the label and I am very happy 

with it. 

The quilt is headed to a sweet little girl who is 6 months 

old today. She will get it next time she sees her grandmother, 

which should be soon. Her mother assured me that do not lack

for quilts at their house. 

I was very happy with the backing I found. This cute fabric

came from Jo-Ann. It went perfectly with the colors in the top. 

I was especially happy withe binding fabric too. I used 4 different

dots fabric that I had in my stash. Yay for me. That will make room

For some of the fabric I ordered recently!

Now on to the next project. 

Happy sewing everyone!

Walking foot or not?

Okay, the quilting is finished and now I only have to put on the binding and I'm finished. Will be delivering the quilt to the baby's grandmother this weekend. It was a smaller size so a little easier to quilt.

Now, here is my question. I started using a walking foot but the stitches were awful. After ripping out three lines of stitches, I decided to try a regular presser foot and it worked! I'm thinking it may have been the thinness of the batting?

I want to hear from any of you who quilt your own quilts but not with a longarm. Do you use a walking foot or something else? Thinking maybe it is time for a lesson?

Happy Quilting!

Nancy