Ready for the Post

 They are finished! And today they go into the mail. BUT I'm still planning on stowing away in Hubby's luggage.

 Ellie got her ear before the quilting and washing.

She even has a tiny little bug who stowed away behind her ear. That'll be me soon!
I put Minky on the back of both quilts for the cool evenings in France.
I liked the Minky so much I might make it a staple for all my baby quilts. I liked it so much I just might put it on MY next quilt!

I also finished the binding on my Quilt Show quilt and I washed it. It's now being blocked in an upstairs room. I sure hope it comes out with no more waves in it. From what I could see it looked flat but I'm still worried.
Now that it's all done (except the label) I have a desire to start something fun. I've been sketching out a few more patterns and I'm hoping to play with some fabric today. And I wish the same for you!

Take care, Brandie

Fabric Fun

I needed to have some more fun and I had a pile of little girl fabrics all ready to go.

Bad light!

I had this pile sitting around for a couple of months. But I had plans for it. I was going to make a baby quilt for Hubby's co-worker. Back in May when Hubby went to the office to work, all the way to Beaune France, he came back and told me his co-worker was excepting. He knew I'd be interested and knew I'd want some time to get a quilt thought up and made. Because I believe every child should have a quilt.

I came up with a plan and I cut into those cute fabrics. I started with big bold pinwheels.

More bad lighting!

Then I made a few stars. I have to say that the pinwheels were much easier! This one star took me an hour to cut, layout and sew. It was so confusing! But the other 3 stars only took an hour. It was just my old brain learning a new trick. Those stars wouldn't have been so bad except for the different colored points.

Then I took those pinwheels and put them together and it came out like this!

My favorite elephant Ellie is featured front and center. I didnt notice that I forgot her flappy ear till I was taking the picture. Don't worry, she has an ear now.

I got it sandwiched one day and finished the quilting last night. Today I'll trim it up and add a binding.

And remember those stars, those also turned into a quilt too. This one will be for the older sister.

I was going for an toddler look for this quilt, not a baby look.

The secondary background pieces to the stars were just as confusing as the stars. That pattern almost kicked my butt! But I'm going to blame it on my lack of sewing for the past 6 months.

Sooooo, my plan is to finish these up this weekend AND ... I'm hoping to hand deliver them. This time I will stowaway in Hubby's luggage if I have to!

Have a Wonderful and Productive Weekend!
Take care, Brandie

Super

I was looking for a little fun. What could be more fun than a super hero cape!

My little nephews were bored with towels that were too big and Mom was afraid they'd choke themselves or each other with something tied around their necks. So Aunt Brandie came to the rescue!

Now we have Super Parker and Super Cameron flying at the speed of light. Can't you tell by the blurry picture?

In retrospect, I may have spent too much time at the machine yesterday. Last night was the worst my back has felt in months. I need to be on a timer! But I wanted to be finished! Oh the struggle within my own head.
Anyway, lots of stretches and less machine time planned today. I need to re-teach myself how to care for my back or I won't be sewing at all.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Take care, Brandie

Good thing I made a pattern for any future capes!

Edit: Having being asked where I found this pattern, I looked and can't find the specific pattern I used. While going through my computer history and searching Google, I saw that there are many patterns out there in, I just cant find the one I used.
BUT I can tell you what I did.
Take a 31" piece of fabric. Fold in half long ways. With the selvages together.
Mark a line at 12" inches (this is the width at the bottom) and a line at 7" (for the neck).
Connect the lines so that you make a taper.
At the neck area, line up a plate or 12" bowl (half the plate) and mark a quarter circle cutout. I made sure that I had a 2" tab on the side of the plate.
Then I just hemmed it. (In the original pattern, she used 2 pieces of fabric and turned it right side out)
Sew velcro on the neck tabs.
For the emblems on the back, I started with a diamond shape. Then I had my Husband draw out a square-ish letter for each boy.
Easy-peasy and they only took about an hour to complete.
And just so you know, if you turn the cape backwards, it makes an excellent bib!

Crossed the Line

I did it! I finished the last border. I did the happy dance yesterday evening and then I celebrated with pizza! Well it wasn't really a celebration, it was more like I had to feed the men. I had been sitting at the machine all weekend and they were having to fend for themselves. But I did have to say that having a finish under my belt made that pizza taste all the more better! Yes, more better!

Again, just ignore the white chalk lines. These will come out in the wash which this quilt needs!

This is the backing and a view of the quilting in the orchid.
Disclaimer:  I'll have you know that I tried my best at designing a flower without turning into Raymond's Mom. If any of you have seen that episode of "Everyone Loves Raymond" where his Mother takes an art class and sculpts a "female" shape and is convinced that she's a lesbian, well that's me too. I can't seem to draw a flower without having that same problem. But if Georgia O'Keefe can get away with it, I really hope I can too.

Anyway, I protected your eyes to keep from offending you.
Really I just want to surprise my friends at the show.

Next I need to trim it up, add a binding, a sleeve and a label. I'm so close! Then maybe I'll have some fun with a few baby quilts. They are fun, quick and refreshing. Something I desperately need!

Have a wonderful Monday!
Take care, Brandie

Thread Shortage

I'm approaching the finish line. I'm so close! But I ran out of black thread again! Yup another 1200 yards of thread went into this quilt. That's 2400 yards of thread so far.

Black always attracts lint, fur and everything else. I spend just as much time lint rolling as I do quilting!

Most of that thread went into the scribbling around my feathers. I used 11 bobbins on that part alone!

ignore all those white chalk lines

I had just enough thread to sew on my last border. First I drew a triangle border and of course I had to fill those triangles or geese with feathers. I love feathers and seem to find a place for them in every quilt.

I should be back in business soon but I have been keeping busy with a few things (mending) that have been piling up. And I did do one fun thing but I can't show it to you yet. After it's delivered I can show you.

I have to say I'm really looking forward to starting something new and fun again. Fall is just around the corner and I find that the perfect time to sew. Come on fall!

Take care, Brandie

Staying in the Lines

I'm still hard at work on my quilt for the show coming up at the end of September.

Now I'm scribbling all over the blank area near some feathers. I want those feathers to POP.
So far I've used four bobbins and I just hit the halfway mark. I'm going to keep track of my thread usage to see how much goes into this quilt. Yesterday I finished off a 1200 yard spool. I'm now working on my second. Thats for the top and bobbin. I'm not counting the colored thread, it's so minimal, just the black thread. Silly of me but I need to find amusement in everyday things.
Scribbling is a little harder on my back so I take may breaks but so far I've been keeping at this.
I'm also trying something new to me. This quilt will be judged. Isn't that a horrible word "JUGDED"?
This will be new to most of our Guild. We have never had our show judged.
In order to make this appealing to the members we have talked about it being a learning experience not a judging. And as the head of the quilt show I needed to test the waters and not be fearful. So I started with one toe in and I'm finally about calf high with both legs. I will go in believing that this experience will make me a better quilter.
And with that said, back to work scribbling.

Take care, Brandie

Hide and Seek

Here's prove that I'm still quilting.
Sheba has found my sewing table and has made herself right at home. Can you see her?

How about now?

Sweet Sheba isn't about to lose this "favorite" sleeping place. She hasn't moved since yesterday. First thing in the morning and all through out the day. Though it did take us a bit of time to find her. If the light isn't on, she's kinda of hard to see!
I think I've gone through an entire sticky tape roller just to remove all the cat hair! I now fold it up when I'm done for the day. One time about black quilts, they attracted  every hair or piece of lint in the house! That includeds the animal.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Take care, Brandie