Bargello love

I love Bargello quilts.  For a number of years I feared attempting one since they looked so incredibly complex and daunting.  Then I took the plunge and made my first…..then my second.  Now I am about to try to make it a hat trick and do my third.

While on my shopping excursions in Intercourse, PA I bought fabrics for a new Bargello.  The range goes from white to blue to purple to black.  I think it is a worthy Memorial Day weekend project.

First Bargello

Second Bargello

Little Adventure

The last few days have been minimal in the quilting/stitching department.  Instead, I was able to make a trip to Amish country to buy some fabric.  I love it there.  I used to go frequently before relocating to the West coast.  Now it is a rather long trip.

In four short days, I bought 55 yards of fabric for quilting, made a day trip the Hershey, and spent a day in Philadelphia.  All fun stuff, but it is nice to be home too.  I will have to get started on a quilt so I can share my progress.

Cheesehead times two

The things we do for our grandchildren!!  I have two grandchildren living in Wisconsin so they are Greenbay Packers fans (cheeseheads) by default.  The three year old loves it, and the five week old is in training.  When the baby was born I picked up some GB fabric at the local quilt shop.  I think they will be happy with the results.

The main quilt is actually about a queen sized and just a pattern I made up for such quilts.  I have made a number with this pattern with different teams as gifts.  They are perfect for sports fans and come together quite fast.  The smaller quilt is a simple baby quilt from scraps.  It only took about two hours to make the little one.

Now they are headed for the longarm so I can finish them up before the kids come this summer.  I think these will be well used and loved quilts.

Trying to catch up

I used to cross stitch all the time.  Now I do periodically, but not as much as I quilt.  Over the years my eyes got to the point where seeing the little holes to stitch was so difficult I stopped for a few years.  In recent weeks, I got some readers and a small reading light…viola! I can stitch again.

My cross stitch projects are samplers.  I love them.  I especially love Americana samplers.  After digging out my stitching again I discovered a few projects that were completed and on the shelf waiting for frames.  I have gotten two framed and have two left.  My favorite is actually a multiplication table that was completed in 2012.  I finally have it up on a wall.  Good times.

Scrapping along

 

Goose in Pond scrap quilt

About a year ago I made it my mission to get a handle on my scrap bin.  My bin was, is, and forever will be, overflowing.  I finished the fourth quilt from my bin last night.  I have four others in the works, and it has not so much as made a dent in the bin.

This quilt is a simple Goose in Pond block.  It is made entirely from scraps.  I must say it came out nice.  My youngest daughter has already claimed it.

Back to blogging

It has been 10 months since I have blogged.  Seriously!  I really do not know how time goes so fast, but it just does.  I feel the need to share in the quilt blog world to get motivated again.

2017 is another fast paced year.  I have not accomplished near as much as I would like.  I have mostly been working on projects for grandchildren.  The new little guy, Eric, born in April already has three quilts from Oma and the fourth is being quilted now.  There is just something about making quilts for the kids.  They really love them.

My favorite for Eric was also the easiest.  Gotta love the feel of minky!!  This photo is actually the store sample since I did not get a photo of mine, but it looks identical.  I also tried out fabric crayons for a quilt for Eric.  I did like that one too!

Sometimes you want a quick project

My little granddaughter loves Thomas the Train.  I bought some fabric to make her a pair of shorts and she felt strongly that she also needed a quilt.

I usually do not use patterns and did not with this one.  It was super quick and easy.  Now I just need to load it it up for quilting and ship it off to her.

It is a joy to make the babies happy with a quilt full of love 🙂

Scraps

Scraps have taken over my sewing room and need to be brought to order.  This year is the year to use them up or get rid of them.  So far, I have cut out five quilts from the bin and it has not made a dent.  I have finished two of the quilts, one more top, and started on the other two.  I am beginning to think it reproduces in the middle of the night.

 

Hand or Machine?

Is hand quilting a disappearing art? Most quilters I know do not hand quilt. Most have never tried it. There is something wonderful and rewarding about sitting down with a needle in the evening after a long, hard day. I love it!!

I like to hand quilt with 30s prints, but i have done others as well.  The Grandmothers Flower Garden here is also hand pieced.  It took many years to complete and now it sits nicely on my rocking chair.

The bow ties quilt was the result of a weekend quilt retreat with friends in Cheyenne, WY.  It just holds so many great memories for me.  It also sits on the rocking chair, unless one of the grandkids pull it off to cuddle.

My current hand quilting project is a KING sized quilt.  I am seriously reconsidering my wisdom of hand quilting that puppy!  It is a beast and will take years.