Quilt Top Finished!

A year ago our on line group, SQTG, had two signature block swaps.  The Snowball Block and a Flying Geese Block, and a 20 block Ohio Star Block exchange that I was invited to participate in.  

The snowball blocks were quick and easy to assemble.  The flying geese blocks, I had nightmares at times. Trying to make 60 plus blocks  "perfectly", to send off; because there are some exceptionally talented quilting ladies that are in this group, I labored over these blocks.  I had my son inspect them, as he is a talented and a world wide known builder of RC Crawlers.  Everything he builds is nothing but perfection. Don't know where he gets that from. LOL  It sure isn't me. LOL So, his eye rejected a few of my blocks. LOL   So, trying to do the "perfection thing", it resulted in having a few x-tra blocks, both flying geese and Ohio Star blocks.

March, 2014 I finished my Snowball Quilt.  I truly love this little quilt.  I documented on the back side the states and countries that were in the exchange.  I sewed the blocks together alphabetically with the quilter's first names.  I wanted the participants to be able to see where their blocks were in the quilt if viewed on line.

Now, loving the arrangement that I had made in the first quilt, I wanted to do something like it for my flying geese blocks.  Lovely blocks ........... the thing was, that if I chose to do the alphabetically thing again, a few of the quilter's first names, if done alphabetically, wouldn't work.  It seems like the "K's" and "S's"  enjoyed the same choice of color in their alphabet. LOL   So, I had to play around with different combinations. Because I didn't have the number of "even" blocks I needed to complete my design, I had to "delve" into those in-perfect blocks I had rejected.  LOL

I had most of the 9 rows of 8 blocks each hanging around on my design wall for a few months.  After my daughter and family returned home a week ago from vacationing with us, I decided that I didn't like the design I had created, and I took apart most of the quilt in one evening.  Laid out the individual blocks, and a couple rows I didn't have to touch, and got those imperfect blocks and threw them in too.  Well, much to my amazement, the quilt top looks pretty darn good.  Trying to "make" it perfect by having everything match, didn't work in this case.

This is the pile I ended up with, rows and blocks separated

I couldn't decide on the picture of the quilt top to show.  So, I am showing both!

So, I guess the moral to this long story is:  enjoy your craft, stop trying to please that "eye" that see's imperfections.  Really love and be excited about what you can achieve.  It "ain't" rocket science ........

I'm Back!!!

Surprise.......I'm back, just in case anyone noticed I was gone. LOL

I have been a busy girl, but not much to do with sewing, or quilting.  I was doing so well keeping up with my monthly SMQT group challenges.  Then mid-June came, and I received an early birthday surprise, given to me by my husband.

He had been working on a surprise for a couple of months, bringing my daughter and 3 grandchildren home from Texas as a birthday surprise for me.  He almost gave me a heart attack........maybe he had an alternative motive?  Anyway, one afternoon I walk into my living room, and there setting at my kitchen table are my daughter and grandchildren!!!  I guess the rest of the family had found out except for me and my oldest daughter.

So, good bye to my craft room for a few weeks.  They are here for another few days, leaving the day after my birthday.  I have been notified by my better half that this birthday present will take care of the next many birthdays presents, anniversary presents, and probably many Christmas presents to come!!!!  We'll see about that statement of his. LOL

It's always good to try and take a picture when they have to look into the sun!! Duh.... 3 of my birthday presents!!!

I haven't been totally craft free though.  Somewhere in the last couple of weeks, my friend, Charlene !!, got me interested in cross-stitching.  It has become a very addictive pastime ........... really enjoy doing it in the evenings while watching TV.  I can't believe that it has taken me so long to get into this craft.  She has been doing it for awhile, and I have always admired her cross-stitching.  But, looking at her latest pattern got me thinking I needed to do this.  I have completed 3 projects, currently working on my 4th..........  I am by know means ever going to be good enough to enter them into any "craft show", but what the heck, I sure do like how they look around my house.

I haven't abandoned by love for quilting.......... I think after the Texas invasion leaves, and I get back into my routine of sewing......... I'll work on some quilting projects during the day until I get to the finishing part where I need to hand quilt them.  For now,  I have time to set in the evening, or outside during the nice summer mornings and pick up my cross stitching.

These were what I was working on before my Texas gifts arrived.  I was going to do a patriotic table runner tutorial.  Well, put this on my to do list before next summer????

Oh, I have so many quilting projects that I need to finish, and want to start.  Does it ever get any easier? Oh, and not to mention the mending, and window panels I need to do for the side of my entry door. Oh, my mother gave me some of her pants, LAST SUMMER, to cut and hem for shorts for her.  I guess I still have time to get them done FOR THIS SUMMER???? LOL  I have to stop thinking about all of these things................or I need to go find some sugar goodies to keep me grounded?  LOL  Some Sugar has won out!!!!

Road Trip, oh road trip..............need to plan one of these soon with my quilting buddy.......... Quilting road trips always get the "quilting juices" running.  Quilt shops, fabric, patterns...........food..........always a good time with these elements.

Until next time..........