Having Fun Quilting!

I’m still test-driving digital quilting patterns and having a ball!  Since I have a bunch of very well made, perfectly square and flat quilt tops to work with, my job is easy (thank you, Beth!).  The digital design from this weekend was Butterflies:

And it was going so well that I got bold and daring and added flowers at the bottom few rows so the Butterflies had something to flutter over:

The flower pattern was called Romance by Anne Bright.

And for the latest top (still on the frame since we have those dratted thunderstorms every afternoon) is called Monkey Business!

One monkey is a full side view and one is hanging upside down:

We did get a walk in after the rain on Sunday but not yesterday.  This is my husband wondering why I am taking a picture of a triple palm.  Because it’s pretty in bloom, that’s why!

Memorial Day

I hope you get the opportunity to have time with family

and friends and please take time to remember those

who chose to serve and make this country a wonderful place to live.

A Quilty Weekend

I received a wonderful box from a fellow member of the Sunshine Quilters with nine tops ready for quilting that will get donated to Wrap-a-Smile.  I spent some happy time matching backs with tops so I could start my assembly line.

But first I finished up this little quilt, my first for Project Linus, and got it off of the frame.  I was given the top, backing and batting and just had to whip up the quilting part – easy-peasy!

Just a simple block design but makes a darling presentation with cute kid’s fabrics.  I quilted this one with stars and clouds.

And I got some cute photos from my niece and nephew in Colorado with the quilt that I sent for their second daughter (6 mos late, but hey! Who’s counting?).  They took a mid-year vacation with the girls to the beach, hence the beach-y theme!

Annabeth

Finally, on my walk, I tried to catch a picture of this stray bird swooping over our pond.

It has me wondering because it is in between the sizes I would expect for a Forster’s Tern (smaller) and a Frigate Bird (larger).  I haven’t been close enough to see if it had the orange bill and legs of the former.  But, he’s been back several days, so I’ll try again to get his pic. This is a Frigate Bird and I don't think my bird's wings were that V-shaped.  We'll see (maybe).

photo credit:  Carolina birds; Birds of the World, Dick Daniels

Meanwhile, I should have been watching my back because this guy has been known to stalk along side - see who's in the middle of this photo:

Always have to pay attention here in Wild Kingdom!

Another Cute Finish

I can call it a cute finish because it’s not all mine!  This darling quilt was sent to me by a fellow quilter from Kansas who needed someone to finish it and send it to Wrap-a-Smile.  Sarah made the center and I added the outside red border to make it a little larger to last a tot just a little longer (although I’ve known teens who drag their blankies to college!).

Sarah made the first border with cotton seersucker fabric and the texture is lovely.  I quilted it with a digital panto called Simple Hearts from Legacy Quilting.  It's just hearts and swirls and is perfect because the Ann and Andy fabric has little red hearts on the white.  I’m just nuts about this quilt – can you tell?!!

Here’s the close-ups:

Not Running Out

No, I’m not running out of things to do anytime soon!  I finally got around to clearing off my cutting table and found 4 unfinished projects.  So I carefully put them in bags so they could look up at me with reproach from a box on the floor … I’ll get to them soon!

This is what I took off of the frame today:

The top was made by Janice, a friend from my Quilts of Valor group.  I think it’s the right size to go to Quilts Beyond Borders, but I’ll have to re-measure to make sure; and if so, add a label.

I quilted it last night with a digital panto called Merrily Flowers by Anne Bright.  This one has hearts, flowers and fleur de lis in the pattern. She’s rapidly becoming my favorite digital quilting designer.  Her patterns work up quickly on my Side Saddle (and her designs are available for any computer file type).  My system came with a lot, but I feel a buying binge coming soon!

The magnolia’s are what’s blooming in my area now:

These big blossoms are lovely and the glossy leaves of the trees are wonderful.  Our pond has lots of fish for those who are willing to get their feet wet!

Happy hunting, Heron.

Box Mailed and One More Done

I got the second box off to Wrap-a-Smile last week with six finishes.  I showed 4 of them in this post and one in this post, as the box was getting filled, and this is the last one:

The center crumb blocks had adorable fancy VW Bugs in the print so I quilted it with a digital panto called Groovin’ On.  Reminds me of the movie with Herbie the Love Bug (I guess that dates me …).  But it was fun to see the quilting evolve!

And this was last night’s finish. 

I had called it Soccer Frolic since the pattern came from a pattern the designer called Frolicin’ Frogs.  I used a digital panto called Square Dance by Ann Bright and I think the squares and rectangles looked really good with this pattern. 

I’m still keeping up with adding the bindings right away when the quilting is done and not letting them stack up … wonder how long that will last?!!