UFO Finish!

This quilt top has been awaiting my quilting for quite some time. I did not piece/applique it. Mom had it from her Escapees group and it was too nice to not have some special quilting, so I said I would do it. I finally got going on it this weekend and finished it today. I like how it turned out.
I quilted the background of each quadrant with a different quilting filler design, My favorite is the hook echo design
This really adds a nice texture to the quilt surface. I found the design at http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/ She has lots of great designs. H2O is another one I used:
The other 2 quadrants were just a loopy meander and a square loopy meander.
I finished the quilt off with a red binding to bring the red from the applique out to the edge of the quilt. the binding was attached to the back iof the quilt then turned to the front side and stitched down with a machine buttonhole/blanket stitch to mimic the handstitching around the applique. Inside the light borders I did simple ribbon candy quilting. All in all I think it turned out quite nicely!

Wedding in the Works

Katy is engaged to Chris Jay. Wedding is in planning stages for early August 2011. I'll have lots of sewing to do. Wedding gown, bridesmaids' dresses, flower girls' dresses, accessories, and a wedding quilt. And something for me to wear too! 15 months to get it done!

Block Lotto...

I won the Wonky floral shoo fly blocks in the April Block lotto... I'm looking forward to squishies in the mail!. Here are the blocks I made, which I decided to keep as part of my winnings:
Last evening I was home alone in a quiet house and decided to try the May lotto block. Sophie is calling this one "Reeds" Black, white, or black and white for backgrounds. lime greens for free pieced reeds. A great exercise in fabric manipulation...

Katy's Engaged!

Katy is engaged to be married! The date is not set yet, as they have to talk to Father Boyer and get on the church calendar, but probably sometime in August 2011...Chris will be graduated by then for sure. Long ways off, but I will have lots to do. I want to make Katy's dress.

Meanwhile I am taking another pattern making class. This one is the upper torso sloper (bodice). Then I'll need the sleeve class and the lower torso (skirt ) and I'll be set to draft a pattern of Katy's own design for her wedding dress. I need to work on the class work today, fitting myself for a pattern.

Quilting has been not happening around here, but I did just win the Block Lotto for April.

I spent 6 days in Colorado with Jamie and Annie and have been trying to get things caught up at home since Wednesday. The garden needs more planting. Green beans are sprouting and I had a salad of garden greens yesterday...but those may be gone soon as some are starting to bolt to seed...too warm and sunny! I will plant squashes, cucumber, melons, okra, and Swiss chard this week.