Too Much Snow, Must Be Time To Make A Snowman

Between the icy cold weather we've had and the snow that keeps coming back, you'd think I wouldn't want to remind myself by making snowmen. However that's exactly what I did. Quilted snowmen that is.

I found this free pattern on Debbie Mumm's website but I'm sorry to say it has since been removed from her site. While my piecework isn't perfect I still had fun making this wall hanging.

Just in case you're wondering what I've been up to, I'm working on other UFOs, taking online art classes and, of course, planning this year's veggie garden. And in a major move, my art table is now next to the window and I can't believe how spacious my studio looks. It is a much more inviting atmosphere to work in then before. I'll keep it this way until late in the spring when the sun shining in the window makes it too hot to be comfortable. I'll be out working in the garden instead of inside anyways.

May you all enjoy a wonderful weekend. Hugs!

A Busy Week

  I finally got a chance to sit down and compose on my blog. I had something going for the last three days and it's good to sit down and reflect.
  On Monday evening my quilt guild enjoyed a lovely meal with a dish provided by each member. We have an amazing bunch of cooks amongst us! After our meal, we got further instructions on our mystery quilt. Wow, is it ever hard to wait for the next step in that quilt. When the mystery quilt is completed I promise to post pictures.
  On Tuesday, what our guild members call 'the day group' gathered at a member's house and sewed labels on Project Linus quilts being donated. We enjoyed coffee and a giant cookie provided by our hostess Mary and worked on some of our own projects. Mine was the Grandmother's Flower Garden patches for One Flower Wednesday. I can't believe I've added two more flowers to my pile. Now I have three. And, yes, it IS addictive!
  Today I went to a friend's house to help her get started with patchwork. I was so proud of her. She managed to make two blocks for a baby quilt and now I think she has the confidence to complete all the blocks required for her quilt.

Here's a teaser for you...a couple of items I'm working on so you'll have something to look forward to.

Finally A Finished Quilt

Okay. Here it is. I promised you that I had a lot more to share. So here is the next installment. This quilt started as a 5 inch pinwheel block exchange at my quilt guild. Needless to say, when blocks are done by different quilters on different sewing machines, they end up with various finished sizes. My answer to this dilemma was to cut them down slightly. They went from a supposedly 5 inch square to a 4 1/4 inches. You ask why so much? Because some of them were that far off. Since most of the methods to produce the blocks varied...hand sewn as opposed to machine sewn, different 1/4 inch measures on sewing machine feet, and some of us used rotary cutters and rulers which are accurate than other methods. But, in the end, the blocks were more uniform before I assembled them into the quilt top.

Because there weren't enough blocks to make a twin sized quilt I decided to add four patch blocks every other block. But it still wasn't big enough for the size I wanted it to be so I added a 4 inch muslin border to it and then another border of  pinwheel and four patch blocks to it. I really liked the visual interplay between the two blocks and decided to emphasize this with quilting them on the diagonal. I finished with a muslin binding and FINALLY it was finished.

I have to confess though, the center part of this quilt lived in a drawer for two years or more before I decided to finish the project. Another confession: there are more UFO in that drawer. LOL!

I can't believe it's been two months since I posted. Wow! Besides digging in the garden (you know how distracting that can be!) I have been working on my new quilt. It's on the frame now and three quarters quilted. It seems that I've been working on that....like...forever! Soon it will be too late in the season for working outside and time to get the brushes out again. So many ideas, so little paint. LOL!