I have a couple more quilts finished to show you.  The one that frustrated me so in November, that I could barely write a blog entry about it, is the Zebra II Quilt, below. The quilt was not a problem; it was the long-arming of it.  I had decided not to vent on my blog about the on-going problems with a certain quilt shop's long-arm machine.  It has completely put me off of long-arming my own quilts. I did get another appoint for around the second week of December, then I waited until the night before to rip out all the stitching I had quilted into it. I tried to keep happy thoughts as I was driving over there.  It was not a problem free experience even though she put me on the newer machine and said, "You're going to love quilting on this machine."  NOT.  I still ended up with a tension problem and had to lean over that sucker and rip a couple feet of stitching out.  It still took my 5 hours to get it done, and it was not really done, because I decided to do the borders on my own Viking machine at home.  I could not stand more than 5 hours and did not want to have to deal with another broken thread or tension problem.  Anyway, I did finish the borders on my own machine, then got the binding on and was completely finished on December 28th.  My daughter lives in Missouri and is not too accustomed to the cold weather. She had lived in Tucson and Shreveport prior to Plato, Missouri.  She said it keeps her warm and she really loves it.

I really enjoyed making the outer border with irregular shaped pieces.

Ah ha! Bowtie blocks successfully uploaded. All the blocks are actually sewn together now and it is in the very capable hands of Phyllis the Wonder Quilter. She is going to sew the borders on.  We met last night and had a great time doing our individual projects and sipping tea while chatting it up! We are known as The Knotty Quilters!
   I have to dry my hair and get to the commutter van now, or I shant make it to work!

I have been busy and not being regular on my blog as of late. Right now there is a problem with the blog, it won't let me upload my photos in the usual way.  So, for now no photos.  Blah!!!  But the latest is, Elverta's quilt will be finished in the morning. Sooo, close, but had to take a break. I got it all quilted last weekend, then added the black/gray grunge basics binding. Looking good!  I think she will be nicely surprised.  Meanwhile, just before Christmas I finished the bunting for Marie's upcoming wedding, the baby quilt for the impending joy of the Roy Family of Colorado.  I completed my daughter's Zebra/Jungle Quilt on December 28th; just in time for her to fly back to Missouri.  We got it in the mail the next day and she had it very soon after.  Then I did the New Year's Eve Quilt that I posted photos of on my last post. Had a very nice Christmas with Mary visiting. We went to the aquarium and the art museum (BAM), and to Five Guys Burgers, etc. I took more photos of Merlinda the Ninja Cat and some photos of Mary and Pete.  This cold snap is not dampening my spirits, but it is of those around me.  I have so much stay-in work and things to do in a cozy spot with hot tea or something better, I cannot complain.  I have been practicing my violin and making it to my lessons. A very busy week, this last one, at my job at the BVAMC.  But it is a three-day weekend and the playoffs for the Superbowl is tomorrow afternoon.  Going to visit Mom in the morning, then make rice krispy treats, then in the afternoon go to the CONFAB where we Knotty Quilters are assembling the quilt we all made blocks for. It is to be raffled off for a benefit.  It is going to be beautiful. I would love to post the photo I took of the blocks I sewed together, but  . . .  gotta figure out this problem.



Kirsten's New Years Eve Quilt

 Happy New Year!  Remember those itty-bitty blocks I mentioned in my Dec 12 post? Well, Kirsten made a lap quilt with them on New Years Eve! It was all completed by 11:41 p.m. on December 31, 2012.  She and her friends are already enjoying it!  In all actuality each block is 1 1/2 " square, and when they are sewed with a 1/4 inch seam, they become 1" blocks in the quilt top. This quilt has 100 one-inch blocks in it, with a dark blue border and red and white plaid binding. The binding was cut at 1 1/2" then sewn on the quilt edge at 1/8" seam allowance. One-eighth seems just right for a quilt of this size. It was quick and alot of New Years Eve fun!!   Click on the "Gluten Free Doll Quilts" link to see Kirsten enjoying her new lap quilt with her friends.