Busy weekend

This weekend I worked on two more mini quilts.  One quilt is based on the Quilty Barn tutorial from Lori at beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com.  When I first saw the block I knew it would make a fun mini quilt.

The block went together very fast and I think I may have to make a few more.  I'm looking forward to quilting this one.

I also went crazy chain piecing my next mini quilt.  I'm doing the Sparkle Punch again, only smaller.  The squares are 1 1/2 inches finishing to 1 inch.  Next weekend I should be able to finish the pressing and trimming and assemble the top.

Last weekend I finished piecing the quilt top to my $10 BOM Quilt that I participated in with my LQS.  I chose the neutral colorway for the blocks but in the end I decided I needed some color after all.

The first Mini Sparkle Punch quilt is finished, quilted, labeled and hanging sleeve attached. 

Little Gracie

A few months ago I had the opportunity to get a Little Gracie II frame for FREE!!!  A lady no longer had the room for it and just wanted it to go to a new home.  Luckily my Florida room is big enough to accommodate the frame and my DH was understanding.  The frame has been sitting here for a few months taunting me to use it.  Last weekend my dear, sweet Mama surprised me and brought me down her Juki 98Q "on loan" so I could use it on the frame.  I was going to set up my machine but it only has a 7 or 9 inch throat so I wouldn't have had much room to quilt, the Juki has an 11" throat so at the most I get about 4" of quilting space, that is fine with me.

Sunday my DH went over the frame, tightened screws and did some maintenance on the frame, while studied YouTube videos on how to load the leader clothes, quilt top and backing.

I finally loaded the Juki in the carriage and was ready to sew but quickly ran into a conundrum.  The frame came with a Grace Speed Control which you hook up to your sewing machine and it will replace the foot pedal.  Well, I set it up correctly for the Juki and all it would do was trigger the thread cutting feature on the machine.  I tried putting the foot pedal on top of the carriage so I can use the handle controls but it blocks the thread, so until I can replace the Speed Control I have the foot pedal on the floor.  It's not the ideal set up but it works for now.

The first quilt I practiced on was a quilt for charity with a simple meandering design.  It was so much fun!!  My DH was even impressed with how fast the machine sewed!  The setup will be great for simple quilting on utility quilts and hopefully I'll get better at making some simple designs, but it won't be anything too fancy (I'll still have to quilt a few quilts with my checkbook).  For now though I'm happy.  Thanks Mom for "loaning" me the Juki!!!  And a huge thanks to my DH for supporting my habits, I mean hobby.  I'm looking forward to finally getting some quilt tops quilted.

Quilt of Valor

About two weeks ago, I joined a group of ladies from my quilt guild for a Quilts of Valor workshop.  I had an enjoyable day sewing, meeting different members of the guild and a wonderful lunch.  It was a very enjoyable day.

I had a nice spacious work table all to myself.  I had my quilt pieces pre-cut so I was ready to sew when I arrived.

By the time the day was over I had most of the quilt top pieced.

All I had left to do was make the large flying geese blocks, sew the rows together and add the borders.  Last Sunday I finished the flying geese components and today I was able to complete the quilt top.  Now I'm working on piecing the quilt back.  I thought I bought enough of an extra-wide quilt backing but once I washed it and squared up the edges I found out that it was cut all wonky and I was inches short, so now I'm working on piecing the back.  Oh well, at least the top is done, I'll finish piecing the back tomorrow and I'll be able to turn it over at next Tuesday's guild meeting to be quilted by the longarmer.

More Mini Sparkle Punch

I managed to finishing piecing the top to my Mini Sparkle Punch quilt today.  The quilt top is currently 19" square.  I didn't get around to quilting it because I'm trying to decide on what thread color to us.  I know how I'm going to quilt it but I'm stuck on a thread color at the moment.

 

I pieced a 12" wonky star for the backing and plan on using it as a guide when I quilt.  I just love the bright floral fabric!!!

On Thursday I joined members of my guild for a day of quilting.  We worked on making a quilt for Quilts of Valor to be presented to a wounded veteran.  I managed on Thursday to piece the majority of the quilt top and I spent some time today making the flying geese for the top and bottom borders.  Once the top is completed the guild will have a longarmer quilt it and I'll just have to do the binding.  It was an enjoyable way to spend the day.

 

Mini Sparkle Punch

It is COLD in South Florida!  So it's a perfect day to be in the sewing room working on my quilts.  I'm currently working on a miniature wonky star quilt inspired by the Sparkle Punch Quilt by Elizabeth Hartman.  I cut the squares 2" so they will finish to 1.5".  So much piecing!  But I'm loving the mini so far.

 

I'm hoping to finish up piecing the top today and get it quilted while the DH is out for the day freezing his tushy off at a car show.

 

Here's a picture of my old boy keeping me company curled up in his bed and blankets with his baby.  I had to put a T-Shirt on him because I like to open the windows and enjoy the cold weather.