Ready for Take Off #2

I finished quilt top number two in my ongoing sewing marathon of quilts for great grands that hadn't received a quilt from Grandma Lolo.  This was a cute layer cake called Ready for Take Off by Moda, that I found last week at Must Love Fabrics.  I really like this store, visits there are so much fun.

Again, I used Missouri Star Quilts Double Slice Layer Cake pattern, a sure winner when you need a quick finish.  On to number three.

Double Slice Layer Cake
54"x54"

Hugs and stitches
Betty Lou

Mind Your P's and Q's

 For quite a while I have talked about making quilts for the five great-grands that hadn't yet received their Grandma Lolo quilt.  Trying to decide what to do for them has been challenging and I have changed my mind several times.  Finally I decided to do all five with the same quilt pattern, Double Slice Layer Cake, it is a larger quilt and since one great-grand is three now, the patterns that I had planned are just too small.

This first one was put together with a layer cake I bought several years ago called Mind Your P's and Q's by Moda, I think it will work well for the youngest great-gramd, Peyton, five months.  Of course it is just a flimsy now but I would like to get all five tops finished before I send them to the quilter.  Hope that is not wishful thinking on my part.

On to the next one and if you need a quick quilt, this one goes together in a snap.

Double Slice Layer Cake by Missouri Star Quilts
Approx 54" x 54"

Hugs and stitches

Project Linus Day at Must Love Fabric

Yesterday Cynthia and I joined in the fun at Must Love Fabric, my favorite quilt shop, for their monthly Project Linus Sew Day.  A day when women armed with their sewing machine come and sew the day away making tops for Project Linus quilts.  The quilt tops are then packaged with batting, backing, and binding for others to take home and finish.

I didn't know what to expect and was I surprised to find that things were so organized and prepared for us to get right down to sewing.  Bins of pre-cut 5", 8", and 10" squares were all neatly cut and ready for our choosing.  You could make whatever you wanted.  Just sew squares together or design your own.  Most were using the 8" squares, sewn 4 across and 5 down, plus two borders.  Cynthia chose to make an I Spy which turned out so cute.

The lady sitting next to me was a speed sewer and I was amazed at how quickly she could finish a quilt top, each one just as cute as can be.  I left at 1pm and she was on her fourth top, me the slow quilter, finished one.

I plan on going next month, who knows maybe I'll get two tops sewn.  WooHoo.

Hugs and stitches
Betty Lou

Playing With My Fabric

It's been busy around her the past two days, cutting fabric, making baby quilt kits, and sewing a quilt top.  Yesterday morning I got out a bunch of old stash that could be used for baby quilts.  When I say old, I mean old, most of this fabric I brought with me from N. California eleven years ago and it had already aged significantly when it came to Texas. My plan was to cut baby quilt kits, well that was the plan but then I found a baby quilt top that was about half completed so I fired up the Bernina and got it sewn together.  I need to make six little quilts for great-grands, this little quilt will be four tops completed, two more and I'll send them to the quilter for a quick finish.

It's a fun little quilt made with one charm pack, I used American Jane, Hop, Skip, and Jump and some Bella Ivory to complete.  It goes together quickly with only one charm pack and a solid.  A sweet quilt and you can find the free pattern here.

Today it was back to my original plan and I put six quilt kits together.  I love having a small project ready to sew or to take to quilt bee when we have a sew day.  Best of all, some of the old stash will be put to good use. Hooray!

Hugs and stitches
Betty Lou

Fast, Fun, and Easy

                                                                           

Fast, Fun, Easy, call it what you want but this quilt pattern, Vice Versa, is about all I can handle right now. It has been nine months since I joined "The Club" and it's time to get moving.  Sitting at the machine stills awkward and new, so the only sewing has been beginner baby quilts for Project Linus.  I hope to get back to my reproduction doll quilts and more intricate work but for now this is where I am.

My sewing machine has moved from my sewing room (temporarily my son's bedroom,) to the kitchen dining area.  The dining area has wonderful light but I couldn't handle all of the sewing stuff being out all the time.  So I moved once again and put my sewing machine in my bedroom. Over the years of sewing I think I have sewn in every room of the house except the bathroom (now that would be strange) and realize that if you want to sew you could always find a place.  The bedroom will work
out fine as soon as I get more light in there.

This quilt is made with a pattern I purchased on eBay called Vice Versa.  Did I need a pattern for a simple quilt, probably not, but I ordered it anyway.  A very easy baby quilt and will use it again  and again for Project Linus quilts.

Hugs and stitches

Betty Lou

Kits, Kits, Kits

Yesterday afternoon I spent my time making I Spy kits for easy Project Linus quilts.  This is my ongoing attempt to use some (a lot) of my fabric stash. My quilt bee meets twice a month and last meeting several of us brought our sewing machines.  A good use of our time and surprising how much you can get done when in company of your best friends.

A number of years ago I made some I Spy quilts for Project Linus and had quite an assortment of leftover 5"squares cut of fabrics that I had purchased just for that purpose.  What fun I had picking out fabrics with dogs, robots, elephants, and airplanes, etc.  There are so many novelty fabrics available and I purchased many of them at WalMart. This was not the time to splurge on quilt shop fabric. The way that I have been laying my squares out it takes 63 different prints, I bought fat quarters, 1/3 yard pieces, remnants, and joined in on a couple online exchanges.  One thought, if you are going to participate in an exchange, be sure to splurge and buy quilt shop fabrics for your contribution, nothing worse than receiving a bunch of junk 5" squares back from the exchange.

It was time to put all this to use and I kitted enough for four I Spy quilts.  I'm sure I have enough squares for another six or eight more quilts, may have to do a little more shopping to make up the sixty three prints.  I can easily sew one I Spy quilt at Bee and I have four kits ready to go along with two shirt apron kits.  WooHoo!
Hugs and stitches
Betty Lou