When Life Gets Hectic, Take a Vacation

My husband and I spent most of June traveling and enjoying life.  We had a wonderful week of visiting with family and 2 weeks touring and cruising Alaska and the Yukon.  It was a dream vacation and if you haven't been, you need to start saving your pennies and go soon.  There is so much beauty and wonderful wildlife and landscape to see.  The towns and cities are all so diverse and the history is fascinating, too.  I won't bore you with all my vacation pictures, but I will show you these.

 Ketchikan, AK

 Skagway, AK

Anchorage, AK

These are my treasures that I found in the 4 quilt stores that I visited.  They all feature lots and lots of batiks and carry wildlife designs that are unique to the area.  I tried to get different animals on each piece of fabric.  I also found two fabulous patterns.  Unfortunately I found the large bed size pattern at the last store and had already bought my fabrics or I could have purchased colors that would work best in the quilt, but I'm sure I can make do ( or buy more!)

 Northern Wilderness 

by Marie Noah, Mary Thompson, & Heather Griffin

Salmon Boy by Lisa Moore

based on Totem designs by Tommy Joseph

Designing Monday

This was a busy week so not much sewing.  Here are the blocks I made in the Disappearing 4 Patch pattern.  I am working on sewing them together this week.

Have a happy day of quilting.  Be sure to hop over to Judy's blog to see more beautiful designs.

Designing Monday

I finished the binding on this quilt last night.  It is made from some gifted fabric from Pat Sloan's giveaway plus some other fabrics that I added.  The pattern is from Pat's blog and is called Eat Your Fruits N' Veggies.  The fabric line has the same name.  I really think it turned out cute and my plan is to donate it to our guild who in turn will give it to a local hospital pediatric ward.

With the remaining fabrics from the layer cake of Pat's fabric, I have pieced together Disappearing 4 Patch blocks.  I haven't quite figure out how best to piece these together to meet the size requirements from the guild, but these are also destined for donation.

Hop on over to Judy's blog to see some more beautiful designs.

The Constant Wife

Kathleen Tracy, the Sentimental Quilter  hosts a challenge each month to make a small quilt based on a pattern from one of her books or from a pattern that she provides on her blog.  The month of April, the quilt was based on the block of the Constant Wife.  I like that name, although I prefer to be a little unpredictable myself.  What's the fun in always being the same?

Here is my version of the quilt.  

If you want to join along, there is a link to Kathleen's small quilt Yahoo group on the side bar of her blog.

Designing Monday

All of the blocks are sewn together for this fun quilt.  I love the little splashes of orange.  This pattern is called Eat your Fruits N Veggies from Pat Sloan.  It is a freebie on her website.  I used quite a bit of her fabric and added some others.

Hope you have time to do some fun quilting today.  Hop on over to Judy's blog to see some more beautiful designs.

PS  It snowed at our house yesterday.

Designing Monday

I am working on two projects right now.  I have started all the cutting and initial piecing of HST's for the Eat your Fruits and Veggies quilt that is a Pat Sloan design.  I downloaded the free pattern from her website and am using some of her fabrics as well as some of my stash and other coordinates.  I mail ordered the white fabric and it arrived on Saturday afternoon.  I could not wait to get busy cutting.

Here is one block laid out.  

I also have started the Small Quilt of the Month from Sentimental Quilter.  It's not shown on her blog this month but is available from her chat group.  The block is called Constant Wife.  I managed to get these little blocks sewn up after much ripping and frustration.  It is so simple but I could not get my triangles in the right direction and somehow managed to get my square a little cattywampus.  All is in order now, so I just have to choose how I want my borders.

Have a happy day of sewing.  Hop on over to Judy's blog to see more designs.

Designing Monday

My design wall has a quilt that has been parked there for several months, so I didn't bother to take a photo of it. I have decided to make a keyboard type border and I have no experience with it.  Anybody have any suggestions?  I am afraid there will be lots of stretching and uneven edges.


I did receive a nice surprise this week.  My name was drawn in the Moda Incredible Friendship Quilt Along that was held several weeks ago.  And lucky me, the designer who pulled my name was Pat Sloan.  Yes THE Pat Sloan.  She graciously sent me a layer cake of her fabric and here is is.

 Isn't it colorful?  There are 42 - 10" squares just waiting to be sliced and diced into a wonderful quilt.  She posted a quilt pattern on her blog that uses just the yellow and greens.  Or you can just use the reds or the blues.  I will have to supplement with other fabrics, but can't wait to look for some more to get started.  I should be able to make a couple of comfort quilts for our guild with these fun fabrics.


Hop on over to Judy's blog  to see some beautiful designs.