More quilts for Stefani's and Mindy's babies!!

How is it that so much time seems to pass between my blogs?  Oh well, time is here for another.  Stefani is having her baby today (or tomorrow). She's being induced later this afternoon or early evening.  Here's a photo of her from last week:

Mindy doesn't think she'll EVER get this big - but then, she still has a couple months to go.

I have these quilts to get to Stefani after her baby is born - since they didn't want to know the sex of the baby - and I did- they can't be delivered until she gives birth to this little GIRL!

I just love this little owl quilt - with Momma and her 3 babies.  The backing is flannel so it'll be nice and soft.  I did an overall meander quilting.  I liked it so much, I've made a second for Mindy.  I'll hopefully do some specific quilting as I'm taking some Craftsy classes to learn more.  I'll use the same flannel on the back of that one.

Here's another 30's quilt made from a charm pack - I wish I had been more selective of the light colored charms but hopefully, it'll be used so much it'll fall apart someday.

See what I mean?  Some of the charms are really faint!!

And then, there are these - extra bibs and burp cloths for this little girl!

I also have a little Dolly scrappy quilt, made with scraps from an earlier quilt I made for Stefani - I'm not sure it was for her niece or a friend's baby - but I think it'll go to Kenzi - for her babies - that's Stefani's niece.  I'll deliver all of these at the same time - probably tomorrow?

Now, I'm on to more Mindy quilts.  Here's a charm-pack quilt - trimmed in purple -

It's like Stefani's orange one.  No Minkie on the back of this one - just some lavender solid.

And here's the 30's "windowpane" quilt I backed with red Minkie - I'm happy with how it turned out and hope Mindy will like it, too!

Here's the latest of our photos of Mindy - she is progressing....:)

She says her tummy is "rolling" now and that people who come into the restaurant simply ask - "when are you due?" instead of "are you pregnant".  She's tired - probably working too hard - but this is one of the prettiest smiles I've seen on her face for some time now.  (back room at the restaurant shown here).

Long post but now I'll have memories of all these quilts.  Getting ready to finish up a few more and will save them for another day.  I'm really ready to enjoy these baby girls.  Can't wait to hold them!!

A Quilt for Pulse

Today I finally finished my Quilt for Pulse - The Orlando Modern Quilt Guild is collecting quilts for the victim's families, the injured, and the community.  I'm not sure just why quilting is so "good for my soul" but it is!  I feel much better today!!

It has been such a depressing, upsetting, concerning time of late - so much AWFULness happening in this world.  I think I'll just keep stitching away and maybe someone else can use some comfort!!?

I love you dear family and friends -

Now, I'll go sew the label on so I can get this off in the mail tomorrow!

Orange Owls and Foxes!

Finished the first of many quilts for Stefani's baby!  I've had the top finished for a few weeks but hesitated to bat and quilt it because of the Minkee on the back.  Minkee is so soft but it's polyester instead of cotton and stretches one way and is kinda tough to feed through the machine for free-motion quilting.  Anyway, I put it aside for awhile - procrastination!  I checked out a few u-tube videos with tips for sewing with Minkee and decided to jump in and finish it.  I used that spray basting stuff I put aside to give to Jamie as I had decided I didn't like it but the videos all referred to using it.  Worked like a charm - now I don't have them in my Jamie box anymore. - sorry Sis!

I spray basted the layers and pinned like crazy and used a stretch 90/14 needle and although I did have to work harder to get the quilt to move around in my machine, it worked well - no shifting of the Minkee and no puckers!  I'm proud of it.  and I doubt it will the the last time I use it to back a baby quilt.

I used all the left-over triangles to make the flying geese triangles in the border - that was fun!!

I have been told that I can now share the news that Mindy and Kyle are pregnant!  She is at about 14 weeks or so, I have the first photos in my possession, and she saw the midwife she's hired to help her through everything the other day and was able to listen to the heart beat again.  Her doctor is rather new to Libby but has a great reputation for working with "older" pregnant Moms and Mindy and Kyle like him.  We've been a little anxious through her first trimester but are feeling more confident now.  I can't really express just how JOYful I feel, I really want to uproot myself and my sewing machine and stuff to be in Libby with her.  I have to remind myself I'm just the Grandma here .....

Remake of Stefani's brothers comforter

Recently Zachary (Stefani's brother) found a comforter among items his father had saved for years - his Ninja Turtle quilt!  It was well worn, the backing shredded and the batting bunched up - instead of just tossing it, he asked Stefani if she'd see if I could "fix" it!  Stefani did all the seam ripping to separate the pieces, we bought new backing fabric and batting and here's the result!  Now Zachary will have the quilt from his youth (he says he got it as a gift when he was 2!) for many more years to come.  They lost their father about 5 years ago so that makes this special too!  I'm honored to have been able to "fix" it for him!  I hope this quilt will help keep him warm....and bring him comfort, too!!

Baby Quilts and more

Good grief!  How does time fly by so???  I've been sewing almost every day - it is my therapy, you know.  So much of life has passed by since I've written a blog.  Instead of "should-ing" myself, I'm simply going to move on.

We have babies coming!  And these babies will NEVER be able to say they had to want for a quilt! or a wall hanging or bibs or burp cloths or anything else I can think of!

Here's a little wall hanging for Stefani's baby - due the end of September:

The baby's room is decorated in animals - especially owls - but Stefani liked this wall hanging kit and it's completed!  So sweet!  I hope she and Jon will enjoy having it and I love the blessings!!

Then, today, this top is finished - on to adding vines and leaves to the borders and then quilting it.  It's really sweet and I was able to practice my applique skills (buttonhole stitch) with this one.

I saw this one on Pinterest - had to order the pattern!  And, I got to pull out all of my 30's plus the new ones gifted to me by Aurora.....so much fun.  I actually have 2 other 30's fabric tops finished.  I'll be quilting for days!!

Then, here's the last to share today!  This one is called Bloom, designed by Lori Holt of Bee In My Bonnet.  The fabric is her line, too.  Each of these 20 squares are hand appliqued onto the fabric - oh, how I love that handwork!!  This one, too, is ready for quilting and then I think it will hang on the quilt holder in the family room!

So, that's all for today.  Marcie, note to self, you must keep up this blogging instead of just reading everyone elses (is that a word?) posts!  Otherwise, you'll forget just when you worked on these!!  You go girl!!!!

Allietare is a finished top! and I need a little girl!

Here's Allietare as a finished top.  This one was the most fun I've had with a "mystery quilt" designed by Bonnie Hunter!  Still probably 2,000 pieces but mostly half-square triangles (HST's) so I could have another chance to master them.  I still have a way to go but they're getting better!

And today I finished this baby quilt - I'm calling it "Lucky Petals".  I appliqued the petals onto the white squares and then I quilted this one using my walking foot and lots and lots of stitching.  The little flowers in the white areas remind me of 4-leaf clovers, thus the name.  Now, I simply need to find a little girl who might need a quilt!!

I surely enjoy this "hobby" "passion" of mine!  I know it gets expensive to keep buying fabric and then simply piling up the quilts when finished.  I try to find homes for them and I think this one will actually be going to the local Cancer Center.  It fills my heart knowing they might be used and loved for a long time.

Think I might have to get a job!  I wonder if anyone would be interested in hiring a 68 year old without a lot of skills - except, of course, for her "passion"?

On to scrappy tops now!  I'll work on emptying some tubs and that will make me feel "thrifty"!!!

Kami's Quilt

Kami is Stefani's niece - she's 10.  Her Mom, Sabrina, helped us with Nan while Stefani was on her honeymoon!  Anyway, Sabrina asked me to make a quilt using some of Kami's baby clothes and I, of course, said YES!  I cut and cut and cut - for over 3 days, to get LOTS of pieces and then Sabrina and I started putting squares together.  It was such fun!!!  Anyway, here's a photo of the quilt - finished finally on the 24th - just ahead of the deadline!

Sometimes, these special "challenging" things just help to make the day!  This is one of those.  I'm finishing lounging pants for Josh, Ren Brown, Zach and Carin (talk about challenging, I promise to NEVER attempt lounging pants again).  The best part of the day consisted of Ren Brown and I redoing their lounge pants.  AND, she did most of the sewing!!!  YEAH!!!!  Also Bonnie Hunter's Mystery Quilt is in full swing although part 5 was published today and I'm still on part 4.  I think I'm really going to like this one!  Black/white/ gray, golds and reds.  No photos until the final reveal, but I'm hoping I'll have mine to share sometime shortly after that!

I'm planning on a very fruitful, happy and pleasing 2016 - probably not too financial, but you can't have everything!!!  My hope for all my family and friends (although most don't see the blog) will  be for them to have a wonderful 2016 and know that I love them all!!!!