Stunned

 I honestly don't think I have ever made such progress in one week, like I have this past week!  I will try to be short and sweet with my comments because this is going to be a full post!

Finishes:

Teen Boy's Throw Pillows

His Marquette U. logo pillow that came with a big surprise on his birthday.

And the other boring *yawn* pillows.  

I have to admit...I like the four quadrant striped one!

Turtle Quilt

Finally done! 

The process took much longer than I wanted, but you can see all the details HERE finally made me happy.

In Progress:

Giant Vintage Star

Quilted it this weekend.

Binding is attached and on to hand sewing!

Rodeo Quilt

Cut my binding!

I opted for WOF cuts so that I could keep the diagonal stripe.  I just have to finish piecing the back and it is next on my list.

Primarily Sean's Quilt

Quilted swirls.

 However, a debacle.

Me.  Doubting my original measurements when I loaded it.

  Do you see that I am 4 inches short on my backing?!?!?  I now have to piece more backing to my already pieced backing.  I am a bit frustrated...so it sits and waits for me to gird my loins, as they say.

Spiders and Webs

On Ole Betsy as we speak.

Opted to make sure I remembered how to meander in case someone asks me to do it for them.  It isn't my favorite style, but it was a welcome and brainless after the debacle on the one above!

No Progress:

Who cares?!?! Did you see all that stuff up above??

Linking up

Just Keep Swimming...

Oh wait!  I'm not swimming anymore!  I'm DONE!!

The turtle applique quilt is on its way home!! This quilt idea has been interesting, frustrating, and quite a journey.  I was commissioned by a special mom that I had worked on a Butterfly Kiss project for her other daughter. She contacted me because she had a Pottery Barn crib set, but she couldn't get the actual quilt. 

Pottery Barn Kids

I had her send me pictures from her room and all of the bedding she did have so I could make sure I coordinated as best as I could.  The pink quilt she bought was plain, but had some actually really pretty hand quilted effects.  

 It was at that point, I knew that I wouldn't feel "right" about just machine appliqueing on some turtles and sending it back.  I found this sweet seersucker fabric so that the turtle backs would have some texture.

 My biggest concern was that it would look like I added the turtles after it was quilted.  Granted, yes, I was adding them after, but I really wanted it to feel like the end result was exactly how it would be if I were making the quilt from the start!

 To get a bit of dimension that I was looking for, I fused some batting to the backside before appliqueing the turtle backs on.  I did hand needle turn applique on all of the pieces. 

I added some seersucker flowers because one of the prints that she had for nursery had "girl" turtles with flowers tucked in behind their "ears".  I also added embroidery floss stitches on each turtle back bout 1/2 inch from the edges. 

I wasn't truly happy with the entire quilt until I decided to blanket stitch all of the solid pieces.  I started with the seaweed first because it was the making me the least happy.

 And when I finished them, I realized that the turtle bodies needed the added touch too!.

 It made them look less "glued" on that way.  

I also changed my mind about doing a machine embroidered name. 

 It seemed that it just was too commercial looking when I went to all the trouble of doing the handwork on the rest of the quilt.

The only downfall?  I still have chronic swelling of my hands and finger from my surgery.  The process that normally would be pretty quick for me, became laboriously slow and tedious. 

But it was worth it! 

Now I just hope Momma and Finley are happy with it!!!

WIP: Finish Lines

The race to get some things done around here is at full speed.

Finished:

Imagination

I am so happy about this quilt. 

 I posted about the design process and other yummy photos of this quilt.  I am so happy with the piecing the other bee ladies did.  

I am also a bit tickled that Lynne from Lily's Quilts posted on her blog.  To have the quilter that designed the blog say she liked it makes me so proud of the work our Imagine circle for do.Good Stitches did!

In Progress:

Southern Blizzard

 Can you believe it?  14 months later?

I finally finished the top.  I am going to try to cut the backing soon.  Since I have 10 more months until I need it,  I have it third or fourth in line for Ole Betsy.

Turtle Quilt

"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming" always pops in my head when I work on this quilt.

I decided to hand stitch the appliques.

And am now in the process of finishing up the embellishment of hand embroidery. 

  Next on the list is how I am going to tackle the name.  I originally had thought I would do some machine embroidery, but my heart is saying no.  More to hand stitching to come?

No Progress: 

 16 projects.  I won't list them. You might fall asleep and your head might hit the keyboard.  I don't want to be responsible for any lacerations to foreheads.  

New Projects:

Vintage Star

A friend asked me to help her out with a baby quilt.  How could I say no?  We first discussed using the pattern that I used for Button's Quilt and Lyla's Quilt.
However,  when fellow blogger posted this large star made up of oversized HSTs?

 

I was sold and so was she.  

Free Spirit Fat Quarter Bundles

I have pulled the fabrics from this bundle and am getting ready to cut and piece!

 Linking up with Lee.

Things are a bit different. 

 Whenever Lee makes a change, it always seems to be a good one!

WIP Wednesday: Joe Schmoe

Back to being a normal joe-schmoe over here.  It was exciting to Guest Host at Freshly Pieced!  I tried to hit as many as the linkups as I could...but there were 120+.  I got about 75.  Can you forgive me if I didn't make it to you!??!? 

Finishes

Rip N Sew Throw Pillows

They are done!

Tutorial and all!

I really had fun doing something that was completely different than the way I normally decorate my home.  I have been thinking about doing more for the boys' game room!

In Progress

Stars and Stripes

I am done basting all of my 172  red, 155 blue, and 157 black/white hexies. 

 A grand total of 484 hexi yumminess! 

I still need to figure out how I am going to fifty stars.  The pattern from Hexa Go Go suggests that you use fabric paint on white.  I, of course, am contemplating on making it more difficult.  Possibly applique, possibly embroidery.  The only problem is that I will have to pre-applique/embroider before I baste the hexies.  So that would require being very thoughtful about it.  But I still have 7 months to work it out!!

Turtle Quilt

Has transformed this week from a plain pink quilt to this.

I will be busy appliqueing seersucker turtle backs and Kona bodies.

Currently, I have swelling in my right hand.  I suspect it is a complication from my surgery, so I decided to take it easy for a few days and see if the swelling goes down and meet with my doctor this week!

The flowers are my favorite so far!

Something Folded

The block for the blog hop Something New Sampler has gone through some interesting transformations!

A sneak peak.  These aren't the final fabrics.  I was playing with some scraps!  Look for me on Monday to post the tutorial.  Amy at cute life posted her Modern Bargello this week!

No Progress

Button's Scoot Quilt

I haven't had a lot of time...I hope to cut it this week!  I was a bit distracted by my hunt for fabric I fell in love with for drapes in another room.  I think he is cool with it.

Sock puppet shows while in carpool line seem waaaay more important to him!

New Projects

 

Nothing else new...there have been a few QALs calling my name, but I have this post-it on my computer.

To remind me that I have things that need to get done!  Thanks Julie for the idea!!!!!

Linking up...

Of course!