Growing up so fast

Can't believe Mason is 8 months old already! Love this happy little face and wish I could see it every day!

Need some design help

Now what should I do with this quilt project?

The first issue with this quilt top is that it does't lay flat. Some of that problem can be solved when it is quilted, but it worries me. The cause is that the blocks are not all the same size. I won these blocks, and there were some of the 15 that were definitely smaller than the 12.5" unfinished.

If I had tried to make them ALL smaller, then the star points would have been cut off on the larger blocks. I couldn't live with that. And ALL 15 blocks are too pretty to spoil.

So I stretched and ironed out the smaller blocks. The 2 smallest ones I've saved to use in the pieced back. And I sewed scant seams on the others when I put them all together. But . . . it has made for some pulling together in the middle.

The second issue I have is that I think it really needs some borders. I have enough of the snowflake fabric I used in the cornerstones to add a border. Should I add 2 borders? Should I add a pieced border? I need some ideas and I just know I need to "live" with this top a while longer to figure it out.

Scrappy elephants

Don't you just hate it when a picture is posted sideways? I have done everything in my power to rotate this picture, but it's just not working. Oh well . . .

I was playing with a few scraps on Sunday afternoon - just because I couldn't resist. I saw this darling little elephant block on a blog I read and just had to make one. Now I'm thinking I may make some more scrappy elephants and use them in a child's quilt. It would be a cute donation quilt or even a cute baby gift.

This free block pattern is from Milk and Honey Quilts blog.

Binding

I'm working on the binding for my latest baby quilt. This one is for my granddaughter who is due in March. Love how the stripe is working out for this. It has a little of the lavendar and the lime, and lots of the orange.

I can't wait to give this to my daughter at her baby shower in a couple of weeks.

The picture of relaxation

This is the definitive relaxation picture in my house. My cat Sammy loves my quilts! And the lumpier, the better.

This quilt was draped over my husband's lap while he watched TV recently. And the cat was stretched out on top. And believe me - a 20 pound cat stretches out a long way!!

Wish I could be napping with a quilt today, instead of working. But I guess I need to keep working to pay for my quilting hobby.

Fat Quarter Stars - block 10

Block 10 in the Fat Quarter Stars quiltalong is complete in both fabric lines. Another fun and simple block. this one was designed by Michelle Foster of the Quilting Gallery website. I really like the rounded effect that the block has.

In the Ellie II version, I cut the little corner on the bias because I just had to make the stripe look like it radiated out of the center like the sides did. It was so small however that it didn't stretch. I like the result.

The Terrain version gave me the first opportunity to use the fun purple fabric that is in the center. The geometric design seemed lost in most of the early blocks, but this center is 6.5" square, so it worked out perfectly.

Block 12 for Saturday Sampler

Over the weekend I finished block 12 of my Saturday Sampler in both colorways. I'm doing the "official" block in a traditional colorway that has lots of soft dusty aqua and rose and browns in it. It's not my usual choice in colors, but it is turning out so pretty.

The second one is just coming out of my stash and using black and white as the base, with a bright accent added for fun. This is more my usual taste and I am really liking this one too.

There is ONE more month in this sampler and that will add a "half" block to each row. I have my rows all pieced and ready to set in the last sections for both quilts. It's so exciting to see the end in sight. And I'll have TWO quilt tops finished!

It's funny how different the two quilts are turning out even though the pattern is the same. That is the magic of quilting, isn't it?