It's Done!!!!

I finished the 1st baby quilt on Thursday of last week.  I had help from my dad taking pictures of it Saturday evening.  I really like how it turned out, but it is huge!  I obviously need help determining sizes of quilts.  I'm going to make another rag quilt for a coworker, but I'm hoping I can start it Saturday and finish it Wednesday, so I can wash it and give it to them before we leave next Friday.  I have determined my vacation project, I think.  I'm hoping to work on some Precious Moments Children of the World cross stitch.  I have been working on it since I was a senior in high school.  I think I have about 5 blocks done with about 8 to go.  Some are in various stages of completion.  I will try to post some pictures before I go, but no guarantees.  I have been doing the PM blocks on muslin with waste canvas.  I hope I have enough waste canvas.  I know it is still available, but I don't recall which count I was using.  I have also started "collecting" civil war reproduction prints for either a Dear Jane quilt or to use with the Farmer's Wife Sampler quilt.  I haven't decided which I will be using.  I kind of just like the idea of doing a bunch of little quilt squares. 

I know it's a small picture.  Maybe when I return from my trip I will work on resizing it. The blocks are approximately 8.5" x 8.5".  The final quilt ended up being around 42.5" x 52".  I really like how it turned out.  One thing I learned from this though, is that pins are my friend and I can make my sewing machine go slower when quilting large X's on squares of fabric.

It's almost finished...

I am now sewing my blocks together.  I finished the eyes on Saturday along with making my quilt block sandwiches.  I have completed the first row tonight.  I should finish the rest of the sewing tonight or tomorrow, depending on how long I stay up to work on it.  Then I have to snip it and wash it a couple of times.  Since the baby is not due for 2 more weeks, I am hopeful I can finish it before s/he comes.  I am also contemplating my next project as the baby quilt is no longer portable.  I have some embroidered ornament block of the month from last year that I am about 1/2 done with.  I was able to keep up with them until baseball season ended last year, and then I got behind.  I have also learned that another of my friends is having a baby, but they're not due until spring, so I may have time to complete another embroidered baby quilt.  I'm not sure.  We'll see what happens.  I have been toying with an idea from a couple of children's books I have.  I will post more pictures when I have it completed.

Baby Shower

So... I didn't get the quilt complete before the shower.  Life sometimes gets in the way.  I have completely finished the embroidery on one block.  I didn't like the last 3 blocks- 2 were repeat animals and the 3rd looked like the animal was going to fall over, so I got my baby feet finished in it.  I have started on the eyes.  They should go fairly quickly.  I have decided to satin stitch them because one of my managers has convinced me that I will ruin my blocks if I try to paint on them.  Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't, I'm not gonna risk it.  With my mom's help, I have completely cut out another quilt and got the pieces pinned together.  When you rag a quilt, it goes much faster.  Right now I'm all about speed.  I should have 2 quilts completely finished by Monday afternoon since it is a federal holiday in the U.S.  That means I don't have to work Monday morning.  I do have to work Monday afternoon, but since it's time and a half, it's alright.  If I finish my both my quilts Monday, I will post more pictures.  I cannot decide if I want to embroidery the last quilt or if I just want to sew flannel squares together.  We shall see.  I also don't know what I will do at work on Tuesday if I get all of my quilts finished.  I do have a couple of other embroidery projects already started, one of which is a BOM ornament set.  I have them about 1/2 complete.  I will talk to you soon.