Hot Cross Quilt!

I have the top finished! Isn't it fun. I just loved this fabric line - "Countdown to Christmas".

And check out the fun New Zealand panel I got from Sue in the mail yesterday! Thank you Sue so much!

Remember this quilt?

Remember this quilt top? Well.... it is quilted!!!! And look how AWESOME it is at Ruthie's blog! Ruthie belongs to the same quilt guild that some of my friends in Indiana belong to so I got to know her from fall quilt camp. When I saw she had this baptist fan pattern I knew this quilt needed it! So off my quilt went for a short stay at her house. I"ll be picking it up in a few weeks when I see her at camp!!!!!

Got all my Hot Cross blocks together and the inside border on tonight. Also got the outside borders pieced but not on yet. So in another day or two I"ll have the finished top to share.

No quilts yet... but some nicer scenes of WI

No quilts yet - just got home from Wisconsin, but here are some of the more scenic things we saw! No words needed! (Copper Falls State Park)

And Aposotle Island Cruise with Lighthouse on Raspberry Island. (Note - 76 steps to get up to the lighthouse.... and then to get to the tower you have 1 flight of normal stairs, then some circular stairs (at least one or 2 flights), then you climb a ladder and go through a trap door on the floor of the tower. That takes you into the inside by the light. But to go out on deck you have to crawl on the floor through a low panel to the outside!

You know you are in Wisconsin when....

Paul Bunyon and Big Blue greet you at the eating establishment.


Or you eat dinner with the natives....

Your hotel is selling discount beef jerky...

And your daughters idea of fun is getting mom lost in the wilderness!


And the favorite mode of transportation is kayaking. I'm exhausted!

Pets on Quilts

I decided I just HAD to share this picture of our Chloe on Emily's dog quilt. Look at that face! Even though she is in such good company with all those little dogs on the quilt she looks like she is so sad!

Chloe is a rescue dog. Emily bugged us for a dog for over 6 years. We finally thought she was old enough and she researched and looked and looked for just the right dog. And then we found Chloe! I don't know what we ever did without her!

And if you like Chloe and Emily's dog quilt, go here and vote for me (on Sat Aug 20th or Sun Aug 21st)! And check out all the other very cool quilts! (Emily and Chloe are Entry #86)

Hot Cross Progress

A few more Hot Cross Blocks

Have a few more made. Just been short on time.

But look at these crazy bikes I saw yesterday while coming home from an errand! The guys inside were pedaling like a bike! And I saw about 20 of them of all colors, but they all were teeny tiny like this!

Are you tired of those bulky intersections?

Do you have a top where 5+ seams come together and they just push up? Hate those "bumps"? I"d like to introduce you to "The Wacker"!

Just whack away at those intersecrions and have nice flat seams! All it needs is a burst of steam and a good whack on something hard and you will get lovely intersections!

A friend of mine had this a few years ago at quilt camp. She got it from a class she took from Susan Cleveland who uses it. Well you know how it goes, I just never took the time to order one from her website. Well yesterday I was at a machine quilters show and ran across the man who makes them for Susan to sell! Of course I had to get one!

Sometime this week I need to get my board made that I will use with it. He had them for sale at the show too - but luckily I have a friend whose husband is a woodworker, so I begged a piece of board off him. And look what he gave me today! Trimmed edges and stained. It is almost too pretty to use! I"ll be covering the top with 2 layers of thin batting and then a light colored fabric - then bingo, I"ll have a wacker board! I can't wait to whack away!

It is good for all frustrations too!

Fat Man's Squeeze!

The top is done!!!! I love it! And it was so much fun to make! If you want to make one it is in this book - Strip Smart Quilts by Kathy Brown! (Yes hers looks a lot like mine - but I just loved the colors and had to make mine in those colors! Plus I already had the jelly roll!)

Inside Border is on.....

And one more border to go!

Blocks are together!

Got all the blocks made this weekend and sewn together! Don't you love it! Still have the borders to go. (and yes this is laying on an air mattress - my design floor is being used for a daughters friend right now).

And I couldn't help but play with a new project. The minute I saw this Christmas fabric line I HAD to have it. Isn't it great! It is called "Countdown to Christmas" by Sweetwater. And I thought it would be so cute done up in a schnibble - Hot Cross. I can't wait to do more!

A few more blocks

I got a few more blocks made. Here is what I have so far. Can't wait to get the red ones in!

I've also been busy making bags. My daughters friends all fell in love with her bags I made for her so they all wanted one. So I"ve been busy making bags. With the leftovers I made the gathered clutch for each one also. (And of course one more me!) Check them out!

And no, we are not Packers Fans. Our house is for the Bears. But DD has a friend who wanted a Packer Lining!