At years end

I've taken a little break from blogging during the holiday season and have been doing a little reflecting on my quilting goals. When I first discovered blogs it was like a whole new world opened up to me and I love discovering new quilting trends. I still enjoy the new patterns and fabrics and the bright colors that are so prevalent in blog land but lately I am feeling that so much visual input has been a bit of a distraction from my own designs and the types of quilts I most enjoy. So I think it is time to regroup and use my blog as the quilting diary that I always intended it to be. Oh, I am sure I will still be drawn to the more simple patterns and bright colors of the modern quilters, from time to time, but I hope to spend 2013 finishing some UFOs, improving my machine quilting skills and working on a few projects that I have been thinking about for a while. Most important to me is to try to avoid copying others works and to use blogging as a way to inspire my vision and creativity rather causing me to be diverted from what I am working on. Or at least that is my goal - we will see how that really turns out. ;)

So work continues on my "Butterflies are Free" quilt, a pattern by Blackbird designs. Even my youngest son took one look at this quilt during the holidays and said, "Mom, this quilt is just so you".

Butterflies are free

Though stitching continues on the Whig Rose, all that hand quilting is making my fingers raw so I need (ok, want) another hand work project. The reality is I feel almost panicky if I don't have some hand appliqué at the ready! While working on the basket quilt I purchased Blackbird Designs new book "In the Meadow" after falling on love with the Butterflies are Free pattern. I came home that day and pulled all the fabrics from my stash and spent the time while I was making the basket quilt searching for the background fabrics. I knew just the look I was after to create a botanical print look and I am excited to see it come together. Another fun one for the new house. This one has 90 butterflies and 3 flower blocks so it should keep me busy during my holiday travels.

More lessons

Today my DIL came over for a few hours to finish this quilt top. It is a Christmas gift for her mother and is the fifth quilt that we have made together. While I still do most of the cutting and provide guidance she is now doing all of the sewing and ironing. With this quilt she learned a quick and easy method for doing half square triangles, setting on point and mitering corners when using a striped border.. It is such fun watching her excitement as she sees it all come together. Tomorrow is quilting!

The annual quilting of the Red and Green

Every year for the last 3 or 4 years I have gotten this quilt out do do some hand quilting. Though it isn't a Christmas quilt, the colors do seem to suit the season. Even though it will be a quiet Christmas this year and no decorating as I get ready for the move, it is nice to have this project laying about brightening the room. Plus I love relaxing with some hand quilting while watching a bit of TV. As you can see, this one has lots of quilting and I am just taking it slow and enjoying the process but maybe this will be the year I finish !

Fifty shades of green finished

I am so happy to have finished my little basket quilt today. Since I have no holder around I am posting this lousy photo but at least you can see how nice it looks draped on my sofa. Yay, start to finish in 3 months!

On another note, I am still having issues with my tablet and while I can read blogs I cannot post comments on most of them. So until this is fixed I won 't be commenting much but I will be reading. I can post comments from the computer but I am hoping there will be an IPad in my Christmas stocking. ;)

With a little help from my sons

Thanks to those who tried to help with my blogger issue. After a lengthy phone call with one son and personal assistance from another I am able to read my blog on my tablet. But he had to change a setting and has warned me I may now have other issues but fingers crossed that all is OK. Since I am babysitting at his house tonight and the baby is finally asleep I took a few pictures if a couple of Christmas quilts I have made for he and his wife. The snowman one is called Snowbound and is by Bunnyhill and sadly I can't remember the other ones pattern details.

Blogger problems?

Is anyone else having blogger issues?   Suddenly I go to the blogs on my sidebar and as soon as they fully load they disappear. No problem if I go to the blog directly from  Goggle. I am just trying to figure out if this is a problem with my tablet or Blogger.  It started last night and is worse this morning?  I am not very computer savy and this has me stumped! HELP