These are my first blocks

I'm on my way!  The Circa 1880 quilt blocks measure 2" finished.  It certainly is a challenge getting the piecing exact.  I'm hoping to find a few people to exchange blocks with to make the quilt look more scrappy!  I've decided to make my quilt larger, a queen size, so there will be over 700 blocks in my quilt when it's finished.

Circa 1880 quilt

It's the start of a new year and I wanted a project to give me a challenge.  I found the Circa 1880 quilt and decided this was it!  I'm starting it a year after it was introduced on Pam Buda's website but it's such a great quilt I just had to start it.  Here's the picture ...

You have to open the picture to see the blocks, they are 2" finished!
Over 500 blocks make up the quilt!
Pam recommends spending an hour a day and doing it that way the quilt is finished within a year.



I'm using liquid starch on my fabrics because they will be cut into 1" and 1-1/2" strips to make the blocks.   I've never used liquid starch before.
This is my first batch of fabrics.  I used Retayne on the reds and blues before starching and I'm glad I did.  I put one red in I thought was sure not to bleed and... !

If you are doing the Circa 1880 quilt please leave me a message?  Pam's suggestion of swapping blocks with another quilter helps make the quilt look scrappy and I'd love to swap blocks with you.

Ode to sewing machines #25

Many of you follow my "Ode to the Sewing Machine" posts.  We've all seen the ads on craigslist, ebay and elsewhere.  The clueless sellers give those of us who sew a belly laugh, or two!

"No charge for the machine" and $350 for what's left!  Update: 3 months later
it's still not sold.  Imagine that?

Garden Gate Plaids quilt

I finished the quilt tonight. I made this quilt for an adolescent boy, I think it looks like a quilt a boy would like?

 I hope you'll take a look at the page I posted for Sleep in Heavenly Peace.  They are a great organization!

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

I've been sewing a quilt top for the Sleep in Heavenly Peace ministry.  They make beds for children in need.  Take a look at their ministry, it's a nationwide organization.








This quilt is a free pattern at Andover Fabrics.  It's called Garden Gate Plaids.  This picture shows what I've finished so far!

My grandson was born!

My first grandchild was born on Dec. 6th and we can't be happier!  My daughter had a rough delivery but he eventually made it here.

Update: Dec. 15th.  My daughter had a complication from birth and we ended up in the hospital for 5 days, me being the one to take care of the baby so she could keep nursing.  She had a blood clot in her pelvic vein that turned septic.  And then on the way out of the hospital they diagnosed her with Mono!  She has really had a rough time of it.

Under my needle today

It's a beautiful fall day in North Carolina today, a perfect day for quilting.  This is the 5th of 6 quilts a customer gave me to finish for her.  I'm sewing the binding onto each one as well.

This is one from another day:

And the binding on a third quilt:

Such a beautiful tribute to a quilter!