Polka Dot Squirrel

While at the Road to California Show this past January, I picked up a fat quarter bundle from the Connecting Threads booth.  Of course I didn't have a plan for them at the time. As I looked through my Pinterest boards I decided to try this tutorial. Wow can you believe it, I didn't let that fabric ferment long at all, LOL

Of course I didn't remember to get a photo of the bundle before I chopped into it!  But here is a photo of some clippings. Surprise, it has polka dots! Gotta love the polka dots:)  I think I will call this quilt The Polka Dot Squirrel!!!  Well it is a squirrel that I didn't need to make but just thought it would be fun.

This top was so fast to whip up, but still lots of fun to make. The blocks finish at 12" square, Here is a link to the tutorial.  At this point I have a 48"x 60" quilt, I think I might add a small border to it as I have lots of fabric left.

As you know I acquired a new Janome while at the Road show, a Skyline S7. After using it for the past month or so I can say I am getting more acquainted with it. I love the foot lifter pivot button. Once you have it set it will raise up automatically every time you stop. Granted you wouldn't want that happening all the time, but while appliqueing it is very handy.  The walking foot is great. I also learned how to set my favorite 1/4" seam setting so every time I go to the 1/4" quilt button it automatically comes up to my 'personal best' setting. Now if only this machine had the longer throat like my 7700 I'd only need/want the one machine, LOL  Granted I didn't need this machine, but hey it is only money and I might as well get something I enjoy and use a lot...right??  I really want to find time to play with it more and I am sure that will happen(at some point).

I am soon going to need to set aside a bunch of time to get my quilts on the frame and quilt them up. I haven't only been chasing squirrels, but you have seen my snowman runners so many times I don't want to bore you with more pic's of them.  I have pieced about a dozen of them in the last couple months also. And a few of the crazy tree runners too.  A quilt-a-thon is in order at my house soon!!

My squirrel will be in good company with a bunch of other squirrels over at Sandra's monthly DrEAMI party.

Jelly roll waves

This quilt has been patiently waiting for me to get time to quilt it.  The fabrics were 2 half jelly rolls from  this site that I picked up a couple years ago.  I was just waiting for the right pattern to hit me;) And speaking of patterns this one is Jelly Roll Waves by Myra at Busy Hands.

 Just came off the longarm.  I used Glide thread in a medium gray as I didn't want it to stick out too much on the white and still show up on the prints.  The pattern I freehand quilted is a dwirling design I learned from The Pajama Quilter.  I love doing this design as it never comes out the same twice. 

 These fabrics remind me of the Caribbean waters and the quilting design represents the waves;)

I got creative with the back-I had a few leftover partial strips from the front that I really wanted to use up.  The peacock fabric I found at JoAnn's last week and snatched a couple yards and then had to come up with a plan, I ran a bit short therefore I added the green from my stash and it was just the right size.  Binding time-I just happened to have a solid blue that worked perfectly, it is an advantage to have a rather large stash!  My Jelly Roll Wave measures 49 x 68 and is now listed in my Etsy shop.

 And I better get back to cleaning house as I am hosting my local longarm meeting on Saturday.  So far 12 say they are coming, sometimes we have 20.  Everyone brings a dish to pass for lunch, but the hostess supplies a main dish and drinks.  I am going to do a Rigatoni hot dish this time.  Hope you all have a fun weekend.

Linking with Myra and Sarah and Tish Sandra this week.

A Cobblestone finish-OMG

This is my second Cobblestone Path quilt I have made.  I love the fun modern look of it and I loved the red aqua fabrics, so together they made for an awesome quilt!  You can see the first one here.

Edited to say: When I post this today I forgot to say it is also my OMG this month!!!!!!  So I'll be linking up at Elm Street Quilts when it goes live.

                

All custom quilted on my Nolting Funquilter 17".  Two different feather sprays go the length of the print fabric columns.  Wishbones are quilted in the white sashings between the feather columns, and the white border all the way around the quilt.

The backing is pieced with some of the leftover prints.  I love print backings and I love pieced backings-a win win;)  They just add so much character to a quilt.

Hobbs 80/20 batting with Glide Thread.  This quilt is now in my Etsy shop.

Linking with-

Whoop Whoop

Finished or Not

Inquiring Quilter

Ebb Tide

My recent finish is called Ebb Tide, the pattern is by Villa Rosa Designs. I won the print fabrics from Shabby Fabric's last year and recently found the perfect Kona solid to go with it-Blue Jay. The prints are Paradiso in Lagoon Blue by Kate Spain.  This is a simple pattern, would be great for a new quilter, or someone just wanting a quick finish!  It measures in at 46x60.

Hobbs 80/20 batting, Glide thread in a blue on top and So fine in bobbin. I love how the wishbone quilting on the solid blue beams out at you. The diagonal quilting lines in the prints don't show real well but I had fun deciding which direction they should go.   I found the perfect wide backing for it at JoAnn's.

I have listed this quilt in my Etsy shop which I just started up again. I hope to get a few more things listed later this week.

Editing yet again-I don't know where my head is as I forgot to say this is my OMG for January finish also!  So I will be linking there when it becomes live at the end of the month.

I had a really hard time capturing the true color of the blue. I think the top two pictures are the best.

 Linking with FreeMotion by the River, Let's Bee Social and Fabric Tuesday.
Edited to say...And since I broke my camera and can't post anything else until I get my new one I will join in on Thursday Needle and Thread too.