Martha's Quilt and a Birthday!

Martha's Quilt

32" x 38"

It's finished, my 3rd quilt finished in a month!  I went from none to three in no time.

The label turned out great thanks to Cindy and Ruth!  I embroidered the lettering on, then took the finished piece and sewed it right sides together with another piece of fabric and sewed around the edges.  I turned and pressed it and then ladder stitched it on the back through the batting.  Then went back and embroidered a line of chain stitches a quarter of an inch from the edge also down through the batting.

I did straight line quilting just off to one side of the seams.  I love how it mimics the diamond pattern. 

To be honest, I wanted to make an argyle quilt.  After seeing this pillow and then this quilt I have been in love with the idea, but when I got to the point of stitching the lines through the diamonds I chickened out.  I was worried my lines wouldn't be straight and it would look like crap.  So I just skipped it.  I am still very happy with the results!

It's all rolled up and tied with a bow just waiting to be delivered.  I can't wait!  I think the label makes it so much more special...is that just me?



The cat thinks that it is his new pillow.  He had his head on it until I walked over to take this picture...

On another note, today is my baby's birthday!  No, not my son.  My first baby, my boxer, Oliver.

I made this collage this morning with photos I already had on my laptop.  He was only 2 and 3 in these photos.  So I set out to take a current one of him.

I have to admit I teared up a bit when I uploaded this photo.  When I look at him I still see my 2yr old baby with out a single grey hair!  But anyway he's 8 today!  So I will be baking up a special birthday batch of dog treats today.  He will love them!

Happy Birthday Oliver!!

My First Label

I really wanted to make labels for Katie and Kayce's quilts, but I just ran out of time.  I still plan on making them and attaching them when they come back for Christmas.  Hopefully it will work out since the quilts have already been washed.  Any thoughts on that?

But anyway, I am working on my very first label that will go on Martha's quilt (which is finished by the way, but you have to wait until I get the label on it to see the finished product...apparently this is killing a few of you :-P ).

Thanks to Cindy I am using the pink polka dot for the label with brown lettering.  Isn't it darling?!  Thanks again, Cindy, for the great idea!

I've never embroidered before so don't look too closely (I'm getting better with each letter), but after reading through a couple of stitchy blogs I feel pretty comfortable with the whole proses.  I used tutorials from Needle 'n Thread and Sarah's Hand Embroidery Tutorials, both sites are quite awesome and very informative.

I simply typed up my message in a font that I liked and printed it out to the size I needed.  I then taped the piece of paper to the window and taped the fabric over it.  I then traced all of the letters onto the fabric.  I probably didn't need to outline the letters, simply tracing them would have been sufficient.  I'm using a chain stitch to make the letters.  I love how easy it is and I love the look.

When it's finished I am going to whip stitch it to the back of the quilt.  Then I think I'm going to do some hand quilting around the edges just through the backing fabric, I think, I don't know yet.  Any thoughts on that?

If any of you have any tips on any part of this proses please share!  Thanks!

I need your opinion...

OK, first off, look at those freckles! 

Before this summer he didn't have a single one on his face, even last summer.  It's crazy!  He's just so stinkin' cute and then add those freckles...I just melt!

Alright ladies, I need your opinions, but be warned, I may do exactly the opposite of what you say (one of my many bad habits).

I've been working on this quilt for the past week for my newest niece, Martha.  I'm about halfway done with the quilting and I can't decide on which fabric to use for the binding.

So I have this brown with white polka dots and this white with pink polka dots.  I prefer the brown, but it's the same fabric I used for the back.  I realise the back is the back and the front is what you are really looking at, but I don't want it to be too boring.

I really like the look of the brown, I think it frames it well.

I like the pink and white, but I don't think it frames it as well and since it isn't used anywhere else in the quilt I don't think it blends as well.  I also don't really think the pinks go together.  I do really like it from the back, though.

I guess my hang up is the brown on brown for the back...

What do you all think?