Peter Pan Baby Quilt

I finished the quilt tops (yes, two identical quilt tops).  Yipee! 

one of the quilt tops

see, there really are two quilt tops

I've been marathon sewing, trying to get these done, so that I can get them to the long arm quilter. 

I changed my mind on the backing fabric, so, I've already headed to my local quilt shop ( I love Sewing, Etc, in Yorkville, IL).  I'm pre-washing the backing fabric as I type this. 

I almost forgot to add the thimbles to this quilt.  Thimbles are 'kisses' in Peter Pan (if you don't remember, you'll just have to watch the movie again).  I didn't make the thimbles until Thursday, and finished appliqueing them on Friday morning.  I also finished the embroidery on the 2nd Peter Pan block on Friday. 

thimbles

I loved making the crocodile.  I got the pattern from Sew Fresh Quilts.  I used her method of making the flying geese, so, since I'd used a directional fabric for the crocodile's spikes, one crocodile had them going up/down, and the other crocodile has them going side to side.  That is the only difference between the quilts.

Crocodile Rock pattern from Sew Fresh Quilts

I fussy cut Tinkerbells, from some of my Tinkerbell stash (I had more Tinkerbell fabric than I thought I did, thank goodness).  Those Tinkerbell's are the cornerstones in the center of the quilt.

showing Tinkerbell cornerstones

more Tinkerbell cornerstones

Every stitch on this quilt, that isn't done by hand, has been stitched on a hand crank sewing machine.  I started the paper pieced blocks (Tiger Lily and Wendy) on 'Tinkerbell', my 1925 Singer 99 (3/4 size) hand crank, and finished the rest of the piecing on my 1927 Singer 15 hand crank.

stitching the last seams on 1937 Singer 15 hand crank

I've been so busy trying to finish these quilt tops, that I haven't had time to show any of the great quilting packages I've received the past few weeks. 


First, I won a lovely fabric postcard from Beth, at I Have a Notion.

post card from Beth

Then Jeanette, over at Inch Worm fabrics, sent me this great batik fabric bundle, from her giveaway.

batiks from Jeanette

Next, Tricia from Quilt With a View, told me that I'd won 2 of her Rose Card patterns.

from Tricia

Lastly, I received my exchange blocks from my latest Treadle On block exchange.  Here are my 4 different sets of blocks (sorry, my design board was full of Peter Pan blocks, so, I don't have a picture of them spread out).

4 sets of blocks

Here are the blocks that I made for this exchange.  They all have to be made on a treadle or a hand crank.  I used the hand crank shown above.  All blocks are 'signed' before mailing.  These are some of my 'extra' blocks. 

blocks I made for the Treadle On exchange

All in all, it's been pretty nice around here lately.  Of course, I haven't made my project for my quilt guild exchange (due Monday night).  I'd better get started on that one pretty quick.  I'm going to use my modern Janome for that project.  I think it is feeling a bit neglected lately. 

Goodies!

Some goodies arrived in the mail this week, and some at the thrift store.

Kathy at Sparkles, Sprinkles and Everyday Crap had a giveaway for one of her hand made Birthday cards.  Guess who won?!?!  I got to choose a card, with a Birthday number on it.  I chose one for my mother, who will be 79 in November.  My mother loves elephants, so, Kathy incorporated an elephant into the card.  Isn't it cute!

79th Birthday card

Kathy also included a little something extra.  I love my new, personalized mug rug!  Thanks Kathy!

mug rug

I also won some great blocks from Julie, at Julie K Quilts.  Julie's picture of the blocks is much better than mine, especially since I missed putting one of the blocks on the design wall.  Oops!

Oops!  I missed a block

 My daughter in law loves orange, so, these may turn into a baby quilt (my first grandbaby will need LOTS of baby quilts, I'm sure). 

Julie also included some 'extra's' in her package.  I got a lovely card, and a magnetic pin cushion.

card and pin cushion from Julie

Last week, at the thrift shop, I discovered this, on the wrong shelf.  It had fallen behind all the craft items, onto a lower shelf with glasses.  Boy was I glad when I decided to see what it was.

bag with 4 wool pin cushions in it

 I've been wanting to make a wool pin cushion.  Now I have 4 wool pin cushions to choose from, all for $1.99. 

4 pin cushion kits in the package

picture of the completed pin cushions in the package

Everything is there, including the directions, so, I just need to get started on these. I still have 2 more pin cushions to make, for the 4 exchanges I signed up for.

Speaking of pin cushion exchanges, my partner received her pin cushion, so, I can now show it off.  This is the pin cushion I sent to Norway.

pin cushion I made

I also have a finish to show.  I finally got around to putting the binding on the watermelon table topper. 

on my table

up close

with the watermelon dish I found

I finished another table runner, and just have part of the binding left on another one, but, I don't have pictures.  You'll see those later this week. 

I have been stitching up a storm around here.  I cut out the rest of the 14 project bags, and, they are all stitched together, EXCEPT the handles and the binding.  The backs were quilted on a treadle.  They were pieced on a hand crank.  Unfortunately, because the binding is difficult to work with (I need 2 hands to work with it) these will have to be finished on my Featherweight.  For 2 of these, that are part of 2 different Treadle On exchanges, that is cheating, but, I'll include a note, to let them know.  They just won't look very good if I don't have both hands to finish the binding on them.  Darn!

stack of 14 Project Bags, almost done

I'll finish 3 of these, then the rest will just have to wait a while to get finished.  Not only do I have some 'deadline' projects to finish (all for exchanges, so, I can't show pictures yet), but, some of the great designers at Fandom in Stitches have been busy, making new Peter Pan themed paper pieced blocks for me, so, I'll be busy testing them out.  Kristi and Alida have each made patterns for me.  I have 2 different Tiger Lily's and 2 different Wendy's to test for them.  I spend yesterday prepping one of the Tiger Lily patterns.  There are 140 pieces in that pattern alone.  These will NOT be quick patterns.  I can't wait to get them done, so that I can show them to you. 

An Exchange, A Win and Some Sewing

Just before I left for Texas, I mailed my two Functional Bags in for the exchange with my Treadle On group. We have several different exchanges that we can participate in each year.  These are the bags I mailed in.

bag with brown zipper was for the exchange, hubby got the bag with the green zipper

grocery bag for exchange

The bags I got from the exchange arrived the day I got home.

from Lisa

from Denise

I'll enjoy using both these bags.

Also, shortly before I left, I won some blocks from Erin.  These blocks were waiting for me when I got home.  I think they will make a great quilt.

32 blocks from Erin

It took several days for me to get organized after my trip.  I needed to get everything put away (lots of goodies and machines).  I'm finally starting to get some stitching done.

string blocks on Betty Sue

strings and string blocks

Bonnie Hunter will be coming to my quilt guild in May.  I was signed up for one class, Tulip Fields, from String Fling, but, I'd also put my name in for another class, Happily Scrappily Irish.  Well, last week, I was told I could take Happily Scrappily Irish, from Adventures with Leaders and Enders, too.  Woohoo!  Oops!  I don't have that book!!!  Well, after calling several local quilt shops, I had to order the book.  Meanwhile, I needed to start cutting fabric for both classes.  Thank goodness, one of the ladies from my guild provided me with the info, so that I could start pulling and cutting fabrics.  I'm almost done (just a few 2" squares left to sub cut).  My book arrived yesterday.  I'm almost all set.   I stitched all my string blogs, and trimmed them, for Tulip Fields.  I've also stitched all my triangles for Tulip Fields.  Bonus, I only bought one fabric for both quilts (sashing for Tulip Fields).  The rest is from my stash.  No, I'm not using 'scraps'.  I'm just not good at using scraps.  I pulled yardage, and, cut both quilts from the same fabrics.  See all those blues, greens and teals above, well, my strings are made from them for Tulip Fields, and, my 2" squares for Happily Scrappily Irish are also cut from them. 

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Actually, it will be pork loin for supper, but, I DID WIN something while I was traveling.  I've just now gotten a chance to take pictures of it.

Karen at K's Quilting Korner had a giveaway.  I signed up just before I left for my first trip (the one with car problems).  Woohoo!  I won!  The pattern book, and 12 blocks, that only need the top stitching on them (and a few buttons).

pattern book

Since these blocks are not stiff, I think I might hand stitch them instead of using my machine.  I think it will be relaxing to hand stitch them.

For me, the hard part is all that fusible that has to be traced and cut out.  I really don't like that part.  Someone has done all the frustrating parts for me.

Thanks Karen!

Block Exchange and some fun stuff!

I'm in a block exchange (TOBE) with my Treadle On group.  This time I decided to try the Modern Block Exchange.  I'm usually a traditional gal, but, these blocks appealed to me.  I made 5 sets, but, I can only exchange 4 sets, so, I mixed up 3 of the sets.  These are the 3 sets that I mixed up, since they were all made on the same machine.

These 3 sets were all made on my 1959 Singer Spartan 192K hand crank.

1959 Singer Spartan 192K hand crank

Here are the other 2 sets.

Both of those sets were made on my Post WWII Japanese treadle.

Post WWII Japanese treadle 'Victor'

I've received a few goodies in the mail in the past few weeks, but, I haven't had time to take pictures and post them.

First, from Pickles Quilting, I won some fabric.  There was another fabric that I got (not in the picture) but, I donated it to my quilt guild for a Linus quilt (it was Project Linus fabric with Linus on it).

fabrics from Pickles Quilting

Next, I won a great zipper bag from ~Zany Quilter~.  I'm already using this bag to hold some fusible applique pieces.

zipper bag from Zany Quilter, with applique pieces in it

Lastly, I was contacted about the new book from Marie Bostwick.  I received a signed copy in the mail.  Marie will be at Anderson's Book Store, in Naperville, IL on April 8th.

I'm several chapters into this book.  It is NOT the Cobbled Court series, but, it is a quilting related novel.  I like it so far.  It's a good 'people' story.