Are You Kidding?

Has it really been almost 3 weeks since I posted?  Man, where does time go?  I guess the old saying, "Time flys when you're having fun" is true. 
I have been having a wonderful time just 'dillydallying' along.  Thank you Mrs. Dillydally for showing me how good this is to do! 
Yes! I have been quilting.  But I also have been mowing, planting flowers, piecing a quilt top, riding my bicycle, jogging...and the list goes on!
My iris garden was beautiful and I never took a picture of them.  I was greedy and enjoyed them myself.  Now my oriental poppies are in full bloom...I'll take a picture...they are stunning and very large!

Here is the t-shirt quilt I worked on a few weeks ago.  Look at all those pins holding the top down so I can get it loaded to the quilting machine.

It is so difficult to load a quilt with a flared border.
All in all, it came out looking very nice.

This was the first of three I quilted for graduations this year.  My son's t-shirt quilt(s) are still to be quilted!

UPDATED---Quickie Strippie Quilt

When I posted this quilt a few days ago I said I would try to get the instructions for you. 

Mary has graciously granted permission to post her link to this pattern. 
http://www.maryquilts.com/
Once you have reached her home page, left hand side, scroll down until you find 'Quickie-Strippie'. 
This is a great easy, fast, fun quilt to make for a donation quilt.
Enjoy!

April UFO

I thought if I was on 2 UFO lists I would get 24 projects done this year.  Well, it has proven to be too confusing keeping it all straight so I am just working on a UFO that is on the list.  This was the UFO for April.  I do not have it completed, but it is pretty well under way.

This is the String X quilt from http://www.quiltville.com/ done in pastel colors.  I have always used brights with a dark background and wanted to try something different.  I think I am going to run out of background fabric because I have this many more to do....

Do I see a trip to Miller's Dry Goods in my future?  Yes!
I'll post a picture when I have to top completely put together.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

For most of the 31 years we have lived here, we have put a garden out.  I don't know if it saves us any money, but I like to know how my food is grown. 
The gardening bug has bitten Jeff and he has already tilled the garden and this past weekend got some of the cold weather plants out.

He has planted head lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, romaine lettuce, onions and for the first time, kale.

I was in my sewing room taking these picture.  I love this one.  As you can see, we live next to a cemetery and behind a church.  I love the location of our house! 

Jeff looks forward to planting the garden every year.  I think he finds it a good way to reduce stress.

Jeff uses the row maker that belonged to his Dad.

In all the years we put a garden out, we never had any trouble with rabbits even though we lived so close to the cemetery.  Until last year.  Those little critters ate all my broccoli plants and a fair share of my green beans. 
Not this year Mr. Rabbit!!

Fence around the cold weather veggies.  As for you Mr. Rabbit, you better not get into Mr. Jeff's garden!

Stop and Smell.....

This ain't no rose, but it made me stop and laugh at the hurried pace in which we live. 
As I was hurrying about yesterday I had to let Gus (our dog) out.  I was getting irritated with him until I saw this dandelion growing out of the crack in the step of our deck. 

Really?  I don't think there is even any dirt under those bricks! 
This goes to prove that God has a sense of humor and we should all slow down and enjoy the simple things right in front of us.

One of Today's Quilts

I think this is one of the prettiest kids quilts!  It is so simple and quick to make using only 3 fabrics.  I'll see if I can find the pattern and post it. 

Quilted with pink thread in a loopie meander.

The second quilt of the day is a t-shirt quilt.  All I can say is....it will be a challenge.  I'll post pictures after I get it quilted because 'quilting makes the quilt'.

From Last Week

Here are a few things I worked on last week.  It has been really hard to get back into the swing of things since returning from vacation in San Fran.  "I left my heart in San Francisco."  Anyone remember that song?

Sherri Gibson's red strip quilt on the machine. 

Just a small lap quilt.  I quilted it with parchment thread using the Simplicity pantograph.


I am offering this quilt as a class at my studio in June.  Momma Barb made one from a kit she bought at Material Girl in Dover, OH.  She doesn't like the way the zigzags go so she is making another one vertical instead.

Close up of quilting.  I used rose thread and the Here & There pantograph.

Binding was done in the dark background color.