Long Arm Quilter

Has anyone else ever sent a Quilt to a Long Arm Quilter...I'm sure they have, this is my first. I spent a few hours last night getting my quilt pressed, sandwiched, and folded for mailing. I worked hard to make sure I followed ALL instructions. I will drop my quilt off this afternoon at the Post Office. Whew...I feel like I'm sending a child off to school. I will update the progress on the quilt. I have thought long and hard about finding a Long Arm Service. I like to make really big quilts, but I am the person who has to quilt them with a Huskvarna Sapphire Machine ( nice big bed, but still a tough job). I can do the quilting but I am so limited and what I can do. If this works out. I hope to be able to send out at least 1 quilt every 6-8 weeks. I had to admit, I have a few quilts tucked away, just waiting on me to quilt them. The service I picked was Adopt-A-Quilt on eBay. Wish me LUCK.

Heart Blocks

This weekend with the ice storm that was suppose to be approaching the area, Selma AL, I made Heart Blocks. I really enjoy making blocks for my quilting. I love vibrant colors as much as muted tones. I wanted to work on something with no deadline and no pressure. I have made these blocks in the past all in Blue and White. This time I wanted to use scrapes and just piece and play with my fabric.

What is it about fabric running through a quilters fingers that just makes you feel so good?

I know I included Amy Butler, Joel Dewberry, Heather Bailey, and several other designers.

All BEAUTIFUL!

Fortunately the big storm missed my area but work was canceled on Monday, January 10, 2011.

But can't say I didn't enjoy playing in sewing room...

Each heart is completely different.

To achieve complete random piecing, I stick all of my 2 1/2 inch squares in a basket and just keep going until you run out of fabric.

I wish I could say I used up a lot of my stash...but no, I just can't do it.

 

 Completed blocks measure 10 X 10

I made 14 blocks, now what should I do to use these? I would love to make a quilt, 12 blocks with a pretty border, then maybe a mini-quilt or two. These would be GREAT blocks for a mini-quilt.

I have a T-Shirt quilt that I will start on next week that needs to be completed soon, but I wanted to wait until after my son went back to College. After he does that, things will get back to normal around here. Whatever normal is.

What a wonderful Christmas we had at my house. As always Santa was good to everyone! Here is the completed quilt I worked on right up to the day before Christmas...

A Dressmaker's Quilt

As always a beautiful quilt is so hard to sell or give away. This quilt top was made over the summer but was not completed right away. I needed backing and could not decide what to do with the quilt. I had two or three people who were interested and I wanted to decide which backing was going to be used. I always love to pick out the backing. There are so many choices it's a tough decision.

My brother dropped by my house in early fall and asked what I planned to do with this quilt. I didn't think a lot about it until my Mom called and told me she wanted to purchase it for him for Christmas. I told her fine, I would get it ready.  I had to complete two baby quilts for my niece's before I work on this quilt. I quilted this with small swirls. It came down to the wire. The week before Christmas with orders coming in every day on Embroidery work and making sales on my Etsy shop, I worked every day, all day long and into the night. completing this quilt the day before Christmas.

It turned out as expected, BEAUTIFUL!

I ended up not getting this posted as quickly as I had hoped. Unfortunately I came down with the colds that were going around here at Christmas time. I had planned on going to see to beautiful niece's born in November and December, but I didn't want to share my cold with them.

I celebrated the sale of this quilt by ordering the KitchenAid 600 Professional for myself. It arrived today...yeah! Now I want to run to the grocery store and buy something that needs to be mixed up...I just can't decide what to get. Here is my perfect new mixer

Now what to make...if anyone has some really good mixer recipes I would love some.

Tomorrow I'm back to work as a school nurse. Oh well the fun two weeks off had to come to an end at some point.

The Week Before Christmas

I had a huge Quilt, a queen size, due on Christmas Eve (I will post these pictures after Christmas, for obvious reasons). As time was getting down to the wire, panic set in, but I did get it finished. I even took time out to go to a Paint Class at Five Friends in Selma AL, where several people painted a cute "Jingle My Bells" picture. This one is mine.

This was really a lot of fun. After making candy and baking goodies all day it was nice to take a break and sit and enjoy the company of the group.

No Bake cookies

Walter's favorite Butterscotch Chocolate

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Coconut Pecan Cookies

Papa's Divinity

Trays were made and the Kitchen cleaned up.

Then I had a few people drop off last minute Embroidery Gifts to be finished. One of the really GREAT things about having an Embroidery Machine and a Sewing Machine is the ability to sew and embroidery at the same time. I usually have both machines going at the same time.

This is a Velour Jacket with  a Standard Poodle that was a special order.

The jacket turned out perfect. This is a friends business design. She and two other ladies have those beautiful large poodles. I have attached a link to her business. They do a such a job.

http://www.bamastandardpoodles.com/

I wrapped mountains of gifts and played Holly Jolly Blog Bingo at http://the-quilt-shoppe.blogspot.com/, which is still going on. What a busy week and what fun. This afternoon and tomorrow I plan on relaxing and enjoying a wonderful Christmas Eve gathering with Family. I hope your Christmas Holiday is a wonderful one. Merry Christmas to you and your Family.

Baby Olivia on MY quilt

What an honor to be glancing through baby pictures and recognize your quilt when you think what a great shot. This quilt was made with an Amy Butler pattern Belle and it is Beautiful. I had to hold back on selling it because I wanted it to go to my nieces new baby soon to be arriving. The colors stand out and really POP!

The Picture just does not do it justice.

As pretty as the quilt is I must say the sweet baby makes it even prettier!

Welcome Miss Olivia Ray.

Busy Shipping out Christmas Orders

I am having a great week. Look at some of the items that have sold.

Great Alabama or Auburn Coasters

Auburn Key Fob

Tooth Fairy Boxes

Remember if you are looking for stocking stuffers of something fun for yourself, please drop by my online shop.

www.QuiltDailey.etsy.com

Special orders are always welcome.

It's not to late to order for Christmas

I've been away from my blog for way to long. I am so sorry. I will do much better. I have just been so busy. The is my youngest sons first year at Auburn University so our family has gone to all the home games and will be going to the SEC Championship game tomorrow. The family, not me. I'm looking forward to sewing and relaxing. They are leaving in the morning at 5:00am. once they are gone I will have the house ALL to myself. I have items to embroidery, and I am working on a quilt that must be finished by Wednesday. No pressures. My goal is to post from here forward at least 3 days a week. I have lots to catch up on so please hang in there with me. Here are a few items I've been working on.

These are some cute Santa's and such fun to make. They are listed in my etsy shop QuiltDailey.etsy.com

Tooth Fairy Boxes that I have listed at my Etsy shop QuiltDailey.etsy.com