Second Saturday Sampler

I finished applying the binding to two of my UFO Quilts.  Both of these quilts were made in 2005 as a BOM at Little Quilts - or as Little Quilts calls it their Second Saturday Sampler.

Both quilts were quilted with the baptist fan using the Quilt- EZ boards.

I decided to apply the binding by machine. The quilts were machine pieced and machine quilted so why not machine binding?

I used two steps to apply the binding.  First I used Sharon Schambers method of sewing the binding to the quilt and glue basting the binding down instead of pinning.  You can check it out here and then I tried Pat Sloan's method of sewing the binding down shown here.

I am try to decide if I should go back to using a straight stitch to sew my bindings down instead of the blanket stitch Pat uses because you are able to use a different color thread for the back and it matches better.  

I don't care how careful I was I just wasn't  able to stay close enough to the binding all the time.  I wonder how Pat does it?  The blanket stitch looks better on the front and the straight stitch looks better on the back.

Happy Stitching,

Nancy

Happy New Year Quilters!

It's a new year and time for new challenges.  I promised myself I wouldn't get involved in any  BOM's this year so I could finish up the ones I have, but you know how that goes.

I have joined the Building houses from Scraps 2012 challenge.  You are supposed to make a house every day all 365 of them.  The blocks can be  paper pieced,  made by hand or machine.  The block is only 3 inches and if that's too small for you they it be enlarged.
Now, I doubt I will be able to make a house every day so I am thinking about making a smaller quilt.  If you are interested click here to get to the blog.

Sentimental Stitches and Dear Jane have combined to do a red and white mystery quilt. It will be a sampler featuring blocks from the"Infinite Variety" quilt exhibit.

All the information about this mystery can be found here.  This looks like a lot of fun and I like red and white quilts so I joined.

And lastly I joined this BOM at the Temecula Quilt Co.  This one wasn't free but it is very cute.  The pattern came this week and it's just a little scary.  I need to read better before jumping in.  The little applique pieces are so small I can barely see them.  If you want to try this one go here.  So you see I am very weak.  I just can't seem to resist.  I need to join a support group.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

and Happy Stitching,

Nancy

Life's Little Routines Keep Us Going!

It's really hard getting back into the routine of your life.  I seem to be having a difficult time getting motivated to do much of anything.  There is so much on my list  I don't  know where to start.

I did take a nice break last Thursday to go to the Georgia Quilt Show
with my friend Judy.
We had such a nice time and managed to find a couple of places
to spend some money.

I found a book "Country Quilts" by Jan Patak in Auntie Ju's booth.  

It's a great book and there are a couple of things I actually plan to make in it.

One of the main reasons I wanted to go was to visit the Primitive Gatherings booth.  I have become very attracted to all the wool in quilts now and Lisa Bongean has some great ways to use wool.  

Her book "Nine Patch Gatherings" has a clever way to make little nine patches in it and I had to try to control my urge to buy her little squares of fabric.

After all I do have a GO cutter.

I also found a new thread called Omni by Superior to try in my longarm.

It was a fun day!

The binding on the Black and White BOM quilt from 2010 is finally finished.

Several members of the little quilting group I belong to did this together. 

I can't believe it's almost been two years...

Happy Stitching,

Nancy