Mardi Gras Stars!

Remember this little number? I finished this when I got back from teaching in Louisiana in January. I finished quilting and binding it last Thursday evening while in Greenville SC! The sleeve had to wait until Sunday....



















I am getting better at freehanding those baptist fans, thanks to Tonya! I still find it easiest for me to quilt WITH a hoop, although I keep the quilt very LOOSE in the hoop.

I had a couple gals ask me last night at guild meeting what good was the hoop if it was so loose, and all I could think of was that it acts like a 3rd and 4th hand for me.It's easy to turn, easy to prop. Whatever works for you, right? And this works for me. I've never been able to get small stitches with the hoop TIGHT...you have to be able to move the fabric, and tight hoops really make needles bend :c|

My favorite quilting needles? Roxanne size 11, just in case you wanted to know! I also quilt with those cheapy plastic thimbles that have an open top and are adjustible. I don't care if I lose these. I've got some in my purse, my pockets, my car, and in every room of the house,and no doubt some will find their way through the washer and dryer..

That pretty silver thimble that Dave found in the vent before we moved? It's lost again :c| See what I mean? I'm better with the cheapy plastic ones.















I have a confession to make on this quilt. I quilted it from the BACK! Because I was quilting with purple thread and could not for the life of me see where I was going.....I just put it in the hoop with the back side up and I could quilt just fine. In fact,I liked it so much that I'll probably do that again, it was really easy when quilting from the back.

I also completely used up this cutesy little girl/little boy fabric that had been in my stash forever....I think it's cute! I used more of that in charity quilts than I can count because it was donated to me. So now...it's ALL GONE! YAY!!