Celebrating Birthdays & More!

This is the kind of thing I love to see when I walk into the Quilting Quarters in the morning!

Just a glimpse of the previous night's activity while the sound of conversation and the smell of something really yummy also beckons from the dining room.

Yesterday was Becca's birthday, and I'm so happy she has chosen to spend it with the August Quiltvillians at Quiltville Inn!

Don't they look good enough to eat!

In reverse-birthday gifting fashion. Becca had made all of these cute donut pincushions and was handing one out to each of us!

They are adorable, just as she is! What a great way to start our day!

Of course, there was mush singing and well wishing and then the day commenced with some making a quilt shop run, some starting new projects, some wandering off to enjoy the cool of the porch and listen to the birds while working on a hand project.

Back at Tonni's Jacob's Cbain in progress -

What do we see to the left? Oh my word!

Birthday girl Becca has gone and mini sized her blocks!

This is just TOO cute!

She has a wall in her house that she is decorating with mini quilts and this one will fit the space perfectly set 6 X 6.  I can't wait to see it finished.

The only problem with minis? They don't use up enough fabric fast enough.  LOL!

Across from Becca, Sue is a new grandmother with the cutest grandson!  He will be receiving a collection of new burp cloths the next time she sees him.

Jamestown Landing from String Fling is taking shape with string blocks in place.

Stack n' Whack in blues!  Gorgeous!

Weather vane blocks in 30s prints.  Lovely!

Great way to dress up a fun panel - check out those triangle borders in progress!

Afternoons are meant for applique!

I love blocks that 3-D! This is going to be so cool!

And I also did a thing.  Remember this photo from Thursday?

Do you see the papers pinned to it?  This top was made for Quilts Beyond Borders from a kit picked up in Houston.  These quilts go to help kids - give the site a read for more info.

We talked more about the program during brunch and when Kathy said "Now that the top is together I just have to get it to my quilter to be quilted, and then we can get it bound and delivered...."

I said - how about you give it to me and let ME quilt it while you are here?

She immediately said yes and my plans for the day changed that quickly. 

I was excited to do something so satisfying...I'd been on quite the grind lately.

Tops do NOT have to be perfect.

Squares do not have to "match" each other.

Quilts for kids means we can throw in all the fun novelty stuff - it's all 5'' squares so charm packs work too.

Because Kathy's "kit" was made from squares donated from numerous people and assembled for handing out at Houston, not all of her squares were exactly 5'' - but does it matter? NOPE!  This is a fun giving quilt for kids in need.  They don't care.

It also gave me an opportunity to pull out some saved batting margins I'd trimmed from other quilts, and quickly zig-zag them together into a Frankenbatting.

I love doing this...and the Rocketeer needs a workout every once in a while.

It didn't take long.  I just even up the edges as best as I can, overlap the pieces by 1/8'' so I'm sure that the zig-zag will catch and hold, and away I go.

Backing is a sports theme with Scooby Do!

My backing fabric was "barely" wide enough, so I quickly stitched on a header so that I could make as much use of the Scooby Fabric as possible with little waste.

I used a beige thread and quilted with an edge-to-edge design called Breath of the Gods. 

Done done and done!

Feels so good!

(Held up by Kathy who is hiding...LOL!)

Close up of quilting.

The 5'' squares are sewn 9 X 13 - So simple, so cute, doesn't need to be fancy.

Can you imagine what would happen if we each made one?

The thing I liked most was Kathy telling me that even though she picked up the kit in Houston to get involved, she will be delivering this to her local area in Virginia Beach.  So there shouldn't need to be shipping involved.  She's helping her own community with it.

It's a super duper feel-good, I tell ya!

And I'm so happy I could have just a small part in giving back to a community in my own state.

This is why we do what we do, isn't it?

Binding to come later - she has a blue dot batik that will work.  And a label to go with it.

Estrella made a glorious pineapple upside down cake!

And to top off the night- Ruth won all 72 fat-quarters in last night's game.  I think she needs another glass of wine.  LOL!

Today - sine are going hiking to see the ponies. (I'm jealous - only 3 more weeks left in this brace and I'll start working up to being able to do that kind of distance.) 

Because more rain is coming tomorrow - it's also our "over the porch rail" photo op afternoon and we are shooting for firepit night tonight.

It's going to be a full day - and a great weekend!

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Don't give up on your long-term goals.

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Keep your eye on the things you want most

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Have a terrific weekend, everyone -