Handprint Quilt

I got several pictures at my friend's retirement party but I was helping her hold the quilt up and forgot to have anyone take a picture with my camera.  Here are two photos taken before gifting.  I need to get a better one of it with her. The colors are actually brighter than they look in these photos too.

Garden Bounty

Wanted to share some pictures of my backyard garden and it's bounty before the weather gets too hot and the garden isn't as pretty as it is now. I'm sorry some are sideways.  I haven't figured out how to turn them as I'm using a different computer now with a different photo program. 

I am going to try to put a link to a quilting site that is hosting a quilt a long.  It is hard for an old girl to learn new tricks.  
The Quilt Along is on Quilting Gallery and will be hosted by Michelle (Mishka) of QG and Pat Sloan.  It says it is for beginners but that more experienced quilters will enjoy it too!  So here we go for the try...http://quiltinggallery.com/2012/05/31/beginners-quilt-along-fabric-requirements-and-reliable-iron-give-away/

The link seems to work - yeah!  Now to figure out how to copy a logo for it.

Well the logo button seems to work too!  Now if I can just remember how to do this again!

Tomorrow, the handprint flower retirement quilt gets gifted.  Last Wednesday, my husband's small co-op had a reception for him and I gave him the "Trip Around the World" quilt.  Pictures soon as I still need to take one of husband and quilt and will get some tomorrow of my teacher friend and her quilt.  Busy time of year here.  I have a small backyard garden but the green beans, squash, and cucumbers have been producing lots.  Trying to keep them picked and watered has kept me busy.  Also I have been freezing beans and squash and making pickles.  It gets so hot in this part of Texas that folks have to take of advantage of this early growing season.  Pretty soon, some of the crops will be done due to the heat.  We are lucky that we can plant again in August for a fall garden. Pictures of this soon.

Trip Around the World

This is not the best picture but wanted to get it on quickly before moving on to my next chore for the afternoon.  I think I just heard the dryer sing its little tune.  This is a Trip Around the World I'm making for Bill for his retirement this May. 
This is the top without borders which I can't get sewn on before he gets home today.  The orange in the photo is really a dark rusty red.  While most of the blocks look like solids, the only solid is the white.  I used Bonnie Hunter's pattern (Quiltville.com).  Hear the garage opening so I'm off from here.

Red Letter Day (Days)

Had a "red letter day"....actually a couple of days.

The quilting group that I belong to here in town got together yesterday and today for a retreat -the first one to which many of us had been.  We visited, ate lots of yummy food, and even got 2 group quilt tops made.  We plan to donate these as finished quilts later this year to a children's service in our county.  

I suppose this should be called our best efforts for Earth Day.  We brought scraps from our stashes.   Nothing new was bought for these two quilts! I had purchased the red for another project and then found something else that worked better.  Love the frame it makes for the string blocks.
The pattern of the top quilt is Arkansas Crossroads.
The bottom is a Scrappy String.

A Teacher's Love Helps Us Grow

I'm currently working on a retirement quilt for a good friend.  It's a surprise so shhhhh!  She doesn't read my blog so I think I'm safe posting here.

 Here is a layout of one of each of the different colors of handprints.  The hands are traced from her students' hands.  Their names are written on the leaves with a pigma pen.




Here is a close up of part of the center of the quilt.  It is a 3D pinwheel that I found directions for online.  Very easy - the only hard part is the bulk in the seams.  I appliqued the "stem" for the pinwheel.

I love the sashing batik.  It has all the colors of the handprints in it.

This is the center of the center.  It will have a white strip above with friend's name and school embroidered on it.  That's being done professionally. LOL Then a bottom strip of green under this strip will have a quote embroidered.