Love It When A Plan Comes Together

This is the back of my Nine Patch One Patch quilt. Two width of fabrics were just four inches short of what I needed for the length of my quilt. I didn't want to cut more backing fabric. There is a drawer in my storage system for "quilt blocks". I found the half square triangles and four-patches in there. I didn't have enough of either for all the way across the back, so I used some of each. This added just the width I needed. Amen.

~Joan

More of Steve and Emily

Steve was here again this past weekend...at least I think I saw him once or twice. Emily's friend (and Steve's SIL) Rebecca took more pics of them. So photogenic!

~Joan

Quilting Borders on NPOP

It was difficult to get a picture that shows the texture, but here is the Wonky Feather machine quilting design I'm doing in the border of my Nine Patch One Patch quilt. I am going over all 3 borders and the side triangles. I started quilting a wavy line through the blocks in the center of the quilt, but I am going to take it out. I only did two lines. They detract from the quilt.

The thread is a light tan to dark taupe variegated. I later got one side of the binding sewn to the back by hand. It's coming along!

Off to sew a little more...

~Joan

Nine Patch One Patch Borders

Here are the borders for my Nine Patch One Patch. I think this will work. These are just laying on the design wall, but I overlapped them so that I could see how the finished product would look. With just the first cream, it seemed too large for the center, but now I think this looks fine.

I hope to finish my laundry and sew these on tonight.

~Joan

Fall Decorations

My fall decorations this year are not so grand. But I like them. The following picture is my mantel. I got the picture in the middle from my mom when she moved. I've always liked it. I can see that it should be hanging higher. I'll fix that later.


Here is a close-up of the right side. On the mantel are a few of my favorite things. The ceramic pumpkin and flower arrangement was a secret sister gift to me in 2006. I yearn to put it out each year. It is sitting on top of my newly-finished wool candle mat. I loved making this. Some time I'll put it on our island in the kitchen or on the table. For now it lives on the mantel.

The plate says..."Thank you for the food before us, Thank you for the friends beside us, Thank you for the love between us". To my horror, it got chipped while it was stored in the attic. I touched it up with a little acrylic paint. No one has noticed so far!!

On this side is a little autumn greenery, some fabric pumpkins, an old-fashioned-looking pumpkin candle, and my scarecrow shelf sitter. My son (thanks, Luke) made it possible for the scarecrow to sit securely on the mantel. I appreciate his help so much!


This is the view as soon as you enter our home. I have fond memories of making the "Fall Frolic" quilt on the wall. It's one of my favorites, and oh, so scrappy.

This mirror is to the right when you enter our home. Just an orange berry and tiny pumpkin bedecked swag.

This is the shelf to the left. Just a few additions to our normal look.

That's about it, with the exception of a fall table runner (my favorite table runner we have) and three fall quilts in the living room. Long gone are the days when I'm envious of those show houses where there are touches of holiday decorations everywhere. We have what we have, and I'm grateful!!

I took a box of decorations to church for the ladies to look through and take home. That is a big step for me in uncluttering!!

~Joan

Latest, But Not New

This is from last week some time. I did not post the picture at that time, and I can't remember why. It might have had something to do with sleeping all day Friday and Saturday, under the influence of seasonal allergy gunk. I also have put on the first inner border. But that is not in the picture.

After I finished all my 9-patches, I realized that the header of the quilt needed to be 10 inches wider. I am adding a set of border strips that will add up to 12 inches on the other three sides, so I guess I could have just added them to that side as well. I wanted the top of the quilt (where the pillows would go) to be different than the other 3 sides. The way this is, the top of the quilt LOOKS different, so that differentiates it from the foot. Clever, huh?

~Joan

NPOP Progress

Here is a close-up of the side of my NPOP quilt. I am so close to having the center of the top put together. I still feel quite horrid, but if I can't talk or swallow w/o pain, I can still piece, right?

Most of the fabrics for this are from the load I bought from my sister. She had a box of scraps from which I gleaned most of these lovelies. The purple setting fabric is also from her.

Here is the whole top so far. I did two more rows since the picture was taken...so close to being finished. I love it when I really like a quilt even if it wasn't totally planned from the beginning.

As I was piecing this, more scraps came to my notice. I have a sudden desire to make a two-color quilt (I'm thinking cream and red, blue, brown, or green). If you have a favorite two-color quilt, please send me a picture of it. It will be scrappy (duh), and I favor traditional patterns and fairly small pieces. Thanks in advance!

Off to put in a few more stitches...

~Joan