Easter, quilts and kids!

I thought I would share an Easter quilt I have had for years.  I used to do a lot of round robins, row robins, block robins, etc.  This is one I made the center for and was delighted with what I got back!  I should have steamed out the fold in the center.

center block closeup

I finished quilting this Washington State Internet yahoo group quilt.  I collected the blocks 13-18 years ago and have had the top in my stash for YEARS!  I custom quilted each block and bound it in black.

I was trying to show the blocks on the top row, but wasn't successful!  It was nice enough weather to go out in my back pasture for photos.

Last year I cut up a bunch of earthy batik strips and some sashing.  The pattern is in one of my Jelly Roll quilt books.  I was at a retreat last April and one woman ran out of projects!  Unheard of for me, I always bring way too much!  I handed her this packet and she sewed up a bunch of blocks.  Last week I sewed up a bunch more and got the top assembled this weekend.  Now it will go into my to be quilted pile and will eventually be donated.

My oldest daughter and two kids were here during spring break this past week.  Nicole will be 4 in May and discovered her mom and aunt's Barbies.  She had a field day!  They had so many growing up and LOTS of accessories.  Some of the things have gone by the wayside (like the Barbie car and beds) and a few more went away when I was cleaning things up, but wow, she spent HOURS and HOURS playing with them and has quite the imagination.  She was wearing her princess costume!

 I didn't seem to get any pictures of Jared by himself!  He is 6 1/2 and was with my husband continually!  He loves being Grandpa's shadow on the farm!

 The twins weren't here visiting, but here are a couple pictures.  They are almost 4 1/2 months old now!  Finn and Remy!

Linking up with Design Wall Monday and Monday Making.

Design Wall Monday and Quiltmaker

My design wall hasn't changed one bit.  It's been a crazy April so far with spring break and my daughter and two grandkids here for over a week.  I definitely couldn't sew when I had those two adorable kids here.  Nicole is 11 months and Jared is 3 1/2.  My other daughter and husband were here for a few days also, and add in a family burial and dinner and Easter...  Yes, busy!

However I did machine quilt a large quilt, starting in March and finishing this past weekend.  I have shown it on my blog before but now it's to the binding stage!  I have pre-entered it in the Palouse Patchers quilt show in Moscow this coming weekend so it needs to be finished!

Finger Lakes Log Cabin from a pattern by Judy Martin

The big news is my two blog posts for Quiltmaker Scrap Squad.  I can now show them and the quilts I made!  The first I call Gemstones and go to the post to see the original pattern I was asked to do on Quiltmaker Quilt Pleasures blog.

The next quilt I have now named Charming Chopsticks based on comments I received on this blog post!  Check out the link to Quiltmaker Quilt Pleasures blog!

I have my third assignment and I'm looking forward to getting started on the next quilt.  I have yet to make a dent in my scraps as a member of the Scrap Squad!

Linking to Patchwork Times.  Check it out for other Design Wall Mondays!

Quilt a day #33

Easter dinner was nice today with mom here. We had a lot of food! I cut out a new quilt tonight to take to retreat to piece. Thankfully I did a test block. The pattern was in an Australian Patchwork and Quilting magazine and it's one Deb thought I should make and had sent me fabrics for it years ago, all fossil ferns. I had collected the rest I needed, 21 colors plus background. I knew from previous experience that somehow I don't piece grandmother's fan blocks well and this was no exception! I got the template adjusted.

This was a mystery quilt from Cindy a couple years ago. The pattern is at her site. It's probably on my blog, I just didn't go backwards. I took this photo hanging at my guild's show last summer. I love the quilting I did on it, but I doubt it will show up!

Quilt a day #32

Happy Easter! It will just be my mom joining three of us tomorrow but I think we will have plenty of food! Ham, rolls, potato salad, jello eggs, deviled eggs, bbq green beans, and bunny cake and I'm sure some misc. things too, pickles, olives, etc.

Today I finished all the things I wanted to get done on spring break so that feels good. I also started getting ready for the retreat. I'm going to Palouse Divide Lodge (Sharon had asked). It's about an hour and a half from here, it used to be a ski hill. We have a small group so we will be in the old lodge but the meals are in the main lodge. We have booked the same weekend with another group for the third year in a row and we have a joint show and tell Saturday night.

My friend Sharon has a top I assembled on her blog for today. Check it out!

Since it's Easter tomorrow today's feature is my Easter quilts. The first one is a round robin from several years ago. I was thrilled with this one. I had to stand in my laundry room to take the picture since it's hanging in the hallway. The quilt hanger is straight it really is! The second quilt is small and one I purchased one finished at a UFO auction for $5. I quilted it, added some beads and bound it with a dimensional strip next to the border.