Phew! Been a long time!

It's been quite some time since I posted on this blog.  Almost six month exactly!  Good golly how time flies.  I have much catching up to do and hope that I don't inundate you with posts.  :p

Quilt top completed for QOV

I finished my quilt top for my Quilt of Valor donation.  Pretty pleased with it.  I struggled a bit with the sashing.  I wanted it to be just right and have all the blocks line up but that proved to be difficult.  I put it to the side for a bit to give myself time to relax and ease the frustration so that when I came back to it it would be with clarity.  And it worked!  Now I just need to sandwich it and quilt it, make a presentation bag and send it off for donation.  :)  Yippee!

Connecting Threads Mystery Quilt

Sorry for my long absence.   I started a new job that has taken up much of my time.  But I have still been quilting as it provides me with comfort.  Best form of therapy in the world! 

In April I joined a Mystery Quilt group through the connecting threads community board.  I did this last year and started the project but have yet to finish it.  This years quilt was only 3 parts and was a smaller scale quilt so was faster and easier to complete.  

The fabric I chose was from the "Guess How Much I Love You" fabric line.  This is one of my favorite children's books. 

This was my first time doing a border like this and I could easily add another border to make it bigger.  But for now I am liking it as is.  It's super cute and cuddly.  Now I just need to sandwich it and then quilt and bind.  This is my first completed quilt top this year.  I have a goal to complete at least 4 so not too bad so far.  I am about 75% complete on another one so I feel confident I will reach my goal.

http://quiltwithus.connectingthreads.com/group/mystery-quilt-2014

WIP Wednesday: Quilt of Valor

When I first got into quilting and the addiction for it got better and better ;) I googled like crazy for various quilting sites and blogs and stores and pretty much anything to do with quilting and came across the Quilts of Valor Foundation.

I was instantly in love with them and their efforts.   I have always had a soft spot for military men and women.  I have had friends in the military but no significant others.  The only relatives in the war were grandfathers that fought a long time ago, my dad missed the draft for Vietnam by one day which is probably why I am here today so I am thankful for that.   I just appreciate all that they do and what they put themselves through for the sake of freedom. 

The Quilts of Valor Foundation takes quilt donations and gives them to veterans, both old and new, and wounded soldiers.  There is nothing more heartwarming than providing a quilt to someone who could use a little love and comfort after what they have been through.  So I found a pattern, picked out my fabric and have been working on my QOV quilt.

I have the main blocks done.  Next I need to do the sashing and add the borders.   My goal is to get the sashing done this weekend and if possible add the borders too.   I'm going to set my expectations at just the sashing for now though.  :)

Here is what I have going on so far:

WIP Wednesday

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)

This was a fairly decent read.  I had this image of a 1950's crime drama even though it took place in the present day.  I just always pictured Cormoran in a trench coat and fedora.  There were so many details about the case and so many clues that by the time you get to the end of the book when all is revealed there are many "aha" moments.  Even though I pretty much knew who the killer was I was still surprised at the end by the motive and the means in which he did it and all the other details that were mentioned. 

It's not an intellectually stimulating read but very entertaining and engrossing.  This was my first of Rowling's books that wasn't Harry Potter and I was glad that I didn't read it in Harry Potter's theme at all.  It felt completely original and detached from that series.