Emily's Pineapple Blossom

Susanna and I went to one of Bonnie Hunter's workshops last week and I started piecing these blocks for Emily.  Today I finished out to the pieced triangle border.  This is a big quilt!

I am going to ask her which of my red fabrics is her favorite and put that on as an outer border. 

~Mama Joan

Judson's Baby Quilt

Here is the baby quilt, washed and dried.  Don't you love the way a quilt crinkles up and gets all quilty after it's washed and dried?  I do.  It's about 36" square, which is in my target size for a newborn baby quilt.  This was the row-ectomy from my Texas Braid quilt.

Just found out...my Susie and I are going to Bonnie Hunter's trunk show Monday night and her workshop on Tuesday.  It's about 2-1/2 hours from our house. 

Of all the things...it's a Pineapple Blossom workshop.  Now where have I heard of that pattern??  The workshop was completely booked when I checked into it a while back, but the hostess just emailed me that there were some cancellations.  Emily said she would like the same quilt, so I'll piece one for her.

~Mama Joan

Pineapple Blossom Bonus Triangles

If you look closely at the red part of the HST in the above picture, you will notice that the red half is actually made of two different red fabrics.  When the pineapple blossom blocks are sewn, one places a 3-1/2" square on the corner and sews diagonally.  I double sew and keep the part most would dispose of. 

The result of my frugality is this nifty pieced inner border on the quilt.  Try it--you'll like it.

~Mama Joan

Lickety Split Baby Quilt

It is Wednesday, but you probably already knew that.  Wednesdays around here mean church visitation, youth choir practice, visiting with my dear elderly friend, flute lesson, church service, etc., etc.  As I was thinking about all that this morning, I wondered if a friend who delivered a baby boy last Wednesday (her second child) would be at the service.  Then *snap* a thought hit me.  Don't worry--it didn't hurt that much.  I.  had.  not.  made.  her.  a.  baby.  quilt.  You see, I make I Spy quilts for the first baby in a family.  After that I make a non-I-Spy...they all vary.

Fortunately, I had to take two rows off a Texas Braid quilt I made for myself and my husband.  It is yet to be quilted.  I like to make my baby quilts between 36-40" square.  I cut my rows of TB in thirds, which happened to be 36" long.  Since they started at 12" wide, 3 of them = 36"  !!  I love it when a plan comes together.

Here is a pic of just the top, which took about 20 minutes to cut and then sew into this piece.

I like to use up strips of batting, so here I am piecing them together.  I use a long, wide zigzag stitch.  I had to use 5 pieces to make a 40" square piece, but it only took about 10 minutes to piece.  Definitely worth it.

This is a close-up of stacked hearts I machine pieced in all the dark rows.  I keep trying to make "feathers" but they all look like hearts.  But that's OK--it's a baby quilt!

Here in the cream I just did small loops.  I like it!

Here is a pic of the whole quilted top.  I had just cut the binding strips when "lunchtime!" was called down the stairs.  One of my favorite words.  Now I'm headed back down to put the binding on.  I'd like to deliver this Sunday if I can.

~Mama Joan

The Piecing is Done...on to The Quilting!!

You'll just have to trust me that this is truly square.  I could not get any helpers to hold the corner out straight, so I just pinned up the top left corner, right to the wall.  I am eager to get this finished and put away for some reason.

My daughter changed her wedding date to August 13 (which happens to be my anniversary), so I have a little time.  I do have 4 bridesmaids and a flower girl dress to make, and I have promised to help arrange flowers, so I have a lot of work to go before then!

This measures about 60" x 68".  I like it!!