quilting…

i love it!!! 

And this year, I'm going to do a lot of it!! 

To help me produce better quilts, I joined in SewCal Gal's Free Motion Quilting Challenge for the year!!

Here is my project for this month!

I started with 4 charm squares and four strips from a jelly roll of Jennifer Paganelli's Honey Child from Sis Boom Fabrics. And I made a little mini quilt that will probably end up being a pillow top.

I sandwiched it with batting and backing and then Free Motion Quilted!!!

I used Superior Threads verigated thread…and of course, my fun Janome 6600 and my Graberoos!! :) 

Actually, I must admit…I doodled before quilting. It really, really, really helps solidify your pattern!

Here's a closeup…I don't know why I didn't take a pic of the whole thing. Maybe I'm waiting for the pillow top to be finished. 🙂

All in all, it was a fantastic experience. Even though I waited until the last minute, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I look forward to February's tutorial!! 🙂

♥ _________________________ ♥

Some of my darling friends are doing a challenge this year to help them finish their UFOs (UnFinished Objects)…Safieh, Amy and Liz are sponsoring a challenge that I am gladly joining in!! Check out Saf's post here about 12 Quilts in '12!

For me, I am going to blog each month with my monthly finishes! Yep, I claimed that this year would be the year of finishes as far as my crafting was concerned!! 

For January, I'm excited to say that I've finished 10 projects!!! what?????

Let's recap!! 🙂

2012 Calendar holder (my February calendar is in there now!!! yipeeee!!)

Believe Mini Memory Quilt

Heart Tumbler Quilt

PomPom Walk in the Woods Quilt

Petal Pushers Hexie Table Topper

Art Gallery Heat Therapy Pillow (which, yep, I've been using! yipeeee!!)

Just Believe Art Quilt

And here are three more that I've finished this week:
(I actually finished an 11th, but it's a secret that won't be released for a little bit!! how's that for secretive???? LOL!!)

About three months ago, my gorgeous husband made a decision to take the plunge and buy a classic car…a '70 Mustang!!

It's gorgeous!!! But it really has nothing to do with quilting…

…except that I met a sweet girlie there at the car place who happened to have a mom who quilted. Her mom has just passed away in the year before leaving behind projects she hadn't finished. This girlie heard me mention that I had a quilting business and she immediately told me about her mom and asked me if I'd be interested in finishing up a quilt that her mom had left undone. I told her that I'd be happy to look at it. Well, she just happened to have the blocks in a ziploc baggie in her car!! 

So, I took a look at the blocks and figured out that there were two quilts in there! I told her how much I'd charge to do it and she agreed and I was off!! 🙂

Here's what the blocks looked like before I started…

This top was completed! So just batting and backing and quilting! 🙂 Isn't Bambi sooo cute???

These blocks were in the baggie as well…She had a little piece of paper with the color pattern written down. 

These three extra blocks and yellow binding fabric were included, too.

So, I decided to add these three blocks and the extra yellow fabric to the back of the yellow and green quilt! 🙂

…and here's how they look now…after quilting and washing! 

Isn't it snuggly?????

and the back is white muslin…

and the other quilt?

(ignore my goofy chair that needs reupholstering) Here it is…soooooo cute!!!!

and the back is my favorite!!

Isn't that awesome?? This is the first back I've ever pieced…Love!!!

And the last project I finished in January 2012…

A Valentine's Quilt…

It was rainy today, so my lighting is not the greatest! But this quilt is one of my faves!!

It started with a panel by Sandy Gervais that I took and handquilted around the printed text.

 

And my fave part of this quilt…the bunting. Awesome!!! 🙂

So these are my projects for January. Yay!!!

It's super fun to recount them at the end of the month. I can't wait to see what February brings to Sally's Angelworks!!! yipeeee!!

Hope your January was filled with blessings beyond all blessings!! I know February will bring lots of LOVE and wildness (good wildness, of course!! :)) for all of us!! 

Be sure and check back here for the next few days. I have new projects and a really FUN-filled Friday planned. Don't miss it! 🙂