TortugaQuilter

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Purse from Laura

My friend Laura made me a purse using one of the patterns from my book 5-10-15 + Fat Quarters.

I love it!

Bags in Blue Pattern - Just not Blue!

Quilted Gifts

Two special friends had birthdays in the last two months. I made them both coaster sets. I only remembered to take pictures of one of the sets.


Coasters for Marie

What Have I Been Doing in 2011? Besides Recovering from Shoulder Surgery

Even through recovery I managed to do a few quilting projects. The quilting is difficult, it is hard for me to manage the thicknesses through Big B, but piecing is easy. I have a lot of trouble cutting because I just do not have the strength to hold the ruler down, even with my Gypsy Grip. I hope that by September I will be able to start quilting all the tops I am creating now.


Table Runner I made for Kathy's Birthday- Pattern: Magic Table Runner from "Clever Quarters" by Susan Teegarden Dissmore

Close up of Magic Table Runner

Small Table Runner from batik charm pack Jill gave me. Pattern: Modern Table Runner (a birthday gift from Laura) A quilt as you go pattern from G. E. Designs.

Back of Modern Charm Runner (Backing fabric was a Christmas gift from Laurie)


Storm at Sea Quilt that I made for my porch swing from a Benartex Kit of triple-dyed Bali Batiks, a laser pre-cut kit.

Back of Storm at Sea Quilt

Storm at Sea Quilt on the Porch Swing

Poppies Quilt by Clothworks featuring fabrics from the Poppies Collection by Pamela Mostek. I cut all the pieces to this quilt months ago, so it was easy for me to work on with a stiff shoulder.


"Enchanted Earth" Quilt Featuring "Earth Angels" Fabric Collection by Debbie Mumm, a South Seas Imports Kit

Close up of "Enchanted Earth"

So Far Behind

This poor blog is way out of date. I am going to try to catch it up a little and then put it back in the regular schedule for blogging.

There was not a lot of quilting going on this past spring since I had shoulder surgery, but the piecing is starting to pick up a little, I was able to start hand quilting again last night, and I have high hopes I will be machine quilting again by September.

Even though I haven't been able to quilt as much lately, it is never far from my mind. Hence, this little snippet from my surgery day, March 14, 2011:

From: Loni's Blog with comments from me in Italics.

1:10pm - The anesthesiologist came in to do his pre-op questions, shoot her up with happy juice, and the nerve block shot in her neck (I was out of the area for that part). Shortly, thereafter, the happy juice kicked in and Mama's mind was struggling to stay connected I think; as she alternately dozed off a bit and had interesting commentary about how the pattern in the ceiling tile would make a nice quilt square; Very stark pattern with vibrant colors would be a great pattern. to not buy her any ugly towels that were apparently a hideous combination of red and blue;No they were beige with blue and red squares very ugly and cheap looking, that the picture was so pretty (which turned out to be one in her mind because all we had was beige hospital curtains); just swirling pretty colors, and a neat orange substance (also in her mind) that was like blown glass, but flexible like plastic and very interesting.. i wonder vaguely if she will recall any of this? That was the best of all very artsy fartsy orange bubblish substance that could be molded.

Surgical Prep Cubicle Ceiling Tile - Would make Nice Stark Quilt Pattern

Friday, February 11, 2011

Cat's Pajamas, Two

I finally finished Mina's quilt. It is a fat quarter quilt designed by Sam J. Lamoreaux of The Quilters Workshop called Cat's Pajamas, Two.

This is probably the only picture I will get of it. The youngest tried to hold it up for me today, but it was too heavy for him to be able to hold it for a picture.

The borders and backing are of the same leaf patterned flannel, and I sandwiched it with batting. It will be extra warm on days like we have been having lately. Probably should have left the batting out, but I didn't like the feel without it.

I did not do a lot of quilting on this one because of its weight. I stitched in the ditch along the sashings, and down the main seams in each block. A five time repeated heart went in the middle of each block, and I randomly outlined some of the leaves in the border.

I hope Mina and Stan enjoy their quilt.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Hand Quilting on Cat Quilt

Since my shoulder hurts a lot when I quilt on the machine, Loni was nice enough to say she didn't mind if I hand quilter her cat quilt even though she knew it would take much longer to get the quilt. I am having a lot of fun with the cats and using lots of different colored threads.