Counting Sheep

Every month I hope to take part in the NewFO Challenge, but I either miss it or haven't started anything new, because I'm trying to finish up all the UFO's of my various hobbies. This time I actually remembered and have something to share! It's in the early stages, but I have washed, cut and pieced most of the squares for my "Counting Sheep" quilt.  

I saw the cutest quilt at Country Quilts and Bears. It was quilted up with numbers for use as a child's quilt. As I figure I'm a child (Well, aren't we all someones children?), I would like to have one for my bed.  I simply love the colors. I will have mine quilted with something other than numbers though. I haven't figured out what yet, perhaps Sheep, or clouds, or Zzzz's,  or some such thing. I had to ask Becky (the lady who made up the patterns and kits) to make me a kit to fit a full size bed. The pattern and kits they had already made up were only  48" x 64". She had the fabric ready for me, but I only got the instructions for the smaller size. I added one row and one column of squares so far, but I am not 100% sure that is all she added. I still have quite a bit of the fabric left, so I suspect, I have not made enough squares yet.

I thought I took a picture of the sample quilt, but apparently, after searching my photos, I didn't. Here are the fabrics.

  

The sheep were irresistible.

I took a ton of pictures of the green squares, but the green always looks much darker than it really is. It's a bright, lime green (my favorite color).

 The blue is only slightly brighter than in the picture and the outer edges of the squares are a pale green that barely shows up at all.

This is where I'm at tonight. I've finished piecing the squares together and am ironing them for the next step. I will have to wait to put them together with the stripes in between until I re-calculate the size or until next Wednesday, when the lady who figured it out for me at the store is in.

 I need to go and snuggle my little buddy, Riley for a bit. He's looking rather annoyed that I stopped Ironing to come in here and post this. Well, that and having to eat dinner and move some laundry around.  He knows I'm addicted to his cute, little, bratty self.  Who could blame me? He'll have to be patient a few minutes more, since a certain speckled princess is currently barking at my knee to be let outside. 

Thanks for stopping in! ~Amy

Catching up part 2 - Noelani's quilt

 I'm trying to get caught up on the things I have been wanting to post. July seemed to get away from me with some family health issues, a funeral and the unexpected house guest. Bruce's cousin, Erik is staying with us. He's a little down on his luck, so we're trying to give him some support and a place to stay while he looks for a job and gets back on his feet.

 I finished my quilt for my niece. This is my first attempt at free motion quilting. I'm pretty pleased with it, for my first try. Upon reflection, I could have done a simpler pattern to start with. Such is not my nature. I always tend to go for the hard stuff right away.  Silly me. The colors are much brighter in person. This was a free pattern that came from Keepsake Quilting when I ordered the 10" fabric squares. (on a side note, they weren't all exactly 10", which was a little disappointing and I had to trim them all to the same size).

You can see the colors a little better here and the binding and back.

  

It is easier to see the quilting on the back. It was stippling with butterflies.

And bees in the borders, with loops. I was a little ambitious, for a first timer.

Here's my label. I'm always curious as to how much info some people put on their quilts. Mine are considerably basic.

I can't wait to give Noelani her quilt! I hope it's soon. And I have to remember to get pictures! I am looking into making quilts for my other niece and my two nephews as well.  They are in their teens and tweens, so I have asked their mother for their color/theme preferences. I'm hoping I can get them done for Christmas.

In the meantime, I have started something for myself. I saw a quilt displayed at Country Quilts and Bears that had the most adorable fabric. It was intended for children and quilted with numbers, but I asked and the lovely ladies, re-figured the pattern for me and made me a kit for my full size bed! I mean, really, how could I resist these sheep?

Here are the fabrics that were in my "kit".  I have all ready started and am quite far along in the piecing. I just keep forgetting to take pictures. I will try to remember tomorrow after work. 

I'm almost caught up with things that I wanted to post. I think. Tomorrow I may remember something else. I need to stop worrying about being on the computer while Erik is here, since it may be for a little while. Besides, Bruce sits in his recliner and uses his laptop while Erik is sitting in the living room with him. Maybe I'll just take mine to the front room, where I sew, so I won't feel quite so rude.

 I will leave you with two photos of my cute sewing supervisors. They were waiting for me to get to a stopping point, so they could check my progress.....

 

 After a while of keeping guard at the window, (he will growl if someone walks by) Oliver decided that the denim scrap basket looked comfy too. Baby brother, Riley didn't seem to mind sharing his comfy spot.

Thanks for stopping in! ~Amy

Getting caught up

Foto Finish: Show Us Where You Live

As many pictures as I take, apparently I need to take more, so I can be better prepared for future Foto Finishes!  Here's my entry for "Show us where you live".  I took this photo several years ago from behind our shop. There was a small canal, and thankfully this big boy stayed on the other bank. Alligators are quite common in our lakes.

With our house guest here, I haven't been able to get on my computer much, so I'm really behind in my posting.  My brother came down to visit my Dad, who had a mild stroke back in July. Dad's doing ok and seeing lots of doctors to try and figure out the cause.  We took Todd out on the boat for the afternoon. We went out to Egmont Key, just off the coast from Fort Desoto. Here's a few pics from the the trip to island. 

  

The lighthouse was built in 1858 and is still in use today.

 

 An Opsrey in it's nest. The pillar is what remains of an old building on the island.

  

This is one of the Sea Turtle nests that were on the East side of the island. They are endangered and protected. It was good to see so many out there, since the oil spill hit many of the northern nesting sites. The tracks on the sand are from a Gopher Tortoise that live on the island. They are also protected. 

  

Some kind of hermit crab hole. I liked the way the tracks left a pattern on the sand.

One of the brick roads that still remains.

  

A Gopher Tortoise. We came across two that day. Both were more interested in eating than having their pictures taken.

My big brother, Todd. In true big brother fashion.  

Thanks for stopping in! ~Amy

Pets on Quilts

Wow am I behind on posting. Life has been quite busy lately and currently we have a house guest for an indeterminate time, so I haven't had much time or access to my computer. Thankfully I almost always have my camera handy, so I do have pictures! 

 I didn't want to miss out on the Pets on Quilts so here are two for the Cats category.  I hope that  Lily Pad Quilting will be doing this again as I hope to get more pictures of more of my pets with quilts in the future. 

I just finished this small quilt for my niece, Noelani, who is 16 months old. I was trying to find a good place to take a picture of it and Oliver decided he needed to give it a final inspection. 

An earlier picture is of Delaney on my bed. The quilt was from my Grandma Nicodemus. She gave it to my Step-Dad years ago, but there is no label on it and she never told my Step-Dad anything about it. I love it's simplicity and the colors too. The picture is a little dark. I had to be quick, because Delaney is EXTREMELY shy, even of me. 

And here is Oliver on the same quilt. That boy is everywhere! :0) By the way, if anyone recognizes this pattern, I'd love to know what it's called. The entire quilt is hand stitched.

I will have better pictures of Noelani's quilt soon sans cat, amongst other things I have been wanting to post.

Thanks for stopping in! ~Amy