Another picture I wanted to add. This is a quilt I started last spring at a quilt retreat. It is an Atkinson design, Antique Album from here "Spring Cleaning" book. It had a LOT of small squares that had to be put together for stars, and just about every other lady up at the retreat came by and looked over my shoulder and said, "Oh, what a lot of tiny squares!" like it was a bad thing. I got very annoyed.
But, I kept working on it. I had collected fat quarters for a couple of years from each quilt shop I visited in my travels, all with a purple theme to go in my lilac colored bedroom. (Don't laugh, it is a beautiful calming color for a bedroom.)
Through the months I kept slowly working on it, and finished the top this winter. I handed it off to my dear friend who has her own long arm, who quilted it for me in a loopy, variegated thread.
I finished the binding last weekend, and it now is in the proper place on my bed.
It is the largest quilt I have ever made. I may not work on a large on like this again, or at least not for a long time, but I am proud of this one. I always wanted to make one for our bedroom. I love it.
Now, I have to make pillow shames to match. That's OK, I still have a lot of tiny squares for the stars! Viewed from the pansy pots.

Hand Quilt Frame from PVC

I got tired of using my small lap quilt hoop or my stand alone hoop for my antique quilt. The working service was just not big enough, and it was too much work to move the quilt around.
So, I hopped on the WWW and found plans to make a quilt frame from PVC pipe. Plans and pictures are at pvcworkshop.com/quiltingframe.pdf
I don't have pictures of mine, but I will post some. Since using this frame, I have cut it down a little, so it fits better in my sewing room, and sitting room. I did not glue it together, so I can store it easier.
I really like it, and look forward to using it through the summer!
I planted more pansy pots this week! Spring is really here!
That's the view for now from the pansy pots.

Quilting Spring 2010

So, I haven't been on in a while, sorry. I thought I would have a lot to contribute, and I do, but have no time. I will try and post more often.
I am currently busy working on some quilts.
One, an antique flour sack quilt. It is a Friendship Ring pattern, and I have finished hand sewing the rings onto muslin squares, and sewn these together on my machine. Now I have begun hand quilting the squares. It is really pretty and I am enjoying the hand work again. It has been a long time since I quilted this way.
Also finished a Twins Homer Hankie lap quilt for taking to the park for those cooler fall night games during the playoffs! (There's positive thinking for you!)
I have done some research on flour sack quilts, and am trying to find other blogs about putting them together, or finishing ones that had been started years ago, and never finished.
I also have a Grandmother's Garden unfinished top I want to quilt after the friendship ring one, and a stack of Grandmother's Garden flowers waiting to be put together. I may work on this one over the summer too. It is small work and I can bring it on car trips etc.
I went to a workshop at my local quilt store to show and tell antique quilts, and fell in love with these flour sack ones. I love the history. And in a way, it connects me to my grandmothers, who worked with these fabrics too.
That's the view from the Pansy Pots, on this rainy, April day.