What does that have to do with quilting you ask? Well, I guess if I wasn’t having so much fun gardening and quilting my life away, I could be sitting in the casino playing penny slots and winning like one local gentleman. Unfortunately, I prefer to drop my pennies at the LQS for $1 FQs and $4 a yd sale fabrics. Besides I don’t gamble so it’s unlikely I’ll be winning the megabucks jackpot soon. Instead I garden and quilt which is probably cheaper than a gambling habit (really!) and definitely more fulfilling. At least I think so.

I finished 3 small machine quilting projects–2 table runners and small wallhanging. (I think I made the picture clickable so you can see a closeup.)

The one at the top of the photo is a repro doll quilt that Rachelle made from scraps to sell in the space that Mom and I have at the local craft and antique mall. I quilted it with a loose allover feather pattern. The pink one on the left is her’s also… another scrap project to sell. It’s quilted with roses and rosebuds. The table runner on the bottom right is something I whipped up quickly for my Mom to send to her youngest sister in NB, Canada from an extra bit of fabric she had leftover. I quilted it with a pinecone and pineneedle pattern. I have 2 more repro doll quilts to machine quilt for Rachelle before I start on the 2 QOVs I have to do.

I’ve also finished up the borders, sewed up and ironed the binding and put the backing together for Jessica’s Montana Hugs & Kisses. Her quilt will go on the frame after the 2 QOVs.

And I’ve got the parts of the backing piece done for my Psalm 8 quilt. The top section is done, the hills are done and the ocean piece is sewn to the hill section. Thank goodness for steam and spray starch! I had a difficult time with creases forming on the top curve of the middle most hill. I think it was because the fabric wasn’t as thick and stiff as the others I was using all around it. Next time I notice that, I’m going to try to remember to starch the piece first and see if that helps. I’m working on the most tedious portion right now… the “S” curves where the night and daytime sky come together. There’s much too much pinning to be done–it’s literally going to take me hours to sew this seam. [sigh]

Tomorrow I’m going to be getting together with a few friends to spend the day sewing. We used to get together frequently but haven’t for about 6 months now. It’ll be fun to “show ‘n tell” and catch up with what’s been going on with one another. I’m taking Mom’s wallhanging to work on.