Dinosaur Quilt Part 2

My grandson's birthday quilt has gone from this...

Jurassic Jamboree Dinosaur Charm Pack

 ...to this! Cute huh! This was the perfect sewing today after last week's long work days. I had originally envisioned the dinosaurs with more details, but then settled on the "silhouettes" as I know this quilt is going to be well loved and washed often once our three year old grand guy sees it.

To create the dinosaurs, I simple used my light-box to trace the dinosaurs from 

the Jurassic Jamboree fabric (by Moda) that I used for the four patches. 

I then enlarged the drawings to fit into the 9" blocks.

I created the applique dinosaurs and...

...used a large zig-zag stitch to sew each dinosaur on. 

I bought some soft, cuddly red minky fabric for the backing and will next look forward to sharing part 3: the quilting, with ya next weekend. In the meantime, my hexi's are keeping me busy and my daily walks continue to be enjoyable now that Fall has arrived in our little part of the world.

Hope all is well for each of you and thanks for stopping by!

WIP Wednesday: Heart Quilting

As I find myself  facing two twelve hour days of  parent teacher conferences, I head out the door today intentional in enjoying the opportunity and productivity of my long days ahead... 

...to have fun and communicate happy things 

about each of my students to their families...

 and to most of all, have a happy heart and  to do all things with love!

Wishing you the same...especially as I look forward to sharing this quilty finish with you very soon!

Tuesday Archives #130: Kaleidoscopes

Welcome to the linky party that rejuvenates your old quilting/sewing posts! 

Please click here to read more about this linky party.  

This week's theme is: KALIED0SCOPES  

Way back in the depths of my own collection of "finished quilt tops" is this school themed Kaliedoscope flimsy. It has been waiting patiently for it's turn to be quilted and used:

Every week Tuesday Archives let's us "look back" and allows us to rejuvenate old posts, old quilts, old memories. As I pulled this one out of the closet last night, I found myself reminded of a fun summer afternoon some years ago, spent with a group of kind quilty ladies, as we all came together to learn a new technique. I'm so grateful to have had such a positive introduction to quilting. This one really does needs to get put on my short list of WIP to finish doesn't it. Ughhhh soooo many projects sooooo little time. LOL!! Anyhoo...thanks for stopping by Tuesday Archives today. You guys are the best!

Mark your calendars: 

Next week is a FREE CHOICE theme with a fun little give-away!

The Hexi's are baaackkkk...

I've been busy stitching these together in-between my other projects as I have the perfect, 

redecorated bedroom just waiting for this quilt. 

 I seriously can't believe I made these THREE years ago!

I guess I just needed the "right" motivation to finally get them sewn together...of which, they are surprisingly going together rather quickly, which makes it even more enjoyable.

Happy Sunday Stitching everyone.

Tuesday Archives #129: King Size

Welcome to the linky party that rejuvenates your old quilting/sewing posts! 

Please click here to read more about this linky party.  

This week's theme is: KING SIZE! 

Taking almost a year to make, I enjoyed following Janine who blogs at Quilts From the Little House as she created this NOT so little quilt during 2015. I'd smile as she often referred to this one as the BIG quilt, finishing at 115 3/4 x 115 3/4.  (With only a small percentage of shrinkage)

You can tell she had fun FMQ a variety of patterns in all those colorful bands. Congrats on this wonderful KING size finish Janine. Be sure to stop by her post by clicking right here.

Moving it Forward...

My sewing mojo is returning and it feels great!

I got this one ready to be quilted this week:

It's definitely something to look forward to after a day of work.

Dinosaur Quilt Part 1

I'm back in the studio with windows wide open welcoming the cool pre-Fall breeze we have. There's many unfinished projects begging for my attention, but with our grand guy's third birthday right around the corner, this quilt takes priority. This morning found me sewing this little 44"x 36" top together. As with most toddlers, he loves dinosaurs and actually wouldn't stop playing with the little charm pack I used in this quilt during his last visit. But those charms will fade in comparison of what I have planned for part two of this cute little quilt!

Here's a peek: 

I can't wait to get started...

Next week's theme will find us highlighting those KING size quilts we've made!

Tuesday Archives #128: Kids Sewing

Welcome to the linky party that rejuvenates your old quilting/sewing posts! 

Please click here to read more about this linky party.  

This week's theme is: KIDS SEWING 

I love sewing for and with kids!  But I sure didn't expect a trip to the store would leave me with a cart filled with "tractors",  "trains" and  "dinosaurs"....but our grand-guy got soooo excited when he saw all these fabrics he just starting pulling them off the shelf and loading them into our cart. 

Need-less-to-say, my daughter and I were cracking up!

 

We finally had to narrow it down to "two". Luckily one was a flannel, so it was easy to...

...sew them together into a quick "receiving blanket" he can use for preschool and for play.

So as you can see, I spent the better part of my long, last weekend of summer getting in one more weekend with our Grand-guy. Yet, admittedly, it was nice to have yesterday as a day off. I'm tired. I needed a home day filled with sewing, relaxation  and house-hold chores attended to.  In reflection, it's been a wonderfully busy, fun-filled summer I am so very grateful for. But, I'm welcoming this transition into Fall as a time of self-rejuvenation. A season to get back into my own routines of life. Which by the way, will kick off with me starting this little guys birthday quilt and dusting of the long-arm. More to come!

FYI: September's themes are posted on the sidebar.

Throwback Thursday

I always enjoy reading Janine Marie's Throwback Thursdays posts and have been looking forward to sharing this post with you. Some of you may have remembered from an early Tuesday Archives theme posted almost two years ago, my very first quilt was this Irish Chain Quilt for my parents: 

These pictures were the only ones I had of it until this past week as my parents made their final visit of the summer.  Twenty-three years later and there it was peeking out from under their newer Underground Railroad Quilt that is on their motor-home bed. 

As my mom and I pulled it out and set it up for pictures, we sentimentally examined it's ragged little binding edges. We found ourselves lost in conversation about the day we picked out the fabric and pattern. The afternoons she'd find me sewing away as my young daughters napped, happy to see me  finding a new sense of normalcy in my life after 11 months of chemo and radiation as I fought my Hodgkin's Disease. (My hair seriously came back in ringlets...thus the crazy curly hair above.)

I'm so grateful to have had a neighbor who I could run back and forth between our homes with questions and for guidance as I learned to read a quilt pattern and sew my first quilt. Our time together made an everlasting impression on me and keeps me hopeful that I too, will someday have someone to teach our craft of quilting to one day...until then, I'll happily continue to create quilty hugs for friends, charities, our home and those I love. 

Linking with everyone at:

 

Also...

Click here to see more Irish Chain quilts.