How did I do That?

So it's once again, been nearly a year since I've added any progress to my blog.   I really did get some stuff accomplished this last year,  but much of it was outside in the yard over the summer. 

As I was updating my finishes on my sidebar a few minutes ago... I realized that I had six major finishes this year, which were all gifted away, and they were all new starts after summer of 2014.  

I really do want to move these UFO's along.....  but my design wall is covered with another new start which will be a baby quilt for a new great nephew due in the next month.  

I worked on several projects besides these 6 finishes,  but they included round robins and row robins that made their way through my sewing room and on to the next participant.     

This is "The Approaching Storm".   Made for my hubby's niece, Kristin.  She and her hubby purchased a small parcel of land so they could enjoy their horses just out of Spokane.  Their home is large enough, and has a separate living quarters in it, so they took in her dad and his wife.   

I found the panel at our local quilt show, and knew immediately that it was  going to be a quilt for Kristin. 

I love using EQ to design with!  I took a picture of the panel, and was able to import the  photo and use it in my actual layout as I was working on the borders.   This finishes at approx 66 x 80.  Other than the panel, all the pieces came from my fabric stash.  

She looks pretty happy, cuddled up.  If you know Kristin, you know that she doesn't sit still for very long.  She is always busy working on some kind of project, or out tending her horse or working in her garden after her full time job with the Army Guard. 

I cannot just send a quilt to one person.... Kristin's hubby, Mike needed a quilt too, right?   

At a different quilt show, I ran into this panel, and it had Mike's name all over it!  I really liked the fact that it was smaller panel pieces that I could use as block centers.  Since Mike is a tall guy, over 6',  I used 2 sets of panels to get enough blocks to make this quilt, "Working the West". 

It measures 
80 x 92".  Plenty large enough to nap under.  

I used EQ to map this one out as well!  I created  scrappy "rail fence" sashings,  which I used to frame each picture.  This required a refresher course on Partial seams. 

The strips all came from my stash! 

I really do love the artwork in these panels.   I had to make a few sawtooth stars to fill in along the way.

I started a new project!

It wasn't on my February List...

We purchased a new travel trailer this month.... which has a lovely color pallete in it's interior....
but the designer really took a short cut when they planned the comforter for the bed.....  they used a "reversible" solid dark brown and solid cream comforter, which the company could use in all their models this year....  great for the company... but the walls are a dark grey/brown color, and the bedroom is very small, and the dark brown was too dark.... and the light side was too light.... (and not practical)....
so I had to make something "JUST RIGHT"..... lol  I'm beginning to feel like Goldilocks.

Dear hubby wanted something with wildlife.   I would have liked a simple leafy design, but I aim to please... so we went panel hunting together.  

Loved the panel... but not  so much the writing at the bottom.....   so I decided to inset a little series of flying geese where the writing is...

This is after I've added the first "coping" border strips.... but it looks pretty good! 

Then a set of  "leafy themed"  four patches....  (I knew I'd get my way somehow!) 

Next came another coping border in a goldish tone of Stonehenge....  and then some flying geese. 

 I used a different Stonehenge fabric that is dark brown, black and small spots of white around the outside edge.   It finishes at 83 x 83...   

It looks so nice in there... that I hate to bring it in to quilt it!   

latest project...

This is my latest finished top.... it was so easy... from cutting it out, to stitching on the outside border, this took me 3 1/2 hours.... while watching a college football game on tv last weekend.

I did cheat, however.... this was two panels that were meant to be table napkins..... they made excellent quilt blocks though, ifI might say so myself.....

The two fabrics I used have a touch of metallic in them, little leaf outlines that look like leaf skeletons. I'm not usually a metallic type person, but I had to use them for this!  I actually purchased the gold piece this summer on a sale table, before I even found the panels..... then, after I had the panels,  I went looking for something to use with them....  found the rust piece.... When I got home, I realized that the gold and rust were the same print!   then, as I was cutting out,  the panel was by the same fabric company.....(Timeless Treasures).  I don't usually buy fabric that way,  I usually try to mix it all up, (that's the scrappy side of me),  but I do have to say that the results were great.