It's finished! But what is it?

I finished my 'plus' quilt, and I couldn't be more thrilled with how it has come out :)

I was intending to use this quilt to try a new quilting technique, but the previous day I quilted a lap quilt that didn't go as well as I'd hoped, so I decided to keep it simple this time.  Oh well, it was a new-to-me pattern anyway.

I didn't mark any lines, just stitched diagonally through the squares.  I can't wait to put this in the washer & dryer and see how it wrinkles up :)  Oh, and i measured it more precisely, and it is 29" x 31", just incase you were wondering.

Maybe it's a wallhanging for my sewing room, and not a doll quilt afterall :)

go ahead, click the buttons.  you know you want to. :)

Edited to Add the following links:

and don't forget to hop over to The Needle and Thread Network!

my on-going basting drama



This is the top that belongs to the batting & backing that have been taped to my kitchen floor for two days. 

I picked up a can of basting spray today.  Not 505, something different and, as it turns out, much cheaper.  I used Sulky KK 2000, and so far it seems to work as well as the 505.  (To be fair though, I bought the 505 at a small shop & the Sulky at a large dept store, which could have augmented to priced difference.)

Anyway, I was getting ready to iron the top and baste it, when I decided to just lay it out over the batting to be sure everything was cut to the right size.  (This top, batting and backing have been folded up in a bag for about a year now)  See what I noticed?

It's enough to make a girl want to cry.  How do you fix a too short batting that has already been spray basted to the backing?  I sat and stared at it while my kids watched cartoons.  I cooked dinner & we ate it (in the livingroom). 

Then I went through my batting scraps and found one long enough to run the width of the quilt top.  {hurray for scraps!} I laid it out, overlapping the other batting piece, and cut across through both layers of batting.  My hope was to create edges that would abut without gaps.  It mostly worked.  Then I just spray basted the scrap piece next to the larger one.  I'm hoping the quilting will hold the pieces together permanently. 

At any rate, the quilt is off the floor, and my table is back in the kitchen.  Whew! 

progress

Remember all those little squares on my kitchen table?  Well, here they are, and aren't they looking sweet all joined together :)   I haven't decided how to quilt it yet, but will probably use this as a chance to try something new-to-me.

It is about 32" x 34", so I've decided to call it a doll quilt.  Of course, now I need to make a doll to go with it.  And a pillow...

{my husband wanted to make sure he got credit for holding the quilt.  so yeah, those are the arms I'm married to.}

Now that my 'plus' signs are pieced, I was hoping to bring dinner back to the kitchen table, but this is what happened next:

Not very exciting to look at, is it?  :)  I got halfway through basting a quilt on my kitchen floor, and my can of 505 ran out.  Joanns doesn't have any.  I drove all the way to Keepsake, and they didn't have any.  {don't worry, I found a way to console myself while I was there :-) }

Until I figure out what to do, this is taped to my kitchen floor, and the table is in the livingroom.  Mealtime is getting interesting :)

I'm going to link up with The Needle and Thread Network.  Let's go see what everyone is working on!

sharing my 'to-do' list

Just in case you don't already have enough quilting fun going on, I thought I'd share a little with you :)

This is a great excuse to help kids in your area



click here to join the fun exploring color.

and speaking of color



you should definately head over here if you love the colors of fall.

there are so many great things happening in blogland, I wish I could take part in them all.  But I've already got a long list of UFO's, and January isn't seeming that far away anymore ;)

mutating patchwork

When you are sewing, does the project you are working on ever change into something different?

This was a pillow when I first started working on it today, but I cut far more squares than a pillow needs, so it has become either a doll quilt or a baby quilt.  I'm in no hurry to decide. 

I am in a hurry to get the rows pieced together, since this is laid out on my kitchen table. 

Until that happens, its tv dinners 3x a day around here :)

the color of happy

I took my sons to the beach to watch a fireworks display last weekend.  One of my favorite memories from my childhood is watching the fireworks on this same beach with my Dad, and I wanted to share that with my boys.

We arrived early, and were able to enjoy the ever-changing colors of the sunset.  At one point, the yellows, oranges, and blues looked exactly like the colors in Joel Dewberry's Heirloom, the citrine colorway.

I realized that it has been far too long since I have sat and enjoyed a sunset.  The beautiful display is so inspiring, I need to do it more often.  It's been even longer since I've lingered to enjoy the sunrise, but I'm not in any hurry to change that ;)

So, are you a sunrise or sunset gal/guy?

on my ironing board

Just thought I'd share a quick peek at what I'm working on while I enjoy some pumpkin & white chocolate ice cream  that is leftover from my birthday this past weekend {yum!}  Wish I could share a bowl with you.  I have cake and sorbet, too {mountains of it, I tell you!} since my son just had a birthday also.   Actually, I'd consider it a personal favor if you would eat some of it for me.  please?