Quilting and other Things

Just a quick post to link up with Patty's February omg post. I wanted to at least finish the top. It got finished at my guild retreat and on Saturday I went out to Whirls and Swirls to quilt it. The binding is almost finished and then I need to add button eyes on 4 snowmen and stitch down the sleeve. Should have more detailed photos shortly.  Looking forward to cuddling on this one.  Its flannel on top and plush on the back.  So Soft!

For many years I've had an old paper bag sitting beside the cutting map to throw trimmings, scraps and threads in while I'm working. This weekend I went to the guild retreat at Elm Hurst Inn & Spa.  It was a very good weekend.  As part of the weekend, there was an optional gift exchange.  I missed the actual exchange as I had an appointment at the spa but when I came back there was a bag with a pop-up catcher pattern complete with a fat quarter on my chair.  This morning I opened it up and spent and pleasant hour or so putting it together. Here the two are together. I'll retire the paper bag and just leave the pop up out. If I ever decide I want to remove it from the table and store it, there's a bit of elastic to hold it squished down and a little loop for hanging. Very tidy! A very pretty and useful gift.

Patty at Elm Street Quilts has one monthly goal open for February for just a few more days.  I had to think a bit about which project to work on this month.  There are several to choice from.  But in the end Flakey Friends, from The Quilt Patch , won.  Its been a year since I worked on it at the guild retreat.  There were 12 snow flakes left to stitch.  Friday night I stitched two of them.  It took about 35 minutes each.  The snowmen and stars at the top also need their stitching.  Then once the top is assembled there are some additional stars to be added and the bottom snowman needs his other arm. When I first started the stitching I played with some stitches on the machine to see which I liked best on this scrap from the quilt.  I pinned a note with the stitch number, width and length that I liked.  Fortunately it caught kept with the project.  (Although last year when I blogged about this quilt after the retreat, I did ...