Wow, almost Christmas and I’ve finally finished all of the quilts I wanted to donate this year, actually 13 in all but one went to a grand nephew, great nephew? (I’m always confused after nephew – LOL)  So…  these two went to Ellie for the new Homeless Vets Shelter.  I didn’t have any masculine quilts done yet, tho have a few in various stages but Ellie reminded me  there are female vets, many homeless, so vivid brights quilts in many sizes are welcome.  (Please no comments on my”fluffy” self needing a haircut!)

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This purple one is another Disappearing Nine Patch pattern and I used fat quarters and scraps of some OLD Nancy Crow designs that I’ve been hoarding.  I love these colors together.  When you see this quilt ‘in person’ it glows.

This little one went to Montana.  Isn’t it just too sweet?  Loved making the pinwheels so much I have a stack of about 150, in two sizes, that I put together while piecing other things, had them cut and instead of using a scrap for starting and stopping, I made blocks!  Coolest trick I’ve learned in a while.  (sorry, I took this picture before I pinned it for quilting, but you get the idea).

Now on to finishing the tops I started in between projects.  Yes, I’m pretty sure I have ADD and can’t stay with just ONE thing 🙂

I recently fell in love with Amy Ellis’s patterns and bought her new Book “Modern Neutrals”.  While I’m really not big on neutrals as a rule (mainly because so many of my quilts are kid related), I learned in an art class many years ago that looking at a design without color opens your mind to the infinite posibilities.   And Amy puts together such clean, crisp designs!   http://amyscreativeside.com/

 

Love her blog also, http://amyscreativeside.com/blog/  It has opened even more new windows into quilting, and creativity in general.  Her pattern “Digital Pinwheels” reminded me so much of the New Mexico Logo.  But I saw it in vivid colors so here is my rendition.  As you can see, I also added a border to mine.  This was a great place to use charm squares 🙂

 

I haven’t quilted it yet because I’m determined to finish the other tops first and the end of the year is breathing down my neck.  I know, I know, I’ll never finish all of my UFO’s but I want to have as many done as possible.

My design board has blocks pinned on top of blocks but the yellow star blocks are closer to being a top 🙂  The top left went into a quilt that was donated to Ronald McDonald House last January, another version of the Disappearing Nine Patch.  The Black, White and Red is going to be a quilt, the fabric is waiting patiently 🙂

I’ve also been playing with Pat Speth’s patterns, love, love, love that woman!  Her blog is wonderful and it is what actually encouraged me to start my own blog.  I have several of her books.  She has a great sense of humor and EASY techniques.  I have several of her quilt patterns that I can’t wait to start.  Her website with free patterns and books you can order directly from her is http://patspeth.com/.   Her blog is here:   http://nickelquilts.wordpress.com/

This blog business is fun but cuts into my time with fabric 😉  However, it’s also the quickest way to share my little efforts with loved ones and hopefully make new friends.  As soon as I figure out how to do it, I’ll include links instead of URLs.

Till the next time, wishing you all the very best of holidays and a wonderful, healthy, prosperous and Happy, New Year.  Hopefully my hands will continue gaining strength and dexterity so I can also get back to some beading…………..

Kati