Honored and a little embarrassed

Oh dear! I am potentially the most unobservant person around.  Just recently I have been poking around in Blogger trying to figure out how to change some things with this ole blog. Well, among the many things I have learned I discovered that I can view any and all comments left by lovely visitors. Oh my goodness! I didn't even realize some very kind comments had been left! (think I have it set so that now I should receive notification when a comment is left - I think : }  Thank you to one and all for being kind enough to comment.

Fast forward, back in May (yes, May) the lovely Marion of My Quilt Diet nominated me for  the Liebster Award.  Thank you, Marion, thank you for the kindness and the honor. I am still a little amazed that anyone has actually come across let alone noticed my blog enough to nominate it for an award. (an award - doesn't that sound so prestigious : )

What exactly is the Liebster Award? Good questions. I wondered the same thing.

"The Liebster award (German for favorite or dearest) is to showcase bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.  Upon accepting the award the recipient must then pass it on to five more blogs of note. A way of introducing other bloggers to the blogs they enjoy." 

There you have it.  Now on with the terms and conditions : )

The acceptance conditions are :
1. Thank your award presenter on your blog and link back to him/her
2. Copy and paste the award to your blog
3. Present the Liebster Award to 5 blogs that you think deserve to be recognised.
4. Let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
5. Have faith that your followers will spread the love too! 

Here are a few of the blogs that I enjoy and think are worth your time to check out:

1. Megan at Crooked Seams

2. Lynn at Buttons Quilts

3. Meredith at Piecing in the Nook

4. Shontelle at England Street Quilts

5. Alisa and Suzanne at Making More with Less

So go visit and say Hi!

Blogger's Quilt Festival: Fall 2012: Voting open

Wow! 600+ entries in the Bloggers Quilt Festival: Fall 2012.  So much inspiration. So many stories.

To nominate an entry, please use this form - Bloggers Quilt Festival: Fall 2012 nomination form.

For anyone who would care to take a moment to nominate my entry, I'm #616 and can be entered in the following categories: Favorite Baby Quilt, Favorite Home Machine Quilted Quilt, Favorite Quilt Photographer.  Thank you so much.

Also, if you would care to give me a favorite vote, page down to my entry here and click VOTE.

It has been exciting for me to participate for the first time in this inspiration-filled online Festival. Many thanks go out to Amy of Amy's Creative Side for hosting.

Baby V's Quilt

Well, here goes. This is my entry for my first time participating in the Blogger's Quilt Festival: Fall 2012.  Am excited to be a part of this inspiration-filled event.  I have really been wanting to post about this special quilt and the deadline for the Festival is just the push I needed to get it done.

When I was gifted the kit (so wish I took a photo of the kit bundle before I untied it) for this quilt two years ago by a very kind and generous soul, I knew I wanted it to be for a special baby girl. I didn't know it was going to be a two year wait, but I'm so glad I was patient and waited for one of the sweetest little blessings to come into our lives - Baby V, my little niece and goddaughter. Because of the challenges that her family has been through in the last few years and because of the extra wonderful blessing she is, I wanted to make her and her family something special. This was it.

The kit consisted of strips of cotton wovens of varying weights and texture, minky, velour, and cotton velvet. The variety proved a challenge to work with, but in the end it was so worth it.  I made some modifications - I cut the kit strips into 6.5" squares and then cut some of these in half so that the squares would be offset. Also, I used the enclosed backing as binding and backed it with velour.

I quilted it myself using a walking foot and a slightly wavy stitch. I debated and debated about how to quilt it, but, in the end, I think the wavy stitch added just the right touch. Because of the velour backing I should have used more pins to baste (at least I think this might have helped) as there ended up being a few small tucks here and there, but I now know for future quilts and am quite happy overall with how the quilting turned out.

The different textures of the top combined with the velour backing make this an amazingly comfy and cuddly quilt.

It's a simple quilt. Simple is what I do. And sometimes, simple is best. 

A quilt getting used as it was intended. That makes me smile : )

I am totally thrilled with how this quilt turned out and that it is getting put to use with some serious cuddle time.

Blogger's Quilt Festival Stats:

Finished Size: 44"x48"

Technique:  Pieced

Quilted by:  me : )

Binding:  Machine stitched.

Best Category:  Favorite Baby Quilt, Favorite Home Machine Quilted Quilt, Favorite Quilt Photographer

For those who care to vote: entry #616.

What I'm working on this weekend - Second Weekend of Sep 2012

The hardest part for me with any project is getting started. Well, today in between household chores and meals, I got started on a quilt for my youngest nephew Noah. The critters on the focal fabric are just the cutest.

All the pieces including sashing and excluding binding are cut. Now that the cutting is done I'm excited to start piecing. Can hardly wait to see it put together.  I'm hoping I picked a good pattern and the brown earth-colored sashing works like I think it might. Tomorrow, hopefully, I will find some time to get this one pieced - that's my goal and I'm sticking to it. (It's the Packers opening season game so well see how it goes...)

Fandango Table Runner

Broke into a Fandango jelly roll, added a little bit of solid yardage strips and came up with this table runner.

Neglected to write down the finished size - 18" x 43"...I think.

Love how the quilting turned out and am thrilled with the corners.

Think I have finally figured out how to get a good looking miter on the back. They just look much neater and and lay flatter.

Gifted this tablerunner to a lovely cousin and her new husband.

Finally have a finish to link up with Megan's monthly jelly roll party @  Crooked Seams. Yippee! Skippee!