Quilts of Valor

I have been busy sewing up a storm piecing together quilt tops for Quilts of Valor this month.  I have pieced 5 and also pieced some 9 patch blocks the organization is asking for this year for their block raffle.  The blocks with the panels were done as a challenge.  We were given the panel and needed to use it in a top.  I designed the top though not really much designing there.  Then I copied the first using the same layout for the second top.  Here are 3 of the tops and some of the blocks I made with leftover pieces.

Friendship Star Quilt

Navy Panel Quilt Challenge

Air Force Panel Challenge

Some 9 patch blocks for the block raffle 

Project Quilting ~ Week 4 ~ Birds in the Air

Week 4 project quilting.  Top made but not quilted so I couldn't enter this challenge but hopefully the next will work for me.  This top I was trying to play with making a more modern quilt so I added some negative space in it.  The quilt will be a donation quilt for a woman fighting cancer or another serious illness to give her some comfort. I expect to get it quilted and sent out in the next month.  I am also working on my quilting skills.  I can good at free motion meander quilting but need practice on all other types of quilting.  Practice, practice, practice.  It's so important.

Project Quilting ~Week 3 ~ Fabric Postcards ~ Hearts and Lace

This week's challenge for Project Quilting ~ Put a Heart on it.  This also would meet a challenge for some fabric postcards I need to make.  I decided that I'd combine the 2 challenges and make several types of hearts. I am involved in two fabric postcard groups where we swap fabric postcards we make for each other.  I have swapped with quilter's and crafter's all around the world since around 2006.  Currently, the theme is Hearts and Lace and Shapes: Hearts.  If you are ever interested in joining here's a link   Fabric Postcard Art  or leave a comment to contact me.

Fabric Postcards ~ Valentine's

Almost time for Valentine's Day so I have changed the display to Valentine's postcards and some lace postcards. Here are 2 postcards from Miriam in Ireland from 2 different postcard groups to which we both belong.

Bath's Patch ~ Nature in February

Yesterday, it was almost 60 here and quite sunny. I was so surprised to see there are still 2 Common Buckeye caterpillars feeding on the snapdragons in the garden by the back steps. I believe they go down into the straw when the weather is cold and windy and maybe close to the house foundation. From what I knew this wasn't really something that happens in NJ. I have heard though that back on 1/18/12 Mike C and Wil K found a Common Buckeye eclosing and drying it's at Cape Island Creek Preserve.

Common Buckeye Caterpillar

Spicebush Swallowtail Chrysalis

Black Swallowtail Chrysalis

Walk in Cape May Point, NJ

Northern Cardinal 

White-throated Sparrow

Ring-necked Duck

Vase of Flowers Wallhanging

Started years and years ago as a sample for a class, it languished in a container of UFO's until this week.  The top is based on a wallhanging I received from a very dear Australian pen friend that hangs in my bedroom. It's quilted now and hanging on the wall in my dining room.  It's been faced instead of using binding as at some point I used the border fabric for another project.