Time to vote on quilts- today only

Hi!  I have two quilts in the Beginner's Quilt Along.

Today is the last day to vote on the quilts entered.  Somehow I missed the start of it.
you can vote at this address http://quiltinggallery.com/2012/10/02/voting-time-beginners-quilt-along-quilts/
If you like my quilts, I would love it if you vote for me. If you like others better, then vote with your heart!
But please go and vote.

Finally -some progress!

This past week has been rather unproductive, but I changed all that today.  I managed to finish piecing backings for the two halves of my last Beginner's Quilt Along quilt.  I have them basted and rolled until I can quilt them.

Do I go overboard piecing my quilt backs???  Sometimes I wonder.....

After getting that task out of the way,  I worked on some scrappy goodness that will one day be a quilt. There are actually two pieces.  I am not sure if they will go in the same quilt or two different ones. 

This was going to be a back, but I couldn't do it. I like it too much as a top!

More top or use it as backing? The decisions we have to make!

Meanwhile, next to the sewing machine are more scraps waiting to become yet more scrappy quilting goodness.
Are you putting your scraps to good use?

Embroidery for Quilting? (and an Angel Update)

Every now and then I like to try something new.  For my birthday I got a book that is about using your embroidery machine to quilt.  So I finally got around to making a sample quilt sandwich and giving it a try .  I used two designs on the disc that was included with the book.  One of them I liked well enough that I may use it again.  The other had so many tie offs that it is HORRIBLE for quilting. I don't mind minor knots on the back of my quilts. But I do like that back to be pretty too. This one looks like a train wreck on the back! (sorry I didn't take pictures of the back)
I also had some designs I had bought from an online store, Embroidery Library. They are single-run designs for quilting. I did three of those also.  They only tie off at the beginning and end of the design so the knots are almost unnoticeable.
Here are some pictures of the front:

These two are from the book.  the top one looks great on the front..but the back is horrible.
As I was watching it stitch out, I saw how the embroidery path could be improved to eliminate many of the tie offs that caused the back to be so bad - and I am not a digitizer! But I suppose the fact that I have used well digitized designs and watched them stitch has helped inform me.




The bottom one is okay front and back, I could see using it again.  There is an oops in it, but that was my error.

The three to the left are from Embroidery Library where I have gotten a number of embroidery files.  They stitched out beautifully and the backs are acceptable too.

I don't think I will ever quilt anything more than a tablerunner or small project with any of these files, but I did learn a few things.

One of the things I learned is how to "nudge" the design into place so it stitches out where you want it. (see the two on the left side of this picture?  They are lined up together pretty well, I think.)

I will try a few more of the files from the book another day, I think a couple of them could be useful.
I have added this to Quilty Embellishment Day for October




Angel Project update:
We are progressing well.  If everyone who said they will send a quilt, does send a quilt, we will make our goal.  I had the pleasure of speaking to the director of the Ogden House this past weekend.  She was thrilled that we are doing this again.  We both talked about how quilts are part of our lives and how they comfort and warm not just the body but the soul.  (I wish you could have been there - but then you would have seen tears on my cheeks.)  Needless to say, I felt all warm inside after our talk.

We also have another prize that has been offered to participants.  Norma from Petite Design Co. has kindly offered a prize of a $15 gift certificate to her Etsy store.  She has some wonderful items in her store, fabric, embroidery designs, applique templates and patterns. But the thing that I really love and think would be a great idea to make a family heirloom are her digital portrait  silhouettes.  Since they are delivered by email, there is no shipping.  A single person silhouette is just $15 (and could be paid for with the  gift certificate!) Once you get them you can print out as many as you like. She has suggestions in the description in the store listings.  I love these and they they would be great to make presents for grandparents or say great-uncles like me!
 Of course I am not eligible to win - but I do get to go on the delivery of the quilts and that is more than enough of a prize for me.

Just a little sewing

Today I did just a little sewing.  I had committed to making some items for the Remember September event. This is to send presents to our deployed troops.  In case you aren't familiar with it, look back at my blog post HERE.

Today I made two iPad covers that are a really simple design.  I tried using ponytail elastics as fasteners and I found it pretty easy and convenient.  Now I wish I had bought the large package of elastics.
So, without further ado, here are my newest contributions to the cause:

I couldn't resist that star fabric when I saw it today.  I knew it was perfect for this.  I already had the brown fabric (leftover from a quilt along quilt!)  The accent on the brown is only on the front. That fabric is also the lining for each of the covers as I had a nice big piece of it.  While it doesn't show well in the picture, the buttons on the Star version have stars on them. And the buttons on the brown one are leather like buttons similar to what would be on a men's corduroy blazer.  I am much happier with these two than I am with the first one.  Still, I will be sending all three.

At the end of the month, I will be doing a review on Jennifer Chiaverini's new book, The Giving Quilt.  In it, the participants at the QuiltsGiving retreat are asked "Why do you give?"   I think it is a great question that requires some honest reflection.  I haven't come up with my answer yet.  But I pose the question to you "Why do you give?"
I know that at least part of my reason is selfish.  Giving makes me feel good. Does giving make you feel good?
I would love to hear your answers to the questions.  If you don't want them to be posted here publicly, just leave any comment and I will email you.  Then you can email me back with the answer.  I may tell the reasons given, but I won't put a name with them.
It seems that with the arrival of autumn, I am more contemplative. I hope you don't mind indulging me.