Life Keeps Moving On

Since our house was full of relatives during the time before Smokey's surgery, I decided to work on a small, simple project that I had wanted to do for a while--something that wouldn't require a lot of concentration. This table runner was the result. I worked on it in snatches of 45-60 minutes and finished it in 4 or 5 days--quilting and all. So, one of my friends will receive it for a birthday gift. And it's even ready ahead of time--what a concept.

The other project I've been working on is this patriotic wall hanging from a Blackbird Designs book. I originally started working on it with a friend in North Carolina but I had wanted to get mine done by the 4th of July, so I've plowed on forward. The size is 42" x 82". I have a little more buttonhole stitching to do and then it'll be ready to pin for quilting. You'll have to click to enlarge so you can see it, but there's some red work embroidery in the center of the bottom. I didn't quite realize just how complex this piece was until I started on it, but it's been fun. Most of the fabrics are homespuns or light weight flannels.

This has not been a good time for me to be considering original, art quilting so it's been nice to have something to focus on that keeps moving forward without angst (although it did take several days to come up with the outside border without having to go buy even more fabric!).