Roseville Album Progress and a Little Exciting News!

I just wanted to pop in and share a progress picture of Barbara's Roseville Album quilt.  I've actually advanced the quilt and made a dent into the next border below this but it doesn't look very impressive anymore so I thought I'd share this one!!  :)  I still have to turn and do the side borders but most of the stitch in the ditch is finished so - I won't say that it will go quickly, but it will go quick-er.  :)

I'm hoping to have a "finished" post ready for next week!!  Cross your fingers for me that all goes smoothly - boy oh boy I've had just a million things make this quilt take longer than it should have!!  Including another motor brush change.  Wheew!

My exciting news to share...is that the next project that just arrived to my little in home studio a few days ago is top secret!  I will not be able to share any photographs - but what I can share is that it is planned to be included in a book written by my friend Lara from Buzzin Bumble!  I don't want to give away too much but I can tell you that it is going to be amazing - you better go visit her blog (and follow her too!) so you can keep up with all of her quilty happenings.

School starts next week and hopefully I'll be able to find some time to update on my diet/health kick progress!  I'm still hanging in there - though I've slacked off a little and gained a couple of "pizza pounds" back.  But I'm a work in progress right?

Happy Quilting!

- Valerie :)

Almost a Table Runner

Hahaha I got all excited, removed the markings, took pictures...only to realize I missed a spot by the feathers!!  So I'm almost done with this.  It needs blocking as it's all wonky and distorted on one side...and it needs a binding.

I had a few hiccups but it didn't turn out too bad.  I should have made the basket/vase smaller and committed to it being either a basket OR a vase!!!  Hahaha...there wasn't enough room for a flowing feather from the top so it's a bit stunted looking.  Hahahaha...BUT...a good learning experience...and unless you go over it with a fine tooth comb anybody who isn't an obsessive quilter probably won't notice.

I used Superior's So Fine! in the top and bottom in a taupe color...I'm going to order some bottom line for next time as it just got too thready on the back for my taste.

I also won't use this much batting again.  I used two layers - but I didn't cut it away like you would with machine trapunto.  It's one layer of warm and white and directly under the quilting is a layer of high loft poly. It was so fat and dense under the foot that I got a lot of thread breakage, wrinkles, and skipped stitches even with a fresh needle.

My Mother loaned me her thread stand so I could use my new cones of thread.  It worked out well except for winding bobbins.  OH long arm come soon!!  I cannot wait!!  It will be nice to have another method to wind bobbins as I don't like the sidewinder much and winding on my machine is a real pain in the pattoot.