Thursday, June 4, 2009

Easily sidetracked

I'm easily sidetracked.

Exhibit A:



My oldest was home from school yesterday. She is 9. She wanted to sew. And this is what she sewed up from nothing but scraps.



She never ceases to amaze me. I think I need to take a lesson from her on improvisational quilting. For real.

And look how cute the back is.

::be still my daughter lovin' beatin' heart::




Exhibit B:

I watched Amanda Jean make these little 9 patch squares for several weeks now. I swore I wasn't gonna join along. . . what with the quilt along I have going on here . . . and the fact that I still haven't sewn all of my cotton-pickin' strips together . . .

but . . .


well . . . I'm easily sidetracked.






Exhibit C:

Russ called. He is the long arm quilter that quilts all of my quilts. He said he had a couple of my quilts done.




Oh boy. This first one is the result of my first virtual quilting bee. Now, even though I have to finish sewing my quilt blocks up for my very own dag-nabbit quilt along, I so desperately want to bind it and throw it into the washer and dryer.




Check out that spiral quilting. It makes me weak in the knees to see all those spirals atop all the angles of the quilt blocks. My-oh-me-oh-my!





The backing is a spectacular vintage bed sheet. What a find that sucker was!




And last, but certainly not least, Razor's quilt is finished.




I gave it to him last week for our anniversary. He liked it well enough. He'd seen it before as I worked on it so it wasn't a big surprise or anything.

I asked him, "Do you like it?"

He said, "Yes."

I said, "Will you use it?"

He said, "Of course."

I said, "Is it the best gift you have ever received in your entire life?"

He said, "Yes."

I sat stone faced and dumbfounded.




I said, "Better than the children I gave you?"





He is so easy to tease.


-dana

60 comments:

Kd Brown said...

Wow, Dana--your Razor's quilt is gorgeous! What a wonderful anniversary gift. You are so blessed! :) --Kathleen

Amy said...

Your daughter's little project is cute! I really need to take some time to teach my daughters to sew, I am scared to let them use my machine though, and haven't been able to buy one for them yet. I just need to teach them, they all ask me to.

Both those quilts are amazing. And that sheet on the back? so cute!
Reminds me that I should work on putting together my bird quilt blocks. Oh and congrats on your 13th anniversary! That's awesome!

And who could resist the nine patches? Yours are cute! I'm behind on mine :) I am easily side tracked too :)

Okay, I'll stop typing now :)

Katy said...

Okay, I must say, love the quilts! And second, I'm totally with you there on the 9-patch quilt over at Crazy Mom Quilts...I've been trying to hold out (I haven't started), but I have a feeling I may not be able to hold out much longer. I just love looking at the flicker group at all the combinations! I have too many projects going as it is...but I may just get pulled that way soon.

bethany said...

okay your daughter is quit a quilter, she just threw that together with your scraps...I will say that I am very impressed. I have four children (7,5,2,5mon) and I too am very easily sidetracked!!

Heather | Cookie Mondays said...

How funny, my 7-year-old is home "sick" today, sewing away with my scraps!

Unknown said...

RUSS - Your quilting is amazing!! I love those spirals!

You easily sidetracked Dana!? I never would have thought! :)

Glad you have another quilter in the making!

Rachael Adele said...

Nicely done! I'm having so much fun with your quilt along that I jumped ahead-- check out the finished quilt top on my blog.

pigbook1 said...

I feel like you are married to the same guy I am.

~Michelle~ said...

Wowsa, your 9YO has talent! Let her keep going - I bet she comes up with something spectacular!

CJ said...

Look at what your Daughter can do!! I am IMPRESSED! Love that spiral quilting - WOW! Please show it again when it is bound and washed. I tease my hubby too - he is a good sport for taking it. Nice quilt for him. :D

dolores said...

That's fantastic that your daughter is interested sewing at 9! Keep it up...guess if you always have a fantastic stash of fabric you just can't help wanting to put them together. And I need to finish the several quilts I have going so I can hang them on my clothesline and take a fantastic picture of them like yours!:)

Shannon said...

Oh, your quilt along quilt is looking GORGEOUS!! That is my block, up close and personal, too. Gorgeous quilting!!!!

Amber said...

Oh yes - I am easily side-tracked too...although lately is has been with fabric acquisition, not sewing :-)
The quilts are just gorgeous - love the swirl quilting on the quilting bee one - wow!
And your daughter's sewing is beautiful!

Mom said...

Please tell our little sewer what a beautiful job Nana thinks she did. Totally awesome!

XXOO

Elissa said...

you crack my can. we would SO get on outside of blogland, wouldn't we? all of it is SO gorgeous and inspiring to me! and, yes, those swinly-gigs! i was thinking just the same as you! oh, i HOPE 10 years from now when i get to my quilts that i'll be able to have them done......

good stuff though, girl. thanks for sharing

Emily Cole said...

Wow - your daughter is awesome!!!

I love the spiral quilting... Is it expensive to have quilts quilted by someone else? I love love love the swirlies with the angles of the patches too.... lovely!

Andi said...

All amazing!!!
Love your daughter's work. She has quite an eye!!!
Andi :-)

Betsy said...

your daughter is quite talented!
It's in the DNA.
Love the quilting your quilter did and9-patch blocks are spectacular.

sarah said...

My quilt is almost together! It's so awesome to see these being finished. I may have to do a sheet for the backing instead of what I had planned, just to speed my process along! LOVELY!

amylouwhosews said...

Did you hear that thud? It was my jaw dropping to the floor.

seriously?

love her block.

love your 9 patches.

LOVE the quilts.

'nuf said!

Bloggy Mama said...

Incredible quilts, gals... totally incredible!!

King Family said...

Your daughter impresses me as well as you do. You'd think if a little girl could, I should be able to. Tell her what an awesome job.

Heather said...

I like all the spiral quilting. That is beautiful...both of them are.

And your daughter's sewing is awesome. You/she should put it into a quilt.

Megan of Fabric Love said...

I love your quilts, they're gorgeous, but what I really enjoy about your blog is your sense of humor. Thank you for sharing it with us. :)

Francy said...

You daughter has a good eye. I would let her make me an original quilt any day.

Your quilts are gorgeous also.

Proves the little apple did not fall far from the tree!

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

How lucky to have a daughter interested in your art! Love the quilts! Yes, you are a tease.

Cassie said...

Love Razor's quilt! And...I think I'll sit my 9 year old down in front of MY machine!!

Anonymous said...

Whoa!Your daughter's work is awesome. Your quilts are gorgeous and I just love the spirals.

Anonymous said...

Wow your daughter must take after her Mom huh?? I am totally diggin those spirals, mmmmm. Love them!

Rafael's Mum said...

well done to your daughter ! lovely blocks ! and love the quilts too. what a lovely vintage find too. great combination, front, back and spirals ! love it !

Salem Stitcher said...

The spiral quilting is gorgeous! It would make me swoon too.

And...

"Better than the children I gave you?"

I almost spit hot tea on my keyboard.

Trisha said...

Those all look like good distrations to me!

Infanta said...

Your daughter is amazing. Is she participating in your quilt along? I like her scrap piece.

Sandi Linn Andersen said...

I love the little quilt made by your daughter. I like it that you are easily distracted. So am I. So are a lot of us quilters. :-) It's part of the fun of the whole thing. You are right, the spirals are amazing on that quilt. Your Razor answered all the questions pretty well.

Anonymous said...

Oh, you will soooooooooo love the 9 patch quilt. I became so obsessed with it that I have one more set of white borders to sew on before my top is completed. Then I'm going to hurry and play catch up with your quilt! So little time and so much wonderful quilting.

Your finished quilts look beautiful! I love the swirls.

Julianna

Farscapegirl said...

I love the block your daughter made - the color blending and layout are wonderful. I am also very jealous of your finished quilts... love the spiral swirl quilting on the colorful one!!!

Kim said...

I don;t know if you resond to comments, but I hope you do. I am wanting very BADLY to join your quilt-a-long. I also...VERY BADLY want to win the Janome 6600P. More than anything, I want that thing!!! My issue right now is I cannot find anyone in my area who sells the flights of fancy fabric. Where do I go from here??? Also...to get the extra entries, do all the fabrics have to be the flights of fancy fabirc??? I want to make the quilt for my hubby, and I have a few fabrics in mind I want to use...but I want those extra entires! Anyway...hope you can respond back...I am very behind in the quilt along, obviously!!!
Thanks so much. madi_bell@hotmail.com

tara said...

The swirls are heavenly.
I am very easily distracted. Especially if I have something I should be working on (hello quilt along stips).

Artfulife said...

Dana the quilts are so wonderful. Razor's quilt is amazing, but the other one...be still my beating heart. Good things to be sidetracked with.

bonnie said...

first, i just loved your comment to your husband "better than the children i gave you" as you sat there stone faced and dumbfounded (I am still laughing) what a great comment. your daughters piece is great. i just love to see kids do this.. and your quilting is great i really like your spiral quilt. the colors and blocks look fantastic.

Mrs. Gray's Class said...

Those spirals make me a little week in the knees, too! I got my first glimpse of a Janome 6600 yesterday . . . be still my heart!

Shorty said...

I love the spiral quilting and the nine patch blocks! I'm actually using nine patch blocks for my design in a quilting bee I'm also part of right now. So much quilting... Love it!

Dianne said...

Wow...I'm impressed with her wonderful work! Great job. And your quilts look fantastic with that spiral quilting!

Erin @ Why Not Sew? Quilts said...

your daughter did a wonderful job! you must be so happy she sews too! i love your nine patches. i wanted to join in on that one too, but didn't. your quilts are beautiful. your quilter does a great job too!

brown robin said...

Thank you for admitting to being easily sidetracked. That's me. I am waaaay off the track at present. I have about 50 projects going on and haven't even cutting the strips for your quilt along. I did, however, go over to my friend Liz's (ollikate.blogspot) to give her some support and advice on her first quilt. It looks spectacular and you have been such a good teacher for her! She is well on her way to becoming an addict of quilting... but, then, there are worse things.

brown robin said...

Ooo... I forgot to mention how much I love that quilt with the spirals. Just beautiful! Lucky dog, you... finding that bedsheet. It's perfect. Sweet little gift for your honey too.

Terri said...

Oh, I am the queen of being easily sidetracked. Sad, really. :( Glad I am not alone in that!

Anonymous said...

Hi Dana, I love your quilts! I only wish I had stumbled upon this blog a cupple weeks ago so I could sew along with you. Next time you do a sew along count me in! It looks like so much fun! I just started up my blog and I don't really know what I'm doing yet, I would love any advice from you.

quiltnut said...

Great!
This quilt will be fun. Can't find the fabric at 2 stores here but will continue looking.
My son will come tomorrow to help with Flickr. Sad how your kids know more than you do. I am ahead of him in quilting though!

Anonymous said...

Hi again, I was hoping you could tell me how to put a button to your blog on mine. I know how to put a link, but I want the picture not just the name! Thanks for any help!

heather said...

Men! They are so hard to please, darn it! My husband would probably react the same way. I love your blog; I've been a long time reader, but just now commenting. I am starting my first quilting class this week and I aspire to become good, (like you!), someday! Thanks for the inspiration!

Little Dickens Designs said...

I think I love your daughter! She is VERY talented!!!

Christy said...

I love the circular quilting. I wish I could do that on my machine!

Anonymous said...

Amazing quilts, amazing mama, amazing daughter! Thank you for sharing with all of us.

Sooz said...

love love love that your daughter is quilting like her momma! And these vintage sheets----so beautiful (this one and the one on last year's giveaway.) Swooning over the SWIRLS (my fav!) on that quilt....and last but not least...seriously -- how cool is your husband's name?

Claudia said...

Dear Dana,
I love your quilts - those spirals are wonderful and the vintage bed sheet for backing - fabulous! I wanted to thank you for the Quilt Along. I am a quilter, but have been overwhelmed with work and other things that have distracted me. I have been away from my husband and dogs for 5 months on a job out in California. Luckily, I have a friend who loaned me her Featherweight and I am thrilled to have a project again! You have inspired me - perfect timing. So thank you, thank you. This is fun and I love being part of the Flickr group!

Kelly O. said...

your daughter must get her talent from somewhere, eh?! Gorgeous! Is she doing the next quilt along?
I showed my 4 year old what your 9 year old could do and she is pumped to learn.

Amanda Jean said...

being sidetracked never looked better!!!

Laura said...

Oh my my my!!! I love that pastel colored quilt with the circular quilting. Really, wow! Can't wait to head that direction myself. I might have to start thinking pastels. Love the square piecing the most. Incredible. Good work. Get side tracked more often!

threesidesofcrazy said...

You do beautiful quilts.