The Finale...

The Scallop Peel Quilt is finally completely done and in use! I was able to finish getting it quilted the day after this months Friday Night Sew-In. The next day was a beautiful one, so we went on a picnic after church and took some pictures of the quilt.

Looks nice draped over the bridge, but I wanted to get a few more :)

So we took these...

I really like that guy in the sunglasses ;)

 The back...

And a beautiful picture of the family...

So the class has been done for months...and now my quilt is finally done! It's a great size large lap size...small twin bed size.

Quilt Stats:

Name – Scallop Peel Quilt

Size – 52 x 70

Material – Keepsake Calicos from JoAnne Fabrics

Quilted - by me :)

It's been washed a couple times already and is so comfy feeling already!

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, 

an holy nation, a peculiar people; 

that ye should shew forth the praises of him 

who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light:

1 Peter 2:9

If you are a Christian - a believer saved by the grace of God through His Son Jesus Christ's death on the cross and  His Resurrection - you are the child of God. And as such, God has set His children apart to be special...a light to the world to show His holiness. Although we will not be perfect till we get to Heaven, we should strive to be an accurate example of Christ in this sin-filled world we live in. Are you doing your best to represent Christ to others?

Amanda

FNSI Recap...

So, last night was Friday Night Sew-In...and I was able to participate :)

I was able to get started just after 6 pm... I was going to start sooner in the afternoon, but it was such a beautiful day that the girls and I went for a walk instead!

I was planning to start quilting on my Scallop Peel Quilt and had hopes of getting it done... however, I remembered I had some garment repair projects that needed done for some relatives, so I proceeded to get those done first!

I also added a small improvement in my sewing area... I hung up a thread rack that has been in the storage area for years. Still not sure why it took me so long to get it out :)

So during the first couple of hours, I did that and the garment repairs...then took a break to help get the girls ready for bed [or in Amber case, put her back to bed...she took her nap very late :) I really thought she'd just sleep all night the first time I put her to bed... ]

I was back to sewing around 9:45 and did some quilting around the Orange Peel section of the quilt.

I didn't get much farther than that, but I hope to finish up this quilt today!

How was your Friday evening?

O praise the LORD, all ye nations:

praise Him, asll ye people.

For His merciful kindness is great toward us:

and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever.

Praise ye the LORD.

Psalm 117

Amanda

Window Boxes...

On Monday I was able to complete a small lap quilt for a neighbor lady that headed to the hospital this week for surgery and a week long stay.

I had to do this one in a hurry, mostly cause I had Mother's day presents to complete as well :)

So, when I decided to make this quilt to brighten what could be a dreary hospital stay, I needed something in my stash, something fast, and something cheery!

Well, I had some 6.5"x6.5" material pre-cut and waiting...for years...to be sewn into a rag quilt. This was a much more worthy project and turned out so cute.

I made a quick design and named it Window Boxes...

With the bigger boxes being pre-cut, this really did go together quickly!

I did have to buy the sashing...got that at the local Amish/Mennonite (not sure which one they are...) store that sells bulk food, fabric/sewing goods, and has a great selection of deli meat and cheese.

I should have looked at some backing when I got the sashing, however, I didn't... so I used a yard piece that was meant for another quilt... but the yellow with daisies just looked so RIGHT! Added a little piecing and  a label to the last quarter of the back and had a quick back ready to go!

Also, just did a quick quilting - straight lines about a 1/4 of an inch in on the sashing... goes with the Window Box thing :) The quilting was really nice on the white with a slightly shiny Bright white thread by Sulky. I think I'm going to use the same white thread in the white sections of my Orange Peel Scallop Quilt...which I hope to quilt tonight during FNSI - still time to sign-up if you want to join the fun!

I finished up with a yellow binding.

It turned out so nice...and I think I have enough pre-cuts to make another one :) !!!!!!!!

Quilt turned out to be about 36" x 60" - a small lap size. Great for really highlighting a fabric pattern.

Adding this one to the weekend linky parties...check 'em out!

Verily, verily, I say unto you, 

He that believeth on me,

 the works that I do shall he do also; 

and greater works than these shall he do; 

because I go unto my Father.

John 14:12

On Tuesday night we went to a Revival service and this was the text. It was a great message to Christians about the GREAT works that can be done through us if we are willing to be used by God. The concept shared was that we can do GREATER works than Jesus was able to do while He was here on earth. God has used willing men of God to bring multitudes to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as our Saviour. These great revivals began in Acts with Peter and many more have since followed, some beginning with the earnest prayer of faithful ladies.........are you willing to be used? perhaps YOU could be the start of the next great revival!

Amanda

Mother's Day Review...

It's been more than a week since my last post...what a slacker, right? Well, I could give you my list of excuses, but I don't think that you'd really care to hear about them...instead you'd rather see what I was working on!

I've been busy with Mother's day things...
I used the Retro Kitchen tutorial along with the material I won from Cherry at Cheery Blossoms Quilting Studio to make Mother day presents. I shrunk the templates and made trivets.

They are about 8 x 12 inches and have a removable rice pack so the covers can be washed if needed.

I think the (more) green-blue one turned out to be my favorite :)

The backs have an over lapping back pouch where I used my sewing machine lettering to add a label to them...

Liz had a Birthday party to go to on Saturday, so we made her friend a pillow...

and a necklace. Liz did the beading...she really liked that!

At the party, we went for a walk... it was a beautiful spring day!

At church on Sunday morning the Mother's were treated well and got some gifts...

and I received these beautiful pansies from my in-laws.

Now, so that I don't kill the flowers, Chad and Liz are taking care of them......I do better with Cactus/Desert plants, they survive without being watered regularly!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's day!

Commit thy works unto the Lord,

and thy thoughts shall be established.

Proverbs 16:3

Amanda

The Sewing Machine Review...

I've been busy...just not taken the time yet to write up posts.

But today I'll give you a quick review...
-- a sewing machine review...
letting you know what I think of my now 2 month old Singer Quantum Stylist 9960.

I quilted Liz's quilt...which is a generous lap/small single bed quilt...and it went very well.
It doesn't have a huge throat space, but I noticed a difference between it and my old machine....it's bigger to me :)

The selection of stitches is amazing and fun to play with... I used some on bibs made not long after I got the machine.

I still have tension issues...but I'm thinking that its the user :) I need to learn the best settings per stitch -- like when using elastic thread in the bobbin and silky material...use 18!

I'm still loving the thread cutter...so much less thread waste!
It does better with thick sections.
Love the stitch-in-the-ditch foot that came with the quilting package I got with the machine! [PS...this is on sale for even less than I got it for :)]
The bias tape binding foot is pretty neat too!

Over all I like the machine...a good machine at a good value!

A more expensive machine may still be better, but when money still hasn't begun to grow on trees...we all have to make the money we do have count :)

It is the LORD:

let Him do what seemeth Him good.

1 Samuel 3:18b

Amanda

A Win...

On Wednesday, I opened an email that said I was the winner of  the kit for the Fork-n-Spoon Tutorial...

My first thought was "won what, is this real?" ...but I'm blaming my temporary lapse of coherence to the cold I was fighting, which was making me quite fatigue earlier this week... A second read through the email and had an "Oh yeah, that giveaway...Cool!" moment and got exited :)

Then today...

A beautiful package came in the mail for me! The giveaway win from Cherry over at Cherry Blossoms Quilting Studio... Thank you, Cherry!!!!

It was packaged so nice and a sweet card to go with it!

I'm oohing and awing over the contents... an adorable charm pack of Chrysalis, a yard of beautiful cream fabric (I think it might be linen) and a matching 1/4 yard of the orange Chrysalis fabric. 

Again, BEAUTIFUL! :)

Jesus answered and said unto him,

Because I said unto thee,

I saw thee under the fig tree, 

believest thou?

thou shalt see greater things than these.

John 1:50

I read this in my Bible reading on Thursday and this made me think about faith. Just a small amount of 'beginning' faith in Jesus can produce great things. If we have faith, even just a little, God can work through us and show us many more wonders. I believe that this also will help to grow our faith...and then in turn shows us even greater thing that God can do.

Faith as a mustard seed...

Amanda

Mini Friendship Quilts...

Liz and I are reading through an American Girl book, Happy Birthday, Kirsten (which is difficult on me...my sister's name is Kristen...so that's what I want to say) and they were starting to make a Friendship Quilt. I decided Liz and I would make a tiny quilt for in her lap-book that goes with the story...however, this turned into an even bigger project :)

6 - 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 Mini 9-Patch Friendship Quilts for the girls in our Glow Kids class at church (and Liz)...

We'll still have to make a tiny quilt for in the lap-book :)
But these have been my working project since Saturday morning...Friday night the sleepiness overtook me!

Oh and here is our late April snow that came on Monday and melted on Tuesday...

It has been a while since I gave a WIP Update...
so here goes!

Liz's Sashed Postage Stamp Quilt is finally complete (see here for the complete post) and she has been happily sleeping under it since it's been finished.

I have fabric and a plan for a new quilt that I hope to start cutting out later today. Here are the fabrics (except one I couldn't find online)...

I also am at the beginning stages of picking out a pattern and colors for another quilt that I'll need to start soon! Let the fun continue...

Now for a Little Catch-up Review...
New Projects: 2

[Two quilts...one cutting later today and one to decide on a pattern ]

Completed Projects: 3 

[Liz's Sashed Postage Stamp Quilt, Mini Friendship Quilts, 2 Bible Bags]

Continuing Projects: 4

[Log Cabin Block Chairs Quilt (on hold), Scallop Quilt (just needs quilted and bound), the Table Topper, and 'the lost' Quiet book]

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

 with so great a cloud of witnesses, 

let us lay aside every weight, 

and the sin which doth so easily beset us,

 and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

Hebrews 12:1

There is a lot in this verse that could be explained or expounded upon... which is obvious when I heard two different message preached from this passage this weekend! Both were good messages btw! :)

However, today I just want to share mostly about the running of the race set before us. I especially need to remember that God has a perfect race map for me and that I need to be continually looking to Him for the directions for reading the map correctly. Although for now things seem on a steady path, I know at anytime there could be a curve ahead that He knows about and how to make it the best way through the curve...

As we see curves approach, some may be exciting to see a good blessing ahead...however, some curves bring along not-so-pleasant situation...in them all God is willing to guide and wants us to lean to Him to see us through. I am so glad that He knows the path and I don't have to worry about it!

Look to Jesus for strength!

Amanda