Better sewing days....

Sunday and Monday were much better sewing (and ripping) days for me.
I started ripping out my pinwheel fmq and it's going along.  It strains my eyes - so I do an hour or 2 at night in front of t.v.  That's the only time I sit that still anyway.

I finished a baby blanket, and a receiving blanket.  They both turned out well.  So far, this is what I have:
This is just a piece of striped fabric that is a companion fabric to the Noahs Ark Precious Moments fabric I'm making the main quilt out of.  Jenn wanted a Precious Moments clip art applique on it.  After buying my new Epson printer from Target for $25.00 last week (a special deal they had), I can now print fabric on my printer.  

 
This is another blanket I made (both the above blanket and the one below are backed with flannel.  This one I quilted using FMQ and it came out pretty well. 

Hearts of course! 

Then there is just the flannel receiving blanket - its large, but that's ok - I think you get more use out of it the larger it is - the longer it lasts.

I still haven't attempted to learn how to thread or use the serger, so I just hemmed this and sewed it with a blind hem stitch. 

Now, I have 2 panels left to work with.  One, the main Noah's Ark panel, is the one I'm having a really difficult time deciding how I want to quilt the back to the front.  Jenn wants it to be backed in fleece - I don't know - I think that limits the use of the blanket for all year round.  I may use a very light weight batting, and just cotton for the backing.  Then, the quilting dilemma that I have with it - how do I quilt a panel with a picture on it?  Its too hard to follow the outline of the shapes on the panel.  Maybe, I'll just tie it.

I have another panel that I won't have a problem quilting I don't think.  I'm not as worried about that one, and I think I"ll use the fleece on that one.  Trying to go with my gut here on the right thing to do for the fabric and for the outcome I'm looking for - longevity and usefulness of the 2 main blankets.  The others are all just "extras."

I also got my mystery quilt started - I did the cutting on Saturday - the not so good karma day.  Yesterday I sewed month 1 of the instructions.  I'm hoping that today, and if not today, then tomorrow, I'll get month 2 done, because in another week, I'll have the month 3 instructions!  Yikes.  So I do want to get it done.  It's all those little 2 inch squares that are scaring me!  I don't like tiny - too easy to mess up.

Well, it's really dark out and I am pretty sure it is going to start raining any time now.  I am going to a movie with a friend today to see "Eat, Pray, Love" with Julia Roberts.  We are also going to the fabric store (yay!) so I will be finding the cotton or flannel I want for this other panel - and for the light weight batting....and any other good deals that I happen to find.  My friend isn't a sewer, but she is interested in felting and wants to find the wool felt to make a panel on.  Hopefully she'll find what she wants.

Also hoping to find time to go to Hancocks - only because I need more Best Press.  If they don't have any more of the unscented, I'll just use regular spray starch I guess.

Off for now, but I'll be back!