10 x 4 Apples Up on Top

I've finished another quilt for the hope chest.   This time it is a quilt for my first great grandchild.  It may be awhile - my grandkids aren't even in their teens yet. 

I decided to call the quilt 10 x 4 Apples Up on Top and put one of my kid's old books (probably about 40 years old, read a lot and falling apart) with it in the hope chest. 

The quilt is made of 30s reproduction fabrics. Some of the blocks are from a couple of different swaps - one of apples and the other of 9 patches. 

I hand quilted it with #8 red perle cotton. 

54 x 66

This is the first quilt from my 2015 30s Bin Bust Challenge. 

This was one of my goals (#6)  for First Quarter Finish Along. 

At the end of the month I'll link up to Julie's Binding Blitz

Also linking up to:

Can I Get A Whoop, Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Finish it Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts

WIPs Be Gone at A Quilting Reader's Garden

Slow Sunday Stitching - Partly By Oil Lamp

I put the final big stitches on my Apple/9 Patch quilt very early this morning and was heading downstairs to the sewing machine to cut and sew on the binding...

...when the power went out because of the snow storm. It doesn't look like much but so far I think we have 9 inches of heavy, wet snow.  It's so heavy that we have a couple of small tress down in back. I heard a crack. looked out of  the back window and saw one drop.  I'm hoping none of the fruit trees down in the orchard are damaged. 

I had nothing else but the Apple Quilt binding lined up for hand stitching so while the power was out I lit the oil lamp and worked on a shawl I'm making for one of my granddaughters for Christmas. I took a good look at it (of course after I added a few new rows) and I don't think my gauge is right because it will be a short shawl even for a little girl if I continue on.  I guess there's a reason you're supposed to check gauge. So, I'll be undoing all my work and look to see if I have a larger hook or I'll use a different pattern. I have two books of shawls. 

Power is back on now.  It's still snowing and starting to blow. Neighbor has been over with his tractor to clear out our driveway (he won't take money but he likes the homemade bread we give him in return) so I'll probably be able to make it to work tomorrow, and I'm on my way to sew on my binding. 

Slow Sunday Stitching? 

Join us at Kathy's Quilts. 

Apple of My Eye

Big stitching with red perle #8 on the Apple of My Eye quilt in 30s reproduction fabrics. 

A lot of the 6 inch blocks came from two different swaps. 

Slow stitching today?

Join us at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday. 

Up Next in the Hand Quilting Queue

Very soon I hope to start big stitch quilting on Apple of My Eye.  I've got it all pin basted. (Oh, my aching back).

54 x 66

These blocks are from two separate swaps of 6 inch blocks - Apples in 30s reproductions, nine patches in 30s.  The apples were to be apple colors - red, green, yellow and I picked out nine patches in the same colors. I made the border in the same colors - three 1.5 inch strips. 

I will quilt it with red perle #8. 

I'm thinking it will be another hope chest item...a baby quilt for a great grandchild.  I've been told I probably won't have any more grandchildren so it's on to the great grandchildren, I guess.  Just planning for the future.  I may not always be sane and healthy. 

But before I can work on Apple of My Eye I have to finish Pickle Dish.  I posted the other day about it being almost finished and I've worked on it a little since then.   The binding is ready too.  Maybe I'll finish up the hand quilting later tonight or tomorrow after work or the next day after work. Maybe...

It's Slow Stitching Sunday and Kathy wanted us to post a photo of our stitching hand and so I have- complete with thimble and needle and Pickle Dish in the frame I use.  That might be my saggy boob over on the top left. 

Thirties Thursday - Apple of My Eye

Sheesh...just last week I boasted I was going to post every Thursday about my journey into the 30s reproduction fabric bin but I really didn't even start a journey and thought last night I wouldn't even have a thing to post. 

I did finish up 14 six inch 9 patches after I got home from work today...all I needed in order to put together...

...some 9 patches and apples...8 x 10 layout for Apple of My Eye. 

And a few days ago (Sunday?) I did make a 12 inch Ohio Star for my Birthday Stars collection.   I THINK I want 42 blocks and have 21 different 30s Stars on a blue background.  Some were from a birthday club swap. 

Tales from the 9 Patch Time Warp

Earlier in the year I swapped 6 inch 9 patches in civil war reproduction fabrics and in this color configuration. 

Just the other day after I finished up my churn dash quilt made of civil war reproductions I was trying to remember what I was going to do with these swapped nine patches. I knew I had something in mind. So, before I forget again I made 6  Sister's Choice blocks out of a few of the 9 patches. 

I think they look more interesting on point. 

Last year I swapped some 6 inch 9 patches in 30s reproduction fabrics. Half of the blocks had white corners so I pulled out the ones with dark corners and made a few more to add to the pile. I don't think I have enough yet...

I'm going to alternate them with some 6 inch Apple Blocks in 30s reproduction fabrics. I'm waiting for that swap of Apples to appear in my mailbox. 

And finally I made 60 - 6 inch 9 patches out of snowflake fabrics I've accumulated.  

I made 60 - 6 inch Snowball blocks out of snowmen fabrics last year intending to make a Snowball 9 Patch quilt for my daughter for Christmas last year.  I guess there's always this year.  I'm ready to assemble this top for a quilt 60 x 72. 

Linking up to Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River.  Warp speed ahead! 

Miscellany OR If I Had a Design Wall I Would Have a Lot of Stuff On It

I've made 4 more Flowering Snowball blocks for my Cherry Pie quilt that will maybe use up my stash of cherry fabrics???????????????

Flowering Snowball QAL at Molly Flanders Makerie

And, also on the fruity front...I made some sets of 6 inch apples of 30s reproduction fabrics for swapping with the 30sFabricQuilting Yahoo Group.  I made 5 apples of each fabric...one for me to keep and 4 for swapping. 

I MIGHT combine the apples from the swap with some 9 patches we swapped last year. 

30sFabricQuilting Yahoo Group also has a Birthday club. Everyone lists a block and choice of colors and in their birthday month they receive their desired block from each Birthday Club member.  The July birthday lady wanted a 12 inch mini bow tie block with WOW background and mixed colors. The September lady wanted the same thing and the December lady wanted the same block but all in pink fabrics on Kona Snow.  So, while I was cutting I got all 3 blocks made. 

The block this month at Block Lotto is Monochrome Spokes. I made 9 but two of them turned out a little wonky for some reason...(I think I cut the background fabric too small)...but that's okay...I'll probably put them to use in a charity quilt for kids. So, anyway...7 blocks for Block Lotto. 

Heartstrings Quilt Project is having a Red,White,Blue String Block challenge this month. I think the blocks sent in and made into quilts will go toward veterans entering hospice.  I only got 6 blocks this weekend and I want to make at least 48 - enough for an entire quilt.  These blocks were made from some strings I had left over from other QOV quilts.   

I just remembered I haven't declared a goal this month of A Lovely Year of Finishes so since I sewed these 99- 6 inch pink Thrifty Blocks together over the weekend I'm making my goal to at least get this top completed.  And if the entire quilt gets finished that's an extra bonus.  This has been a UFO for far too long. 

So, if I had a Design Wall now you know what would be on my Design Wall. 

Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.