ALL DONE

EXCEPT for the labels!  Most quilts I give as gifts are labelled just before the quilting process is nearing completion, but, this time around I believed I had no time if I wanted these ready to take along with me.  I was not certain I could get all of the items I wanted to piece, quilt and bind ready so decided leaving the labels until the end would be all right, after all, I would be doing the bindings and could do the labels then.
I believe I was right this time to wait, now I know everything is finished and I still have time to do small quilt labels with meaningful quotes and information.  The final two quilts being the larger of all are done, these are not bed quilts but fair sized lap quilts which I am pleased with.  

My Best Friends Quilt

Close Up of Quilting Motif

Back of Friends Quilt with Canadian Flag

Cousins Quilt

Close up of Back and Quilting

Last picture of back which also shows binding and border

I am happy with how these eventually turned out.  Possibly these aren't what you may have chosen to do, but, I did what all quilters do, I chose the patterns and the end results.  My one wish is that I hadn't wasted so much time and frustration on my attempt to make an entwined border on the Double Irish Chain.  I confess, the resulting plain borders look much nicer and make the center of the quilt noticeable, whereas when I pinned on the entwined border (the three sides that actually fit) made it look too busy and I regret I didn't take a picture of that scenario so I could make my point about it being too busy.
19 sleeps left my excitement is mounting!
I believe my expectations were a bit too ambitious for the amount of time I actually had from deciding which date I would leave for my trip and the actual departure date.  Fact is I did it and I am well chuffed with myself, even though these wouldn't win any prizes in any juried quilt shows.
If your out and about another place away from where you live this summer and the coming fall, be on the lookout for lots of local quilt shows.  I see there is a quilt show taking place over three days in Hershey, Pennsylvania this weekend and from the web-site the details of the many events happening around that show are plentiful and filled with many wonderful quilt classes and lectures.  I am hoping someone will upload lots and lots of pictures of this event because I am betting there are some wonderful quilts being displayed.  I remember going to one in the early 90's and it was spectacular!  Those were the days when digital camera's were financially out of my reach and so my little camera was all I had, unfortunately I cannot find the snapshots I took then to share with you, but I do recall ooing and awwing over them all and being so very new to quilting I was awestruck.
Now, something new and exciting has been happening at one of my favorite Quilt Blogs, you will find out all about it over at Madame Samm's web site,  which is where your going to find WANTTOBEQUILTER Campaign and from all I have read this is going to be so exciting.  Why not hop on over and read all about it at "Sew We Quilt@ Stash Manicure" from the sound of it there is tons of fun to be had and a long list of sponsors for this fun filled campaign beginning August 1st.  Not long now and all of the events will begin and you too can get in on all of it from the beginning. 
Thanks for stopping by this morning, I hope your not bored by the many pictures of my quilts over this past month, but, blogging is sharing whatever is going on in your life and I am no exception to this.  Don't forget to leave a comment, even if it is just to say Hello.  I would love to hear from you, what it is you do, and the types of projects your currently working on.

Scraps Glorious Scraps With The List of Winners in Golden Quilters Awards

Scraps, scraps and oh my goodness I found more scraps, I have too many scraps, not organized that is.  Look at this mess!
I found them everywhere.  Like dust bunnies, they multiply!  I haven't paid enough attention to them in a long while, now they require some serious attention.  Giving it some real thought it is going to be a lot of fun to revisit some of the projects these scraps were instrumental in being a part of in the first place just finding them.  Now I need more of those zip lock bags, a dark permanent marker, my rotary cutter, ruler, and some time.  

Scraps from the closet

Yesterday, April 1st the Winners of the Golden Quilters Awards were announced by the Host of these Awards Sewcalgal. 

CONGRATULATIONS to all Winners and to all of the Nominees, it was a prestigious line up this year.
Winners of the 2011 Golden Quilter Awards.

Best DesignerAnne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs
Best Teacher/Instructor Bonnie Hunter, Quiltville 
Best AuthorEleanor Burns, of Quilt In A Day                                                        
Best Quilt Store (Physical) Mary Jo's in Gastonia NC
Best Quilt Store (online)Fat Quarter Shop
Best Long Arm QuilterJudi Madsen - Green Fairy Quilts
Most Innovative product (physical item)AccuQuilt Go! Fabric Cutter
Most Innovated product (software item)EQ7, by The Electric Quilt Company
Most influential person in the world of quilting to-date, aka "Lifetime Achievement"Eleanor Burns, Quilt in a Day
Best Quilt RetreatTwo Wacky Woman (Southern California)

DON'T forget there are still the Sponsor Give-Away Prizes to be won, and you have until April 9th to enter, so go visit Sewcalgal for a list of the Awards sponsors and their Giveaways, winners for these delicious prizes will be drawn and announced on April 10th, 2011.  How exciting!  I confess,I have entered to be sure, I would be happy to win any one of these beautiful prizes.

Have a glorious weekend and take some time to see and read up on all of those prizes The Award Sponsors are giving away, I promise you you will be impressed and want to be a winner of one one of them.  I am hoping you will leave me a comment introduce yourself as to where in this wonderful world you live, work and play, and what type of quilting you enjoy.  It would be an adventure for myself and readers to visit your home town on the web, and I promise to post a reply.