Fabulous From A Distance

We've been meeting at my friend, Carol P's house for our Crazy Quilt meetings.  She always decorates her home beautifully for the holidays and it's inspired me to up my game a bit.  I've had the same decorations for years and most of it was cheap and childish.  So, this year, I've decided to rethink my fall decor.  First on my agenda was a new pillow.  This is from Kathy Schmitz.  Love her!  The acorn sash is supposed to say something sappy like "in all things be Thankful" but that's not my style, so I made an adjustment.  I like monogramming things and Mantzing things.  I call it Mantzgiving, Mantzmas, Mantzter... you get the idea. 

I was able to finish all of the Beloved Baltimore blocks (for my particular project) and put them together.  My final block was the bottom right.  I used French silk ribbon to make rushed flowers.  I'm waiting on a possible second border in the mail but I have the final border already.

The last time I saw my mother-in-law, she asked me to fix a baby quilt that was made by Rich's Grandma Betty.  How could I say no?  Rich thought she hung the moon...  I'm sure Betty had no clue that her Great Grand Daughter-In-law would someday try to restore this quilt.  She used the absolute smallest stitch setting I've ever seen in my life.  Those seams were going to outlive us all.  I had to cut out the embroidery and then used some modern cotton gingham to replace the original poly.  The embroidery blocks were poly as well but she used a cotton thread.  So, the thread and the fabric shrunk at different rates.  This was a MUCH loved and washed quilt.  After some very nervous trimming, pressing and sizing, I ended up with a smaller version of the original.  It's a really sweet little quilt.  Now I want to do one like it for my future grand babies. 

I found this swirl in my pile of unfinished projects.  I'd taken the class last year some time thinking it was divine intervention for me to find a new artistic style.  It was not.  However, I did finish the class project.  I did a terrible job, but I finished it.  Believe me when I tell you that this photographed much better than it's  reality.  This is now quilted and bound and hanging in my studio, looking fabulous from a distance...