Remember this?

 A while back...in fact way back in February, I posted about my Happy Camper Too quilt. You can read about it here.  I had finally finished piecing the top but wasn't sure what to do for the backing.  

I search the internet for a backing that would be camping related yet go with the main camping fabric, Happy Camper from Clothworks,  
(this fabric was no longer available.)  

I decided on the Happy Camper fabric from Moda in blue however when it came, I wasn't quite sure if I liked it.  So it became a MUF (masterpiece under fermentation) a while longer.  

It wasn't until after the wedding and related sewing were finished that I was able to pull out this quilt to finally finish it.  

I decided to go ahead and use the backing fabric I purchased.  I did not piece the back because the front and back fabric were so different.  I started quilting it earlier in the week but was determined to finish the quilting and binding for FNSI.  Here it is... 

almost all finished

I still need to hand stitch the binding and then add a label...but I'm pretty happy.  It will be ready for our camping trip over Labor Day weekend!

For those interested...the quilting is stitched in the ditch as to frame around each of the campers. In the yellow border, I free motioned quilted the names of places we have camped and the outer border is quilted in a diagonal pattern. I bound the quilt in the blue bandana print. 

This week I took a little break from quilting the above mentioned to make this little tote.  

With the help of the students at school, I collected quite a few of these juice bags.  Thought it would be a fun idea for a beach tote.  

Cute don't you think? 

Can't say too much more as it is a gift for someone special.  I think I'll make some more!

What I've Been Up To

Well, I really can't show everything yet but I can show some.  

I have been keeping up with the Block-A-Palooza quilt along...2 blocks a week! Blocks 11 & 12 were released this week.  You can see more at on flickr.

I made my pincushion for my swap partner, Kelly, but no peeks.  It will be in the mail to her next week...maybe a surprise or 2...not saying.  Hope she likes it.  Pictures soon!

I also made this pincushion.  

I had to chuckle when I saw it here and just had to try one for myself.  Here is my version.

I also received a very nice package in the mail from Jane.  I won her Domestic Diva charm pack giveaway! I am a lucky girl.  Thanks Jane!

I was asked to show some close up pictures of my Happy Camper quilt.  There are 12 different campers fussy cut and centered in each block. 

The fabric is Happy Camper from Clothworks.  

Here are a few of my favorites.

The pop-up...

vintage...

VW van...

We have had quite a bit of rain and grey days...today was back to snow...Argh! I'm so ready for Spring and some sun!  How about you?

Revisited

You may recall that last summer I finished a quilt called Happy Camper for a very special friend of ours.  

I was planning to make 2 quilts...one for Ken and one for us 

[our families love to camp together.]  

After starting both quilts and almost finishing both flimsies, I didn't like them so out came the seam ripper and I took them all apart.  I recut, added color, and changed the design and finished the one for Ken.  

You can see it here.  

The Happy Camper quilt for us never got redone.  

A UFO MFU [Masterpiece Under Fermentation] it became.  

I recently had the notion to get it out and start sewing.  Yep! it fermented just enough. 

I now have a finished flimsy.  

Don't have plans for the backing quite yet but it feel good to have it this far!

Yesterday, I got a little present from a friend of mine.  She isn't a quilter but she knows I am!  I like it :D

Each page of the year has another quilt block and directions on how to make it.  FUN!

This morning block 9 for Block-A-Palooza went live.  Here is my finished block called Lemonade Stand. You can check out other blocks on the flickr page.

Last Wednesday night, I went to my LQS for a demo [more about that another day] and I learned about this notion.  Yay! It protects your iron from sticky residue when ironing adhesives. Beats cleaning sticky stuff from your iron! I used it for a small applique project and it worked great.  It is made from a 

no-melt plastic.  Have you ever used this?

Tonight is knitting club.  Taking a special friend...I'll tell you about her another time!

Reflections of 2010!

I can hardly believe that last year at this time

I was not a blogger!

I didn't have any idea that a wonderful community of quilters and other creative and talented crafters existed out in cyber land.

Then in early January, we watched the movie Julie & Julia. 

Her idea of blogging her progress as she cooked through Julia Child's cookbook prompted me to start my blog to document my progress on the Mariner's Compass quilt that I started for my husband. 

I quickly discovered the vast pool of talent from all over the world.  The first blog that I came upon was Kviltstina over in Sweden.  I was amazed at Stina's talent and how she incorporated stitchery into her quilts.  I joined her Valentine 2010 block giveaway and started stitching!  

I hopped through several of the blogs on Stina's blog list discovering so many more talented quilters.  

I started following and reading blogs and I was inspired! 

In March, I joined my first Friday Night Sew-In over at Handmade by Heidi and Crafty Vegas Mom.  Heidi and Bobbi co-sponsor this monthly sew-in and I have joined them every month.  I finished many projects by dedicating this night to sewing.  

I kept reading and discovering new blogs. 

  I followed a quilt along over at As Sweet As Cinnamon and another at Charming Chatter.  I joined a swap over at quilting gallery.  I joined the Charming Girl's Quilt Club and sew much more!

So here is a college of most of the quilts I made over this first year of blogging.  

There are so many other projects that I have finished over this year including totes, mini bags, wristlets, pincushions, needlecases, and toys.  I have knit baby blankets, an assortment of headbands, chemo caps, and coffee cozies.  I even tried some crochet.  

Many of the projects were found through the blogging community.

So a BIG THANKS to the blogging quilt community. I have been awed and inspired.

There are sew many more, I couldn't mention everyone by name.  Hope you understand.

Here's to a prosperous New Year!

  

Happy Camper and news!

Last night we had our dear friends, Ken and Ruth, over for dinner.  I was so excited to have them because Ken is the secret recipient of my Happy Camper quilt!  Ken is a wonderful person, always giving, thoughtful and kind.  We have so much fun with him and his family.  We celebrate together, we share our heritage, we spend holidays together and we camp together!  It is more like family than friends!  WE LOVE THEM SO MUCH!
It is not his birthday. [That's in October, way too long to wait.] Father's Day had just passed.  No special reason.  I wanted needed to give it to him...Just Because!  Ken had no idea.  He even asked Ruth why we were having them over for dinner.  [Usually we are going over to their house. They are always hosting! They are very good at it.  Me, not so much!]
BUT our evening started with another surprise!  [We were going to tell them sometime during the evening...we got permission from our daughter, Kirsten.]  As we were sitting down with a glass of wine and appetizers, my phone rang and it was our daughter!  She wanted to tell them herself.  I put her on speaker phone and she announces that she has exciting news! Then she says...I'm ENGAGED!  Of coarse, they were extremely excited for her and Mike!  They got engaged on the 4th of July under the fireworks in Rapid City, SD.  As she puts it...fireworks in her heart!  Pictures soon as we are heading to SD on Saturday!  Makes me even more excited to see her [if that's possible]!
So...back to our dinner.  We had maple glazed pork tenderloins cooked on the grill, roasted vegetables and seasoned and grilled potatoes.  It was a tasty summer dinner! Dessert was a refreshing Norwegian cheesecake that's as smooth and cool as ice cream.  We moved into the living room for more coffee, comfort and conversation.  I presented Ken with a package and my few words to him...Just Because!

Yes, the quilt looks upside down...but not to him.  He was looking at all the details!

Here are some more pictures of the quilt!

Aren't the little camper so cute?

In the border I quilted the names of 18 different places that they have camped.  Some with us!

Hope you enjoyed it!