Design Wall Monday

Ever since I saw Joan's, of Keeping you in Stitches,  batik "kitchen sink" quilt I wanted to make it. Lori is right, we are having a baby boom in my community. So, I picked up these modern type, colors in the nursery section of Joann's, in the two by two jungle theme. This pattern is so cute and goes together pretty quick. I have enough to make two. Both are going to be for boys, so I think these will work. The patterns are busy and the contrast isn't the most "contrast-y" being lighter colors. I used my stash for the background, yeh!

I also put in some pics of my leaders and enders. Joan suggested making mini half square triangle blocks with the cutting waste and I have a good pile going , and the other pic is my ongoing 2" four patch to be pile from really scrappy leftovers from 8 years of scraps. I have another box 

somewhere of 2" patches. They really grow.

This is my eldest son in a shirt, tie and new suit pants, getting ready for a job interview. He really didn't want his picture taken, but complied.

Stash Report WE June 27

Used this Week: 3 yards

Used year to Date: 84 yards

Added this Week: 4.5 yards

Added Year to Date: 14.5 yards

Net Used for 2010: 69.5 yards

I finished a baby quilt top, pics on June 22 post.  I bought some baby fabric. including a cute blue minky  for a another baby quilt for a shower on July 3. I will add the backing and binding used when I finish the quilts.   This week I also machine quilted two quilts.

Bunny Baby Quilt with Feathered Wreaths

This quilt has simple feather wreaths in the open blocks and a Crosshatch grid in the bunny print blocks. I digitized a "feathered Flower" type border to match the size of the feathers in the blocks. This quilt was pieced by my Aunt Dee Dee and is for my cousin's newly adopted about four year old daughter from China who she is going to bring home this fall.

Baby Quilt Finished

I finished the baby quilt top with Moda "Candy Kisses" fabric by Sandy Gervais. The rail fence blocks were finished about 5" and the border about 2.5 ". The total size is about 46" square.

I quilted this next quilt for my aunt.   It is pretty pinks and greens and white tone on tones with a cute bunny and tulip print. She pieced the backing with leftovers of 8 inch squares making it a nice two sided quilt. It is much brighter in person and a darling cottage quilt. The pattern I used is "feathered Curls" by Timeless quilting designs. Timeless Quilting Designs

Design Wall Monday

I plan on finishing this baby size quilt top today! I have three more rows and a the big hearts print border to do.

Bookkeeping Week

After four years of flying by the seat of my pants with my bookkeeping for my quilting biz, I went back through this week to come up with the actual total amounts invested less any profits, to know how much I really have put into the business, and get myself back on quickbooks with a nice neat balance sheet.

With my mom's care and pre-mental-pause syndrome, and general lazy tendencies,  I have been getting my income and expenses for the income tax return, and had my depreciation, but no balance sheet with the all of $ draws and items I had purchased but didn't include in my tax return. Now, I am caught up with the dreaded paper/computer work. Phew.

Well, my dear mom and dad have been gone for 2 years now, so I can't keep using my mom as an excuse, although, I think she would happily accept responsibility, the fun loving gal that she was. 

The bottom line I found is that if I sold my machine I would break even with a little profit, at this point, after four years as  a part time business. So, on the bright side, from here I can keep in the positive and try new things as a business, or just do personal and charity quilts.   

Chores:

 We planted a nice new ground cover on our slope over the past three weeks. It is called 

 dymondia-margaretae or "silver carpet"

Picture of slope with "silver carpet"


It is supposed to take 6 months to fill in completely from the little  3 inch plantings.
Here is our first plantings. Now 3/4 of the slope is done. DH and two "happy" helpers

 It is supposed to keep the weeds down and it is a nice low lying dense, drought tolerant plant. I hope it takes. We are being very diligent with our weeding and watering so far ( the last 14 years, not so good).

Now, I can get back to piecing and quilting! Happy days!

Stash Report WE June 13

Used this Week: 14 yards

Used year to Date: 81 yards

Added this Week: 0 yards

Added Year to Date: 10 yards

Net Used for 2010: 71 yards

Sunflower Quilt:

I finished a ufo from a few years ago this week. The Pattern is "The Spin" from the book New Cuts for New Quilts by Karla Alexander. It was supposed to be a wedding gift for a young friend who loves browns and yellow and is kind of earthy. The couple got set of towels instead.  

I have started a simple rail fence quilt with some pink fabrics for a baby quilt, which is a nice quick change from this last quilt.

My oldest son graduated from UCSD this weekend with a degree in Bio chemistry, and now he is going to start applying for jobs hopefully related to his studies. We have two more sons presently in college and working this summer doing house and commercial building painting and a job at the aquarium at Legoland. We're glad they could find jobs.