PORCH CHATTER: 2014 GRADUATION

This has been an exciting year for our family.  Our grandson, Preston, graduated from high school and he is heading to Auburn University in the fall to study Veterinary Medicine.

A few pictures I want to share for the family and friends.

This guy has brought so much joy to all of us.  He is always so giving and appreciative of his gifts and opportunities.

 

 

Talking on the phone with his special girl, Leah Byerly,  and thanking her for slipping over and hanging this banner on his special day.

Of course, there had to be a "big box".  My family members know that a box that size usually has a quilt in it.

Today's box was no exception.  It did, indeed, have a quilt in it.  This is the back of our college quilt.

That smile just lets me know he loves his other gift, too.  A check!!!

 

The college quilt still needs a binding and then it will be ready to go to college with our special guy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

There will be a complete post about this quilt once I have the binding on it.  In the meantime, it will be getting its finishing touches of a label, binding and its first washing in the next week.

Congratulations, Preston Alan Smith!!!  We love you and are so proud of the success of your life journey to date.  We know there are big things still ahead for you. 

We are sending you off to college with all the love and support we have for you!!!!

Mom and Dad,  Heather and Byron Smith

and Papa and Gram, John and Sandi Suggs

                                            

 

-sandi

a.k.a.  -  gram

 

MARCH MADNESS

March has been a really crazy month and I am happy to be saying goodbye and welcoming April.

I certainly did not get all on my list completed, but I have made some progress. 

I will keep trying to get it done!!

This week I will be working on my Easy Street components.  This was a Bonnie Hunter Mystery last year, I think.

 

I finished all of the blocks for my version of an "Auburn Quilt" for my grandson to take to college this fall.

I am taking them to Retreat to assemble the top.

 

Nothing else is finished.  I am still adding sleeves to the quilts for the exhibit that my guild is doing during AQS Quiltweek in Chattanooga in September 10-13.

 

I did go to A Mountain Quiltfest in Pigeon Forge this month. 

Had a fun chat with Bonnie Hunter!!

 

Please enter April!!  You will be most welcomed this year!

 

-sandi

 

WEEKLY UPDATE

Even though I set up a tentative list for completion this month, I seem to easily get off track. 

One of the projects I have done this week is a play quilt for a friend of mine who is going to be a first-time grandmother.  I like to make these little play mats that Grandmother can keep at her house for her precious bundle to lie on and eventually play on or be read to.

The Pineapple Workshop was a lot of fun. I had hoped to get back to it before the month ended, but that did not happen.  I will add it to next month's project list.

Pineapple Blocks Workshop used a ruler by Jean Ann Wright that makes it fast and easy.

I have seven blocks completed and I think I need a total of 16 to do a small wall hanging.  Of course, I want to do one for my daughter, too!! 

This will be a great leader/ender project as I work on other things that have deadlines.

 

Another project not on this month's list is the quilt I am making for my grandson.  I did add another round of the Courthouse Steps strips.  I have been using this project as a leader/ender for other projects.  This is now at a place to make it the primary project.

 

 

 

I also started a project that will be unveiled much later in the summer.  Here is a sneak peek at one of the blocks.

 

 

 

My Cascade Scarf is growing. .

 

I am working on three other projects that have deadlines for a special event and I cannot show them just yet!

 

LilBit is having a little slurp treat!!!

 

-sandi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THIS WEEK'S UPDATE

I decided to share with you some of what I have been working on this week.  I have three projects going using solids.

I think solids can be challenging because there is not fabric pattern design to hide any flaws in quilting and piecing.

One of the things I am finding that I like about the "modern aesthetic" is how straight line quilting and spiral quilting play such an important role in the quilt design.

Nowadays I start thinking about how I will quilt a piece as soon as I start making the components --  and, sometimes, before I even cut out the first strips, etc.

This first piece I will show you is a quilt I am making for my grandson.  I don't know if I will be able to quilt this one on my domestic machine or not.  More about that in a later post.

The second one I am working on is a Gee's Bend style quilt.  I am fairly certain I will quilt this one with straight line quilting and change thread color for each color section.

This last piece is my Modern BOM.  I am a little behind.  This is the last block.  I have started sketches of the quilting.  I plan to do a QAYG technique.

 

Maybe I will get a finish of one of these before too long. 

 

-sandi

SEPTEMBER SEW DAY

My quilty buddies came over today and we had a wonderful sew day.  We have started a project from Julie Herman's book  Skip the Borders. 

I finished a few blocks and put them on the design wall to see what I think about it.

I believe I like it!

Doesn't look like much here, does it??

Well, I will keep you posted on my progress.


                                               -sandi