Quilting on My Mind

Lately I've had quilting on my mind. Maybe because for the last week, I've been working on this:

This is my version of "Sheep in Dreamland" from the book, Wonderfully Whimsical Quilts by Carol Burniston. I blogged about this project before- in October of 2007! (It's been a UFO for over a year!!!) So it's time to wrap this baby up.

The sheep blocks are fused applique blocks alternated with the pieced pinwheel blocks. Here's what the sheep look like with their googly eyes sewn on:

I think they're cute. I am in the process of hand blanket stitching the sheep. I've got 11 blocks completed and I need to get 7 more done and then I can get to the fun part which is sewing them all together to make the quilt top.

In the background, you can see my first quilt ever.

It's a Double Irish Chain that I made back in 1990 while my husband was off in the Gulf War. The whole quilt uses only four fabrics, three prints for the top, and a solid black cotton for the backing and binding. I used the strip piecing method and it was super fast and easy.

The colors have faded over the years. This quilt has been washed and dried many times and spent a lot of time at the end of my bed or draped over a chair in the living room.

You can just barely see the paisley print in the black background fabric. Angie, recognize that green fabric?

I love lying under this quilt to read or watch TV. I've already had to mend the edge where the fabric had begun to split where the binding is sewn on. I hope it holds up for a long time yet.

Stay tuned for an update on the sheep quilt and on Winter Garden. I'n still plugging away on that project also. If only there were more hours in the day...