Evolution of a Quilt

I've been seeing Jelly Roll Race quilts for a while now, but never tried one. Then I saw a tutorial on Missouri Star where Jenny Doan told about one made with batiks and black blocks between each strip. 

Of course you know I wanted to try it with red blocks instead of black. So I did.  Here's how it looked. All right, but nothing to get too excited about, right?

So I added a couple of borders. Better. But still not there yet.

Then I had the idea of adding that big Dresden plate I made a while back. Oh, yeah!

When I moved that plate to the top left, a scripture came floating up to my mind, Malachi 4:2, especially the first part of the verse.

So I put it on the label and now I know where it is supposed to go.

The colors are so vibrant, these pictures really do not do them justice.

But I am so pleased with the final outcome. Isn't it fun to watch the journey to a completed quilt? I know I had a lot of fun with this one. The couple to whom it will be going have had some struggles, but I believe this will be a reminder to them of how very much our God cares.

I hope you've made that discovery, too! I would not like to be in this troubled would without Jesus!

Have a great weekend!

Hugs and kisses and lots of love,

Absent Without Excuse

Well, let's see, what have I been doing all this time I've been absent? One Saturday we spent the afternoon with our son and his beautiful wife on their boat on Lake Houston, and then had a very nice dinner at a restaurant on the water. Nice outing and really good company.

There has been a trip to Culver's. Well, actually two. And yes those are all three dogs in the back seat. There may have been chicken tenders ordered for them.

There has been some sewing.

LOTS of cutting,

and MORE sewing.

And even a finish! This one was sort of an experiment. I was curious how it would look to combine the more elegant fabrics from designers like Kaffe Fassett, Phillip Jacobs and Martha Negley with men's shirting fabrics. I think it worked out rather well!

The backing is some more of this wonderful Connecting Threads flannel, and the binding is a Jinny Beyer print. Altogether a most pleasing to me experience!

Here's a look at it in all its crinkly delighfulness in the early morning sunlight. (For some reason spell check is telling me delightfulness is not a word. Nonsense. If it isn't, it certainly should be a word!)

On my design wall are nine patches and rail fence blocks in the 2 1/2 inch size. There are also a couple of complete quilt tops that I need to get quilted. I will try  to do better about staying up to date.

I hope you have been finding lots of things to keep you busy and happy. Here in the United States, Fall is approaching. It cannot arrive soon enough! I've had enough of Summer, thank you very much. It's time for some cooler weather. I'm thankful there is usually a change in circumstances, just when we think we can't stand it one more minute! We awoke yesterday to temperatures in the upper fifties! Heaven!

Hugs and kisses,