a quilty start . . .

This morning I have a mission . . . sandwich the baby quilt and get it QUILTED! I did find that this is a more difficult task than I'd bargained for in the RV. I wanted to use the adhesive spray to secure all the layers, but there's no good, flat surface really to do this on! What I'd really like to do is take the mattress off the bed and spread it out on the wooden box frame it sits on! Not very practical from a "where do I put the mattress" point of view, but other than the logistics, it would work great! I'm going to have to work something out with a local quilt shop; maybe in the future, they'll let me borrow a back room or something for a bit!

For today, don't shudder, I just laid it on my bed (on top of the sheets and all) and just ... sprayed. LOL! Well, I did use a large mat to keep the over spray off the sheets! :) Hey, a quilter had to do, what a quilter has to do, right?? (It's okay, Todd . . . our sheets are safe!)

Well, it's successfully sandwiched together and smoothed and ready for quilting. Which is my next problem. I'm not sure how to quilt it now. I had a plan . . . at first I was going to quilt an "S" in the striped squares and tie an orange ribbon bow in the center of the polka-dot squares. Then, at the quilting retreat, the ladies suggested that I use free-motion quilting and quilt all over the top that way. I practiced and thought I was ready, but I'm not. At all. I'm afraid I'll mess up this top; it's too important a quilt for this to be my first attempt at free-motion quilting on a real quilt!

So . . . for now it sits. Friday looms larger and larger!

Ah well and fiddle-dee-dee; I've got Monday off, too! I may back up and punt (i.e., go back to plan 1)!

For now, I need a diversion. Last night, Todd & I took James & Kim out to dinner at the Macaroni Grill for Kim's birthday. I stopped at Hobby Lobby first to pick up a birthday something for her . . . and picked up the latest issue of Quilter's World while I was there. So this morning, I'm having an early brunch of leftover lasagna and focaccia bread and thumbing through . . .

Where I find this cute (and seemingly simple) project . . .

for a tote-tally darling spring tote, and this one . . .

for strip-pieced place mats! Sorry about the picture orientation; sometimes blogspot just doesn't get the upload right!

Anyway, both of these projects look like fun and so much simpler than the quilting task that lies in wait for me! Focus, Denise, focus! But really, couldn't you see that tote with fire engines or planes or guitars in the large patterned part, with primary colored stripes going up the side? Wouldn't that be great for a grandson?!? LOL! I said FOCUS!

This afternoon I'm off to work at our booth (New Market Iron Work's) at the home show. Four hours of non-stop fun.

I'd rather be quilting!

:)