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This is the back of a charity quilt for guild. I've had the top done for ages and am using this to get warmed up for other projects.

But, did I use my normal care in pin basting it. NOOOOOOOO. Since it was raining and the deck was wet (I usually pin baste on the deck), I decided to try to pin baste it on berber style carpet. First mistake.

Then the batting was slightly too small, so I tried to pull it out to the edges. Second mistake.

Then I figured I could handle any problems during the quilting. Third mistake.

Lesson learned (again): You pay dearly for shortcuts. I'll go rip now.

Here is the class sample I promised. This is the one I'll be teaching on September 16. The beauty of placemats (or any small quilted object for that matter) is that you get quick results and can try out a few techniques along the way.
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We will also be examining other ways to make placemats, like these...
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Now, I'm off to my next project. This one will hopefully be a large art quilt. Hmm...we shall see.

Out here in the woods, we get our mail by rural carrier. Jan is our Mail Lady. She drives a gold Jeep and somehow manages to make her daily rounds no matter what. The roads around here can get pretty dicey in the winter, but somehow she manages to make it. Anyway, Jan is leaving to join her family in San Diego, so I decided to make her this:

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This is a type of quilt I experimented with a few years ago and needed a reason to try again. It is painted with Dynaflow, set with an iron, machine quilted and beaded. The binding is fused. I started the drawing in the morning and began working with the paint. Before I knew it, it was 11AM. To me, losing track of time is a good indicator of a process that you might want to explore further. So, I'm going to do that. I have some other things that have been rolling around my head and keeping me from sleeping. One idea in particular that's been bugging me for a few years. So I'm thinking that I'll try this technique.

Tomorrow is our quilt guild picnic. Hosted by the gracious Mary at her home. We all converge upon her kitchen, bathroom, and backyard. We eat, gab, and show our latest work. One thing that we've done for years is the New Year's Resolution. This is where you write something you want to accomplish by the July Meeting on a slip of paper. At the picnic, you have to fess up as to whether you completed it. If you haven't, you have to turn over 1 yard of fabric to be placed in a drawing for the folks who completed their resolution. I am so remiss this year that I didn't even fill out the paper with the resolution. So, tomorrow, I shall bring a yard of fabric and my jug of lemonade to the picnic.

We did have a lovely vacation. And Lucky the cat got a "Good Cat" report from the kennel. They said he was the nicest cat there. He was either on his best behavior or the other cats were very evil.

More later. I need to make one more placemat before I post them.