Four months in the making...

It's done.  I finished my queen size, Stacking the Odds quilt.  I still need a bedskirt, a pair of lamps, and PILLOWS, but should we just celebrate for a second that something got done around here.  And might I add, just barely before the "end of summer" deadline.  School starts in exactly five days.  That's the end of summer!!

Here she is from a few different angles, and in various shades of light.  It took me two full days to quilt it, and three hours (from midnight to 3am!) to cut out and attach the binding.  For quilting, I just did straightish lines to outline the boxes in the columns.  Then I did series of straight lines on the borders.  I could have benefitted from a walking foot.  But was too darn cheap to add that expense onto this project.  Maybe the next time I try to quilt a queen size quilt with straightish lines I should have that tool all lined up and ready to go.  I don't know.  Is the walking foot as magical as the world says it is?  Or would I still end up with little puckers at my juncture points?!  

I love that it coordinates with the new dresser.  I should probably replace my red fabric in my hoops.  They matched my old quilt.   Mostly, I'm just so, so, so, so happy it's done.  IT'S DONE!

Oh yeah, what's on the back you ask?!  I couldn't bare to spend anymore hours on the project making the back all cute and pieced.  It's a solid piece of Moda grey.  I think the official name is "coal".  I sure love the baby blue outline all around that dark grey backing.  It's so perfectly lovely.

Hopefully these remain my favorite colors for many more years to come.  I don't think "queen size quilt" is finding it's way to the top of my "to-do" list anytime soon.  I am dreaming of dresses right now.  School is starting in five days!  I wish my ladies would be sporting new handmade outfits.  It might not happen in time for the first day of school, but maybe in time for the first full week of school?  Here's what's at the top of my list right now, CLICK.

Finally, I leave you with one final introduction.  A shout-out to one of my favorite MOM fans!  The day after I posted my mini-Maxi dress, we received a comment from favorite reader Summer saying she had already made her daughter Finley one of her very own.  There was a flurry of emails that went back and forth because it was hard to believe that someone had whipped one out less than 24 hours after the post.  But, that's Summer in a nutshell.  And to think she said I have inspired her...she is the new inspiration.  You can see her creations at her newly created creative blog, sevenpretty.com.  Should we all admire her adorable mini-Maxi dress, whipped out in record time:

Seriously cute!

And if you ever find yourself over at pinterest.com, Summer is busy pinning up a storm of sewing inspiration.  

Okay, one last long day at the beach with the kiddos to celebrate a summer well spent!  Then back to the sewing machine...  

Long Live Summer!