Two Finishes - woohoo

I have recently finished two long term projects - my Grandmother's Flower Garden and the Temperature quilt.  Thought I would share some pictures.

Before the quilt pictures, I must show another BIG finish.  My grandaughter graduated from High School!

close of EPP and hand quilting

Side borders

Border at top of quilt

Top corner

Quilt EPP Pieced, hand applique on border and hand quilted.  I think its my favorite quilt.

Temperature Quilt, quilted by Martee Patton.   She chose the pattern which I think is perfect - waves indicating highs and lows.

SCANFIL

 Recently I was approached about doing a couple small hand quilting samples by a Scanfil representative.   I enjoy doing things like this so was happy to try it out, especially since I am always on the lookout for new thread to try when hand quilting.  I think this thread has been around awhile, at least I did find it on a few sites when I did a google search, but it is definitely new to me.

 I received 100% Organic cotton fabric, bamboo batting and a very nice assortment of 30wt and 50wt Scanfil threads.  Instructions to do a pattern using the 30 wt thread and the 50 wt thread, just to compare how quilting looked different using the different threads.  I so enjoyed this project and do love the thread.  I also used the 50 wt thread in my sewing machine to sew on the binding as well as hand hemming the panel.  That also worked great.

Americana Sampler as of May 9

Being somewhat limited in what I am "allowed to do" under Doctor's orders while my elbow heals, I set aside hand quilting and hand work to do some machine sewing.  I am not sure it made that much difference, but he did say to ease off on the handwork.   I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend though working on the Americana Sampler, and actually made some good progress.  Yesterday the stitches came out and I am free now to drive and do handwork - but I see the doc again on Monday, and want to finish a hand quilting project before then just incase he puts me under restrictions again. :)

Here are the Americana Sampler blocks I completed Friday through today:

I had already completed the posy, but had to do the rail fence strip to finish it up.  I actually made 16 rail fence blocks, the other 14 will show up somewhere else on the quilt.

Had fun with this Bear Paw block.  I found this fabric in my patriotic stash and the squares were just the right side for me to feature different scenes from the fabric.   This morning though I noticed I had placed some of the HST's wrong and had to do some re-sewing :(   

Well this is all applique - guess I disobeyed doctor's orders in making this one, but I had to have it to complete the row I was working on.  I tried to keep my left arm still while I did it, and just held the fabric with the left hand and did all the applique with the right.

This is the quilt layout I have finished to date.  there will be one more side row and two bottom rows.  Shown are the blocks completed for the next row to be added.

This Grandmother's Fan block instructions kind of surprised me.  This is a Fons and Porter very old pattern and the instructions said to machine piece the fan and then applique it to a back ground square, and then applique the "handle".  I did it with curved paper piecing and not sure why Fons and Porter did it with applique

This is Jacob's Ladder - a fun block to make.