One would think that with the mercury in the 90's in Seattle one would not be inside working on quilts!  But one would be wrong!  It's too hot to be outside!  Since I have two fans in my workroom blowing straight in my face, I'm happy to be inside on sunny days sewing away!  I finally finished my sister's birthday quilt - I think she is going to love it, especially since she "introduced orange" into her home.

This is a lap-size quilt -just big enough to cover my sister when she's sitting in her recliner reading the ads in the Sunday paper.  She inherited the ad-reading gene from my dad, I did not.  I can't recall a time when I've been to my sisters' home and not found the Sunday paper strewn all around her chair...perhaps that's a new way to decorate?

The circles are raw-edged, machine-appliqued with a small, tight zig-zag stitch.  Even after many washings they should hold up just fine.  I have to admit, I do love this quilt - it's happy - dang happy!

My sister flies into town this week for a visit - I already have our daily tours mapped out, including a new BBQ joint and two bakeries - I do have my priorities!

I'll give her the quilt when she arrives - it's only a month past her birthday so hopefully she'll think it was worth waiting for!

One more quilt to show you - this one is for my niece Gabby.  Gabby asked me to make the crib bedding for her new baby girl's nursery - she bought the floral fabric and sent it to me and I went to work.  I made the crib dust ruffle with matching sheets and a bumper pad - for the TOP of the crib!  That's right, bumper pads are now considered a danger to infants so they can't be in the crib...now they are on the top of the rails to keep the little one from biting the rail - what a crazy world we live in!  Gabby will send me pics of everything and then I can show you - it all turned out really cute!  This is the crib quilt for the little princess.

I had to try the quilt out around the house - just to make sure it would work in a nursery setting!   Our new pup, Pinky, seems to love it!

If Gabby decides not to use the quilt in the crib, she can always hang it on the wall - it's a little large for my pretend clothesline but I think you get idea - it would be cute on the wall!  The little dresser on the left in this picture will also be going to Gabby's house.  The dresser was given to me about 18 years ago - it used to be brown.  I painted it white, and added the Beatrix Potter scene on the front...it's a sweet little thing!  Gabby needs it and she will get some good use out of it so I'm not sad to see it go. 

The scalloped edge was easy enough to do - but sewing the binding on was a bit tricky!  Probably don't have any more scalloped-edged quilts in my future!    This is an hour glass block pattern which makes a disappearing pinwheel - the quilt is backed with a very soft flannel...the little princess will be snuggly and warm when the winds start to howl outside her windows in Rock Springs, Wyoming! 

Time to get this in the mail - hope you're staying cool wherever you are!