Mug Rugs, Keeping Calm and Eye-Spyed Blocks

Hi There!

How's the weather in your area?  

Here, we "were" to get yesterday - it was overcast - and today, Saturday and Sunday..... rain.

Remember - yesterday was overcast

and it was supposed to be rain, right?  

This morning, I get up and its a GORGEOUS sunny day, out there. So, I go and check the forecast and now, it's sun, all across the board till Thursday of next week, I believe!

  *shakes her head*

Anyhow... Let's chat about quilting!

A week or so ago, my cousin Doreen asked that I make her friend 12 coasters or "Mug Rugs".

Her friend is rather conservative - you know, the kind of man that only likes "dark" colors?  *grin*

Here's the fabric that I choose which I had picked up in Florida. Its part of a coffee bean themed fabric.

Here's the first 4.  Got this FREE tutorial 

from my friend at Cyn's Quilted Travels.

I finished all 12 and delivered them to Doreen.  She, in turn, gifted them to her friend who liked them so much, he commissioned me to make 12 more, of a different fabric combo.  He wanted 12 spare ones.  :-)

Have any of you seen the latest posters, 

generated from the "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters?

As per Wikipedia, these posters were 

created and produced at the beginning of World War II.

I saw THIS variation and immediately knew that I wanted to make this for our Longarm Studio!

Cut out the letters and the crown and ironed them onto some Heat 'n Bond.  Mind you, some of the "holes" or jewels on the crown were too small to iron on and then, machine applique.  

So, I decided to hand embroider some of it.

(Crown still needs some more "jewels")

 Wallhanging is now hanging in our Longarm Studio and quilty friends will be greeted by this cheerful quilt.

Here's a close-up of Gilbert's incredible Hearts 'n Loops, done freehand!

This past winter, I participated in a Christmas Eye-Spy Block Swap.  Time to pull these blocks out of their hiding spot and figure out how to put 'em together.

When it comes to "designing" a quilt,  I prefer the old fashioned method of grid paper, pencil, eraser, markers, scissors.... You know what I mean.  :-)

 I wanted this lap quilt to look complicated yet, be easy to put together.

 

Got the bottom 3 rows put together!

I've got some strippy red, green and white fabric that I will probably use for 1 of the borders.  But I'm not quite ready to sew up the borders.  Still have 3 more rows to sew up.

 

Here's a close-up of 2 of the blocks. 

Cute, eh?

Well, I'm off to a funeral, today.  

My ex father-in-law who was also a good friend, over the years.

He was also my oldest son, Adam's grandfather.

And yes, Adam came down from Halifax, to be here.

Hope you all have an incredible weekend!

Rosa