Some thing to wet your appetite and keep you wondering what applique and I are doing.
 

Here are some pictures to wet everyone's appetites. applique and I are working together on two quilts. She does the applique and I do the quilting. She is busy appliqueing and asked me to help her by piecing a 12 in. and 22 in. quilt. She send me the most beautiful batik fabric to make these mini quilts that are parts of the quilts we will be making. That is all I can say as a lot of it is a mystery to me too. But here you go, some pictures of what I am doing and of course pictures of the beautiful fabrics.

Looks Beautiful!!!!

Very nice colors in those stacks of hints!
Dabbler here is a hint for you on your red and white top and some choices for your backing...red, white on white, red and white or silver and white. Do you have a preference for the backing??[ATTACH=CONFIG]466118[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]466119[/ATTACH]

Oh pretty!!! My vote...silver gray backing or white with the red swirly whirls. ;)

Yea Anna looking good! Can't wait to see what you chose to do. In the mean time finished the guild raffle quilt top and bottom and off to the LA who is doing the quilting for the guild. Then played with my dudes. Posted them under pictures too. Applique is done so into the UFO pile for piecing as I go for the next applique calling my name! Looking for spring!

applique that is so cute, looks like lots of work, at least for me. It is going to be just adorable when finished.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]466315[/ATTACH]block #5 done--only 4 more to go before i start putting it together.

Roseirish I love those blocks. Shadow appliqué is stunning.

Hi all, have been away from sewing and board for 2 weeks. Had the grandsons this week and last week was Mardi Gras parades and fun. Now to get back to working on my quilt for the swap. Even though I can't show any picks it's looking pretty good. Working on it slow and steady. I've enjoyed looking at all the chatter and pics that all have posted.

Hi Melinda, weekly check in. I haven't started cutting or piecing but hope to this week. I have a project I am trying to get off my design wall so I can keep your all together when I start. Have a great week!!

YEA!!! Glad to see the chatter and the pictures. :) Been getting check-ins!! Keep them coming!

jaba I love the choices - I favor the red and white. Can't wait to see it when it's all finished.

I sewed a little this morning before work - I still have ten star blocks left to finish and then I can start putting my rows together. So far I'm liking how it looks.

Well my thread came in today, :( sadly the brick red is too brown and the porcelain was too yellow. Good news though is that Fil-Tec is going to be at the MQX show. I think I will just take a sample of the fabric with me and get my thread there. :) This is very special thread :) for a very special quilt, this piece just calls for all the extra specials!

I have most of the blocks cut out, about 1/2 of them pieced, still waiting on more extras, what I ordered was not what I wanted......sigh, kinda glad we have a long lead time here, since I cant seem to get everything working perfect like I want!

Good News II, I got my portals quilt off the frame today, took for bloody ever! But it is looking great. Wont put another big piece on until I get my swap piece loaded :) going to do some fancy custom quilting on it too.

So I am not the fastest with this piece, however this is the perfect piece (colors, design, etc) to show off some things I have been wanting to try out, so it is taking a little longer than usual for me. A Queens Romance will be a truly one of a kind beautiful piece :) cant wait to get it finished so I can show it off!

Hugs! Oh and last bit of good news, am getting better every day, going on week #3 without a cig. :) Guess I can officially say I am a non-smoker now. Whoohoo! HUGS!...

And just for teaser :) here is the backing I found, it is absolutely perfect, if I didnt know better I would swear it was from the same fabric line!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]466614[/ATTACH]

Great job on the cigs Carolyn. That is a challenge for sure and glad you are meeting it. You are going to feel so much better.
Have not worked on my partners yet, although she likes what I am doing.

Carolyn I had quit for almost 5 years, then things in my life was too difficult to handle, and well you know what happened. I want to do it again, but it's hard when you have a spouse that is non supportive. But I will be strong and make that commitment to me one day soon.
Got another 4 blocks done and liking the outcome. I did go out my box a little with this quilt, so it's going to be slow. I also steered away from the pattern, and this gets me more exited than sticking to one. Need to have this top done by April so I can start HQ it and have it ready for the finale.

I am so happy you are feeling better Carolyn,and not smoking!!!!!! I love the backing. I am gonna see if my sister can post a picture of your quilt,just a teaser.LOL I am coming along pretty fast. Just have to sandwhich it and then quilt it. So we will see!!

Ok ladies and gents...update on me...my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer a few weeks ago. In going through all of the routine tests before surgery, they found an irregularity in her EKG, which lead us to the cardiologist. She was diagnosed with Left Bundle Branch Block (LBBB). After a nuclear stress test and an echocardiogram, everything looks good for her to proceed with the surgery (lumpectomy) with minimal chance of anything happening to her heart during the surgery. So...with that being said, the lumpectomy surgery has been scheduled for the 21st. Afterwards, she will do radiation and should be in remission once all is complete. Through all of this, throw in a brother hospitalized and diagnosed with pancreatitis, my lil man getting ready for dental surgery on the 17th (my anniversary) and my grandmother going back into Home Health and getting oxygen so she doesn't stop breathing at night while she sleeps...I feel like I have been through the wringer.

As for my sewing...haven't uncovered my machine in weeks...haven't cut fabric in weeks...haven't been to a fabric store is weeks. The only fabric "fix" I'm getting is from going through my stash looking for pink, cream and a few greens to make a strip quilt for my mom. Thankfully a few lovely quilty friends have been sweet enough to mail me some, so that also feeds my "fix".

Quilty hugs and know that I'm here if you all need me. If I don't respond right away, know that I will soon. :)

Yosemitasa I'm very sorry to see that there's so much going on with your family. Prayers for all of them.
Rodney

Yosamitesa, you and your family will be in my prayers. If you need anything I can do, let me know. :)

just checking in... so glad to see all this yummy activity! Annaquilts, you are a TEASE!!!!

Ooooh but applique is egging me on. Hahahahaha

That is a lot for your family. Praying for healing and peace.

Thanks everyone. Once we got the last updates, I knew it was time to fill y'all in, so if I go MIA for a bit, you understand why! :)

Cindy we will all keep you and your family in our prayers. It is so hard to handle all that let alone a quilt swap also. I am so sorry that your going through this and pray that all goes well for everyone. My hopes is that it you will find the strength to be there for everyone which is tough because I know, all you want to do is sit back and cry too. Its a very hard road your facing ahead of you.

I am done with my top, ok four inches left and then done and will send it to the quilters on the 1st (pay day) and then it should be back and ready to go! yippee!

Hang in there Yosa, you will make it. God's strength to you.

If you have not sent me a status update (I have heard from 15 and still have 15 to hear from) I need to hear from you ASAP!!! This is a requirement for the swap. ***Please don't make me have to keep sending messages every month.***

By the 15th of each month, each person sends me a PM letting me know how far along they are with their quilt for their partner. I suggest that you put a reminder in your calendar with the following text in it, which is what I need to hear from you:

o 100% complete and ready to be shipped!
o 90%: need to finish quilting and binding, then she’s ready for lift-off!
o 75%: sandwiched and about to quilt
o 50%: nearing completion of the top; about to sandwich
o 25%: fabric cut and piecing in progress
o 5-10%: know the design; have most of the fabric; dragging my feet getting started, but I WILL complete and be ready to ship THIS QUILT BY August 1, 2014!

Ok ladies and gents...I need to throw another friendly reminder out there...Make sure you are communicating with your partner. Already starting to hear about partners not communicating. This is not a suggestion, this is a requirement for this swap. If you are not happy with your partner, you need to let me know NOW. DO NOT wait until June, July or August to tell me you have a problem. Go back to the inital post and read all of the requirements.

**Requirements**
* I am required to insist that participants send me a monthly PM or email to verify that they are still active in this swap and are working on their promised project. Also, participants must have weekly contact with their partner to verify that they are still active in this swap and are working on each other’s promised project.

These are the guidelines each of you agreed to when you signed up for the swap. Please follow through with your commitments.

I am half-way done with Brat's top...hope she will like it.

jaba...is that "scrolls" I'm seeing (the red & white)? If so I didn't know it comes in red *squeal*!!! I'm using scrolls in blue for my partner's quilt.

mumukate, it's called scrolls so I guess it is. Got it from Connecting Threads. It's beautiful fabric!

glad you are liking it. i have 4 more blocks to do before i put them all together. i am eagerly awaiting to see how it turns out as never done shadow applique before.

Still waiting to hear from 5 people. Please update me.

Have 2 swappers I NEED to hear from.

My wonderful partner checked us both in so here is what I am working on "in between". My GD has had a hard time with the divorce and seeks comfort in her blankie. Her parents aren't thrilled and it has caused her to cling even tighter. She loves penguins so I took an extra one, paired it up with some leftover cuddle fabric and a scrap of satin. This 15 inch block will be a mini 'quillo' which will fit in her pocket all folded up until she really needs it, then she can refold it and tuck it back into the pocket. If it works out, I may make more. We'll see.

What a wonderful idea! It sounds like a perfect compromise! How old is she if you don't mind me asking? My one daughter had a pillow she used to take everywhere. I fixed that thing so many times, and restuffed it a couple too! It made her happy and that is the important part! I don't understand why the parents are making such a big deal of it!! I would love to see a picture when you get it done!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!! Y'all enjoy the day. I'll be at the children's hospital with my lil man today. It's also my 7 year anniversary. ;)

Happy Anniversary Yosamitesa. Wishing everyone the luck of the Irish today!

luck of the Irish today involved my finding the snake that escaped from its cage back in November. We had given up on finding it--figured it had died from lack of heat and food. I figure it must have lived off spiders and found water in laundry sink and heat by lying on top of dryer. leastways that is where it was this morning when I went to do laundry--curled up under a couple of tops i decided to pick up and throw in with my light-colored clothes. Thought it was a rubber snakes til it moved. My heart should stop racing around Easter if i am really lucky. maybe i should move it Ireland--i understand there are no snakes there.