My WIP #13 - and some new tools!

Devon holds it to her cheek and says, “I want to be a baby!”

Quilting on Minky is – WoW!!  OK, there are 5 quilts in my lineup that are definitely getting minky backs. You guys cannot believe how luxurious it feels and you can see how cool it shows the quilting up. (This baby quilt has a 100% cotton front, and I’m using quality minky back and thin poly batting.) By the way, I just I found a great selection on sale over at Minky Delight Fabrics – not affiliated, just passing the word along.

I also have new quilting tools that I prepped and used for the first time with this project. I call them “Trial Sheets.”  Got the idea from Desley, and it’s fantastic and fun. Never would have thought of it myself.

Picked up some acrylic sheets at Lowe’s, along with some funky-cool duct tapes. (One roughly baby quilt size, two about 18 x 24 so I can work up a large quilt area and compare two different ideas at once.)  I wanted the edges taped to both protect the quilt tops from any snags and to give a visible and physical barrier that would prevent accidental markings on the quilts. (I cut the duct tape down the middle so it wouldn’t be so wide.)

You just lay it on top of your project, and then scribble away to your heart’s content with dry-erase markers!  Well - I say "scribble," but use care so that you don't any dry-erase ink on your fabric. 

Hmmm. . . not exactly the effect I want, and too much busy-ness on the minky, anyway, I’d imagine.

Easy to change it up.  :D  

And what about down here? Some playing around. . . although, I don’t think I’ll do more than the shapes – again – too much busy-ness on the minky back.

These trial sheets are going to be some of my favorite tools, I can tell already!

A lot of pinning, a little marking (blue disappearing pen and minimal quilter’s tape). . . I’m gonna want to be a baby, too!  ;D

A big "Thank you!" to Lee at Freshly Pieced for hosting WIP Wednesdays - it really keeps me motivated to keep those UFOs going! (Go check out what everyone else is doing - there are some really neat projects out there!)

Check out my BOMs AWAY Mondays regular link-up.

This week's stats:
New Projects - 1     (a charity baby that just needed binding – done!)

Completed Projects This Week - 2    (Wheelchair and baby charity quilts)   

In Active Progress - 4    (Hugs and Kisses, What a Hoot, Sailing, Marissa’s Howling at the Moon)
UFO Firing Range - 36.333          

Finishes for 2011 - 17  

Completed tops awaiting quilting:
Hugs and Kisses from Above (in progress!)

What a Hoot, Devon! (longarmer’s!)
Sailing with the Flying Needles (is at the longarm studio!!)

Around the World with Mr. Hernandez (Mr. Hernandez's)
Around the World with Mr. Hernandez (Heather's)
Marissa’s Howling at the Moon

One charity wheelchair quilt
Dreamy Unicorns
Wagon Wheels West #2
Be Attitudes
We Love Kelly
Devon's Silk Spinners
Marissa's Minky Squares
Kelly's Thirties Hand Quilter
Kelly's Calico
Leap Frog Lily Pond
Poor Forgotten Orphan from 15 Years Ago #1