I finally finished my first quilted quilt! (I've done tie-quilts before this)
And I'm just so excited about the results!!!



I wasn't so sure about the fabrics at first... before the blocks were put together, they just didn't seem to mesh...



But once I kept going and got them together- I was THRILLED with the results and so glad I stuck with my original decisions!



I recently took a lesson on a long-arm quilting machine at my LFS. Now I'm hooked!!!







I finished the binding by hand... painful on my fingers- but SO worthwhile!!



And the result!!!



I have a full review and link to the pattern source on my blog: www.elementalcraft. blogspot.com

I did some more work on the quilt this afternoon... all thats left is the binding!!! I'm so thrilled with it! 

Thank you all for encouraging me to move forward with this quilt... after a couple days of soul searching, I decided that so many experienced crafters can't be wrong! Besides, I really do love this quilt, and I'm now quite sure that its my love for it that is making me second and third guess myself...

Nonetheless- I went ahead tonight and sewed those blocks together and now it is looking just gorgeous!!

So thank you all for your support, opinions and comments. I appreciate them all so much!

I just finally took a lesson on the huge quilting machine at my local quilting shop, so I'm going to be able to completely finish this quilt on my own. (You can see my adventures during the lesson here http://elementalcraft.blogspot.com/2008/11/my-first-quilting-lesson.html if you are interested)

So the quilt below is going to be my first done totally by me, and its going to be a gift for my new baby cousin (on the way!). Of course I want all my quilts to be perfect- but this one especially...

The problem I'm having is with the pink border around the "Apples & Pears" blocks... is it the right shade of pink? Darker maybe? Should I not have used a solid? Should I not have used pink? Or am I'm just so crosseyed from staring at it that I'm seeing problems that are not even there?

Any constructive criticism would be highly appreciated- thank you so much!!!!

I LOVE the House shirt!!! And it made me want to share this with you!!

How about now? Can you see these?

Can everyone see these? I don't know whats happening with my originals...

I did this quilt for a Dog-themed Swap, and since its living happily with its now owner (a Golden Retriever named Max!) I figured it was about time I posted it here!





I used a collection of doggie fabrics I already had in my stash (since I have two dogs, and work in the pet care industry, this isn't THAT odd that I have tons!!!)... bones, phrases, pawprints, etc...





I used the "Disappearing Nine Patch" design... I just love it!!! Its quilted together with buttons... tie-quilting style.

-NyteRayn

Friday night I went to visit my grandmother, and we tackled Melly & Me's giraffe stuffie pattern. My grandmother taught me how to sew years ago- so now I adore going over to her place with a brand new pattern or idea, and working through it with her.





I put in about an hour Sunday, finishing up the mane & tail... and voila!!



Aside from my doubts halfway through (before we added the legs, she looked like the Loch Ness Monster)... I thought it turned out really well. I'll definitely be using this pattern again!

Oh, and thats my Polka Dot Molly Monkey sitting in the background, she's cute too!

-NyteRayn

Hey all- I want to throw an adult Halloween party this year... and I'm currently living in the perfect house for it, I have all the room (and rooms!) that I could need... I just have to figure out a good way to decorate.

My idea is for an Apothecary Theme... an old, creepy, witches apothecary with jars filled with eye of newt, and dried snakes and other fun things I can replicate using crafts and glass jars... I got the idea here:

http://aranamuerta.com/





I want to do an overall creepy thing... cobwebs, bats, etc... but not get too cheesy with the ghosts and witches and norm...

What great ideas do you guys have percolating in the backs of your heads? I'd love to hear them! Thanks! 

-NyteRayn