Safari Quilt

I've been at my Mom's for 12 days and arrived back home Monday evening. She had hip replacement surgery and I drove down to be with her. She's doing well and in good hands. The neighbors are all very close and have become family  through the years. I didn't cook one meal while I was there. Her huge 20 cubic foot freezer went out so I shopped for one and had it delivered. It was packed and I had planned on eating from it, but Mom's friends had other plans. Her doorbell rang every day and friends delivered delicious home cooked meals complete with dessert and who in their right mind would turn down lemon meringue pie and blackberry cobbler?

I imagine that DH is ready for a home cooked meal now, but I told him I may have forgotten how to cook. Grin.

I always take a quilt to bind when I head that way and this one was next in line:

When Missouri Star introduced the Sashed Hexi Quilt tutorial, I knew I had to make it in animal prints. The local Safari Club has an auction during it's annual banquet in February. Each year they sponsor a couple of hunts for wounded veterans and I wanted to contribute in some way. So this quilt will either be auctioned off to raise money for one of their hunts or given to a veteran. I'm hoping it will be auctioned off and then donated back to the veteran. :)

I don't ordinarily watch much television, but the Olympics are the exception so I stitched on this binding while watching in the evenings with my mom

I chose a brown minky backing and although probably not the ideal quilt to be working on in the south in August, I think it's the perfect choice for this quilt and Jackie quilted a pantograph design called Labyrinth that has a tribal feel to it:

It's 53 x 67...a good back of the couch size:

And many thanks to my champion quilt holder!

It's hard to believe that we left Zimbabwe exactly 1 year ago. Looking at this quilt, I think I need to make another one...for us!

Walking on the Wild Side

...in the sewing room. :) This time my adventure is confined to fabric and thread. I've been thinking for some time that I would like to make a quilt to auction off at the Safari Club Banquet in February. Animal prints were a given and when my friend, Cheree, told me about an animal print fat quarter pack that was 40% off, I snapped it up. Another 40%  off sale at the little quilt shop in town, and I snared the perfect sashing fabric. I'm hoping this'll work:

                           

When I saw Jenny's tutorial for the Sashed Hexi Quilt, my mind saw animal prints so it all came together quite nicely. I made a test block just to confirm that what I saw in my head matched the final result and I was tickled with the outcome:

1 block down. 11 more to go.

A Fun Day in Town

Yes, you read that correctly. I did use the word "Fun" in conjunction with a trip to town. :) I had ordered some baby chicks and that required a trip into town last Thursday. DH was helping the neighbors work and he was going to be away all day, so I went in early and met up with a dear friend who also happens to be a ranch wife and a co-worker AND a quilter. :) I adore this gal! Apparently we were having too much fun together to remember to take any pictures.

She's recently started up an Extension Service quilting club and if she's involved, it's bound to be an adventure! She's just such a joy.

We stopped at Hobby Lobby and the little local quilt shop before enjoying a good visit over dinner. ie: lunch and made plans for a road trip to our favorite quilt shop in a tiny town 75 miles from the ranch. I helped her coordinate some fabrics and choose a pattern for her next project. I only bought some Kona Snow for a background for yet another baby quilt and this pink polka dot for a backing:

                           

I also bought this half-hexi ruler. I've got a project planned that includes these fabrics from my stash and a bit of shopping for a few more pieces:

                            

We then parted ways as she had an appointment and I had a date with these darling things at the local seed store:

                          

For now, they are in my sewing room. I hope they don't mind the hum of the sewing machine because with cute company like this,  I may be spending some extra time in there.