Custom Ruler Work

I have been wanting to try some serious ruler work for some time now but didn't have just the right project. A friend brought a quilt top over that she made just because. She is always great to let me practice.
I was so excited when I was quilting this. Talk about a confidence booster.
With that being said, I guess my lesson learnt would be that I should have tried it sooner. Even if it was just on a four patch or something. :). I always say, it's just thread, we can remove it.

Quilting Small Group At Church

When I first got my longarm quilting machine, I was looking for quilts to practice on. Many people recommended quilting for charity groups and I find Quilts Beyond Borders. When working on my first two quilts for them all I could think about was our previous youth pastor and family that are doing mission work in Guatemala. I kept asking myself why we would make quilts for them. Well, God has provided a way and it is happening.
When we started a new series of small groups at our church, I had suggested doing a piecing/quilting group. We have been meeting now for nearly two months and these ladies have been such a blessing to my life.
Our goal is to piece at least one to each week. We use the same design for a couple of weeks, then have a graduation week where everyone makes their own quilt top that they can either donate or keep themselves.
We have made so many that I think I have lost count. :). Somewhere around 15 so far.
It still amazes me what can be done when we stop fighting God and follow His path.

Hand Piecing - I said I never would!

Never say never... When ever someone says something about hand quilting or piecing, I usually reply with "Oh there is no reason to do anything by hand".
Well, I have just eaten my words with my 2-1/2" square bucket. (When cutting my quilt tops, I go ahead and cut my scraps into 2-1/2" squares and throw in my bucket.)
As we were headed out the door to go to the lake castle (our little piece of paradise), I grabbed up my bucket, needle and thread. So now I am hand piecing a quilt top, over time, from my scraps. Kinda excited about it too! :)
Oh, let me add that I am chain piecing my squares. Not sure if that's what you do when hand piecing but it's what this machine quilter knows. :)