Second Completed Paintbox Quilt

     I can't begin to tell you how happy I am that I have finally finished the second paintbox quilt top.  Blame it on the hot, humid weather or my overcrowded schedule, but I just couldn't seem to get it done. Tomorrow, I will send the top off to be quilted and will cross my fingers that I get it back soon to add the bindings and labels. As I have mentioned in previous posts,  I'm making quilts for my little triplet cousins who turn ten next month. The boy is getting a Star Wars quilt which is all done except for the label. The paintbox quilts are for his sisters. Though the pattern used was the same, the colors in the two quilts are a bit different to reflect their favorite colors.

     On Thursday evening, Tom Brady took the field to lead the New England Patriots to victory. The Patriots have a motto/motivating phrase . . . "Do Your Job!" On Wednesday, Queen Elizabeth II made history by becoming the longest reigning monarch in English history. We haven't had a king or queen since the original patriots took care of that back in 1776, but when my sewing friends came to my house that night these pieces of china were on display on the credenza. The box on the left was from 1977 which marked the twenty-fifth year of her reign. The cup on the right marked her jubilee year. The box had belonged to my aunts and the mug was a gift to me. The queen has steadily "Done Her Job" and continues to do so at the age of eighty-nine. At supper I led my friends in a toast to this remarkable woman, "Long Live the Queen!" 

Paintbox Quilt Top

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am working on quilts for the upcoming tenth birthday of my triplet cousins. Fortunately, the Star Wars quilt just needs to have the binding sewn down. I wasn't sure which pattern I would use for the girls' quilts until I purchased the Spring/Summer2015 - Better Homes and Gardens Quilt Sampler magazine. This publication features selected quilt shops in each issue. As soon as I saw the "Paintbox" pattern designed by Lori Krueger of The Patchwork Co. in Windham, New York, my decision was made. Here is the completed quilt top for one of the girls.

Yesterday, I went with friends to pick up some completed quilts, and I was able to drop this top off. We often bring our quilt tops to be longarmed by Suki Wright at Dancing Crane Quilting in Contoocook, NH. After that, we headed to a favorite quilt shop, Quilted Threads in Henneker and later had lunch at Daniel's which is just down the road from the shop.

Why visit just one shop when you can squeeze in a stop at another one on the way home? That's exactly what we did stopping at Bits and Pieces in Pelham, NH. This is a good shop to visit if you are looking for any kind of novelty fabric as they have quite a selection.

 I really have to get busy and finish the third quilt top. The blocks are done, but I still need to add the sashing and sew it all together.  Of course, I wouldn't be in such a rush if I wasn't such a terrible  procrastinator. Yup, I've been this way my whole life. Oh well, it's probably too late to change this character flaw now. Besides, I work best when faced with a rapidly looming deadline. :-)