Quilt tops and Piecing the Backing

It's been  too long since my last post, but I have been busy... kind of.  I have been down to Los Angeles to help my sister Leslie and her friend Maureen each recuperate from surgery. Leslie's was planned... cataract surgery; Maureen's was not... emergency appendectomy with complications. Eleven days later, Maureen is still not doing that well. She sees the doctor tomorrow. 

Before I left, I finished my Camp Ocean Pines Retreat quilt top. I am thrilled to say that most of the points lined up well. I loved putting the sashing in as it surely helped square everything up. I actually have not used sashing before. This was an excellent project for learning color choices and precision piecing. Thanks Annie Smith!!

Here's a block close up: 

As soon as I finished the top, I set out to use John Flynn's method of piecing a back diagonally on the baby quilt top I made. (To find his directions, scroll half way through the above link.)

I am thrilled to say, I figured it out and successfully pieced it together. Luckily, I had two Costco tables I could set up in a spare room to prepare the quilt sandwich. The quilting is not my favorite part! I need a lot of practice with free motion quilting! I have lots of books and videos and classes on machine quilting but now I have to get in a lot of practice time. Poor baby quilt. It will have to be my practice piece for now. I have a feeling I may have to resort to stitch-in-the-ditch method for my camp quilt!

Oh, by the way, of course when I was down at my sister's, I had to go shopping too. Living in a semi-rural locale leaves me famished for shopping at the hot spots like Bed Bath & Beyond, Catherines, Beauty Supply, Claimjumpers, AND Candy's Quiltworks! I just had to buy something at Candy's, like I really needed more projects. I bought a simple Christmas apron pattern with matching potholders. Cute, and maybe fast to make.

 

I had to chuckle a bit today when my sweet daughter and her husband came up from San Diego for the weekend. They were having fun playing with Baby Carrie, and I caught them playing Peek-A-Boo, or something like it, while Carrie was supposed to be taking a nap. Only difference was, Carrie was practicing the Bronx cheer and Megan and Allan were egging her on. It was fun listening to all three!