First finishes of 2011

I've just returned from the packaging-mailing store where I sent off matching quilts for two brothers, grandsons of a dear friend and former colleague.  The quilts were easy and fun to make.  I hit a sale at Joann's a while back and picked up half-yards of juvenile prints.  I don't usually buy fabric at Joann's, but I think these fabrics are perfect for kids' quilts: fish, frogs, cars, dinosaurs, bears, how could you miss?
As you can see in the pictures, I just cut them into strips and sewed them together randomly.

I added each boy's name to the top using a blanket stitch.

The backs are pieced with some fabric from the front and a letters and numbers fabric I bought a few years ago at a quilt store in Vermont.      

                                                                                      
The bindings are the red star fabric I used for the boys' names.

 I'm afraid my photography leaves (quite a) bit to be desired, but you get the idea. I hope John and Mason enjoy their quilts!

I have been a follower of lots of quilty blogs for a few years now, and I have always been interested in the way bloggers connect with each other through swaps and challenges and quilt-alongs.  It is amazing how many of those activities are going on in the quilty blogosphere, and I have often wondered where all these quilters find the time to participate and to do their own projects too.  (As for housework and childcare and meal prep, somehow that seems to get done as well; and many of these quilters also have jobs.  It makes me tired just to think about it.)
 
There's no child care necessary in our household (our only child is an adult not living at home) and I retired from my day job, so I am going to tackle my time management issues and join a quilt-along!  Natalia, she of Piece N Quilt, is having a Star Quilt Block of the Month Quilt Along.
 One block a month.....yeah, I can do that!  So I grabbed the button (look right) and now I'm off to my sewing room to search through my stash and make the first block. If all goes well, I'll be able to show you my first block very soon.