Stars and Stripes for Allen

You'd think after having the quilting machine setup for a couple weeks now, I'd have a nice big pile of quilted projects.  You'd think.  I've had a few hang-ups, tho, so I've not made the progress I'd hoped for.

The first project I quilted, was this star quilt for Allen.  I did photos quick before getting it ready to mail, and they didn't turn out great- but they give you an idea.

 I wish I had help with the photos, the colors really are so beautiful on this one!

 I did an allover stippling, my favorite because of the texture it gives when washed.

 The backing is minkie/minky (how do you spell it?), and it is soooo soft!

The binding is soft too, made of a darker blue variegated flannel.

Allen is currently in the hospital, and his mother said he loves the quilt.

Thank you, Allen, for your service to our country.... and sure thinking of you and your family.

I actually finished the quilt-top, and then was waiting to get the quilting machine set up.  Once it was set up, I couldn't find the minkie backing I'd purchased for it!  When I finally found it, and got it all pinned on the machine; I couldn't find the needles!  Somehow in the move, the needle had gotten broken, and I couldn't find the stash of them I had.  No problem, ordinarily, except that the store which sells them is over an hour away, and they were about to close!  Soooo...... I drove down the next day and bought some new needles, and came home to finish it.  I also don't seem to have very good luck with applique, so "Allen" didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped, and it also tested my patience.  Maybe I need a good tutorial on the process, and maybe it just isn't my type of quilting.  But I do like the effect it gave this quilt!  I do sometimes struggle with minkie backing, because it is stretchy.  This time I turned the grain the other way, though, and it helped tremendously!  Miraculously, the backing is perfect without even the tiniest wrinkle.

I've got some other things to show you, but no photos, so you'll have to be patient.  With the holidays, and the busyness of life; we always seem to be at a dead-run here!  I also ran out of thread while working on quilting a baby-quilt..... if I'd known I'd used another color!  So that one came off the machine, and I'll have to get more thread to finish.  This just isn't my lucky month, I guess?  But we are all healthy and happy, so that's a good thing.  Happy New Year to you all!