"Scrap Squares Doll Quilt" by Kathleen Tracy from her Book Civil War Sewing Circle is actually the very first quilt I quilted on my Juki.  Let me answer a few questions from my previous post before I get to all the eye candy.  The Juki model is TL2010Q.  The table is a portable sewing table I picked up a few years ago from Jo-Ann's to go on retreats with.  It is a pretty heavy, solid table.  Great for sewing in.  Works for retreats but is not as light as that other popular table out there.  Now questions regarding the Juki VS. Janome 6600.  I love my 6600 and will never part with it.  The Juki is a straight stitch only machine, if that is all you are ever going to do...then it is perfect for you.  I have found that I prefer to piece with my Juki because it is fast and it never hesitates on bulky seams and I mean never.  I love adding binding and straight quilting with it because it is so powerful.  There are a few things that I like better on my Janome.  The Juki has a smaller throat space.  You can not lift the presser foot as high as the Janome.  Those are minor things and not deal breakers.  The Juki is my go-to for piecing smaller items only because my Janome is in a huge Tracey's Table that makes it so much easier when piecing large quilts. :-)  If you are looking for an amazing machine or second machine, you will not be sorry purchasing the Juki!!!  Hope that helps!

 I thought this would be an easy quilt to piece and quilt on my new Juki.  I just used a variety of scrap reproduction fabric.  I had been wanting to make a little doll quilt for a doll bed I have.  I stayed pretty close to the way the example looked in the book.  It went together perfectly!  I want to make every quilt in Kathleen's book!  You can find Kathleen here.

Scooter and Sarge always offering a helpful paw or two. :-)

Have you ever done that?  That was the backing. UGH.  I think I was so excited to be making this sweet little project, I wasn't paying attention.

I used a blue water soluble marker to mark diagonal lines before quilting.  The binding is a single fold.

Done.  Washed and dried.  I love how crinkly it looks now.

Fits perfectly in the doll bed.  I had the girls place their Elizabeth American Girl Dolls in there.

Here is the little area at the bottom of my stairs, outside of my studio.  I love to decorate with quilts.  It adds such warmth to a home.

I bought this gorgeous shelf in Shipshewana a few years ago, but just finally hung it this year.  I had to find just the spot.  Oh and yes, there are 2 of the same Santas on my shelf.  Sigh, I bought one and then the next year bought another not realizing I already had him.  lol

 I love nine patch quilts too!!!  I picked up this antique one last February in Shipshewana.  Love the use of color placement and fabric in the nine patches.

My tree stays up all year.  Not a Christmas tree. :-)  More of a nightlight after I leave the bright lights of the studio at night.

 Over here more quilts.  My little gourd snowman. :-) A gift from my inlaws several years ago.  Mon Ami Schnibbles hanging.  My very first quilt to quilt on the longarm!!

 And I finally hung my Summer Love Baskets from the Temecula Quit Co. sew-a-long last July.

I am going to be the lady of leisure this weekend.  I had minor, yet extremely painful foot surgery today.  Long overdue!!!  I had been putting it off for just the right time, but really when is that??  I just couldn't stand the pain any longer.  Especially when I am quilting at my machine.  ACK!!!  So, hopefully Monday I will be back at it. :-)

Mini Puddle Jumping

I would safely say that winter has officially arrived!  A good time to be indoors and quilting. :-)

One of my many goals this year was to make sure I made time for my own stitching, whether it be piecing, hand wool work or quilting my own projects.  AND surprisingly I have done pretty well with that, even if they have been small projects.  Instant gratification! :-)  One of my most recent little finishes is Puddle Jumping Mini by Camille Roskelley for Thimble Blossoms available here.  Camille has done the most genius thing EVER by taking her patterns and making adorable mini versions of the originals.  Like I said, "genius."  There is something about a mini quilt that makes them irresistible.

 Did I mention how adorable this is??  Seriously.  Ridiculous.  It finishes at 12" square!

I made my version in gorgeous chocolate and pink reproductions.  I used one of the Primitive Muslins by Moda from Primitive Gatherings for the background.  I know I have mentioned before how much I love those muslins!

Teeny tiny blocks compared to an iPhone.

I enjoyed every second of making this little quilt.

Layout and deciding on binding.  Yes, those are actually two slightly different shades of brown and pink. :-)  Polka dots make everything happier.

Simple quilting.

I am trying to get more used to using our good camera, so I was playing with it a bit.  Seeing how close I could zoom in. :-)  One of the reasons the quilting is so simple is because I quilted it on my Juki sewing machine.  The Juki is new to me this year.  I purchased it last year when Primitive Gatherings offered it on sale after Christmas available here.  Fortunately, I had been saving some gift cards for a while, so it ended up being a fabulous deal!

It arrived in January, but I do not think I took it out of the box until the spring.  I was a bit busy with flannel quilts at the time. :-)  I have a wonderful set-up in another room where I can piece and iron... a sewing studio.

A little messy in this photo, which is old, but you get the idea.  I have a Janome 6600, which I LOVE! BUT I really wanted something in my quilt studio.  That way I could jump on my machine and piece whenever I got a chance, even for 5 min or to take a quick break from custom quilting.

Viola!!  Now, I can piece or quilt so easily from where I am working.  I will admit, the Juki took some adjusting to from my Janome.  Honestly, I love the Juki now!!  It is fast!!!!  Super smooth.  A real workhorse!  I am thrilled to have it every day!  I still go and sew in my other room on days when I am not working. :-)

Oh and one last item of info...we have a new member in the family!

 Meet Louie!  He is the sweetest kitten EVER!!!!!  Doesn't seem to mind the girls dressing him in Build-A-Bear Workshop outfits either. lol.  Louie, short for Lieutenant is the kitten of a stray I found last May outside the post office in our little town when I was dropping off a flannel quilt.  I really wanted to keep her, but it was not a good time to take in a stray.  She didn't seem to care for Sarge at all, so my best friend Patti took her in at her farm.  Last summer she had a litter of kittens.  The girls have been begging for a kitty for what seems like forever, especially since Scooter has gone home to Kristin's.  We decided to surprise the girls and brought Louie home shortly after I returned home from Houston.

Sarge is a saint!  Naturally, Louie thinks Sarge's bed is his bed.  Louie seems to love Sarge and Sarge...well love probably isn't the best word to describe how I think he feels towards Louie. :-)    He puts up with Louie's kitten antics of biting his tail or playfully swatting him.  Sarge lets him know when he has had enough, though.  :-)