Scraps, Chickens, Cherries and Checks

Plenty of you know that my sis, Amber,
has some serious quilting skills,

and whips quilts out like nobody's business. 

 So you might imagine how I felt when she came in town for six days

and told me to get ready to quilt! 

I was ecstatic!

I had an in-home tutor for the better part of the week,

and it was just what a newbie-quilter like me needed. 

I was able to finish my Americana Quilt topper less the final border, (pics later)

 like I had planned, and then suddenly,

 I was hit with this:

Amber found my baby bib scraps.

And what's a serious quilter do with scraps?

Make blocks!

She cut the largest sized blocks she could from all these different fabrics.

I believe they are 3 1/2 in. blocks, and she was able to cut

a significant amount, like 150! 

Then she talked me into spacing them with white blocks to give the quilt

a modern feel.  I like that it gives all the

funky patterns and colors room to breathe.

As you can see, this is something to be very proud of!

Using up scraps empowers a woman. 

I chose this fabric to use as the binding,

and I plan to use Amber's sweet little

binding tutorial on her blog. 

She was going to help me prepare the binding...

but we ran out of time.  I feel a fiasco coming on...

but I'm going to pray for good results.

I tend to get a wee bit frazzled when it comes to cutting fabric. 

So who knew that when you're a visitor

you must come bearing beautiful gifts?

Apparently Amber does!

I had a feeling about these cute roosters

when I spotted them on her blog a couple days before her visit,

and even told Husband that I may be in for a surprise...

but then I felt so rude to feel entitled, because she does have a lot of friends...

But low and behold, there was this with my name on it.

She heard me say last time I saw her that I like roosters.

I especially love these colors!  Light yellow, red, black and white.

I just love the applique.  The detail is amazing,

and it is all so darn cute!

Can you see the intricate quilting?

"Chickens, Cherries and Checks."

I can't wait to hang it in our new home!

I love my sis.  We deserve to live near each other! 

It has been far too long.

Can you imagine what sort of projects we could conquer?