it's not that they are small, just you do need to read.  Her illustrations are well done and I have a tendancy to look at those and not READ.  Well, you do need to read.  I was zipping along nicely, sewed on the snowball corners (GG) at the bottom.  Went to add the legs and hmmm, they don't fit.  Did I cut the spacer between the legs wrong?  Nope.  Ah, I didn't add piece EE.  And of course I had already trimmed behind GG.  So I added a couple of seams.  You can't tell because there are so many seams already.  This really reminds me of paper piecing but without the paper.  Lots of seams.

Here is the 1st one.  The ears won't be as pointy when finished, the tips will be sewn into the seam above - right now they look a bit like horns. 

I do need to figure out how to get organized.  Last night I had all 39 pieces laid out on my cutting table (many are either 1" or 1.25" wide), but I won't have that much room at the retreat.  I had packaged them in a baggie for each complete llama.  But now I'm thinking it would work better to package them in sections instead (face, legs, ears, etc) as that is how she has her instructions organized.  Her instructions are well written but I wish she had given some ideas on organization.  I remember Judy Neimeyer's quilt I made several years ago had very detailed instructions on organization that made the entire process VERY easy.

how about adding a flannel board to your tools you take - you can lay out an entire llama, and work from her instructions for the pieces..

I had a mini quilt I did years ago that was a hand piecing project. I took each template and cut out all the pieces I needed for that template.......then I threaded a needle and pushed it thru the center of that stack. For the several years I schleped that project around it all stayed perfectly organized that way. If you cut each lama and then layer each template in the same order and when you are ready to make one take all the parts for that one llama and put them on a little design board in the correct layout. This way they are all organized and as you go you just need to deal with the parts for one of them. If you have a paper template at the bottom of each stack you will always know what those parts are. That is likely how I would approach it but I know we all work differently so you might come up with a better solution for you.

I just love the first one and I can't tell there is a mistake. Just adorable. If I made this I would be tempted to make one mirror image on in the group just because there is always one that didn't get the memo. Your daughter is going to be over the moon with this quilt!!!

Ami_Quilts (sewingupasto) said:

If I made this I would be tempted to make one mirror image on in the group just because there is always one that didn't get the memo.

Ami, that is such a marvelous suggestion!!!!!!!

Just want to hug that little llama because she is so cute.  (Yes, I can tell it's a girl llama because her choice of colors is so feminine.)

Ami, thank you I'm going to remember this tip for the next time I do a crazy bunch of small pieces quilt.

Jo

Glad that my suggestion is something you can use. I have used this technique many times with projects and it really does keep it all organized even if you drop the project on the floor! When I do scrappy applique I can lay stuff out and then just do my thread thru the stuff in the order I had laid out and I never have to guess. I also snap a photo of the layout so I know where I am as I go. 

He is cute.He look like he need some company.

I remember you telling me about running a thread through the middle.  So I did that yesterday.  The stacks of pieces were too thick to use clips but thread will work.  I then put them in bags by section (face, neck, legs, ears, body).  I think that will work well.  I'm going to try and save it for the retreat the 1st week of October.

As I was going through the bin for a large project bag I ran across a top that for a moment I could not remember where it came from  Then duh, I had been given a top to quilt by a lady at church that I had forgot all about - at least 2 months ago.  Not real excited about it, it's random squares and her 1st quilt.  I've made 2 t-shirt quilts and 2 granddaughter quilts for her.  Now she's trying quilting and wanted me to quilt it.  I felt kind of cornered so I agreed.  She didn't give me any backing and wouldn't tell me what she wanted - grrr. 

I also need to quilt a baby quilt for my boss's 3rd grandchild.  The two big sisters both have quilts with purple backs that they LOVE (the mom sends me videos of them playing with them).  But all the quilts I have finished have purple backs.  Grandma & I agreed the new grandson needs a blue back or his sisters will appropriate his.  I have 6 finished tops in the closet so I can finish one of those.  I didn't realize all the ones I had donated were blue backed and only had purple left.  So I have some quilting to do this weekend.

Glad the thread thing works for you. It really keeps things together and I use old junk thread for that, usually two strands with a nice knot on the bottom and a paper template marked with what it is. I can't wait to see your little herd grow after the retreat. 

Costco had very colorful llama dog toys a few months ago and we got Aspen a set. She just loves them and now we wish we had gotten more as they no longer have them. She is very careful with them and prances around with one in her mouth. When we tell her to go get her toy she knows we mean a llama. Pretty cute.