Sally's Burrow

Design Wall Monday 2-13-12

2012-02-13T06:49:00.000-05:00

Art-rageous Quilters presented a challenge last March - create a quilted wall hanging 12 x 30 inches with the theme "A Walk Through My Garden". There was a specific green batik fabric that had to be used in some way in the piece. The only other "rule" is that it has to be faced instead of using traditional binding. So, it's due March 3 and I'm still working on it! My garden is actually my backyard that backs down to a creek; it's not a landscaped area but is instead an area I just try to keep under control. The front part by the house, I've done some clearing and planting and have tried to create a whimsical feel to it. So, this is my representation of "A Walk Through My Garden" - the lights are supposed to be fireflies. Progress, but not finished yet. I'm still pondering the best way to add the lights.

Several weeks ago for a Design Wall Monday posting I talked about a crayon batik dying project my friends, Lori & Ruth, and I were going to attempt. Hmmm ... not quite the result I was hoping for. But I'm going to finish it hoping it will improve as I keep working on it. We are going to attempt crayon batik dying again but are discussing ways to tweak the process. All that is left to do on this small piece is to quilt it and bind it. Will do that this week.

This has nothing to do with Design Wall Mondays but I did finish knitting a pair of sox AND I got my fabric stash organized. So here are the sox, and here is "fabric stash organizing" in photos: the first photo shows clear plastic tubs of fabric just tossed in, no order whatsoever. The second photo, I've sorted fabric by color, novelties, seasonal, solids, etc. And the third photo, the fabrics are packed back into the tubs but neatly and by color, and I even put all the little fabric crumbs in ziplok bags to match the larger fabrics. I enoy doing applique projects and those little fabric crumbs come in quite handy.

Take a few moments to visit Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday 2-6-12

2012-02-06T08:41:00.001-05:00

Please visit Patchwork Times today for Design Wall Monday.

The Romancing Eastern North Carolina Shop Hop was Wed.-Sat. I snagged this darling fabric from Cotton Fields and now I'm looking at it trying to decide whether to give it to my cousin, as was my original intent, or keep it and make something from it.

Started knitting a pair of sox. The Artrageous Quilters challenge piece remains untouched but this week I will defnitely work on it! :-)

I finished the Home Tweet Home and Keep The Heart Truth Growing wall hangings. Both are hanging in my office.

Wow! The talent and inspiration I see on Design Wall Mondays is incredible. There are so many incredible quilters and crafters out there.

January UFO

2012-02-01T09:22:00.000-05:00

The top is finished - it's not quilted or embellished yet - that will be done in February and March. Lots of embellishing with beads, lace, ribbon, and embroidery for this piece. It will be quilted using a rose motif. The story behind this lap quilt is that it is made from blocks my mother made that were not used in a bed-size quilt. I cut them into smaller pieces for this crazy quilt. It also contains some scraps from that same bed-size quilt, plus some other scraps from my stash. It will be given, one day, to her great granddaughter, Mary. It is named "Rebecca".

The UFO Challenge is hosted by Judy at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday 1-30-12

2012-01-30T07:46:00.000-05:00

Have been busy but mostly with projects that are already in process.

First, Home Tweet Home has been quilted and I finished the binding. It is covered with a layer of tulle to help protect the fusible applique. I will begin embellishing it this week during the evenings - embellishing will includes lots of beads on the birds and bird houses and flowers, plus some embroidery thread will be added as nesting material that is falling out of the bird houses.

I'm also continuing to work on the Keep The Heart Truth Growing wall hanging. Have added read beads that outline each side of the off-white "stream" that goes through this piece and outline stitched around each applique piece. The quilt sandwich is made and I've decided to hand quilt this piece - will outline stitch around the pieces and also quilt hearts on the background.

The 2 blocks for February for the http://www.craftsy.com/ free block of the month tutorial were released Saturday, and I made/finished the two blocks Saturday. So, 4 blocks down, 16 more to go.

And I started knitting another pair of sox.

Next week I'll take a photo of the crayon batik dyeing project - not a success - not at all.

Please stop by Patchwork Times today for Design Wall Monday.

Keep The Heart Truth Growing wall hanging website

2012-01-24T13:25:00.003-05:00

There was so much traffic on my blog yesterday about this wall hanging, I decided to do a posting specifically giving the website address for the Janome Keep The Heart Truth Growing wall hanging. I can't wait to see if others decide to do the project and how they interpret it. I followed the directions pretty closely but I can see so many possibilities with this pattern.

Design Wall Monday 1-23-12

2012-01-23T08:14:00.000-05:00

Please visit Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

On my design wall is the free project from Janome, Keep The Heart Growing. It has been so much fun to do - what's left to do is the quilting and embellishing, and binding. Shouldn't take too much longer. This pattern is available free from the Janome website, or you can Google "Keep The Heart Growing wall hanging". Everything left to do on this piece is hand work so that should keep me busy in the evenings this week.

I also finished a pair of sox. Yay! Can never have too many pairs of handmade sox. There's nothing like 'em.

Design Wall Monday 1-16-12

2012-01-16T08:45:00.000-05:00

Judy at Patchwork Times hosts Design Wall Monday every week - it's a great source of inspiration and education.

Not an especially productive week. Lori, Ruth and I (the Needle Nite group) are meeting tonight to do a crayon batik dyeing project. I've never done it before so it's something new and fun to try. I spent this week transferring my design onto muslin (the original of this came from a 2011 kitchen calendar, "Love To Cook" by Karen H Good), and gathering other supplies - crayons, black fabric ink, brushes, newspapers, iron, ironing board. Am looking forward to it and hopefully will have something fun to show for the next Design Wall Monday. Maybe I will have it quilted, bound, and embellished!

Have been a bit under the weather with a nasty cold so other than preparing for the crayon batik dyeing project, the only other thing I managed to do was make new potholders for my kitchen. I like quilting the potholders with a simple horizontal, vertical, and diagonal design because that causes them to fold nicely in your hands.

There is a heart applique wall hanging project I want to tackle but it will have to wait until 1) I'm feeling better, and 2) I have a chance to get by Office Depot and enlarge the pattern. The project is the Janome Keep The Heart Growing wallhanging designed by Jane Spolar. It's available for free on the Janome website. Maybe I'll have that on my Design Wall for next week.

Oh yeah! Almost forgot. I started another pair of sox this week. This is my version of 2-at-a-time: 2 sets of dp needles - knit the cuff of one sock, knit the cuff of the other, knit the leg of one, knit the leg of the other, and so on. They get finished pretty much at the same time. I've ordered a pair of 9-inch size 2 and size 5 circular needles and have found a pattern for knitting sox in the round on these short circular needles. I'll give it a whirl and then report ...

Design Wall Monday 1-9-12

2012-01-08T21:23:00.000-05:00

Please visit Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.

This is the completed quiltop for the Patchwork Times January UFO Challenge - "Rebecca". It is a crazy quilt that is comprised of unused blocks from a quilt my mother and I made together, plus some coordinating fabrics from my stash. It is 48" x 56". After noodling it around for quite a while, I have decided to have the machine quilter (Lilly Lucier 252-244-1988) quilt this using the same pattern (a rose design) that is used in my mother's quilt. It still needs to be embellished with embroidery, lace, ribbon, beads, and buttons.

Craftsy.com is hosting a FREE Block of the Month for 2012. Each month they send a link for a video about the two blocks for that month, plus any templates/instructions. If you participate all year then you will have completed 20 blocks that will be assembled into a lap quilt, including quilting and binding.

I have chosen to do the blocks in these red, white and black fabrics. These are the first two blocks. Love them. I found the red and the black fabrics at Cotton Fields. I think this project would also be beautiful done in a single aqua fabric and a white tone-on-tone.

This is the beginning of my challenge piece - the theme is A Walk Through My Garden. My "garden" is actually a backyard that backs up to a creek. So, I've completed the background, have chosen fabrics for the trees and leaves, and bought a strand of tiny LED lights that I hope to figure out how to incorporate into the piece to represent fireflies. Still working on that one ...

Design Wall Monday 1-2-12

2012-01-02T08:02:00.000-05:00

Take a peek at the first Design Wall Monday of 2012 at Patchwork Times.

Doesn't look like much, does it? Let me explain what you're seeing ... several years ago my mother wanted to make a pink/green quilt for her bed. At 80-something, she needs a bit of help with projects like this so we decided to make it together. Long story short, many of the pieces she put together didn't make it into the quilt for one reason or another. I saved all those pieces. Assembling them into a victorian-looking crazy quilt that will one day go to one of her great-grand-daughters is my UFO #5 which is the UFO we are to be working on for Judy's UFO 2012 Challenge. This will be a lap quilt. So in the photo are the many not-used pieces from the original quilt. Also in the photo is some lace and ribbon that will make its way onto the piece. Not photographed are the beads and embroidery floss that will add to the very feminine victorian look for this quilt. This is a bit of an emotional project for me.

Also in the very beginning stages of development is a challenge piece for the local Art-rageous Quilters group. The theme is "A Walk Through My Garden". These are the fabrics I'd like to incorporate in my piece, somehow, along with some beads. The piece is small - 12 x 30. I've been noodling around some ideas and slowly it's becoming more settled in my mind - today I may try to sketch it out.

I'm also knitting a cap for my son. So, lots of things in progress. 2012 is off to a good start.

UFO Challenge for 2012

2011-12-20T13:37:00.000-05:00

Patchwork Times is having a UFO challenge for 2012. I completed a lot of my UFOs in 2011, but I did not participate in the challenge for 2011. So for 2012 I only have a few things planned - I guess some are technically not UFOs since they're not started but ...Oh well, in 2012 I'd like to do the following:

1. Finish Home Tweet Home - needs binding & embellishing
2. Experiment with the 9-degree wedge ruler to make a bargello style circular piece
3. Lake Forest Block of the Month Club (from Keepsake Quilting) - all I've done so far is transfer some of the pattern pieces to fusible web - there are 6 blocks.
4. Create a challenge piece for our local Art-rageous Quilters group - must use a specific green fabric and the theme is "A Walk Through My Garden" - it's due in March
5. Make a Victorian Crazy Quilt from some blocks my mother has made but that have not yet found their way into a quilt.
6. I do have a cathedral window quilt I started several years ago for my son - tons and tons and tons of handwork left to do on it.

So, there you have it. Not terribly daunting ...

Design Wall Monday 12-19

2011-12-18T15:30:00.001-05:00

Hard to believe the year is coming to a close so quickly. Well, I broke my promise to myself about not starting a new project before the new year - I just felt at such loose ends without something to work on, so I found this project in the April 2011 issue of Quiltmaker - it's called "Sailing Away". I had appropriate scraps so I went for it. I've embellished it with some blingy beads. It's about 14" across so it's a super fast project to do.

Please visit Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday to see what others are working on .

Design Wall Monday 12-12

2011-12-08T09:03:00.001-05:00

No quilts this week - I have them all finished and have not started the Lake Forest BOM project yet. Will start that New Year's weekend.

As promised last week, this week I'm showing these adorable fabric boxes from the book "Fast Fun & Easy Fabric Boxes" by Linda Johansen. The book is great - the directions are easy to understand and there are tons of photos that take you through every step. The book gives you directions for making boxes in a variety of sizes and shapes. So far I've been hooked on making the 4" square boxes because I'm using them to "wrap" small Christmas gifts - a great fat-quarter project. One project in the book that I have not yet tackled but plan to, is a lunch kit - the "lunch box" folds out to be your placemat and also contains a drink coaster, and a place to hold your napkin and flatware. It's a fabulous gift idea for someone who takes their lunch to work with them.

The embellishment ideas for these boxes are infinite!

And once you understand the technique, there is no reason why the boxes can't be custom made to whatever size you want. I've got it down now and can make a box in a little over an hour, start to finish.

Visit Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday for incredible inspiration from so many talented and creative artists!

Design Wall Monday 12-5-11

2011-12-04T22:11:00.001-05:00

Visit Patchwork Times to see what others are working on.

The long arm quilter, Lilly Lucier (252-244-1988) finished quiting both One Particular Harbor and Jungle Dance. I was able to finish the binding on One Particular Harbor and add the label, so stick a fork in it - that quilt is done and can be wrapped for Christmas.

Jungle Dance (the binding and label) will be finished by Tuesday.

Fabric boxes ... more about these little gems next week. But in the meantime, they are too much fun! And they are a great way to use scrap fabric.

Design Wall Monday 11-28

2011-11-27T15:26:00.001-05:00

I finished the Home Tweet Home quilt top (from Keepsake Quilting). I really like it and am looking forward to embellishing it with beads.

Also finished the barn raising quilt top which I've named One Particular Harbor. I'm looking forward to getting it back from the long-arm quilter (Lilly Lucier, Vanceboro, NC 252-244-1988).Other than finishing the binding and embellishments on these two pieces plus Jungle Dance, which is already at Lilly's shop, I do not plan to start any new quilting projects until after Christmas.Jump over to Patchwork Times today for Design Wall Monday.

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY

2011-11-22T10:55:00.001-05:00

Saturday is Small Business Saturday. It's a reminder to visit some of the wonderful small businesses in your area and see what they have to offer. Maybe sometimes we just find it easier to go to the mega-marts instead of making an extra stop but I believe that small businesses are the backbone of our wonderful country. These small guys are struggling to survive in this economic environment. They offer some unique products (think Christmas gift ideas!) and a high level of personal service that that mega-marts cannot or do not offer. These owners are your friends and neighbors. Supporting them is well worth the extra stop.

Design Wall Monday 11-21

2011-11-21T07:46:00.002-05:00

Check out Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday inspiration.

I made a little more progress on One Particular Harbor - have to sew together the rows and add the border then it's ready for machine quilting which will be done by Lilly Lucier (252-244-1988) of Vanceboro, NC. I'll be asking her to use a teal color thread and a shore motif.

The Romancing Eastern North Carolina Shop Hop will take place February 1-4, 2012 and includes shops in Jacksonville, Morehead City, Washington, and New Bern, North Carolina. They have a Facebook page so please look them up.

Yesterday I had the privilege of seeing the performance "Stomp!" in Raleigh, NC. Awesome. Humorous. Energetic. Highly recommended if you get an opportunity!

Home Tweet Home - other than buying the fabric for the sashings/border, no further work on that. I hope to get a lot done on it over Thanksgiving, as well as finishing up the One Particular Harbor quilt top.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. Be safe in your travels.

Design Wall Monday 11-14

2011-11-13T20:11:00.007-05:00

Design Wall Monday again??? Yep - and jump over to Patchwork Times to see what some creative folks have been up to.

I started a quilt for my niece - I'm naming it One Particular Harbor. It will be quilted using a shore motif and teal color thread. Two rows down, 4 to go. Will finish this quilt top this week.

The pattern I'm using for One Particular Harbor came from an old quilting magazine and is a 16-patch quasi-log cabin block. The blocks will be put together into a "Barn Raising" pattern.

Also this past week I put together the 9 blocks in the Home Tweet Home series. I was quite delighted to find that so far, I've been able to use only fabrics from my stash. I still need to add sashings and a border but I think even that will be from my stash. I need to blanket stitch, or do some type of stitch, to secure the applique. And I think I'll machine quilt this myself in an overall meander. There are lots of embellishments that can be done to this piece - the pattern shows a couple of pieces with thread "nests", beaded chains for hanging the birdhouses from tree limbs, and I'm sure more opportunities for embellishments will appear once I start looking at it in that frame of mind.

Design Wall Monday 11-7-11

2011-11-05T08:09:00.004-04:00

Hooking up with Patchwork Times today. A source of wonderful quilting inspiration.

Design Wall - just finished the Jungle Dance quilt top. It will be part of my son's Christmas. The center panel is a bargello design and I filled in the sides with simple borders and a piano key border. There was no pattern for this, just a jelly roll of fabric from South Seas Batiks, and then I bought coordinating batiks from Cotton Fields Quilt Shop.

I also just finished Front Street Memories, which is my whimsical tribute to my lovely hometown of Beaufort, NC. Sadly, time marches on, and most of the shops named in this piece are no longer in business. But Beaufort is still a delightful shore town. This piece is is about 6.5 feet long - yikes! and about 2 feet tall. I have not a clue where I'll hang it.

My goal this week is to start on the 9 birdhouses in the Home Tweet Home series. Each block is only 8.5" and there aren't many pieces in each block, so hopefully I'll have made some good progress by the next Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday - Halloween

2011-10-31T07:27:00.001-04:00

Please visit Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.

Have been out of the circle for a while but am trying to get back into the swing of things. Just because I haven't been posting on Design Wall Monday doesn't mean I haven't been busy. Quite the contrary. In fact, what has been on my wall recently are projects I've recently finished.

Scrappy Scrappy Little Star - I think it has a very sweet look to it, and next time I have to make a baby quilt I think I'll do a smaller version of this.

Happiness - I love the colors of the bandanas - it just looks like a happy quilt to me.

715 Ann Street - a tribute to my Grandmother's house - one of the happiest places I can remember.

Just Hanging Around - everyone likes flipflops, right? I thought I had changed the orientation of this photo but guess that change didn't make it from Picasa to Blogger. Anyway, I used a real clotheslines and real clothespins in this piece. The inspiration came from an ad for a local shop. Made entirely of scraps from my stash.

The Blue Hour - named for the blue hue that is indicative of the blue hour in photography - that special time 30 minutes before day light and before sunset. Made entirely of scraps from my stash.

Shall We Dance - this was a pattern I bought from Keepsake Quilting. It was, to me, a very frustrating pattern. I'm sure the pattern was fine and there was just something lost in translation, however every single one of my turtle blocks was not square, and not square in the very same corner. But I was determined to get it finished and see how it turned out - it was sooooo not square and the borders were very wavy but I sent it to Lilly Lucier in Vanceboro, NC for machine quilting and what she did with it was nothing short of a miracle. It's still not square but it's much, much better than it was. I added fun buttons for eyes.

Design Wall Monday 8-15-11

2011-08-15T07:24:00.006-04:00

I rummaged through my fabric stash and found exactly what I needed for a backing and the batting for the flip-flop wall hanging, so it is now ready to quilt. After binding it the last step will be to somehow secure the clothespins to the piece.

And finally, I found a fabric that I'm okay with for the border on the bandana quilt. I really struggled to come up with something I like. This black fabric has dots that are mostly the colors of the bandanas used in this piece so I think it works okay.

My new hobby, however, (like I need another hobby) is making these wreaths that are all the rage right now. Super easy. Not too pricey. And a lot of fun to make.

Visit Patchwork Times today for Design Wall Monday - a fabulous source of inspiration.

Design Wall Monday 8-8-11

2011-08-08T11:00:00.003-04:00

My Design Wall has't changed much except that I did finish the scrappy star quilt - I love it! I also finished the bargello piece but it's quite slender so I'm definitely going to have to be creative about something for the sides - it's plenty long enough, just not very wide for a bed-size quilt. I didn't take a photo for today's design wall but will for next week. Don't forget to dash over to the Patchwork Times to see all the inspiring creations today.

Design Wall Monday 7-25-11

2011-07-24T15:28:00.013-04:00

Be sure to check out Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times!

Once again, my quilting and crafting hobbies have come to my rescue. Tuesday I had gastric bypass surgery and am recovering. While I didn't get much done Tuesday-Friday, Saturday and Sunday I sewed a lot. The up and down motion of sitting at the sewing machine, moving to the ironing board, moving to the cutting table, then back to the sewing machine, has helped to alleviate a lot of the discomfort I was having. I purposely left on my "to do" plate several very easy projects. Here they are.

I'm always surprised at where inspiration for a quilt design will come from. Several weeks ago a local boutique published an ad for a sale and the ad featured flip-flops hanging from a clotheslines. Oh my gosh - it was adorable. So I put my own spin on it. The twine line in this photograph will be replaced with a piece of real clothesline. I will also use real wooden clothespins for "hanging" the flip-flops. All I've done so far is the applique - I need to finish the raw edges, add the clothesline and clothespins and, of course, quilt the piece. It's about 18" x 30". And since one of the rooms in my house is named "Just Beachy", I suspect this piece will end up in that room. I also suspect it may get some bead embellishments ...

Scrappy stars - when I got home from the hospital Thursday I had 5 stars made. Now there are 28 - and that will be all because I ran out of white fabric - will buy more this week. The blocks are 9.5" square, so I'll cut 44 plain white blocks for a total of 72 and will randomly place the star blocks. I'll think about the border when I get there. I'm hoping to find a happy color fabric with a star motif, and I'll have it quilted using a star motif as well. Just a fun, fast quilt.

And the bargello from last week's Design Wall Monday - I'm sewing the strips together. Still no real plan for the border - after I get the center panel finished I'll take it to the quilt shop and see what batiks she has. Cotton Fields always has a nice selection of batiks.

Anyone interested in reading about my bariatric surgery, please visit my other blog Sally's Lapband Journey. I had lapband surgery in August 2008, lost a lot of weight but in August 2009 started having complications. In December 2010 the lapband was removed and the weight quickly started coming back so then I had conventional gastric bypass surgery.

Design Wall Monday 7-18-11

2011-07-17T14:53:00.017-04:00

Check out Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

After a 2-3 week hiatus from sewing because of an ill-behaving sewing machine, the machine is now good to go again and I'm off and running. Lori issued a challenge to me for the scrappy star quilt so here it is, in progress. Check out her blog for details on her scrappy star quilt. I'm going to use a scrappy white background, and each star will be from a different color family. I plan to make a bed size quilt - these are 9.5" blocks, so I have to make a lot more. After the first three blocks I settled into a nice rhythm so the rest will go much faster. These are quite fun to make - no pattern!

I've also laid out my next bargello quilt. This is a jelly roll pack from South Seas Batiks. I laid out all the strips and arranged them in a light to medium to dark value scheme. Then I sewed them together, evened up the ends of the tube, then just started cutting strips from .75" to 2.5" inches wide - no pattern! I took some time laying it out to get the look I wanted - I'm pleased with this wave effect so I'll go with it. To make it a bed size quilt, I'll need to add some kind of side borders, then a plain top and bottom border. Don't have clue yet what that will be. Will ponder it while I sew these strips together. Maybe "piano key" side borders?? Am planning to name it Jungle Dance.

Has anyone else noticed that there seems to be less thread yardage on spools these days?

Have a great week everyone.

Design Wall Monday 7-4-11

2011-07-04T20:17:00.009-04:00

Happy 4th of July! Visit Patchwork Times today for Design Wall Monday.

Nothing to speak of on my design wall but the knitting is coming along nicely. This is an oven towel pattern by Rachel van Schie. She has a fabulous selection of knitted washcloth patterns, for all seasons. It's difficult to see on this towel because the design doesn't show up well until it's been blocked, but the wording says, "Grandma's Kitchen. Kids Eat Free." Too cute.

Each year I choose a word to live by - the word is used to help guide me in decision making and as a way of looking at life. Last year my word was "adventure". This year my word is "simplify" and I'm also trying to make it a point to use what I already have. Repurposing when possible ...

So, keeping the word "simplify" in mind, I looked around at what I had on hand that could be used for propagating plants, one of my hobbies. The plants need kind of a "greenhouse" effect. Hmmm ... what could I use? Empty two-liter soda bottles worked perfectly. I cut the top third of the bottle but not all the way through, and drill drain holes in the bottom. I have 12 azaleas, one rose, one honeysuckle vine, a camelia, and 4 hydangeas propagating. The plants get the greenhouse effect they need but rain can still get in, and there is enough ventilation that the plants don't get too hot, and they're easy to move around. A simple idea that repurposes a trash item, too. Cool.

Design Wall Monday 6-20-11

2011-06-19T20:34:00.007-04:00

Today I'm linking to Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday. What's on my design wall is the bandana quilt. I did pick up some fun fabrics from Cotton Fields fabric shop that I'd like to somehow use for the borders and backing for the bandana quilt. I'm thinking of using the oranges fabric as 4" square cornerstones, then use the limes fabric as the vertical borders and the lemons fabric as the horizontal borders. Then I'll piece together the backing out of these three fruit fabrics. It's a summer time quilt so I'm hoping these will work. I'll audition them and if I'm not happy with it then I may skip adding borders to this quilt and just use the fruit fabrics as the backing/binding.

I've also picked up my knitting again and am knitting the drop-stitch scarf Judy posted on her blog - I've finished the blue scarf and have started a 2nd scarf. The yarns I chose are from The Loopy Ewe and are Malabrigo in the colors Plena, Saphire Magenta, and Whales Road.

Finally, I've pulled out a block of the month kit I ordered last year from Keepsake Quilting, "Lake Forest". I've started tracing the pattern onto fusible web for the first and most extensive block, but that's as far as I've gotten.

It feels good to have picked up the knitting again. In addition to these projects I also am ready to get busy quilting 715 Ann Street and Sister Chicks III which I posted about during the last 2-3 weeks.

Guess I have enough to keep me busy.

Design Wall Monday 6-13-11

2011-06-13T07:22:00.003-04:00

I'm linking today to Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

This quilt is called "Shall We Dance" and is a kit from Keepsake Quilting. I purchased this kit about 4-5 years ago, started it, became frustrated with it, put it down and it became a UFO. Last week I pulled it out and tried to figure out where I left off on it and was determined to finish it. Here it is, such as it is. It's not square so the borders are ruffly. The machine quilter I use, Lilly Lucier out of Vanceboro, NC, is sometimes a miracle worker so I'll take it to her and see if she can do anything with it. Regardless, it will just be a lap quilt for me.

I'm not sure why it turned out so un-square. All of the turtle blocks should have turned out 12" unfinished, but one side, the same side on every single block, was 11.5". I couldn't trim up the squares too much or the legs would have not have lined up like they were supposed to.

Oh well, it's another one I can tick off my "to do" list even if I'm not especially pleased with it.

Design Wall Monday 6-6-11

2011-06-04T22:34:00.007-04:00

I have several pieces in progress right now.

Sister Chicks III is ready to be quilted (designer Debi Hubbs).Wow, it took a long time to satin stitch around each applique piece, but I'm pleased with it. I'll quilt it using a simple diagonal cross-hatch design. I haven't selected the binding fabric yet. The final finishing touch will be the jiggly eyes for the hens and the cow, and birthstone jewelry for each hen - amethyst, aquamrine, and topaz.

A.C. Moore had bandanas on sale for $1/each so I bought 12 to make another bandana quilt - I love these colors - so bright and happy; in fact, I'm naming this quilt "Happiness". Am looking for a good fabric for a border, maybe a white with multi-color polka dots. My other bandana quilt is red/white/blue and it is a great knock-about quilt - I don't worry if it gets put on the floor or if the critters waller all over it.

And though I have not been actively participating in the U.F.O. Challenge at Patchwork Times, the challenge has inspired me to pull out some U.F.O.'s and work on them, this turtle quilt being one of those. This quilt is a kit from Keepsake Quilting called "Shall We Dance" by designer Karen Brow. I started it 3-4 years ago or so and became very frustrated with it so put it down. However, when I pulled it back out a couple days ago and tried to pick up the thread of where I left off at, it wasn't in as bad shape as I remembered. So I'm off and running again with it and this time I'll finish it. I have the 6 blocks finished, the applique turtle ready to go; need to cut out the setting triangles then I can sew the whole thing together. I had forgotten that I'd already cut and piece together the borders and binding.

Take a few minutes to stop by Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday 5-30-11

2011-05-30T12:21:00.004-04:00

Happy Memorial Day! Happy Birthday to my mother who turned 84 today!

Am linking to Patchwork Times today for Design Wall Monday.

I finished the 715 Ann Street - a whimsical tribute to my lovely grandmother's house, a home we all loved and adored when we were growing, a home that contains many happy memories. Though the house no longer is "in the family" the people that own it are terrific and take such loving care of it. My grandmother would be thrilled to see how beautiful her home is these days.

What's left to do on this piece is the quilting, of course, adding some flower buttons on the shrubs, and writing "715 Ann Street" above the front door. This piece has been a true joy to make.

Design Wall Monday 5-23-11

2011-05-21T19:13:00.014-04:00

Thanks so much to QuiltSwissy for her suggestion in my blog last week regarding Betty Alof's book "Quilt Your Favorite Photos". I ordered the book via the internet from Betty Alof's web site and received it in the mail Wednesday. The book is great. I learned that while generally I was on the right path regarding the applique wall hanging I'm planning to do in memory of my grandmother's house, Betty's book let me know I was trying to put way too much detail in the pattern.

So, I re-drew the pattern and am very pleased with the drawing now as a jumping off point for this project. I've pulled fabrics, and am ready to go.

I also have selected a series of teal fabrics in light to dark values that will eventually become a quilt for my neice. I have the idea/pattern floating around in my head - it will be a little while before I start it.

Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times is always fun. Please check it out.

Design Wall Monday 5-16-11

2011-05-14T17:02:00.008-04:00

I'm linking today to Judy's blog at Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

I've managed to get a couple of tops finished and ready for quilting this week and am preparing to start another. First, I finished The Blue Hour scrappy quilt top. It was fun to do and I'm wondering if I have enough reds, yellow, pinks, greens, etc. in my stash to make other color tops like this.

I also put together a small wall hanging for my sister. I'm calling it Sister Chicks II because I've made a similar piece for my other sister that I called Sister Chicks I. The pattern line is by Debi Hubbs and this is really called "Out To Lunch" - the original has 4 crows instead of 3 but since my sisters and I make 3, I omitted one of the crows. They still need their eyes. I'll quilt it myself. And I plan to embellish it like I did the first one - one will wear amethyst beads, one aquamarine, and the other topaz - representing the birthstones for each sister.

My next project is called 715 Ann Street and is a tribute to the home my grandmother lived in for a gazillion years. My cousin, Patricia, is a watercolor artist specializing in old homes and churches. She did this drawing and I enlarged it to about 20" x 20" and will use it as the pattern for this applique wall hanging.

Design Wall Monday 5-9-11

2011-05-08T20:03:00.008-04:00

Since Mother Nature so kindly tended to my garden this weekend with her natural rain elixir, which in turn gave me a legitimate excuse to not mow the yard ;-), Ive had a couple of days to sew. Because of that, the Front Street Memories townscape wall hanging is ready for Lilly Lucier to machine quilt it. I'll have to take it to her and chat with her about the best way to quilt it.

I also started a blue & white scrappy quilt which I've named The Blue Hour. The final size will be 16 blocks square or about 54" square once the borders are added. The amount of blue fabrics in my stash dictated the size of this lap-size quilt. Should finish it up in the next day or two. Then I have two more applique wall hangings in the queue.

Today I'm linking to Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday - a terrific source of quilting and crafting inspiration.

Design Wall Monday 5-2-11

2011-05-02T08:17:00.005-04:00

All that's on my "design wall" is items I've finished up this past week: the coffee-themed placemats that I talked about in an earlier post, and the bargello quilt which was returned by Lilly Lucier (machine quilter) and needed the binding finished on it.

I'm taking a break from sewing this week to work in the yard and garden while the weather is so perfect but when I pick up sewing next week it will likely be the the 2' x 6' townscape piece.

Visit Judy's blog today at Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday 4-18-11

2011-04-17T15:58:00.004-04:00

This project was featured in McCall's Quilting March/April 2011 edition. It's called Cafe Espresso and is a set of 4 placemats plus the coordinating napkins. The designer is Stephanie Sims and the fabric collection is Daily Grind Fabrics by Barb Tourtillotte for Clothworks.

The directions are perfect and I was able to cut everything out and machine piece it in just a few hours. All that is left to do now is sew the hem on the napkins, quilt the placemats (am still debating whether to machine quilt or hand quilt), and bind the placemats.

I ordered the kit from D's Sewing Center & Quilt Shop because after doing an internet search for the fabrics, it seemed easier (and cheaper after paying shipping charges) to simply order the kit.

While I love the smell of coffee, and coffee "stuff", I detest the taste of it! hahaha Still, I think they are neat looking.

Am linking up to Patchwork Times today for Design Wall Monday.

Critters - Ya Gotta Love 'Em

2011-04-05T13:38:00.012-04:00

I feel lucky to have a 16 mile drive to/from work - no traffic lights! I pass a couple of small working farms that have critters and I get to watch them live their lives. Recently, a colt was born. His first couple of days were rather shaky on those skinny, wobbly legs, but once he was steady and his confidence increased, I started seeing him go at a full-tilt run around his pen area, kicking those skinny back legs straight up in the air. His mother gives him an exasperated "Kids!!!" look. I'll swear, if horses can roll their eyes, she did! hahaha

A pasture I pass everyday usually has a small-ish herd of cows grazing - I'd say there are ~50 cows in the herd. And a rooster. Yes, a rooster. I hope you can see him in the very center of this photo. He's been part of that herd for 3 years now. I don't know if he knows that he's a rooster hanging with a bunch of cows, or if he thinks he's a cow. But wherever the cows are, so goeth the rooster-cow. If they're taking a siesta, well, so is he. Last year there was one sheep with the herd as well, but I haven't seen the sheep yet this year. And lately they've added a lot of calves to the mix - they are so cute when they run and play with each other.

Last autumn another small farm I pass daily had a lot of baby goats - kids. Adorable! Right now that same small farm has a lot of baby sheep. To me, that farm is "the nursery".

I also pass a house everyday that has two labradors retrievers standing guard - one chocolate, one yellow. At the end of the day they await their respective masters. The chocolate lab sits on the west side of the property, looking eastward. The yellow lab sits on the east side of the property, looking westward. Maybe one belongs to the mr. of the house and the other belongs to the mrs.

And when I arrive at my burrow my Sweet Charleston's little face is looking out the window, like a ghostly apparition. I smile everytime I see it. I love his name, "Charleston", however "Casper" would have also been a good name for him. So would "Squirt" for some not-so-pleasant reasons. My cat probably thinks the name, "Skeeter" would be very appropriate for Charleston since he pesters the cat like a mosquito.

Design Wall Monday 4-4-11

2011-04-04T19:02:00.005-04:00

The Origami Quilt - finally have settled down to work on it and am making progress. All that's left to do is sew beads onto 38 more flowers, and add the label. This pattern is from the book Fantastic Fabric Folding by Rebecca Wat. I first talked about it in my Design Wall Monday post from 11/2/10.

It has been a frustrating piece because I absolutely could not get the folded fabric flowers to be square. So I had to really work with them to get the 9-patches pieced together. So the 9-patches aren't square. And so on and so on. With the whole piece not being square, the outside border is ruffly. This is something I would never put in a show, but I'll enjoy it on my wall. I hope to finish it up this week then get it on the wall so I can move on to something else.

My hands started hurting so badly that I've had to put the sock knitting down for a few weeks - give my hands a chance to rest (arthiritis maybe?). But I did finish a couple more pairs of socks before I had to call it quits for a while.

I'll miss the next Design Wall Monday - we'll be on vacation.

Jump over to Patchwork Times to check out Judy's blog.

Spring!

2011-03-25T10:15:00.001-04:00

To me, this is the face of spring!

Happy Spring everyone.

The Bargello Quilt

2011-03-22T20:15:00.002-04:00

The pattern is Long and Winding Road from the January 2004 The Quilter magazine. The pattern is by Patti Carey for Northcott/Monarch. The instructions were excellent; easy to follow. Were I to do it over again I would buy a tad bit more fabric because the pattern calls for 45" wide fabric and the fabric I used was 40-41" and that made a big difference.

Design Wall Monday 3-21-11

2011-03-20T09:33:00.005-04:00

Happy Spring! Yay!

And double Yay! for the finished bargello quilt top. I went to my cousin's house in Georgia on 3-16 and we made this entire quilt top 3-17 and 3-18 - finished at 9:30 p.m on the 18th. We had about 6 inches of the outside border fabric left and about 15 inches of the white fabric. That's cutting it very close. We have named this quilt ShoreSeaker - it's for my sister and she has named her cottage ShellSeaker, so it fits with her overall beach-y theme.

"Spring" over to Patchwork Times today for Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday 3-14-11

2011-03-14T14:23:00.005-04:00

I have my sewing stuff packed up for my trip to Georgia to sew together the bargello quilt with my cousin. So I've been working on more pillowcases and knitting sox - both are addicting. Hopefully for Design Wall Monday 3-21-11 I'll be able to show the completed or almost completed bargello quilt top. Don't forget to check out Patchwork Times today.

Design Wall Monday 3-7-11

2011-03-07T09:41:00.007-05:00

Here are pieces for the next quilt my cousin and I will make together 3/16-3/20 - a beautiful bargello wave quilt for my sister. At that point Patricia and I will have made a bed-size quilt for each of our siblings - she's in GA and I'm in NC so it's been a bit of a challenge. For the other 3 quilts we made together we figured out how to do it via US Mail or UPS. But the bargello quilt ... I just can't come up with a good way to do it without actually being together. So, I get to take a fun road trip to her hood and we'll sew for 2.5 days - I think we'll be able to get the quilt top finished and ready to take to Lilly Lucier in Vanceboro, NC for machine quilting. I love going to Patricia's place - they have 400+ acres in the middle of GA - it's a beautiful area and should be especially pretty with spring popping out right now.

Check out Patchwork Times today for Design Wall Monday.

Other quilting news, sort of, is my "new" sewing & crafting studio. Actually, it was my son's "man cave" and I'll not show any "before" photos because it was a hideous mess that only a male teenager can make! Once I got all of my crafting and sewing stuff up here, I wondered how in the world I managed to work in my previous 12 x 12 room. This new space is 450 sq. ft.! I was a bit worried that he might resent my taking over his space, but we talked about it and he agreed that he's no longer living at the burrow, so it only makes sense that I utilize the space the best way possible.

And a final fun report ... a group called The Artrageous Quilters in eastern NC meets once a month to inspire and share their respective talents. In March 2010 they were given a challenge quilt to make and this past weekend the pieces were unveiled. The challenge was a take on the kids game of telling a secret to the first person and going around in a circle telling the same secret and then seeing what the last person heard the secret to be. Oh my! What a fun challenge it was - to see the results please visit my friend Lori's blog at Talk Is Cheap Quilts. The challenge for 2011 is "Walk Thru My Garden" and is due March 2012 - I'm going to participate in this challenge.

Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show this past weekend

2011-02-28T11:12:00.002-05:00

This past weekend I went with the quilt guilds from Greenville, NC and Washington, NC to the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show in Hampton, VA. It was my first time attending a quilt show of this size and I was not disappointed. We were allowed to take photos of most of the pieces but I do not want to post them here because 1) it would be too hard to choose my "favorites", and 2) I haven't asked for permission. However, if you would like to receive a link to my Picasa file that contains the photos (around 140 of them), please send your email address to me at SallyJH123@gmail.com and I'll be happy to send the link to you.

The artistry and creativity demonstrated at the show was nothing short of breathtaking. There were several pieces that simply looked like paintings until you were about 2-3' from them, then you could see the fabulous thread-work that created the detailing. Artful thread-work abounded in the pieces, as did simply drop-dead gorgeous quilting, both hand and machine. And the machine embroidery ... if I had an extra $12-20K floating around I would definitely buy a machine capable of embroidery.

Piecing With Pixels was a delightful collection using photography and quilting - inspiring.

And the vendors ... so much to look at and choose from. I ended up buying the book Quilting Without Corners because I have the 9-degree wedge ruler and don't have a clue what to do with it, and I bought a beautiful skein of sock yarn.

I left the show very inspired to try to take my quilting skills to the next level.

Check out Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times today. Another fantastic source of inspiration.

The Pioneer Woman - Ree Drummond

2011-02-25T14:58:00.003-05:00

I look at a number of blogs everyday - about half deal with weight loss and the other half deal with crafting/quilting/sewing, and then there are 2 or 3 that are outside of those subjects. One of those is a blog I enjoy without fail - The Pioneer Woman. Her blog is so sweet and down-to-earth - she and her husband (whom she refers to as Marlboro Man and there is no doubt after reading her blog that he is her soul-mate) live and operate a working ranch in Oklahoma. They have a sweet family that she writes about as well as the critters that are also part of their family. She also talks about cooking and has recipes on her blog. But the photography - it's amazing. She's a talented writer and talented photographer and seems to be a very genuine and delighful person with a delicious sense of humor. Her blog never fails to brighten my day.

Sometimes It Sneaks Up On You ...

2011-01-19T15:35:00.003-05:00

Last fall my son moved from the burrow to the dorm - it's only 20 minutes from the house, and I knew he would be returning to the burrow for some weekends, holidays, breaks. But at Christmas he moved from the burrow to his father's condo which is a stone's throw from the university. This move felt different. Now I doubt he'll be coming back to the burrow to live for breaks, holidays, etc. In a way it's sad. In another way it's just very strange. And the realization of this change kinda snuck up on me. There was no fanfare - no day that it suddenly happened - it was a gradual thing and it's taken a while for me to realize it.

As much as I have complained about how sloppy he is and how much I enjoy coming home to a clean and tidy burrow, it is a very weird feeling to know I'm the only one in the burrow (well, except for the critters). Last night after cleaning up the supper dishes I was just chilling on the sofa looking through a catalog when the quietness hit me - it made me feel very small and almost unimportant.

Things are working out very well for him, though, and that makes me happy.

You know, our kids sometimes do things to make us proud even when they don't realize it. Like the day 4 years ago when I was cleaning up my son's filthy dirty bedroom and came across a stack of magazines ... hidden under a bed ... and my heart just sank through my toes. So I slowly and carefully pulled the stack of magazines out and let out such a loud sigh of relief when I saw they were hunting magazines! I was so proud of him at that moment, or maybe I was just so relieved that I mistook the feeling of relief as that of feeling proud.

But he does make me proud. He has a great sense of humor. He's taking college seriously and his grades prove it. He sensible (about most things). He's a fun person to be with. He's a good friend to his friends. He's still a slob though but if my brain cells will let me remember correctly, I was also a slob at that age ...

Design Wall Monday 1-10-11

2011-01-09T20:18:00.006-05:00

Make sure to check out Patchwork Times today for Design Wall Monday - always so much inspiration there.

I actually have something in my design/work area other than knitted socks. Well, okay, there is one pair of knitted socks that I finished this week, but I also have fabrics laid out for 3 sets of pillowcases, and I have pulled out the origami quilt to work on - all that's left to do on the origami quilt is sewing on the beads and finishing the binding.

Besides being totally hooked on knitting socks, I'm also totally hooked on making pillowcases - they are so fast to make and the fabric combinations are endless. Yesterday I had the delightful pleasure of helping my friend Lori in her quilt shop, Cotton Fields. It's like being in a candy shop and I selected fabrics with pillowcases in mind. I love talking quilts with the customers. She has a lot of customers that aren't quilters but know the value of using quality fabrics in their handmade items, like handbags, potholders, aprons, pillowcases, etc.

I just cringe when I hear that someone is investing their precious time to make something, especially something big like a quilt, but are using inexpensive big-chain store fabrics. The same holds true for beading.

Whenever possible I try to support local businesses, so I feel especially thankful to have a beautiful quilt shop so close to my house. Usually I can find what I need there but Lori is always willing to special order items, too.

Knitting Needle Carrier & Simplifying!

2011-01-05T10:46:00.012-05:00

I selected a word to live by for 2011 - that word is "simplify". That means that I will try to reduce clutter in my life by using what I already have on hand, being creative about finding substitutions rather than buying new, and changing what I eat to more simplistic (not processed) fare. There are other things I plan to do to simplify but those are the biggies.

Some changes I've already made include using a clothesline instead of my dryer most of the time. Sometimes the weather makes the decision for me, but most items I dry on the outside or inside clothesline. Since it's just me at the burrow, I hand wash my dishes. I have not used my dishwasher since my son left for college in August. I don't miss it one bit.

This philosophy also extends into my crafting life. Yesterday I decided to make a carrying case for my knitting needles and knitting supplies. I should have taken a before photo - they were all in their original packaging but then just tossed haphazardly into a plastic bag. I found a large piece of yellow fabric leftover from a quilt backing, made a rectangle, sewed up some channels, and viola! A knitting needle case is born. I made the channels different sizes to accommodate supplies and circular needles - there's even room to expand my needle collection ;-). I also made some fun and blingy stitch markers with beads and jewelry making supplies I already had on hand.

Now if I could just figure out how to neatly store my yarn stash ...

Design Wall Monday 1-3-11

2011-01-02T19:57:00.005-05:00

Happy New Year! I'm still working on socks. My goal was to get two pair finished while riding to/from Texas for Christmas - a 21 hour drive. But Sweet Pooch Charleston had other ideas that consisted of riding in my arms the whole way there and back. Needless to say, zero knitting was accomplished so I finished two pair of socks when we returned. The dark pair on the left are the first pair I made several weeks ago - they're okay. There are lots of mistakes in them but they are my "learning pair" and are fine for wearing around my burrow. The other two completed pair still have a mistake or two in them but I love them. They fit great and feel great and I love the colors. I've started another pair doing my version of two-at-a-time. (I'm using Patons sock yarn and a free basic sock pattern from the Paton web site.) In the close-up, I don't know if you'll be able to see it, but there is a bling-y stitch marker. A story goes along with this stitch marker ... when I hosted the earring-making party in December my friend Laura, also a knitter, brought some beaded stitch markers she had bought. They look like beautiful earrings only without the earwire - instead they are on a jump ring. So while folks at the earring making party were making earrings, Laura, Lori and I were making stitch markers and planning ways to make more. What a great gift for a knitter and, of course, knitting in progress looks so good with a little bling hanging from it.

The holidays are over ... traces of Christmas are put away until next year ... so tomorrow I'll get my sewing machine out. I'm still knitting socks, but I also have 3 sets of pillowcases I plan to make. Then it's back to quilting ... while knitting socks.

Take a few moment to check out Judy's blog at Patchwork Times. Her blog is always either a learning experience for me, or it motivates me.

Design Wall Monday 12-20-10

2010-12-19T22:57:00.005-05:00

Jump over to Judy's blog at Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday and for great inspiration.

I'm still hooked on socks - no quilt on my design wall. I knitted the two in this photo and am now knitting the mates, using my "two-at-a-time" method - two sets of double-pointed needles! The only sock yarn I have any experience with is this Patons Kroy sock yarn - I like it and am fascinated at how the striping effect works. I mean, how does it know I'm finished knitting the cuff and now would be the perfect time to change colors? Or maybe I'm giving this too much thought?

I have yarn for two more pairs of socks and then I've got to put this down and get back to work on my quilting.

Word for the year - my friend Laura, at Mixonian, suggests selecting a word that will guide you for the year. My word for 2010 has been adventure - I've tried to see everything, even negative events in my life, as adventures. I must admit that using this word as a guide helped me to view events a little differently. It also gave me the inclination to do something different on the weekends, like the Sunday morning we got up early and drove all over eastern North Carolina photographing old and crumbling barns. I also used "adventure" as a driving force for trying some new cooking techniques or foods that I'm not familiar. In other words, the word "adventure" helped me step out of my comfort zone.

My word for 2011 is "Simplify". I plan to simplify my house so it is easier to clean and maintain. I plan to simplify my "footprint" in this world. I plan to simplify the food I eat so my diet will contain more natural foods and less processed foods. I plan to also use this word to guide me in my quilting, crafting, and sewing. Give it a try - select a word and let it be a guide for you in 2011. I would love to hear what word you select.

Introducing Winston!

2010-12-15T14:24:00.003-05:00

Oh! My! Gosh! Is he adorable or what? Winston has had a bad run but his luck just changed. He was obviously someone's pet and somehow got away from them and became a stray, but not for a very long time. However, during the time that he was a stray he was probably clipped by a car because one of his hind legs is dislocated and he has "road rash". He was in the city animal shelter for only a few days; my sister saw his photo and fell in love. That was last Thursday. Saturday she and my mother went to the shelter and met Winston in person (Winston is the name they gave him, he had no collar). They paid the adoption fee but had to leave without Winston because the shelter will not let animals go to their new home until they're spayed/neutered. Yesterday Winston was neutered and my sister and mother picked him up at the end of the day and brought him home. So, besides being in a shelter for a few days, he was neutered and was given shots, AND his back leg hurts. When he got to his new home, however, he saw that dog bed and knew what it was for! He's settling in and is becoming, once again, the pet he was destined to be. Today he goes to the vet to have his leg checked and start the process of getting it treated.

What a lucky pooch and what a lovely Christmas gift he has been given - the gift of a new, loving, gentle and happy home. On the other side, he's a lovely Christmas gift for mother and sister because he brings a bit of fun and life to their household and is something they can love and care for.

My other sister also has a rescue dog - Frankie - a chihuahua/Jack Russell mix - he's quite a charmer!

And my dog, Charleston, is a rescue dog - I love him to pieces.

Rescue dogs ... all they need is a good home and second chance. They give you back so much more than you could ever give them.

Design Wall Monday 12-13-10

2010-12-12T21:15:00.007-05:00

Still no quilt on my design wall, but I can boast my first finished pair of knitted socks, and the start of a second pair. Can't believe how much I'm enjoying knitting socks. Even more, can't believe how much I'm enjoying wearing them!

What fun we had Sunday ... I hosted an "earring-making party" at my house. Everyone brought a drink or appetizer, and I supplied all the beads and findings, showed the delightful ladies how to make a pair of earrings, then let them have at it. They must have had a good time because around 50 pair of earrings were made - a fun way to get some Christmas shopping done. This is the 2nd year we've done this event. There is one rule at the party ... no one can make fun of how many beads I have ... am rather self-conscious about it ... hahaha

Sometime this week I plan to go shopping for more sock yarn.

Am linking to Judy's blog at Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

My First Finished Knitted Sock

2010-12-07T11:18:00.003-05:00

Notice I said "sock" not "pair of socks" - hahaha But it's finished, it fits and it feels good!

The sock pattern is from the Patons Yarn website and is just a basic sock pattern. The yarn is Patons sock yarn in "clover colors".

Wow, my leg looks huge in this photo - it's really not that big - I'm just a horrible photographer. Next ... start the other sock.

Design Wall Monday 12-6-10

2010-12-05T22:00:00.005-05:00

So much has been happening causing me to be absent for a while. I'm back, but not with a quilting project. Knitting has captured my attention; maybe that's because the weather has turned cold and I love to sit and knit when it's cold outside.

I've knitted a sweater for Sweet Charleston. He actually seems to like it!

And I finished the Sea Lettuce scarf (Lucy Neatby http://www.lucyneatby.com/) - I think the color yarn (Lion Brand Amazing in Rain Forest) is perfect for this scarf.

And finally, I ditched the knit-two-socks-at-a-time method and have decided to just learn how to knit a single sock. Maybe after I've learned that the knit-two-at-a-time method will make more sense to me. Anyway, this sock pattern is from the Patons Yarn website and the yarn is Patons sock yarn.

It will probably be after Christmas before I get back to my quilting projects

Today I'm linking to Judy's delightful blog at Patchwork Times. I never fail to learn something from her blog.

Preparing Ahead for Thanksgiving

2010-11-16T15:06:00.002-05:00

This year it will only be 4 of us for Thanksgiving - my sister, her daughter, my boyfriend, and myself. We are meeting at my sister's cottage and having "Old Movie Day". We have also decided to forego the typical turkey/dressing/side dishes type of food and instead are having lasagna, homemade Italian bread, a "garbage" salad, and a key lime pie.

I made the lasagna two weekends ago - so it's in the freezer, ready to pull out and toss in the oven. My sister is making the salad. I'll make the bread the morning of Thanksgiving so I can take the dough to my sisters and we can all enjoy that seductive scent of homemade bread baking off in the oven. The key lime pie I'll make the night before. The whole point of this meal is that no one should be cooking themself to a frazzle trying to get everything ready for the Thanksgiving meal. And clean-up should be super easy, too.

My niece is going to a "gourmet" popcorn shop and picking up several flavors of popcorn to have for watching movies.

My boyfriend is in charge of getting the drinks.

I've downloaded to my iPod some classics. So we're pretty much good to go - should be a wonderfully relaxing day.

I'll still roast a turkey sometime over the Thanksgiving break, though. I love to have a turkey around the house to pick at for sandwiches.

This is one of my favorite holidays of the year. And I wish for each of you and happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Design Wall Monday 11-2-10

2010-10-31T21:00:00.004-04:00

Wow! Cannot believe that it is November. I'm linking today to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. And I'm so excited to have something to show since I missed last week.

This quilt was a UFO from a couple of years ago. The pattern is from the book Fantastic Fabric Folding by Rebecca Wat. I decreased the size from a 65" square bed throw to a 40" square wall hanging. The flowers are a 3D effect and I did not think I would use it on a bed. Plus I plan to add beaded flower centers and petal tips, so it will be better suited as a wall hanging. There is still a lot left to do: quilt sandwich, quilting, binding, beaded flower centers, folding back each flower petal and securing it to the quilt top with a bead - there are 65 flowers so there are 260 petal tips to deal with - sounds like a good evening-in-front-of-the-TV type of project.

Each flower starts with a 6" square. No matter how precise I was about cutting the squares and folding them, each finished 3" square flower was anything but square. It was frustrating but I decided to slog through and see what happened. As the petals were sewn into the 9-patches that helped to square them up. I did learn that if I were to ever make this or another origami type pattern again, I would take the time to baste down all the petals so they would be out of the way during quilt top construction.

In the book, this pattern is shown in more pastel colors, but I'm drawn to more vibrant and loud colors. I'm naming it "Wild Flower Patch".

Am still knitting the Sea Lettuce scarf, too. Am over half-way finished with it. but got waylaid by this quilt top. It feels good to see some significant forward progress on a UFO. There are still a couple more UFOs waiting in the wings ...

Design Wall Monday 10-18-10

2010-10-17T20:41:00.014-04:00

Dash over to Judy's at Patchwork Times for some fabulous quilting inspiration today. She's hosting Design Wall Monday.

On my design wall is a project I started 2 years ago - an origami quilt from the book "Fantastic Fabric Folding" by Rebecca Wat. The quilt will be a simple 9-patch - the pattern is "Inside Out Flowers". I bought the fabric for the flowers during a shop hop event and cut out the 6" squares and started folding, then for some reason, I don't remember why, I put it down.

I'm bringing it back out but unfortunately, the flowers I've already folded were not stored well and need to be ironed out and re-folded. - on an upnote, I had only folded about 25 so I'm not out much time. This quilt needs 125 flowers. But after that it's just a simple 9-patch and should go together quickly. Because of the 3-D type of effect of the flowers, Rebecca said she tied this quilt instead of quilting it (she was a guest on Alex Anderson's Simply Quilts show). The background is white/green and the flowers are all these lovely spring and summer colors. As a little embellishment, I think beaded flower centers would be a lovely extra touch.

As I've been typing this blog posting, however, I've pondered the Inside Out Flowers quilt and have decided I would enjoy it more as smaller wall hanging, than as a bed size quilt. The piece in the book is 65" x 65" and has 25 flower 9-patches and 24 white/green 9-patches. I'm going to make it 40" x 40" so it will have 13 flower 9-patches and 12 white/green 9-patches.

I've also been seriously bitten by the knitting bug and have several projects going. At the encouragement of Judy at Patchwork Times, I'm attempting to knit, for the first time, socks. I bought the book Knitting Circles Around Socks by Antje Gillingham and have my first pair going. I do spend an incredible about of time, though, trying to keep the two balls of yarn untangled. So I decided to also knit a pair of socks the old fashioned way - one sock at a time on double pointed needles so I would have something to compare it to.

And I'm knitting a scarf - I think a row of seed beads might find its way onto this scarf ...

Flipflop Dishtowels

2010-10-14T11:31:00.002-04:00

Am linking to Judy's Patchwork Times blog today about handmade gifts.

Flipflops are popular in my neck of the woods as I live relatively close to the beach. These dish towels are super easy to make because you start with pre-made, inexpensive dishtowels from Walmart - this is their Mainstays brand, 2 for $3.99, solid white, a waffle weave type fabric. Trace the flipflop design and strap piece onto Steam A Seam and fuse the fabric to the dish towel, then satin stitch around all of the pieces or just the main pieces. You can also add beads. I also add either rickrack, fringe, or bias binding along the bottom edge of the towel for a little extra color and finishing touch. Only your imagination limits what you can do with this. So far, everyone I've either given these to or shown these to have loved them.

Design Wall Monday 10-11-10

2010-10-11T09:50:00.007-04:00

Update on 10-14-10 - Judy at Patchwork Times has a great post today about handmade gift items. I'm linking to it and am also updating this post with instructions for the flipflop dish towels. The dishtowels come from Walmart - 2 for $3.99 - Mainstays, plain white, kind of a waffle weave pattern. The design is fused to the dishtowel using Steam A Seam, then I satin stitch around all or most of the design. I also add binding or fringe or rickrack along the bottom edge for a little extra finishing touch. Last night I hosted Bunco and these dish towels were a huge hit! I also showed them at work and walked away with orders for 2 sets. The design possibilities are endless and it would be easy to match a kitchen decor.

Update on 10-13-10 - linking to http://www.somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/ - some super cute and fun ideas here!

Update - on 10-12-10 I'm linking to Today's Creative Blog for Get Your Craft On Tuesday. Lots of great ideas!!!!

I'm taking a bit of break from quilting to make some other sewn items that will either end up being gifts or items to sell at a local craft show in December. The fabric boxes are from a pattern - if you want the pattern name, let me know and I'll send it to you. They were easy to make once I figured out the pattern, which was a bit difficult to follow. But now that I know the technique the baskets can be made in any size. I also found that using store-bought binding is a lot easier than making your own binding. I plan to use the baskets as bread baskets and when they're not in use simply untie the corners and they lay flat for storage. These boxes are 8" square except for the black one that is 6" square.

The flipflop dish towels are a big hit at work today - I already have 2 orders to make 2 sets of 8 (2 for each season of the year). Super easy peasy lemon squeezy. I made 2 sets with Christmas ornaments on them, and 2 sets with Christmas stockings, but it's the flipflop ones that folks seem to like.

As usual on Mondays, I'm linking to Patchwork Times. The more I read Judy's blog, the more I enjoy it - she's talked lately of knitting two socks at one time and I ordered the book she recommended yesterday - should be in Wednesday or Thursday and I'm excited about giving that a whirl. I admire how much she accomplishes and how independent she is in their style of living - I'm not sure I would ever be that independent but I certainly plan to put some of her ideas in place in my life.

Design Wall Monday 10-4-10

2010-10-03T21:20:00.008-04:00

I've been sewing the binding on to two quilts previously shown in my blog - the red & white quilt for my cousin and the black & white foundation paper pieced quilt - so I guess those are still on my design wall. And I'm still working on the 2' x 6' townscape wall hanging. When not sewing, though, I've been knitting. In the blog Textiles 4 You a knitted scrubby pattern was featured and I've made a slew of them! And in another blog that I totally cannot remember right now, a link to a pattern for an Irish Hiking Scarf was provided - I promise to try to figure out which blog I got it from and publish the link. Anyway, it was a fun and fast scarf to make and those 3 cables make it look so "wintry".

I enjoy Design Wall Mondays at Patchwork Times because I always get so inspired by the awesome quilt projects featured there. I also find Judy's blog interesting because she is so self-sufficient - it's an admirable trait.

Design Wall Monday 9-27-10

2010-09-27T08:17:00.003-04:00

I'm still working on Front Street Memories so my design wall has not changed much, just moved to my dining room table so I have more room to work. I did, however, spend quite a bit of time updating my quilting scrapbook. I have a record of every quilt and quilted items (like tablerunners) I have made along with a photo, and in most cases I even have a photo of the recipient if it was a gift. I am so glad I've taken the time to assemble this simple scrapbook and I love going back through it and remembering the various pieces I've made. It was was overdue for an update. I include photos and a brief paragraph describing the piece, the title and date, the inspiration, who machine quilted it if it was machine quilted, if it won any ribbons at a show, etc. Once a quilt is given as a gift, sometimes it's very difficult to go back and try to get a photo.

Am linking to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times today. Her blog is such a source of inspiration for not only quilting, but cooking and just enjoying life in general.

A Fabulous Dream

2010-09-23T09:15:00.003-04:00

This is Fletch. Fletch was 2 years old when he came to live with us in 2002. He was supposed to be my son's dog, but ended up being my delightful, big, sweet, stinky baby. Fletch was a very big guy - about 110 lbs but not overweight. He was smart and wanted so badly to be a lap-dog. He loved to snuggle. He was a gentle beast in every way. He passed away during Christmas 2008. It was very unexpected as I didn't even know the big guy was sick - he hid it so well or maybe I just didn't want to see it. It broke my heart to have to kennel him on Christmas Eve 2008 because we were going out of town and it was one of the few places the big guy just couldn't go with us; I kept telling Bruce that I felt just awful that Fletch wasn't going to be with us for the holidays. 2 days later the vet called to tell me Fletch was seriously down with lung cancer. We left Atlanta right away but it's an 8 hour drive and Fletch died 2 hours after the vet's phone call. Not for an instant when I left him at the kennel did I think I'd never see him again.

Well, last night I had a most delightful dream. I was sitting on my living room floor and had called Fletch to me so I could put his collar on. He came up to me and sat down, then scootched in real close which is what he would do when he wanted a hug. I wrapped my arms around his big neck and could smell his oily skin, feel the roughness of his fur, feel the substance and warmth of his body. We sat like that for a long time but gradually the dream faded. I did not want to get out of bed, trying to keep that feeling alive for a little while longer but eventually reality called and Charleston was asking to go outside for his morning constitutional, reminding me that it was a new and wonderful day.

It was a delightful way to start my day, with an unexpected but most welcomed visit from my big guy. I still sorely miss him.

Front Street Memories

2010-09-23T06:54:00.003-04:00

It's rocking right along. This has been such a fun project. I've spent this week adding the "gingerbread" and imaginging and dreaming more things to add to it. Am working on the store fronts now and thinking about printing some images and words onto fabric for iron transfer. Does anyone have any suggestions about that technique?

Design Wall Monday 9-20-10

2010-09-19T18:42:00.007-04:00

On my design wall this week is Front Street Memories. It is a 22" tall x 6-foot long applique wall hanging that is a whimsical tribute to my hometown of Beaufort, NC. I've named the buildings after the businesses that existed when I was a little girl - some still exist but most have since closed up shop. There is a ton of detail work left to do: shutters, flowers, flower boxes, boards, window panes, maybe a cat or dog, dressing up the store front windows, shop names. Even though there is a lot left to do, it is all fun stuff. I'll satin stitch around as much of the detailing as I can. I will use the sewing machine and embroidery for some of the detailing as well. For the building names I plan to use a transfer. And I may even use pen & ink for some of the detail work.

Speaking of sewing machines. Thursday I packed up my machine and took it to the shop for servicing. They had it ready Friday and Saturday I gave it a work out. It runs like it's brand new! Now I'm just sorry that I waited so long to take it in for servicing. Oh well, live and learn. It's now working well.

I'm linking up Monday to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.

My House - I Love My House

2010-09-15T14:27:00.003-04:00

And it's really a nothing special house. It was sort of a track-home in a nice neighborhood. You know the saying - don't buy the most expensive house in a crappy neighborhood, but buy the cheapest house in an expensive neighborhood ... that's kind of what I did. Initially the house was a 3 bedroom-2 bath-one floor very plain but open design 1550 square foot home. It's probably one of the smallest homes in the neighborhood, and one of the most plain homes - at least it was!

That was in 1999.

Since 1999 I've made some major changes. First thing was finishing out 3/4 of the attic and adding 400 sq ft of living space - one big open family room and a half bath with a beautiful wooden spiral staircase that leads to the upstairs space. However, lesson learned about using a contractor that might not know what the heck he's doing ... the job took 6 months and I had to call and fight every step of the way to get the contractor and his workers to my house to do the job - 6 months was waaaay too long for this job. Also, the top of spiral staircase met up with the slant of the roof so there was only about 5 feet of clearance space - you had to really duck and almost crawl to get into the space - this is definitely a major design flaw that the contractor should have warned me about so we could look at placing the spiral staircase somewhere else or doing a totally different stair design. After some haggling-fighting-threatening-nagging the contractor did add a dormer over the spiral staircase that corrected the problem and actually added a lovely additional window and look to the space. That contractor has since gone out of business ... doh! The spiral staircase ... I love it - it is like a piece of art just hanging out in my house.

Then I added a sunroom onto the back of the house in the space where the little useless pre-fab "deck" used to be - that added 160 square feet of wonderful space and is a 3 season room although I use it all but maybe 30 days out of the year - yeah, it gets a little cool (okay COLD) in the winter but I still love it. I bought a portable A/C unit specifically for that space. Were I to do THAT over again I would upgrade my main A/C unit and have duct work run to the room. Again, the contractor that did that job should have suggested that because I was very vocal about how I wanted to use the room every single day. It's especially fabulous to be out there during a thunderstorm. And my cat thinks I had that space built just for him. Of course, he also thinks I had the spiral staircase built just for him.

I've also painted, added granite countertops in the kitchen, added a whole row of countertop space and cabinets in the kitchen with shelving over it, remodeled the master bath, redone all the landscaping, added a beautiful and large deck space off the sunroom and then added a pergola on the deck. I've repainted the front door and shutters from red to a blue color. Oh yeah, I removed the stupid cheap-o front door that came with the house and installed one with a large oval glass insert. I've changed out light fixtures and ceiling fans. I'm sure there are many other things I've done to the house to personalize it but those are the major things that come to mind.

There are still many things I'd like to do to my house - that saying, "House Done - Man Dies" scares me out of my wits! hahahaha I'd like to add crown moulding in the living room and hallway. I'd like to put down new flooring in my kitchen/dining area. I'd like to rip up the only carpet that remains in the house (the bedrooms) and put down wood floors. I'd like to remodel the 2nd main floor bathroom into something a bit trendier (I'm formulating a plan for that now). I'm getting a bit tired of the paint color so I'd like to repaint. Whenever my son is out on his own and totally moves out, I'd like to reclaim the upstairs space that is now his "man cave" and change it into a humongous craft and sewing room. I removed the door on the entry-way closet making that a more open space and mini-mudroom, which has just shown me that I now want to totally remove that little closet space and make the whole living room area open. And the "wants" and ideas just keep rolling.

But the house is soooo imprinted now with my style and the way I live, I cannot imagine living anywhere else. I've named it The Burrow because that is what it is to me. A safe and comfortable burrow that totally reflects my style - it's a space that I look forward to coming home to.

Design Wall Monday 9-13-10

2010-09-12T17:33:00.006-04:00

I'll be linking to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.

I had a very productive week quilting-wise. I finished two quilt tops. The first one is Ocean Mist made with the Ocean Mist jelly roll by South Seas Batik; the pattern came from their website as well. I added my own take on the borders. Overall it went together well.

The second quilt top was one I had not intended to finish so quickly. Saturday I finished Ocean Mist so I decided to start cutting out the fabrics for Cabin In The Orchard (from the book Patchwork Comforters, Throws & Quilts). Usually I put my own spin on fabrics for quilt patterns that I like, but I loved the fabrics used in this piece. The focal fabric was the apple fabric. I found a great match for it and immediately knew that I was going to make this quilt. I love the color red, so that is probably what appealed to me about it. So anyway, Saturday I started cutting out the fabrics and by the time I called it a night half the quilt top was finished. Well, I couldn't wait to get up Sunday and get back to work on - 5 more hours of work and the entire quilt top was finished - and I love it! This one obviously went together very easily. I love the Log Cabin block anyway - it's so versatile.

So now I have nothing on my design wall - yet! My next few projects are all applique starting with an original design by me that I'll post next week.

The Wedding Quilt - pondering the borders

2010-09-09T21:10:00.002-04:00

The main part of the quilt is together and now I'm pondering the borders. I like the purple-red border; it gives the piece a little extra pizzazz. And the wide blue border makes the blue "flag" pieces on each block pop. I'll probably go with this design but I'm leaving it on the design wall for 24 hours so I can keep walking by and looking at it.

What do you think?

I Love Autumn!

2010-09-09T10:21:00.002-04:00

I know it's still 2 weeks away, but I am so excited to be seeing the signs of autumn. The corn fields are ready to be tilled under. The farmers are busy harvesting soybeans and peanuts. Tobacco harvesting is just about finished. Cotton harvesting will begin soon and the little white puff balls are starting to peek through the green foliage. The air looks clean ... it's clear and feels crisp in the mornings, and has a delightful fresh scent.

I love moving a little slower during the autumn season ... taking a little more time to hang the clothes on the line, sweeping the front porch and sidewalk every day instead of just a couple of times a week just as an excuse to be outside, preparing some of the houseplants that have vacationed in the shade garden during the summer for their journey back into the house for winter, fixing a sandwich for supper and sitting outside on the deck and just staring at the creek and the trees as the leaves begin to fall.

This photo was taken in my hood last autumn the day after Thanksgiving and is one of my all-time favorite photos.

Design Wall Monday 9-6-10 - The Wedding Quilt Continues

2010-09-05T21:38:00.006-04:00

Monday I will be linking to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.

The wedding quilt ("Ocean Mist") is coming together nicely. In fact, so far it's gone together beautifully. There are 7 more blocks to piece, each one becoming a lighter and lighter hue. It will be framed with a border of the white fabric. A 2nd border will be purple-red batik and a 3rd border will be the same dark blue batik that all the blocks have in common - what I'm calling the little "flag pieces". It should be ready for Lilly Lucier to machine quilt in about a week. I'm pondering whether I should send it on to Lilly or be patient and wait for her to come to the quilt shop in a couple of weeks ...

This quilt has been my first foray into the world of jellyroll fabrics. I would buy another jellyroll in a heartbeat. What a great way to get to sample a whole collection. In this jellyroll there were 2 strips of 22 different fabrics.

My next quilt will be a lapsize quilt called Cabin in the Orchard. It is from the book Patchwork Comforters, Throws & Quilts and features my favorite color - RED. I can hardly wait to get started on it. I need one more dark red then I'll be ready to start cutting. After that I plan to work on several applique projects that will not require my sewing machine's services ... since my machine and I are still having a love-hate relationship, when I get to that point I will pack it up and take it to the shop for some much need maintenance.

I hope everyone had a delightful Labor Day holiday weekend.

"Sunshine" Wall Hanging

2010-09-01T21:06:00.004-04:00

This is a foundation paper-pieced star ("Maryland") from Carol Doak's book about the 50 stars of the 50 states. After this paper piecing project, I believe I will set that technique aside for a while. I enjoy it but am a little burnt out on it right now. I am pleased with the way this turned out. The photos don't do it justice because the "sun" is comprised of 4 different yellows and golds that don't really show up. It's approximately 42" square. My quandry now is whether to send it to Lilly Lucier for machine quilting, or quilt it myself. Lilly always does such a beautiful job; I'm leaning that way. Plus, this will be a piece I enter in our local guild's 2012 quilt show.

Next, Laura's and Ruben's wedding quilt is begging me to "get 'er done". It's comprised of white and varying hues of blue and green batik fabrics from South Sea Batiks Ocean Mist collection, hence the name of the quilt will be "Ocean Mist". I don't know the name of the block - once it's on the design wall and I post a photo, maybe someone can tell me. The quilt pattern came from the South Seas Batik website and it was easy to look at it and figure out how to make it. It will be 4 blocks wide and 5 blocks deep. The block in the bottom right corner will be the darkest hue and the colors progress to a gradual light blue in the top left corner. I hope to have several blocks on the design wall in a few days.

After that, an apple quilt. Then 4 applique wall hangings.

Gosh, I love quilting ...

Design Wall Monday 8-30-10 - The Wedding Quilt

2010-08-30T09:02:00.011-04:00

Am linking today to Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

My design wall today is a design countertop in my kitchen. This pile of bags and fabric is the wedding quilt I'm making for Laura and Ruben. So far I have about 70% of the fabrics cut out and sorted into one block per bag and I have the bags in order of color placement because that is key to this quilt design. Then I discovered I was 1/2 yard short on the white fabric. Uh Oh! Will try to remedy that situation today. I also made a test block using scraps just to see if I would run into any issues. I don't normally make a test block but I don't have much fabric overage in case of errors so I'm treading carefully.

Also on my design ironing board is the foundation paper pieced wall hanging "Sunshine" - it is the Maryland star from Carol Doak's book on the 50 stars of the 50 states. It will be 9 blocks plus a border of some kind that is yet to be decided. I worked on it yesterday evening then got up at 5 this morning to work on it a bit more. It should go together easily.

Over the weekend I finished this baby quilt (Megan Lee) for a neighbor. I don't typically do "baby" quilts because I feel the child outgrows them so quickly. I prefer to do something I hope the child can grow with. So, instead of using baby fabrics and pinks, I opted for a soothing green palette with a few pink flowers and even a bit of blue.

And I finished this quilt for my bed, "Summer's Folly". A totally unplanned effect was how well the quilt and my collection of glass hens go together. This is a random Irish Chain design made from shirting fabrics and a tone-on-tone white.

Next Monday I hope to be showing a finished "Sunshine" quilt top and major progress on the wedding quilt.

What Is Your Favorite Part of the Quilting Process?

2010-08-24T21:17:00.006-04:00

I'm trying to think if there is a part of the process I don't like.

I guess if I had to name a least favorite part it would be cutting out the fabric, however, I love the organizing part - cutting all the fabric and organizing it to make assembling the blocks go smoother, making sure I have all the pieces and parts I needs.

I really enjoy the design process and selecting the fabrics. I enjoy having someone in mind for a quilt and then designing a quilt specifically for them.

I enjoy assembling the blocks and watching the quilt grow as I continue to build it on the design wall.

I enjoy sewing together the rows and watching the design appear.

I enjoy adding the borders aqnd seeing the finishing steps starting to take place.

I enjoy dropping it off at the machine quilter (Lilly Lucier, Vanceboro, NC) and chatting with her about quilt designs, threads, etc.

I absolutely love it when Lilly calls to tell me she has finished my quilt.

It thrills me to unfold the quilted top at Lilly's and see how it has transformed.

I enjoy sewing on the binding and the quiet joy of whipstitching it down to a finished look.

And finally, I enjoy selecting a name, creating a label and sewing it onto the finished quilt back.

But probably my favorite part is when I give the quilt as a gift and I see in the eyes of the recipient the pleasure that quilt brings to them.

So, I guess I like the whole process.

The two quilts in this photo were returned to me today by Lilly. One is a baby quilt ("Megan Lee"), and one is a bed size quilt for my bed ("Summer's Folly"). The binding is on. All that's left to do is whipstitch the binding and add the labels. I'll have them finished by the weekend! Then photos for my scrapbook.

Do You Like Your Sewing Machine?

2010-08-24T08:30:00.005-04:00

After totally wearing out a little Brother sewing machine I bought at Walmart for $80, I purchased this $500 Pfaff about 3 years ago. I have to say, it's been a bit of a love-hate relationship from the get-go. 90% of the time I like my machine but it does have some pretty annoying quirks. It tends to get jammed and knotted when I first start sewing so I usually have to use a fabric scrap (starty/stoppy) to keep that from happening. That's just a nuisance to me. Second, when the thread spool or bobbin thread get low, this machine can do some funky things which causes me to have to stop sewing and reload everything.

What I like about this machine is that it's mechanical, not computerized. So if/when it needs servicing the local shop I purchased it from can do the servicing.

Also what I like about this machine is that it's super easy to pack up and take with me.

For the last couple of weeks my machine has been having bobbin issues ... lots of knotting up. It's quite frustrating. Before I begin sewing tonight I'm going to give the machine a good cleaning, reload everything, load up about 10 bobbins with off-white thread, and replace the needle. Kind of start "anew" - maybe that will help.

Pot Pinchers

2010-08-24T08:23:00.005-04:00

Update 8-25-10: Linking to Hoo's Got Talent. Also linking to Someday Crafts.

This original pattern is actually a fish design - the pot pinchers are shaped/decorated like fish heads. And while that was what originally drew me to the pattern, I decided for the trial run pair I'd just make them kind of plain and I'm glad I did. I discovered several ways the pattern instructions could be improved. First, stack all the fabrics and insulbrite layers in the order needed and cut them out at one time instead of individually. Second, though the pattern calls for making your own bias binding, unless you really want a specific fabric, store-bought double fold binding would work just as good. Third, the pattern says the rickrack is optional - I think it's needed or something other type of embellishment or the edge looks unfinished. Will I make these again? Probably.

Design Wall Monday 8-22-10

2010-08-22T22:47:00.008-04:00

I'm linking to Patchwork Times today.

What a fabulous sewing weekend. The Night & Day quilt top is finished and the machine quilter (Lilly Lucier, Vanceboro, NC) will pick it up Tuesday. This is a lapsize quilt and the main block is the Indiana Star from Carol Doak's foundation paper piecing book featuring the 50 stars of the 50 states. I'm quite happy with the way it turned out. The little white piping line adds a lot of oomph to it. I would describe this quilt as "active".

I also finished the quilt top for my cousin Ernie that my cousin Patricia and I are making together. I had finished my half a couple of weeks ago. So all I had to do was connect the two halves and add the white border. Lilly will also pick up this quilt top on Tuesday. There is still a bit more to do to it once Lilly finishes machine quilting it. I'll bind it and send it back to Patricia and she will applique onto the border the handprints of all of Ernie's children and grandchildren.

I've debated whether or not to discuss this quilt in my blog since it's a wedding gift for my friend Laura and her husband, Ruben, and I know that Laura reads my blog. I've gone back and forth about it but in the end I decided that though Laura and Ruben won't be surprised, I think they'll enjoy the whole design process. So here it is in the beginning stages. The inspiration is a jelly roll of South Seas Batik fabric called Ocean Mist. Laura and Ruben live in Charleston, so the name Ocean Mist is appropriate. I've sketched the block I like and have calculated out the quilt size and fabric needs. That's it so far. Later this week or this weekend I'll make a "test" block just to see how I like it.

Hat Flowers

2010-08-18T10:20:00.004-04:00

I have really been into making fabric flowers lately. It's a great way to use up small fabric scraps and the whole technique thing continues to evolve. This is the simplest of all the flowers I've made and is, I think, the cutest. Certainly a cute and fun way to dress up a hat or purse. I have even pinned up all the flowers I've made (around 16-18 so far) on the valance in my laundry closet just to give it a fun and happy look. Today I'm linking to Someday Crafts.

Design Wall Monday feature Night & Day

2010-08-16T08:17:00.004-04:00

Am linking today to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. I've managed to get a bit more accomplished on Night & Day, and it is currently on my design wall. Now I'm able to see how the stars "float" when the blocks are put together. I'm set on doing the black border, and I've just about decided to add white piping between the blocks and borders. I think I'll use the black & white print fabric for the binding. The finished quilt will be 3x4 blocks so it will be a large lap-size quilt - I'm guessing about 48" x 60". The tempation to add a bit of red is so strong but I'm trying to resist and just keep to the black & white. Working on all 8 block sections "assembly-line-style" has made it much easier but each block still takes 1.5 - 2 hours to complete.

In the meantime, I went to the Triangles class on Saturday and learned so much. I made a tablerunner which will be a Bunco prize when I host Bunco in October. The class was held at Cotton Fields and we had 8 students so it was a very full class but lots of fun. This tablerunner is around 3.5 feet long so it is a good size.

Bats In My Belfry

2010-08-10T20:32:00.005-04:00

Well, not my belfry, but I do have a little bat living in one of my bluebird boxes. I discovered the little bugger yesterday while mowing the yard. I've declared her to be female and have named her Ms. Betty Bat. I'm hoping (hint hint son) to get a bat box for my birthday this year (are you listening son?).

Ms. Betty Bat was sleeping peaceful at the front part of the bluebird box but when I opened it she turned around and scurried to the back corner, so this photo is of her back side.

We'll leave her alone now - let her sleep in peace. I hope she hangs around for a while.

P.S. - I apologize - I realized 2 days later that I forgot to download the photo of Ms. Betty Bat to this posting.

Back on Night & Day

2010-08-09T13:04:00.002-04:00

Today I'm linking to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.

I have to confess that I've gotten seriously waylaid lately making a gazillion small projects - oven hot pads, lots and lots of handbags, lots of pillows, lots of fabric flower brooches - but now Night & Day is back on my design wall.

The last time I did a paper piecing project was a few weeks ago when I was sewing together the label block for Southern Rhapsody, which was a small version of one of the quilt blocks and it was paper pieced. I made a startling discovery ... at least it was startling to me. Instead of sewing on a piece of fabric then jumping up to go to the ironing board to iron it, then going to the cutting table to cut it and add the next piece, then back to the sewing machine ... well, you get the picture - for a block with 96 pieces that 96 jump-up-&-down trips. When doing the label block, however, I discovered that it's just as fast to work on all the block sections at one time instead of each block section individually, so it's 12 jump-up-&-down trips instead of 96. I'm not explaining this well ... but believe me, it saved a lot of physical energy - didn't save any time, just physical energy.

Anyway, I have 11 more blocks to piece together on Night & Day. It will be a lap quilt and will be surrounded by a black border - I haven't decided yet whether or not to do the binding in black or white. I'm also toying with the idea of adding a thin strip of piping between the blocks and the border. I think it might make everything "pop" just a little more. I'm really digging the black & white though.

Scarf, Hat and Fingerless Gloves Set

2010-08-03T08:45:00.013-04:00

Finished! I'm definitely keeping this set for moi and think it will look great with a jean jacket. The directions for the potato chip scarf are from an earlier blog. The directions for the cap came from the inside of the label on the Lion Brand "Amazing" yarn. The directions for the fingerless gloves came from the Lion Brand web site. All three pieces were very enjoyable knitting projects. I'm putting the set away, though, until the weather chills off a bit.

Am linking to Get Your Craft On Tuesday. Last week there were over 300 delightful projects links to this site. It's a great source for inspiration.

Update 8-4-10 - Linking to Night Owl Crafting for Hoo's Got Talent.

Update later 8-4-10 - Linking to Someday Crafts for her Wednesday link party

New Purse

2010-08-02T09:45:00.011-04:00

Update 8-4-10 - Linking to Night Owl Crafting for Hoo's Got Talent and Someday Crafts.

Today I'm linking to: Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch and Patchworktimes.

I had so much fun making this little purse. It went together so well and is a good size - it's about 4" x 10" - large enough to carry my phone, debit card, drivers' license, keys, a pen - and tucks easily under my arm. Plus, I think it's darn cute! This is so going on my list of things I can make quickly and easily (less than an hour, start to finish) for gifts and Bunco prizes. I also made the fabric flower brooches - am sporting the black & white flower on my fedora today. The flowers are also fast to make - it's almost as easy to make 6 flower brooches as it is to make 1. And both projects are a fabulous reason to go digging through my fabric stash.

Knitted Potato Chip Scarf & Cap

2010-07-29T06:06:00.003-04:00

Finished! I have been toying with the idea of giving away this set as a gift, but as I knitted it I kinda fell in love with it and can see it this autumn paired with a jean jacket. So, I'm going to keep it. This was a fun project - enjoyable. No frustrating aspects to it at all. The directions for the scarf are on an earlier post and the instructions for the cap are on the label for Lion Brand "Amazing" yarn. My Sweet Babboo has requested a cashmere scarf & cap. You know, I think I'll get started on that right away.

The Versatile Log Cabin Block

2010-07-27T22:16:00.003-04:00

I wonder if there is a quilt block pattern more versatile than the log cabin? With just a simple quarter or half turn of the block, the whole design changes. You can design with color as well as shape using this block. Strips can be one size on one half of the block and larger on the other half for even another design element. Main design elements can be set off-center. Over and over again it happens that I'll see a quilt that is just so striking and upon closer inspection realize, "wow! that's just a simple log cabin block."

I made the quilt in this photo for my Sweet Babboo about 3 or 4 years ago. Just a simple log cabin block with a bit of sashing around 3 sides. Lilly Lucier (machine quilter, Vanceboro, NC) quilted it using a rolling heart design.

Little Projects

2010-07-27T22:03:00.003-04:00

I love little projects - I love my big projects, too, but sometimes the little projects are a welcome break. Here is a simple clutch style purse - time to make, about 2 hours. Here is a pin cushion or sachet bird from Joe Dewberry's book "Sewn Spaces" - time to make, about an hour and a half. And finally, a fabric covered switch plate - time to make, about 5 minutes hands-on and several hours for drying. Another fun things about these projects is that they use remnants, which means that I got to go digging through my fabric stash to look for the perfect scraps.

Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times

2010-07-26T21:16:00.006-04:00

Update: am also linking to www.todayscreativeblog.blogspot.com.

I'm linking to www.patchworktimes.com for Design Wall Monday. Since finishing Southern Rhapsody the quilt on my design wall has gone from a 96-piece/block quilt to an 8-piece/block quilt! I also have the cathedral window quilt I'm making for my son on my design wall in the event the mood strikes me to work on it - it's been months and months since the mood has hit me. Also on my design wall is a scarf I just finished knitting.

I also took a short break from quilting to sew together a couple of quickie projects from Joel Dewberry's book Sewn Spaces. The bird sachet (or pin cushion is what I'm going to use it for) was fun to put together and went together nicely. The Teddy Bear, though ... I'm hesitant to blame the instructions and think instead that the project just didn't click with me. The final product is okay but there is certainly lots of room for improvement. The belly pocket on the bear can hold small sewing supplies so it will sit on my sewing table, along with the bird pin cushion and be kind of a sewing assistant for me.

Southern Rhapsody Is Finished

2010-07-23T18:42:00.006-04:00

It always feels so good to finish a quilt ... to sew on that label and know that the project is complete. This quilt is called Southern Rhapsody. It is a foundation paper pieced project and the star pattern is "California" from Carol Doak's book on the 50 stars of the 50 states. My cousin, Patricia Layson, and I made this together. She sewed together 18 blocks for the quilt top and I did 17 blocks for the quilt top and a smaller (in size) version of the block for the label. Patricia also added the binding. It was machine quilted by Lilly Lucier of Vanceboro, NC. I did the binding. All of the fabric came from Cotton Fields (http://www.cottonfieldsnc.com/).

These photos simply do not do it justice. You cannot see from the photo that are 96 little bitty pieces in each block. I love the secondary designs that are created with the yellow blocks, the green/white dot blocks, and the peach color star. The overall quilting pattern is a rolling heart.

Tonight I'm linking to www.amylouwho.com; she is hosting completed projects. There are some really spectacular ones!

Crafting Friendships

2010-07-21T09:16:00.007-04:00

My friends Lori & Laura came to my house tonight. We have decided to try to meet weekly on Wednesday evening to craft and sew and laugh. Laura has declared it to be "Needle Night." Last week Lori and I met at her quilt shop - she sewed together some adorable pin cushions that she'll take with her to sell at the next quilt show. I worked on a knitted washcloth.

Tonight I worked on whip stitching down the binding on the quilt Southern Rhapsody. Laura worked on two knitted washcloths. Lori worked on some adorable origami fabric brooches. There is something magical about the way crafting, sewing, and quilting brings people together.

Knitted Cookie Washcloth

2010-07-19T21:17:00.004-04:00

This fun little washcloth knits up in about 2 hours and is about 8" square. It's made using Sugar & Cream cotton yarn. When knitting this I had just made a batch of delicious oatmeal cookies. So when you read the instructions for it you'll see why it's called the Knitted Cookie Washcloth.

With size 5 needles cast on 36 stitches. Knit first 6 rows. Row 7: **K3, P3, repeat from ** to end of row. Row 8: **K3, P3, repeat from ** to end of row. Row 9: **K3, P3, repeat from ** to end of row. Eat a cookie. Row 10: **P3, K3, repeat from ** to end of row. Row 11: **P3, K3, repeat from ** to end of row. Row 12: **P3, K3, repeat from ** to end of row. Eat a cookie. Repeat Rows 7-12 including eating the cookie at the end of rows 9 and 12 until the washcloth is the desired length. Knit 6 rows. Bind off.

I figure I ate 18 cookies. I have to say, I was glad to see the cookies disappear and will NOT be making them again for a long time.

Linking to:
http://allthingzrelated.blogspot.com/

The Back Side of Your Work

2010-07-19T10:05:00.004-04:00

My grandmother always said that the back side of your sewing/crafting work should look as good/neat as the front.

Hmm ... I'm afraid I have some pieces that I wouldn't DARE let her see the back of.

But look at the back of this block that Lori did for the Brush Up on Quilting Basics class I attended last Saturday. It is soooooo neat and tidy. Very precise. No strings or fraying. Very square. I'm in awe. During the class I also tried to discreetly watch Lori's technique. She's very methodical and precise in her movements and in the way she approaches quilting and sewing and ironing. I'm more of a bull-in-a-china-shop type of person. I've taken away so much from that class!

Next month she's offering a class in triangles - de-mystifying triangles in quilting. I'm there! And later she's toying with the idea of offering a class that deals with curves in quilting. I'm there, too! My imagination is reeling with all the possibilities that are open to me once I have a better grip on triangle and curves - right now I avoid them like the plague.

Potato Chip Scarf & The Giveaway Winner

2010-07-19T07:11:00.006-04:00

First, my son, who is my "random number generator" chose comment number 8 (Ellie said: Like you, my favorite "dining room" memory also comes from my grandmother's house. She lived very nearby me when I was growing up, so I spent a lot of time with her. Her dining room table didn't have traditional legs, but was attached to a sort of chest or large drawer. There was a cubby space between the chest and the table surface, and I can remember how much I loved hiding there. No one could see me underneath the table cloth. Of course, I was small, and they were probably just pretending that they couldn't find me!) - Ellie, please email me at SallyJH123@gmail.com and we'll sort out the details for getting your $30 CSN Stores gift certificate to you.

Potato Chip Scarf. I don't know the origins of this pattern because it was shared with me by my friend Lori. The directions say to use any yard you like - you'll need about 300 yards, less for bulkier yarns and more for finer yarns. I'm using Lion Brand "Amazing" in the color Wildflowers. Needle size should be 2 sizes larger than what is recommended on the yarn label - the yarn I'm using recommended needle size 9, so I'm using 11's. Super simple!!!! Cast on 20 stitches. Row 1: Knit across. *Row 2: Knit 8, turn. Row 3: Knit back, turn. Row 4: Knit 6, turn. Row 5: Knit back, turn. Row 6: Knit 4, turn. Row 7: Knit Back, turn. Row 8: Knit 20. Repeat from * until scarf is desired length. One skein of my selected yarn got me halfway through this scarf. Obviously, I'm not quite finished yet, but it's been a very enjoyable piece to knit up - nothing to remember, big needles, instant gratification.

This will be a gift for someone, don't know who yet - either a Christmas gift or a birthday gift. May make a hat to go with it.

Am linking to:

http://toolsareforwomentoo.blogspot.com

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

A Delightful State of Disrepair

2010-07-18T12:15:00.002-04:00

No words needed.

Support Your Local Quilt Shops!

2010-07-17T21:47:00.006-04:00

Today I attended a quilting class entitled "Brush Up On Basics" at the local quilt shop. About 5 years ago I took a beginning quilting class at this same quilt shop, right down the road from my house. Since then I've made about 70-80 bed size quilts, lap quilts and wall hangings. Whatever I didn't learn in that beginning class I've tried to learn from reading, common sense, and by picking the brain of Lori, the owner of Cotton Fields Quilt Shop in Washington, NC. Whew. Thank goodness she had this class because I learned several tips and tricks that will make quilting life easier for me down the road.

Cotton Fields is an adorable but serious quilt shop. Her website is http://www.cottonfieldsnc.com/. Here are some photos of the inside of her shop. She carries an excellent assortment of batik fabrics that make me drool! She also carries a fabulous selection of Asian fabrics.

I'm an avid believer in supporting the small, locally owned businesses - the locally owned quilt shops, beading shops, seafood markets, farmers markets.

True quilt shops, like Cotton Fields, carry superior quality fabrics. And what else would you want to quilt with when you're going to invest many, many hours of your time in a quilted project?

Please enjoy these photos taken today at Cotton Fields. Besides the photos of the interior of Cotton Fields, there are also photos of the class and moi with my finished quilt top, which is destined to be a quilt for my neighbor's baby girl due in August.

Upcycled 6-Pack Can Caddy Tote Thing

2010-07-13T20:27:00.003-04:00

This idea is one recently published by Martha Stewart. It really grabbed my attention because I love to "upcycle" and have been saving cans and jars, etc. So far I've just been using the empty cans and jars for storage in my workshop, so I was excited to find something else to use them for. The caddies are great. They can be used as planters, or to carry tools/gardening supplies/crafting supplies. They can also be used on a table to hold silverware for a party.

Well, I guess since my initials are on all of these that means I'll be keeping them! I used empty bean cans, empty tomato cans, and empty plastic peanut butter jars. The wood came from my boss's scrap pile.

Thanks for this idea, Martha! I love it. I really need a better name for these ...

I'm linking to: www.somedaycrafts.blogspot.com. Tomorrow she will be posting a lot of giveaway links!

CSN Stores Giveaway, Dining Rooms, and Waxing Nostalgic

2010-07-13T15:18:00.005-04:00

This is my very first giveaway!! Yippee! It's through CSN Stores and is for a $30 gift certificate (open to US/Canadian residents only). I have had a great time looking through their website - they have a lot to offer and at good prices. All you have to do to enter this giveaway is leave a comment on this posting about your favorite dining room memory sometime between now and midnight Sunday night (July 18, 2010). I don't have a random number generator thing so Monday morning I'm going to ask my son to pick a number between 1 and however many comments I have received on this blog post and that number comment will be the winner - so commenters will need to check back sometime Monday or Tuesday because I'll announce the winner on my blog. While I would love for you to follow my blog, I'm not going to make that a requirement. I would truly appreciate it if you would let others knows about this giveaway.

Now, to wax nostalgic ... This is my grandmother. She was an exceptional woman and though I have always admired and respected her, that admiration and respect only grows as I get older. After losing her husband fairly young in life (in her 40's), she went back to school and got her teaching degree. It was very unusual for a "mature" woman in the 1940s to return to school to get a degree. She then taught school until she retired. My most vivid memories of her are connected with her dining room which was the central room in her small house. It was always a joy to gather around the table in her dining room to just be together and enjoy each other's company. And the delicious smells that came from her kitchen ... oh my gosh ... So many of her meals centered around seafood since she lived on the coast. My grandmother believed in 3 meals a day, with the main meal being served at noon - I can almost hear the noon whistle in Beaufort in my memories as I write this. She usually had breakfast in her kitchen, but the main meal at noon, and supper were always served in her dining room. No paper plates. No dishwasher. Real plates and real silverware that were all washed, dried, and put away right after the meal. The dining room table was always "set" for the meal.

Her dining room furniture is now sitting the home of a cousin and I will someday be the recipient of that dining room set because my cousin wants to get a new dining room set. I can't wait to get it in my house; I plan to sit at the space that was always "mine" and recall the laughter, the love, and the smells. I don't know that I'll ever feel worthy of sitting at the head of the table because that seat certainly belonged to my grandmother.

What To Do? What To Do?

2010-07-11T17:14:00.004-04:00

I'm linking this post to: http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

Yesterday morning my sisters and I went to a "new" junk shop". Actually, it's a house that has a sign out front that reads "Trash 2 Treasures" and they are NEVER open when I drive by. But yesterday morning they were. So I asked (begged) my sisters to go ...

What a delight. It was a true junk/antique shop. And I bought these old drawers. They look like they probably at one time were part of a sewing table.

I have not a clue what I'm going to do with them and am open to suggestions ... anyone got any ideas?

They are excellent candidates for painting. I know some wood-working buddies that would cut a top for me if I asked nicely. I've thought about using them in my sewing/craft room. I've also thought about leaving them in my shop for tools.

For right now they will just live on my work bench in my shop until I decide what they will be in their new life.

2010-07-03T21:49:00.003-04:00

I so enjoy making these little knitted wash cloths. It's a very portable take-along project. It's cheap (the Sugar & Cream yarn is around $2.50/skein but periodically goes on sale at Michaels for $1/skein). Free patterns can be found on Google, or you can do a simple stripe (to use up yarn scraps) or block design that requires very little thought.

I give a wash cloth with a bar of homemade soap (I buy the soap) as a gift and it's always appreciated - in fact, it's not unusual for the recipient to ask me later if they could buy another wash cloth (no, I just give them one). I can pick up my needles and yarn and knock out a washcloth in about about 2 hours.

Linking to:
http://www.bystephanielynn.com/2010/07/sunday-showcase-party-w-purple-trail.html

Frugal Friday at Shabby Nest

2010-07-02T08:22:00.001-04:00

Today's feature is things in jars - www.shabbynest.blogspot.com - you'll want to start saving all your jars after you see these cute ideas!

Seashell Lamp

2010-06-30T21:51:00.004-04:00

Tonight I'm linking to http://www.lifeaslori.blogspot.com/ to show this lamp.

I have to confess that this is not a recently made item. I hate to say just how old it is, but it does prove that I've been a crafting type of person for most of my life (and I'm 51!). The glass hurricane shell was found at a Pier 1 a gazillion years ago. The wooden base & top were made by a friend. The shells are my shell collection - most I found but there are a number of shells in the lamp that were given to me by friends as they picked up shells for me during their travels. This lamp shade ... I've NEVER found a lamp shade for this lamp that I've been pleased with - this is probably the 8th or 9th shade.

So? Got any ideas for a lamp shade that would really make this lamp shine?

A Very Special Quilt

2010-06-30T20:26:00.002-04:00

A friend of mine teaches kindergarten. She loves for folks to come to her classroom to work with the kids on a craft project or read to them.

I asked her to have the children draw anything they wanted then I transferred those drawings onto 15" square pieces of muslin fabric. I took the fabric drawings and fabric paints to the classroom one day and let each child paint their drawing. They also "signed" their block. The teacher, assistant and myself also made blocks.

My friend's name is Melissa Britner and her students are called "Britner's Bees". I found this fabulous green fabric with bees on it and decided it would have to be used somewhere in the quilt. I stitched together the blocks and used the bee fabric on the borders and binding.

Melissa is a natural teacher. She is in her element in the classroom and truly loves what she does - and it shows. How many folks in this world are lucky enough to be doing exactly what they were meant to do?

I wish you could have seen the expressions on the childrens' faces when that finished quilt was presented to the classroom. The kids were so proud to see their work of art incorporated into the quilt and couldn't wait to show it off to their parents.

Kaleidescope Quilts

2010-06-29T15:03:00.012-04:00

These are fascinating creatures to me. Even though you carefully choose the area of the fabric you are going to cut and try to envision what it will look like, until the plate is together you're not quite sure what you have.

This one is called Under The Sea (after the fabric). The little fishes swimming towards the block centers or around the edge, as well as the seahorses, was an unintended but exciting effect.

This is a small table square. I love this fabric and how it looks as a kaleidescope quilt but I think it's that little line of piping that really sets it off. This was my first kaleidescope piece and I went kaleidescope crazy after that for a while. This one is called Cherry Blossoms.

This piece is called Summer's Kaleidescope.

And this one is called Freeze Frame. On these last two I used the piping again. The piping is so incredibly fast and easy to do and gives a big bang for the buck.

My Design Floor

2010-06-28T20:46:00.004-04:00

I sort of have a design wall - I don't have a lot of wall space in my craft/cat/crap room so I just bought a big piece of white flannel and have that tacked up on the wall. It works pretty good and is easy to take down whenever I want to.

But sometimes I need more space than the quasi-design wall affords, so I vacuum and Swifter the floor in the living room, move some of the furniture out of the way, and use the floor space as a "design floor". It works good, too, except for when the puppy decides to chase the cat and runs across the carefully laid out blocks which then go flying ...

Tonight I made the little bugger go outside while I laid out this quilt. Don't you just love how versatile the simple 9-patch is? My mother's first question was "why aren't all of the blocks 9-patches? Why are some solid?" Well, it's because of poor math skills on my part; I didn't purchase enough of the shirting fabrics and now the shop is sold out. So, I'm being flexible and innovative out of necessity.

This quilt will end up on my bed for the cat to wallow on. I'd rather him shed on this instead of my really good quilts ...

PatchworkTimes.com

2010-06-28T10:00:00.001-04:00

I linked to www.patchworktimes.com today to show the black & white foundation paper pieced project I have going to and to see the fabulous projects other quilters have in progress. As if I didn't already have enough quilting, now I have several more ideas ...

Sunburst quilt block

2010-06-27T12:11:00.003-04:00

It's really the Maryland star from Carol Doak's book but I'm using yellow and white to try to achieve a sunburst effect. So far, I'm quite pleased with the way this has turned out. While doing the initial block I discovered that pieces 1 and 2 are a bit persnickity so I've made a mental note to be especially careful with them. Otherwise, it goes together quite nicely. This will be a lapsize quilt - 9 or 12 blocks, am still deciding. I will use a very thin yellow border, and a little bit wider white border and white binding. What do you think? The name of this quilt will be "Sunshine".