Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Moving Along

I got this little tree quilt done yesterday.  It fits on a 12" wire frame wall hanger.  It is a gift for a friend for Christmas.  So it is all wrapped and under the tree.


I am pretty clueless when it comes to selecting a design for quilting.  I chose to put these little leafy things in the large green space.  They sort of look like coleus.  I guess I should investigate a book of quilt designs or do a little more internet searching.


Today I am a member of the KKK - the Klean Kolon Klub.  I leave shortly for my colonoscopy.  I got a kick out of Bonnie Hunter's post last week highlighting Jeff Foxworthy's take on this whole procedure.  It is definitely one of those things that one can only laugh about in hindsight.  The good news is that I should have a good nap waiting for me later today.  Can't complain about that.


Hope you have a great day ahead.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Designing Monday

The countdown has begun.  Are we all ready?  Every time I think I am done with my Christmas prep, I think of something else I forgot  -- another gift to buy or make,  cards to mail, etc.  You know what I'm talking about.

I jumped out of bed this morning and got busy working on this block.  It is a pattern from appleavenuequilts.com. I found some more HST's that I had tucked away and that made it go together very quickly.   I should be able to finish it today and have it wrapped and under the tree by tomorrow.


I got the hexie quilt bound yesterday and it will be on its way to a friend's house by this afternoon.





I quilted the snowflake block that I had machine appliquéd.  It had a pooch in the middle of the snowflake when I got it done.  You know what I mean?  a place in the middle that sticks up and it just won't lay down.  So I punted it.  I hate doing work on something and it doesn't work out, but I know the amount of work to fix it is way more than the time it would take to start over, esp during the holidays when I just don't have those spare minutes.



Hope your countdown days are stress free and fun.  Take a look at Judy's blog to see some beautiful designs and that will get you in the mood to relax and maybe sing some carols.  

Monday, December 10, 2012

Designing Monday

Here is what I am working on today.   The snowflake pattern is a download from Bee Tree Designs.  This measures 10" square right now and I need it to be 12", so I am trying to figure out how to make it grow!  LOL.  It is another gift.



This is the view from my back window today.  Such a gorgeous blue sky!





Plus the Packers won last night.  All is right in our world.  Hop over to Judy's  blog  to see more beautiful designs.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Designing Monday

Another Christmas gift finished.  I found these little HST's in a drawer and had just enough to put together this little quilt.

I still have a couple more gifts to make and then I can set aside my sewing for the holidays.

Have a great day.

Stop by Judy's blog to see more beautiful designs.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Advent Tea

Last night our church hosted an Advent Service and Tea for women.  The music was wonderful and the guest speakers did an outstanding job.    The theme was Follow the Star.  The first speaker talked about following God's plan for her to open a home for teen mothers and the second speaker started a business for developmentally disabled employees.  They make gourmet popcorn.  She had popcorn available and with every sale she is shipping popcorn to troops in Afghanistan.

After hearing such inspirational stories, I was wondering why I had spent even one minute fretting about my table setting and decorations.  It is always so uplifting to hear how God works our lives in such a powerful way.

Here is a photo of the table that I hosted.  We had peppermint ice cream and Christmas cookies and the servers were the daughters of the planners, ranging in age from 4 to 12.  They all did such a great job.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Designing Monday

I finished the 12" Christmas block from the 100 Blocks magazine.




Now I am working on hexagon flowers for a 2nd 12" block.  These are both gifts for Christmas.



I finished both of my star banners for church this week, so I feel I have gotten a lot done.


I got word that my name was drawn in a giveaway for a copy of the 100 Blocks magazine that just came out.  I love those so much and they are so inspirational.  So now I will be waiting at my mailbox everyday...


Hop on over to Judy's blog to see some beautiful designs.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Advent Banners

I was asked to make some stars for an upcoming Advent service at our church.  The theme is Follow the Star.  I wasn't sure what was needed, so after some discussion I decided to make banners for the pulpit and lectern.  I found a paper pieced star on the Internet that measured about 6 x 9 and I blew it up on my printer to the size I needed.

The Advent service is sponsored by one of the Women's groups in our church and is just for women.  The organizers asked the quilting group to make the stars for decoration during the service.

I am also on the Decor Committee which decorates the church for each church season.  This year the theme is metallics, so I made my star banners in gold and silver.


I have also been asked to host a table for the tea that follows the Advent service.  That means bringing dishes from home as well as decorations, tablecloth, etc. to make my table unique.  This is the 2nd or 3rd year for the tea.  I have been to the service, but not the tea.  The thinking is that many people have sets of Christmas dishes and decorations and get so little use out of them, that this tea is a fun way to share and enjoy each other's stuff.  I don;t happen to have any Christmas dishes, so I am improvising.    I made a trip to Stein's this week as well as Hobby Lobby and Joann's looking for ideas for decorations.    The lady at Stein's who makes up their displays spent some time with me showing me how to put together a neat table arrangement. So far I have only spent around $10 and have a good start.  I got more than $10 worth of advice from her.  I will try to remember to take a photo of the table when I get it all set up.  Should be fun.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Designing Monday

I finished the stitching on this 12" block (from 100 Blocks magazine) and have it prepped for quilting.  It will be a wall hanging for a friend for Christmas.  I bought a metal hanger for it and hope to make a couple more 12" blocks that she can change out for the seasons.



This is my friend, Liz.  She is in the quilting group that meets at my church.  She made this adorable little Tinkerbell costume for her granddaughter.  The wings are a work of art.  She attached them to the back of the costume with grommets and laces.  It is so sweet.







My other accomplishments this week are finishing sewing the blocks of the black and batik quilt and working on the paper pieced star.  I now have a plan to make a pediment for the church pulpit.  Hope to make a second star for the lectern.  We'll see.

Hope on over to Judy's blog to see more designs in progress.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Designing Monday

Just a quick post and I'm off.  I have made a little progress on my black and batik quilt.  I have been sewing the blocks together and I'm more than halfway there, so should have those done this week.



I started new projects for Christmas.  The first is a paper pieced star that will be used at church to decorate for the first Advent Service.  We hold a Wednesday night service just for women followed by a tea.  I have also been asked to host a table for the tea which means bringing my dishes from home and providing table decorations.  I don;t have any Christmas dishes so am going to use my good china which is blue and white and come up with a neat silver and blue table centerpiece with a star theme.  Shouldn't be too hard, right?  Right?  RIGHT?  Can you tell this is not my forte?





Also am making a 12" square from the 100 Blocks magazine that I love.  Fun hand work.



Be sure to check out some great designs at Judy's  blog.


Monday, October 29, 2012

Designing Monday

Yikes!  Another week flew by.  I finished this little pineapple quilt.  Love it, love it.

While on vacation, I found a Walmart that still carries fabric on the bolt.  They had this beautiful orange  print that was only $6/ yd. and has a fabulous hand, so I bought 2 yards.  Don't ask me what I plan to do with 2 yards as I have no idea, but I loved it right away.  So it is now on the back of the pineapple quilt with lots more to spare.


I also finished this little candle mat.  The packaging says it is wool, but it feels kind of like a synthetic.  I could be wrong.  I still think it turned out so cute.  Plus I rusched.  I really rusched.  I always wanted to rusche and this project called for a little trim, so I rusched away.



My design wall is still full of the big black and neon quilt that I need to finish.  I have a full plate for  the next several weeks, so it will just have to wait its turn.



Hop on over to Judy's blog  to see more lovely designs.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Designing Monday

I'm heading for the wire on my orange and black quilts.  I started with a pile of these


and a bunch of these


and now I have a whole lot of these.

By the end of the week I will have finished quilt #3 in the orange and black theme.  That will probably have to do for this year.  Halloween is around the corner and I have one more orange and black project to finish and then move on to other things.


We have been gone on a 3 week adventure.  My high school class reunion was the first stop. It was scheduled in conjunction with the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival -- a food fest and fair rolled into one.  I had my first Brain Sandwich.  It was so big I ended up sharing it with a dog.



This is half of my brain sandwich.  The white part on top is the bread that stuck to it.  Lots of breading and grease on this baby.


From there we went to Oklahoma to visit a cousin I hadn't seen in about 50 years.  We moseyed on down to Texas for lunch


     
 and New Mexico to see the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque.

We were advised to take the 4 am shuttle to the Balloon park, so we set the alarm in our hotel room to make sure we were there on time.  When we got to the hotel lobby, there was only the clerk and no other passengers for the shuttle.  He informed us we were plenty early as it was only 10 minutes to 3.  Apparently the clock in our room was set ahead for some reason.  The clerk blamed it on people from Texas who are an hour ahead.  The only bad part of this experience is that the wind was too high on that morning and the balloons could not fly, so we were up at 3 am for nothing.

We did see a Twinkle Glow in the evening -- that's when they turn on the burners and light up the balloons against the night sky.  Really beautiful.



The next morning we got to see many, many balloons take off. Everyone wanders around the field and talks to the pilots and crew and some hand out trading cards.  I even found one balloon with a quilt pattern.
We spent a few days in Arizona with my husband's family then headed north thru Utah, Wyoming and Colorado.  Such beautiful country.

That's all for now.  Stop by Judy's blog  to see more beautiful designs.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Designing Monday

I have been sewing away on the black and batik quilt squares from the class I took over a week ago.  I am trying to decide whether to make the centers of each square random, all the same color, or follow a pattern of some sort.  When I look at it now, my eyes wander all over the place.  I have stalled at the moment on sewing until I make this decision.


I continue to sew on the 3rd of my orange and black series, but don't have enough to photograph.

Big News:  I now have a design wall.  I saw somewhere on the Internet where a quilter stapled a piece of flannel on the wall, no fancy frame, etc.   Joann had flannel on sale for $3 a yard.  I bought enough to wall paper my whole house, I think.  LOL!   So I put together enough to hang on my wall and then tried to staple it on.  I had to get my husband to help me as I couldn't stand on the ladder, hold the fabric, and staple at the same time.  It took a few tries, but we finally got staples across the top.  The staple holes in the wall are so small that I am hoping that they will not show.  That's the theory anyway.  I did end up using some duct tape on the bottom corners and side to make it lay flat.  As we were hanging it up, my husband had to ask, "Why are we doing this?"  Even after explaining, he wasn't convinced.  Once we were done, I put up the pieces of the quilt I am working on and told him to come look.  His insightful response was "Hmm."  Followed by," How do those pieces stay on there?"  I said, "You're the engineer, you figure it out!"

So the design wall is working well for me, but a quandary for the non-quilting husband.  That seems to be a common theme in much we do these days.  LOL!

Stop by Judy's blog and see more fun designs.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

A Chance to Learn

Our quilt guild hosted a teacher this week named Charlotte Agnotti.  I had not heard of her before, but she teaches at shows around the country and publishes a number of patterns.  She talked at our guild meeting on Tuesday night and showed 5 or 6 quilts that are in her new book.

On Wednesday she led a class for our guild.  I opted to take the class as we don;t often get national teachers.  The pattern that she selected was very very basic, so not much challenge.  The pattern includes lots of hourglass blocks.  Charlotte uses the Easy Angle ruler to make them.  I have such a ruler, of course, but had never used it, so was anxious to learn how she uses it and hopefully discover how to eliminate the wasted time and fabric associated with making HST's with oversized squares.  Much to my dismay, Charlotte's method still requires oversizing, trimming and waste.  So it was worth trying to learn how to use the ruler, but I probably won't change my way of making HST's.


At the end of the day, I had these two blocks done.  I really expected to have much more finished, but there was a lot of cutting and a lot of chatting.  It was a nice day overall and I got a chance to talk to several of the other students.

The color scheme of a black background and batik colors is way out of my comfort zone.  I have been
collecting batiks for years, so I was excited to be able to use them.  

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Quilt Expo Continued

Here are more of the Quilt Expo photos from last Thursday.  It is such a treat to be able to see such quality work.  Definitely great inspiration.

This next quilt is a Christmas quilt.  It is done in blue and cream with red and green trees and red and green in the long star.  There are machine embroidered motifs in each of the light spaces between the star points.

Here are some closeups.  A snow man embroidery


Gorgeous quilting and a a paper pieced star






 I love this border ... a scalloped keyboard
 A pineapple quilt with appliqued border.  Love love love it.

I love how there is a scalloped border on two corners and squared off corners on the other two.



 This quilt is so sweet.  It had the word "Alpha-Baat" in the title because there are sheep.  The tree on the right has lots of tiny pieces of fall colored fabric fused on in a 3D kind of way.

I love this border too.  I think these blocks were cross stitched.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Designing Monday

I finished my #2 orange & black quilt.  These are such fun and cute little quilts.  Hope I can make a couple more before October sets in.




Stop by Judy's blog to see more great designs.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

More Quilt Expo

I tend to enjoy applique quilts since that is my favorite form of quilting.  Therefore most of my photos tend to be of appliqué.  Hope you enjoy seeing more of the sights of Quilt Expo.


 This quilt is orange and black.  Since I am making quilts in that color scheme, I couldn't resist taking this photo.This quilt commemorates the Civil War.
 You can see in the close up that each black horse has a name tag.  There are quite a few of them around the border.  I am not sure what the elephant is doing in the Civil War.




This quilt won Best of Show.


More to come.