Just enjoying my Reese's Peanut Butter cups... Do you have a favorite halloween candy?
October 31, 2010
Halloween fun!
More tomorrow...
Just enjoying my Reese's Peanut Butter cups... Do you have a favorite halloween candy?
Just enjoying my Reese's Peanut Butter cups... Do you have a favorite halloween candy?
October 28, 2010
Bloggers' Quilt Festival - A Tale of Two Quilts
There are so many reasons for why we quilt. Isn't there? There is therapy, money, recognition, need, love... I received a gift, a while ago, that got me started on this quilting thing and here I am. I will share my grandmother's quilt gifted to me and my first quilt.
This quilt was my grandmother's creation. Now, that I quilt, I can appreciate the treasure.
Look at that binding technique. She blindstitched the front to the backing!
All of it was handquilted. The hand stitching is about 12 to 14 stitches per inch.
Are you in awe of the borders? Can you see the stitching in the ditch? I love that I can see her sketching the designs that she later quilted.
It laid on my bed when I was in high school, no damage, except where my favorite pen leaked on it my sophomore year. I love how the label was cross-stitched. Yup... she did that too! I realized my grandma misspelled my name, but there were almost thirty of us grandchildren. She died a couple of years ago at the age of 95.
When I got the bug to quilt I had to hand quilt it. With this as inspiration, how could it be made otherwise? My first, as with many of our first quilts, was simple squares. The reason to make it was love of a new baby.
I didn't have anyone to teach me and I pulled out so many stitches to make it just perfect. I didn't realize how hard it was to make the back and front the same length like my grandmother's! There were so many starts, stops, callouses, and pricks of the needle until it was done.
It took me until she was three, had a little brother and was already in a big girl bed.
The whole crew helped to take the pictures today. Her little sister had to get in the photo.
The neatest part is everyone gets into the quilty action and I wouldn't have it any other way!
Thanks for the inspiration Grandma!
This quilt was my grandmother's creation. Now, that I quilt, I can appreciate the treasure.
Look at that binding technique. She blindstitched the front to the backing!
All of it was handquilted. The hand stitching is about 12 to 14 stitches per inch.
Are you in awe of the borders? Can you see the stitching in the ditch? I love that I can see her sketching the designs that she later quilted.
It laid on my bed when I was in high school, no damage, except where my favorite pen leaked on it my sophomore year. I love how the label was cross-stitched. Yup... she did that too! I realized my grandma misspelled my name, but there were almost thirty of us grandchildren. She died a couple of years ago at the age of 95.
When I got the bug to quilt I had to hand quilt it. With this as inspiration, how could it be made otherwise? My first, as with many of our first quilts, was simple squares. The reason to make it was love of a new baby.
 |
| Anna at 6 months? |
It took me until she was three, had a little brother and was already in a big girl bed.
The whole crew helped to take the pictures today. Her little sister had to get in the photo.
The neatest part is everyone gets into the quilty action and I wouldn't have it any other way!
Thanks for the inspiration Grandma!
October 27, 2010
October 25, 2010
Monday Meanderings
I am plugging away on the Halloween costumes. I bought yards and yards of pink tulle and some wonderful brown fabric that will work for a mysterious brown cape.
Our Fall Festival at school was fun. It tired everyone out and made for some good sleep. There were balloons, games and jumpie houses. Ok... it was a lot of waiting for each ride too!
Fall is my most favorite time of year when it comes to weather here. It is beautiful! We have been enjoying the outside more and Zoe constantly escapes outside to play with the dog. She pets the dog on the back and says, "Ahhhh...Cute!" We have to lock the screen door to keep her inside while I make dinner. Her brother and sister yell when she just stands in front of the door now. We need to get to the Mt. Charleston this weekend. Can you believe a view like this is 30 minutes away from Las Vegas!?
And another beautiful view...
Little Bluebell is giving away an entire Bliss fat quarter pack.
I never win huge giveaways like this, but maybe you'll have a chance!
I may be starting a zig zag quilt this week, but I need to make those costumes. See them soon, you will.
Our Fall Festival at school was fun. It tired everyone out and made for some good sleep. There were balloons, games and jumpie houses. Ok... it was a lot of waiting for each ride too!
Fall is my most favorite time of year when it comes to weather here. It is beautiful! We have been enjoying the outside more and Zoe constantly escapes outside to play with the dog. She pets the dog on the back and says, "Ahhhh...Cute!" We have to lock the screen door to keep her inside while I make dinner. Her brother and sister yell when she just stands in front of the door now. We need to get to the Mt. Charleston this weekend. Can you believe a view like this is 30 minutes away from Las Vegas!?
Little Bluebell is giving away an entire Bliss fat quarter pack.
I may be starting a zig zag quilt this week, but I need to make those costumes. See them soon, you will.
October 22, 2010
Festivals For The Rest of Us
This is my cherries quilt. I finished all the diagonal quilting across the quilt and the stitching in the ditch inside of the green border. I'm quilting in pink and will quilt an outline around the cherries in white.
I also finished this cathedral windows pincushion. It has another window in the Katie orange basket weave. I had some leftover windows from Zoe's cathedral window quilt.
I finished Anna's quilt, but since it's cloudy and Mr. Happy isn't around to help, he has big arms, I'll share next week. I also have a camera bag idea that I thought would so much better in Amy Butler than the black one I saw on Amazon. And... costumes for Halloween...
But oops... We won't be around next week since Amy at Amy's Creative Side is hosting the fall quilt festival.
I think I am going to share my grandmother's quilt, it's influence on me and show my first quilt. What are you doing?
We also have a school fall festival thing this Friday at the elementary school. There are supposedly hayrides, games and food. Doesn't that sound like a good night?
And just because I am a spoiled fabric brat... I added a few more cuts to my Meadowsweet stash this week.
It most definitely pays to take on extra tutoring students. :)
(Thanks again to everyone who offered to help me find mermaid fabric. I traded some things and got the blush HR I needed.)
Let me know what you think. Don't be shy! I would love to hear from you. Make sure to visit Amy's Sew and Tell this week and be inspired.
I also finished this cathedral windows pincushion. It has another window in the Katie orange basket weave. I had some leftover windows from Zoe's cathedral window quilt.
I finished Anna's quilt, but since it's cloudy and Mr. Happy isn't around to help, he has big arms, I'll share next week. I also have a camera bag idea that I thought would so much better in Amy Butler than the black one I saw on Amazon. And... costumes for Halloween...
But oops... We won't be around next week since Amy at Amy's Creative Side is hosting the fall quilt festival.
I think I am going to share my grandmother's quilt, it's influence on me and show my first quilt. What are you doing?
We also have a school fall festival thing this Friday at the elementary school. There are supposedly hayrides, games and food. Doesn't that sound like a good night?
And just because I am a spoiled fabric brat... I added a few more cuts to my Meadowsweet stash this week.
It most definitely pays to take on extra tutoring students. :)
(Thanks again to everyone who offered to help me find mermaid fabric. I traded some things and got the blush HR I needed.)
Let me know what you think. Don't be shy! I would love to hear from you. Make sure to visit Amy's Sew and Tell this week and be inspired.
October 18, 2010
Monday Meanderings
This a chair from Jodi of Ric-Rac. I would love to make one of these days! She is also the creator of the selvage dress.
And... Oh and heart of hearts... this sweet little guy!
I working on a happy tack board for Anna's room. I didn't work on it too much for the Friday Night Sew In. The ribbons are take longer than I thought they would. It should be done later this week.
My forest of basil is growing very nicely! Yum. I made pesto and froze it last summer, but nothing beats the fresh leaves. I made corn on the cob with it on the grill. With a bit of salt, garlic and butter, in foil, it is delish! They are growing amazingly well, 2 feet high and more, in the shade of our lemon tree.
We have Kadota figs growing in large amounts on the fig tree. I am not sure what to do with them since they are not Black Mission, but I am sure we will find something tasty. Has anyone made homemade fig newtons?
One of our non-fruiting olive trees is being naughty and reproducing. We saw a bird the other day picking at them on the high branches. In our country the olive trees aren't suppose to grow on the trees. It has to do with pollen counts and the dry weather. All of the trees were certified to be non-fruiting and therefore have less pollen. I have no idea when to pick and eat them, or if you even can eat them directly off the tree, but Anna has fun pulling the olives off.
We are finally having some good rain. We had a downpour today and this interesting cloud cover.
It created this double rainbow in our back yard. It's faint, but it's there.
And an addition to my post! I won a giveaway at Mom Loves 2 Quilt. A Oh Cherry Oh jelly roll that I thought I never would be able to make anything with. (I discovered it after the line had sold out in most places. I want to make a larger version of this.)
Thanks Patty!
See you all later.
And... Oh and heart of hearts... this sweet little guy!
I working on a happy tack board for Anna's room. I didn't work on it too much for the Friday Night Sew In. The ribbons are take longer than I thought they would. It should be done later this week.
My forest of basil is growing very nicely! Yum. I made pesto and froze it last summer, but nothing beats the fresh leaves. I made corn on the cob with it on the grill. With a bit of salt, garlic and butter, in foil, it is delish! They are growing amazingly well, 2 feet high and more, in the shade of our lemon tree.
We have Kadota figs growing in large amounts on the fig tree. I am not sure what to do with them since they are not Black Mission, but I am sure we will find something tasty. Has anyone made homemade fig newtons?
One of our non-fruiting olive trees is being naughty and reproducing. We saw a bird the other day picking at them on the high branches. In our country the olive trees aren't suppose to grow on the trees. It has to do with pollen counts and the dry weather. All of the trees were certified to be non-fruiting and therefore have less pollen. I have no idea when to pick and eat them, or if you even can eat them directly off the tree, but Anna has fun pulling the olives off.
We are finally having some good rain. We had a downpour today and this interesting cloud cover.
It created this double rainbow in our back yard. It's faint, but it's there.
And an addition to my post! I won a giveaway at Mom Loves 2 Quilt. A Oh Cherry Oh jelly roll that I thought I never would be able to make anything with. (I discovered it after the line had sold out in most places. I want to make a larger version of this.)
Thanks Patty!
See you all later.
October 15, 2010
Good Folks Hexagon Runner
I just finished this hexagon runner.
It measures 40 by 16 inches. It was machine pieced and a flannel was used for the batting. That made the runner more flat. I backed it with linen. The tutorial for the machine quilting of the hexagons is on my side bar if you are interested.
I quilted it in DMC perle cotton with a stab stitch. The stitches came out nicer on the back than if I quilted it normally but it was frustrating. Sometimes they came out pretty and other times they were irregular. I'll stick with a hoop and regular quilting next time. While the Anna Maria Horner fabrics of the Good Folks line are bright, I thought it was odd that the back looks like Easter!
I made some coasters to use on a side table.
I am going to hang out under a quilt and get over this bug I have. Visit you all tonight.
Let me know what you think. I would love to hear from you. Make sure to visit Amy's Sew and Tell this week and be inspired.
It measures 40 by 16 inches. It was machine pieced and a flannel was used for the batting. That made the runner more flat. I backed it with linen. The tutorial for the machine quilting of the hexagons is on my side bar if you are interested.
I quilted it in DMC perle cotton with a stab stitch. The stitches came out nicer on the back than if I quilted it normally but it was frustrating. Sometimes they came out pretty and other times they were irregular. I'll stick with a hoop and regular quilting next time. While the Anna Maria Horner fabrics of the Good Folks line are bright, I thought it was odd that the back looks like Easter!
I made some coasters to use on a side table.
I am going to hang out under a quilt and get over this bug I have. Visit you all tonight.
Let me know what you think. I would love to hear from you. Make sure to visit Amy's Sew and Tell this week and be inspired.
October 11, 2010
Monday Meanderings
I made some of my Blueberry Buckle this weekend. The secret is to always mess it up. I have never once made it correctly, this time it was an extra egg, and it came out super yummy anyway. Mr. Happy and the kids make it disappear. It's good for dessert and for breakfast. I always end up doubling the recipe to make up for the measuring errors. The curious thing is it never buckles...
Carla is having an amazing giveaway at her blog. She is giving away this beautiful wall quilt. If you are a current reader, you know what a busy lady she is, and if you are new, go check out her blog out!
I am looking for the one in the middle. Good luck, right? I can't get over the fact that a Mendocino fat quarter is going for so much. I am kicking myself for not buying a few yards of this collection last year. I want to make another mini quilt. I have a few scraps, from a giveaway, and need a few mermaids to add to a Dresden plate. I suppose I'll find something or work a bit with what I have.
I am also working on this quilt. The weather is cooperating and is cooler, so I am hand quilting away on it.
Are the political commercials in high gear where you are? At least the mudslinging, misquotes and terrible pictures of candidates work on my four year old. He refers to a certain candidate as "that a bad guy". I think I will make a more informed choice!
Carla is having an amazing giveaway at her blog. She is giving away this beautiful wall quilt. If you are a current reader, you know what a busy lady she is, and if you are new, go check out her blog out!
I am looking for the one in the middle. Good luck, right? I can't get over the fact that a Mendocino fat quarter is going for so much. I am kicking myself for not buying a few yards of this collection last year. I want to make another mini quilt. I have a few scraps, from a giveaway, and need a few mermaids to add to a Dresden plate. I suppose I'll find something or work a bit with what I have.
I am also working on this quilt. The weather is cooperating and is cooler, so I am hand quilting away on it.
Are the political commercials in high gear where you are? At least the mudslinging, misquotes and terrible pictures of candidates work on my four year old. He refers to a certain candidate as "that a bad guy". I think I will make a more informed choice!
October 8, 2010
Just Spooling Around
I miss you guys. It been soo long since I posted a finish. Anna started school and we have found our rhythm and routine.
I finished another mini quilt this week. Yippee! I am featuring one I finished last month and another that was finished this week. They have some red and aqua goodness and both will be added to the sewing room wall. It was a test to see if I could finish one in an acceptable amount of time for those swaps on flickr.
The first is for Em's Scrappy Happy Summer Challenge.
Here goes the explanation of the process...
I finished the top in a week, then I stared at it for a while. How do I quilt this? Ok, let's baste this thing... Then vacationing on the East Coast on a beach or two provided a distraction for a few weeks... Then I quilted in the ditch and added a quarter inch seam. I put it on the pile of unfinished business, as I decided to find the perfect quilting design.... It didn't happen so I came up with one that was original and me. On the plus side, the quilt pattern is great as a filler and random enough to make placement mistakes disappear.
I took forever to bind the thing. It was my favorite activity, wouldn't you agree? Hah hah. I finally washed the thing and the backing and binding fabric ran. I washed it two more times on the handwash cycle, once with a Shout color catcher and the last to wash out any chemicals. Whew! I am done right?! Take a picture. Um.... Zoe dropped the camera on the floor, electronics are baby magnets, and I was without a camera for a month. I finally took a picture this week.Yes. I know it is autumn! :)
If something took that much effort, the result is so much sweeter. Isn't it?
The second is a hedgehog quilt. I used to have African Pygmy Hedgehogs as pets.
They are fierce and sweet! Spiky on their tops and soft furry little bellies underneath.
I saw Ana's photostream on Flickr and fell in love with her little guy. I could favorite her entire set of embroidery. I think she could make a book out of her zakka cuteness, but she is available to make these items on her etsy for you. I wanted to put him on my linen inspiration board, but then I thought of a more permanent use for him in a wall hanging for my room. She graciously allowed me to use him. Don't you love her bag?
I added a spool of thread and a border of red and aqua. I used the same happy flowers on this back ground too. An ideas on how to quilt over my embroidery here? It is still loose.
My son says he wants this quilt. It will be in my craft room, but he has dibs on it when he is older. So sweet.
Let me know what you think. I would love to hear from you. Make sure to visit Amy's Sew and Tell this week and be inspired.
I finished another mini quilt this week. Yippee! I am featuring one I finished last month and another that was finished this week. They have some red and aqua goodness and both will be added to the sewing room wall. It was a test to see if I could finish one in an acceptable amount of time for those swaps on flickr.
The first is for Em's Scrappy Happy Summer Challenge.
Here goes the explanation of the process...
I finished the top in a week, then I stared at it for a while. How do I quilt this? Ok, let's baste this thing... Then vacationing on the East Coast on a beach or two provided a distraction for a few weeks... Then I quilted in the ditch and added a quarter inch seam. I put it on the pile of unfinished business, as I decided to find the perfect quilting design.... It didn't happen so I came up with one that was original and me. On the plus side, the quilt pattern is great as a filler and random enough to make placement mistakes disappear.
I took forever to bind the thing. It was my favorite activity, wouldn't you agree? Hah hah. I finally washed the thing and the backing and binding fabric ran. I washed it two more times on the handwash cycle, once with a Shout color catcher and the last to wash out any chemicals. Whew! I am done right?! Take a picture. Um.... Zoe dropped the camera on the floor, electronics are baby magnets, and I was without a camera for a month. I finally took a picture this week.Yes. I know it is autumn! :)
If something took that much effort, the result is so much sweeter. Isn't it?
The second is a hedgehog quilt. I used to have African Pygmy Hedgehogs as pets.
I saw Ana's photostream on Flickr and fell in love with her little guy. I could favorite her entire set of embroidery. I think she could make a book out of her zakka cuteness, but she is available to make these items on her etsy for you. I wanted to put him on my linen inspiration board, but then I thought of a more permanent use for him in a wall hanging for my room. She graciously allowed me to use him. Don't you love her bag?
My son says he wants this quilt. It will be in my craft room, but he has dibs on it when he is older. So sweet.
Let me know what you think. I would love to hear from you. Make sure to visit Amy's Sew and Tell this week and be inspired.
October 4, 2010
Heavy Cloud... No Rain
Just hanging out and waiting for some rain. Lots of warnings but nothing in the northern part of the valley.
I love the stormy blue of the clouds rolling in. Don't you?
Of course my brain immediately thinks of this.
I hope we will get some happy rain today. Last week, when it rained, we had to search high and low for our only umbrella. It is a novelty toy in our house!
I love the stormy blue of the clouds rolling in. Don't you?
Of course my brain immediately thinks of this.
Just so you don't think I haven't been sewing, these half inch hexagon pincushions were finished this September. My craft room is slowly morphing too. Aren't those are cute bins from the dollar aisle at Target? They come in red too!
I hope we will get some happy rain today. Last week, when it rained, we had to search high and low for our only umbrella. It is a novelty toy in our house!
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