Monday, November 8, 2010

Wool projects and some finishes

I was finally drawn into the world of wool and love it. I started with a free project sponsored by Kaaren at http://thepaintedquilt.blogspot.com/ who does First Friday Freebies and did this little Halloween wall sampler and while I enjoyed it for my first project the pieces were very tiny. I then moved onto a cute pumpkin pillow for Halloween and the size of the pieces were much easier to work with. This a pattern by Buttons and Bees and I had run into her at the Austin Quilt show and loved how cute all her patterns ( and buttons) are. I then started working on a fall candle mat of autumn colors and pumpkins and really enjoyed doing this so know I'll continue in wool. I have also been working on a couple of fall pillows (embroidered) and finally finished and feel caught up for awhile. I started a fall quilt last year and have been just doing one block at a time as I felt the urge but finally decided a couple of weeks ago that I needed to finish it for fall this year. So the top is finished and it turned out larger than I had anticipated mainly since I decided to add the stacked bar border at the last minute, but I am very happy with it so far but it will have to go on my bed now, a bit too bid for a couch quilt. Now it's time to put all my things away I've been playing with and get busy on some Christmas gifts.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Austin Quilt Show

So the Austin Quilt Guild Show was this weekend and I went on Friday and had a great time , saw some awesome quilts and bought a few new things to work on along with a really cool African basket I'll be able to use at the farmer's market. Here are a few of my favorites....

Sweet Baby Things



I realize I'm lousy at blogging but I am still actually sewing. My great neice and nephew are expecting their first child ( a sweet girl) next month so I have ventured off my normal quilting to make them some quilts and things. The first one is a quilt made with her name (Cheyenne) and matching pillow). The quilt is cotton but all the stripe fabric is flannel and it's got a satin binding so is super soft and perfect for a new little one.



Since her theme was bugs and butterflies and her colors were all soft pastels I also found this cute flannel panel and made this other one and machine quilted some of it but most of it I did hand embroidery around all the circles for a little more fun.
And then since no baby should be without a lovey I made her this fun lovey with some textured minky and terry and added some fun keys for her play with.




Now if I could just manage to get my own son married and have grand babies of my own I could learn to love this.

Monday, July 5, 2010

There's a Square in There and a vintage rescue

I've had this pattern ( There's a Square in There)  for a while now, written by Kate Conklin http://kateconklindesigns.blogspot.com/ and finally decided to cut it out this weekend. It was a really fun pattern to both cut and sew and her instructions were spot on. I used Fresh by Moda which is very bright and cheerful so this will probably end up as a picnic quilt for somebody. Can't you just picture the ants crawling across it one by one....




I've also been working again on a vintage quilt top ( Old Maid's Puzzle pattern) that I rescued from a local flea market and spent hours last year fixing all the places it was coming apart. I backed it with a reproduction 1930's fabric and was questioning whether I would hand quilt or machine quilt it. I've had it sandwiched for almost a year now and decided if I waited until I had time to hand quilt it, it would never get done and someone else would have to rescue it in another 20 years. I feel so sorry for these quilt tops that are living out their lives just stored in boxes in all these stores and for some reason I feel compelled to buy them and bring them home. So, I machine quilted it this weekend and it's ready for binding and finally after all these years it will get used this winter and spend the rest of it's life in plain sight. I'm sure the backing and machine quilting have ruined it's integrity but I loved the pattern and loved that someone spent that many hours hand piecing it with all their cherished scraps. I'd love to know where it started life.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Baby Barn Swallows

 I've enjoyed the new barn swallow babies outside my front door from the first sighting of their eggs to bubble gum babies. They have finally grown up and flown away and the parents were back this morning nesting once again.Since I have three cats I was having to keep the cats inside as much as possible at the end so the parents could teach them to fly in safety.


Hazel's Mystery Quilt A-long

I've been slowly working on my blocks for Hazel's BOM Mystery Quilt at http://hazelsdiary.wordpress.com/and finally this weekend got caught up so now I have the first 8 block done and 4 of the setting blocks. This is photo of the eight blocks and some the borders that are cut but this isn't how it will ultimately go together I just wanted to see what the overall color scheme is going to look like. The block on the right is just a trial of how they might possibly look with the setting triangles.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Using up some scraps

I was watching TV this weekend and just happened to look over at one of my cats peacefully sleeping on her bed and felt really bad, they really deserve better than that. So with all the charm packs I buy to check out the current Moda fabrics I decided to make a small little quilt for them and also covered their pitiful pillow. So now I'll get to look at Verna and Honky Dory everyday and they have their own little quiltiness. A day well spent.







Friday, March 5, 2010

My Doll Quilt Swap


I can finally post the photos of the doll quilts I made for my partner since I've now heard from Krista and know that she's recieved the package. Since this was my first doll quilt swap I was torn in which direction to go and it was a lot harder that I thought trying to figure out what someone else might like. I started out making this "for every season" quilt but kept having seconds thoughts and decided that something more modern or abstract might be more to her liking so I started on a Gees Bend style quilt and while it was something new for new I actually enjoyed the process and working in all solids. So this is my version of a Gees Bend and I tried to just use an abstract approach to the quilting. The both got matching labels and in the ended I decided since I had made them both for Krista that she should have them both.

Oh my gosh, did I learn alot in this process. It is hard to make something for someone you don't know and can't ask any questions of but ultimately if forced me to "think" outside the box a little more. I also have realized just how many super talented people there are out there making quilts and enjoying the process. I think I also enjoyed the fact that we located all across the world and yet stay in touch daily using the doll quilt flickr accounts. If you haven't checked this group out you must look at the quilts that are being this swap.http://www.flickr.com/groups/dollquiltswap/pool/

And here is one last photo of the labels that went on the quilts.

My Doll Quilt has finally arrived....

and I couldn't be happier. Rebecca at  http://rebeccasrags.blogspot.com/ made me this beautiful doll quilt and I just love everything about it. Since this was my first doll quilt swap I learned alot in the process and had so much fun and can't wait for the next swap to begin.  Thank you again Rebecca for making this such a wonderful experience for my first round! She also included a cool journal with birds that was a nice surprise in the package.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

You still have time to visit Craft Hope and support Haiti

Just a quick reminder there are plenty of fun things to be had at Craft Hope so stop by and show your support of the people of Haiti. I went back yesterday and couldn't resist this cute calender to organize my library books made by www.auntjune.etsy.com and also bought a new quilt pattern made by Kate Conklin of www.kateconklindesigns.blogspot.com , so check out Craft Hope as well their store and blogs to see some of the other things they have available.




Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Craft Hope help for Haiti

If you have been following all the blogs I'm sure you are aware by now that they have set up an etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/crafthope to sell donated items to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake disaster. All of the money collected is going to be used for Doctors Without Borders so if you get a chance please stop by and buy something in support. I just bought this cute little bag made by Amy Lou of www.amylouwho.com and can't wait to see it in person. Thanks Amy for your support of a great cause!


Monday, January 11, 2010

Is my Doll Quilt partner lurking out there today??

Hi Partner,

If you've been to my blog and checked my favorites the one thing you have probably learned is I am a fall person at heart, so anything you make with fall in mind or fall colors I will adore. I also love all the cute little birds and trees and I'm pretty into stitchery these days. I think I am pretty easy to please so whatever you decide to make I know I will love it.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Happy Birthday Aaron

Well today is my son's birthday and somehow that makes only me feel old. He turned 32 today. He has turned out to be quite a good young man and quite the charmer. Hope you had a wonderful day full of new memories with Greta!




Hazel's Diary and Mystery Quilt

Well who could resist a mystery quilt at the start of a new year. I recently joined in on the fun of Hazel's Diary and Quilt along at http://hazelsdiary.wordpress.com/ and I'm not sure what is more fun the quilting, all the lovely recipes or the stories of Hazel's family from the 1950. I finally chose my fabrics, black and whites with a touch of red and can't wait to get started cutting this weekend.

My first doll quilt swap

I was very happy to learn  that I made the cut for my very first doll quilt swap, DQS #8. We haven't found out who our partners are yet or who our new Mama's will be but I've already started to think about what I might do. I'll still have to wait to see what my partner likes but I couldn't be happier to join in the new fun. At the moment all the names are sorted and we are all sitting on pins and needles just waiting until tomorrow for the names to be announced.

Closing out 2023 and heading into a New Year

 I have seriously been remiss in updating my blog but have vowed to turn a new leaf in 2024. Since my last post in 2018, I have lost my Mom ...