blocks with embroidery



I am happy to have another block made for my Bird of Paradise quilt.  It is my DD#1's block and it would not be complete without her holding a book!



 

I worked on the grapes while my company was here.  I tried 3 methods for making the grapes before settling on basting them over dimes.  I shot them with a bit of starch and when they were dry I removed the dimes.  They still aren't perfectly round.  Maybe this takes more practice...  ? 

The grapes just looked like floating circles until the embroidery was added.  A friend came over to stitch with me - I feel more confident to embroider with her encouragement.



 

The embroidery was going so well that when I finished I got out this cherry block and embroidered stems for it too.  I need to have her come back and help me with some of the bird crests on the other blocks!

So only 2 more blocks and the borders left to make for this quilt. Will I finish it in 2013?

 

Happy Quilting!!

 



Merry Christmas

Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas! 

I finished my Christmas sewing - I had one more stocking left to sew.  I've been working on these making one per year for a long time.  DH's was the last one - it is blue with the reindeer on it (he wanted a deer) 

 Here are all 6.  My red and white one stands out a bit - oh well  :0)  Tonight they all get filled!!

 I opened this little gift from a quilting friend yesterday. I think it's just beautiful!  She knows I love red. It has wool applique in the center.  I will have to find a good spot to hang it up.

I'm expecting a lot of company in the days ahead but, I will find a moment or 2 to pick up some stitching.  I hope you do too  :0)

Happy Quilting!!

a finish and a mistake

 The binding is on and I can start using my new tablerunner  :0)   I like how long and skinny it is and how it dresses up the table. 

 I have one more Christmas project to sew - I better get at it!!

 The basket block reminded me of a quilt my Grandmother made - probably mid 1970's.  (my sister would have been a toddler at the time)  It has the date embroidered on the binding along with my sister's name but I don't have a picture of that.  It was intended as her wedding quilt.  My sister was married in 2002.  I'm glad Grandma made these quilts for us long in advance as she didn't live to attend any of our weddings. 

  I love how scrappy it is  :0)  

 I celebrated my birthday on 12/12/12.  A date like that won't come around again for awhile.  My DH spoiled me with this absolutely lovely book. SO MANY beautiful old quilts with lots of ideas for how to display them.

Now for the mistake...  This quilt has sat around in the ufo pile for a long time.  I didn't want to hand quilt the center but I also didn't want to machine quilt the appliqued border.  I decided finally to handquilt it.  There are WAY too many seams to make handquilting very pleasant.  I knew this but I went ahead anyway.  I'm quilting these big circles - I'll be at this for awhile...

Happy Quilting!!

Christmas sewing

 I finally got into the mood for some Christmas sewing.  I wanted a table runner for my dining room.  Last Sunday I started flipping through magazines and by this Sunday I had top made.  Here it is all pinned and ready for machine quilting.  I hope to be binding it by the weekend!

 I didn't have a pattern but the idea came from a picture in the Dec 2009 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting.  It's in an article about Renee Plains's Christmas decorating.  I love my stash of magazines. So many ideas - so little time...

 My DH brought home from work this enormous Christmas basket. I don't exactly know where it came from but we've been enjoying the treats.  Usually these gourmet items come in an actual basket which I save thinking I will fill it with something and decorate some little corner of the house. (somehow I never get around to it)  This year I was astounded at the size and sturdiness of this sleigh!  It was begging to be used.  I piled in my favorite Christmas quilt and the kids supplied the Teddy.

The quilt is a pattern of Marcie's of Patchalot Patterns.  It's her free Christmas pattern from 2008 and is still free on her website.  I may have to make another because now I have nothing for the coffee table.
I have no idea where I will store this huge sleigh after Christmas but I really like it!  :0)

Happy Quilting!!

vine panel #5



 I was excited to attach vine panel #5 to the others.  Slowly this quilt is growing.  It makes me wonder how long it took Susan McCord to complete her quilt.

It is so hard to photograph.  I don't have a design wall so for once I thought I would pin it to the drapes and get a straight on picture.   I've printed off panel #6 but I really should applique a block or 2 for my Bird of Paradise quilt before I start another panel.  Thanks so much Janet for making this marvelous pattern available!!  If I try to stay disciplined maybe I can finish both quilts  :0)

I haven't done any handquilting since May.  Now that it's so cold here I am wanting a quilt to snuggle under and work on through the winter months.  I found this neglected top when I moved my sewing room to the basement.  It's basted now and I'll get started on it tonight. 

Happy Quilting!!

couple new things

I haven't posted for awhile.  We went on a family vacation to Hawaii.  It was so very wonderful...  Last night it was cold enough for DH to start making the skating rink in the backyard.  It's really feels like winter now.
I started a couple of new things.

 This little applique I prepped to bring along on our trip.  I always panic thinking I don't have enough handwork to last for the whole trip.  I did work on my Susan McCord vine quilt panel #5 but I brought this along for "just in case".  Well - I didn't finish my vine panel but I did finish this  :0)  It's 7 1/2 inches square.  It's called Whig Rose from Lori Smith's book Fat Quarter Quilting.  Rather than making 5 more blocks like the pattern I plan to use it as a center for a small medallion quilt. 

 This project I started on my sew day with friends last month.  Fall is long gone here where I live but these warm colors continue to make me happy  :0)  I have no idea what the finished project will be - I will continue making blocks until I figure it out.

Thank you to those who helped me in my search for more of the red and white polka dot fabric I'm using in my zigzag quilt.  Thanks especially to Beatrice from France who told me the name of the fabric line and the designer.  With this information I was better able to look for more.   After much searching, I found a store in Lethbridge that still had some and it is on it's way here in the mail.  Yahoo!!  Now I can make my zigzag quilt as big as I want  :0)

Happy Quilting!!

Quiltalong link up

 I sewed my Mountain Trail blocks into a top this afternoon.  I decided on the Zigzag setting for them. I am still making more blocks but I didn't want to miss out on Lori's linkup with all the quilts from this quiltalong.  I will add borders when I've sewed all the blocks I can make onto it.  What a great project this has been - thanks so much Lori!!

 I cut all the scraps my friend gave me of the red polka dot fabric.  There is just enough for one more row of blocks.  I'm so glad.  I'd love to make this quilt bigger.  This is the only piece of selvage with info on it.  I suspect it was from a line that came out last Christmas.  I sure wish I'd bought more...

I enjoyed so very much the sew day with friends I had last Saturday.  I managed to finish the rest of the blocks for Cheddar Posies - the quilt I am making for DD#1.  The pattern is from Quiltmaker May/June 2011. My friends helped me decide on navy blue for the inner and outer borders.

Happy Quilting!!