Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Pretty Notions

We have added some beautiful new seam rippers and needle cases to the Etsy shop.


Aren't they beautiful?
There are 15 different ones available, so check them out (link here)!

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Night Raids

We have just been night bombed for the FOURTH time in two weeks by a skunk.


Tomorrow we are buying a trap and some cat food. And maybe some sort of plastic jumpsuit...
I'll keep you posted.
In the meantime, you might want to limit your visits daylight hours!!

Monday, July 28, 2014

Knit One

It seems that I may have the knitting bug these days.
Well, maybe the knit-quilt bug.


A knitted log cabin afghan in turquoise and gray. Oh, yum.
I used this tutorial (LINK HERE) as a reference point, but did my own thing.
This is the tutorial (link here)  I plan to use to make my own blocking board.

I ordered these adorable notions from Holly (link here).
One is a knitting gauge plus ruler and the other is a floss organizer plus needle magnet.
Aren't they adorable!


Now tell me, what's bugging you these days?

Friday, July 25, 2014

D-O-N-E

I found a little time to do some machine quilting.
Both of these tops have been finished for a while, but I have not had a chance to get them quilted until now.

You might remember my Green Tea and Sweet Beans project that I started last spring.


And my Angela Walters-inspired project from earlier this year.


These have both become new favorites and I am glad to have them done!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Pears and More

My friend Carolyn taught a collage quilt class awhile back (like 2 years ago).
I was out of town and did not get to go, but I held on to the hope that someday I would actually get to make a collage project myself.

Well, someday FINALLY came.
I had a plan, I had the scraps, I had the frame, and I had the time. Whoop Whoop!!
Here is how it started:



A couple of close ups:




And the finished project:


The pears were left over from an applique project. They were actually the cut-away back layer of an applique project.
The pink and orange fabrics were from the scrap bin.
The flowers in the bottom left--yep, leftovers from a couple of projects.
The scattering of hexagons...leftovers.
The leaves on the pears...leftovers.
And the embroidery floss was just bits and pieces that were left on several floss cards.
The frame, of course, came from a yard sale.

The whole thing just makes me happy!

Monday, July 21, 2014

Mad Mad Update


I am loving this project!
The freedom, the scrappy-ness, the colors, the text, the reason for the text....

Saturday, July 19, 2014

New Napkins

I found this fabulous fabric at a LQS and could not pass it up.
I had napkins in mind.


I used this tutorial (link here).


Not fast, but easy. And look at those perfect miters!

Monday, July 7, 2014

July's Bounty


The yard and garden have plenty to offer these days.
And thanks to a couple of plastic owls I have hanging in the fruit trees, all the fruit is ours this year!

Friday, July 4, 2014

Independence Day 2014

Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over the territory. The opposite of independence is a dependent territory. Independence does not necessarily mean freedom. (as defined by Wikipedia)

That last part was a surprise to me. As an American, I have always thought of the two (independence and freedom) as one and the same. 

But today, July 4, 2014, I know that I am independent and free. 
I am proud and thankful to be an American citizen! 
I am glad to have a day to celebrate those gifts with friends and family.
And I hope you find yourselves equally proud and thankful today too.
Happy 4th of July!

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Oldie But Goodie

This is a quilt I finished back in 2008.


Back when I was homeschooling our girls, we would finish off the school week with a little quilting. Each year we (the girls and I) would choose a new quilt we wanted to work on that year. The criteria was simple: it had to be made with a new skill I wanted the girls to master and we all 3 had to agree on which quilt we wanted to make. Then, each friday at the end of the school day we would each make a block for our quilt (or 2 blocks as in the case of this particular quilt and paper piecing as the skill of the year). This quilt actually took us more than a year to make because of the number of blocks and the appliqued borders.

Ultimately each quilt contained (120) 5" pineapple blocks and measured somewhere around 73 x 86.
We all, of course, became master paper piecers!
And our scrap basket...not a dent was made.

The pattern was called Scrap Apple and came from American Patchwork and Quilting.
Other fascinating factoids: these quilts are quite heavy! With blocks this small there is as much seam allowance on each block as there is block so the weight really adds up fast. Consequently, they make the perfect winter bed quilts (warm and weighty).