Saturday, November 2, 2013

For the Boys Blog Hope Schedule



Before you know it we will be in the midst of another great blog hop.  This one is "For the Boys".  The schedule can be found below.  Catch mine (a clue to my quilt) on November 15th, the last day of the hop!


November 6th
 

November 7th
 
 
November 8th

 
 November 11th
 
  
November 12th
  

November 13th
 
  
November 14th
 
  
November 15th 
 

As you can see, it got expanded to include more days for more quilts!  Yeah!  Stop by to see everyone's great creations and get some new ideas for quilts for your boys, too.
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A Wicked Winner!

Congratulations to Bonnie for winning my 2 fall fat quarters.  She has been notified and sent me her address, so they will soon be in the mail, my pretty!



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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Halloween Spooks Holiday Lane

Trick or Treat, fellow quilters!  I didn't participate in the Holiday Lane blog hop last year, but I certainly enjoyed all of the beautiful Christmas projects. The pattern was really cute and was free from Jillily Studios.  Afterwards, I used the pattern to make a wall quilt for my Secret Prayer Partner at church.  She is a " Mary Engelbreit"  sort of lady, so I chose bright colors and cats and dogs for her gift, and I was very pleased with the outcome.




I loved this pattern and thought it would make a great Halloween wall hanging, as well.  Here is my "Halloween Spooks Holiday Lane" rendition of the pattern:  First, I found a tree to support my project.


                                         Then, I found a friend willing to hold it up for me:



The trees are grey, but they didn't stand out as much as I would have liked against the black houses.  I machine appliqued around the houses, using orange for the black houses to set them out from the sky.  I found the buttons I used at JoAnn's.  I looked on line for some ideas for trees and the witch; then, I drew them free-hand on my fusible webbing.



This was my first halloween wall quilt, and I am really happy with it!  Thank you, Jillily Studios, for making it available to me.

I'm working on a table runner to be included in a basket to be auctioned off at our church's district conference.  It isn't complete yet, but I wanted to share it.  I made one like this a couple of years ago, but I have lost the pattern.  I traced over my first table runner for the applique patterns and measured it for the backing and borders.  I need to finish machine appliqueing it and then quilt it by this weekend.





Today's schedule can be found here, so if you are working your way backwards,  fly on over and see the other ghostly projects for today:

                               
Thursday, October 24th
Just Quilt It  (That's me)


Now, for you trick or treaters who are still with me, a give-away for fall--2 fat quarters of fall fabric, one brown and one orange.  Just leave a comment for a chance to win.  I will ship anywhere.  Happy Halloween!



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Tuesday, October 1, 2013

SEW and SHOW blogs

I'm excited to be part of a "sew and show" quilting community.  We are given a pattern or a topic and encouraged to participate by signing-up.  On our assigned day, we get to show our project(s) to those following the hop.

 Being part of this community has really stretched my talent. It is made up of professionals and new quilters, alike.  It has encouraged me to complete projects by a certain date and given me great ideas for future projects.  Participating is a win/win situation.  We learn new techniques or patterns, get to view other quilters' interpretations, and we encourage each other to succeed.

Thank you, Madame Samm at www.sewwequilt.com for organizing these fantastic hops for all of us!
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Monday, September 16, 2013

Pin it!

Oh, I hate being the last day!  The standard has already been set soooo high with sew many great pin cushions!  How can I begin to compete...er..... share what I have done?  And, if you are doing this in order, I'm being followed by the expert!   Anyway, here it goes.  I've been throwing ideas around since I signed up for this hop.   I knew it needed to be an original pattern, and I do much better following someone else's guidance. : )

Anytime, is the right time to sew, so I decided to make my pincushion a clock pointing to every hour, yes, every hour because anytime IS the right time to sew.  I'm always looking for a pin cushion at my machine, so why not make one that attaches?



I calculated how large I needed my pin cushion to be and got out my compass.  I made the circle on a piece of yellow fabric.

 I used the compass to divide the circle into 6 parts, then further divided it to make 12 equal parts.

                         Next, I used my machine to embroider the numbers and the hands of the clock.



                               I didn't trust my freehand sewing, so I added the arrow tips by hand.


                                            Next, I pinned the lace around the edge of the clock.


 I sewed a circle the same size, right sides together.  Next, I cut an X in the back and turned the clock right-side-out.




I stuffed the cushion with filler.  Then, I cut a smaller circle out of a plastic lid and inserted it into the back to keep the pins from sticking through.  I added a little glue to hold the plastic in place and close up the X that I had cut into the back.

Next, a pink ribbon was added, pinning it to the back first; then, stitching it in place.  Decide where on your machine you will attach it so you can decide which direction to attach the ribbon.  Velcro is used to hold it closed.  I made certain that it didn't interfere with the mechanism of my sewing machine.


                                I think it will work very well.  I will always have pins or a pin cushion in reach.  

Thanks for visiting my blog and taking a look at my project.  You are almost done if you are following today's list.  Thanks to Madame Samm and Kristen  for setting up our hop.  If you still need to visit today's sites, they are listed here:
September 17
Just Quilt It  (you are here)

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Aren't Grandchildren the Best!

My DH and I are visiting in CO from Illinois for a couple of weeks while our son and daughter-in-law are in Italy.  Oh, the fun we are having with our granddaughters, Julia and Lauren.

                                      We did a science experiment--we made rock candy!  Yum!




                           We ordered pizza and watched "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe".



We baked pies--Julia made chocolate cream,






and Lauren made Kentucky Derby.




The girls made chocolate chip pancakes for supper--no help needed from Grandma--I fried the sausage and baked the bacon.




 We've practiced the violin and the cello.  Well, they have practiced, and I have enjoyed listening.  Plus, we have been to cello and violin lessons--along with acrobatics.


We still need to go out for frozen yogurt, do some crafts and sewing, and make home-made noodles.
I'll be tired when we leave next week, but I am certainly enjoying the time I spend with them and the memories we are making.  Thank you, Luke and Susan, for going on vacation and leaving us with your precious daughters.

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Tuesday, August 6, 2013

             

Merry Christmas in July and HO HO HO!  I've seen many fabulous projects since this hop began.  I am so proud to be part of this quilting community.  A special thanks to Madame Samm and Carol for cheering us along during this hop and to our sponsor, Timeless Treasures.  I'd also like to welcome my friend, Carol, from justsewquilter.blogspot.com to our hops.  She is a recently retired teacher and a great quilter.  There is nothing "just sew" about her work.  Catch her projects tomorrow.

I made 2 projects for this hop.  The first is a stained glass window pattern--the first I have ever attempted.  It is called "CANDLEGLOW" , pattern by Karen Ehrhardt and sold by The Quilt Corner in Morton, IL.  I was fortunate enough to pick this pattern up at one of our local thrift shops.  All of the pieces are attached to a  piece of muslin using fusible webbing.  The raw edges are all covered with Clover quick bias, a fusible bias.  Then, you sew down each side of the fusible bias to keep it all in place.  Some of the bias work was a little tedious, but I loved the effect when it was completed.



Here is a close-up of the berries and holly leaves.  As you can see, it took some maneuvering to get those points and circles done!  But what is a Christmas candle without holly and berries!  lol


I was pleased with the outcome.  For my second and last project, I chose to make a Christmas tree skirt.  Now, I have wanted to make a tree skirt for several years and just hadn't gotten around to it.  I thought the hop was a perfect time to make it as I would have to get it completed.  Well, it is almost completed.  I still need to quilt it. The Christmas tree skirt pattern uses a 9 degree or a 10 degree ruler.  You can find the pattern here.  It involved cutting the fabric in strips, sewing them together, cutting them with the 9 degree ruler and sewing them back together again.  lol  Seems like double the work, but I really like the affect.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to add a ruffle or not, but, as my dh said, we aren't really ruffle people.  I can't wait to see how it looks around my tree in December!  I took the pictures outside, and Santa opted to be in the photo shoot.


                                                    Here is a shot directly overhead:


                                                   One after Santa left with his reindeer:


Don't you just love the way it swirls!  I used a green holly print for the back but forgot to take a picture.  The pattern uses 4 different fabrics.  A close-up of what I chose:


                                          Can you see the snowflakes in the white fabric?

                          And, I couldn't resist seeing how it would look around a tree.  I'm pleased:



Thanks for dropping by to look at my work.  I loved having you visit.  Please leave a comment and make sure to visit the other jolly ladies that are posting today.  Merry Christmas!


August 7
Cherry Blossoms Quilting Studio
From This to That
I Like To Quilt Blog
Leah @ L3designs
Sew Mollie Sue, Quilt Much?
Just Quilt It
Meadowbrook
Peanut’s Patchwork
Around the Homestead
Feathered Nest Studio
In The Boon Docks
MO Broker, My Creative Side

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