Quilt Block #3

Good afternoon! Is it spring in your neck of the woods? I get so excited when I see the sun coming out nowadays. We have been over blessed with dark, dreary, chilly days, and they are saying the "S" word again. Oh well..I have plenty to do inside to keep me in trouble. Last summer I joined a block-of-the-month club for a Christmas quilt. I am so bad at such a small obligation. I really was going to keep up. How hard could one basic block be to do one per month? Sigh. I now have a pile of them, and I doubt very seriously I will get it all done and the thing quilted and back in time for Christmas this year. But here is my third block, and I have to say, it has been the easiest one so far. It seems to take longer to cut the pieces than to sew them together. 

Before I leave you, I cannot tell you what the next piece is--I mean, I know the name, but it's my official start on Paulette's Christmas gift. If you recall, we did not exchange stitched gifts this past year..it's the first time in at least ten years that we have missed. We were going to do a "summer sampler exchange," but again, too much going on to get that done.  I am using Vintage Buttercream--Lakeside.

On a personal note: Charlene, I do not have a red display wall...yet. I have two red samplers only, hanging together, but I'm working on it. There is just so MUCH out there to tempt me nowadays.

Thank you for sharing part of your day with me. I always try to click on the new visitors link and visit your blog, but sometimes it doesn't let me. I appreaciate everyone who stops in.

Block #2

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last little accomplishment: the table runner. I am always amazed that people care enough to drop in and take a peek, especially since I am no writer and do not claim great photography skills. It's just nice to be able to share a little of what I do in my own little part of the heartland; you know, besides dig in the dirt and work. I met my goal this week, though it is not much. I am finished with block #2 for my Designer Mystery Block-of-the-Month quilt. I can't say I enjoy all of the cutting and fitting of the tiny pieces, but I love the finished look. Other than that, I've done very little in the way of sewing or stitching. I hope you all have a nice weekend! Thank you for stopping by.

Christmas in July

I finally took the plunge and joined a Block-of-the-Month for a holiday quilt. I guess I love holiday stuff as much as I do making desserts! Here is my first block. So simple, yet I nearly tore my hair out trying to get the smaller parts just right, and they are still not perfect, but the quilt will be so busy, hopefully the imperfections will fade into it.  The fabric is 12 Days of Christmas by Kate Spain, who is probably my all-time favorite fabric designer.

My second block came in the mail yesterday. I wasn't finished with the first block, so I vowed to finish it before opening up the packet. :) I was thrilled to see the turquoise in this one. I can hardly wait to get a start on it. Before I do, though, I am going to be getting the quilting done on Audrey's Bistro table runner.

I was looking for a break from Ann Grimshaw and decided to work on this a bit. Paulette is putting out things I want to stitch faster than I can even get the stuff together..too many wonderful things to do.

A heartfelt thanks for stopping by and sharing a part of your day.

Friday Finish - Drab Toile

Remember this? Of course you do..I have shown way too many pictures of it by now that you must be tired of looking at it! This is the most simple quilt that anyone could put together..there is virtually no pieceing..just a large piece of fabric, two borders, and binding. But it took me three years, nearly, of playing around with it, and I am happy to say it is finished! My husband made me a wonderful quilt ladder for the hallway upstairs, so it's being put to good use. I did my very favorite meandering on it using a color that blends into the drab toile, black on the back, and then black for the outer border. Now I will finally have something to cross off my list.

You are so kind to drop by, and thanks to all who talked me through this one.

Stitching and Quilting

It seems like ages since I've been on here..but with all of the sadness Paulette's family has been through with the passing of Mike's precious mother, Frieda, it just seemed "right" to wait. While the sadness will not go away, it will ease some with time, or so they say. It was heartwarming the way people reached out to them. Every comment was was read by everyone in our family, I think. Thank you all for your kindness toward my loved ones.

Though I haven't been blogging, I have been putting in some time on Village here and there. I am so relieved that Block #11 is finished. I think I spent as much time taking out the work as I did putting it in. I don't know what was going on, but I was not having fun. So here it is, with one more block to go. I think I will put some time in on a few other things before getting back to it. I do have a question that I hope someone can answer. Block #4 (second row, first block). Did someone fill in the windows with black? I could have sworn I saw a picture, and I remember thinking I wanted to fill mine in after seeing theirs.

Take a look at these beauties! I haven't a clue what I will do with them...

But is there anything so pretty as French General?

Well, of COURSE, says Breanna..(sorry Brea, I know you fussed at me for photographing your nail polish!)

Like...VERNA! Breanna and I had a sewing day today. She's making a table runner. She was so cute..she didn't want to unwind the fabrics because they are so neatly wound and tied with that Moda ribbon. I had to get her hyper on chocolate pie to get her to let go of them. :). We work well together; I pressed and pinned, and she did the sewing. Let me play Meemsers for a moment..Breanna is so much fun to teach. She's an extremely fast learner, and rarely do you have to show her more than once, NEVER more than twice, how to do something. She truly is so much fun, and I love, love, love her dearly..ok..sorry. Look at the pretty colors:

Kim still has some of these Honeybun sets on her site..oh, I know there are other places that have them, but Kim is the fastest service there is, and we love her for that!

Not bad for a few hours of sewing. I'm sure Brea will share a picture when she's finished..I love you, Breanna, and I had a wonderful afternoon with you.

Spooktacular

I am loving these fabrics! I'm doing a "Checkerboard Charm" quilt for my youngest granddaughter..just wanted to show you my progress...

And I caught this guy in my whiskey barrel grubbing around!

In the Green Room

I haven't spent a whole lot of time in my green room this week, but I did make one pillow to go with the quilt top that is hanging there, waiting to be quilted. Some of you might remember that last year I did a quilt with stars, but somewhere along the line my measuring or cutting, or both, was off, and I ended up not being able to use about 9-10 of the squares..so I decided I would use those to make pillows for the day bed, and possibly frame one..I did this one last week, actually, and I will not do another one until I get pillow forms..I did NOT like stuffing it..it doesn't looks as good as it should, and I am not beyond removing the stuffing whenever I get a form.

Civil War

I've had my Civil War prints long enough..time to start cutting..and cutting..and cutting. I'm making a lap quilt in the Rail Fence design. Gosh, are these fabrics luscious, the pinks being my favorite.

Finished!

Yep..it's finished. Thank you for sticking through another quilt project with me.

Spring Quilting

I think it's time for another quilt. Our family room is always, always cold, even in the summer, it being garden level in the front and completely underground in the back. My DH informed me the other day that the quilt he used down there during his siesta was useless. Well of course it is, dear..it's only the size of a wall hanging. So I was digging around in my jelly cabinet in the green room and found the rest of the fat quarters that came with my Bistro collection. I think I might do a Yellow Brick Road..and honey, this time it'll be big enough for you to use.

I love red!

As I mentioned last week...or maybe it was the week before...I found some beautiful red toile fabric at my local quilt shop--The Quilted Moose--and had to have it. I didn't even realize it until a later trip in there that it's HOLIDAY red toile! And I do love the holidays! :-) So I can't wait to have this beauty made up...I took a couple of closeups so you could see the motifs. I will say that Paulette is the one who made me love toile. I'm glad she has a quilt in it already. lol.

TGIF!

I may have been absent, but I've been very busy in the green room this past week. I'm sure you've seen this table runner on Paulette's blog, but I actually have made 3 of them in the past couple of weeks. I'm currently doing the hand work on the binding on the last one, and it's for my Audrey. The fabric is "At Water's Edge" by Blackbird Design. Love it! I still have enough for a pillow, though I'm not sure that will get done.

Kindness

The mail carrier rang my doorbell today. I knew I had been a good girl and not ordered anything from anywhere. :-) So I was quite surprised to see a box on my doorstep. I love, love, love presents! I cannot tell you how shocked I was when I found this:

To say I was shocked is an understatement. Honestly, you could have told me I won the lottery and might have gotten the same reaction. These are my all-time favorite autumn fabrics!!! Ok, this wonderfully sweet person (you know who you are) said she thought of me when she saw them..I just am totally blown away by the sweet, thoughtful, kindness. Thank you so very, very much with all my heart..I hope I can do them justice. MM

Finished!

FINALLY! I promise never to post another picture of this spring set. Surely everyone is as tired of looking at it as I am of taking pictures. I refuse to do as many progress pics next time I start something. :-) I really had a lot of fun working on this set, and I thank you ALL for the lovely comments you have left on here and in Email over the last few weeks.

Fig & Plum

I've taken to dreaming about spring, as I'm sure most of you have. I honestly do not mind winter, though I'm sure that would not be the case if I had to work away from home. But people think because I work from home that I must have more time than they do. Well, ok, sometimes that is the case. :-) But if I had a lot more time, I would not still be dawdling on my spring table square, I would be finished with Alphabets, and my supply of freezer chili, sauces, and soups would not be dwindling. I'm not one for sitting around without using the time. It flashed into my mind this morning, one of the things I remember my dad saying was "get busy!" and/or "get quiet!" And here I thought I was the productive, quiet teenager. Oh well. I was either lazy or he was very busy, but I'm sure he sat in his recliner watching television, which is another thing I rarely do..again, don't waste that time. Can I relax? Sure! In front of the sewing machine, digging in the dirt, planting, mowing, you get my drift. Don't ask me where all that came from..Here is where I am at on my table square.

And I saved the extra triangles from the Fig & Plum charms, not really knowing what to do with them, but I was tired of being a wannabe quilter and decided to be a real one and save those scraps! I WAS going to put together a table runner for "someone," (I won't mention the name), but I decided I really needed to replace my winter pillow that sits in one of my dining chairs. Here is what I came up with..and I might add (please don't look too close) it's my first official "quilting" on my dream machine.

A little more progress

Good grief, I may as well be stitching Jane Rees as long as it is taking me to do this piece! :-) Ok, that's a bit dramatic. It's not that I'm overly slow as much as it is that I don't work on this every day.

And here is the progress on my spring table square.

Below, the fabric at the top is what I will be using to add border and backing.

Friday Night Quilting...

I forgot to mention in my earlier post that I would be spending Friday evening in the green room. I've been wanting to do something for spring, so I pulled Fig & Plum (Moda) charms out and started putting together a table square. Here's a peek at the pretty colors..I agree with an earlier post that Kim made--there's nothing like that knee thingy when you're chain sewing. .

Coffee Quilt

I'm happy to say that as much as I enjoyed it, the top is finished and I'm glad! I had to lay it on the floor to get a picture. I'm not sure when I will get it quilted, but hopefully soon. Binding is my favorite part. Thanks for taking a look.