Tuesday, March 27, 2012

 This is the dresden template I won from the Quilting Lodge.  Thanks again to Vicki. I've admired these for years and have been saving some scraps just for such a project.  I have avoided machine or any other type of applique for years saying it just wasn't my cup of tea because I LOVE paper piecing soooo much, but was surprised how easy this went together.  A little time consuming cutting out all the pieces, sewing the ends, turning them out, and pressing with the iron, but worth the prep time to get the final block.

Here are just some of my many dresdens before I turned the ends and ironed the points flat. I haven't been sure what kind of project to make with them but I think I should make a table runner for the new coffee table my husband is making for the living room.  The colors seem to really go with the area rug I have in here and I didn't even realize that when I picked them all out. Isn't the finished block so nice!!!  I made the 4 inch dresden and I put it on a 12 1/2 inch background block so it will finish out to be a 12 inch finished block. Happy sewing and a great week to everyone :)

Long Beach Weekend


Beautiful weekend at the beach. It was awesome time to relax and unwind with my daughter on a visit with my mother and to check in on her.  She has just had her fourth of six chemo treatments and although they are very rough on her she is doing amazing.  Very weak on the outside but one tough lady on the inside. I'm so proud of her.  We even got graced with a sunny weekend, so nice to see spring arrive!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Here is what I was referring to in my last post about my recent applique attempt.  I have been liking small projects that I get to put to use quickly after starting them and these hit the mark at being very quick and easy. Turned out fairly nice. I am most definitely going to make a few more in assorted colors.  I love all things owls and these are adorable.  I found the pattern at Fabric Depot but I think you can find them online to order from Legacy patterns.  Their web address is www.makingalegacy.com  .   I also will be making some more of this next potholder pictured below here.  The pattern was just instructions from a craft warehouse free pattern sheet and I embellished it with a paper pieced bear pattern that I bought from eQuiltpatterns.com for 99 cents.
 I finally finished a WIP this week.  I started these potholders for my daughter about two months ago and instead of finishing them I started new projects.  I have more ideas than time.  I like how they turned out though and am sure she will enjoy them in her new kitchen when she gets to move in. They are pretty simple to make. The red side pictured above is the inside fabric. I have the quilted sides on both the top and bottom.  The original pattern only had you quilt the top side with the 2"x2" squares but I like the look so much I wanted it on both sides.  I found the pattern for free at AllPeopleQuilt.com/582 .

Now that I've finished these I must get started on the baby quilt I've been procrastinating doing for too long now.  The baby is due May 10th so I just can't put it off any longer.  Baby's mom, Brittney requested to have safari animals.  I love to paper piece and can do a nice elephant, girafee and a lion. It's just not a jungle quilt without a monkey and have been wrestling with how to accomplish one that I like.  So after much thought and designing I am going to attempt something new.  Yikes!!!!  I am going to try to put together a flip-stitch -quilt as you go project.  It is also going to feature cuddle fabrics and the animals are going to be a combo paper piece and 3D creation I saw on YouTube. I'll post my progress as I go and hopefully it will be a success. Hope you are enjoying your week and are seeing Spring all around you and in your step!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Luck o' the Irish has been on my side this last week!!! Let me share my good news.  I decided to enter a giveaway ( my first time ever) over at Pastimes Quilt Design that a wonderful lady named Peggy has. She was offering two of her quilt patterns as the prize and I won!  I got to choose which two I would like to receive and I chose her Cinnamon Twist and Her Watermelon Whimsy patterns.  She has a nice site with great recipes and tips and projects and you can check her site out at www.pastimesquiltdesign.blogspot.com . Here is a picture of what I received from her.
 Well the first thing I did when I found out I won was decide that was pretty nifty...Why not try that again so I surfed some sites and found the Quilting Lodge that Vicki has.  You can check her site out at www.quiltinglodgeblog.com .  They were offering a giveaway for a dresden template and a pattern to go with it.  I decided what the heck, let's give it another go so I entered that give away also.  I don't know if you've entered a giveaway before but it is quite simple. You just have to leave a comment, sometimes become a follower and make sure you are not a no-reply blogger or leave your email address so they can contact you should you win.  Both of these giveaways the winner was chose randomly by a random number generator.  Much to my total surprise and delight I WON again!!!  Vicki is mailing me my goodies this week and I will be able to give a dresden block a shot.  I have admired them for years but have never attempted any curved piecing.  I have an adversion to applique that I must get over and am making an effort to get over this year.  I love what you can do with applique.  My hang up is I prefer the look of turned needle applique not the kind that uses fusible webbing or a zigzag stitch. I have done a couple of small attempts at the zigzag close to the edge method and they turned out fine.  I just prefer a well done turned edge applique and lack the confidence and the time to do it right.Anyway if you've never entered a giveaway I highly recommend giving it a shot.  Now is the perfect time to try. This week they are having a Blog Hop Party Giveaway and you can find more info on it at either of these two blogs mentioned in this post. Best of luck my friends...May the luck o' the Irish be with you also!!!

Monday, March 5, 2012

My new End Table/ Printer Stand

Cary has also been busy.  He just finished my end table.  He put a shelf down below it so we can set our printer on it.  He put the shelf on rollers so we can pull it out to load more paper.  I love it so much that until he gets around to making me a coffee table to match, I am going to use it for a coffee table.  It looks fantastic in the middle of my living room.  I think I need to make it a table runner of some sort to sit a candle on but Cary doesn't think I should cover the beautiful wood up.  I agree with that sentiment but I want to protect the wood.  I think to compromise I should just make something to put on it when I do put something in the middle of the table.  For now it is just beautiful to look at. Hope you are enjoying the New Year as much as we have been.  Looking forward to spring and making summer plans already.  Before we know it winter will be in our past.  Cary actually had mowed the yard this last weekend.  It was great to see the sun.....Now it's back to rain but spring will be here soon. Keep busy and keep a smile in your heart till then.

I started shopping for fabrics for Isabel's quilt on 2-18-12 and finished it on 3-05-12. I think that 17 days from start to finish must be a new record for me.  Best thing is I love how it turned out.  I've been wanting to make this quilt ever since I saw the pattern in Quiltmaker magazine's All-Time favorites Winter 2005.  I am very pleased with the finished project and actually wished I could keep it.  Isabel is a very lucky little girl to receive a quilt I LOVE this much.  Of course, all my quilts have gone to very lucky little girls so far.  Can't wait to make a quilt for Grayson soon just to be able to make a quilt for a little boy. For now I have many more projects to keep me busy before I get to make Grayson's quilt.  For now just more Happy Stitchin'.

Isabel's Quilt March 2012





































































































































































Isabel's Quilt  March 2012












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