Patisserie: All in the Stars

This morning I sewed all of the Snowball Blocks (look here for my tutorial that will give you a 12" block combined with four bonus 3"  half square triangles), and then this afternoon I sewed all of the blocks together.  I'm certain with this quilt the work was all in the stars.  Well...  What do you think already?!?!  Personally I'm a bit stunned that I made it this far so quickly, of course I still have a border or two to add, as well as something for the back but honestly how can you not look at this quilt and love it?  It's so girlie it screams to be loved.  Now if only it would tell me a bit about how it wants to be quilted.  I thought I had a couple ideas until I saw it open and flat for the first time and then every thought of any quilting went right out of my head, sort of a long "ohhhhhhh," followed by a "hu".

Tiny was of course the first one to actually have full body contact with this quilt, both DH and I moved it carefully to the side to sit.  This quilt is seven rows, four blocks wide and at this point measures 87"x49".

Tomorrow is my birthday, so don't expect much if any sewing out of me for the next couple of days.  Nothing like an "0" ending birthday to make you want to get the lead out - at least a little bit.  Besides I have to revel in the joy of having gotten DD's quilt this far! 

They're Here!

I was thrilled when I won the giveaway Aunt Spicy was holding for a friend last week.  I was able to pick one item from Erica's Etsy Shop and of course I selected the rose studs, they are just the right size and I can't get over how fast they arrived, I wasn't expecting them today at all.

As a bit of an extra perk Wednesday is my birthday so the earrings will be something special I can wear while I celebrate.  I was torn between these earrings and her hair pins, so I might very well be back to her store before you know it.  Erica also has many beautiful photographic prints so why not head over to her store and take a look?  When I checked she has three different rose hairpins still, as well as the Coral Ruffle Rose Earrings that are like mine (except mine are pink)  Of course if you'd like to get to know her better pop in to her blog. 

Patisserie Stars

Last night I finished up the 54-40 fight Stars, my goodness, I think these turned out pretty.  As I was ironing them open I stopped and counted the pieces.  There are 29 pieces in each and every star, what was I thinking?  Though I am certain I've made blocks with more pieces, I don't think I've ever made so many, and I'm nearly sure the blocks were bigger than 12".  No matter I'm glad I didn't select to make the 9" blocks!  It sounds like it was bad, but as I made each block in sections, aka the star points and the four patch blocks it wasn't the big deal it might sound like it was. 

Of course it helps that the fabric I'm using is nice, so it slips through my fingers just right and presses open just the way you want it to.  Now that all of the stars are completed I'll be starting on the snowball spacer blocks.  Those will be the Patisserie fabric and that pretty blue-purple batik.  I'm sharing the process with dd each step of the way, so she's completely in the loop on where her quilt is and how I'm progressing on it.  Doing so even enticed her to do a bit of sewing on her own. 

As I'm certain you're feeling picture deprived (the camera had a dead battery - but I was dreading it to be something worse because the fool thing never warned me!)  The photo above is the front of the strip quilt for the freemotion Quilt-a-long, the back is a bit more complicated so time will tell which is the front and which is the back.

Sew Much Backing!

I think I need a basting day!  Seriously today I finished two quilt backs.  One for the Freemotion Quilt-a-long and one for the denim patchwork.  I'd like to think I'll be up to doing all of that basting Monday or Tuesday, but only time will tell as my birthday is Wednesday and I refused to be pooped from basting.

Long ago and far away my mom took an oath never to make her own birthday cake.  I think it's the meaning behind the cake.  Perhaps that someone cared enough to make you a cake, or buy one as the case maybe.  I have no such qualms, as I'm sort of a "you want something done you have to do it yourself" kind of person.  Currently I have a Strawberry Cake Mix in the cabinet, but you know what sounds really good?  Angel Food Cake.  I can think of only once that I've made it from the box, every other time I have separated that dozen eggs and baked it completely from scratch.  I've done this so many times that I've begun to wonder if I make it from a box perhaps it will fall?!?!?

I have my Grandmother's tube pan -which is also called an angel food cake pan, you know the one with the drop out bottom.  When I bake angel food cake she is always in my heart guiding my hands.  Perhaps that's why my cakes never fall?

I'd like to serve my cake with whipped cream and strawberries that have sat in a sminge of sugar for about half an hour just so they start to get a little bit of syrup.  But angel food cake is good enough that sometimes I don't feel the need to top it with anything.

So tell me, would you make your own birthday cake and if so what kind would you make?  I draw the line at candles I think.  I will not be buying my own birthday cake candles.  Shoot then I'd have to count them out and light them all, and then deal with the wax because it took a while to light them...  UGH I think not!

Quilt Along Quilt top, or is it a bottom?

Today I made the strip quilt suggested for the freemotion-quilt-a-long.  You already knew I didn't want to use Christmas Hodgepodge for that, and I figured it out while I worked on it.  For the strip quilt I used the mint and the pink of from the Star Kit (remember the one I had to buy to get the Patisserie fabric?) and they went together really well with the butterfly yardage that I had leftover from this time last year when I made dd's butterfly jumper. 

We glittered up dd's jumper with pee wee glitter shortly after it was done so working with it without the glitter seemed a bit odd, but as you can see I had just enough fabric.

My strips are longer than the suggested strips.  Mine being the length of the fabric and the suggested being 32".  That gives my finished top a size of 41 x 40 instead of 40 x 36, yes I know that means a pieced back...  Or maybe it will be the top...  You never know when it comes to my projects.

Hodgepodge Flismy has a Hodgepodge Back

I just finished up the back for the Christmas Hodgepodge quilt.  I did a bit of crumb block work to finish it up, which especially considering it's the back came out just fine.  That means it's ready to baste.  I'm really looking forward to quilting this one.

Backing for Christmas Hodgepodge Quilt

I'm thinking holly leaves and words like love and peace over the border, with holly leaves and berries over the plaid.  Snowflakes for certain over the big paisley blocks, and I'm sure something wonderful will come to be for the greens.  Yesterday I saw some really pretty quilting templates and one of them was ornaments hanging off a line, which could be just right for this top. 

For me the ironic part about this back is that just this once I wanted a simple solid back.  I guess I'm not a simple girl.  It is over sized of course, measuring about 68" square, so the excess around the edges will all be snipped off later.  It's always better to have to much backing and have to clip it than having to little, oh can you imagine?  That wouldn't be good at all.

Shortage Leads to Deviation

Well I was planning on working on the quilt back for Christmas Hodgepodge today, but I'm really low on red and green fabric, I mean seriously scraping the bottom.  So instead I worked on this.  I'd really like it to be a simple small wall hanging.  I'd really like it not to end up on the back of the Christmas Hodgepodge quilt as that gold is so slick and silky, not to mention that I don't want to quilt over the tiny details I worked on so hard, but only time will tell on these things.

Christmas Tree Applique

The gold doesn't really have spots.  That is from when I was trying to spray baste stabilizer to it to ensure it held still and didn't get sucked into the sewing machine.  Needless to say the fabric doesn't like basting spray.  Not only did it make those spots, but it held like nothing was wrong until I got going and then it threw the top half on the floor and other less than lovely things.

You + me = 6 + TV = 4

Christmas Hodgepodge Flismy Done

Yesterday I spent all afternoon making flying geese.  Why?  To make a 6" border for the Christmas Hodgepodge Quilt.  It was my intention to make spaced squares with stars inside.  I started with the stars and when the gal on TV said cut 1.5"x3" triangles that's just what I did.  Of course I didn't need that size I needed 2" x 3.5" for my 6" stars.  UGH!  What an ugly mess cutting them at that size made.  Into the trash they went before I went to bed.  Then this morning I couldn't help thinking that was an awful lot of work I did to throw it all away, so I pulled them back out and looked at them.  It was then that I discovered I could cut them down to 1.5" x 2.5" and then the points would be back,  Trust me it was a whole bunch of work for 8 @ 4.5" stars, of course somewhere along the away I cut the reindeer border at 3.5" instead of 4.5" so I had to fix that too.

Four inch Ohio Star

Luckily DH found me right about the time I was being inspired by a revised 45 degree border and spent the morning helping me make what I saw in my mind come out in the fabric.  Oh yes but once we figured out how to cut the fabric strips then we learned I didn't have quite enough fabric.  Hence the Happy Holidays at the top.  I really like the way the quilt is shaping up now.  It's 62" square and I think it's just where I'd like it to be.  

Embroidered Top

Of course I'm starting to think I should just go ahead and make the strip mini quilt for the freemotion quilt-a-long.  This Christmas Hodgepodge has been telling me it would like big holly leaves over the red stripes in the border and snowflakes over the red paisley blocks and who am I to practice flowers on it? 

Stars of Patisserie

Patisserie Star not quite finished

Today I worked on squaring up and sewing together the stars for the Patisserie Tennessee Waltz Quilt.  Granted I'm still waiting on the purple and blue hand dyed fabric I ordered from Connecting Threads as a replacement for the purple fabric I'd previously selected that didn't match at all.  Yes, I'm capable of making bad decisions like that, yes - even when it comes to fabric.  But did you read what I said?  Hand Dyed fabrics at Connecting Threads?!?   It seems odd to me too.  Their stuff always seems a bit more old school than what I'd like to use; Patisserie fabric not withstanding and besides they send me snail mail with pretty pictures of fabric on it and who doesn't like that!?!?

Planetary Nebula Batik from Connecting Threads

So back to the Batiks.  The first one I selected from them arrived over the weekend.  It totally and completely feels like when I first started sewing and my DH enrolled me in a Batik of the Month club, talk about spoiled me, I think the fabrics were some where between $18 and $24 a yard!  Granted that was a club, but this fabric looks and feels just like that stuff, even the over dying techniques are the same.  Now do you want to know what Connecting Threads are selling it for?  Only $5.96 a yard.  Yes, that's what I said.  They even dropped the prices on their other fabrics so shopping there could easily become a joy.  Now the photograph you see was taken on the dark side of my kitchen and it is reading just a bit more green as the fabric is a bit more teal than it appears, but still doesn't it look wonderful?  As it's part of the ribbon border, I'm trying my darndest to keep my hands off of it until later.

Now I'm drooling over their collections that they have just posted with these beautiful fabrics, and my mind keeps playing over the "oh it would be so nice to have a yard of every single one,"  or "what if I just order the strips packs?" (Strip packs start at $9 for 24 fabrics)

Knitting

Do you need to do something while you sit?  I can watch tv without having to have something in my hands, but waiting on the other hand requires something.  I took out my denim patchwork out to the bus this first week while waiting for DD.  That worked out pretty well, except of course that we've been having heat indexes of 153 degrees and having a quilt on you even after the hottest part of the day has past is asking to much.

So when I was at Joann paying to much for my 4.5" square up ruler - it was supposed to be on sale 40% off but online Joann has a different idea of what's in the sale flier than my local store so I ended up paying full price...  I bought a couple balls of Lily Sugar'n Cream yarn.  If you haven't touched this super soft 100% cotton made right here in the good old USA I highly suggest you do.  It's amazing, and my hands that can't stand to touch wool love me for selecting such a soft alternative.

Currently I'm making dish cloths.  DH thinks they are better at scrubbing pots than store bought towels, so I figure I can knit out a couple and stash them for Christmas or something.

Another Go Go Going...

What are those Accuquilt-Go People thinking?  I stumbled on another blog that is giving one away free!  This time it's one of my fellow Christmas-Quilt-a-Long fellow bloggers.  Truly two thumbs up to everyone involved in these give-aways.  It really gets the word out about a blog and the AccuGo at the same time.  Personally I'm still a little on the fence.  I'm not sure if they are all the wonder that they profess to be (I saw them at Joann's on sale the other day for $299!) and that seems like a lot to still have to prep work to cut it, but hey maybe here in a month I'll have won one of these things and then I'll be the one telling you how great they are, you never know.  At least 6 months or perhaps it was 9 months ago I saw that you can use it for Scrapbooking too, so perhaps it's right up the alley for a fellow scrapbooker?

So head over there and sign up, who knows maybe this time the winner will be you.  Sweet P Quilting and Creations.

Hodgepodge Christmas Quilt

I am very excited about the free motion quilt along!  So while she hasn't gotten started yet, I have!  Christina said she would be spending a little bit of time making a quilt top, but that we should feel free to use something plain or something we had on hand, I thought that if I went ahead and picked something, came up with a design, and made it from what I had 1. it would cost less, 2. it might look better with the fabrics, and 3. I could choose where to put what based on how much I had of aforesaid fabrics.

So I started and finished my flismy.  Here it is at 54.25" x 55" I haven't decided if I'll border around it or just what.  At it's current size if I don't decide to keep it as a reference - it would make a great Christmas gift for someone's teacher...   

Did you see the secondary view of this quilt?  Take another look and see, different now hu?  My pattern for this quilt calls for trapezoids, so of course I did it with half square triangles instead, that made it so much easier not only to sew, but to cut as well.  I think as it is this is a great freemotion practice quilt.  After all look at how many skinny spots I'll have for border practice, and the squares for block type practice.  

How would you border this?  What size would you allow it to grow too?  I have a tiny bit of the plaid, none of the Santa faces, lots of the red paisley and a fair to large amount of the reindeer leftover.  Oh and I have a beautiful red blender flannel.

If you look at the upper left corner of the top photo you can see I substituted a solid green for the Santa's - that's how completely out of the Santa fabric I am, but I'm already planning to embroider a bit - perhaps a label there in white to drag away any lingering contrast.

I'm feeling Bloggy

Or at least something like that.  I've gone ahead and joined another Quilt-a-long.  I know what you're thinking, "What is she thinking?!?!" and you're right as I'm wondering about that a bit myself.

This one is for freemotion quilting, and as I'd really love to open up more choices to myself I joined in.  I think you should too.  Why?  Because it's always good to learn more about something we love doing.

To kick things off Christina is having a little giveaway, so why don't you head over there to at least check things out.  Personally I'm wondering if I should buy more batting or go ahead and cut some off what I already have for the turtles.

Oh and as a bonus she's a midwife so I very much doubt there will be any of those disheartening comments about birthing babies that we find on another freemotion blog...

I'm on a Tear!

I'm not really on a tear and it's a good thing too, because being on a tear to a quilter/sewer means we have to fix something, which for me at least, is unpleasant.

Today I basted, quilted, and put the binding on the Friendship Wall Hanging.  I liked the look of the green binding I used on the Christmas Row Robin, that I pulled another hunter green fabric from my stash to bind this one.  The green gives it such a calming touch, I really am glad I finished these two in the order I did or else I might not have given much thought to using the dark green binding.

Christmas Row Robin WRAPPED UP!

Today I finished the Christmas 2009 Row Robin.  This project was one stumbling block after another, but I made it.  Not only did I finish the heart and loop quilting today I also made and attached the binding.  This quilt turned out really cute.  I added a small tab every 6" so each year I'll be able to hang it up during the holiday season.  I have very little doubt that this will be one of the projects that I think of with dread until I pull it from storage and hang it up and remember how pretty it is.

Christmas Row Robin Finished

It truly is a joy to have this quilt finished, I have placed it in the laundry basket so that it can be washed on my next laundry day and then someone will have to find space in with the other Christmas stuff.

Detail of Heart and Loop Quilting

This is my second quilt with freemotion quilting.  As I had all sorts of trouble with my Brother machine being in and out of service, I've decided that my little Elna deserves a reward for all it's hard work in the form of it's very own quilting foot. 

Sew Many Ways...: Accuquilt Go Give Away...Let's Go, Go, Go

Sew Many Ways...: Accuquilt Go Give Away...Let's Go, Go, Go Seriously she is giving away an Accuquilt Go, why not head over there yourself and throw your hand in at the chance?

Something Leftover

Sure enough yesterday I cut fabric.  With the templates my DH cut for me the whole process went rather quickly.  As I have 60 x 45 inches leftover of the Patisserie fabric (how did that happen!?!?) as well as plenty of other leftovers I believe I will have plenty to make the back after the top is done, we'll see how it goes of course.

Denim Patchwork and Yes that's a Carebear.

I noticed I haven't showed you this yet.  When I came up with the plans for the back of the Gift from Heaven Quilt I planned 3 borders worth of 4 patches, but with a mix-up + a change up of the middle the quilt grew to quickly and I wasn't able to add the 2 set of borders.  Hence the birth of this denim patchwork; the fabrics are made from dd's baby clothes denim, knits, fleece, and so on, so it is wonderfully soft.  I'm not certain what should become of this one yet.  I know I will use a real batting on it and perhaps a blender flannel on the back.  My eyes keep seeing it as a puffy quilt.  What do you think?  While I know sort of how to make one of those I don't have any idea how much Polyfil something like that would take.  Any thoughts?  As for the flannel backing I think it should be something super soft.  Every time my brain says make it blue I argue back "but it has such pretty girlie white patches!"  It's a never ending battle of course.

I don't recall the exact measurements I think it's 42" x 48", but I was noticing yesterday while waiting for the bus, that it is big enough to be a lap quilt.  What do people use puffy quilts for anyway?  Do they always live on a bed?  As I look at the pictures even now it's easy to see what it would look like puffy, but to what purpose?  Maybe I'll figure it out today.

As always you can view my pictures in more detail by simply clicking on them.

First Day

Waiting

Today is the first day of school here and off dd went on the bus.  She wanted to go wait on the bench her daddy placed by the bus stop a full 20 minutes early!  Luckily I was able stall her a little bit.  How's that for backwards?

Hope she has a great day!  I was a bit surprised to see she has a lady bus driver, but that's nice too, and even though the school said the bus would be late, she was right on time (to the minute!)

So whatever will I be doing while I wait for my little (place your choice word here) to come home?  Well honestly I'm planning on cutting fabric for her Patisserie Waltz Quilt and taking care of a couple of hiccups in my fabric order.

Or perhaps I will do a bit of freemotion quilting on the Christmas Row Robin?  As one parent alone there's no telling what I might get myself into. 

Bye, Bye!

Quilt-a-long: Evening Day 1

My table runner is finished! This was one of those surprising times when the project takes you on a journey and most of the time you're not certain where you are going.

Heirloom Tablerunner Newly Finished

As for me I learned a bit at looking at the details, because with a simple piece like this everything is in those quiet details. 

Thanks Sue, without this session of your Christmas Quilt-a-long I would still be wondering what to make for my cousins much less what to actually give them. Oh to have it made, what a thrill! My DH is going to make a wooden box for it that we will give it to them in. Is anyone wishing it for themselves? While I had a couple of rough spots that I didn't like it much I'm pleasantly surprised at how pretty it turned out. 

Lace and Machine Emboidery Details

 Believe it or not I finished in just the right amount of time as to have dinner on the table exactly at our regular time. I highly recommend anyone on the fence join us next time. Same place 2nd Saturday of the month through December. 

Quilt-a-long: Afternoon Day 1

Good Afternoon Fellow Christmas Quilt-a-longers! I’m just stopping in for a bit of lunch, I can hardly believe how hungry I am! Here’s what my table runner looks like so far. I’m attempting Heirloom style very low key so the gold ribbon will be the limit for the color on this one. I just need to grab some of my lace patterns and then it’s back to work.

Center of Heirloom Tablerunner In Progress

The center is handmade lace, no I did not make it, in fact it was a find in a bag of notions I bought for 25 cents at a thrift shop about 9 months ago. Then out from that is purchased lace from that same bag and then scrap broadcloth leftover from a quilt I’m working on and then of course the aforementioned gold organza ribbon going up all miters both on the front and on the back. This is stitched on with a double needle. I’ve never used a double needle and found it a bit tricky to use. I’m happy with how the center looks.

Quilt-a-long: Morning Day 1

Good Morning Fellow Quilt-a-longers! This morning has me with the kitchen dishes taken care of and my crock-pot started. Okay I'm cheating a bit as I already had one of my ready made Spicy Chicken Soups frozen, it's in the crock pot on warm now melting down so I can check it a bit to make certain I wont need to add anything. I posted my Spicy Chicken Soup Recipe long ago, but as I've made some changes I'll pass those along to you along to you. Starting with chicken stock, and a pound of chicken (I never stint on the crock pot or else my family might rebel and then how would I make my easy meals?) Then in goes carrots and celery of course; sliced to whatever size you like to eat in a soup. My family doesn't much care for celery so I chop that up pretty fine.  If you like onions by all means add them too, this soup loves to be messed with.

Also add between one clove and one bulb of garlic. Seriously the amount of garlic I use varies widely depending on first how much I have on hand and two how afraid I am of getting sick of whatever is going around. Nothing is going around now, but I want to kick it up so all the cloves around the outside will do me today. Then I add the hot sauce as I have a violent bell pepper allergy I have one brand of hot sauce that I can use. It's called Frank's Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce. I add between 1 tsp and 1 tablespoon of that to taste. Perhaps it's me or maybe it's the chicken but different days seem to need more or less spice.

I try to make my stock from chicken quarters and then use chicken breasts in this recipe - cook them whole and break them into yummy bites just prior to serving.

I add any leftover noodles cut into bites (if needed) right into the bottom of the bowl so they don't end up cooked to much in my pot.

But seriously what's all this about cooking - now set the crock-pot to go and let's sew!

Quilts in waiting.

I think the most daunting task I have right now is to move all of the quilts that have been diligently awaiting the return of my computerized machine to come back from being serviced (it's been 3 or 4 times this month!) in favor of the table runner I'm making for my cousin today.

Lady Bird Post Summer Molt

Lady Bird had been going through a molt and is just starting to look a bit better, I took these of her yesterday and just had to share!

Lady Bird Cardinal

Christmas Quilt-A-Long

Yes, I jumped ship, full sails out.  I joined Quilting Sue's Quilt along.  I don't know what I'll be making and neither does she but at least we both know we'll need to be making something and anything done sooner is always better than later.  Why not jump in with us?  Just plan on setting the crock pot to something nice and earthy (who knows maybe I'll share a couple of recipes?!?!?) and spending the day just you and your sewing machine.  Okay and some munchies, but you have to ignore all those phone calls that always seem to come when you're trying ever so hard to finish the gift from the person who wont stop calling you!

Blessings from Heaven Quilt Back * Construction *

Yesterday I sat at the sewing machine for a while stitching together the back for the Blessings from Heaven Quilt. Currently I have it up to 45". I was having some trouble with my four patch blocks as it was taking 6 four-patch blocks plus a half of a four patch. I couldn't for the life of me imagine why I would have built this into the borders (as I'd already sewn all the four patches I thought I'd need). So I went looking for my trouble.

The answer is in that 45", this top should never be 45" it should in fact be 42, and instead of a 21" center I should have an 18" center. I knew all that but yet some how when I bordered out the polka dotted print I bordered it big and didn't measure check until much to late. Luckily I have found more squares so I was able to make extra patches instead of seam ripping the ones I had only to remake them which I did the first go round.

Last night I went to order the fabric for the Patisserie Quilt only to discover they are completely sold out of the all-important Patisserie fabric!!! After my horror settled a bit and I screwed my head back on I started searching through their quilt kits. You see one good thing that Connecting Threads has going for them is that they don't charge for the patterns or for putting together your quilt kit, so cost of the included fabric is all you pay for. Yes, you have to buy all of the included fabrics but last night I felt that was a small price to pay for still being able to buy and make this quilt for DD. The quilt I found was Antionette's Stars Quilt Kit, which has four beloved yards of the Patisserie fabric, it has a pink on white fabric that I will use in place of a blue on white fabric as well as a dark pink that I will use in place of a lighter pink. There is a lighter pink included but I couldn't make it work in my quilt so that as well as the two greens will simply end up being surplus for later. I think it works out that I purchased 1 1/2 yards total more than I otherwise would have, but then as they were out of the Marine blue blender I'd planned to use I went with two different shades of blue for the ribbon border and as one of those blues was 50% off it balanced itself out a little bit.

Ironically this quilt kit, which was the only one with over a yard of the Patisserie fabric, included uses the 54-40-fight star planned in my quilt. Only time will tell what size their star is and if any of the included pattern will help me with mine.

I would love to see the Blessings from Heaven back finished by the time the new fabric arrives. Ideally the back would be done, the front embellished, and I'll have started quilting but DD is having a sleepover all this weekend so I don't know how much I'll be able to do. Time will tell.

Gift from Heaven Quilt Details

Yesterday I was thinking that perhaps instead of making a big fuss about having a fat quarter printed of DD as a baby perhaps I should save that for a different project in the future and instead work on finishing up both the back and the front of this quilt.

Very Different Border Detail on this quilt.

So off I went to go get it.  This WIP was the first project I set aside, so instead of being in the WIP box (which is nearly empty!) it was stashed in the bottom of my closet.  Don't worry the only other quilts stashed in my closet are finished ones.  So I pulled it out and a couple of things stuck me right away.  This second quilt is actually quite different than the first, with different colors and different memories.  All that time ago when I was adding the borders I ran short of the broadcloth but had plenty of 3.5" squares so the border ended up with the pieced border seen abouve where as the first was a straight broadcloth with a scalloped binding.

My favorite blue and terry block that I forgot I made!

I did hand embroidery through all three layers of the first quilt.  By working carefully the red hearts that are carefully placed on the front appear sprinkled on the back.  As this second quilt already has a planned pieced back I didn't think I should embellish all the way through.  So instead the hand detailed hearts have been drawn in the same places as the first quilt, but I'm only working with the top layer this time and wont make the quilt sandwich until later.

Hand embellished details.

So far I have stitched 10 or 11 of these little hearts, and I have 34 total, so I'm about a 1/3rd of the way done.  DD has already been asking whom this one is for. 

The Original Blessings from Heaven Quilt for Comparision.

Dres-Vers-A-Ree

As today is my anniversary I made this post for you last night. Let's see, I have quilty things for share. I have a mockup of the Dresden Plate Layout, which I printed noted on and scanned back into the computer for you to see. It was very difficult to work in the 22" recommended borders and still maintain a top that I liked. The wide borders will be entirely on the drop from the bed top and thereby have a nice scallop to them.

Just for fun and to check my idea of using diamonds for the centers of the Dresden Plates DH laid out a rough of what one of my blocks will look like. Nice hu?

Lucky me I finished up the Friendship + Card trick Wall hanging flimsy. I once again had a hard time with the Card trick block but somehow by sheer force of will I worked it out. I had to snip just a bit to much from the backing to fully compete the border around (I allowed enough extra of the border by 6" but as everyone knows you also have to allow 2.5" x 5 on those border corners, which I didn't have. The tiny missing patch from my backing fabric will of course be where my quilt label will go.

I think that's all the quilt stuff I have for now. It's my 7th wedding anniversary and I've been teasing my DH about having a seven year itch for a couple of months now, in fact I even put that movie on our streaming Netflix list to watch. No telling if we will or not. Take care and hug your loved ones.

Dresden Secret

I have had a project that I have wanted to work on for years now, but the fabrics and the patterns had never come to me in a driving and motivating way. I knew I wanted to make a traditional old school style quilt with modern colors as a gift for a day that is long long - perhaps even unplanned in the future.

Blue Dresden Blades + Custom Template

Then yesterday the tendrils of those wishes came creeping back into my head. DH made me my very own Dresden template and I was off to the races. I have since cut up every scrap of blue fabric that I have in my house into Dresden blades. Mind you I didn't cut up any yardage that I have on hand or any fabrics currently in use for other quilts (that would be a horror wouldn't it?) I have enough blades to make 4 plates, and by DH's calculations I need 16, but I'll play a bit with layouts today to be certain as I think a pattern that uses more plates might be pretty. Like I mentioned this is a long-term project so I can collect blues for a while.

Do you understand why they love me yet?

While getting out all of my blues I actually found a scrap big enough to fix the two holes on the Christmas Row Robin Quilt. I had looked through my blue fabrics two days ago (or was it three now?) and completely missed finding that scrap. I made it into an appliqué and started it just a hair to high, which allowed me to cover the hole on the teal fabric as well. Without looking closely and knowing what you're looking for you can't see the new patch at all, which makes me feel so much better about the whole thing.

No one is safe from me!

As you know I've been trying so hard to get a picture of my kitties Sunny and Tiny together. They've been tormenting me over it lately by only being close enough together until I pick up the camera, and I didn't even need to get it out of the case! So for your viewing enjoyment a bit of what I've captured.

You want... what?!?!

I so don't think so!