Confessions of a Fiber Addict

Ravelry (KYS) Secret Swap Package!

2012-02-09T08:35:00.003-05:00

Here is my wonderful package from kamcole I nearly died when I opened it!

Look at all those nicely wrapped packages!

The first thing I opened was this: chocolate tea and Earl Gray (my hubby's favorite!) and yummy chocolate!

Next I opened a package and found a Lantern Moon Sheep Tape Measure! I had been wanting one of these forever! And there were gorgeous stitch markers, two pairs of knitpicks needles with interchangeable tips, and a package of knitpicks cables!

Next I opened a notepad, magnets and a pen! How fun!

Then I opened what felt like yarn! And boy was I right! I was so excited to get TWO SKEINS OF SILKY MAL!!! And they are a gorgeous purple!

And then I opened the last thing: The most awesome owl bag!

Thank you so much partner! You did an awesome job stalking me! And spoiling me! It was such a wonderful package that I nearly cried!

Shawl Addiction....

2012-01-16T16:30:00.003-05:00

I have been plugging away at the Narnia Shawl. Here it is, through row 69. I am getting ready to start the next repeat! I am really loving this yarn!

And here is a close up of the spine. This is a better representation of the color.

Shawl Progress

2012-01-10T09:06:00.004-05:00

Here are the beads I just ordered for my shawl. They are from Earth Faire and are Silver Lined Crystal AB. What is AB? According to Wikipedia, " In beading, AB means Aurora Borealis. AB is a rainbow-like coating on beads. When the light catches an ab bead at a certain angle, the bead will shine/glow with various colors."

I had a rough start with this shawl. I had to frog the entire thing and start with smaller needles. Let's just say that I have learned A LOT on this project. Such as, I have had to make sure that I count my stitches on every row, every time to make sure that I can move on to the next row! It sure beats having to rip out several rows to find the mistake!

Here is a current pic of my progress (with the smaller needles) as of 1/10/12. I have finished the second page of the pattern! Wohoo!

Narnia Shawl!

2012-01-02T07:28:00.004-05:00

This is my FIRST shawl! It is also my first true foray into lace knitting!!

First page of the pattern done! I muddled through it and had a couple of times I needed to re-do a row, but here it is!!!

Here is the lovely Silky Mal I have been using!

What Size Yarn, What size Beads Chart

2011-12-31T09:27:00.002-05:00

This is NOT my chart! But I have found this extremely helpful as I have decided I will be adding beads to my current shawl project!

Christmas Stockings finallly finished!!

2011-12-19T13:56:00.000-05:00

It's time for a Knit-A-Long!

2011-12-18T20:39:00.002-05:00

I am so excited to be joining in the Narnia Shawl Knit-A-Long on Ravelry. (We will all be doing the same pattern, and will have four months to complete it.) Now I am trying to decide what yarn to use!

New Stitch Markers for Knitting and Crochet!

2011-12-15T18:16:00.004-05:00

I have been a long time addict to the Ravelry site. Lately, I have been hanging out in the Karma Yarn Swap Group. You can trade those unused skeins hiding at your house!

My most recent swap left me with these gorgeous handmade stitch markers from SweetPea363! They are removable and I just love them!!

Animal hats

2011-12-10T12:23:00.004-05:00

Here are two hats that I have recently finished. The top one is for my 5 year old son. The bottom one is for my 14 month old daughter. My 14 month old son will be sporting a puppy dog hat, which is nearly finished!

Let it snow!!!

2011-12-07T10:34:00.002-05:00

It has been very warm here in Virginia! We have been hoping and praying for snow!! Putting snow on my blog and hoping we get some outside!

Knitting/ Crochet Pattern Wallet Tutorial

2011-11-03T13:30:00.033-04:00

Are you tired of wrinkled patterns? I am! I was inspired by the wallets I have seen some of my fellow knitters creating! This one has directions for making a magnetic place holder too! Or you could add a metal sheet (directions included).

First of all you will need the following supplies:

For the pattern wallet:

Main fabric 13.5 x 21 inches

Lining fabric 13.5 x 21 inchesFabric pocket (could be same as lining or main fabric) 10 x 13 inches
Vinyl pocket (use non-glare vinyl) 8.75 x 13.5 inches
Peltex (JoAnn's) or Timtex Heavyweight One side- Fusible Interfacing 9.5 x 12.5 inches
Optional: metal sheet cut to 8.5 x 11 inches

In addition, you will need basic sewing supplies, such as a rotary cutter, mat, pins, matching thread, hem guage, iron, and a sewing machine.

For the optional place holder:

Adhesive strips of magnet (found these at JoAnn's)

Ribbon in the same width

Pattern Wallet:

Step One: Cut fabrics.

Step Two: Hem fabric pocket.

Fold under 1/2 inch and press. Fold over again 1/2 inch and press. If you have a hem gauge, this job will be much easier!

You could hem the vinyl pocket if you want to, but let me say it is very, very hard to keep the seam straight. Even with using a walking foot!

Step Three: Fuse Interfacing.

On wrong side on main fabric, lay interfacing on one end of fabric, measuring 1/2 inch from edges. Leaven about 1 inch between both pieces of interfacing, in the middle. Fuse interfacing to wrong side of main fabric. Repeat, starting at opposite edge.

Note: If you are inserting metal in order to make the wallet magnetic, you will need to fuse the interfacing to the lining side.

Step Four: Layer your fabrics.

Place wrong sides of main fabric and wrong side of contrast fabric together. Lift up one side and lay pocket with right side up. Pin. Lay vinyl pocket on opposite side. Pin. Make sure to ONLY pin your vinyl pocket in the seam allowance. (You don't want holes in your pocket!)

Note: I rounded my corners here, but found on the finished product your paper does not slip in quite as far. So it is your choice as to whether you would like to round them If you do just round the outside interfacing corners only.

Step Five: Sew together.

If you have a walking foot for your sewing machine, now is the time to drag it out! Sew next to interfacing, leaving a hole for turning. I started right before the corner on the fabric pocket side so I could leave a large opening between the rounded corners to turn right side out.

Step Six: Turn right side out.

Your vinyl is likely to get wrinkled at this point, but we will fix it! I promise! Take the whole thing to the ironing board. Iron the lining inside on a low setting. Move around. Look at the front- your vinyl should be great now!

If you are adding a metal sheet, now is the time! Slide that thing into the vinyl pocket end. Use a hot glue gun to squeeze in some glue and secure in place. Make sure to leave at least 1/4 inch fabric from where you insert your metal, as we will be topstitching around the edge.

Step Seven: Hand stitch opening closed.

Step Eight: Set your machine needle to 1/4 inch from edge. Using the edge of the wallet as a guide, topstitch around the entire wallet.

Step Nine: Fold wallet together. Remember the middle we left without interfacing? We are going to sew a line there now. Sew a straight line where the interfacing meets,

Step Ten: Relax and Knit!

Magnetic Place Holder:

Cut two lengths of your adhesive magnetic strip to 8.75 inches.

Cut about 20 inches of ribbon. Seal each end by quickly running it near (not in) the aim-a-flame.

Adhere magnet to ribbon, leaving a little on each end and about 1/2 inch in between the two magnets.

Hot glue the ends to inside.

Slide your place keeper in your wallet, sandwiching the vinyl in between.

Waldorf dolls....

2011-06-17T10:24:00.003-04:00

I love this FREE WALDORF DOLL PATTERN pattern and the idea of using recycled materials to make this! The author of Doing Without Blog has written wonderful step-by-step instructions, completer with diagrams!!! May have to try this one!

Neglect.....

2011-06-17T10:22:00.000-04:00

Yes, I am still here and I hope you are still out there reading as well. I have not been spending as much time crafting lately due to the arrival of the twins...Since they arrived, my sewing table has been covered....I have begun the dig out process and am happy to say I can actually see part of my sewing table now! Hurray!

Recent Knitting Addiction....

2010-09-07T14:35:00.003-04:00

Projects I NEED to finish

2010-04-27T12:09:00.002-04:00

So here is my mad list of quilt projects I need to finish before this fall:

blazing star wall-hanging- need to finish machine quilting and bind (have no motivation to work on this one)
Ben's all about me quilt- In the stages of cutting right now, will need to piece, assemble, layer, baste, and quilt
Christmas stockings- I think I have 5 of these to do, but they are very fast. I am using novelty fabric to do the work for me!
Two baby quilts for the twins- really can't start on this one until I find out genders...But I have plenty to keep my busy....
If I finish all that I have a Christmas Skirt UFO that I need to finish....

Announcing two WIPS!

2010-04-27T12:07:00.000-04:00

Yes it's TWINS!!!! I am due in November- but likely it will be October!

Final Package from my Secret Stitcher

2009-12-14T13:13:00.008-05:00

My very generous Secret Stitcher has been revealed: judy333!!! Here are all the lovely things she sent me in my Christmas box!

- A beautiful garden frame
- cute mitten coasters (just love these!)
- a very pretty Christmas ornament (which I just hung on my tree!)
-Snowman Snow and Tell wallhanging/ runner pattern
- More Biblical Quilt Blocks book
- Sweet Pea Manor quilt pattern (which is absolutely adorable!)

Here are her own words concerning the pacakge:
My poor Secret Stitcher...the other day I asked my husband to get a box at the post office to put my package together. I guess I should have specified what size! Hence, my husband came back with a box twice as big as I needed. Well, my dear hubby had an ulterior motive: he wanted me to use some of my extra fabric as stuffing! (I do believe he is tired of pushing aside boxes of fabric to get to his golf-shirt closet in our spare bedroom, lol!) So, dear stitcher, please understand why there's such a hodge-podge of fabric keeping the real Christmas gifts safe! Please feel free to throw out or donate any of the fabric you don't want (or make them into dust rags!).

I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED when I opened my box and found "wonderful packing material!"

I told my husband this and he had a good laugh. I feel like I hit the jackpot.

THANK YOU TO A WONDERFUL SECRET STITCHER

Another surprise from my Secret Stitcher

2009-12-04T09:02:00.001-05:00

I think there are four yards of fabric here! Plus, pins and the hint the she likes hot fudge anything!

Fat Quarter Give AwaY!!!!!

2009-07-31T17:11:00.002-04:00

I just entered this drawing. You can enter by visiting Rachel's blog, P.S. i quilt. Have fun!

Civil War Era Block of the Month in Homespuns

2009-07-24T10:10:00.006-04:00

My Guild is doing a Civil War Ear Block of the Month program. I decided to do this one in homespuns, which a lot of quilts from that era were made of.

I have twelve done, and there will be six more over the next couple of months.

I plan on doing some applique blocks from Quilts from the Civil War, to add with them.

What is a Secret Stitcher?

2009-07-10T15:24:00.002-04:00

One of my readers (ooh! I have readers now!) asked what a secret stitcher is.

A secret stitcher is really a quilting secret pal. Originally, our group was going to be called secret sisters, but it was edited when a guy decided to join us!

Win $100 dollars of free thread from Superior Threads

2009-07-10T15:20:00.002-04:00

This is an excerpt from the Daily Blog:

Go on a "Superior" treasure hunt with Superior Threads. Visit their wesbite at http://www.superiorthreads.com and find the answer to the following question:

"What is Superior Threads' new fantastic, stunning,
unbelievable product that creates amazing effects with fabric? Hint:
It is not a thread. Stitch this product to the back of the fabric,
steam the fabric, and it amazingly shrinks 30% in all directions,
magically texturizing the fabric. It is wonderful for quilts (add
batting between the layers to create a trapunto-like effect), clothing
(instant smocking), bags, crafts, and home decor, and baby blankets, and
a million other ideas."

Find the answer & send an email to superiorthreads@thequiltshow.com and put your answer in the Subject line. One entry per person.

Two lucky people will win a $100 Gift Certificate to Superior Threads.

Contest ends Tuesday, July 14th at midnight PST. The contest is open to all - even internationally!

Stars and Loops!

2009-07-08T09:30:00.002-04:00

I spray basted Dad's Space quilt last week. This week, I finally got around to starting the quilting process on it.

I decided I would quilt it with some WONKY stars and loops! I am using a Signature 30 wt Tribunal Polyester in the top.

I really like the color of the thread, but would not use it again. The thread has been shredding periodically and it keeps catching on the little groove meant to hold the end for storage.

Now to finish this UFO!

Another Secret Stitcher Package has Arrived!

2009-07-07T09:26:00.003-04:00

Here are the lovely items my secret stitcher sent me:

-several pairs of very cute socks (how did she/ he know my favorite is the low ankle kind?)

- some very pretty fabric, I think the sizes are three fqs and the larger piece is about a yard....

- Dream Landscapes book (I have never made an art quilt before, but i LOVE this book! Now I want to make one!)

- A Secret Stitcher Hint: "I collect delft pottery (blue and white pottery from the Netherlands)."

Thank you whoever you are! I was soooo excited to find my surprise in the mail:)

Give Away At SewFunQuilts

2009-07-06T09:32:00.001-04:00

I am entering this wonderful giveaway at SewFunQuilts. It is her birthday and she is adding an item a day for 18 days! Pop over and enter:)

30 POUNDS of Fabric!

2009-05-15T14:03:00.008-04:00

BTW...according to online sources one pound of fabric equals about three yards....

A lady from my church, and the LQS, is moving to New Zealand.

She is down sizing her stash. Apparently, we have very similar tastes in fabric.

She listed this as SCRAPS. If you scroll to the end of the post, you can see the portion I actually call scraps.

I can't believe how much wonderful fabric was in there! The third picture shows some surprises I found as part of the basket- 9 fat quarters and a roll of what I think are fat 8ths. Most of the fabric is LQS brands, with a few lesser quality (maybe 10%) thrown in.

She sold me all the fabric for $40 dollars and three bags of thread for $10 dollars. And I got the basket too!

there was one bag of specific quilting threads, including signature variegated threads. The other bag was coats and clarks dual duty, and one bag of polyester. I will be using the poly threads to hem pants....

I seriously need to do a Happy dance !

My Block for the LQS BOM Contest

2009-05-15T08:03:00.013-04:00

Bento Variation

Finished Block Size" 12.5 inches x 12.5 inches

What to Cut:

One- 4 ½ inch square of central motif (blue/yellow)

Pink:

Cut two: 2 ½ x 1 ¾

Cut two: 3 ¾ x 1 ¾

Yellow:

Cut two: 2 ½ x 1 ¾

Cut two: 3 ¾ x 1 ¾

Cut two: 4 ¾ x 1 ¾

Cut two: 5 7/8 x 1 ¾

Blue:

Cut two: 3 ½ by 1 ¾

Cut two: 4 7/8 x 1 ¾ inches

Cut two: 5 7/ 8 x 1 ¾

Cut two: 1 ¾ x 6 ¾

Dk. Purple:

Cut two: 3 ½ by 1 ¾

Cut two: 4 7/8 x 1 ¾ inches

Cut two: 5 7/ 8 x 1 ¾

Cut two: 1 ¾ x 6 ¾

Step One:

Fussy Cut Your center square to 4.5 inches by 4.5 inches. I started by cutting my image larger, and then trimming it down.

Step Two:

Cut two yellow logs: 2 ½ x 1 ¾

and cut two pink logs 2 ½ x 1 ¾

Sew short ends together. Press towards darker fabric

Pin and sew to square.

Press seams toward outside of block.

Cut two more yellow logs 3 ¾ x 1 ¾ and two pink logs the same dimensions.

Sew these logs with the pink next to the pink, and the yellow next to the yellow.

Step Three:

Time to Square Up. Should measure 6 ½ x 6 ½ inches when finished. Place your rotary cutter ruler on the seam of your log and cut 1 ¼ inches from that mark. Repeat for remaining three sides.

Step Four:

Next round of logs:

cut 2 each blue and dk. purple: 3 ½ by 1 ¾ inches (press towards dk purple)

cut 2 each blue and dk. purple: 4 7/8 x 1 ¾ inches

BEFORE YOU SEW: I am going to show you my little trick for making sure these seams match up. I like to cheat a little. I wan tot know where these intersections are going to wind up. I take my pin and use it to “pretend sew” the pieces together. You want to pin in it ¼ inch from the edge, laying the pin horizontally. Now when you open the block, you will know pretty much how it is going to look when it is has been sewn. Now you can adjust it with out painfully ripping out of seams...

Square up as mentioned in Step Three, to 8.5 inches x 8.5 inches.

Step Five:

Next Round of Logs:

cut 2 each of pink and yellow: 4 ¾ x 1 ¾

cut 2 each of pink and yellow: 5 7/8 x 1 ¾

Should measure 10.5 inches after you square up again

Step Six:

Last round of logs:

cut 2 each of blue and dk. Purple: 5 7/ 8 x 1 ¾

cut 2 each of blue and dk. Purple: 1 ¾ x 6 ¾

Square Up and you are finished!

You may use this block only for personal use. You may not distribute this pattern.

Signature Blocks

2009-05-12T17:09:00.003-04:00

Here are two blocks I made for our guild president, who has served her two year term. One I made for my mom, who has just started working again.

It is the Sister's Choice block, 10 1/2 inches x 1o 1/2 inches with her requested burgundy and green colors.

Free Project from Wasted/Throw Away Scraps- Going Green

2009-05-08T12:39:00.004-04:00

A while ago, a read how a fellow quilter saved her scraps that she would normally throw into the trash to make a pet bed! She donates hers to the animal shelter. They are completely washable since they are all cotton.

I decided to make one for my cat, and then maybe a few for friends who have animals.

I dug out some fabric that had been hiding in my stash for several years. I put it under my sewing table and began throwing fabric in it, that was to small to do anything else with. I personally don't save pieces under 1.5 inches. I threw in tiny shreds, selvages. Things I would normally toss into the garbage can. So I guess this qualifies as a green project!

I started mine about three months ago and already it is full! I finished mine today and gave it to kitty. Of course, she will have to pretend to ignore it for a while first....

Quilt Top for Dad finished

2009-05-08T12:29:00.002-04:00

My dad requested a "space" quilt. I had no idea what I was going to do!

I found this pattern in Quilt Magazine, Feb./Mar. 2009. It is great for big novelty prints and originally featured cowboys.

I am thinking of quilting it in : Sunstone #982 King Tut Thread . It is a tone on tone yellow. I am going to machine quilt this one- maybe with some stars.....

Now to baste it....

Look What Came Home with Me

2009-04-22T07:43:00.002-04:00

I finally got my new sewing machine! Hurray!

Babylock is coming out with their new machine, Quest Pro. Their old machine, Quest, was placed on discount by my dealer. There are only a couple of differences between the old and new machine- I think a bigger storage area for feet is one of them.

My machine had been a floor model since January. The shop just had sent it out to be cleaned and serviced. Because it had been a floor model and discontinued, I picked it up for $699.

It includes all the feet I would use, a built in walking foot, precision dual feed quilting, and a 24x20 Plexiglas table that I am sure that I will use for quilting a lot. It also has a knee lift for the presser foot for use with chain piecing.

I also tried the free motion quilting before I purchased it, and really liked it. It kept the machine at a consistent speed so that your stitches stay more consistent.

Now off to play....

Olfa Lot from Ebay

2009-04-15T08:23:00.003-04:00

1- 45 mm quick change rotary cutter
1- 60 mm quick change rotary cutter
1- rotary point cutter
1- 45mm pinking blade
1- 60mm rotary blade
1- 5 pack 45 mm blades

Here is the deal that I got on ebay! All brand new olfa stuff, and the whole lot was 30.99! I can't believe it- what a great deal! I added up how much it would have been to order it from a store like connecting threads or joann's and it was about a 100 bucks!

Now I will have all three olfa cutter sizes!

Doing a happy dance!

Secret Stitcher Package Arrived

2009-03-24T09:07:00.002-04:00

This year I am participating in a Secret Sister type swap on the other room quilting forum.

This is what my generous pal sent me:

a dangling pair of gold earrings
a Mary Kay quad eye shadow
a Fons and Porter retractable scissors leash
a book "Fabric Folded Elegance"
four gorgeous pieces of fabric! They look like hand dyes! There is a yard each of the purple and orange/green/brown, and half a yard of the orange
a hint about the secret stitcher

I can't thank my partner enough! I especially love all the fabrics- they are so beautiful. Being a stay at home mom hand dyes/ upper end fabrics aren't something I normally purchase for myself. Purple is one of my favorite colors too! The one fabric reminds me of autumn and I have a bunch of maple leaf quilt blocks from a birthday block swap. I am thinking sashing!

I also had just been looking at the f and p rectractable leash! My secret stitcher was very good to me! Thank you!

Tara's Block Shower

2009-03-24T09:02:00.003-04:00

Here is the block I made for Tara, a friend on the about.com forum. She is having a little girl this summer. She requested primary/ bright colors and star blocks.

I think this is the biggest block I have made so far (24 inches finished) but it sure was fun! The pattern is called Carpenter's Wheel and is from the Quilter's Cache.

Block Lotto

2009-03-16T07:54:00.001-04:00

I am participating in the March Block Lotto hosted by Sophie. This month the block was flying geese, with a black background, and jewel tones for the focus colors.

Here are my nine blocks on my design board. They were so much fun to make! I was really surprised that they went together so quickly.

I love this block and am looking forward to seeing the quilt the winner puts together!

P.S. I can't believe how much orange I have in my stash!

Sunbonnet Sue (Finally Back Again)

2009-02-19T09:12:00.004-05:00

After my computer went kaput, my blog went unattended for a long time. Now that I have a new computer, I am excited to get back to it!

Here is what I have been working on. I am now in the process of hand quilting it.

This little quilt started with some paper foundations that had been a giveaway at quilting guild.

Then, came the little Sunbonnet Sue blocks. I found a tiny applique pattern for Sue. I fused the parts down, and blanket stitched by hand. I used ultrasuede for her hands.

I decided to finish it with a prairie point border. Let me tell you- those little triangles didn't behave very well!

Baltimore Album Top Finished

2008-12-11T15:57:00.004-05:00

Here is my Baltimore Album Top that I have been working on all year. I finally have added the borders, as y0u can see below. Sorry about the fuzzy quality, it is a really dark rainy day here!

The four corner blocks have 160 miniature needle turn leaves, and the four borders have about 150 normal sized leaves.

Here is the ship center medallion as requested by DH:

Angel Ornaments

2008-12-10T17:57:00.004-05:00

Here is the ornament that I made for our guild's annual Christmas party.

This year the guidelines said that we could only use white and silver and it had to be an angel. I was quite stumped for a while but then I found this great little angel pattern, "Angel O"Tulle."

The pattern called for a wooden bead for the head, but I chose to make one out of sculpey clay instead. I found the little scissors on the button rack at JoAnn's. She is all ready to go for Friday!

Happy To Have a Sewing Area!

2008-12-06T16:21:00.002-05:00

I am happy to report we are almost completely unpacked! I think there are three boxes left. And I finally have my own sewing area set up in my basement. It is so nice- especially after having to take my machine on and off the kitchen table previously!

Tips on Using Ultrasuede for Applique

2008-09-14T14:31:00.004-04:00

The wonderful world of ultrasuede

What is ultrasuede? It is a synthetic fabric that is a lot like suede, but washes very well. It is very useful for applique, as you do not need to turn any of the edges under. Think of u sing it for those really tiny pieces!

Ultrasuede in action
Here are the blocks where I used ultrasuede, so you can see them in more detail.

Where to find ultrasuede:

I have found that it very difficult to find ultrasuede in my town. You want a large variety of small scraps for applique. I really recommend ebay for purchasing ltrasuede, as they have great scrap packages. It does seem expensive, but it lasts a really long time!

Tips on Using Ultrasuede:

Make freezer paper templates and roughly cut out. Do not cut out on the line.
Gently press your paper to the ultrasuede using a low to medium heat setting on your iron. Do not use a high heat setting as it will burn the suede. I recommend just barely tapping the paper down with the iron,
Now cut out on the line. Now you will have a really precise piece!
You are ready to applique onto your block, just use your normal applique stitch. No need to turn under!

Baltimore Album Blocks in Sashing

2008-09-04T15:40:00.005-04:00

This has taken me over a week to sew the sashing strips together and set the blocks, but I am happy with it. There will be another outside appliquéd border before it is complete. I need to have the top finished by December 12, 2008 for the guild challenge.

If you would like to see the individual blocks, you can click here to see close ups.

Notebook Covers Finished

2008-09-04T10:08:00.002-04:00

Here are the notebook covers that I have had finished for a while, but not posted.

The pattern came for Quick Quilts by Fons and Porter, Fall 2007. I quilted 1 1/2 yards of fabric and had enough for four 81/2 x 11 notebook covers, one medium cover (shown below), and one small cover for a planner.

These were very easy to make and I think they will go over well at Christmas.

My DSIL was the one who had requested the cover for a gift. She helped me pick the fabrics.

Here is the notebook cover closed. I glued a button on the top and velcro on the inside.

Here is the notebook cover open, and it has a pocket to hold pens.

Birthday Blocks!

2008-09-03T10:31:00.005-04:00

Here are my beautiful Maple Leaf Birthday Blocks!

(Above Picture)
From Left Top Row: Robin, Lockeb, Tdsully
From Left Bottom Row: Geezerfolks, Cziga, Faytay

(Above Picture)
From Left Top Row: Anjea, Jeneer, Judy333
From Left Bottom Row:HLAC, Abbigail1952, Coalaska

(Above Picture)
From Left Top Row: Lola99, Cannahavana, Polardream
From Left Bottom Row:Rngdn, Nana24, Dian57

(Above Picture)
From Left Top Row: Lappemor, Caroline 1957
From Left Bottom Row:Freekie, Toolgranny

Baltimore Album Blocks

2008-08-27T09:41:00.020-04:00

Here are my blocks that I have been working on all year! All the blocks are from the book "Baltimore Elegance," by Elly Sienkiewicz. This is just about the best book I have seen that explains needleturn appliqué, and it includes all the patterns.

My quilt quilt guild decided to do this as a Block of the Month Program. The hopefully completed tops will be displayed at the December luncheon, where members will vote on their favorites.

I have 12 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch blocks finished, and a 16 1/2 by 16 1/2 ship center medallion finished. I need to set them together and start on the border!

Because some of the pieces were so small I used ultrasuede and it worked wonderfully! I will later be posting some tips for doing appliqué with this wonderful stuff.

Ruched Hyacinth

Hero's Crown

Rake Ruched Wreath Heart

Oak Reel

Family Tree House

Urn of Flowers

Lyre Wreath in Bloom

Spun Roses

Tulip Wreath

Wreathed Heart

Husband

Wife

Christmas in July Swap

2008-07-14T11:05:00.002-04:00

I was so excited to get this in the mail late last week. It was all wrapped up in Christmas paper from gerizone5. A great big thanks to an awesome swap partner! I love all of it!

I was unable to post this earlier, as I was having internet problems last week.

Christmas Card
Tote Bag with beading made from a a placemat
santa hat
bows
mini light garland
handmade Christmas bracelet
handmade butterfly necklace

First Birthday Block Arrived

2008-07-14T10:59:00.003-04:00

My birthday is August 11, but Ankie from the Netherlands mailed hers to me early! Yipee! I love the beautiful postcards- how did she know I have a postcard collection?

Doll Quilt Arrived!

2008-06-27T12:55:00.002-04:00

I have been eagerly checking my mail box each day in anticipation of my quilt coming! Today it was here!

I opened the package and was in awe! I said that I love fall decor and colors, and this is the beauty Tina from NC sent me! Notice the beautiful hand quilting! I absolutely love my little quilt!

Doll Quilt Swap 3

2008-06-24T11:48:00.008-04:00

Here is the little quilt I finished for my secret partner on About.com's quilting forum, for the doll quilt swap. I hope she likes it! I realized my piecing skills need some work!

The pattern is called "Missouri Puzzle." The pattern came from an old Miniature Quilts Magazine. It measures 20 x 20 inches.

There is one "Maverick Block." Can you spot it??? I hope the maker isn't offended by the maverick block!

I did a simple crosshatch on this one. My machine stopped working so I had to use my mother's machine to finish the quilting.

Here is the back of the quilt. I used the same fabric for the focus fabric on the front.

I JUST finished up the binding this morning. The binding was just one inch on this one and just about drove me nuts.

Then I rushed it to the post office so it could be on it's way to it's new home.....

Busy, Busy Week!

2008-06-14T18:34:00.000-04:00

This has been one of the busiest weeks in my entire life!

A week ago last Friday, we made an offer on a new town home that is in the process of being built. We are currently in a two bedroom town home with 2 levels, 1 and a half baths and roughly 900 square feet. The new town home is 3 levels, 3 bedrooms, 3 and a half baths and about 1700 square feet.

We loved the development because of all the upgrades the builder made standard- stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops and laminate flooring. Since it has not been built yet, we even were able to choose colors on the cabinets, laminate, and carpet.

Monday our offer was accepted and from there life has been nuts!

I have packed 24 boxes this week.
My computer monitor died early this week. I am using my in laws computer now and anxiously awaiting my monitor to arrive on Monday.
We were going to put our current townhouse on the market in October, after we moved. Well, we have decided to list it July 1. Eeeek! The painter is coming Tuesday and the new flooring will be installed next week. These are all things that we hope will make our current townhouse sell faster.

2008-05-30T12:13:00.004-04:00

Here is a charity quilt that was given to me, via my guild, for machine quilting.

I decided to quilt it with an allover design with meandering loops, in black thread. This was my first time using free motion quilting for an all over design.

I also did the binding entirely by machine, using a new method. I stitched the binding to the back of the quilt, and then flipped it to the front and topstitched it down.

One more project bites the dust!

Summer Table Runner Finished

2008-05-30T12:06:00.003-04:00

Here is a quick little table runner I made up for our living room. I loved this fabric so much and had been saving it for a runner. Now, I have three runners- summer, fall, and winter. I need to get a spring one made before next year.

It is from a free online pattern, called "Table Topper, " from QuiltBus. Three fqs were enough to make the entire top, plus binding. I have heard that this pattern worked up quickly, but I couldn't believe how fast it went! I cut and pieced it in about two hours- while making dinner:)

How to make your own batik fabric

2008-05-02T15:50:00.002-04:00

Okay I found one more cool link! This time it is HGTV's How to make your own batik fabric. They recommend using muslin but I think the prepared to dye fabric would work a lot better!

Superhero Cape Tutorial

2008-05-02T15:30:00.001-04:00

I have been wanting to make my two year old son a superhero cape. Well, I found this adorable tutorial for a reversible superhero cape. Just had to share this link!

Miniature Quilt

2008-04-28T09:02:00.005-04:00

Finally Done!

Here is the PP Miniature Quilt I have been laboring over! Definitely not perfect but it is done.

This is my first true miniature quilt. I really love tiny little quilts!

If you look closely at the picture, you can tell that it is on a 1 inch grid on a rotary cutting mat. Each of the finished border squares are one inch finished.

And a circular label for a change....

How to Dye Felted Wool With Food Coloring

2008-04-23T10:27:00.015-04:00

Here is my adventure with some felted wool, food coloring, and white vinegar.

This is similar to the Kool-Aid Dyeing Process but you are able to create more muted colors with this method. I used generic run-of-the-mill food coloring for this batch. I have also heard of others using a few drops of Wilton's Food Tint (available at craft stores). For me, the advantage was I had the standard coloring in my cabinet!

This is the color of the wool before dyeing. If you are using a brown or tan it will result in a more muted color.

This was sent to me by a dear friend, Hilda. The dark brown color was actually a coat she purchased at the Goodwill.
When DH came home he thought I was cooking dinner...Nope just a coat! LOL!

How to Dye Your Wool

To begin, you will need a large stainless
steel pot filled with water.
Add a few drops of white vinegar to this mixture. The white vinegar serves two purposes: to help the dye absorb as well as set the dye.

To prepare your wool,
soak it in very hot water
for a few minutes.
You can wash it prior to this, if you like,
using mild detergent.

Make sure you are working with a large enough pot for the piece of wool you are working with. Dissolve a few drops of food
coloring in the pot until you are happy with the color.

Add the wool to the pot and bring to a boil. It takes about 10 minutes- less time for lighter colors.

You can see, this is the beginning of the boiling process. As it boils, the dye will absorb into the wool and the water will become more clear.

When you are happy with the color, rinse in water and dry in the dryer.

Here you can see the dyed wool. I love the orange for fall penny rug projects!

One thing I learned is the blue and brown make green! When you add blue dye to brown or tan wool you come up with green dyed wool!

Enjoy your beautiful hand dyed wool!

Wool Projects

Now what to do with your beautiful hand dyed wool? Here is some more wool that I hand dyed (with the exception of the band around the hat). I used the wool to make a couple of pincushions from a free pattern called "Pretty as a Pincushion."

Polka Dot Swap Fabric

2008-04-22T16:53:00.004-04:00

I am hosting a 10 inch square Polka Dot Swap on About.com's Quilting Forum. Well, I needed to go fabric shopping for dots! JoAnn's had a sale going on- 40% off all their Keepsake Calico Line! Wohoo!

Now to wash, iron, and cut these beauties up....

While I was there I also couldn't resist digging through the remnant bin. Look at the polka dot flannel I found! Wouldn't this make an adorable baby rag quilt?

Picture from Quilt Guild

2008-04-17T16:24:00.003-04:00

My quilt guild has just started taking pictures of our "Show and Tell" time. When I came across this picture, I realized I need to go ahead and quilt this top!

New Machine quilting Class!

2008-04-17T15:49:00.004-04:00

My LQS just offered an Advanced Machine Quilting Class, which concentrates solely on Free Motion Quilting Designs. DH was nice enough to give me the class as a gift!

First of all, I learned I have been using the wrong needle. I was using a universal needle- now I have switched to schmetz quilting needle size 11. With the daffodil sale going on at JoAnn's I was able to pick up two packs for $5.75 ! Wohoo!

There were only two of us in the class so we really got to have some individual instruction. She did four patterns with us- loops, meandering, teardrops, and clam shells.

I will try and post some pics on my blog when I have finished my little samples.

The rest of this month my goal is simply to work on my machine quilting. My next class is April 30 so I have some time to complete my homework.

She had a really, really cool machine quilting book that she recommended. It will be in next time we meet and I plan on purchasing it. The book is not a how too- but has all sorts of really cool designs. When I find out the name again I will let you know.

The teacher also wants to do a whole class on feathers- I really want to take that one!

The negotiator!

2008-04-17T15:44:00.001-04:00

My two year old son needs to go in soon for his yearly exam. I told him that he will have to go to the doctor soon. To which he replies, "Chicken Nuggets?"

He thought if he was going to have to go to the doctor he should at least get something out of it! LOL!

Thankful for new Migraine Medicine

2008-04-15T16:46:00.003-04:00

My nasty migraines have been kicking up this year. I have heard that a lot of women (and men) suffer from migraines!

I went to see a neurologist and he gave me anew type of medicine for my migraines. The last medicine had not been working well and tore up my stomach. Well, I started to get a migraine yesterday and took the new medicine. It worked and didn't hurt my stomach!

More blocks for minature quilt done....

2008-04-10T14:19:00.002-04:00

I have three more blocks left to go! Now to hunt for a small print for the border!

Apron For Linda Finished

2008-04-10T14:12:00.002-04:00

My friend Linda sent me a wonderful box chocked full of homespuns! She asked me to send her an applique block for an apron she was making. Well, I suggested she mail me the apron and I would applique directly on it. Here it is! It has been finished for a while, but I was waiting to post until it arrived so it would be a surprise!

Dresden Plate Birthday Block

2008-04-10T14:02:00.005-04:00

Here is the birthday block for April- a black and white Dresden plate block. I will admit I was nervous to try this block.

I did it all by machine using Elanor Burn's method. You can download the free PDF pattern here.
Her method uses the sewing machine for the entire block. You appliqué the plate down with invisible thread and a blind hem stitch.

How to make Dimensional Applique Berries

2008-04-07T16:21:00.003-04:00

I am working on a Baltimore Album quilt and wanted to make some dimensional berries. Well, I really couldn't find a lot online to help me. Once again, my quilting friends came through and answered me.

Here are a couple of methods:

I did this on a quilt several years ago. It sort of depends on how fat you want them to be. If you just want a subtle puff, cut a circle of batting just a smidge smaller than the berry and hold it under the fabric as you sew it in place. If you want really fat berries, you can sort of pull some batting apart, sew about 3/4 of the way around the berries then stuff them as full as you wish before sewing them down the rest of the way.
Annie
Jen, I made a bunch on a project started in a class with Anita Shackleford. Her method was to trace a circle around a nickel on our berry fabric, cut out the circle, and do a small running stitch about 1/8" in from the edge. Then you draw it up a bit and use a toothpick to put in just a little tuft of batting, pull it up a bit more, stuff a bit more, then before you pull it all the way closed you stuff as full as you like. Take a few stitches across the opening to anchor it, then sew it to the background. Another neat thing she showed us was right before you do the closing stitches, poke the needle out the top of the berry and back in a couple of threads away, then tug on it a little and do the closing stitches. That makes a little dent in the end of the berry that looks very realistic.
Donna
I think it is easiest to cut a tiny circle the same size as the berries and place it under your applique giving them another layer of batting. Other people will do trupunto sp? where you go in from the back and put in some extra stuffing - I have not tried it that way and think my back will get quite messy as wherever you cut to put in some extra "stuffing" you have to hand stitch closed. - Karen

I attended a class with Harriet Hargrave and she let us in on a secret for her berries. (this wasn't part of the class) She uses the real little felt pads (like you might use on the bottom of furniture legs) and takes a circle of fabric and makes a yo yo type thing, puts the pad in the center and draws up the thread. The little pads are the very stiff type. I have a package of them and they are called floor protectors. I made a few up and it worked good. As Harriet said, maybe a little stiff for a quilt, but it looks great. -verkins

Tips for PP tiny blocks

2008-03-26T11:08:00.011-04:00

Use a copy machine to make copies onto thin paper. If you have to trace the foundations, make sure to use a ruler.
Make sure to make several copies of your foundations. That way if one block gets messed up, you can start again. It is very difficult to salvage a block when they are this small.
Clean and oil your machine before you start. A clean sewing machine will help you avoid problems!
I like to use the standard sewing machine foot for PP. I found that if I use my quarter inch foot, I am just not as accurate.
Cut generous pieces for your sections! The general rule is to cut the sections 1 inch larger than the measurement of the section, but with odd angles you often need more than this. I don't want to be stressed out because my fabric didn't cover my section- I would rather use a little extra.
Make sure you are using a larger needle and smaller stitch length so the paper will perforate nicely.
Try to stitch a little beyond the end of the line. Where there is a point, you can't do this but you can backstitch for security.
When you get ready to trim your seam, fold the paper back- away from your seam. You will be able to trim accurately now!
I am trimming the seam on these blocks to 1/8 inch.
Ironing is recommended after each seam, but if you aren't going to iron make sure to at least finger press the seams with your nail.
Use a pencil to shade in the background sections. When you are at your machine, you will know which fabric to use where!
Make sure to lower your needle before you start stitching- precision counts ans you need to know exactly where you are starting.
Relax and have fun! You might need to eat some chocolate to help!

Tiny PP Blocks

2008-03-25T09:23:00.003-04:00

This is going to be a miniature quilt. It will finish at 8 inches by 10 inches so it will be the "smallest quilt" I have ever made.

There will be twenty 1.5 inch blocks (unfinished) and a beautiful, slightly larger Tree of Life block on point in the center. The pattern is from Miniature Quilts, Issue #18.

The quilt is a PP pattern from an old issue of Miniature Quilts. I have had so much fun making these I just had to share!

Current Project List

2008-03-18T10:34:00.004-04:00

Quilt Project List

1. Jeremy’s Lodge quilt- fabric shopping, cut, piece top, baste, quilt, label, and bind
2. Machine Quilt- quilt squares, assemble, bind, label
3. Miniature PP Quilt: PP blocks, assemble, baste, quilt, label, bind
4. Patriotic Table runner- wash fabric, cut sew, baste, quilt, label, bind
5. Uncle John’s stocking- purchase supplies, cut, fuse, quilt, embroider cuff
6. PP9 Quilt- assemble top, baste, quilt, bind, label
7. Grouseland contest- design, sew, baste, quilt, bind
8. Dear Jane- Need to get back to work on this one….
9. Redwork Quilt top- purchase backing, baste, quilt, bind, label

Swap List
1. Birthday Blocks- cut, sew, mail
2. Christmas in July- decide on gift to make

Doll Quilt made it home!

2008-03-18T10:04:00.004-04:00

Here is my long awaited and much loved doll quilt. I was the last to receive my quilt in the swap, but it was well worth the wait and arrived from Marianne in the Netherlands. She is such a talented quilter, who designed this pattern herself and foundation pieced the blocks. (My great grandmother would have been proud- her family was from Denmark.)

The picture does not do it justice! The points and workmanship are excellent! I love, love, love my quilt!

Marianne has named this little treasure, "Oriental Spices." I said that I love muted colors, and scrappy and this quilt is so perfectly both of those things!

Now to decide where this lovely quilt will be displayed that is out of reach of the cat and my toddler...Sticky hands and cat fur can be pretty hard on on a quilt in my house!

I've been tagged!

2008-03-17T10:32:00.004-04:00

I've been tagged by Pamela, from Quilts N More
Here's how it works:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

7 facts about me:

1. I love Jesus Christ and seek daily to serve Him with all of my heart, mind, and soul.
2. I am an optimist and a dreamer.
3. I love to create- especially with the medium of fabric.
4. I am currently doing the One Year Bible Plan with DH. This year I am reading the New Living Translation.
5. I love cats and currently have a plump, calico cat named Tiara. Here she is a couple of years ago, weighing several pounds less.

6. I am short- only five feet tall!
7. I have recently started to enjoy art quilts- maybe someday I will make one!

Now I get to tag 7 people:

1. Colene It's All About Me
2. Ginger Paisley and Polka Dots
3. Sophie Sophie Junction
4. Lisa StringBean Keekers
5. Hilda Hilda's Hideout
6. Debby Pieces, Too
7. Kate Kate's Quilting

Jessica and James Wedding, Welcome to our new BIL!

2008-03-17T10:10:00.004-04:00

My Doll Quilt Finished

2008-03-14T09:31:00.002-04:00

Detail

I participated in Ginger's Doll Swap 2 on the about.com quilting forum. I decided to make two doll quilts- one to send to my swap partner, Colene, and one to keep. I am still waiting for my doll quilt to arrive:) While I was waiting I finished the second quilt for me.

These little quilts ended up stretching me as I tried some new techniques. This was the first time I designed my own pattern, added beading to a quilt, and tried a scalloped border.
The scalloped borders were definitely a challenge but I used these directions, per Pirate's suggestion
http://www.lindafranz.com/scallops.htm

More Brithday Blocks....

2008-03-14T08:40:00.004-04:00

A couple more birthday blocks finished...Only Eleven more to go!

Punctuation Mark Quiz

2008-03-14T08:40:00.001-04:00

You Are An Exclamation Point

You are a bundle of... well, something.

You're often a bundle of joy, passion, or drama.

You're loud, brash, and outgoing. If you think it, you say it.

Definitely not the quiet type, you really don't keep a lot to yourself.

You're lively and inspiring. People love to be around your energy.

(But they do secretly worry that you'll spill their secrets without even realizing it.)

You excel in: Public speaking

You get along best with: the Dash

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

Doll Quilt Finished

2008-02-29T08:37:00.008-05:00

All Finished

Here it is! My doll quilt is finally finished. I hope to be able to mail it out on Monday.

This is really the first time that I have designed my own quilt pattern. The scallops didn't turn out as deep as I had hoped but I still like them. I hope that my recepient will like her quilt.

The quilt is machine pieced, hand appliquéd and machine quilted. I didn't PP the flying geese but next time I definitely would!

I made a second top for myself, so now it is time to quilt it!

Here is a close up:

Here is the label:

Tickled Pink

2008-02-14T08:42:00.003-05:00

When I went to quilt guild last week, they had a table set up with freebies. One generous quilter had been going through her stash.

This is what I picked up: the fabric is a marcus brothers print and there is over four yards of it!

There are several packs of block foundations including: Perfect Pineapples, Geese in the Cabin, hearts and circles, and some tiny blocks that I will be using in a future miniature quilt!

Thank you to the generous anonymous quilter!

Working on the doll quilt swap

2008-02-12T18:44:00.000-05:00

Here are the geese for the doll quilt! Appliqué will be next...

30's Quilt Top

2008-01-03T12:52:00.002-05:00

My mother gave me this beauty for Christmas! It had been hiding in a box since she purchased it ata an auction some years ago. Hopefully I will be able to do it some justice in repairing it...

FREE Quilted Christmas Stocking Pattern

2007-12-19T15:51:00.000-05:00

Written by me!

Supplies:

One large piece of template plastic

½ yard or so of focus novelty fabric

½ yard or so for lining

about ½ yd of fusible fleece

piece of fabric for top and hanger

walking foot (important for working with the multiple layers)

matching thread

Directions:

Use an old stocking and trace around it on the template plastic. Use a solid line for this part. Make sure to fold the cuff up and out of the way so you can get an accurate measurement. Draw a ¼ inch dashed line from the solid line for the seam allowance. Cut your template out on the dashed line.
Fold your fabric in half, making sure the design is going the way you want it. This is how it will appear on your stocking. Now place your stocking template on top and trace it with a pencil. Cut out and you will have your stocking front and back. Repeat this process for batting and lining fabric.
Fuse fleece in place to focal fabric. Do NOT baste lining fabric. You should only have two layers at this point, the focal fabric and the fleece. You should have two of these, per stocking. Make sure you have a front and a back.
Quilt as desired. For my stockings, there was already a grid pattern, so I took advantage of having to do no marking!
Pin stocking with right sides together. Sew together with ¼ inch seam, securing at beginning and end. Turn right side out.
Pin lining pieces right sides together. Sew using ¼ inch seam. Do NOT turn right side out.
Insert lining into stocking. Match side seams and pin. Sew ¼ inch seam around top.
Measure the top of your stocking (all the way around). Add ½ inch to this measurement for seam allowances. Deicide how long you want your cuff to be. For instance, my stocking top measured 19 inches. My first measurement would be 19.5 inches. I decided I wanted my cuff to measure 3.5 inches, so I would multiply that times 2. My measurement for my stocking cuff would then be 19.5 by 7 inches.

NOTE: If you are planning to embroider a name on the cuff, make sure to first cut the piece oversize and trim it down. Embroidering can really shrink a piece of fabric. Since I do not have an embroidery machine, I hand embroidered mine with a stem stitch, using two strands of perle cotton size 5. It was hard to pull through, though!

Sew ends of cuff together using a ¼ inch seam. Press to one side.
Cut a 1/ ½ inch x 6 piece of fabric matching your cuff for hanger. Press edges into middle. Press these edges together in thee middle to form a strip. Topstitch.
Pin cuff and hanger to inside of stocking. Hanger should be pinned at left side of heel, so toe points to the right. Pin hanger with raw edges sticking up out of the stocking. Sew ¼ inch seam, making sure to secure at beginning and end of stitching. Backstitch over hanger for added security.
Turn cuff right side out. Enjoy your stocking!

Birthday Blocks!

2007-12-19T12:09:00.001-05:00

It is time again for a new swap year to start! On Gardenweb Quilting Forum, this is my second year of doing Birthday Block Swaps. They are so fun! Each list has 13 swappers and on your bday you get 12 blocks from your online quilting friends. Each swapper chooses his/ or her theme.

The above birthday block is for a swapper with a "Wizzard of Oz" theme. At first I thought of red slippers, but I really wanted to do something a little different. She requested bright, primary colors so when I saw this fabric I was so excited! I knew this was it. I found a very simple block pattern to show it off- The Snowball Block from Quilter's Cache.

I hope she will like it!

Last Christmas Gift finally done!

2007-12-17T17:54:00.000-05:00

I finished this Rag Quilt on Sunday, for my husband's grandmother.

I used a Rag Quilt Pattern from About.com.

It was great to use up all my left over batting scraps this way. I have made two rag quilts and definitely suggest using a shorter scissors for clipping. There is less of a chance of cutting into teh seam this way. After sewing, I washed it three times and threw it the dryer until it was nice and fluffy.

Now I can finally relax!

Tote Bag Finished!

2007-12-04T08:51:00.000-05:00

I have finally finished one more Christmas gift- my MIL's tote bag. The fabric was from Eleanor Burn's Through the Seasons line.

I love freebies and this was a free pattern online. If you would like the pattern click here: Free Patterns Scroll down to "Just for Fun" and click on Quilted Tote Bag.

I have made both the small version and large version of this bag. This was the large version and I would not attempt it without a walking foot. Even with a walking foot, you should use a large needle (size16) to stitch through all the layers.

Two other helpful tools for this bag were: 1. bias binding maker and 2. Elmer's school glue. The bias maker produces nice, crisp binding very easily. The school glue can be used to attach the binding to the tote bag for stitching. It is much easier to use glue than to try to deal with all those pins!

Only one more Christmas gift to make now!

Swap Time!

2007-11-28T10:06:00.000-05:00

I am holding a Double 4 Patch Swap on About.com Quilting Forum. These are the "opposite" blocks from a previous swap that Colene hosted.

Here are a couple of sample blocks. I think it will be a fun swap!

Starting my own blog...

2007-11-28T09:42:00.000-05:00

Okay here goes! I have finally started my own blog after talking about it for so long! I have

There are only 26 days left until Christmas and I am trying to finish up several quilted Christmas gifts. I currently need to finish a tote bag and a rag quilt.

Here is a table runner I just finished this month. Actually, it was done the day before Thanksgiving! I found the pattern in Quiltmaker Sept./Oct. 2007 and decided to make two. One will go to Mom and one will stay at my house.

It is done in needleturn applique and machine quilted with monofilament thread.