LATANE'S QUILTS

Quilt Bee Sew-in

2012-01-13T18:01:00.002-05:00

Wouldn't you know it!!!! I was late and missed our very first 'Show and Tell' for 2012.

When I got there everyone was so very busy, the sewing machine humming, lots of chatter.. it sounded like a bunch of bees!! Oh, they are... bee friends.

Just look at all the activity.

and that is just a portion of them!

Some sewed while others measured and cut.

Some needed help, others gave help.What's what friends are for.

'Hey, girls, look at what I got finished'.

Some serious discussion going on. Or maybe they are planning something?

It's a great group of women who have a common thread.... get it.... thread. They love to quilt.

Sweet Florals

2012-01-01T14:31:00.000-05:00

I have been anxiously awaiting the finish-up of the snowman top so that I could start a new project.

I had several small pieces of floral fabrics that needed out of their hiding place...

I chose what I wanted to make

It's a wall hanging about 25x35 inches. I say 'about' because Carol Armstrong who designed it (and I am assuming made it) appliqued each floral square onto a piece of white fabric. Nope, not me!!

So, I cut all the squares out and am sashing them with 1/2" (finished width) white fabric. Same effect, and to me, not as much work. I have them all cut out, counted and sorted into rows and each row pinned and numbered.

Yippee, I have one row already sewn and pinned on the design board.

Snowmen everywhere

2011-12-29T12:02:00.000-05:00

The top is finished, tra la.
The top is done... ha ha
The top is ready for the quilter... yippee
I am so proud of me, te he.

Now all my little snowmen can play together and have fun. Can't wait until next Christmas so I can put it out for display.

time to sew

2011-12-27T12:09:00.000-05:00

No, I have not put away my Christmas decorations!!

No, I have not put up the gifts I got!!

No, I am not in the mood to clean house!!

I am in the mood to sew............

Remember that snowman quilt top I started (a block a month thing) back last January I guess it was. I meant to get it finished and quilted for the holidays but that never happened.

So I got the squares out this morning. They were pretty wrinkled just sitting around waiting on me to enjoy them again. Poor things.

I sewed some frames around 5 of the squares this morning. Okay, that's not much but you folks have got to remember that I am aging as I speak and the back hurts when I sew. I just have to take it easy and do a little at a time. But, hey, I get there eventually.

And, I had started hand appliquing some flowers. Here is one of those squares. I have 5 of those made. I bet I get a lot more done during all these football bowl games... I sew while they show replays and half time and time outs. Get quite a bit done that way.

Yep, I am geared up for making 2012 a year of the quilts! I'll post what I get done on my sidebar like I did this year. Happy quilting to my blogger quilter friends and Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-21T14:50:00.002-05:00

I just want to wish all my quilting blog buddies a very

May your Holidays be filled with joy and laughter
With family and friends

and may your New Year be everything you wish it to be
and then some.

Latane

The Challenge

2011-12-14T14:48:00.000-05:00

Last November our Bee Friends went to Chester, Virginia to Jo Jo's Quilt Shop. The staff was so nice, making us most welcome, giving us patterns and a fat quarter of the same fabric. Don't you just love it when a shop makes you feel special?

Pat, our fearless leader, challenged us to come up with 'something' made out of the piece of material. It was bright and cheerful covered with gaily colored flowers. Oh geez, what to make. As I was going through a difficult time I stowed the fat quarter in a drawer and did not see it for months and months. Finally I dragged it out, no idea what I would do with it and feeling so 'designless'.

At our Christmas party those of us who had not already shared their 'Great Show and Tell' got to share ours. I am very 'design' challenged so what some of these girls came up with delighted me!! Oh to have that frame of mind where you can envision great works of art out of that sort of 'ugly' fabric. I have to hand it to them. Just look at what they did....

And, then I showed them my fabulous creation..........a placemat. Oh well, maybe next time I will set those brain cells to working and come up with something spectacular!!

Quilt Bee Christmas Party - 2011

2011-12-09T13:50:00.001-05:00

Don't you just love a good party? Lots of friends, lots of fun, lots of food... That's what happens when the Bee Friends get together for their Christmas party.

First is Show and Tell. Just look at all these fabulous quilts.

What? not a quilt.... but a warm and fuzzy knitted scarf as a gift.

A Table runner

A Tote

More Table runners

A Sampler

A Kazillion little pieces!!

And, a guest with her very first quilt. She's off to a great start, don't you think?

Next time I will show you a few of the pieces made out of our challenge fabric.

Till then, keep quilting.

Ta Da..... I did it!!

2011-11-19T14:57:00.001-05:00

Those pieces of fabric sat in a box FOREVER! I just couldn't figure out the cutting instructions so I give a huge thanks to two dear friends, Pat and Debbie, who did the cutting and then I put it together.... and yeah!! It's done.

Just look at this colorful left top corner!!

And, the more subtle right bottom corner.......

And, after how many years of quilting (maybe 35 or 40) I did my first mitered corner. Duh... how easy was that!!

Now, to do the backing and off to the quilter it will go.

Road Trip

2011-11-11T09:41:00.002-05:00

Up early... gonna meet the bee girls for a road trip. Out the door and down the road I go right into fog... lots of fog. Miles and miles of fog.

Once at Bella's Quilt Shop in Carrollton we start counting heads.... one, two,.... uh oh.... we are not all here. There should be 20 of us.

We shopped in Bellas for awhile. Bought lots of goodies.

Debbie showed us a signature quilt we all made for one of our members who is ill. It has her favorite colors and we each signed our square.

Then on to Williamsburg to the Love 2 Quilt shop.

We all had a great time wandering through the shop, looking, planning

It's lunchtime and everyone is ready to eat. So, to the Chickahominy House we go...

All twenty of us are seated around 3 large tables.

After lunch we, of course, had to check out the large gift shop.

We say goodbye to the Chickahominy House and head home. What a wonderful day with quilting friends and quilt shops and good food and fellowship. Just perfect.

Thanks, Deborah, for organizing our trip and making it extra special.

Putting the puzzle pieces together

2011-11-02T08:09:00.000-04:00

Remember these blocks?

Gee, reckon what they will be?

Turn them this way and that, add other blocks and the quilt top is beginning to take shape!!

I'm making progress. Yippee!

Quilters Block

2011-10-27T16:18:00.001-04:00

What are quilting friends for??? They lift you up, guide you through the muck and then set you to work, that's what.

I've had a serious quilting block lately. Just could not make myself sit down at the sewing machine

or pick up a pair of scissors. Couldn't do it!! And, then two friends (Pat and Debbie) arrived at my house ready to pull me out of the hole I was in. I have two tops that are UFOs but we didn't tackle those. Nope, we dug out a challenge from what, two years ago?

Challenge... as one bee friend said, 'we need to erase the word challenge off the blackboard'. That one kicked my butt. You see I am mathematically challenged. Oh geez, that word, challenge, again. I could not figure out the cutting instructions. It said, 'cut a square such and such, then cut it another size.

Why not cut it the original size to begin with? And, some blocks were one thing, some another. I finally just closed the lid on that fabric and said to heck with it.

I am now sewing the top together.

Those girls cut and pressed and organized those pieces into easily figured out little stacks. Maybe I don't need to tell you that... you will really think I am dumb, dumb, dumb.

I will keep you posted on the progress.... and there will be progress, I promise.

A solution maybe

2011-09-29T11:18:00.000-04:00

I emailed the manufactor of the quilting frame and got a very helpful and kind email back from her. Her tips were so helpful and I plan on trying again very soon. Right now I'm a bit under the weather.

It seems my 'batting' was too thick for one thing. And I was supposed to start in the middle of the quilt which I had not. I knew that it had worked perfectly for me (and I was having a blast) when I tried it out at the quilt show.

I can't wait to get started!!

What Next?

2011-09-26T17:38:00.000-04:00

I am so frustrated I could scream!!

You see, I bought a quilting frame back in the spring. You know, one of those that you use with your own sewing machine. Gee whiz. I sat down for the demo and it worked like a charm.

So, I am doing something wrong here and wonder if any of you have one. It is the Easy Quilter from Ok. and yes, I should call the company. However, I have read every single instruction they gave me. On top of that, my daughter took a ton of pictures while I was using the one at Mid-Atlantic so I've looked to see if mine is set up like that.

Yep, sure seems to be. But, this is what happens when I move the machine to quilt. It bunches up and does not stay flat and taut. What the dickens is up with that?

Oh well, guess a call to the company is in order. But, my sewing machine has been 'out of commission' sitting there with me trying to figure all this out. So, no sewing around here.

Shopping

2011-09-13T16:00:00.000-04:00

Projects awaiting some finishing touches ??... gee, that's never happens around here. hehe. Just kidding. I have tons of projects half done, half started, half half....

So I went to Bella's in Carrollton, Va. to do a bit of shopping. I thought I knew what I wanted... but guess what... once Debbie, the saleslady, pulled some bolts my ideas just went out the window. I said no purple to go with the green. I thought I'd use rose instead... So, what did I do? I bought purple. Isn't that always the way of it?

So, here's my little bag of fabric... just a sneak peep.

Here are the projects I am going to finish.

The Jolly Green Giant that I have been working on for ages ...........

The dark and light purple goes with it... Oh, I forgot, the white belongs to the next project.

And, this is what I chose to go with my snowmen applique and embordiery that I did last year. It's been a year since I did those squares... but they kept really well. and when I get them all sashed and bordered... that's what the dark blue is for.

I'll keep you posted on what I get done. So stay tuned, folks.

Mail Call

2011-09-09T15:33:00.000-04:00

I got my new McCalls Quilting magazine today.

I've been a fan of that magazine for years and have a good collection that I just pick up and peruse over and over again. But, this issue???? Not so sure about. A lot of eye candy but not much in the way of patterns and instructions.

I'm thrilled that they featured some quilters with their quilts. There were little essays written by quilters. I was even excited that La Grange, Texas got a quilt museum but by the time I got to page 64 before I found a quilt to make, I mean with actual measurements and how to assemble, I was getting pretty worried. What had happened to my magazine?

Not too long ago I also signed up for McCalls Quick Quilts. I'm running out of time and thought that making the easier quilts would go faster for me.

I have been laboring over this one quilt I started ages ago that was on the cover of one of the McCall Quilting issues. I do have the green center portion done, now on to the border and then the applique....

What's it Going to Be

2011-08-14T12:24:00.000-04:00

Hetty asked what's it going to be ... per my last post, the handsewing all those squares.. Check under my label Purple and Green to see.

You Do What You Gotta Do.

2011-08-13T20:01:00.000-04:00

What does a quilter do when visiting in a household that has no sewing machine? You get innovative, that's what. I knew there would be no sewing machine at my son's house so I brought along some hand piecing.

SLOW .. that's not the word for it. But, it has kept me entertained while my son works and hey,

I am making progress.

Quilted Kitty Too

2011-08-06T11:50:00.001-04:00

I bet you are asking 'What's a Quilted Kitty Too?' I am visiting my son in Nebraska and found a quilt shop in Brownville, just ten miles away. It seems there is a Quilted Kitty in Lincoln, Ne. so when this shop opened in Brownville they just named it Quilted Kitty, too.... get it!!

the shop is located in the carriage house of the Brown-Carson House in Brownville. Ca. 1870. I love the exposed brick inside.

David took a flag quilt pattern and adapted it to his liking. I may have to buy this kit.

I enjoyed my visit in the shop. It was a slow day in the little historic town, cloudy, showers threatening. So, I just about had the place to myself.

Brownville is on the National Register of Historic Places, having been settled by Richard Brown shortly after Kansas and Nebraska were opened for settlement in 1854.

It's Hot Folks.

2011-07-22T17:06:00.000-04:00

How many of you are suffering through triple digit temperatures? If you are living in the midwest or up the east coast you are sweltering with all this heat. Maybe soon it will be cooler and we all can get back to doing what we love to do.... quilt!!

It just seems too hot to crank up the sewing machine. So, I'll show you one I did when it was cooler weather. Hand appliqued, hand quilted. I think my favorite square was the little boy going fishing.

This is the cutest little farmer boy. I had such fun making it for my grandson, Owen.

UFO signed, sealed and delivered

2011-07-18T15:26:00.001-04:00

A round of applause, please!!

I am finished with a large project. I had given up hand quilting (ole Mr. Arthritus giving me problems) when my dau Shirley asked me to please hand quilt a top I had made her. This is the top all sewn together.... back in the fall of 2009. Yep, I said 2009.

Here it is in the hoops being quilted.

It took months but last night I sewed down the last of the binding and this morning I delivered it to her. She's holding it up for me to take a picture.

I am so excited that this lastest UFO can be marked off my list.

Just a quilting and a basting away.

2011-07-12T17:15:00.000-04:00

It's one HOT day where I am. The heat index is over 100 so I turned the air on cool, cold, colder

and I went to work in my quilt room. Some people call it a studio but I'm just a little country girl. Guess I will stick with 'room'.

Remember that quilt top I had started basting? I did some more basting today. Didn't stick with it long, though. But, that's okay. Oh, I didn't tell you before, did I? That top is one my Mother handpieced when she was in her late 80s. (She's been gone since 1996) There's a couple stretchy places I'll have to work around but I am so happy I have it.

I am so happy!!! Yippee.

I have gotten to where I can't handquilt anymore so I announced that I was finished with it. It just hurt my hands too much so I'd just do machine quilting from now on. But.... oh, geez, there is always a BUT, isn't there. I was making a quilt top for my daughter Shirley and she requested that I handquilt it. What's a Mother to say? Of course, I said yes. But, it has taken me ~~lots of time~~ FOREVER because I couldn't quilt for very long at a time. This afternoon I finished it. Nearly. She said I could do the border quilting on the machine so I began that this afternoon. Have one border side done. I hope to get it completed tomorrow.

I have a book that has been a favorite of mine for a long time. It's 'The Quilter's Ultimate Visual Guide'.

I haven't attended classes like so many of you have, so I use this book to guide me through steps I am unfamiliar with. I looked up BASTING. I found several different ways to baste
1. Use running stitches
2. Fasten with safety pins
3. Use a QuilTak

I am doing the running stitch. One of the tips, which I thought was helpful, was to use a long darning needle because the point is sharper and the length of the needle makes long stitches. It's working very well.

Now, I have my work cut out for me tomorrow. Wouldn't it be wonderful if I got both projects finished.

Basting is a first step to quilting

2011-07-10T15:08:00.001-04:00

Remember the quilting frame I bought some months ago at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival, the one where you use your own sewing machine with it.

Well, it's been sitting in the corner of my quilt room staring at me every time I went in there. I have to go in there often, even if I am not quilting, cause my closet is in there. I do have to change clothes!!

So, I decided I'd try it out. Now, here comes the hard part. I have never basting a quilt in preparation to quilting it. Nope, sorry, don't - can't - won't. I have used a large hoop for years and just pin the edges, place my sandwiched quilt in the center, fasten the hoops down and build out from there. It works for me, so what can I say. I've had very good success with that method so why change?

But, now I need to baste. Oh bats, do I have to? The instructions says I must. So, I shove my ironing board alongside my cutting table (hey guess what, they are the same height) and begin layering my top, batting, backing. I have nearly half of it done. Basting isn't half as bad as I thought it would be.

A Small Attempt

2011-07-08T11:08:00.000-04:00

I crept back into the sewing room yesterday. Maybe if I just did a 'little bit' I would feel like I had not forsaken my quilting altogether. So, I layered that piece of fabric I showed you a couple of post ago that I was going to use for a placemat. Then I sat down at the machine, rethreaded it with proper color thread, changed my foot to a quilting foot and turned the machine on.

I am quilting around each flower....

I also wanted to share with you a picture of a 'keepsake' I have. I am 77 years old and I was told that this is the pillow my aunt made and let me lie my feverish head on when I had the measles, long before I can remember. Little squares were cut from satin, then folded and gathered at one corner to form petals. These were sewn around in rows to make a flower. I love owning this pillow.

Another Try

2011-07-02T21:43:00.001-04:00

After days of wondering why I could not sit at the sewing machine piecing quilt tops, I came to the conclusion that perhaps it was the SITTING that I was objecting to. Also, I found myself tiring over the never-ending process from start to finish. My attention span is about the length of a gnat these days. Maybe I needed a quick project to work on instead.

So, I took the sewn rows, that I had already done,of the green top off the design board.

Remember, I was putting together one that had 900 little squares. No wonder I was getting restless and frustrated!! I folded the rows and stuck them into a ziplock bag and stowed them away.

Then I cut out 9 1/2" squares from a piece of white on white

and began a needle turn applique block. It's up on the design board.... I have twelve more to go.

But, at least, with the handwork, I can lay it aside when I get restless and watch the birds feed outside my window.

What's Up With Me?

2011-06-26T19:24:00.001-04:00

You may have noticed a decline in my posting in the last little while. Bet you are curious as to what is going on. Well, I am curious, too. So, if you have any answers I'd sure love to hear them.

I've been at a sewing machine, making my clothes, stitching quilt tops and making the children's little shirts and blouses and even suits, for over 50 years. Now that I am alone, with no one to interrupt me, I am finding a real dread of sewing. What's going on with me?

I can't tell you how many quilts I've made, how many I've hand quilted, how many tops I have taken that others have done only to finish them. I have a decent stash of fabric, tons of thread, stacks of quilting books, magazines and patterns.... and yet I can not wrap my brain around one single idea. There is no burning desire to make THIS quilt or THAT quilt. It is as if the desire just up and flew away.

I am wondering if I will ever have that urge to quilt again. I'd better. I still have quilts to make. Have any of you ever hit such a slump before? Perhaps you can give me some pointers on how to handle this situation. I need all the advice I can get!!

Bright and Cheerful

2011-06-20T16:14:00.001-04:00

On our Bee's field trip several months ago the owners of the shop presented each of us with gift bags filled with goodies. Inside each bag was this 18" x 22" piece of fabric.

Different, Bright, what would I do with it? So, I stuck it in a drawer and promptly forgot about it.

One day I was rummaging through that drawer and ran across that 'different' piece of cloth. It didn't ring a bell with me. Where in the world did I get it? It's not something I would buy (I am so much into more traditional fabrics). So I stuck it back in the drawer and never gave it another thought until..........

At our latest Bee meeting Fearless Leader Pat just happened to mention that July was the month the project we had made from our fabric from Jo Jo's Quilt Shop would be ready. Oh Tootsie Wootsie, or words similiar... that is what that fabric was.

I dragged out all my quilting magazines and books just hoping something would pop out at me. It was tough. I didn't have enough fabric or time to make something big. Ah Ha moment. I am a single person, eating my meals on a paper plate in front of the tv or the computer. Why not make me a Different and Bright place mat and sit down and eat like NORMAL people!!

So, I found this pattern. Hurrah. Now to get started. It's due July 14th. Reckon I will get it finished ????HeHe.

STITCHING AWAY

2011-06-16T07:25:00.000-04:00

Hum, hum, hum. My machine is singing a song. 'Gotta a row done, gotta a row done, gotta a row done'. Due to a cranky back I can NOT sit at the sewing machine for more than an hour. So, when I am making progress on a quilt I am very happy.

I start off with deciding, measuring, cutting. Then I pin things on the design board. Sit down to sew and maybe get a couple of rows done. That is progress for me. These quilters that crank out quilts in no time at all just amaze me. But, then they aren't my age or have my back. So, I am happy with what I can do.

There are 900 2" blocks (finished size) in this quilt. Wish I could chain stitch to do it faster but I place each square in order on the board to keep from having repeats crammed together or side by side. Besides all that work it keeps me out of trouble. (grin)

So, I stitch....

and place each row on the board and it grows and grows.

I'm over halfway done. That's progress.

At Quilt Bee the other day Pat told us that a lady had to move out of her home and donated her quilting magazines to the bee. So, each of us had a magazine at our seat and each magazine cover had a number on it. Door prize drawing number. My magazine was a McCalls September 1995 issue. You know, those quilt patterns never grow old.

Pat is always challenging us. Joyce said she wished Pat would take the word 'challenge' out of her vocabulary. hehe. But, it's a good thing. She wants us to grow and gain knowledge in our love of quilting. So, she told us to find something in our magazine that we would like to make (even if some of us don't ever get around to it). This is what I fell in love with. Perhaps I can get it done soon and when I do I will be sure to post it.

New ideas

2011-06-14T15:34:00.001-04:00

Back when Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival was in Hampton, my DD Shirley and I drove over to check out the quilts. Shirley knew I wanted to go, so even though she doesn't quilt, she was a willing driver. Elbert had passed away in January and this was Feb. I sure wasn't 'back on my feet' so to speak and her radar was up fulltime, looking out for her Mama.

After we had looked for awhile she left me in an aisle to retrace her steps. She actually saw some fabric that caught her eye so I am just wandering around waiting on her to catch up.

I know at my age that I can not invest in one of those big long arm quilting machines. Not the money, not the time, not something I could tackle. But.... but.... I sure wish I could free motion bigger quilt tops than I can do on my Janome. All I do now is baby/throw size. Oh, I wish I could....

And, I round the corner and there is a couple quilting away on frames using their own sewing machines.

Hmmmm.... would it work for me? They could tell I had interest printed all over my face so the lady invited me to sit down and try it out.

So I start making leaves and curves and circles and boy, oh boy... I could quilt bigger quilts if I had this contraption.

DD Shirley catches up to me and right away she sees herself walking out of that convention center with one of those things under her arm (or dragging it behind her) 'cause Mama wants it, has to have it. I have to give it to her. She really tried to talk me out of it. She really did. Here she is just talking to me... see, I am listening but I am not hearing her..... I hear the hum at that machine as I quilt, quilt, quilt.

Mama (that's me) had visions dashing about in her head. I could afford it, it was small enough to fit in my sewing room and I could use my own sewing machine. I mean... com'on Shirley, I gotta have it.

Well, SIL John got the frame put together and mounted onto the table. Here it sits, waiting for my first BIG quilt top to start quilting on.

Do any of you have one of these? I am anxious to hear the pros and cons so let me know what you think.

BEE FRIENDS ANNIVERSARY

2011-06-09T17:48:00.000-04:00

It's been two years since a group of us that normally 'hung out' at Ladybugs Quilt Shop moved on to form our Bee Friends Quilt Bee. One members church lets us 'hang out' there once a month. We have such fun and learn such wonderful new techniques. Pat, our leader, challenges us and we all inspire each other. What are friends for, I ask you?

Today was our 2nd anniversary of being Bee Friends. Lots of laughter, good natured rib-poking, door prizes and of course, SHOW and TELL. Here are a few of the delightful quilts the girls had made that I managed to get a snap of..........

Pat delved into her 5" charms and made this quilt. She says that she thinks the charms are multiplying. The more she sews, the more charms there are to sew. You know... that happens sometimes.

Helen had this charming applique quilt. I love the colors and the applique... all hand done, folks.

Pat is holding up Deborah's table runner. So, so pretty.

Marcia made a large block featuring monkeys using flannel. She said appliquing that flannel was a challenge.

Janet was our guest speaker. She's Debbi's sister (Debbie, if I mispelled your name you can give me 30 lashes next time you see me). Janet had a Christmas themed flamingo patterened quilt. Fun, fun, fun.

Jeanette found a real bargain in some 100% cotton curtains at a thrift store. Look what she made from those curtains. And, such a bargain. Unbelievable.

Joyce's grandbaby is one year old now. He needs a little boy quilt, none of that 'baby stuff' for him.

And, of course, there was food......gobs and gobs of food, delicious, yummy, can't keep my hands off of it food. Look at the feast we had. Great quilters, great cooks. It was a fun day.

Antique/Keepsake Quilts

2011-06-08T09:40:00.000-04:00

I have a quilt that I am so proud of owning. It was a gift to my uncle (from his aunts) in the early 1900s. I could date it, sort of, by the signatures on the friendship squares. Some of the aunts had married, some had not so I picked a date in between. That's my Mom holding the quilt up for display.

After we moved to Virginia in 1999 I lost/misplaced that quilt. I looked everywhere!! No quilt. It made me very sad and for some years I continued to search the house to no avail. Then one day I saw it sticking out of a storage place above a closet. In plain view. Makes me wonder if someone had not borrowed it and then replaced it when they discovered how upset I was. Who knows. Or was I so blind I just overlooked it.

That brings me to an article I saw in the Gadsden, Alabama Times about the recent tornadoes that ripped through that area. I used to live west of Gadsden and my grandfather was born near Gadsden so it's sort of 'home ground' for me.

This article featured a crocheted coverlet (the newpaper called it a quilt) that had been blown 15 miles from the home it destroyed, (it also killed the owner of the quilt and her husband). It had landed in a mans yard (I seem to think he was a reporter) and he set about trying to find the owner and finally did via facebook. Gee, that facebook, what would we do without it?

The point I am trying to make is, take care of your treasures the best way you can. Document them by taking photos and recording information and give a copy of the picture to a friend or relative or put it in a safe deposit box. That way, if something goes missing, is lost, is stolen then you will have a way to reclaim what is rightfully yours.

Read the full story about the tornado-traveling coverlet by clicking on the link. It's a heartwarming story. http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20110528/NEWS/110529734/1016/NEWS?p=1&tc=pg.

Purple and Green

2011-06-03T17:22:00.000-04:00

Bright green.......pretty purple.

A start on my design board.

I'd seen this quilt in McCall's Quilting and just had to have it.

So, I tore out the directions. I always do that so I can tape them up in my work area to refer to often.

Cut out my little 2 1/2 inch squares and have four rows sewn together. The next two rows are just pinned into place on the board.

I am thinking I am liking what I see.

During my recent visit to DD Susans she gave me some drapery samples that she'd had for ages.

I'm thinking maybe pillows. What do you think? Can't wait for a trip to the trim shop!!!

Ta Da..... I did it!!

2011-05-23T09:27:00.002-04:00

Well, it certainly took me long enough but the 'Under The Sea' quilt is finally done. I finished quilting the cross-hatch, put a meandering vine or seaweed inside the inner border and topped the half square triangles off with 'in the ditch'. So, it's not perfect but I have it ready for the next little one who needs a quilt. I have a grandson age 3, two great-grandsons under a year old and 2 step-grandchildren who are 1 and 2. That ought to keep me busy for awhile. I think I'll head for my sewing room......

At the rate that I am going they'll all be heading off for college by the time I get them all one done each.

Decisions, Decisions

2011-05-14T14:03:00.000-04:00

I'm sorry I have not been active on my quilting blog for awhile. But, I hope to pick up the pieces and move on to bigger and better things. And, I hope you will continue with me on that journey.

When I stopped posting around the first of April I was working on the Under The Sea baby quilt. And, I let some pressures misguide some decisions I made on a lot of things and on the quilting process as well. I had the blocks put together and was ready to quilt. My mind was so overloaded and I could not think creatively at all. So I fell back to the familiar.... crosshatching. And, I hate it. I am thinking about taking out what machine quilting I have done and start that process over. What do you think I should do?

I went to Bellas Fabric Shop the day after Mothers Day while on an outing with my oldest daughter and just stumbled (on purpose, ha ha) upon the sale rack. There was a bolt of preprinted fabric which I think was supposed to be done in redwork but I don't care that much for redwork.

But, I am really interested in doing embordiery right now so I bought 5 sections. Each one is large enough to be a pillow sham.... it will take me FOREVER to embordier all that but that is what I am doing. I've gotten a small start on it.

Thank you for returning to my blog. I appreciate my blogger friends. You give me inspiration always.

Quilting away

2011-04-05T11:30:00.001-04:00

I have been quilting away on that cute little 'Under The Sea' quilt. Am doing cross-hatch on the inner blocks... wish I had chosen something else. I have a terrible time chosing what quilting pattern to use and often fall back on the familiar. I gotta jump out of that box!!

No pictures of the finished quilt yet but thought I'd share this one with you.

An oldie. In 1992 I made this quilt and gave it to my son. I thought it looked rather masculine, more so than some of my quilts.

mystery solved

2011-04-01T08:58:00.000-04:00

See the mystery in the previous post. Same fabric, different colors.

It finally dawned on me ......... my design board is tan so some of that shows through any color I have up there.

I, however, had not torn the thangles paper off the 1/4 square triangles so those were not getting the tan color through. DUH and double DUH

On The Design board

2011-03-31T11:16:00.002-04:00

Before I post these pictures I have to tell you that the green in the 1/2 square triangles was cut from the green material I used for the inner border. It looks the same on the board. Why does it look different on here?

I have been doing income taxes so not much sewing but I did get started on my outer border for my Under The Sea quilt.

This morning I added even more. I am nearly ready to finish the top and start quilting!!

A nice surprise and my latest project

2011-03-25T18:08:00.000-04:00

I staggered, half asleep, into the kitchen this morning and peered out my nice, new large windows and saw something that really caught my attention. Nothing like a quilt to get me wide awake! My neighbor had hung this one out on her front porch railing. Glad she shared it with me while she aired it out.

Last year I was busy working on some hand embrodiery from a block of the month from Willowberry Designs. Cute patterns. I am afraid that the turtle one isn't Willowberry's though. I lost out on that one when my husband got so sick so I just drew my own.

I have started setting the blocks into the top. I know where I am going. You'll have to check back to see the finished baby quilt.

Don't you just love this fish? This block is my favorite.

A Ray of Sunshine

2011-03-11T11:00:00.000-05:00

The sun is shining!! That lifts my spirits.

I was in a terrible funk yesterday but I went on to Quilt Bee. I think I should have just stayed home but I had two show and tells ready and I couldn't pass that up. Both quilt tops (shown on sidebar) are machine quilted by me.

The 'demo' yesterday was stack and whack. I love the finished quilt but I am not sure I will ever try it. I already have a list of quilts a mile long that I want to make.

Quilt Festival Favorites

2011-03-10T18:40:00.000-05:00

Here's some more quilts from the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival that I fell in love with . Can't pick a favorite!! Can you? The first one.... appliqued flowers in pots with a charming appliqued border.

Since my son has a sailboat, these boats really caught my eye. Lots of work went into this quilt.

An appliqued sampler set on black background. Really like this look. I've never worked with black. May have to try it.

This jungle themed landscape was extremely pretty and I know someone worked hard on it. You just expect a tiger come creeping out of the undergrowth.

More Quilt Festival

2011-02-27T09:52:00.001-05:00

More quilts.... oh, there were so many!! These, too, are all applique.... I told you I love applique!!!

Here we have Fall trees

And tulips blowing in the breeze

A close up

Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival

2011-02-25T14:09:00.000-05:00

Daughter Shirley and I headed out for the Hampton Convention Center on Thursday afternoon. DD Shirley is not a quilter. Don't you think it was sweet of her to carry me over to see all those beautiful quilts? I keep trying to get her involved in quilting but it's not working.

As I downloaded my photos from the show I was amazed that the most of them were of applique quilts. True I do love applique and do so little of it. So, I admire the work of others. Just look at some of my favorites.

These two featured blue. I think the one on the left is my favorite of the two, very striking.

Two lighthouse quilts. There's something about lighthouses that I love...

Two flower appliques... I love the one of the roses on the left... but the one on the right won best of show!! I think it was because it was hand quilted VERY WELL and the rows very close together.

More of the beautiful quilts from the Mid-Atlantic Show later....

A New Project

2011-02-24T21:00:00.000-05:00

I have a new project going up on my design board. I just have 4 rows pinned in place... total rows=30. But, all 900 little bitty squares are cut out and by hand, one by one, I might add.

Okay, you say... why in the world did she not strip piece and rotary cut? These are from my scrap box, all shapes and sizes, impossible to stack and cut. So, I took scissors and a template and whacked away until all 900 were done. I like doing things like that while I am watching television. Me, I can't sit still without having something to do with my hands.

I will keep you posted as this project progresses.

Oh, dd Shirley and I went to the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton today. Had a blast. Will start posting about that soon.

New Fabric

2011-02-21T15:38:00.000-05:00

What does a quilter do when faced with a new quilt shop?

She goes through the door with wallet in hand!! That's what.

I was visiting my sister in Montgomery, Alabama and we went to Kudzu Quilt Shop. Got three gorgeous pieces of fabric... on sale, a 40% sale at that. I was one happy quilter, I tell you.

I finished my grandson's quilt. I'm ready to hand it over to him. I've decided I am going to post all my finished projects on the sidebar this year. So, look for the quilt there.

Tumbling blocks

2011-02-05T09:03:00.001-05:00

I made this baby quilt back in the '90s. It was fun to do. Wish I hadn't added the letters scattered around on some of the blocks but as the old saying goes 'Live and learn'.

Trying to carry on

2011-02-02T15:52:00.000-05:00

This past month has been trying. However I have, in the last few days, picked up some hand quilting and do that while I watch some tv in the evenings.

And, ta da.... I finally finished doing the machine quilting on my grandson's quilt. Now, to put the binding on so that project can be added to my 'DONE' list for 2011.

I think about quilting a lot, it's sort of my comfort zone. As time goes on I know that I will be more and more willing to start new projects and finish UFOs (my goal for this year)

Sad times

2011-01-11T10:34:00.000-05:00

One week ago yesterday I lost my sweet, sweet husband. This week has been trying and sad. I just wanted you quilters to know that I had not forgotten you. When I can I will be back on here with new projects and quilts etc. Much love to each of you.

Sad times

2011-01-02T08:33:00.000-05:00

My husband of 60 years has been battling Alzheimers for the past 10 years or so. The battle is almost over so I ask your prayers as the family is faced with losing a loving force in their lives. Bless you all.

CHRISTMAS PARTY

2010-12-10T10:19:00.002-05:00

Nothing any better than the friendship of fellow quilters. Yesterday was our Bee Friends Quilt Bee Christmas party and let me tell you, those girls are the best!

Just let me share with you some of the great fun we had.

First of all..... we had Show and Tell. Not everyone had a S&T not even me. Oh well, you know that I am working on projects and they aren't finished.

Marcia had this absolutely amazing star quilt. Isn't it beautiful? (She's the one on the right)

Debbie had a scrappy blue quilt that isn't scrappy at all. Really pretty.

And she had another blue one... Love this pattern!!

Debra had a 'wine bottle' quilt. Look closely, you can see the wine bottle shapes.

Muriel makes BIG quilts, doesn't like fooling with little things but she jumped 'out of the box' on this one. Just look at her place mats. So Christmasy.

Joyce had a pastel batik beauty. I love batiks. Bet she does, too.

Carol made an appliqued wall hanging. Very pretty. Lot of work.

Bobbie had finished her 'cat' quilt which was different and charming. She gave us all photo calendars for 2011 and a book mark. Thank you, Bobbie.

Look at these Christmas pillows that Jeanette made.

Pat and her mother, Jeanette, showing off one of 5 quilts they made for gifts for their nieces and nephews (I think I am right about the relationship).

Admiring all those quilts made us gals ravenous.... so on to the party food. I'm convinced that quilters are the best cooks......

I'm getting there

2010-11-27T18:34:00.000-05:00

I have been doing the snowmen BOMs and have not shared but the very first one with you. What was I thinking? I found the cutest blue fabric with white snowflakes to applique the snowmen onto the squares. I thought it was just perfect. But, as always I am behind..... We get the last block pattern in a few days and I only have eight done. Here are some I have completed.

Right now I am machine quilting a quilt I want to give my grandson for Christmas. I think I can get it done.

And, I am handquilting a quilt for his mother (my daughter Shirley) and I am not sure I will have it ready for Santa time.

But, I do what I can when I can and that is all a person can do, right?

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-23T10:37:00.000-05:00

Here's wishing for you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!!

A FIELD TRIP

2010-11-13T09:47:00.000-05:00

Several of the girls from Bee Friends Quilt Bee went on a field trip on Thursday. We went to explore all the goodies that Jo Jo's quilt shop had to offer and best of all...... there was a sale going on.

We head to the back to the sale tables. Bolts and bolts at a really good price per yard. Muriel likes one selection that I made.

Marie is helping me choose some greens for a quilt top I am starting.

I like this dark green and a bright, bright orange and yellow.

Nancy has found a piece that she really likes. Everyone else is standing around giving advice.

Check out time!! Long line..... lots of fabric purchased. Now we will have to get busy and sew, sew, sew.

Jo Jo's gave us all a gift bag. Wasn't that sweet.

Then the gang headed to the Pizza place next door. Here's Marcia tackling her BIG brownie sundae. We laughed and laughed. It was much bigger than she imagined.

The Winner is............

2010-11-08T14:54:00.000-05:00

Drum roll please............

The winner of my 100th blog post giveaway on Latane's Quilts is

Lee

She left a comment but no link to a blog of her own... Lee has been notified that she is the winner and hopefully I'll hear from her soon.

all for entering.

The Virtual Quilt Festival by Amy

2010-11-02T14:28:00.002-04:00

2010 Quilt FestivalAmy's Creative Side is having her 2010 Quilt Festival and it is brimming with beautiful quilts. You just need to go over and take a look. Bet you will be blown away.

My entry is a quilt I did in our quilt bee a couple of years ago. Each month we were given a different square to make and sometimes we learned different techniques. You always find new things you like and some you don't like. It was lots of fun and I love the way it ended up. Since all 20 women in our bee did the same blocks it was very interesting to see how each quilt was so different. As all of us are, so different with a love of the same thing, quilting.

How many of the different blocks do you know the name of.....

GIVEAWAY

2010-10-26T14:23:00.002-04:00

I posted my 100th post on Latane's quilts and it's time for a giveaway. I appreciate all the friends I have shared my love of quilting with and hope to continue to learn and grow among the best!!

For the giveaway I have 3 books....

'Log Cabin Christmas Wreath Wallhanging' by Eleanor Burns.

'Christmas Traditions in Stained Glass' by Brenda Henning (a Bear Paw Production)

and the latest edition of 'Quilting for Christmas' (the holiday issue from The Quilter Magazine)

There is also a preprinted Christmas apron to make

A tee shirt (size large) 'Sew Many Quilts Sew Little Time'

a 45x45" piece of poinsetta fabric

and finally, a 10 piece sewing thread light set to decorate your sewing room. Use them at Christmas or anytime.

To enter just leave me a comment.
Then tell one or more blogging quilters about the giveaway. Tell them to mention how they heard about the giveaway when they leave their post on my blog (their entry).

I can not reach the winner if I do not have email addresses so be sure to let me know how to reach you.

That's it..... Winner will be drawn on Nov. 8th.

Good Luck

Quilt Bee Challenge

2010-10-24T19:48:00.001-04:00

Do you remember some time back we were given a challenge in quilt bee? Click here to check it out.

Last Thursday was the day.... everyone had to have their done.... and guess what I did not. I started mine, ran into a problem, ran out of time... well, you know how things go.

But, just look at what some of the girls did with their small piece of challenge fabric!! Amazing. Instead of having a 'show and tell' they took all our projects, laid them on a table in another room

and we were given awards... Mine of course, was the 'best unfinished' award. hehe.

Sonja's piece was very colorful!!

Marie made a table runner and hand-painted the parrot for her sister in law who loves parrots.

Margaret also made a table runner. Different look altogether.

A purse was what Jeanette made but she wouldn't be still long enough for me to get a good picture. Okay, Jeanette, we need a better picture.

Muriel just almost never, ever, makes another less than a king-size!! This was so pretty and it was smaller than a king. Good for you, Muriel.

This photo does not come near doing this piece justice. Debbie made fireworks out of the flowers of the challege and the 'sparkles' were sewn with varigated metallic threads. Sparkling, for sure.

A beautiful bouquet of flowers made from the challege fabric.... and it's all framed with the same fabric. great idea.

What imagination... and courage.... just beautiful.

Love the way this one turned out.

Joyce is our long-arm quilter. Just look what she did with that challenge fabric.

Who would have thought of making such a cute wall hanging? Friends!! Great idea, Linda.

Ann did a fantastic job combining the colors from the challenge with her pattern in the middle.

Great job, girls. Sorry, there were some I did not get.

100th blog post coming up soon

2010-10-11T22:03:00.000-04:00

Just thought I'd tell you to be on the lookout for a 100th blog post giveaway from Latane's Quilts. It won't be long. This is post #99.

Cleaning, Organizing, Sewing

2010-10-08T09:24:00.001-04:00

I'm back from my trip. My kitchen is being renovated and my daughter and her husband have been moving out. They've been living here for awhile.... so now it's time to get reorganized and get my quilting going BIG TIME.

Started out with rearranging my space....

Then I started a new project. Remember that challenge we were given at quilt bee some time ago? A piece of 'crazy' fabric and we had to make something out of it. It's due next Thursday and I am just getting started. Well, I have a good excuse (sort of). I've been gone. (part of that time, at least)

Here is the first photo of the challenge....

Can you guess what it is going to be? No fair if you saw it in one of last years issues of American Patchwork and Quilting magazine.By the way, I hate paper-piecing. But, they said it was a challenge so I made it one!!!

TAKING A BREAK

2010-09-15T09:27:00.002-04:00

Gonna miss you guys!!!!!

But, I am going to take a break so I can take a trip. Will have lots of news when I return.

Scrappy quilt

2010-09-05T12:08:00.004-04:00

Got lots of scraps? Me, too.... but I don't have many blue ones left. I made a 12-patch quilt top using up all my blues. Is there such a thing as '12-patch'? If there wasn't, there is now!! I started quilting the top day before yesterday, the first day I'd been back at the machine since Elbert was taken to the hospital on August 1st. But, he's doing better and I need to catch up. I have missed you quilter-blogger friends. Leave me a comment so I know that you haven't forgotten me altogether... pretty please!!

I have lots of UFOs but you know what they say 'never feel guilty about starting a new project even if you have lots of UFOs'. I sure took that to heart... Quilt With Me (Suffolk) was having a sale and look what I found. I'm thinking more baby quilts. Are you with me on that? Or perhaps a soft pastel applique? I can't decide so maybe you could help me out.

Thanks to all of you who have been keeping Elbert and the entire family in your prayers. Prayers were answered!!

2010-08-27T14:22:00.000-04:00

Shhhhh.... Hold it down there, I'm thinking. Latane (She thinks she's my keeper but really I keep her). She's quilting a quilt and I am trying to come up with ways to help her. So, quiet while I think.

I think better lying down. I bet you do, too. Let's see, I bet there is something on these shelves that Latane needs.

Perhaps I need to take a better look. Hmmmm, wonder what that thing is?

I'll just reach in and see

Shucks, that's photographs. Latane can't use those quilting. Maybe she just needs some company as she finishes this top.

Time to quilt again

2010-08-21T18:13:00.000-04:00

The Bible says there is a time for everything.... sort of. Not that it says there is a time to quilt but I have been away from quilting while hubby was so very sick. So, now is my time to quilt. He's much better and I took a day off today (from visiting him and doing business chores) and started quilting a top I had ready.

Now, I don't like those squares. They are from '30s fabric and it's a pretty scrappy top and that's not my cup of tea. I did them in a BOM and then wondered WHY, WHY, WHY. Do you ever question your decisions? Boy, I did that one. There was a pattern that I was supposed to use to put them together with..... Totally forgot the pattern was even in my possession. So, I just stripped those squares and then I was 'stuck' with quilting it.

Well, I have started.... that's all I can say at this point. Never say I don't finish things, even if I don't like them.(grin)

When I am not at the sewing machine I am playing with my kitten, Muffin. Wonder when she will discover my quilting room? Interesting thought.

Update

2010-08-13T08:39:00.000-04:00

Just to let you know. Elbert stablized and was released from the hospital day before yesterday (late afternoon). He is resting comfortably in a skilled unit of a nursing home just 17 miles from me. I am getting more rest and hope to soon be able to crank that sewing machine up, if only for a few minutes at a time. I need that sense of 'normalcy'.

Thank all of you who sent prayers up for us. You are the best!!

Latane

Trials Lie Ahead

2010-08-10T18:46:00.000-04:00

Dear quilters,

I hate that I have not been on my blog in nearly a month. Life just throws us curves sometimes and we have to stop and regroup.

My husband, who has been steadily declining, has been hospitalized and the prognosis is grim. He is being kept comfortable until the Lord calls him home.

Please pray for me and the family.

Vann's quilt

2010-07-17T22:29:00.004-04:00

It's past my bedtime however I had to finish this quilt tonight. I'm attending a baby shower for my granddaughter-in-law tomorrow and this is my gift to little Vann. He's due the first week of September. We all are anxiously awaiting his arrival.

This is the fabric I chose for the green and brown nursery.

The finished product.

This quilt probably won't be used when he's tiny, tiny. It measures 40"x40" but I can see him using it in his crib as he gets older and also to lay on upon the floor. Hope he enjoys it for a long, long time. Hey, maybe he'll even take it for his dorm room when he goes off to college

UPTEEN KINDS OF THREAD

2010-07-15T18:28:00.001-04:00

Who knew that there were upteen zillion kinds of thread? I sure did not. Been catching up with all you gals who already knew all that!!

You see a member of our quilting bee (Ms. M) traveled all the way to Utah.... way out west..... to learn Threadology from the Superior Thread Company. She was so sweet to share her new found knowledge with all us who had grown up with Coats and Clark and never moved much from it.

Now, it's true, I am a self-taught quilter.... at least I was until I found Pat and the quilt bee. Oh, I'd had a couple classes. Even started a quilting bee back in Alabama before I moved 'north' to Virginia. Do you know that after ten years that bee is still going strong and bigger than ever? Oh, well, that's a different story. Now, back to thread.

Ms. M. told us all about the weights of threads, the different kinds. Did you know that the Egyptian cotton thread was the best for quilting? It has longer, stronger fibers and by golly, if I am going to buy great quilting fabric and spend all that time and money, why would I want to use something of lesser quality. But, guess what? I've done it and didn't even know I was being a bad girl.

So, I come home and stare at my thread holder hanging on my sewing room wall. Pulled all the spools down. My gosh, you won't believe what I found.

About eight years ago I bought a Janome machine. With it came a whole ton of Robison-Anton 100% cotton thread. I still have a bunch of it.

Along the way I got interested in doing a bit of embroidery using my un-embroidery machine. Loved the colors, the feel of the thread. So, I ended up with a bunch of that.

While I was examining my cache of spools I found this little gem. A very small wooden spool filled with lint-free cotton strands. Wonder how old that is?

And, just look at this spool..... the label is about worn off but right there for all to see .... it says 45 cents.... for the whole darn spool. My word, that's got to be a 'hundred years old'.

And, someone, please tell me why I bought this silk twist on heavy paper 'bobbin' looking spools? It's is thicker with plys that are a bit loose. Of course, as old as it is, I'd be a bit loose myself. Have no idea what it is used for.

So, some of my thread has been thrown out. Some has been banished to a drawer.... and I will keep in mind to use my Coats and Clark cotton wrapped polyester just for piecing... never for quilting. I feel empowered now when I reach up for my thread as I start a new project. Got me a little education there, by way of Ms. M.

Where is my brain?

2010-07-11T21:51:00.002-04:00

I had three quilts for show and tell at last Thursday's quilt bee. One I had shown on here already and what do I do? I folded the other two up and handed them to my daughter to take home with her. One for her and one for her expecting daughter (yep, I'm going to have another great grand).

I had not made pictures of those two quilts. DUH, where was my brain? Now I will have to track them down and snap away. Do any of you do silly, dumb things like that? I think I may be the only one in the entire U. S.

Practice Makes Perfect

2010-07-01T21:55:00.000-04:00

I've been sewing up a storm.... Sorry the lighting on this picture is so distorted but I get so much light from the window that just wasn't a good place to take a picture. However I did want to tell you that I have been busy, just didn't have anything finished to show but I'm nearly there. Below I am working on a quilt for my daughter to have as a Nana quilt (to keep at her house when grandbabies come)

And, I have been practicing my free motion quilting...... It's not perfect but I am getting better.

More to come in a day or two.

More Purchases

2010-06-21T10:53:00.000-04:00

The other day I also found this panel that I fell in love with. Of course the squares will be cut apart and other fabric added (it's not large enough or 'quilty correct' enough like it is) Wonder what fabrics i will need to use? a tad of lavender I think. A little yellow, blue if I can match it. But, isn't it the most darling scenes you ever saw?

Shopping.... yippee

2010-06-19T12:05:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I shopped at Bella's Quilt Shop. Needed a backing for a panel I had already purchased. This baby quilt will be given to daughter Shirley who is becoming a new grandmother and she will keep it at her house to use when baby grandson comes for a visit.

The black with letters is the backing and the colorful balls/marbles/bubbles is a border.

Of course, that was not all I bought. I will post those later.

A Give Away

2010-06-18T16:50:00.001-04:00

Mary (over at Quilt Hollow) is having a give away, a wonderful Fourth of July quilt. You must hop right on over (she's drawing a winner June 20th) and join in the fun. And, please tell her I sent you.

It's a jungle out there.

2010-06-15T13:23:00.001-04:00

A brave heart and a courteous tongue. They shall carry thee far through the jungle, manling.
Rudyard Kipling

What child does not love the jungle animals, the roar of the lion, the trumpet of the elephant, the height of the giraffe (oh, do giraffes live in the jungle, maybe not, but they are found on this quilt)

My latest adventure. A flannel quilt. I'd never worked with flannel before (in a quilt, used to make lots of pjs for the kiddos. I think grandson Tighe will love this one.

BEE'S FIRST ANNIVERSARY

2010-06-10T17:56:00.002-04:00

Today was a very special day so this post is gonna be long. Just thought I would warn you!!

Today June 10th we celebrated the 'Bee Friends' 1st anniversary. True we had met for quite awhile at Ladybug's Quilt Shop but when the shop closed we voted to continue on, adopted a name, chose a place to meet and it's been one year. Boy, times flies when you are having fun.

Today was great. Pat, our fearless leader, promised some surprises and we got surprised alright. Her daughter, Julianne got to attend. She's a teacher and we don't see her often. We had some visitors and hope they will come back. Then, in walked Cynthia, the former owner of Ladybugs, and everyone was thrilled to see her and her daughter. There were hugs and more hugs as we greeted Cynthia.

Our guest speaker was Janet O'Brien from N.C. I just wish I had half the knowledge and talent that woman has when it comes to quilts. I'd even settle for a fourth. She spoke on 'Creative Habits' and there was a lot of note taking going on. I've already made some changes in my quilting life and the meeting was only hours ago. So, she inspired us all.

We had our usual 'show and tell' here are some examples.

We each had made one or more crazy quilt squares. Last month a small piece of fabric was passed around for each of us. We were to use that piece and do a paper piecing square. Here are all the squares that were turned in. See if you can guess which of the fabrics was the fabric we were given. Hint: It's the only one that you will find in every single square. These 44 squares were divided up and two lucky ladies won 22 squares each to take home with them.

We had a finger-food lunch. Can you believe all that food? So yummy.

Oh, I forgot to tell you that we were given a piece of fabric today for a Crayon Box Challenge. It's not due until October but it's going to be fun to design and create. Any ideas, ladies?

I kicked it back

2010-06-02T12:55:00.002-04:00

Remember me telling you a couple posts ago that I had a quilt top just kicking my butt. (excuse the expression, but it was!!) Well, I am proud to announce that I am finished with that top. I hate jigsaw puzzles and this top was like a jigsaw puzzle to me. I made some mistakes. Some I fixed, some I left alone.

(sorry about the bright light on the left side.... gotta quit taking pictures on my design board because I have flood lights in there!!)

The big problem was.... I bought the fabric and then later I decided what pattern to use. I am so math challenged that I took it all to a quilt shop and asked them to verify that I had the proper amount. NOT. She said yes but I ran out of the dark green and I want to make a wider border of dark green later on... when I find some that will match.

I guess we all learn as we go along but I did not like making this quilt... and I won't make it again. So there. haha.

Oh Pooh

2010-05-29T20:43:00.000-04:00

Okay.... that quilt top is kicking my butt!! But I am nearly finished, sort of. You know how it is when you just don't want to sew something. I can walk by the door of my sewing room a dozen times a day and somehow something is always calling me, calling me..... 'you don't want to go in there, do you. No, I didn't think so'. So, I walk on and that quilt top is still pinned up on my design board. I promise pictures soon.

I did however make my grandson a birthday card.

And, just for kicks.... to show you I do sew sometimes, here's a quilt that I finished some time ago.

Plugging along

2010-05-06T08:48:00.001-04:00

no photos yet but I have been plugging along on that quilt top with the fall colors (two posts down). I ran out of the dark green so I just hope I can find some like it or enough like it to use. Otherwise I am just going to have to stop that top right where it is. The woman who sold me the fabric (and the pattern I was following in a book) said we had enough fabric so I am bummed. I am absolutely useless figuring out anything with arithmetic. I am one of those math challenged people and that's bad when it comes to quilting!!

'For A Hot Summers Day' Quilt

2010-05-01T10:49:00.002-04:00

While I am busy sewing away on that fall colored quilt top I don't have much to post so I decided I would post one of my older quilts.

My sister had started making the fans, gave them to me to complete and so I made some more to have enough for a double bed sized quilt. I then machine appliqued the fans to squares of fabric and once the top was done I hand quilted the quilt. The blank squares had a fan quilted into each one. Click on photo for closer view, if you wish.

I completed this quilt in 2005.

Taking shape

2010-04-28T14:26:00.001-04:00

I promised to keep you updated on that quilt top I started a while back. Lot going on so I haven't had a lot of time to sew lately but it is taking shape. I think it is going to turn out very nicely. Isn't it wonderful when we really like what we are working on? Sometimes I make the most dorky quilts and I don't like them and feel like I wasted a lot of time. Then someone will come along and love it and I think.... what the dickens she sees in that? But, different people with different tastes. Makes the world go round. Often we are our own worst critic.

One Year Anniversary

2010-04-27T09:27:00.000-04:00

On April 25th I had been posting on my quilt blog for one year. Thought about doing a give-away but I am just not having that many viewers and just wasn't sure it would work. However, it has been a year of fun for me and gave me inspiration as I viewed other quilt blogs. I appreciate each of you who have visited and hope you will come back.

A New quilt.............

2010-04-23T17:08:00.000-04:00

While organizing my sewing room I made several discoveries. One was a collection of fabric that I love and had stashed away out of sight. So, I dragged it out and started a new quilt top. I will introduce you to the colors... but you'll have to check back in to see what I am up to.

A UFO put to rest.

2010-04-10T13:34:00.001-04:00

I am not sure why I decided I would join a '30s BOM back when Ladybugs Quilt Shop was still in business. I'm not fond of the 30s look, nor am I crazy about samplers anymore. Gee whiz, I've done so many of them. But, I jumped on the band wagon and got my squares done only to have Ladybugs go kaput. We hadn't gotten our 'finishing' kit so I stashed my squares away and there they have remained..... until yesterday. I got it put together. It may not be a pretty quilt top but by golly, I finished it!!

Decisions, decisions

2010-04-05T08:53:00.000-04:00

At Bellas Fabric store the other day daughter Shirley caught me trying to figure out what fabric to buy.

Shirley's gonna be a grandmother (that makes me the great-grandmother) and I want to make it a quilt. Decisions are hard to make in any fabric store but in Bellas it is even harder. So many selections.

But, I finally bought enough for two quilts. I mean how can you buy just one!!

This one was Shirley's selection:

And, I loved this blue and bought it

but then I found out that the Mommy really prefers green. Hmmmm.... I'll have to rethink that one. Who knows, I may have to go back to Bellas and buy something green.

A Trip To Bellas Fabric Shop

2010-04-03T18:57:00.002-04:00

I got to visit my favorite fabric store this afternoon. Daughter Shirley was buying groceries for Easter dinner so I skipped down the street to pop my head in at Bellas. Would you like to come along?

I am always amazed at the bolts of beautiful fabric. There's rows and rows of them of every color and pattern.

And, thread... oh my. So colorful and I just love the displays. That makes choosing which spool you want so much easier. I forgot to take a picture of the embroidery thread. Drawers and drawers of that, too.

Need a speciality button? This cute little cabinet has tons of vials on the shelves filled with unusual buttons.

There is even a box whose lid is covered in buttons. Now I know what to do with all those extra ones I have!!

Some shelves are filled with sets of fat quarters all tied with pretty ribbon. Hard to resist.

Someone has been using the embroidery machine. That piece is going to be outstanding when it is finished. I wish I could do that!!

And, you can even try out the long arm quilting machine. Or maybe that is for potential buyers.

There is plenty of space for classes as well but I didn't want to disturb the ladies who were so busy at work there. Maybe next time.

Yes, Bella's Fabric Store is a place I could just take my clothes and sleeping bag and stay a week. It's perfect for all us fabricholics. You'll find the store in Carrollton, Va. If you are in the area, stop in. I bet you can't get out of there without buying a bunch of stuff. Trust me!!

I bought fabric for two baby quilts but more on that in a later post. And, I bought raffle tickets hoping I will win this beautiful quilt. Man, that would be perfect in my upstairs blue bedroom!!

Easter

2010-03-31T04:50:00.003-04:00

Easter Animations

Go Fly A Kite

2010-03-23T09:41:00.000-04:00

I mentioned to my friend, Kate, while we were on the way to Nags Head that I had never flown a kite. We were passing those huge billboards announcing 'Windsurfing'. So, Kate suggested that perhaps I'd like to do that. Yeah. Right.

After seeing the movie 'Bucket List' I had decided I needed a bucket list (of all the things I wanted to do before I left this earth) And, flying a kite was on that list. Well, I can mark it off now. Kate sneaked off during our scrapbooking crop to do a bit of shopping and came back with a kite. Here I am.... having a blast. Thanks, Kate

click on the picture to enlarge so you can see how high my kite was!!!!

Wow.... What a Weekend!!!

2010-03-22T08:35:00.000-04:00

Kate invited me to go to a beach crop this past weekend. Now, I've never been to a crop longer than 3 or 4 hours long so I had no idea what to expect. This was fun, exhausting, entertaining, exhausting, exciting, exhausting.... you get the picture. I came home with 12 pages done in my 2005 album and memories to last a lifetime. I also finished reading a book that I took with me and did some embroidery.

There were 29 of us 'gals' packed into a huge beach house. The top floor (the living room/kitchen/dining room) was filled with tables and all the supplies that everyone brought. Some of those girls I think brought everything they had ever owned including the kitchen sink. (grin) The ages ranged from 16 to 76 (that was me) and we all got along very well and had a blast. Ate too much. Enjoyed the ocean and got to do something that was on my 'bucket list'!! Yippee. More about that later.

So, here is what a beach crop looks like.... hold onto your hats!!

Okay... so this is my 'work station'. Got my name on it and a notepad to jot down notes.... Isn't that cute?

Now, I have begun my work.

Teams of two or three took turns doing meals. Here Teresa, Shandra and Kate are busy in the kitchen.

What a mess!!!

These girls are hard at work. Busy, busy, busy.

My roommate, Karen.

All that.... and then there was the peaceful ocean.

A QUANDRY

2010-03-14T13:50:00.001-04:00

I gotta get busy.... my future daughter-in-law has a grandbaby on the way. Does that make the baby my step-great-grand? I think so. In any case I want to make the little one a quilt. It's a girl and I have some fabric that would work very well for either sex but my 'quandry' is which pattern do I chose?

I could do the ducky one

Or the pinwheel

Don't like this quite as well but it's still cute.

Decisions, decisions, decisions...

I need to get started...

I have all this thread to use up..

I can't believe I just did that!!!!

2010-03-14T11:03:00.000-04:00

I can't believe that I just deleted my entire list of favorite blogs!!!! How will I ever rebuild my list!! I am so mad.

UFO finished

2010-03-13T07:27:00.001-05:00

I am so excited. Can't you tell??? I finished a huge UFO yesterday.

It started as a 'quilt in the box' project 3 or 4 years ago when a small group met at the quilt shop. I think there were twelve of us who did blocks for each other out of the fabric each person chose. I wanted mine for a queen sized bed and those 12 blocks were not gonna get it. So, I made twenty four more, making the quilt 6 blocks across, 6 down (36 total). Excuse my shadow in the lower left hand corner!!!

Somewhere along the way I got tired of looking at it so it was stored. Yesterday was the day I pulled it out and finished it. Yippee!!Now, I am not sure I really like it. Maybe it is because it was so much trouble and took so long.... or maybe it is the colors I chose. Maybe it will 'grow' on me.

This is one of my favorite blocks from that quilt:

OUR FIRST SCRAPBOOK CROP

2010-03-08T10:28:00.000-05:00

Our first Wakefield Scrapbooking Crop. Not many came but we had fun. Busy, busy, busy. One of my friends, Kate Godby, is a Creative Memories consultant and we got to see all of her 'goodies'. What inspiration and excitement lies ahead of us.

A page I did from an airplane trip Elbert and I took in 2005. Simple but didn't want to distract from the beautiful clouds I had captured.

Another 2005 picture. Elbert, Shirley, Brittany and I joined Elbert's brother and sister in law to watch their grandson play college baseball

Marie is working on an album for her husband with pictures from his Vietnam tour of duty.

Another page from Marie's album

Everyone should do something to preserve their images from the past. In time they fade, discolor, get lost. And, for goodness sakes, write the date and other info on the back of each picture. I can't tell you how many hundreds of pictures I have that I have no idea when they were taken!!!

More Projects

2010-02-28T18:56:00.001-05:00

I started sewing those 5" squares together that I showed you earlier. Of course, they don't look like much just pinned to the design board so I will keep you posted on the progress after I buy the pink/rose colored stripping. I think that is going to make a world of difference.

While the Olympics have been playing on tv I have been handquilting that tisket a tasket basket BOM quilt. It's coming right along. Now that the Olympics are over I will have to find something else to watch while I quilt away. Heaven forbid that I do one thing at a time!!

Finally got the pieces cut out and attached to the square for appliqueing the Snowbound BOM from Bunny Hill Designs. I wasn't going to do these blocks. I'm sick of snow... so do snowmen all year long??? I didn't think so .... but then I fell in love with how adorable they are and I was sunk. This is Block One. Why don't you run on over to http://www.bunnyhilldesigns.com/dynamic/?page=Free Patterns

and snatch up some patterns for yourself and join in the fun. They are free. Isn't Anne just the best to do all this great work for us. I think so. So, thank you, Anne Sutton.

Stripe or flower center?

2010-02-20T10:30:00.001-05:00

What's it with people who just have to give you their left over quilting materials? Oh, don't get me wrong. I do love to get fabric and gifts and that sort of thing but what about half finished quilt tops that you feel compelled to finish or squares already cut out and then you have to decide what to do with them. That's my problem this morning.

I'm standing at the design board trying to figure out what I want to do with some inherited green and white 5" squares. Should I just make a basket weave top then add a solid border with maybe applique flowers on it?

Or should I use some other inherited flower squares as a center?

I'm leaning toward the flower centers. What do you think?

The Latest

2010-02-17T09:13:00.000-05:00

I finished sewing the binding down last night as I watched the Olympics. So, this baby quilt is done. Had all these little squares that a bunch of ladies had cut out and I ended up with.... yuck. What to do with them? Make a baby quilt. A lot slower than sewing strips and then cutting the squares. I guess I am one to not throw anything out. But, it was a pain....

AN OLD NECKTIE????

2010-02-12T12:39:00.000-05:00

You got a bunch of old neckties lying around? Me, too.... Do you throw them out or do you recycle them?

Two or three months ago Pat (our fearless Quilt Bee leader) gave us each a gift bag. Inside we found a bunch of old neckties. You see, she had a plan in mind... she's always making us 'think outside the box' and this one was a pretty good challenge, particularly for this 'boxed-in' quilter. Using our imagination we were to make something out of the ties we received. And, what an excellent way for Pat to get rid of all those ties.

Well, I never did get around to it. I had found a pattern online on how to make a Christmas wreath using ties but come necktie challenge reveal day and I had nothing done. But, just look at what some of the girls came up with.........amazing.
A wallhanging for a men's bathroom, maybe?

A tote

a pretty pillow

a picture

Look at the cute button accent on this!!

This girl used the bowtie pattern to utilitze her old ties.

a checkbook cover

a bowl

Pat's Mom said she had stayed up late the night before finishing hers. Then she pulled out a gift box with the old ties used as gift ribbon. Boy, did we tease her about that.

And, talk about ingenuity ... creativity... one of the girls had tied her ties into a long string... When asked what her creation was she said 'the tail for your kite'. The place just roared with laughter.

You get the idea, don't you, that we girls at quilt bee have a barrell of fun.

FINDING NEW BLOGGER FRIENDS

2010-02-07T12:46:00.000-05:00

It's amazing how many people blog!! I get started looking at different bloggers blog list (that they enjoy) and there never seems to be an end to it. Sometimes I find new blogs that I love, quite often they aren't what I am looking for.

Here's what I look for in a blog:
Of course, we have to have like interests
The font has to be big enough for me to read (I have eyesight problems and some blog fonts are so small it's impossible to read them)
I also look for backgrounds that aren't so dark that the type is lost in the coloration.
I like pictures that catch my eye. Not the same thing posted over and over but taken at a different angle.
I like some humor. Now I know everybody's not funny and I certainly am not much of the time but I do love a good laugh.
I like the blogger to post something regularly, not once every blue moon.

Here is something that I do:
It would be impossible to have a blog list a mile long on the blog. But, there are blogs that catch my attention as I search through the countless lists. So, I bookmark them (I put them on my favorites on my AOL account) in a folder titled 'blogs in waiting'. I go to them periodically and look again. After a period of time, if I still have a connection to that blog it is then added to my blog list on my blog. I find this a very good way to find new friends.

I hope my little idea helps someone else. If it's not your cup of tea.... just ignore.

A TISKET, A TASKET BASKET TOP IS COMPLETED

2010-01-31T16:49:00.002-05:00

It's finished.... the top that is. I will quilt it soon. Now, on to the next UFO.

A needle case

2010-01-30T09:01:00.000-05:00

Many years ago daughter Marie made me this darling little needle case. I treasure it still.

Stamping away

2010-01-23T16:35:00.001-05:00

For my birthday earlier this month daughter Marie surprised me with a really neat gift.... stamps she had made featuring some of my favorite things, sewing, quilting and flowers. Wasn't that a wonderful present?

Now to drag out my scrapbooking materials and get busy!!! Come along and join me. I'll put on a pot of tea and we will gather around the table and scrapbook and visit and just have a wonderful time. Wish you could!!

It's finished

2010-01-15T09:28:00.000-05:00

Back in October I started a small wallhanging for Halloween. I did it all until I got to appliquing the faces on and something happened. It got shoved back, lost in the shuffle....

But, (and you can tell I am feeling better) I finished that thing yesterday. It's kind of cute, don't you think? Now I will store it until October again but this year I will be able to hang it up for Halloween.

A SNOWBOUND BOM

2010-01-14T08:36:00.002-05:00

I am so thrilled that Anne Sutton at Bunnyhill decided to do another free block of the month. I printed off my January pattern just yesterday. Not that I am finished with her wonderful A Tisket A Tasket Basket BOM from last year but I am getting there.

So, if you need a darling project (and it's free, girls) just hop on over to Bunny Tales and pick up your free pattern.

http://bunnyhill.blogspot.com

LIVE AND LEARN

2010-01-10T11:26:00.001-05:00

My stepdad used to always say 'Live and Learn and Die and Forget it All'.

This is one of those circumstances where I lived and learned and I won't forget it til I die.

I've never been one to prewash my fabric. Oh, I can hear those diehard prewash people gasping in horror. But, that's just the way I ~~was.~~... note, I said WAS!!!

All last year I worked on an embrodiered block of the month project from Gail Pan. Loved doing it. Got finished and chose a fushia colored batik for the borders. Perfect. Should have had a red flag flying over me but didn't. I've worked with batik before. Never had a problem. I get it all layered, quilted, stick it in some water to wash my markings out and the water (and that pretty white dotted swiss fabric) turned pink.

I was just sick. But, what was done was done.

Now, here's the learn part of that whole statement. In those spurts of energy while recovering from bronchitus (I still am not well) I would pull fabric out of the shelf and throw it into the washing machine.... whole machine fulls at a time. Every single piece of my stash has been washed, dried, tangled threads cut off, and now I am in the process of ironing,

measuring,

labeling with amount of yardage.

The finished pieces are all very neatly placed on the shelving again.

I bet I don't have that mess of color bleed happen to me again. Live and Learn.... that's what I've always heard. Now I have learned.