INITIALS for Baltimore

Do you like your initials?  I like mine a lot. MD  I think those two letters carry a lot of weight and look good together.  When I decided to begin a Baltimore Album quilt I knew I wanted my initials as a block.  I looked for lettering that would fit my vision and struggled to find a font that I loved.  I wanted formal, flowing, elegant but simple.  I decided I would have to draft my own to get my eye satisfied.  It was a good process and fun.  I went through a few renditions before settling on what I wanted.  I chose what I am calling my focus fabric to use for the applique.  Copying to material, cutting and stitching began with the thought that I would add ivy or flowers or something intertwining the letters.  I tried several variations of this concept and was not happy with any of them.. I have I think decided to let the initials stand along.  I envision these initials to be a centering for the quilt, but since I am so far from even being close to having blocks finished (have finished 5 not including the initials) all this could change several times before the quilt top is done.  Now... my initials 

Carpenter's Square on the Design Board

Carpenter's Square   

 First four blocks.... I love this quilt and its geometric pattern. I like geo patterns and the movement they evoke.. The material I chose is "Morning Rush" by Carol Eldridge for Andover Fabrics. This coffee themed material in medium brown with coffee beans and coffee words is paired with the black with brown coffee words and coffee beans. The background is a white on white floral with lots of movement. The movement of the background complements the straight lines of the pattern. The floral is so subtle you sense it but it does not standout or take away from the starkness of the brown, black and words of the main fabrics. The pattern has set in seams in a couple of places which I do not mind at all. I love the ease of set in seams and the way they allow the seams to lay flat and smooth. I am so pleased with the results so far.


I had so much fun getting this quilt started by cutting the material.  Now all those strips are 1 1/2" so lots of cutting is involved in this pattern.  If I had read the pattern I would not have cut the 1 1/2" squares for the "units"...I would have striped pieced and then cut the unit tops.  But, with me going to the girls weekend of sewing, I did not take the time to dissect the pattern and do a rewrite to really make this a lot easier. Wine fixes that....the weekend with friends fixes that.....the laughter fixes that....doing it the hard way is always easy when a good time is had by all.


I am now working to finish the quilt and will post soon the quilt all sewed up and ready to wrap up in.

February Baby Quilt

The baby quilt for a coworker's February baby.  This is pattern Magic Nine Patch from Quilters Dream in Colleyville, Texas. I love red, pink and white and the fun floral back is all girly.  The back is minky, so really soft and cuddly.  Happy Valentines Day.

"Modern Quilt"

When my local quilt shop had its annual "ugly fabric" challenge, I always love to participate.  I got my brown bag and as usual wrote on the outside my personal challenge as to what theme would be taken on. I wrote "Modern Quilt".  I wanted to break away from my usual and use more geometric pattern with fun color and funky quilting.  My fabric was a nice geometric with lots of green/pink coloring I used in some of the squares.  I found a pattern on the internet from the Modern Quilt Guild site then purchased material that certainly was fun and had great color compliment for the background.  The quilting I did in a handdyed  yarn with chunky stitches and tied in intervals.  I had so much fun making the quilt and seeing the squares float.  

Best Friends and Quilting

My BFF one visit said, "Teach me to quilt".  What?  I could not really grasp it, I would love for her to share this with me and here it was the opportunity to jump in and teach her.  So, I gave her my Viking 500 sewing machine and taught her the magic nine patch quilt in the week she was here.  We laughed beyond tears as I had to remember she takes my creative looseness literally and I am a person that does it by pure gut and creativity and must remember that up for me up is not always up and for her up is always up.  Not long after a local quilt shop has a block of the month club by internet and with her in Arizona and me in Texas this was perfect.  I signed us up and we were off and running.  Our idea of this batik quilt would be that we would make it together each month and I could help her with whatever came along.  We had so much fun!  A year later she came to visit and we put our quilts together.  I got to design the connector blocks and both turned out beautiful.  My work in progress as the connector corners were about to be designed.....

The finished quilt certainly made me and her proud of the project and we have a theary that when we are roommates in the nursing home together we can have matching quilts.  We will tell them apart because the backs are different.  This was so worth the time and fun.

New Year New Stitches

It is now officially the end of Christmas in the church calendar, so I can now really think about the new year.  Stitches on my needles now for quilting just the Baltimore Album block that I just cannot get done. This block has been on my needles since July of last year when my Mom passed away.  I know I would have it done if I did not associate it with her so much.  The basket weave of the applique is from black and gold ribbon she had bought in the 50s.  I only have one more leaf to put on and it is almost done then tendrils to embroidery.  Pics to follow, as I will finish it this month.  Knitting needle stitches have a pair of socks to be finished, first one almost done in a nice soft blue/black variation thread also a hat from a camel color wool that i think is really too heavy for the hat, but we will see.

Stitches on my Needle is still nice for me as I do love to write or reflect on what fabrics of my life my needles are going through.  Till next post, keep your needles working your stitches and all will be sewn together well.

NEW YEAR'S EVE SET FOR CELEBRATION

 Adult table ready to party...Happy New Year

 Adult table center piece and chandelier...

Centerpiece with poppers and sparklers

Kid's table centerpiece with fun glasses and favors

The New Year's Eve event at our home each year is a dinner for family and friends.  The meal menu never changes....lobster for adults/chicken nuggets for kids, Dom P champagne for adults/non alcoholic sparkle for kids and any adult who prefers non alcoholic, baked potatoes for adults or kids that want that or tater tots, salad, garlic french bread and small Blue Bell ice cream sandwiches for dessert.  We also enjoy wonderful appetizers of queso, chips, Texas caviar, and shrimp cocktail w/ delightful wines.  We take our time and enjoy our company while the grandkids/cousins all play and enjoy being together, which they do a lot.  I love the decorating of the tables to make festive and fun.  Adults and children should feel they are special!  EVERYONE had a special night and the young adults were able to make their other parties with friends. 28 YEARS OF THIS TRADITION...... HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012 AND BLESSINGS TO ALL.

KATS IN THE GARDEN

Kats Kats Kats..love this cat pattern with the snail tails. (Kool Kats Kwilt) Who doen't like cats in the garden, hiding and playing?  This quilt was fun to make and I loved seeing the cats form and the tails attach.  The quilt was donated to a cat rescue group to use in a raffle.  It is nice to know something made will be going out into the world to find its place and new home.  I have  quilting friends that ask if I am worried someone will not take care of it....really?  I made it because I loved making it, it is not a prized possession, it is not an heirloom piece, it is not delicate, and it is no longer mine.  I freely put into the universe this work of quilting to bring joy in whatever manner it does.  I know it has already made many smile who have seen it, is that not enough for me...why yes it is.  Thank you very much, those smiles were enough.  Type in the site below for the pattern. 

www.stitch-n-frame.net/images/​koolkatskwilt_.pdf



A Giveaway Worth Looking Into

This is a really great case and would make any "girl" of any age happy to receive.  I'd love to have it and it would inpire me to redo a few I have in my closets.  Go to this blog to enter
http://rebecca-gatheryeroses.blogspot.com/2011/10/vintage-train-gathering-case-giveaway.html

A New Needle in the Sewing Studio

I have had my sewing machine a Viking D1 (Grace)  for 11 years and must say it has served me very well and actually still does.  It is not broke, it is not worn out, it is not unworking, it is in fact still a very good and wonderful machine and it will be the one I still put in may car for those quilting weekends and times when I sew away from the house.  BUT, it is "out of date" in the world of software and tech world.  It uses those wonderful square plastic disks we all thought were a wonderful step up in the computer world.  I do have an external drive that will still read them, but let's be truthful here and just say it is not really user friendly.  SO, a new sewing machine has come to to live with me a Viking Diamond deLuxe   www.husqvarnaviking.com with new software and a thumb drive and a cord to directly connect to the machine from the computer.  It is now set up and it sews like melted butter...we do get used to our machines and know them so well that we overlook small issues.  My Grace could float stitches - happens with age.  The DD is rock steady and so smooth it sings a new song.  I have not named the DD yet, that will take some time to get to know her.
I will use my new DD to quilt the "cat quilt" that I am doing for a cat rescue group to action in December.  Pics later.
My new DD will bring me hours/weeks/years of sewing time.  Thank you LORD for my blessings.