Tea Time Quilt

Happy Mother's Day to all of you Moms out there!

Especially my Mom.

She taught me how to sew, crochet, embroider and cook ( as well as many other things) and those skills serve me everyday.

We are both collectors and one of her many collections is Tea Cups, hence this quilt.

This fabric came my way (possibly from my Mom) and I knew I needed to fussy cut those tea cups and that sweet tea pot and make something for my Mom.

 The black background sets off the color of the china so I added black sashing.

 The Heather Bailey floral print brings out the pink and mint tones and the periwinkle solid matches perfectly.

 All of the cups are pretty but my favorite is this one below.

 I dove into my box of iron-on transfers knowing I had one that referred to tea and I was right.

So an embroidered center block had to happen.

 The backing fabric is not a perfect color match but since it is on the back it still works I think.

I had to use it, I mean it has tea bag packets scattered all over!

This is the first quilt I have labeled, it feels good. I have to admit I really like this one.

Happy Mother's Day Mom this one is for you, I hope you love it.

I love you.

My Pups

Our pups spend most of their day napping.

This is Buster and Rugby, although lately I've been calling them Bubble and Squeak.

 This is Squeak

 Bubble and Squeak, Fric and Frac, Flotsam and Jetsam, Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy.

 This is Bubble or Bubs, it just goes on and on.

Squeak aka Lil' Skeezy loves crocheted afghans,

 "They complete you, don't they Dude"?

 His Snoopy impression. He is not impressed.

 Side eye.

" Alright, I'll let you be."

 However at people dinner time they look like this!

 Ha! Love them!

Peachy Picnic Quilt

I recently finished a 9 patch quilt using several Heather Bailey fabrics. Some of them I purchased and some of them I won in one of her early giveaways.

 Here is a close up. The top went together pretty easily but I struggled with the quilting some. I just couldn't make up my mind. After washing it I think it needs more stitching, it isn't crinkley enough.

 I am still in love with gingham binding.

 Doesn't it look nice laying on the guest bed? So fresh, like a warm spring day.

 It is a perfect picnic sized quilt at 45" x 45".

 The back is patchy because I don't want to buy new fabric...yet.

This project has got me thinking we need to pack a picnic basket grab the dogs and go find some dirt.
We have another eight days of snow coming our way. Yikes!

Log Cabin Quilt

Hello out there! It is still snowing and we are still shoveling. This has been a whopper of a winter so far and I am starting to look forward to Spring. I figured I would write a post about my very first Log Cabin Quilt while I warm up and dry off.

 In my quest to be a better quilter I pulled out a treasure I found at the thrift store many years ago. It is a Better Homes and Garden book titled American Heritage Quilts. I sat down in front of the fire with my coffee and read it cover to cover learning so much about quilts through out history. All of the patterns are included as well so I decided to start with the iconic Log Cabin Quilt.

 My fabric stash is chock full of modern prints so of course that is what I used, and the only new fabric purchased was the grey and black dotted binding. In the future I would like to make this quilt again with vintage reproduction prints so I have one that is old fashioned.

 Traditionally the blocks start with a red square representing a home's hearth. A yellow square in the center symbolizes a candle in the window and a black center square in a Log Cabin Quilt hanging out on the clothes line would be a subtle signal that the home was a station of the Underground Railroad.

 I decided to use all three. Each block has a dark side and a light side and they can create several different patterns depending on how you place them. I chose the "Straight Furrows" pattern which symbolizes a plowed field. "Courthouse Steps" and "Barn Raising" are a couple more pattern options I think I will try soon.

I am so pleased with the way this fun quilt turned out. The backing is a gingham cherry print with some black sashing. Each piece of fabric is quilted by "Stitching in the Ditch" creating a super cozy, nubby, quilty texture.

I had two extra blocks left over in the end so I whipped up a trivet/pot holder using a off kilter quilting pattern. I was pondering the idea of using this twisty stitch pattern on the whole quilt but after finishing the trivet I felt it would be a bit dizzying because it has so much going on already.

Well I have stalled long enough, my feet are warm. Time to head out and get to shoveling but I'll be thinking of my next project the entire time. 

Crazy Hexies part 1

I have been wanting to make a crazy quilt for forever and the only thing holding me back was a surplus of broadcloth and an incredible lack of velvets and satins. This Christmas I was gifted a box full of velours and velvets in burgundy, royal blue, forest green, teal and best of all black.

So I went to my go to site Pinterest and found several great patterns. In the end I settled on this one.

I need a nice mess going on to help the creative juices flow.

I forgot to take a photo but I have drawn a hexagon on the white piece of sheeting.

The first two before binding.

I have been trying my hand at free motion quilting and I have found it is not for the easily frustrated. The example above is my first half way decent attempt. Yipeee!

 A little more free motion. Only two in the end because I am already irked.

 Then I used nearly every decorative stitch my machine has in her.

I love the little ladies in the piece of pink trim below. Aren't they cute?

Mmm...black velvet and little typist.

The floral print below have been in my life forever.

 Tulips and little dogs in these stitches.

 Funny candy corduroy and blue velour.

corduroy from the 80's, vintage lace and ric rac.

So I ended up making ten crazy hexies before I ran out of black fabric. Here they all are. Drum roll please... 

 Now they need major embellishing. Hand embroidery and beads are in order now.
Then I must make more!

Buggy Mushroom Quilt

Half way through the first month of 2017 and I am just now writing my first post of the new year. Not at all surprising though, not for me.

I have been embroidering, crocheting and quilting like a fiend and have knocked back my Un Finished Object (UFO) pile quite a bit.

One such UFO is this groovy little beauty.

Please excuse my goofy wire and hook system there, still a work in progress.

I happened to have all of these gorgeously wild fabrics in my stash therefor making this project another stash buster. Yay! The mod pink and orange fabric is vintage and I love it.

The backing is a piece I have had for many years but I could never bring myself to cut it. It was just too awesome. Now I know why, I hadn't found the right project for it yet! It is called "Lava Lamp".

It just belongs with this fun Buggy Mushroom scene.

I embroidered this so long ago I can't remember when. I thought I would make it into a pillow but the last thing I need is another throw pillow. I have a throw pillow problem. It's pretty serious.

So a wall hanging quilt it became.

The whole reason I had to embroider this block is this cute little ladybug and this snail.

. I needed to deck them out with the, oh so tedious but worth it, Satin stitch.

Not a bad project to work on during the incredible snow storms we've been having, it is so cheery and bright and Groovy!