Monday, August 31, 2009

Applique anyone?

This is the applique that I'm working on for my Humble Pie top. My leaves and stems have all been prepped, so this should go fairly quickly. Once this top is finished, I will show you the pattern by Kim Diehl and you will be able to see where I went on my own path.

Can you see a pattern developing with me? Am I bored and hopping from
one project to another or am I completing UFO's? Who knows .... but I sure am having fun.
With cooler weather just around the corner ... heck, who am I kidding .... we have had cool weather all summer ... anyway, I will have tops at hand for some hand quilting this fall and winter. Yeah me!
Have a great day!

Friday, August 28, 2009

Pressed Flowers

This is my newest project and I love it! :o) Great for using up my stash of charm squares that have been collected over the past few years.

I bought the pattern from The Rabbit Factory as soon as I saw it on their website. Applique and patch blocks .... I just had to have it.

Have a great weekend!

Monday, August 24, 2009

Is it done?

DH is giving me a hand for taking a photo of my Humble Pie quilt top. A couple of years ago, he rigged up a pole system and all I need to do is clip on my tops for taking photos.

So, going back to my question: is it done? Nope! In those borders will be some applique.

Have a great day!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Quilts at the Cottage

Now that the hot weather has finally arrived, it was time to think about doing some painting at our cottage and that is where I have been this past week. There was time to relax and take in the views of the lake between recoats of many layers of primer and top coat. The walls of our cottage are wood paneling and it took a lot of paint to cover them. Sorry, but there will be no before and after photos as it is still a work in progress stage. Next year we will tackle the ceiling. Once it got too dark to paint (we don't have electricity), it was time for a little fire and roasting marshmallows.
My SIL Marian has been quilting longer than I have and this quilt is about 20 yrs. old. and now graces their bed at their cottage. I love the soft subtle colours that she used. Very pretty! Hand appliqued and hand quilted.

This quilt has just been completed for a niece. It is called Uncommon Boston Commons. Hand appliqued and hand quilted. This photo doesn't do justice to the fabrics and colours.

Enjoy and have a great day!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Moda to the rescue

The other day, DH came to me with an item that he needed to repair. "Do you have a piece of strapping that would fit this strap?" he asks. Into my stash I look and pull out different pieces of strapping. Nope, too wide and too thick or too narrow and too thin. Nothing worked and I would have to make a trip to Fabricland to see what they had in stock.
Then, I remembered the ribbon that Moda uses for wrapping their bundles of FQ's and Jelly Rolls and I had just received a shipment from Hancocks of Paducah last week. In that shipment was a bundle of Aviary FQ's and a Nostalgia Jelly Roll and THE ribbons that tied them together. Would they fit?

Yes! A perfect fit!

This is what DH needed the strap for. Now, his pool cover thingy works well and there is enough of the Moda strap left over for a few more repairs. When we run out, well, I can just buy some more FQ's or Jelly Rolls or put out a SOS to fellow bloggers to send me their strapping.
So, you just never know when something can come in handy and be recycled.
Cost to repair: $0.00 Priceless!
Have a great day!

Friday, August 7, 2009

A Border Thing

Lately, I have been busy trying to get a few flimsies to the top stage and borders just seem to stall me to no end. This is my siggy swap that I participated in this spring. The border with the little squares was a struggle to sew in .... a lot of adjustments had to be made on each side. I am happy with the way it looks and even Miss Hank approves.
Oh oh ..... looks like someone had fun while my back was turned getting the pins for basting.

... and this is my hexagon top with the borders on. It is not often I do a soft looking quilt, but I sure do love this one.
Have a great weekend!

Monday, August 3, 2009

Summer Sweet

Don't be fooled by the title .... our summer so far has been anything but sweet. Rain, rain and more rain is what we have had. Heck, I've even been wearing socks with my sandals and capris.   An odd combination (only indoors ... I'm not that odd, yet) to behold, but it just has not been warm enough to go barefoot. Mind you, my perennial garden is gorgeous. So, enough about the weather! Just before my break, I left you with a bit of a tease. This is the top that has been sitting on my shelf for a few years now. During the process, I absolutely loved this design. Then, on my bed it went for a looksee ..... and I was no longer in love with this quilt. Tooooooo much white! The little bit of blue sashing that you see might be the solution. Too much work to go that route. So, it got folded up and shelved.
A couple of months ago, out came that top. It was time to buckle down and do something with it. Now, a lot of you would be happy with it as is and you are thinking that I am a little bit crazy. Perhaps, I am after all! :o)
After cutting up some more blue sashing and laying them over the white sashing, I am happier with the look now. It will be a long process, but in the end, I will have a stunning quilt that I can be very proud of and have no regrets.
Where does one start with this remodeling? At one end working towards the other one row at a time.Stay tuned.
Have a great day!
BTW ..... Summer Sweet is the name of this design.