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Thursday, September 30, 2010

proud quilt mama.

I'm a proud "quilt mama" today.
Jenn made not one...but two quilts.
One for the baby.
One for the baby's big sister's doll.
Sweet.
I love the simple pattern,
the stippling (how did she do that on her first try
of free motion quilting?),
and the scrappy binding.

Some musical fabric for a musical family.

The backs.
I'm so PROUD of my "quilt daughter".

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

wednesday

The last couple of Wednesdays have been
wonderful wednesdays for me.
I was given a few more scraps again today.
Why do these little pieces of days gone by
get to me??
Why do I love them so much?
I don't know.
But I do.
There isn't much here.
I really want to go play with them right now!!!
But I can't.
I need to deal with THIS.

and this.

and this.


Lots of celery with no place to go.

I AM adding it to a recipe that doesn't call for it.
Hope the spaghetti sauce doesn't mind.


I'm chopping and dreaming of fabric.
Old fabric.
Beautiful fabric.

What kind of quilt block will I use it in?
What did someone use it for years ago?
I love to dream.
I'm going to add this to creative
spaces over at kootoyoo.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

bandanas

My son and daughter-in-law needed bandanas.
I have fabric.
I love to make things for my kids.
So glad they asked.
:)
While I made those bandanas,
I got to know a new friend.
Meet Frieda Foot Hemmer.
She is a joy to work with
but every time I began a side of one of those
bandanas I struggled a bit.
I will have to spend LOTS more time with
Frieda before I can say I'm
BEST FRIENDS with her.

I love the tiny hem she's able to make.

Have you met Frieda?

Are you still in touch?

I can think of some other projects she might be able to help me with!!

Monday, September 27, 2010

where's the girl?

Would you believe it?
In my little network of friends and relations
there are some pregnancies right now.
When I began this quilt....
I didn't know what anyone was having....
Well.
Guess what they're having.
Boy.
Boy.
Boy.
Where are all the little girl babies???
That's what I'd like to know!!!


This is a scrappy quilt.
I used JUST what I have on hand.
Which is kind of A LOT!!!
I still ran out of that bright green!!!



So...
I used another green.
This quilt measures 40"x50"
A little bigger than my usual
baby quilt.
I may start making them bigger.
What is your perfect size when making
or using a
baby quilt???


I even used my stash for the back!!!
Woo Hoo!!!
How many more quilts can I make
before having to go buy more fabric???
A LOT.
I think.
Oh....o.k.....
I know!

Saturday, September 25, 2010

last minute

What do you do when a friend calls to say
her little boy's second birthday is tomorrow.
Her little boy has Cerebral Palsy
and you KNOW you have some printed blocks
from a cloth book project that
would make a great quilt gift for him??!!!
Have your bright fabrics handy.
Check.
Sew your brains out.
Check.

Quilt sparingly.
Check.



Make sure you have plenty of
orange backing in your stash.
Check.

That stash
sure
does come in handy!!!!

Friday, September 24, 2010

spray basting: 101

Some of you asked about my method of basting quilts last week.
I often pin the layers together....
but once in a while I cheat and use this.
I guess it's not cheating, is it?
This can is a relatively inexpensive brand of
basting spray.
I've heard that 505spray is the best option...
but I couldn't find it in my local shops.
I bought this instead.

The first thing to do is get your
quilt sandwich together!
Top.
Batting.
Back.
Find a location for your operation!
Today, I used my dining room table and
moved the chairs
Out of the way!
I did not want that spray to get all over the place.
The spray tends to float onto things you
don't want it to float onto!
I could use my kitchen floor....
That's washable...
But my kitchen floor is not
clean enough today!
I made sure that my quilt covers my table.
I don't want to spray to get there either.
O.k.
I'm set.


Fold half (or part of) the quilt top back.
Spray....onto your batting
Lightly.....lightly.....
no need to plaster it on there!
Now lay the quilt top section down and
smooth....
smooth......
smooth...it out.
Repeat on the other half, or section.
Great!
Now your quilt top is applied.
It's time for the backing.
Flip the quilt over.



Do the same thing to the back.
I always spray on the batting.and smooth as I go.
If there's a bubble just lift the
fabric and try smoothing again.
The adhesive does not act like
GLUE.


I am now ready to quilt a quilt!!!!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

possibilities

Were you wondering how many blocks
I would be able to get out of those scraps???
I was.
10.
Yes. TEN!!!
woo hoo!
Now.
What am I going to do with them?
A table runner?
a small baby quilt?
Make some more blocks???
AND LOOK at that!!!
Maybe they'd like to join up with my
Ooooh! All the wonderful
Poss-i-bil-i-ties!!!!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

one man's trash

Is another "Man's" treasure...
or so the saying goes.
It came true today for me!!!
Look at those lovely little bits of fabric!
They came locked in a little bag.
Ooooh! They're tiny.
Oooooh! I love a challenge!
I made lots of half square triangles.

sorry.
Didn't count them.
That's not my favorite sport.
Sewing is!!!




Lots of little tails were trimmed.



A little nine patch.

How many nine patches can I get???
That's a good question.

Since I don't count.
:/

This one measures about 4 1/4"

I'm not going to stress about the size, etc.
since they're just scraps.

I'm having soooo much fun!!!
Thank you to the quilt fairy who dropped these
on the give away table...
Instead of dropping them into the
TRASH!!!







Tuesday, September 21, 2010

I'm crazy.

I was cooking and serving today.
No quilting.
:(
This is a quilt I made a year ago
(has it really been that long?)
for no reason.
Almost no reason.
That's why I'm crazy.
There was a wedding shower at my house
and these were the bride's colors.
Silly.
I know.

It hangs at a friend's house now.

Glad it found a good home.

:)

Monday, September 20, 2010

Pink and Green

Here's the beginning of a baby quilt.
The block is called Quail's Nest.
I'm using some small pieces of fabric I found
after Digging in my piles.
I love these colors.

This block starts here.
4 half square triangles.
Mine are trimmed to 4".
I started with 2 sets of 4 1/2" squares: white and pink.
I drew a diagonal line down the middle.....
followed along to make two 1/4" seams.

Cut along my line.
Now I have four half square triangles.
Press open to the darker fabric.
Then.
Important step.
Trim the square to 4"



How big do you think that center square is?
yep.
4"x4"
Here are my strip sets.
Can you see the notes I tried to attach to the picture?
I didn't think so.
That's my first attempt at adding type to a picture!!!
Woo Hoo!!
I got it on there...
But it's way too small!!
:)
The strips are as follows...for those of you who
cannot read that tiny, tiny print!
Pink strip is 2"x4"
green strip is 1 1/2"x4"
white strip is 1 1/2"x4"

Here it is!!!
When it's all together the block measures
11"x11"
Now I'm going to go make some more.
My goal:
12 blocks.
My purpose:
Baby quilt.
My dream:
Another quilt.
for a boy.
using blue and red!!!!

Saturday, September 18, 2010

coming home.

I thought when my children moved out,
they might call or stop by wanting a meal
or something like that.
Maybe they would miss my
Yummy.
Home.
Cooking.
Today I got a call.
"Can I bring my friend over to go
shopping
In your stash??"

Yes.
Hooray!!
Something brought my daughter home
for a VISIT!!!
Who would have EVER guessed it would be
MY STASH!!!
They even stayed to sew!!!
Double and triple....
Hip Hip Hooray!!!!
I wasn't going to sew today either!!
Oh boy!
Was I distracted!!!
I was supposed to be cleaning the house for
guests coming tomorrow for lunch.
AND
buying groceries for guests coming for lunch.
AND
making some food for guests coming for lunch.
BUT...
I just couldn't tear myself away from
these girls!!!
And their sewing adventures
in my new sewing room!!!
Guests coming for lunch will just have to
eat the ice cream sandwiches in the freezer
that I already bought!
That's nutritious...
Isn't it???
Well.
We had some success in my new sewing room
AND
we had some failure.
:/
She did a great job on the binding!!!
But the print is upside down!
Oh well....
She wasn't too discouraged
and I know.....
She'll get to make another one.....
and for that....I think
She'll have to come back and sew.