Everlasting Wreath Progress

I brought this to work today so that I could have LOVELY assistants hold it up so I can get a few pictures. I put the blue painters tape on the edges (missed some!) to keep the paper intact - I NEED it to sew the blocks together and as many times as the blocks have to be rotated to be sew together - the paper is getting very fragile. Ona side note: As my lovely assistants are holding htis up for me - a driver at the window asked me if it was HANDSEWN? I replied NO. He says.....wait for it..... "If it's not handmade, it's not a real quilt!" You know what my response was???? Yah? How many have YOU made? - He says I *helped* my grandmother make ONE. Yah - he KNOWS so much about quilts right??? That comment set me off, I'll tell ya!!!

Ya'll Have A Good Day Now! M

No, I DO NOT collect dolls..............

I do not collect dolls - I don't want any more dolls. I raised 2 girls, I have plenty of dolls. I made the teal colored jeans on the My Twinn Doll. I used a pattern for an 18" doll & enlarged it. the length is good, the waist is a little loose. (I made a pair for the 18" doll too and the jeans seem a little short & really hard to get on the doll) I did not make the pink cupcake shirt. I bought a baby onsie at Wal Mart for $2 and was going to remove all the seams & make a shirt, but it turns out that the fit is good enough and all I did was cut the snap area off & hem it up! In the foreground, at the big dolls feet is the pir of pink jeans that I made. As of yet, I have to put velcro on the fly & hem them.

I did not make this DRESS. I brought the doll to be used as a model, my friend Diane (met at the quilt guild!) made the dress & is entering it in the next county fair. We wanted to see it ON a doll that the pattern is intended for. Her dress is adorable!

Sometimes it's just nice to make something SWEET ! It's beenso long since I sewed little dresses for girls! But, do you know what's good about sewing for dolls? They just don't care. They don't complain. It's a WIN/WIN situation sewing for dolls! Sam

When Quilt Bloggers Get Together...........

My VERY good friend Joan came to visit this week! We have been freinds for a LOT of years. But we have only ever seen each other *in person* 3 times. I credit the internet for bringing us together. Had it not been for that, I would have never met her I think And I am VERY thankful that I did! I am very blessed that I have a flexible work schedule that allowed me to work non-traditional hours on Monday & we attended my quilt guild metting on Monday afternoon after having lunch with a few of my guild friends. And guess what??? Dumb-me failed to get any pictures of our visit. Not one. And yo know what? it didn't even occur to me to get pictures until ater Joan had already gone home. Darn it. I sure hope that we get to visit again! Thank you for your company Joan! Sam

Quilt Show Sunday

This is what is on the beds today!

#3 American Beauty Quilt

Ta-Da!

SKUNK!

Two weeks ago my Bourbon got skunked. Had to shave off all his hair. It took me 3 years to get it that long............. Before the skunk

 

after the shave job...........

MOre PINCUSHIONS

I made this template - stapler remover used for size comparison only!

I used that template to cut out 12 wedges, I swed 6 together, and then sewed each circle to the other, right sides together. Found ti easier to leave an opening for turning & then subsequently sewing shut, on a seam between the wedges, rather than on the edge. (the curve was mor challenging to sew shut than a straight one!)

Then I stuffed them, and did some creative thread PULLING and created little flower pincushions. I have to admit, the one made of Civil War Repro's is my favorite!

M

An Apple A Day

I found some sort of "pattern" online by Mollie Makes (or something similar to that) I just didn't want to spend $8/$12 for a pattern for this! I knew if I looked long enough on the internet I would find something and I did!

I made this on Tuesday night - it was super late & I still lack putting a stem on it.

I really like tis little Apple Pincushion! Super cute. I would like to make a few more Apple's and a couple Pears too.

Oh! I nearly forgot.........I enlarged the pattern by 50%.

M

Little Quilts - Not the STORE, but the SIZE !!

Joan shared a link for a free pattern from another blogger's web page and I have used it a LOT lately. Y'all know I have a regular full time job. Sometimes it's really FULL. Like during the month end processes - so, in my defense, I can't make lots & lots of charity/donation quilts. But when I do? I crank them out!

Here are 7 that I am sending to a guild that will quilt them & hand them out as they see fit. I endorse what they do and they are happy to get them too.

I have a severe disadvantage of volunteers to hold up quilts while I take photos - so you're seeing these sideways, clothes-pinned to my dog kennel fence. You gotta work with what you got!

The 2 Owl Quilts are just started. They will go along with the other 5. I find it easier to do 2 simultaneously. Just seems more efficient. For me anyway!

M

More Pincushions

I think I like the cupcakes better.

The Terra Cotta pots are really very fragile. Before (or if) I make anymore, I would like to see if I can find plastic options!

M

American Beauty Block Of The Month UPDATE

I have 2, identical, completed. These are the best pictures I can get. I am mailing them off to the long arm quilter tomorrow! Then I will start on the black one. (blocks are the same in all 3 quilts!)

Pincushions Today!

Over did it a bit with the glue. But they are still uber cute!

Embroidery design from Zippy Designs. I have volunteered for door prizes for my guild in August. I think these will be some of them!

M

Sewing & Embroidery This Week

I have several babies that I sewed for this week. Names remain anonymous!

I made a blanket just like these for my nephew's new baby earlier this year (only the baby was born last year! I am really TERRIBLE with deadlines. Seriously!) So I decided to make a few more for the other new members of families that I know. 

My husband was off this week prior - to try & get our shed closer to done. We worked a 12 hour day yesterday. Putting the last bit of vinyl on the ceiling of the lean-to's, and the metal on the facia's. We covered up every bit of wood on the exterior of the shed. I was up & down ladders all day. And today I pretty much think I could reach out and grab a branch on any tree with my feet...that's how cramped they feel from the ladders! (this is a term my husband used & it's SO true!) But it's done. The only thing left to do on the EXTERIOR is gates on the lean-to's, and lighting. Everything else is interior. Heavy sigh...glad to get it done & as far as sheds go? it's beautiful. We did it ourselves and we paid for it all in cash. Yay!

Anyway - here are photos of the 2 blankets I did. Chinelle on one side, flannel on the other. Satin blanket binding . And monogrammed of course!

I did some burp cloths too for "timothy" - I didn't get pictures yet.

Oh, AND - the A/C quit this evening in the house. Both units. I don't think there's a horse in a mile that's sweating like I am tonight. Thank good ness for ceiling fans.

M

Started in 2010! American Beauty Quilts - Three To Be Truthfull!!

These are what have been keeping me busy lately!

there are 3 of them. all 3 have the exact same blocks (12 different for each) 2 will have the white background as you see here, 1 will have a black background.

The blocks are constructed with the Marti Michell templates. Very dinky. Very time consuming

And very aggravating...

But? They're nearly done & when they are I can go back to my beloved Everlasting Wreath!

Sam

It's been A WHILE since I have posted anything. I have been incredibly busy. I finished this quilt this time last year, but didn't get it quilted until just before Christmas. The pattern was a free one from my friend Joan. I swapped some spools with her too! I think HER quilt was made with many swapped spool blocks. I am terrible rotten at deadlines , so I didn't swap with anyone.  It came out beautifully! I am a glutton for punishment though, as I already have enough blocks sewn into rows to make a 2nd quilt. I just have not found the perfect border fabric for it.

Thanks Joan! For sharing your pattern with me!

Sam