Watch Ya Workin On ~ A Winner

Well in my case it seems to be “What am I not workin on…”  ya know what I mean?

Everything at once, and nothing is getting done.   If I would sew a binding on a quilt then it would be done.    I could say I finished something.   Maybe that will get done this afternoon,   I should make a list, that’s  one tip that works for this girl.   

First I will show you the newest BOM I started, through Farmhouse Woolens.   Vintage Halloween, by Buttermilk Basin.     Karen’s selections for the wools are wonderful.    I received  the 2nd block this week, this is going to make up into such a special holiday quilt.   I won’t want to take it down.

I sewed on this block while we were on the plane and on our delayed layover in Denver.   I am so glad they didn’t cancel our flight,  we waited 7 hours for a new crew!!  Weather  related so no free tickets would have been given.

Then while I was in Omaha, Krista and I snuck a visit to Country Sampler, it was pretty close to where they live so I look forward to visiting them again.    I have to say this is the perfect shop.     They have a wonderful selection of gifts as well as quilting goods.      I could have stuffed my suitcase with lots of stuff.         But I was a good girl……..    I bought 3 kits from Primitive Gatherings.       Krista chose,  Love Ya Man,   it will be her Christmas present.    Three snowman, just like you know who!!!

They had a wool kit to make the Pumpkin Row Pillow out of Autumn Gatherings book.       Perfect kit because I want to put it on the top of a quilt, not make a pillow.  Either way would be awesome.      And Old Saint Nick , an 18” table topper.     They fit nicely in my suitcase and didn’t  add to much weight!!     

Next is my progress on A Tisket, A Taskit  BOM,   I have created myself a dilemma.     I found my antiqued muslin and love the way it looked so I am changing backgrounds.    The printed muslin has really been bothering me,  to white.    So I am  thinking I can dye the backgrounds.   Tea, Coffee or Rit tan dye, this is the question?    I will experiment, but I am not sure how the wool will be effected.     I am wondering if I can sponge it on the fabric instead of immersing the whole block.      I really don’t want the block to shrink up since I have cut them to the finished size. 

Some blocks need there embroidery finished,  and August is looking a little bare isn’t it.    I am auditioning wool for those cute cupcakes!!   Anne had given us the cutest darn gift to make!!!   Each month feels like Christmas on the 5th!!    I get tickled over the comments here, she always gets hers done  so quick!!

Any suggestions on my dying these cute little blocks,  I  would love all you have!!

This is the center of my JLW, Holiday Inn quilt.    Boy I have really slacked off on this project.    I was going to have it ready to appliqué on our trip but it wasn’t happening so I am doing the appliqué in the evening and  sewing some flying geese up during the day.      I am really preferring hand work over my machine.    But this quilt isn’t going to be all hand work, at least if it is going to be finished by Christmas.     I want it on the wall this Christmas.   If I don’t have a goal, well things just go on forever…….

I purchased a new design wall,  not a fancy one but it is a bit wider and  longer.       Now I can see progress on some of my projects and I really love that.    I am a visual person,   if its put away, it doesn’t get worked on.    Without a big enough wall this really makes for a big mess in the sewing room        I would like to have two walls,  maybe I could move that desk out of my sewing room…….lol……just kidding dear!!    So you can see I have two untouched blocks to my Wool Garden BOM.      I love that one,  I know I say that about all of them,  no ….I said  TT was cute so I can use “Love” here.   

And I have the next wool kit for Vintage Halloween, this “charming pumpkin man” is  going to have a friend so he doesn’t stand alone on this scary white cloth.  I wish it was gray, maybe I could dye it too.  Probably not,    I better keep moving if I am going to finish anything.

OK there you have my progress confession!!!               Now…..

Last month I was a winner at Mary’s Cottage Quilts, and I received a pattern to make her Figgy Pudding quilt.     It’s so fun to win!!!       This is a versatile pattern,  she has a picture of a large quilt on her website, this pattern gets even better in a larger quilt.

Thank you Mary for sharing your talent and I hope your vacation is fabulous!!

Oh!   The picture of Figgy Pudding is Mary’s,  I borrowed it to only show the gift!!!   No, its not part of my progress report and I take no credit for the very cute quilt.   :))

Summer blessings to all of you,

Carrie

p.s.   “Blessings”,  new fabric line by Brannock and Patek,  its wonderful!!

Keeping Busy waiting for Spring

Last weekend I spent time at the Sportsman Show. Our dog club has a booth where we promote our club and pointing breeds. It is always fun, my girlfriend Sandy, and I have volunteered together covering Thursday and Friday afternoons.

This year I took our youngest GWP, Casey, with me. Mark, a wonderful companion of Sandy's, was there also. Casey is 10 months old and socializing young dogs with strange dogs is very important.

Casey is a little character, kind of a little teenager that thinks the world is all about him!

Slide Girl came to the show with DH in the evening. We spend a lot of time with our dogs, they have become a big part of our lives. We have met many people through our activities with our dogs, the field trial season starts in April. I will share some highlights of events we attend. I don't know what the economy will hold for these events this year but we are hopeful for everyone involved.

I received a call from my son in Omaha this week. The Proulx family is coming out in July for a visit. I think they are going to drive with the boys. A flight with three boys and all the gear just isn't appealing to them. Any way you travel with triplet babies is going to be an adventure. I just know I am so looking forward to there visit. There birthday is late July but I think a birthday celebration will be one big event while they visit.

They took family pictures this winter, they look great! What a challenge to get everyone just so, and as long as mom and dad are good, I think everything is perfect!

Some fun quilting stuff came in the mail this week. A new pattern from Fig Tree Quilts, Joanna says the zipper is easy. It has been a very long time since I put a zipper in, I don't even want to count the years. Little Purseletes, don't you think they will make cute little gifts. I want to make them for the girls.

Fresh Vintage, this publication is full of ideas and Fig Trees newest fabric line, Patisseries. There is a tip on a new notion that I was tickled to try myself. It is the Clover Fabric Folding Pen. It is a refillable pen that Joanna filled up with liquid starch for all the applique projects.

You can draw the starch onto the seam allowance instead of painting it on. Thanks Joanna for this new gadget tip!! Along with the pattern featured on the cover is a laptop bag. Joanna's fabrics really appeal to my softer palette side. Mostly my fabrics and home decorating are primitive, Fig Tree's Vintage look satisfies too.

I participated in a fat quarter swap, I received two beautiful bright spring FQ pieces from Carla, I just love them. Thanks Carla, I will use them in a project and post it.

I made a lot of these hour glass blocks up for my JLW class. Class is next week so I am ready to go.

Block 5 from Wool Garden came in this week, I have the block prepped and ready to stitch up. This pictures is pathetic, no color and so wrinkled. It is much prettier than this picture looks.
We are having some fairer weather this week, my son is coming over to help with a pathway in my garden. Moles were very destructive to it and my plants last fall so we are under construction. Its the only construction project in Central Oregon that I know of actually. LOL...well lets not talk economy! LOl.......

Have a great weekend and a terrific Friday the 13th!!!

Next week is St. Patricks day, I need to go find me some Shamrocks!!!

God Bless each of you!

Carrie

A Few Little Things

My Meg's Baskets, JLW quilt is ready to quilt. I am going to hand quilt this top. It is a perfect size for me, perfect in that it won't take longer than my attention span, I think!
Discipline, staying on one track, finishing what I begin. These are the sticky notes that should be on my computer to keep me from starting something new. Not as a grudge note, but because I LOVE to finish. I am just not disciplined enough to avoid being sidetracked. One confession is enough for today.

Wednesday evening was my JLW group meeting and a few gals used the colorful basket fabric as their background fabric in the sawtooth border. SO CUTE!! This is going to be a fun class, lots of sharing from each other about techniques. I love that about quilters, even if you don't use the technique right now, it may be useful at some point.
I received a couple comments about the HST technique, getting 8 out of the larger square. So I googled and found a website that I want to share.
http://www.patchwork-and-quilting.com/grid-pieced-half-square-triangles.html
Ta-Da.... it has so many techniques that I have saved it in my favorite places.

This months JLW8 project is starting a 4 month quilt, Holiday Inn. A medallion quilt that I think is so sparkly with color. Gail added some new backgrounds and colors, we will use leftover reds from Meg's Baskets too. The border is hour-glass blocks.

Timing is everything you know, I received an email newsletter from Marsha McCloskey, she shared a blog that has a tutorial on her precision ruler that you use for this exact block (hourglass). So here is that blog post: http://sisterschoice.typepad.com/sisters_choice_quilts/2009/02/you-simply-must-trim.html I marked her blog as a favorite too. She has a very cute dog Sophie, wonderful Batik quilts.................now you see why I need that post-it note on my computer to stay on track. There are so many wonderful sites to explore and get very useful info.
Block #2, A Tisket, A Tasket BOM with Anne Sutton. Anne has a tutorial on embroidery on her blog that I found helpful. I will start using a hoop and foundation to keep my background from puckering. :)) Oops! Those cute little birds need eyes and beaks...
Block #4 from Wool Garden with Farmhouse Woolens, I really like the colors in this block, the red is bright and rich. The colors of the geranium really bring out the colors in the basket wool.

Next month I will put them all together for a picture, I look forward to having this quilt on my wall.

We have been having a pretty mild winter this last month, as much as I like it I know we need more snow for snow pack. Which gives us much needed water in the rivers. Fires are a big hazard in Central Oregon so hopefully we will have a bit more winter-like weather. Its Friday so I am going to wish all of you a wonderful weekend.

Winter Blessings, Carrie