Tavern House and leisure time

It has been a long time since I had this much leisure time.  So before the day gets busy I want to share some WIPs.

Tavern House by Maggie Bonanomi.  Every since I first noticed Maggie's work in Need'l Love books I have loved her designs.   I enjoyed taking several classes with her at The Buggy Barn.   This BOM is through Primitive Gatherings,  I love there color choices and of course their wool is always beautiful.  I am using a primitive stitch for most of it and adding a few embroidery embelishments that I learned with Sue Spargo this summer.

My newest WIP is a fun flower quilt with wools on homespuns and bushed cottons.  I am pulling wools from my stash, which is an adventure and tons of fun finding wools I have forgotten I owned!  I have found that you can spend more than a pretty penny on wools and not really have just the right thing, but making do is satisfying.  I brought these blocks along with me on our trip and they are pretty quick to stitch up.  One night I looked at my block and realized part of the flower was crooked.   Soooo a little unsewing and the next day I payed closer attention to details.  :)

This is a Christmas quilt by Heart in Hand, it is a BOM through The Buggy Barn.  Wools on textured cottons, Diamond Textiles.

I prefer putting wools on a heavier cotton since working with these fabrics,  I also love the their texture.  The angels eyes are going to be a challenge for me, she needs a more finished look,  details always give me a challenge.   

Thanks for coming by and seeing what I am up too, blogging has been a wonderful experience.  Meeting people with so much creativeness has been a blessing to me.

Fall blessings from Nebraska!

Carrie

Friends are one of life’s treasures.

While I was in Omaha last month I took an outing to meet up with Kindra, who was just by chance participating in a local craft show. Kindra and her mother are a crafting team. So I was so pleased to meet both of them, and see there booth. There booth was full of wonderful handcrafted items and I enjoyed finding a couple special items. It was near the end of the day when I got there so it was slow and we had time to visit, bloggers are just the nicest people and Kindra it was a real treat for me to meet both you and your mom.

I wanted to buy the big star that Kindra made out of reclaimed wood, no way it would fit in my bag so I bought the cute tree that was still there. It will be fun to find the perfect spot for it this Christmas. I love the hand towels Pam makes, they are wonderfully soft and embroidered, I love baskets and she had some done in red and green. My favorite colors. Then there was this wonderful saltbox scene that just pops. Well Kindra, it was one inch to tall but I carried it proudly in my carry-on bag without any problems.

Krista was not able to make the trip, my son was sick that day, so she stayed home with the boys. I missed sharing the trip with her but she loved the towel so I am going to order some for Christmas gifts. I will make it a point to take the trip to see Kindra again on another visit.

I finished this Schnibbles, Winter White, last month. I used the Blessing line by Brannock and Patek from Moda. I am not keeping up with the schedule at all, but that's going to be ok with me I want to enjoy the process and not make a burden out of it.

A few more embroidery stitches on a couple blocks and then I will be ready to sew the blocks together. Karen showed the finished quilt on her blog and it is just so cute with the scalloped wool border. I will be sewing it up soon.

Anne of Cottons and Woolens was so generous and did some shopping for me at quilt market. I gave her some cash and a wish list and bless her soul she got everything on my list.

Maggie Bononami’s new book Nature’s Offering, it is full of wonderful projects big and small. I am definitely putting a few on my 2010 to do list. Primitive Gatherings new pattern along with a bundle of their new brushed wovens. They are fabulous and yummy!! Anne I am going to copy you on your sashing and post’s, they say it is flattery :))!! And a bundle of Jo Morton’s Toast II, and…… three bundles of Andovers Wuthering Heights. Holy Moly this is better than Christmas. I love them Anne!! You were so sweet to take that extra luggage and share the joy with others!

This is a sad time for Anne, know I am keeping you in my prayers. I know you are being surrounded by friends and family who will be a strength for you!! Hugs!!

I went shopping at Country Sampler in Omaha too, I knew Anne was shopping for me at market so I was very good and boring. LOL… its not fun. They have Fig Trees Mill House Inn in flannel, boy that really had my attention but I do not have a little girl to make a quilt for and I just couldn’t justify another bundle to decorate my sewing shelves. They have so many wool kits and goodies there that it is the most fun. I have a couple kits to make up for gifts so I didn’t need to indulge, but its fun to see them made up and not just pictures. What I purchased was there embroidery threads, they carry Weeks and I needed some colors for a couple projects. No one locally carries it so I was tickled to find some. I bought Krista a yummy scented candle. I found some primitive light strands in brown for my mantle that I will use soon. It was fun to browse the store, they have so many wonderful samples it was a treat!

We are having some cold Fall weather with snow in the mountains. Many people will be traveling the passes for the football and basketball games in the valley, my youngest son is going over for basketball so I am nervous for safe driving conditions. The pass is such a beautiful drive, I just don’t like packed snow and ice at all. This doesn’t get better with age, you know what I mean!!!

Tomorrow a local quilt shop, Stitchin Post, in Sisters is having their pajama sale. It’s a big deal with 30% off between 6:30-8:30 am and an extra 5% if you were pajamas. It’s a lot of fun and I am going to meet my girlfriend who lives there and we will see what we can find. You know you can save online tomorrow too, they are giving a 25% discount to online sales. Yeah, I like to share the love with you!! Then we will go out for our favorite coffee shop and have some breakfast too! A girl works up an appetite with all that excitement!!

I am thankful for my friends, blogging has brought many new wonderful people into my life and I count you as my friends. I hope I get the opportunity to meet you in person too. God Bless and have a wonderful weekend.

Hugs, Carrie

JLW Quilts Fall Outing

I haven’t shared  my JLW meet up last month.  After taking the summer off we got together.    Many of the members got their Holiday Inn quilts put together,  they were so fun to see, even if there not completed its fun to see them.    

We all made 4 inch baskets  for Gail our leader, she was so surprised with them, and very touched I think.   

It was a fun time together,  I am glad I joined a local group.  I had been participating in one by mail, and I will say Carriage Country Quilts is fabulous, they have many fabrics and have wonderful kits for their projects.

But like I said I am very pleased attending a local group, meeting together with women, making new friends and  old friends too!!    For me the personal touch makes all the difference. 

Here is my quilt, unfinished but I am enjoying the process of Holiday Inn.   The medallion style  is a fun one.   I have admired Round Robins and it also reminds me of them.

Last weekend I spent time with my family in Cottage Grove.    My father passed away 2 years ago and we met on Friday,  which would have been his 82 birthday.      We interned his ashes next to his parents.   It was very bittersweet,   lets say for me its a work in progress living without a parent.   It was a beautiful day and the view of the surrounding valley with the turning colors was peaceful.    We spent the afternoon at my mothers visiting with family that gathered.    Then we all started  working on the handrails of her new deck that she built last year.    Many hands make light work it really took shape and got some weather treatment too. 

Saturday we went up to Junction City to a century farm,  Thistledown Farm,   a wonderful family owned  and operated farm.    I got a box of apples, squash, huge sweet onions, filberts and small cute pumpkins.    We  got some sweet corn for dinner that was delicious. 

Mom took a picture of this cute bench,  the painting has alot of detail.  It was a cute bench,  hmm, hint hint!!

We headed in to Junction City to visit Buttermilk Junction,  I did not get pictures there, naughty me,  the store has recently moved into a space with a quilt shop,   it was a nice arrangement.    It is a prim shop with many wonderful items to decorate your home.  I did get a couple things,  a batter operated candle and stand,  that I put on my mantel with my pumpkins.

Next we went to 5th Street Market in Eugene,  they had a very cool truck their so I snapped a shot of my sister and mom. 

Then we headed to Mindy’s,  where you have to hide your pocketbook from yourself.   Mindy has everything you would want and more for needlework, she hand paints her own needlepoint designs too.     She has many different types of embroidery thread, all  beautifully displayed. 

This display of thread is my favorite.  It is antique from a Post Office in Portland.

 

She carries Blackbird Designs patterns,   I purchased their pattern May Flowers, Three Stockings for May and Maggie’s Needlecase by Maggie Bonanomi,   you know I love her!!!     Embroidery threads for the patterns from Weeks Dye Works,  The Gentle Art and some 30 ct. linen.    They had Crescent Colours coming in this week so I will get those threads when they arrive.    And one piece of textured green wool.    

I’m sure you read Alma’s blog  its wonderful to get all the peeks of their artwork.   I always  like their little stockings, so now I can stitch up a pretty cross-stitch!

I made up a new concoction for dinner,  my sister gave me the idea, I will share it soon.

Fall blessings,

Carrie

Visit to Sahalie Falls, Some new Wool Just In Time!

Tylor was here to visit for a week, we enjoy our grandson so much! He is such a fun loving guy and so much at home when he is with us.
He worked in the yard and garden with me a couple of days and we got so much done. Team work really makes yard work so much easier and more fun. He loaded the wheelbarrow with bark and dumped weeds in the field for me. Besides the sunburn and sore muscles it was a very fun time!!
Tuesday we met my DD up on the pass at Sahalie Falls. It is such a beautiful area, I love going there all throughout the year. It is almost half way to Eugene and a place we meet often to spend time together. Actually there are two falls there with a trail along side the river. When the temperatures are 90 degrees and hotter it is a cool refreshment too.

This month Joe and I will celebrate our 27th anniversary. I think I am getting taller than he is, lol.... he had knee surgery on Wednesday maybe he will be able to stand back up after it heals. He really was in pain, the meniscus tear is pretty painful, and it was hard keeping up with all the wirehairs during hunting season. We are looking forward to some trail hikes this summer now that he is all fixed up.
Joe is much to comfortable out on these rocks, it above the falls and it made me nervous just taking the pictures. My looking at this picture really shows how grown up Tylor is. I was blessed with getting to care for Tylor while his mother worked until he started kindergarten. One reason our home is like a second home to him, he spent most of his early years with us.
We moved to Bend when he was 5, it was so hard to do. I think I have said that before but 120 miles away was to far for this gramma. Looking forward to Ty coming back later this week.

I have been sewing on my table runner from a class with Maggie Bonanomi. Maggie is my favorite prim wool teacher. Her classes are more than a lesson in technique, she shares her love of prim and primitive fabrics. In every class I have taken with her she always shares some of her antique fabrics in the kits. They are one of a kind for sure. Maggie is easy going and charming and I love being in her class making one of her projects.

When we went to Seattle in June we stopped by Carriage Country Quilts for me to shop for wool.
I picked up a few pieces for the Bunnyhill BOM. The July block was posted today and it is so thoughtfully designed. Each month I say this is my favorite, I'm sure next month I will feel the same way.

I wanted some reds and greens too so I went online to the Buggy Barn and ordered some bundles. They are just wide enough to use for a basket. A lqs had a good selection so I purchased some plaids from there too. Our local shops are getting ready for the upcoming Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, I found some nice yardage at BJ's.
Tuesday my girlfriends, The Twisted Sisters, are coming and staying at a home in Bend. I am looking forward to some fun girl time and sewing together. I am pretty lucky to live in a quilt rich area, especially this week.
I am picking my reds for my Bunnyhill BOM so I think some of my new wools will get used pretty quickly.
The little Schnibbles pattern was so cute I thought it would be perfect for a charm pack.
OK back to sewing, I have some items that need finishing up so I can share them with the girls next week. Show n Tell with quilt friends really is the best.

Liberty Blessings,

Carrie