The Christmas

version of Meadow.....

It's the flowers done in red and yellow that feel Christmassy to me.  Like Poinsettias. 

I will be keeping my eye out for patters in the same size range...approximately 60 by 60 so I can make a fall and a spring table cloth.  They've proven to be a nice addition to the kitchen decor.

Thanks for stopping by. 

I made this

wall hanging size quilt this summer.  It's from a pattern called Meadow by Jililly Studio.

 

It's the perfect size for my kitchen table.  So far the kids have been good about moving it out of the way if they sit there to eat. 

 



I like that it used both piecing and applique.  I made a second one using Christmas colors but it's not ready to be photographed yet. 

The cross stitch bug has bitten and I'm itching to work on Halloween and fall pieces.  I am holding out until after Labor Day to change my background to fall.  I might have to sneak a few fall decorations up around the house, though.  I LOVE fall. 

Happy stitching.

Oh!

I was preparing a post...finally...then saw the pictures.  I wasn't going to post until I retook the pictures but decided that I'd simply never post if I didn't just do it. 

Last week I took pictures of a couple of finishes then lost my camera.  Yesterday I tore my sewing room apart until I found it then looked at the pictures.  It's really not so bad...in fact it's possible nobody would notice.  So then I thought maybe I'd challenge you to see what I saw.  Then I decided I really wasn't up to that sort of critique.  What if you saw something I'd missed?! 

First, here is a little piece I stitched up in the spirit of fall...

 

This patriotic piece is July by Country Cottage Needleworks but I left the word 'July' off since I didn't want to be limited to just one month when displaying it.  I added some more fireworks instead. 

The little cake stand quilt blocks are on the picture to show what else I've been working on.  Unfinished they are 2 1/2 inches.  Tiny!  However it wasn't until I looked at the picture that I noticed how crooked the left hand stand was.  Oops.  I'll be taking that bottom piece off and fixing that!  Boy.  How did I miss that? 

 

Making these was part of a project posted here.  (I couldn't make the August 4th post open in its own window so you have to scroll down to August 4th to see the finished products.)  The idea was to make one block a day in July then in August lay out ideas would be revealed.  It was a fun and cute little project. 

 

My lay out plan is still a work in progress.  And, obviously, my blocks are still a work in progress! 

 

Last night this was the view out my front door.  It was even prettier 5 minutes before the pictures. 

Such a pretty end to a day. 

 



This has been a super busy, extra long week.  I am so glad today is Friday.  The weekend will be busy but I am keeping my eye on the prize....school starts soon and the summer people will go home and my work load will lighten and my sewing room will be a hive of activity. 

 

Happy Stitching. 

 





So true.

This about sums it up. 

I packed all the sewing I could dream of doing in 2 weeks and went away....by myself!  Such dreams.  Such aspirations.  So few hours in a day!  Even all alone I didn't finish half of what I'd hoped.  (Plus, I wasn't alone-alone for all that time.  My husband was around sometimes and occassionally my sister.)

I came home to a back log of responsibilities.  Even today, on a Sunday, I am going to work.  I need a few hours at my desk without anyone else around to re-introduce myself to my job.  Drat. 

On the upside....I came home to the oldest child/new college graduate and HER NEW JOB!  We're so excited for her.  A real live school teacher!  Now the apartment hunt is on.  She'll be about 1 1/2 hours away in a small town outside a small city.  We couldn't hope for anything more. 

I hope to have my sewing room unpacked in the next day or so then I can take a pictures.

Happy Stitching. 

I can finally show

everyone two projects I've worked on over the last few months. 

First...the shower gift.  From the gift registry I purchased a martini shaker, glasses and olive picks.  I added a couple other little things like a drink recipe book and some funny coasters.  But, the real fun part was the bag.  I modified a pattern called Screen Play to show more fabric.   

 

Then there is the wedding sampler.  Loved this pattern and the fabric.  It is 'He Loves Me' by Amy Bruecken Designs.  I am really bad about fabric names and I bought the cut at the shop and never wrote down the specifics.  It was a wonderfully soft and lush piece of even weave.  The pattern wasn't designed as a wedding sampler, I just added the names and dates to the bottom. 

 

 

(I know...the signature is intrusive but it blocks out their names. Plus, you'll notice I worked out how to add a signature to pictures.)

 

The bridal shower was yesterday and the bride-to-be has received both so it's safe for me to show them. 

 

Has anyone else noticed the font on Blogger lately?  'Normal' is very tiny.  Sometimes when I read a blog I can barely see the words.  When I started typing my own I found it to be the same way.  So, I've moved up to 'large' and hope that improves things. 

 

Happy Stitching.

My hat, I should eat...maybe.

So, remember all the way back to my Bloglovin' post?  The one where I wasn't excited about figuring out how it all works?  Thanks to Catherine at Bramblewood Stitches  I muddled thru and claimed my name.  But, the real kicker was when Barb told me there was an ipad app.  When I travel I just take my ipad.  I will be gone for almost 3 weeks this summer and blog reading using the ipad isn't always easy.  So, I downloaded the *free* Bloglovin app and have been thrilled ever since.  I've slowly been adding all my favorite blogs and even a couple new ones.  You can select a category and search thru the list of blogs for blogs that look interesting.  I spent a couple hours doing that last night.  Low and behold, I found a few of you on there and could add you to my list without using the search option I have since used to add blogs from my favorites list. 

Here's a bit of news for you all....every one of you have Bloglovin followers already!!  Isn't that cool?  So, really, you should log on, create an account, claim your blog and have fun.  (You can still have fun if you don't have a blog or even if you don't claim your name.) 

Now, on to another bit of administrative business.  I'm figuring out how to add a signature to my pictures.  It's a real kick in the pants when you see one of your pictures on Pinterest without any credit what-so-ever!  I know I've put a few things on Pinterest without giving credit because I just wanted to keep them in mind.  Now I'm a wiser picture borrower and will try not to do that.

So, here are a couple pictures from my garden.  The first one cracked me up.  I saw this from in the house and wondered what the heck the birds were doing....putting a grass roof on, I guess. 

 

My absolute favorite flower is in bloom. 

 

 

I think the signature part needs work.  I will have to have my son help.  I'd like the background to be transparent but I can't figure out how to apply that effect. 

 

In the mean time....Have a great 4th of July all you Americans. 

Out of season.

In early February I was on a kick to make some Valentine's Day projects. 

First, I dug this project out of my stash.  Bali Love Songs...a free pattern by Hoffman Fabrics using a Bali Pop strip set called Cherry.  Although, you could use any strip set I used the called for fabrics...both the strip set and the yardage.  I only just finished sewing the binding on last week. 

 

 

I found it hard to get a good picture that showed the richness of the batiks.  

 

I also finally quilted and bound this little cutie.  I bought the pattern and fabric in February...during the same urge to work on Valentine's Day projects.  It has been folded in half and...oops...the crease shows.  It would be nice to have enough wall space to hang everything but then again...who is cleaning a house that size?

 

The soft pinks were pretty and outside my usual color palette.  

 

The pattern is a This & That called Candy Hearts.  Originally I thought I'd add words to the hearts but then decided I liked how they looked. 

 

At this rate, maybe I'll have something patriotic to show around Halloween.

 

Happy Stitching.