Coloring the Blocks

This past week I went to our local dealers machine embroidery club.  I love these small groups that focus on a specific sewing adventure. Like machine embroidery. One of the embroiderers there bought along her completed Anita Goodesign "Prayer Garden"quilt. Finished! and stunning---I wish I could share the pictures I took, but I better not take liberties with that---just trust me to say it was awesome!

Now, I had no plans to color in my blocks except maybe a few key features. But, after seeing a "Prayer Garden" colored---I can't resist doing the same to the one I'm completing.

I have 6 more blocks to embroidery! Yeah!

This member said it took her a month to finish the quilt---wow, did that make me feel like a slug.  I know I'm slow because I get side tracked doing a lot of stuff in the sewing room. I really should focus more, but I have so much fun just doing what I do--- I do admire "focused people". I'm just not one of them.

I've scattered off and made more little cat purses for one thing---I'm hooked! And my fat quarter stash is going down---which is good. I have a bunch of fabric cut just for the cats.

I've also been cutting up fabric into 3.5" tumblers.  I have stacks and stacks of tumblers ready to sew together.  Maybe it will be one of the projects I take to the quilt retreat.  They do make a quick quilt top.

A Tumbler quilt

I've made friends with the Copic pens after all.  It's more about the technique with the blender on the fabric and the pen colors.  I need to think watercolor, rather than just laying down a layer of color.  I'm enjoying the painting on the quilt blocks.  It's been a long, long time since I watercolored, and this is bringing it all back----

Here are some pictures I recently took that you might enjoy.

Justine's tomatoes

Fading Hydrangeas 

Dogwood tree changing to Fall colors.

The Remnants making Martha Quilts

Sewing Machine Mat, Ohana and Cat

I finally made a sewing machine mat.  I've been wanting to make one for ages.  I'm not sure it's even a truly useful sewing machine item.  I just think they are neat looking. Sort of an apron for your sewing machine! with pockets! and I love aprons!

 I also finally got my Ohana ironing table this past week.  I think it's been a year  I've wanted to get one of these since I saw a few up at quilt retreat last year.  It's not that I haven't tried, but contacting the couple that make these tables---can be difficult at times. So, don't give up if decide you want one. They are either not home, because they are on the way to a quilt show, or setting up at a quilt show and not able to juggle talking on the phone to take an order,  so I sort of forgot/gave up buying the Ohana for awhile. I'm glad I kept pursuing getting one though.

 The Ohana Ironing Table

The tables are all hand made, and very adjustable. Fold flat, portable and lightweight. 

 Showing the  adjustable underside that clamps to the sewing desk, and the adjustable height support on the right.

So handy for pressing fabric and quilt blocks near the sewing machine.  

I had a some fun this week with this In-the-Hoop purse-let. Meow!

Even the zipper is sewn on while the fabric is in the embroidery machine hoop.  How neat is that!

 Approx. 5-1/2 x 6-1/2 inches. The design is at Embroidery Gardens website.

Have you had your sewing or embroidery machine serviced lately? Well I hadn't, (for several years)-- and Miss Elllie' had a tantrum and after sewing  this little cat purse project she up chucked several huge thread nests and would not sew a stitch without skipping and making some really ugly noises.  Well, you might do that too if your innards were coated with linty dust! Off to the sewing machine doctor she went and she is back home now---Good as new! The moral of this is just because the bobbin area is clean does not mean everything else is!