Stone Hedge

If you love the fabrics named "Stone Hedge", then I think you will enjoy seeing this project I recently quilted for JoAnn.

I was not particularly drawn to Stone Hedge fabrics until I saw how JoAnn created this wonderful quilt for her son.

I got close and personal with Stone Hedge during the quilting process, and now I'm thinking---- I really need some of this fabric for my stash!

It sort of reminds me of Batik and Tone on Tone all rolled into one.

JoAnn's Quilt

ReTreating with Friends

I'm home from the Fall quilt retreat at Bishop's Ranch. I always have mixed feelings about returning home. Miss being home, love being at the retreat sewing to my hearts content with friends.

Witch Way

My August-September issue of The Quilter has this Halloween quilt I could not resist. I've been resisting buying fabric for quite awhile, but what can I say, "Witch Way" bewitched me!

I really think it's the vintage panel prints that got me. I'm a sucker for these old nostalgic prints. Especially the large old fashioned black Cat face, and the Moon with the spider web, and the old Witch riding through the night Moon on her broom...the fabric was calling me on this one. The orange in the fabrics is more of a burnt or cheddar orange.

I ordered the kit from Heartbeat Quilts just as soon as I saw the magazine. I've come to the conclusion after all these years that for special projects like this, it is time saving and money saving to simply buy the kit. One important thing: you need the magazine for the cutting directions. That is not mentioned in the magazine article. Maybe they offer the pattern for sale at Heartbeat Quilts.

I have it all cut out now---and the kit was very generous with the fabrics, so I have extra leftover. Thankfully I didn't make any mistakes cutting (that I know of)---so, I'm set to go. Even though this is a "kit", the cutting took me a whole day to do. I was surprised it took that long, perhaps because I was being so careful measuring and cutting. Labeling everything.

This is one of my new piecing projects for the upcoming quilt retreat in October. Maybe I will actually get it finished for Halloween this year!

Witch Way by Helen Weinman. The Quilter Magazine. Page 84. The finished quilt measures 52" x 75" 15 blocks total.

Measured, cut, labeled, stored and---Ready to Sew!

The cute Witch Way fabric is by Quilting Treasures' Hairrasing Halloween Collection by J. Wecker Frisch.

A few of the vintage Witch Way panel prints.

Love that Moon print!

Wordless Wednesday

Angel Trumpet Plant on front deck.

Package Day!

I ordered some Omni thread from SewThankful on closeout sale prices on Wednesday. It came yesterday! Along with some new Magna Glide pre wounds. I love package day! The mailman even ventured down our winding road and up the the driveway. He was a substitute driver and didn't know that Charlie our regular mailman won't do this. I thanked him profusely for braving the road and steep driveway.

He said "no problem". Now, if I could only convince Charlie to do this on package days. Here is my sweet Omni purchase. I ordered a thread card ---lovely colors and textures. I like this thread card better than the wound cardboard type. Isn't it pretty!

Some new Omni threads!

Added some new Magna Glide bobbins to the stash!

What's Stitching

More machine embroidery. This cute Dutch Couple from Oregon Patchworks embroidery designs.

And some machine quilting on the long arm.

Our paper shredder broke a few months ago. But, we have a new one!

Latest Model: Released in Dec. 2010. Reduces paper to confetti size in minutes when left unattended. Durable cutters for use in the home, or home office. Weight 8 lbs.

Day of the Week Kittens

I do love machine embroidery! ---and especially these day of the week dishtowels. Although it might be difficult to actually use some of these to dry dishes!

This cute design set is from Sew Weirds Machine Embroidery. She has "sew" many other wonderful vintage machine embroidery designs for towels and quilts.

Be sure to check out her site.

I plan to embroidery a set every week! I have many cute day of the week designs I've collected over the years---and the dishtowel blanks. Time to get busy! :o)

(click on the pictures to see a more detailed view)

Blogger Stats

I've just recently noticed and been paying attention to the "Stats" tab on my Blogger page. It's fascinating that visitors still look at the Kindle Cover blog entry from way back in 2008. That's when I bought my Kindle 1. With all the ready made Kindle covers and cases and make it yourself Kindle cover patterns out there---this is still the most popular blog posting. I was just playing around with some fabric, batting and cardboard backing, and ended up with a Kindle cover. I don't offer a pattern or a tutorial, and it's for the first ever Kindle Amazon made which is not easy to find nowadays as Amazon does not make or sell this model of Kindle any longer. BTW: I still use and read on my Kindle 1. It's battery needs charging more frequently, but it's still a wonderful eReader. Rumor has it Amazon is going to introduce a Kindle tablet soon, presumably it will also have an eReader on it.

The next most popular blog post is about the two Jelly Roll race quilts I recently finished. Just about all the visitors come by way of another bloggers posting who doesn't much care for the look of Jelly Roll Race quilts and where I suggested my Jelly Roll race quilts didn't look so bad in the comments section. I think they are fun, and pretty in their own special way--- So, I guess visitors may be using my pictures and article and links to decide if they ever want to attempt making a Jelly Roll Race quilt, or not. BTW: Green Faire Quilts is having a big sale. 30% off all Jelly Rolls!

Chenille Potholders---what can I say about the continued interest in this tutorial blog posting except these pot holders are a fun way to learn about making chenille and sewing on a binding, and you will end up with a truly useful project. They make up fast, and make great gifts! I love to make them, especially when I want to sew---but, just can't get the creative juices flowing---sit down and make a few chenille potholders, and your in the groove again. Something productive and finished!

Maureen's needle case is not the last "stat" entry, but still one of the most popular. It encourages you to learn to use your sewing machines embroidery alphabet feature, and once again it's one of those "useful" projects. What seamstress wouldn't like a needle case? I use mine all the time. I keep it in my hand sewing basket. And it also made me aware of how to use the built in alphabet functions on my sewing machine. Something I would not have otherwise pursued.

I'm glad visitors still find and read these blog entries, but I also find it interesting that the most popular posting---is about a Kindle Cover???


By the Month

All time
2011 Jul 27 – 2011 Aug 25
Kindle Cover
Aug 11, 2008
484 Pageviews

Jelly Roll Race Quilts
Jul 26, 2011,
338 Pageviews

Chenille Potholder Tutorial
Dec 16, 2009,
98 Pageviews

Maureen's Needle Case
May 8, 2009,
93 Pageviews

Ribbons & Remarks

I recently entered some wallhangings and a quilt into our local county fair. I do this most years as I find the critiques a good way to learn and improve your skills, plus it's just plain fun to enter some of your projects into this type competition. If you visit my blog regularly, you've seen most of these projects in some stage of completion this past year.

This is the Corvette quilt, which I renamed "Stingray" when I made the label. There was a lot of competition in this class: Adult Home Art; Quilts; Machine Pieced/quilted long arm/Large. The judges remarks: "Very striking and well constructed. Appropriate quilting for this project." This quilt creates a lot of conversation. It was fun standing in the crowd and overhearing: "I had a Corvette like that in the 60's, I should have kept it", or " My Uncle has one of those Corvettes, he would love this!" or "Corvettes never die!" oh-yeah!

"Stingray" won a 2nd place red ribbon. Red is one of my favorite colors!

Odd how what we feel is so well done, really is not. I felt good about "Art Nouveau" when I finished it. Yet, the judges found some flaws, that I either did not see, or chose not to admit. The Judges remarks: " Quilting accents the fabric design. Stitching in the Ditch needs improvement." I will say, they must have gone over this with a fine tooth comb---However, recalling I enter this competition for these critiques---They were right on the mark with this one. Now I see what they see. You better believe I will be more conscientious and strive to improve my ditch stitching. So, what I hoped might be a first prize winner in Adult Home Art; Quilts; Machine pieced/quilted long arm Small. Fell short of the mark (or ditch). :o)

"Art Nouveau" won a 2nd prize red ribbon.

(still my favorite)

This next entry---Boy, I know where all the flaws are. And believe me there were quite a few. Entered into the Adult Home Art; Quilts; Any Other. Remarks: "Very striking, well constructed and appropriate quilting for the project". Evidently the judges did not see what I knew was there. In fact I almost didn't enter this wallhanging. But---

"Crazy Quilt Series 1 Machine Embroidery" 1st prize Blue Ribbon!

The next and final entry is a simply a long labor of love, but in my rush to complete this for competition, I overlooked a small (very small)--- area just above the cannon that was my undoing. One I will soon not forget, and of course the judges noticed wouldn't you know. Entered into the Adult Home Art category; Quilts; "hand" embroidered. Remarks: Very nice hand embroidery. Watch shadowing threads under white fabric. Very nicely finished"

And there it was---some royal blue embroidery thread tails floating (shadowing) under the white fabric! Ugh! --Even I couldn't believe I had not noticed these thread tails.

All the judges remarks were so constructive and a bit humbling, but certainly things I will improve upon in future quilting projects.

And here is "A Patriots Dream" 2nd prize red ribbon winner! See--I told you red was one of my favorite colors (and blue too--- of course)

It's Finished, Just Barely Made It

The quilt backing was just a smidgen wider and longer than the quilt top. Just barely. It was a challenge. The binding is on, and it's finished. I think Leslie will be pleased---