Happy New Year, Ya'll!

Two more quilty projects coming in here at the end of the year! First, the 15 little Christmas mug rugs all got bound, and I have a few left to put in the box for next year. The other is this round one ~

 It lays flat, but you cannot tell from this photo!  :-}

This was going to be a table topper for Beth's round coffee table, so here was the starting place. Using only cherry prints and 'pokeydots' I created strata, and then cut with the cool 10 degree wedge ruler. 36 wedge pieces later, there was the finished center.

 

I was showing it to her before it was finished, and she loved it so much, she wanted it for a tablecloth. Wow, that took the circle from 45 inches to 72", quite a difference! So, I went to my stash, and found the tiny red pindots, and the cherry print gingham. Now there was extensions to add to the circle, but my match worked---amazing, huh?

 There may be a bit of the gingham left, but it took every bit of my red pindot--do you see the piece that I made do with? I felt the color was what was most important. There is that "Why NOT?!?" factor, too...
it adds visual fun ~

 The next challenge was how to go about getting it quilted. She only wanted it to be finished with flannel since it was to be on the table and not as thick as a quilt batt, so I made a big square of cloth by sewing the selvage side edge together. You know, the quilt frame doesn't accommodate circles, lol! I taped the flannel to the floor...

then, I used this spray adhesive to attach the circle to the flannel square. Who wants to mess with pins while you quilt? It held the circle beautifully ~

Now, it's finished and on her table, 
oops- without a finish photo! But, it was a learning project, and I love the challenge to grow in our craft. 



Yippee, one more to have on the 2013 finish list!

  ~ finished 
Christmas
Ticker Tape
mug rugs ~

Happy New Year 2014!

"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16

A Productive Weekend

I have said it before, I sure could get used to having a Monday off. Friday after school, I packed up and went to my dear friends Beth and Jerry's in Calimesa, CA. Beth and I had planned for a sew day, and it was productive.

  

Doggy "Starr" says hi!

While there, binding was completed on the checkerboard quilt ~


and we worked on a rug for Beth.

 She received a few boxes of double knits around Christmas, and she cut 2 1/2 " squares. She drew a grid line on the base of the rug, also double knit, with a 1 inch line that continues around the oval. 

We folded the squares into half square triangles, and laid them on top of each other. I sewed from the fold to the point, with about 1 half to 3 quarters inch of spacing- not really an exact science, here. 

Larry's mom Barb has done a few of these "burr" rugs--is that what they are called?-- and Beth wanted to try it. I left it there for her to finish. Won't that be a nice rug to step out of the shower on?

I had a good Sunday at church. There was a guest speaker Sunday night and he really touched my heart.


Today, I've a bit of tummy troubles, so I've done chores, cooked and

 enjoyed time with this knitting loom-sorry the pictures aren't so good. Lydia and Jeff both are doing these loom scarves, I wanted to give it a go...this is probably the closest I'll come to knitting. 

The bright spot in my day is still getting to see this guy on the computer screen ~

*Sigh* I'll be glad to have him home on Friday night...!

"By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name." Hebrews 13:15

 

A Bright, Happy Friday to You!

 

This project was just completed, read about it on down~

Hi, from sunny, HOT California! I know, I am not the only one who has trouble with the HEAT! Enough on that, it's Friday! That means we'll be on our way to Beth and Jerry's for a dip in the pool tonight, oh, I'm looking forward to that. When we bought our home 4 years ago, we tried so hard to find one with a pool, but it wasn't meant to be. I love our house, and God knew what was best. When Beth and Jerry bought a place with a community pool, it was a blessing to us all. That has been a weekly activity for us this summer, and it is wOnDeRfuL ~

Okay, I wanted to show the little projects that have filled in the cracks between larger quilts (and swimming!). "Bright and Happy" is the theme behind them all~

~ chook friends chatting ~

 Raw edge applique, yep, I used Elmer's washable school glue again!


the washed and crinkly version

  




vintage sheet on the back, and straight line quilting

 

On other projects, this was a piece of striped fabric used for a guide. 

 While squaring up some hst's, there was a collection of 1/2" strips, too pretty to toss! 

     Here, they are sewn down with a zigzag stitch,

 

then a ripple stitch to secure the thin strips down.  

Afterwards, it is cut up to use in a few projects like Chook pincushions,

 "Has anyone seen my eye buttons?"

  and zipper bags (there are only the bag parts showing right now, lol!)

 a brood of hens-can you hear them clucking away?

Shake your tail feathers!

This little chook is for the girl who made the basket postcard for me ~

Some crocheted coasters I might have shown you before....

Long ago, really-last year! these flower blocks were made for the Block Lotto.

 

I redeemed the centers that were so tiny, but had enough to do this little pincushion, made to fit in this s-w-e-e-t ruler box from Temecula Quilt Company...I misplaced the box...I didn't have the walnut shells to fill the pincushion pillow...

 

but they finally all found each other this past week!
(Are there really pincushion fairies?) :-}

Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

"Delight thyself also in the LORD; 
and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Psalm 37:4

July is The Best!

 
 Hi there! I have a few finishes and some starts, 

 thought I'd like to share them.

Shabby Chic is done, and I'm so happy with the results ~

 
 sewing the binding, see my full cup of chia tea?







 
the tea is about gone, and I've cut the binding- that's the scrap in the side chair ~

It's finished, and so is the tea... here's the label ~

  Jeff's posing with the finish, before the wash~

 

 

 ~ quilted love, a heart, their last name, and pretty loops ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Beth's birthday came, and we delivered last year's twister "Cherries" table runner. I made this last year, and it took me for-e-v-e-r to quilt it. . . I K.N.O.W., what a friend I am! 

But she loved it, and laughed when I showed her the one I started for her for next year,  lol!

  

 ~A thank you goes to my friend Gail of The Cozy Quilter, 

who shared how to do this without purchasing a ruler~

(see my post here)

 Beth also had me quilt her newest grandson's quilt, she had it pinned, and waiting for me. I brought it back to her to bind ~

  

~  for Colin ~

 On the 4th of July, we were together with Beth and Jerry and I played with her  red, white and blue fabrics and made some crazy patch blocks into a table runner for her entryway. She immediately put it on the table and added a sweet blue teapot, and a red, white and pink one, sorry, I forgot to get a picture of it on the table...her runner is pieced but not quilted yet.

 
Here are my squares... yep, not finished...

I and 2000 others have been stung by a bee. Well, not really, but Lori Holt of A Bee in my Bonnet started a Granny Squares Quilt Along, and I did, yes I DID jump in...tell me if you did too. Here are my first three squares, and another is laying by the table for tomorrow. (Because, I'm typing tonight  :-} lol  )

 

 

 Now, lest you think I'm being lazy, we've also been swimming, sewing swimsuits (well, Beth has, mine's only cut out), going away overnight weekly this summer, cooking, teaching a bit of quilty things, went to a free concert under the stars for a group called California Guitar Trio,  refinishing a few pieces of furniture, you know, stuff like that. I love July!

I'll leave you with a video, if I can.

 

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10