Show and Tell

I am getting ready for the Teacher’s Tea at the shop this Saturday.   I have some (LOTS) of leftovers from Katie’s quilt so I decided to teach the Log Cabin  this spring. I though it might be fun for new quilters (and old, I guess!).

Katie’ quilt is coming along nicely.  She is planning to redo her bedroom so I have a little time.

I also made this the other day.  I don’t need a new purse but sometimes a pattern just calls out to you.  I added inside pockets.  I like it!

I made a little change purse from my scraps.

I haven’t bought any fabric in over a month.  I have discovered that I still have enough fabric for whatever I want to make.

Who knew!

Movie Monday 3/26/2012

Now that I am almost finished with this:

I have been thinking about doing something with my left-over yarn,  Each skein of color gave me enough yarn for two repeats but not quite enough for three.  And truthfully I am not sure that I had the heart to do another set of repeats.  Each row is about 72” wide and takes me about 30-45 minutes.  I want to be done!

Anyway, looking around different sites, I found this pattern:

This first video is just an intro-calculating yardage (do people do that?) etc., but she has several videos on how to finish a neat looking scrappy afghan.  I am thinking of doing one in a rainbow (ROY G BIV) stripe.

Her channel has lots of crochet videos for those interested- including a granny ripple that looks very pretty.

Thank you Mom and Grandma for teaching this lefty how to do all these great crafts. Miss you and love you!

Movie Monday 3/19/2012

Here is a confession:  I sometimes use my blog to remind me of projects or techniques I want to try.  Today’s video is an example.

This video show a great technique that is super simple.  Adding more strips or maybe making the center square a four patch or nine patch would add even more excitement to the block. 

Enjoy!

Two Completed Projects!

Yes, you read that correctly- I finished two projects this week.

I quilted and put the binding on a bow tie sample for the shop. I hope to teach the technique this spring. 

This block is a great way to use up scraps.

My second completed project is an idea I came up with last night. Can you guess what it is?

It is a case for my circular knitting needles!  The plastic bags and the pockets are on both sides of the inside.

If I were to make it again, there would be some changes: I did not do a great job on the binding and I would add the elastic before I put on the binding (I forgot to put it in!), but overall, I like the way it looks.

Please let me know if you would like a tutorial.  I can always make another one! (Would you like one Adrienne?)

Don’t Forget to Quilt Today!

Variations of this theme are all over the internet (nurses, teachers, etc.)  Here is one for quilters.  Enjoy!

Why I Wasn’t Sewing

I was working on this:

By the way, it is a scarf.

Not quite sure why.  It seemed like a good idea at the time.  Actually it was fun to do.

Mary, at the shop said that it took her two hours to make hers.  Mine took…longer.

Back to sewing! I may even finish something!

Picture Day at School!

He is wearing his “work pants”. (Note tab for holding hammer)

Movie Monday 3/12/2012

The information-and junk- out there just boggles my mind!

Today’s movie shows how creative some people can be.  A pineapple block created from triangles. We have this book in the shop-now I will have to check it out!

I have the templates to rotary cut these triangles…

A Quilter’s Brain

Found on Pinterest

Almost Done!

That is, with the blocks.  I am on the last set and they are taking me forever!

Katie has decided that she likes the fabrics so I will make it for her.

This is my leftover (and my big mistake) pile.  I had cut out the butterflies in anticipation of using it for my second round and then I changed my mind.

I am planning to teach the log cabin this spring at the shop so I am going to try to use the scraps to put together a sample.

Below is my latest bowtie top. It is small: I am using the scraps from the owl quilt.

I am trying –with great difficulty- to not buy fabric.  If I can save enough money, I plan to buy new dishes. (I want the Botanic Garden pattern from Portmerion).

I have a few pieces but I would like a service for 4 for every day.

Oh! I hope this makes you smile!

Leonard is just too too cute!

Movie Monday 3/5/2012

Like I need something else to try.

Are you a Harry Potter fan? I have read the books several times and I have all the movies.  Right now I am rereading book six and Voldemort’s horcruxes have become very important.  A horcrux is a spell that can split your soul; Voldemort has split his soul seven times.

So what does all this have to do with quilting? Sometimes I feel like my time for creativity is constantly being split. I love to try new things! But each time I try something new, I am unable to work on other started projects. 

And here is something new… BTW, I know that Quilting is misspelled.  I have not tried this yet but it does look intriguing!

Have a great day!

I Decided On…

…this one!

By the way, how do you plan quilts? Do you have one of those fancy notebooks? Do you keep a journal?  Or do you do this?

I have pieces of paper like this all over the place!

P.S. Buddy says hi!

Thinking Spring

So I started a new quilt today-a log cabin. In person, the fabrics remind me of early spring.

I could not decide which light to put in my second round. What do you think?

 I should have looked at these pictures before I cut the fabric .Now I am not sure now that I made the right choice….

I

I will show you what I decided in my next post!

Two UFO’s-Done!

Movie Monday 2/27/2012

I guess I am on a binding kick.

This weekend I put the binding on two quilts and taught a class at the shop.

And now I found this. I posted a video a while back on binding  odd angles.  This video, also from Alicia’s Attic, shows how to bind inside angles.

Enjoy!

What Do YOU Think?

I admit that I have been holding on to this picture for a couple of weeks and I have forgotten most of the details.  This purse was shown at Fashion Week and costs thousands of dollars.

Of course my first thought was “I could make that!”  Sometimes I think it is pretty cool and sometimes I think, it is kind of, well, not too pretty.

So, what do YOU think?

Another New Project

Maybe I will just call it an ongoing project. 

Because I fall asleep in front of the tv if I just sit there and because my husband would like me to put down my lap top occasionally, this is my new tv work.

Ta Da! (as my Leonard would say!)

I am working with 3/4” hexagons. Not sure how I am going to set them together but I thinking about doing a path with white diamonds around the hexies.

Stay tuned!

Pictures! Pictures!

So of course the day of Karen’s baby shower, my camera decided to die. So put the three picture below together to get an idea of what the completed quilt looked like.  Ready? Imagine!

I also included some burp cloths. So cute and so easy to make!

And a lovely gift from Mimi and John arrived last week.  I have quite a collection of purses and here is one more:

Mimi says that in the spring I can put it on my porch and change out the primrose for another flower.  I am thinking pansies…

Once Upon a Time…and Movie Monday

….there was a lazy blogger.  OK she really wasn’t lazy, she just did not blog 6 times a day like some bloggers-or even once a day sometimes!

And we all know that the lazy blogger is me.

Am I really lazy? I hope not? I just find other things to do and then it has been a couple weeks since my last post.  Or I want to get a good picture. Or the camera is not charged and I don’t feel like getting up (OK- I am being lazy THEN)

And I look at other people’s blogs and think “Why all the comments?” And then I wonder if I want to put all the work into advertising or updating several times during the day.  Quite honestly, the answer is no.

I came across a blog the other day and the blogger said, in so many words, “Since no one comments on what I write, I won’t blog anymore!” (I could almost hear the foot stomp!)

I have felt that way a few times. But then my friend will call and ask why there isn’t a Movie Monday post.  Or I will see my sister-in-law and she will tell me her friend said she liked something I made.  And I will feel better. Someone is reading my posts!

I am not begging for comments so please don’t think that I am! I just have to remember why I write this blog. It really is for me. I occasionally go back through my posts and remember how proud I was of a project or how cute my grandsons (and Buddy!) are and how much fun I had somewhere.

And here is a confession- I subscribe to over 100 blogs.  Luckily they all don’t blog every day! Sometimes I read, sometimes I don’t.  Sometimes I comment and sometimes I don’t. And if you all out there are the same, that is OK with me!

Now, if you have stayed with me this long, I present Movie Monday!

I thought this was very interesting for those who quilt on a frame and those who don’t.  Dawn Cavanaugh, who does beautiful machine quilting talks about the direction that we quilt and how it affects our stitches.  Some quilters I have talked with agree with this, some don’t.  I am on the fence…(again!)

Have a great day!

Go Giants!

I don’t like football; I don’t follow football; I don’t care who wins today (OK it would be nice if NY won since I am from NY…); But I do love this picture of my little friend Amanda:

Also, I am going to MD to see my family so here is my Monday Movie post.  Only it isn’t Monday and it isn’t a movie…

I just discovered this website and I love it.  This women does amazing thing with fabric and she shares a LOT of tips and ideas.  Please go check it out!

http://www.redpepperquilts.com