Using Scraps

Been in my quilt shack for a few days trying to finish blocks for two quilts. I have completed the top for one quilt and will be posting shortly. While taking a break from the quilts, I used the left over fabic to make a potholder. Pictures show front and back view. I found the pattern at Oh, Fransson!.

Monday Morn

Oh, my!!! This video is amazing and so inspirational. It is about a blind quilter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lfaSmDxVZQ&feature=youtu.be


Look what I did this weekend--another monthly wall hanging. This wall hanging is April Showers. Much of the small hanging is paper pieced--lots of little pieces. I think I have done four of these in the last three years. They are fun to do in a short bit of time. One thing--I never seem to make the sleeve on the back large enough for my dowel thus a tight fit and the wall hanging does not hang loosely.

Oh, My!

Well, it has been a while since I have posted on my blog. It has been that long since I have been in my quilt shack studio. My husband and I spent 15 days of March in Peru. We traveled to the jungle--even had a monkey over my head watching me for a while. We love visiting our friends in San Ramon, Peru.

Here are a couple of pictures of me giving my two friends, Nicole and Kira, a doll quilt. Not sure if they knew what it was. I learned to say doll quilt in Spanish.

 Last summer I posted a picture of a table runner I made for Jack's mother. He seemed to like it and asked teasingly for a quilt for his table. So I made him a quilt for his room. Goofy picture of me but this is only picture of the quilt. Just one more comment. The colors for this quilt were inspired by one of Jack's photos -- a photo of a parrot in the jungles of Peru.

Beautiful Day

I was walking past this tree and the sun was shining just right and I captured this photo with my phone. I just love the blue sky. God is so good.

Reflections of Visit in Michigan

Last week Sonny and I traveled to Michigan. We were in lots of beautiful snow and enjoyed visiting with my son and his family.

I could not resist a picture of doll quilts in the snow. Skies were cloudy but that did not stop me. 

Maggie's doll quilt.

Hannah's doll quilt. I am still enjoying my Accuquilt -- notice hearts and flowers.

Maggie's Doll quilt.

Perfect age for doll bed and doll quilt. Each bed has a mattress and a pillow and pillowcase.

 
Gabby and Hannah with their doll beds and doll quilts. Grammy and Granddaddy had so much fun with these gifts.

Not to be left out--Andrew and Jacob (making faces) playing with their
Amish toys.

When we left Michigan we traveled in snow from Michigan to Mississippi. This is a picture of Michigan highway.

Always have loved passing through Effingham, IL and seeing this magnificent cross.

Picture of David, Gabby, Hannah, and Andrew at church.

Oh--cannot leave out a picture of this super mom, Betsy, with Gabby.



Baby Quilt

Below is a baby quilt that has been in the making a while (great niece, Lucy Allen). You would think I have lots of this material but only had 2 charm packs and have made 2 baby quilts and a doll quilt and still have material left. I see another doll quilt on the horizon. :-) I just love this pattern. It is a divided disappearing nine patch. (I made up part of that name.) It measures about 38 inches square.

Oh, I love the material for the back.

Doll Quilt

Still working on my doll quilts. I have three more to make. Just finished the binding on this one. I used the 6-inch tumbler die with my Go! Accuquilt. I had to try out this die even though it is a too large for a doll quilt. The cutting out and sewing took one hour to complete--total time. I am loving my Christmas present! 

Doll Beds

Dolls beds with doll quilts made for my granddaughters.



Oh what fun my husband and I had with these gifts! The beds were made by high school carpentry students. Then Sonny and I painted them, and I made the quilts. The purple quilt is a disappearing nine patch pattern using 2" blocks that were cut with my "Go" Accuquilt. The blocks were cut from 3 to 4 inch blocks from the stash of my daughter-in-law's mom. She passed away a few years ago and stash is very special. The pink quilt was from part of my stash.

Each doll bed has a mattress and will have a pillow -- I will post later.

Week Before Christmas

It is the week before Christmas and . . .

Here is a record picture of some Christmas happies--pot holders/hot plate mats.

I used my fancy rotary cutter blade to cut the binding. Then sewed the binding on with a wavy stitch. I liked the way it frames the Christmas tree. (I used my Christmas present from my sweet "Santa"-- a "Go" Accuquilt?)

I had fun with my "Go"--just did not have the time to play.

Bedside Organizer

My dear mother-in-law is now in a nursing home. She spends lots of time in bed and misplaces her phone and remote and then cannot reach other things. So I decided to make her something to hang on her rails. Not having a pattern really made this more difficult than it should have been. I am still not sure it will work but here is a picture. I am on my way to nursing home to try it out.

Bake Sale

Tomorrow our church is having a bake sale to raise money for the children of Elim Orphanage in Cusco, Peru. Here is a picture of my contribution.

Idea from Skip To My Lou

Hexagons

I love hexagons. This has proved to be a lengthy task, but it is great handwork for traveling, doctors' offices, hospital rooms, or just relaxing. Tally: 63-20=43 more to go.

October Wall Hanging

Just completed my October Wall Hanging. Think I will use it for November, too. The patten called for sewing sides and turning. I really prefer adding a binding and think I my do that if I make another one. I outlined the pumpkin and then stitched in the ditch. I had so much fun using my blanket stitch to outline the stars and pumpkin.

September Wall Hanging

Yes, I know it is October, but I just finished my September wall hanging. I started to create a monthly wall hanging back in February 2009. Well, this is my second monthly creation. I know I am really behind. I do have an October quilt planned and hope to finish before the end of October. I just do not have any fall material in my stash and will need to go shopping soon.

Let Me Share

I am sharing a picture of my "new" dining room table. This is the table I shared many meals when growing up. I think my mother grew up with this table, also. Our dining room table sat in a dining room that was at the center of a large home built in 1926. So it was the center gathering place of many meals and many events with lots of friends, relatives, and family. This is where we studied. This is where we worked on projects--whether cutting out dresses to doing science projects. This is where we had family discussions. I cannot imagine how many hours of visiting went on at that table. I can count seven generations of people who sat at this table.

The table is wider than normal tables. I remember my grandmother always saying she could not find table cloths to fit so she just crocheted her table cloths.

Well, I inherited the table from my folk's home. I just love it and know we will continue to enjoy it and maybe make some more memories.

Saturday Fun

Yesterday I decided to make a doll quilt. Since we had 5 sons in our house, I did not have a doll around. So I purchased a baby doll and then wanted a doll quilt. This quilt is square. When I make another one, I will make it rectangle. I really did not have a plan. If I had a plan, I would not have done pinwheels with such a small piece of material--always learning. I also made a cute little pillow to go with the quilt. Now how fun is that?

Tonight I fixed Chicken Quesadillas, and they are so good that I thought I would share the recipe.

Chicken Quesadillas

2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I cooked 3 chicken breasts)
2/3 cup salsa
1/3 cup sliced green onions
3/4 to 1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
6 flour tortillas (8 inches)
1/4 cup butter melted
2 cup (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Sour cream and guacamole

In a skillet, combine the first six ingredients. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 10 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Brush one side of tortillas with butter. Spoon 1/3 cup chicken mixture over half of unbuttered side of each tortilla. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese; fold plain side of tortilla over cheese. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 475 degrees for 10 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Cut into wedges; serve with sour cream and guacamole. Yield: 6 (But if have a hungry crew, double the recipe for 6.)

Jelly Roll Quilt Along Quilt

Well, here is my completed "Jelly Roll Quilt Along" quilt. I really had fun with the quilt along. I enjoyed seeing every one's completed block since each person chose their own fabric. The variations were amazing. Then when these ingenious people began posting their completed quilts, I was in awe. I am one who "colors within the lines" and follows directions. Well, some of the ladies used different layouts and made an entirely different looking quilt. I could just see some of these quilts in the quilt magazines.

I hesitate posting my quilt on Flicker Jelly Roll group with all those beautiful quilts. It is a bit "loud" and greeen. Also, I was reading a discussion group on the Internet and several stated very definite opinions on how they disliked batiks. This is my first time to even purchase batiks, but I just loved the colors in the jelly roll as it appeared on the Internet. So here I am with a loud, batik quilt--but I like it. It is mine and I will enjoy it. Every time I make a quilt, I am asked, "Whose quilt is this one?" This, again, it is my quilt. I bet my grandchildren won't mine playing on it. So here's the quilt.

Oh, I used the left over strips from the jelly roll to make the binding. I love the way the binding looks.

Monday, Labor Day

I am tired of opening my blog and seeing that block from the Jelly Roll Quilt Along. I have been very busy lately and have not had time for blogging. BUT will post my completed Jelly Roll Quilt soon. I am in the process of quilting it. Have had a really hard time because my machine does not want to cooperate. My thread keeps breaking--cleaned machine, changed needles, changed thread, leveled quilting frame. I am at a loss at what to do next. It is very frustrating. I traveled to the quilt store --now 45 miles away--and bought some more thread and will try that today.

We had a wonderful weekend with lots of family and friends. My mother-in-law is feeling much better and returned to her home today. My #4 son will return to his off-shore job on Wednesday. I will miss having them around.

The weather is beautiful and all is well on our hill today.

God is so good.

Happy Labor Day

Jelly Roll Quilt Blocks --

Jelly Roll Quilt Along -- last blocks. I finished the last three block for the Jelly Roll Quilt Along. This was fun and, hopefully, will get it put together shortly.

I promise these blocks are square. The problem is my picture taking.

This is block 10



This is Block 11
This is Block 12

Prayer Quilt

Just completed this disappearing nine patch. I just love this pattern because it makes up quickly. The fabric is by Moda and is lucious. This is a prayer quilt for a dear friend who has been very sick. This quilt measures about 60 inches square.


Close up view of the disappearing 9 patch.