Oh My Goodness!! How long has it been???

I must tell you that just because I haven't blogged in awhile doesn't mean I haven't been sewing! Oh no! School has slowed me down and bit, but I'm back in the swing of things for the holidays (at least).

So, here is are a few pics of the latest makings at my house. Not included (only because I haven't taken a picture of it yet) is the very latest quilt - will update later on that one!

I was browsing online and ran across a pattern for these darling little napkins. They are quick, easy and reversible.

Then I remembered I had a very simple table runner pattern that I had picked up at the quilt shop recently, so had to try that as well.



Then I dug around and found a few more coordinating prints to stitch into a few more table runners.

Then I realized that I could make both a table runner and the napkins - like matching (hello?), so of course that set me in search of more fabric and caused more stitching, so by the time I was done... well, you have to check them out on my etsy website cause there are just too many to include here.

Here is just a teaser for you.

Click on the etsy link (I think it's at the top of the page).

Blessings,
Shirley

Oh my - updating my blog twice in one month, how did you get so lucky?? I've been so behind, but hopefully will get into a routine this year (what is a routine???).

Here is my latest project - a gorgeous wall hanging that I did a lot of free motion quilting on!!! I thought this turned out very well considering that I just learned how to free motion quilt!! All quilting except the straight lines was free motion quilting.


I found this project at our local quilt shop all made up and fell in love with it, bought the pattern and had an employee help me pick out coordinating colors for the blocks and the borders. She did a fabulous job - I'm so glad I asked for help!!

The borders are different colors - not much natural light today, so not a very bright picture, but the left and top borders are a maroon color and the right and bottom borders are a black paisley. This picture just doesn't do it justice, so you have to come over to see it!!!

One of these days, I'll get busy on the birthday quilts - in the meantime, I have another project or two that I'm working on AND I'm finishing (yea - finishing is so good!!) the Christmas table runner and the fall pumpkin table topper that I've posted about previously - they will have binding on them this weekend!!

But first - the vacuuming!!

Oh my!! I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted! Well, here is the final quilt that I made for the year. Not the final quilt that I was planning, but the final one I got done. Still have two more to finish for my birthday quilts project, but hey, I accomplished a lot this year and I would have gotten them done if I hadn't taken that class in the fall which took loads and loads of time - you can teach an old dog a new trick, but it takes quadruple the time and effort!!

Anyway - here it is!

This is William's birthday quilt, the one I promised to show you long ago. I did get it done for his birthday and it turned out beautiful. I planned to make it square - 11 blocks long and 11 blocks wide, but when I got to that point and thought I was done, I didn't like the way it looked, so back to the drawing board I went. I added a row of light blocks on the top and bottom, then discovered that I had just enough blocks (and just the right ones - thank you, LORD! :) to add another row to the top and bottom. I used every single piece of fabric that I had for this quilt - no blocks left over, not enough fabric to cut another single block - amazing and it turned out to be the perfect size for his twin bed!!

This is a rag style quilt - I do love to make them, but the ragging process takes about 4 hours to clip all the seams - wow!! For this rag quilt, I cut 7" blocks of the fabric and 5" blocks of "Warm and Natural" batting, stitched the usual X in the center of all the blocks that didn't have embroidery on them. I didn't want the embroidery to show on the back, so just embroidered on the top block, then sandwiched them together with batting and back block and quilted just a bit in from each corner to hold them together.

The center black diagonal blocks spell out his name, the other black blocks have words describing who William is. The last picture is the back of the quilt.

William loves it :)

What do you think???

Hi fellow quilters, friends and family.

I had planned to share William's quilt with you this time, but I ran into a little competition. I have a friend who is battling cancer and undergoing a rough regime of chemo and I wanted to do something for her, so I made her a quilt!

This was made using a couple of the charm packs that I bought at the quilt show here a couple weeks ago. I bought a green coordinating print to go with the squares on the front and another green to go on the back (which I didn't have enough of, so added some fabric I had on hand) and here is the finished project.
It is a "rag quilt" and goes together pretty quickly. I cut 5" blocks to make a 4 patch with the charm packs, then cut the back squares 9 1/2" and layered 9 1/2" flannel squares in the center. I stitched the X across all block sandwiches, then stitched it all together; I washed it twice after clipping all the seams (whew, that takes a while). Start to finish, it took about a week to get this one done. She loves it!!! Yeah!!

On Monday, I received an invitation to a baby shower that was to be held on Thursday. Since I had just finished Deb's quilt, I decided to tackle a baby quilt. I dug out what flannel I had on hand and started whacking away.

Here is what I came up with!! We know it's a boy, so I used this cute blue print with boats. I cut all the blocks 7" - even had to piece a couple of blocks to have enough for this layout (I think I had 1/2 yard of the boat print).
I didn't put anything between the top and back as they were both flannel and I didn't want to make it too heavy.

I created this little boat with my software to stitch on it; this serves as the quilting (I don't want to do an X all the time!!!), and I stitched it on each block with my embroidery machine. Usually when I use my embroidery machine for quilting, I have the quilt all together first, but on this one, I thought the seams would be a problem, so I stitched the blocks first, then stitched them together. This process takes a little longer and I must say that just stitching the X would have been a little faster. Speaking of fast - I started this gem at 5 am Wednesday morning and finished with only 1 washing at 11:30 pm and I did work, make supper, and go to prayer meeting that day as well. Superwoman - yes, by the way, I am!!

ps - I updated my slideshow, so check it out again, sorry that I cannot add the new quilts to the voting process - it won't let me, but when I get all quilts done this year, I'll update the whole thing and ask you to vote again - won't that be fun????

Living and Loving,
Shirley

Hi all:

I went to a quilting class at a friend's house last Saturday morning - innocent as I was - and came home with a charm pack monster raging within!!! Ok, not quite that bad, but I'VE DISCOVERED CHARM PACKS!!! YEAH!!! Oh, they are so much fun, you just have to try them.

In this table runner project, we started out with a simple 9 patch, stitch it together and then cut it apart - you can google "disappearing 9 patch" and find all kinds of instructions with very nice pics, so I'm not going to go through it here.

So, I started with this red, green, brown, blue Christmasy looking pack of charm squares and just look what I came up with!!!




How did that happen you may wonder - oh, I'm sure you've figured it out quickly enough! I had to go back to the store for some fabric to go around my three Christmasy blocks and I was "just looking" at the other charm packs and found a gorgeous fall set - before I knew what was happening, I had purchased them, ran home and stitched the blocks into 9 patches, wacked them to pieces and stitched them again. I was smart this time and bought the extra fabric I needed while I was there so I could finish the whole thing. (Oh, gee, I guess that means I don't NEED to go back to the store!!).

I made the binding by using the extra blocks in the charm pack that I had leftover with alternating blocks from a coordinating fabric and I just love it, it's on my dining room table if you'd like to come and see it in person!!!

I used my embroidery machine to stitch a leaf in the center of each block (I digitized it from another pattern I had and blew it up to fit the block). Then I also "stitched in the ditch" around the outside of the blocks. I think it turned out just fabulous and was a really quick project to make!! Thanks, Debbie!!!

In case you're wondering - I did get back to the Christmas one and here it is, all put together, just needs to be quilted (haven't decided how I'm going to do that yet), the binding on this one will be from a coordinating green with red flower print. It is just gorgeous as well.



Now I'm off to Hearland Event Center for a quilting event and yes, I'm taking my money and Yes, I'm going to buy some charm packs - as many as I can afford to buy today. I have a $20 in my back pocket with no name on it and a coupon my Mom sent me, so I'm gonna use 'em!!

p.s. I've been working on the next birthday quilt, which is for Amy (birthday in mid November) but am taking a break to do a rag quilt for William (his birthday is in December, so I have to do it anyway. Why do things in order????). I came up with an idea to personalize it and I hope you are impressed because I impressed myself!! I stayed up late last night and have a great start on it, so I'll be showing you pics of it next week and hope that I can still get Amy's quilt done in time for her birthday. (I know I'll get feedback on that comment!!!) I love you, Amy!!

Blessings to you all.

Wow, another week gone by. How does that happen so fast???

Here is a little baby quilt I whipped up this last week. I got the pattern and instructions from a book called "90 Minute Quilts". I love the book because it has great ideas for quick quilts. But.. Guess what??

If you said it took me more than 90 minutes to make you are right!!! And it wasn't just because of the extra embroidery. Maybe I'm a slowpoke, maybe I get interrupted too much or maybe it's because I have to lay it out and change my mind 2 or 3 times before I'm satisfied. You decide!!

But it was fun anyway and I think it turned out cute. I have listed it for sale on my etsy website.

I used flannel for all the blocks for the top and the back is flannel as well. I embroidered on 5 blocks and quilted the other blocks in an X pattern. It's a very girly quilt with lots of pink and oh, so soft.

Well, gotta go get kids to bed and study for my A&P test tomorrow night.

Next time, I'll share my "block of the month" blocks that I'm doing through the quilt shop here, they are really looking nice!!

Thanks for reading my blog.

Blessings to you.

Good Monday to you!! Today I wanted to feature a couple of my friends who turn my embroideries into wonderful creations!!

Diedre is a gal in California who has a wonderful business making custom quilts. One of her lovely little quilts is pictured here and it's just too cute for words!!



She's also made some adorable little advent calendars. Of course I did the embroidery on the numbers and the Merry Christmas. Just so cute, Diedre, I just love them.

Diedre has made many beautiful and creative quilts; you can find Diedre at http://www.whimziequiltz.com


I have a good friend from Indiana who makes all kinds of things with the my embroidery. Pam is a longtime quilter and is very creative!! Please check out her quilts, bags, purses, ... here. She has a great blog showcasing lots of her creations. http://pamcole-pamspatchwork.blogspot.com/

Thanks for reading!!

Thanks Pam and Diedre for allowing me to feature your items today!!