Thursday, January 24, 2013

I've Dared to Dresden

Welcome to day one of the Dare to Dresden Blog Hop brought to you by M.Samm of Sew we Quilt and Christine from Quilt Monster in my Closet our wonderful cheerleaders for this event.

I have been quilting for maybe 20 plus years and in all that time I never have Dared to Dresden.  The notice came out for this Hop and I couldn't resist the challenge. I had no idea what I wanted to do but decided that Valentines day was the next event so I went with the reds. Using the Missouri Quilts tutorial that M. Samm suggested I was off.


I am happy to say that I put the spokes together the first time and the circle was flat.  I did find that I needed to slow down considerably from my usual break neck speed.  Bless that speed regulator on my machine. I am generally not a quilter who is into accuracy, as in I will never do a Mariners Compass.


I generally stick to pieces large enough to stretch or squish into submission at corners that may need to sorta match.  So flat was an unexpected bonus.  My Dresden Measures 12 inches across and my table topper measures in at 19 across.   I was also thrilled that when all was said and done it finished square.  I don't know if it shows up well in the picture but when I put it on my table on point my table has a seam and a straight line in the design that would show unsquare immediately.


I did some very simple outline quilting with my machine to complete the project.  

Please stop by and visit the other very talented participants for today and the rest of the hop.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

January 24th2013



Saturday, January 19, 2013

Christmas 2012 - DONE

This is it. I'm finally done with Christmas past. I finished these place mats last night for delivery tomorrow.


For some reason or another Gifts fro B are always being finished at the last minute.  We have been know to celebrate Christmas and our Birthdays as late as June due to our tardiness. At least she is as bad as I am.

  This is the pattern I used for the place mats. You use 4 fat quarters and backing. They are really fun to make.  I used this same fabric for another set and the mats look completely different due to fabric placement.




This is a shot of the back of one of the mats.  I used the same fabric for each. Another plus is that they are reversible. Using the Black background Christmas fabric really changes the whole tone for entertaining.


Please take note of the flowers. They are summer flowers still hanging in there in NJ in January. I know it's been mild but not that mild.


This week I also got started on my D9P QAL that is being propelled by Freda who you can find here http://imperamagna.blogspot.com/2013/01/d9p-qal-flickr-group.html


these are a very addictive block to whip up. The block is rather big 13 inches square if you are using charms or 5 inch squares as your starting  point, so the sense of accomplishment is awesome. The pictures are of just 6 blocks.  Each block is comprised of 4 of the squares and the cornerstones and sashing.  made up All in one shot.

At that size you can commit to one a day and have a 60 x 72 top without borders in a month.  So far I have not been able to only do one at a sitting.

Don't forget that this week is the beginning of the Dare To Be Dresden Blog Hop, see the button.  I will be posting my very first ever attempt at The Dresden on Thursday.


January 24th2013

January 25th, 2013
January 28th, 2013
Rosemary B @ “that Other Blog”
January 30th, 2013
Charlotte H @ “that Other Blog”
January 31th, 2013


I'm off now to work on it so it will be photo ready in time.  See you then.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Words


Thanks to Madame Samm and  Linda (she's up today, see Buzzing and Bumbling below)  for doing all of the organizing and cheering for this blog.  Thanks also to all of the participants cause it would be such a boring hop with out you. I have included all of today's players at the end of this post.

When I signed up for this hop I thought it would be an interesting new concept for me to try.  Then I realized I have been sewing/quilting projects with words for ages now. Before I show you what I made specifically for this hop, here is a sampling of what I have done with words over the past year or so. 


                            I made several purses for friends with their names printed all over them.


I then did this Christmas Stitchery quilt for my niece and her then fiance  It is based on the pattern I found here http://www.sewhappy.me/quilt-blogs/christmas-sal-block-2/.  The pattern was free at the time but is now available for purchase.



This was followed by this quilt for a friends 4 year old granddaughter. Olivia needed to have a quilt of her "OWN" at grammy's. I hope you can see her name spelled out in the blocks.



I found some great Subway art here http://todaysfabulousfinds.blogspot.com/2011/06/independence-day-subway-art.html . Janet has designed subway art for pretty much all occasions.  I thought this one made a great decal for my 4th of July tee shirt. I've also used some of her other art for greeting cards and Gift bag trim. http://selinaquilts.blogspot.com/2012/07/lets-celebrate-4th.html  I have an example of each here.



A couple of months ago a friend in SC had heart surgery and I whipped up this mug rug to let her know I was thinking of her.





So on to the current project.  I'm currently into 3 zip pouches based on this tutorial by Debbie
http://aquilterstable.blogspot.com/2012/08/triple-zip-pouch-tutorial.html  This is my 6th pouch based on this tutorial.  The only one for me. This was the first thing I thought of to make when I saw this hop. I thought making a make up bag was a great idea for this type of pouch. You know face makeup in one section, eye makeup in another and then brushes and combs in another.




I have a large collection of makeup scattered about the house.  In baggies, boxes, drawers and pouches. Most of it is rather dated and needs to be tossed I'm hoping that this pouch will be the incentive I need to clean out and organize.





The words were typed out in Microsoft word and printed on Tee Shirt transfer paper.






The lining is made of some scraps from the back of a recent quilt stitched together to make a full size piece of fabric. I love it when I can do that.  All in all it's been a fun project to do just for me.

Here are the other players for today.  You won't be disappointed with your visits to them. Very talented and creative ladies.


Tuesday, January 15
BQuiltin Studio (Beverly K.)
Hill Valley Quilter (Britt-Inger)
Bumbleberry Stitches (Theresa K.)
In Stitches and Seams (Annette S.)
Englating (Marica from Sweden)
Stitchin by the Lake (Marlene B.)
Selina Quilts (Selina)
Sheila's Quilt World (Sheila M.)
Words & Stitches (Beth S.)   



Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope I didn't disappoint.  See you next time.


Sunday, January 6, 2013

almost done but not quite

I may not be done but my faithful assistant Tink sure is. This started with giving her, her gift in a paper bag and she thought she should be opening everything. We helped but she took it to another level.



On to my finishes for this week.



I'm still working on my Christmas  gifts.   This is a combo of 2 tutorials.

 http://www.noodle-head.com/2012/06/open-wide-zippered-pouch-diy-tutorial.html?m=1
and the 
http://aquilterstable.blogspot.com/2012/08/triple-zip-pouch-tutorial.html


I got this brainstorm that combining these 2 tutorials would give me the makings of the perfect makup bag. I then just couldn't let it go at that.  I felt the need to add vinyl to the lining fabric to make it water resistant. That's why in the photo it's so shiny.



This is another picture taken of the bag inside and it makes it look more like the size it is.  I would have tried some more but taking pictures was getting old.


This gives you a good view of the wide mouth.  So easy to do following the tutorial.


Here is another pouch.  It went to my sister.  The original one I made for her didn't have a strap and it was just a little too small for the stuff she chooses to carry.


It's lined in this very sweet flannel.


So I still need to make 2 - 3 more pouches and a set of placemats this week and then i should be done with Christmas 2012.

Then on to the " In Your Words Blog Hop"  which starts tomorrow.  Here is the total list of players, their links and date to Hop.  Please stop by and check them out.  It should be a great couple of blogging weeks.



Monday, January 7
Kwilty Pleasures (Kathy G.)
Debby Kratovil Quilts (Debby K.))
Sew Darn Quilt (Carolyn R.)
Traveling Quilter (Debbie A.)
Just Let Me Quilt (Carol S.)
Vroomans Quilts (Sharon V.)
Cate's Linens (Catherine R.)
Nini and the Sea (Denise)
Sew Much 2 Luv (Karen)

Tuesday, January 8
Piece Peace (Patricia G.)
A Stitch in Time (Patty D.)
krislovesfabric (Kris T.)
Grandmamas Stories (Jane H.)
Till We Quilt Again (Helen E.)
The Slow Quilter (Felicia F.)

Wednesday, January 9
Kathy's Quilts (Kathy W.)
Sunshine Quilting (Martina S.)
Doodling in My Mind (Darla R.)
Grammie Q's (Charlotte M.)
Dancing Moon (Carla B.)
The Fuzzy Hat Quilter (Laura Ann)

Thursday, January 10
Just Sew Sue (Sue B.)
Scrappy 'n Happy (Jess R.)
Little Mushroom Cap (Amira A.)
Sowing Stitches (Beulah aka. Carol)
Just Quilt It (Kathy G.)

Friday, January 11
Jane's Fabrics (Jane R.)
Jane's Quilting (Jane C.)
Nuts 4 Redwork (Heide W.)
Bits and Pieces (Martha R.)
Life in Every Breath (Jennifer B.)
Quilting Lines (Patricia L.)
Meadowbrook (Kristen K.)
Count It All Joy! (Denise P.)
Sophie Junction (Sophie W.)

Monday, January 14
Clothes and Crafts (Maria K.)
Simple Sew (Shirley T.)
Woolie Mammoth (Anna B.)
RocknQuilts (Mary Ann)
Quiltsmiles (Jane E.)

Tuesday, January 15
BQuiltin Studio (Beverly K.)
Hill Valley Quilter (Britt-Inger)
Bumbleberry Stitches (Theresa K.)
In Stitches and Seams (Annette S.)
Englating (Marica from Sweden)
Stitchin by the Lake (Marlene B.)
Selina Quilts (Selina)
Sheila's Quilt World (Sheila M.)
Sew Mollie Sue, Quilt Much? (Pamela A.)

Read, Quilt, Cook, Pray (Aletta)
Sew We Quilt (Mdm. Samm)