NFO 2013

Today is the first of a monthly showing of new projects for 2013. These projects don't have to get finished ever!!! lol. So here goes: A table runner that is waiting to be quilted.

Another table runner....

Looks like all I've made are runners this year, eh......These last 2 are finished,.

I am linking up to Barb; so head over and see what is going on with everyone else.

WIP Wednesday

Good morning folks!!!  Another week of January gone....so happy here.It has been cold lately; but looking up. Now let me see; what do I have on the go this week?

I did make another set of place mats during our sewing evening with the girls...same as these, but in blues

I have my project ready for the 'Hugs and Kisses' blog hop....sneak peek??  Sorry no picture yet..lol

I am working on my project for the 'All About Me' blog hop....not ready for pictures yet.

Over the weekend; I hand quilted this quilt for a  friend.  She is a friend that I went to high school with; we even worked together wayyyyy back there over 30 years ago.  And now she is learning to sew...one of the friends that I sew with during the week.  This is her very first quilt...she pieced it with a jelly roll.

I think she did a fantastic job on it too.

I didn't measure it, but it is a good size lap quilt...I just love it!!

I now have the 'Bluenose' in the frames being hand quilted. It seems like ages since I started this one.

This is it in the early stages....will post again when it is finished.

You know what is next; I link up to Monika and Lee; so, join us to see what went on last week.

Dare to Dresden

Here we go!!!!  It has gone by so quickly...not a lot of time between hops. But I am having so much fun doing these with all of you.  I hope everyone is enjoying their time.  By now; you all know our very talented organizer; Madame Samm...and Christine; our hostess for this one.  A huge thank you to both of them!!!

I feel privileged to be with such a talented group of people taking part in this blog hop.  So here we go:

For the Dare to Dresden; I made 2 cushion covers, but put the dresden together a bit different than the norm. I placed them in quarters in the corners of the block...

This is one cushion cover showing you how I placed the dresdens. A tone on tone white for the background, with the dresden wedges in the corners....framed with a green border. I made an envelope back(sorry no pic 

Here is a close up of the FMQ...I quilted around each wedge; did a little meandering with the little loopy thingy in the center...in a variegated thread to match the dresdens.

And the 2 finished pillows...This was a quick and easy project and I really like the color.

Here are a couple of Dresden projects I have made in the past....just to show you.

Ok; I've taken enough of your time...please take the time to visit the rest of the blogs today. Here is the schedule for today.

January 24^th, 2013

Thimble Mouse & Spouse

Debby Kratovil Quilts

Apple Avenue Quilts

The TreeHouse

Sew Mollie Sue, Quilt Much

Quilts My Way

Buzzing and Bumbling

Marjorie's Busy Corner

Selina Quilts

Quiltscapes

Hill Valley Quilter

Sew Incredibly Crazy

The Raspberry Rabbits

I Like to Quilt Blog

Cherry's Prairie Primitives

Spoilt Dog Quilts

WIP Wednesday

This week I have been really really busy, but don't seem to have much to show for it. How could that be???  I got together with friends twice this week to sew...this is so much fun!  One of the days we made braided runners: They were interesting....the first one twisted somehow...and I had to re square it up when finished....the second one I used the walking foot. Since these were sewed and quilted all at the same time; it worked out much better. Here they are:

They are now bound in black and maroon, respectively.

The second evening; we worked on placemats....I didn't do much on those because I arrived with only my top pieces....dah!!! forgot batting and backing....lol.  So I had tea and talked too much; had a blast watching the rest of the ladies work.  

I have my Dresden ready for Thursday's post...working on the Valentine's piece...and have started the 'All About Me' piece.  So many pieces...so little time!!!  lol

The 'Bluenose' is almost pieced; to be hand quilted. I finished the block quilt that is an order...here it is:

This quilt measures 92x96 inches.

I am linking up to Lee  and  Monika; make sure you take a peek.

2 Days Left ...don't miss it!!!!

Thursday is the first day of this fun blog hop...make sure you are here to join in on the fun!!! I am posting mine on Thursday; hope to see you folks.

This Weeks Sewing

Spent the afternoon yesterday at Connie's; doing our weekly creating...lol.  We have fun...sometimes we get a lot done...sometimes not...lol

Yesterday we missed Marla; she had things to do with her family that had to come first. We really missed her. Connie and I made braided table runners.  It was a fun afternoon, even with the snow coming down....I hate driving in the snow; so I was constantly watching out the window...lol. I lived!!!

Here are my runners not bound yet:

Winner!!!!

The winner of my 'Words' giveaway is.......patchouli moon studio ...who said;Very nice quilt with the tree.

I will email you.....or you can email me with your address; so I can send out your pattern and ruler.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to comment on my post....There were almost 200 comments, and I just can't email everyone. I love reading all of your comments; so please don't stop!!

WIP Wednesday

A week gone by already!! It has been fairly mild here so far this week. Snow has been melting; so no snowshoeing this week.

My Works In Progress: The quilt I started hand quilt just over a week ago;(above) is now almost 

finished....I have about 2 days work left on it. Just looks like the one above...much larger.

I finished the Dresden piece for "Daren Dresden' blog hop...can't show you that though.

I have 2 runners waiting to be quilted..pieced them last week.

No progress on the 'Bluenose' this week. But once the one I'm quilting is finished...on to the Bluenose. I have signed up for a new QAL...I know!!! Well' that is about it for me this week.  I am linking up to Freshly Pieced  and The Needle and Thread Network.

QAYG QAL

Amira is having this great QAL ...I have never done QAYG; so this should be interesting...at least for those looking at mine....hahaha.  Today we are getting started by showing our fabric choices.

here goes:      This is what I've chose so far; now it could change a bit.  But I plan on white for the background, solid blue for sashings...and blue prints for the pieced blocks....will probably add more of those.  Now I am linking this post up to Amira(link above).  Come see what the rest of us are using.    

Sewing Day Creation

I told you yesterday that us girls got together to sew for the afternoon. Marla posted her table runner last night(speedy)...lol.    I got mine appliqued this afternoon; now to quilt it. Here it is so far!!

                                         

WIP Wednesday

Good morning folks....it is so nice to be back. I have slacked the last couple of weeks with my WIPs.

So; back in the saddle..so to speak.

This week I have a large quilt in the frames being hand quilted: It looks just like this one,but on a large scale....92x96 .

I have made a little progress on the 'Bluenose'....no new pic, but it has some borders on it now...still more to go.

I finished and posted my 'In Your Words' piece today..

I am working on a little table runner....about ready to FMQ now.

I have 2 friends visiting this afternoon...Marla and Connie will have tea with me while we dig deep into some new project in the sewing room. They invited me a few weeks ago to join them one afternoon a week to create...lol.  We take turns hosting....it is so very much fun

...I love it!! Thanks ladies. I'm sure we will all show you what we end up working on.  Now; I am linking up to Heidi  and Monika  

so; come take a look at the rest of the lovely work going on this week.  Thanks for sticking with me.

                 

FMQ Linky Party

SewCalGal is hosting a linky party on FMQ...tips; what we've learned, anything we would like to share. For me; this past year was up and down with FMQ. I am so very glad I took this challenge, and hope to do more of it. I did take a short class in a local fabric shop; it was ok; but the challenge taught me much more. I may never be good at it; but I am much better and more relaxed now. I do actually FMQ most of my small projects now.

I started out with absolutely no control over machine quilting...lol. You would have laughed to see me at the machine!!  I was terrified of it...pedal to the floor; and hands could not keep up. Now; I can at least sit down at my machine and plan my path...it doesn't always work out just the way I thought....but I enjoy it most of the time. 

I have used a few different threads; liking Aurifil and YLI the most so far. I have a lot to try yet.

I really like rayons; they seem to run smoothly in my machine, and I love the sheen of them.  I have tried cotton batt and poly batt; they both work, but prefer the cotton because of less loft.  Fabrics; I used mostly cottons, but did try a rayon with sheen once...I loved how it looked!

I want to take another class in the spring; mainly to get as much stress free practice as possible. I enjoy the social part of a class; and it relaxes me to joke with others doing the same thing. I hate being too serious....lol.  

Here are a few things that I have FMQ 

Ok,,,,enough pics for you to have to look at. But wanted to show you that I am getting more at ease with this. I want to thank SewCalGal for this past year; as it has meant a lot to me to be part of this group.  I have learned a tremendous amount since this started. I hope to keep it up in the coming year.

I am linking up to SewCalGal; link at top of page.

'In Your Words'/Giveaway

It is the second day of this blog hop; and I have been anxiously waiting for it.  We have Madame Samm and Linda to thank for this one. I can't imagine the work these ladies have put into this for us.  We have a long list of bloggers taking part; so I hope you will visit each and every one of them.   
I had a blast working on my project and it went very well. What I did was; print up my words to describe me in 'Word Perfect'. It was the only program I had that made the letters the size I wanted. Once that was done, I printed them on Inkjet Printable Fabric Sheets. It went like clockwork;I have used this for Memory quilts before and love it.

Then cut the words out and sewed them onto the background fabric. Once that was done; I did a bit of decorative stitching to set it off. Then FMQ the whole piece. Bound and a hanging sleeve on the back; ready to hang!!

So without more talking(reading for you); here is my project:

The tree about me....lol.  Since these words describe me...I couldn't resist calling it 'all about me'.
And I did say there was a giveaway, right?  Here is what I am offering this time around.  A little pattern for a bag and 4" Ruler to make it with.

So; no hoops to jump through....just leave a comment telling me how you are liking the hop for one entry. Followers of my blog get a second entry. I will randomly draw after the hop is over.

Here is today's list of fellow bloggers; please visit each one.

                                                           Tuesday, January 8

Piece Peace (Patricia G.) 

A Stitch in Time (Patty D.)

krislovesfabric (Kris T.)

Marjorie's Busy Corner (Marjorie)

Grandmamas Stories (Jane H.)

Mrs. Pickles Garden (Hayley)

Patchouli moon Studio (Daryl P.)

Till We Quilt Again (Helen E.)

The Slow Quilter (Felicia F.)

Quilting Time:Terry