Last week's block finishes.

Just a quick update of 2012 progress. I did do some quilting on the baby quilt, but not much on the big quilt. I had hurt my thumb, and needed to rest it. I did do extra blocks for the Christmas Sampler and got the Christmas Greetings BOM done. I have really enjoyed using the Farmer's Wife blocks for the Christmas Sampler. I've found a couple of blogs that have been sewing the Farmer's Wife blocks and I've enjoyed seeing there fabric choices! If anyone knows of any other blogs that show Farmer's Wife blocks, I'd like to know.

Blessings to Ya'll

 

Swap Quilt from Australia !!!

Words and pictures cannot fully describe how  the gifts from Janene have blessed me ! They are just so adorable and wonderful!

Aren't these colors just beautiful!! Love the little four patches, and the house is delightful!

The label reads:

"Autumn in Australia

Under the Southern Cross

designed & made by

Janene Nichols

Australia 2011"

Notice the stars by the house - The Southern Cross !

I put it on the wall in front of my sewing table, so I could see it every time I sew ! It was a perfect fit below my little shelf, which was a drawer out of an old sewing machine cabinet !

Aren't these fabrics just beautiful ! Such interesting designs ! I can hardly wait to put them in a quilt - just haven't decided what yet !

Look at these adorable sewing aids !!! I continue to oooo and ahhhhh over them ! Notice how Janene so meticulously fussy cut - a pin cushion for the finger pincushion (which I love !) , the spool of thread on the needle/thread case! Just soooooo cute!

Also on the needle/thread case see the vintage sewing machine !!!

Such items I will treasure always !!! 

THANKS JANENE !!!!

If any of you ever get a chance to do a swap, it is so much fun and so wonderful !!

Now to finish off this post, Janene sent me a photo of the quilt I sent her displayed by her absolutely stunning blue and white china ! (The china is well worth the view !!!!)

Blessed Day to Each and Every One of You !!!! 

New Blog to Check Out!

My daughter Mandie has caught the bug ! The quilting bug !!!! Yeah !!!! She has always been very artistic and craftsy and now she is continuing that and starting another quilt. But what is fun is she also started a blog and has just posted her new project. So go on over and check it out!

This picture is of a quilt she made a few years ago. Where I am more traditional, she is very creative !

Have a Wonderful Day !!!!

2012 Progress Report

I feel like I've had a productive week and accomplished some sewing/quilting.

Guild BOM

Hunter's Star (the BOM was any red and white star - I've been wanting to make this star)

Christmas Sampler Blocks

Christmas Double Nine Patch

Quilting on baby quilt

Quilting on "Colors of the Sea" quilt

If you look closely, you can see the "waves" quilting design.

Blessings to All  !!!

Yahoo Small Quilt Talk: Fall 'One to One'Swap

I'm not sure if I had mentioned or not that last fall I was also working on a small quilt for the Yahoo Small Quilt Talk group. Kathleen Tracy is the moderator of that group and is sponsoring a really neat sew-a-long. I've chosen not to participate this time, but if you like small quilts it sounds like a lot of fun !! Anyway, last fall I was paired with Janene from Yackandandah, Victoria, Austrailia. We corresponded via email and were excited to make a small quilt for each other. But what do you make for someone that says, "I'll like whatever you send !!" I feel the same way, but really wanted to make something memorable. So for several days (maybe even a week or so) I thought and thought and thought:

I looked through my quilting books and magazines

Then I thought and thought and thought again.

Went on-line and looked at quilts there.

Then I thought and thought and thought again.

Went through my magazines again and looked again at this one:

Inside is a beautiful blue and white basket quilt that I have drooled over several times.

Though you can't read it from the photo the quote at the top of the page reads:

"Blue-and-white quilt kits usually prove to be the best sellers in my quilt shop, maybe because they seem to fit any decor, from traditional to contemporary."

-Quilt collector Julie Hendricksen

Well needless to say, I decided to make a small blue and white basket quilt.

I even tried to imitate the quilting design that was in the book.

All in all, I was pleased with it, though I did end making 20 basket blocks to get 12 that I liked !! (So does anyone want the leftover 8? let me know - I'll send them to you !) The stats on the quilt are:

4 inch finished blocks set on point with setting squares. The quilt measures about 24" x 27".

I put the quilt in the mail the first week of December and waited and waited and waited for Janene to email me that she had received the package. But no word until yesterday. (I was beginning to think that she hated it and just didn't want to tell me !! lol) Evidently they have had some trouble with their postal service, and she did not receive the notice that she had received a parcel. Long story short, she LOVED it !! And to top it off, she has blue and white china that she said she would display it with !! I'm anxiously awaiting her parcel, because I know it will be just wonderful !

Blessings to Ya'll

2012 Quilt Schedule & Christmas Blocks

Okay, I succumbed to the "setting goals", resolutions, or whatever you call it when you sit down at the beginning of the year and decide and list everything that you want to accomplish, change, get better at ...etc.etc.etc.I'm generally a goal setter and list maker, but I was little hesitant to put to print my quilt goals - but then I thought, why not - think big! I decided to just post it month by month, that way I can evaluate and adjust monthly. Seemed reasonable to me. You will note my schedule in my side bar.

You would think that I would be tired of Christmas Fabric - but I'm not really. Last fall, I had purposed to use up ALL of the Christmas fabric that I had stashed for the past several years, and even after making 10 small quilts, I still had fabric left!!! So, I'm on a mission to use up the fabric and make quilts for every bed in my house. I'm going to do it like the CWR plan and make one or two blocks a week. Right now I'm working on two from the fabric stash - A sampler quilt using some of my favorite blocks from CWR and blocks from The Farmer's Wife Quilt book. It has been fun to choose which block to make!! The other quilt is a Single Irish Chain (also called a double nine patch) with 1 1/2" squares. One other Christmas quilt I'm working on is from the SBS Yahoo group and it is called Christmas Greetings. It is a BOM and will finish in March - though I'm behind one block, so I will finish the blocks in April.

So, enough rattling from me. Here are some pictures of the latest Christmas blocks.

And this a picture of my girls at Anson at the Cowboy Christmas Ball - aren't they lovely!!! (I might be a little prejudiced!!)

Lyn, Mollie, Mandie and Mikkie

Notice the quilt in the background! There are several hung around the hall, but alas I forgot to get pictures of them. WHAT was I thinking ?!!! I was probably dancing!!

Blessings to each and everyone !!!!