Mini Christmas Rose Wreath

I finished my tabletop wreath. I did everything by machine. It's not my best job. I regret the chosen fabric for the binding. It is too light. It has a golden metallic sheen to it, but looks washed out.  But, alas, it is finished. I need to move on to other projects that I seem to think I have to do for Christmas!

This little mini measures 13" by 14".  It was paper pieced from fabric scraps. It was machine quilted with a serpentine stitch.  I love the varied effects you can get with a serpentine stitch.  I wish I could say my scrap pile is smaller.

I still have to sandwich and quilt the Christmas Rose Wreath table topper. I did manage to pull the fabrics I will use for the backing and binding.  I'm sure I spent half of my afternoon shopping my stash and deciding on just the right pieces. 

Pumpkin Panache

HAPPY  THANKSGIVING  EVERYONE!  Today, we will reflect on all the things we are thankful for. We have an abundance of blessings. I hope to remember to be "Thanks Giving" every day and carry it into 2012!

Finally, I get to share one of my little projects from October.............And you thought I was being idle!  LOL  This lovely pumpkin was the mystery block from www.paperpanache.com.  Linda Worland is an artist with her paper piecing designs.

I turned it into a  12" x 14"  mini quilt. It is displayed on a table top hanger. It is a great piece to compliment the other festive decor of autumn.

Tomorrow we can bust out the christmas stuff.  I better get those Christmas Rose Wreaths quilted!

http://scrapboxquilts.blogspot.com/2011/09/christmas-rose-wreath.html

Wishing you all Gods' blessings.



2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge

I have made a commitment to participate in the Free Motion Quilting Challenge project in 2012.  I hope  that signing up will make me accountable to do it!  Free Motion Quilting (FMQ) is an important skill to develop if you like to complete the quilting process  to-the-finish..... and I do.    I have avoided using this method for fear I will ruin the quilt top.  It's time to face the fear!

You can find out about the 2012 FMQ Challenge here: 
            http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/p/free-motion-quilt-challenge.html


There is also a button:

Wish for me- courage and perseverance for this challenge!

A Time Out

I didnt mean to neglect the blog.  I must have needed a time-out to re-group.  I hope to be fully charged and back to my happy scrappiness next week.

I have been spending much leisure time enjoying the blog hop for the Quiltmakers 100 Blocks blog tour. Issue No. 4 looks to be very promising. I am loving it.  I was greatly disappointed with Issue No. 3. I am glad these block collections are again, on a upswing of superior creativity!

You can visit all the posts here:  http://www.quiltmaker.com/blogs/quiltypleasures/

May you all have a happy and blessed weekend.

                 *** THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VETERANS, THANK YOU !!!  ***

Hippie or Gypsy or Fashion Faux Pas?

Somebody caught the President of our Piecemakers Quilting Guild in a colorful outfit!  Did she find that outfit among all the gorgeous fabric which surrounds her in the photo?  Was she a live player in the 60's?  I think probably so!

This is Kathy B.  I wonder if this picture was caught on video as she held up the LQS?  I hope she will share some of that fine-feelin, feelin-fine fabrics with us!

 She's got those fingers stickin up.....no, no,  she's sayin  PEACE,  but what she really means is   "piece - and quilt " !

Christmas Rose Wreath has a new photo added!

Gun Adrian, of Sweden, has graciously shared a photo of  her tablecloth made from the Christmas Rose Wreath pattern.  Thank you, Gun!  I have included a link to her blog so you can visit her there and see what she is working on.  Click on the photo for a larger view.

Gun Adrian, Sweden
 http://rutigt.wordpress.com

If anyone else creates this holiday topper, I'd love to share a photo of it here.  I am still hoping to make this pattern in the miniature 12" size.  It is very close to the top of my to-do list.

Actually, I think tomorrow is the day I am challenged to quilting and finishing my first Christmas Rose Wreath topper.  Wish me luck !!

Mystery Construction Zone

Watch your speed in a construction zone!  HA!

 DH & I have decided on Layout #2.  It has balance and flow (sounds like my medical report) and a pleasant distribution of color.  Now he wants me to speed thru the joining of its pieces, before a big wind might come along and swoosh them out of order!  But really I think he wants the pieces off the dining room table.  LOL

Thank you, everyone, for offering your opinions!  Don't go too far away.....I might need help with the borders. ;D

Twisted Mystery - Possible Solutions

Yikes!  It's been a long week............busy busy busy. I have been sewing alot, just ask DH.  I had nothing to blog about - unfinished pieces everywhere! Now today we are both under the weather.  We're just lounging around, being lazy and trying not to share any germs with the general public.  You're welcome!  lol

I solicited DH to help me unjumble the parts of Carol Doak's Twisted Msytery. Many overly creative members of the group posted photos of their possible solutions - an amazing twist of ideas! So I picked a couple layouts and we assembled them on the table, which is just a little smaller than the project.  DH took photos. Oh what a help that is to be able to observe a layout from a photo.

Layout 2

Layout 3

Layout  1

I had trouble getting the photos placed in order. I'm also having editing issues!  Well,  now I'm SOLICITING OPINIONS.  Which layout is the most appealing?  Please help me decide and leave your comments.  Thanks for helping!

Clue # 6 - Twisted Mystery

Aha. Clue # 6 is finished.  This is the last clue - so they say. LOL

Stay tuned for the layout options! I may need your help and have to solicit votes on the final layout plan.

Clue # 5 - Twisted Mystery

Lots of commitments have kept me away from my Carol Doak mystery project. Today, I was able to get back to it and get clue # 5 sewn. It doesnt look that interesting, but if you could see all the other parts, they really pop, especially with the black background.

Wait until you see clue # 6, it is really colorful!  That is the last clue. I hope to make those blocks tomorrow. Then, I will be looking for some fantastic layout designs with these parts.

If you want to take part in this mystery, you will find it on Carol's yahoo group. Lots of creativity going on there:   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CarolDoakQuiltingGroup/

I wish you all  a blessed week.  Stay tuned for the mystery unveiling!

Clue # 4 - Twisted Mystery

I have completed Clue #4 and even assembled the parts, as instructed. I think I'll backtrack some of my clues and assemble other blocks, where instructed. Initially, I thought to leave everything separated, so I could take advantage of  any design liberties which occured to me.  LOL  Now that there are so many parts, I'm feeling more comfort in putting them together.

Tis the season here in the Midwest. I have definitely resorted to colors of autumn. I have a few other quilted items which would play very nicely with this project. I hope it gets finished in time. 

As reality sets in, I'll be talking about doing the quilting on this project  'Next' year.  lol

Happy Thanksgiving, Canada!

I wish everyone in Canada a Happy Thanksgiving celebration! May you all share good times with family and friends.

I have been ever so busy here - sewing yes - but no photos to post yet! I'm hoping that tomorrow I can sew clue #4 of the twisted mystery and post a photo of that., which is not very interesting for you all, until you can see it come together as a design.

So many projects going on. How will I ever get caught up?

Clue # 3 - Twisted Mystery

Clue # 3 ... finished already!  I didn't mean to rush, but I have other commitments for the rest of the week!  This clue needed 16 identical blocks. It is the same block pattern as in Clue #1 & 2, just some fabrics are changed and it is half the size - finishing at 3 inches. I enjoyed making it more that I enjoyed making the larger size blocks.

Instructions called for sewing half of the blocks into pairs.  I haven't done that yet. I like to leave my options open. Maybe I'll want to assemble it in a unique way.  I seem to be using autumn colors. I hope we're done in time to display for Thanksgiving.

Clue # 2 - Twisted Mystery

Clue 2 is finished - 4 quarter blocks. Since they are not to be sewn together into a larger block,I suspect they will play into the outermost  corners of the quilt design.  I hope Carol surprises me anyway!

This was the same pattern as Clue 1, but there was a little color change for this block.    I wonder how exotic the next set of blocks will be?  LOL  I do wish I had selected a softer color for the background, but that is the norm for me. ...  always wonder how it would have been with other choices!

Just not enough time and not enough fabric, well okay, just not enough time to find out!  :D

Clue # 1 - Twisted Mystery

I very nearly forgot to post my first block for the Twisted Mystery project taking place over at Carol Doaks' Yahoo group.

Clue # 1  

This block is actually constructed from 4-quarters, pieces rotated to create the star, then sewn together. It is all paper pieced - no pointy templates going on here.






You need to belong to Carol's yahoo group to be able to collect the clues. Visit  " My Links"  page for the addy.

Twisted Mystery Palette Change

I changed the palette for my Twisted Mystery project. I added some lovely new greens, changed the yellow, changed another warm color and included a 'possible' border.

Now I'm off to a cutting party. LOL  I better start cutting the fabrics I'm totally sure about, first. :D  I have selected fall fabrics. Maybe it will be a table topper or maybe I'll add more rounds and make it lap size?

Blocks for this project will start  being  released this Wednesday, Sept 28th at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CarolDoakQuiltingGroup/

Will any of you be sewing up this mystery with me?

Twisted Mystery Quilt

A new project is evolving at Carol Doak's yahoo group. It is being labeled a Twisted Mystery. It will grow in stages. We do not know what the pattern will look like until we're nearly finished.  But watch us try to figure it out! It will all be paper pieced, of course.

This is my color palette. I may change out a couple pieces; especially the light green and maybe the orange on the end.  The black is the background.

I will post the blocks as they are made. Maybe you can help me visualize the final design. It will be 36 inches, before borders, You can also take part in this mystery by visiting Carol's group  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CarolDoakQuiltingGroup/

Pillowcase Dresses - Done!

Phew. It seems I've been AWOL.  Not really.  I have been slaving away on making dresses for Haiti. I ran out of pillowcases and made a bunch from yardage. Lots of sewing and lots of making bias tape!  I must be pretty good at it now. It takes about 80 inches of bias tape per dress.

I set a personal goal of making 50 dresses. My last batch was 23 pillowcase dresses. This batch has 28 dresses. This photo holds a few of the fabric combinations I worked with.

50 Dresses for Haiti

I am ready to break away to another project.  I am especially excited for an upcoming trip to Shipshewana! My main focus will be the Coming Home quilt barn panels.

http://www.fatquartershop.com/store/stores_app/Browse_Item_Details.asp?sid=73789211644297378&Store_id=499&page_id=23&Item_ID=63596&Parent_Ids=



I wonder if I should consider any other collections?  :D

Day 5 .... Handwork - * While You Wait Week *

Our  'Handwork   While You Wait Week' wraps up with a handy tutorial for a Hexagon Needle Case and be sure to check out the tutorials offered every day  this week at http://www.victorianaquiltdesigns.com/VictorianaQuilters/Handwork/main.htm

I am still working on a large batch of pillowcase dresses, without the pillowcases now. LOL   I am working toward my goal of 50 dresses. I had to resort to yardage to meet this goal.  I am now reaching the dreaded final step of making ALOT of bias tape and sewing that to the dresses. Pictures later,  quite a bit later!

I hope you all had a great week. We have a beautiful September weekend coming up here in the Midwest.

Day 4 .... Handwork - * While You Wait Week *

There is a wonderful tutorial on english paper piecing today offered by Janet M Davies. Janet does superior needlework.  You can see it here:
http://www.victorianaquiltdesigns.com/VictorianaQuilters/Handwork/main.htm

I hope everyone has a blessed and creative day.