Sunday, September 30, 2012

A New Mystery

 
Here are my fabrics.  I am making a scrappy quilt.
 
To sew along, get more info here ...
 
 
 
 
and join us on the Q&N Forum in the special
Mystery Threads
 
 It is sew fun!
 
:-)




Saturday, September 22, 2012

Small Sept Quilt Done!

 
My September Small Quilt is done!
 
The freezer paper templates worked very well. 
 
Tutorial coming as soon as I have some time.
 
close up of quilting
 
Have a happy first fall weekend!
 
:-)
 
 

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Preview

 
a small preview

I am trying out a new quilting idea on my September Small Quilt.  To test this process, I made this mini mug rug for my favorite fall mug.


Here is another look at what I have been doing.

Time to quilt ...... BBL ..... ;-)


 

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Now in the Quilty Queue

Smallquilttalk September Quilt

The top is done and sandwiched for my version of the Quilt of the Month from the Smallquilttalk Yahoo Group.  This lovely September Challenge Quilt pattern is free from Kathleen Tracy at A Sentimental Quilter.  The center is a Doves in the Window block, one of my favorites.

These are the fabrics I started with ...


These fabrics are an assortment from Andover, Red Rooster and Clothworks that I purchased from Pickering Farm in various baskets at a quilt show booth. The fabric line names are "Candy Corn," Halloween Masquerade and "Funky Fall."  They are sew nice!

As you can see in the finished top, I decided that I needed a less busy neutral for the background fabric and dug one out of my stash.  I also decided to save the orange on cream "Happy Halloween" print for a more dedicated project for this holiday. 

Then I decided to make a design change and piece the center cross and the outer border so I could showcase more of these wonderful fabrics.


calculating the pieced border
 
 
sewing the pieced border in rounds
 
I loved sewing with these fabrics.   I only bought a couple of half yards ands fat quarters of these pretties. I also bought this fat little bundle of yummy ...


Pumpkin Plaids

... and a Halloween panel.  I love these fabrics!   I want more!  

I am plotting and planning my annual fall trek to Pickering Farms. If you love country and primitive and reproduction fabrics and you live in New England, you should visit this shop. It is a little off the beaten track, but is perfectly located in a circa 1790's historic house in the country.

Next month for Halloween, I really want to make this pattern from Jess at the Quilt and Needle ...

Isn't it cute?
You can buy it here ... Cat Magic
 
... and I do not have the right fabrics in my stash!
 How could this be?
 
 Pickering Farm will have just what I need. 
 
Clearly I must go to buy fabrics at Pickering Farm.
 
I am sure my hubby will agree ... ;) Pat


 
 



Tuesday, September 11, 2012

When Life Gives You Scraps

My Sunflower Table Topper is finally done!

This top was Made From Scraps from my Sunflower wall quilt.
The piecing method called for sewing corner squares on the Kansas Dugout blocks and cutting off the extra triangles.  These were very large triangles so I sewed an extra seam as I went and cut off the HSTs and used them to make this smaller quilt which is my own layout.

I put the last of the binding stitches on the table runner yesterday.  With the birthdays and such, it was a busy weekend.  Yesterday was My Girl's Birthday and she spent part of her day with me and brought her puppy.  So I had a great day but did not get much sewing done.

On Sunday Charlie and I made our first trip to our favorite orchard to pick early apples, late blueberries and get our first gallons of apple cider for the season. We like Carlson Orchards on their beautiful hilltop in Harvard for our fall harvesting.  They also make yummy apple crisp and have now added apple cider donuts to their shop sampling.  We think the Carlson Orchards Premium Blend Cider that they sell in their shop is the best we have ever tasted.  Sometimes you can find their cider in stores in the area, but the stuff they sell in their own store is the best.

Since we had big bags of beautiful Cortlands, MacIntosh and Royal Gala apples, of course, i had to bake pie.  On late Sunday night, my hubby and our oldest son, Jon, could not sleep until I cut into that first pie of the season.  This one is ...

Dutch Apple Pie

... with a crumb topping.

I enjoyed the fruits of my labors today for a late morning snack ...

mmmmmmm!

Now there is only one piece left.  My hubby just called during his lunch break and asked me when there will be blueberry muffins.  That is on the menu for dessert tonight.  We did pick enough of those small native blues for a pie, too.  I am planning that one for the end of the week when our Matty will be home to enjoy it, too.  Matty and I share a love of berry pies.  Matt likes apple, berry and other fruit pies best.  Marissa likes pumpkin best.  Charlies and Jon like apple and pumpkin pies best.

I like pie ... all pies ... yum!

I am working on my choice of blocks for the Block Exchange at The Quilt and Needle.  I picked The Old Red and Blue block at Quilter's Cache.  There are still openings and time to sign up and join in this quilty fun, so come and swap with us!

Pictures of my blocks ... and blueberry muffins ...  coming soon!

Have a Happy Quilty Day

... live, love, give thanks ... and remember ...

 9/11





Friday, September 7, 2012

Yellow Roses and Sunflowers, Cupcakes and Pie

My yellow roses are blooming! 

My hubby gave me this rose bush last winter and it survived indoors in a pot until I could put it outside and replant it in a larger pot.  It has been blooming again.  I love yellow roses. We used to have roses in our garden but lost most of them to a few harsh winters and other problems. We have been doing work in the yard this summer to put a new garden in close to the house in a sunny spot where I hope they will be better sheltered and will not have to be moved.  I am thinking to try to bring this one back in, though, and try to winter it on my front porch.

I have been quilting the

Sunflower Table Quilt

that I made from scraps from my wall quilt.  I did an easy stitch in the ditch for this one and it went very fast.

Binding Tip

When I make the binding strip, I like to roll it around and empty thread spool and place it on one of my thread holders so it does not twist and flows easily into my feed dogs.

Today I am hand sewing the binding to the back and baking the first pumpkin pies of the season even though it is quite warm and summery here today.  My Girl's birthday is coming and she has requested pumpkin pie rather than cake since she was a 'tween.  I used to have to bake a cake, too, for her friends who did not share her enthusiasm for pumpkin custard. 
mmmmmm ... cupcakes !
We have many cupcakes left from my birthday yesterday for anyone who does not want pie today. 

Personally, I love pumpkin pie.

Guess My Girl may take after me a little ;)

Have a happy quilty day ... and pie! :-)

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Merrily We Row Along


Another bright bundle of fabric landed on my cutting table today.  These are the main fabrics that I have selected for starting my newest project.

I have been wanting to make a row quilt for some time now, so when I saw the announcement for the new mystery Row Along starting up on

Lori Holt's A Bee in my Bonnet Blog,

I dug through my stash for fabric and started making plans to join in this quilty fun.

Here is the Color Palette I have chosen for this Row Along 

These are the 14 fabrics I selected for the first installment...


 ... and here is my completed Row!
 
I am eagerly looking forward to the next Row.
 
Now I have the sketch for the pieced backing for my August Schnibble quilt on the cutting table for tomorrow. 
 
I have another small quilt next in my quilty queue, though.
 
Sew much to do!
 
Goodnight and sweet quilty dreams!
 
:-)