PICKLE DISH ALMOST DONE

Almost done with my pickle dish quilt. It's from Kaffe Fassett's Quilt Romance book that my son, Adam and his wife, Jenny gave me for Christmas last year (which seems so much longer ago than that with all the work on the quilt.) The fabrics are different than his suggestion and I wasn't sure it would turn out ok, but wow!! I love this quilt. It's for me to use while sitting in my chair. It took forever to make the pickle dishes, but it was fun watching them come together. It's backed with a flannel that's got pink ladybugs on it :)

Originally blogged about the pickle dish progress in May. Not sure exactly when I got the border on it, but below is the top before that. It's been sitting around after my daughter "sandwiched" it because I was so intimidated about quilting it. Had wanted to free motion it, but so far I've just done some decorative stitches across and up and down it, plus around the main body and the border. Then I sewed on the binding and now am handsewing it down. Not really sure how much more quilting will get done on this...have thought it might have some handquilting using pink pearl cotton. Don't think free motion will really work because it's a bit puffy in places. Already there are a few goobers, but thankfully it's mine and I can live with that.
Here's a couple pictures from the previous post showing parts in process.

All in all, this is one of the most favorite things I've ever made. I've sewn for 55 years now, and have done some sorts of quilting off and on during that time, but the first real quilt I ever made is probably the one for my son about 20 years ago that I designed and then handquilted. Before and after that I made a lot of pieced quilts that were usually tied, designed a family history wall hanging, made a lot of wall hangings and other little things that were quilted in one way or other. The first time I did a quilt that felt like a real quilt to me, though, was the one for my husband that I put in the bloggers quilt festival last may. I am still so proud of that, even though it was longarmed by my dear friend Shirley. Then I did the spider quilt for a friend and love that. The next one was the Marabella one for little Olivia, which is in this last festival. This is my next quilt that I really, really love. All of these required a lot of work following directions--not always something I do well. They also required a lot of figuring the puzzle of a quilt. Since I've always loved puzzles that is one thing great about quilting. Can't believe my journey this last year or so, but it's been such a great one for me. As said before, quilters are so great--they give, they love to share, they're creative (even if all they ever do is follow exact directions), they're neat people. Thanks to all who share with me, all who express appreciation for my comments about their work and who admire mine. What a great world--too bad the whole world doesn't quilt--think it would bring peace a lot faster.

Well...have a great Christmas if I don't post again. And thanks again to all who visit and express a comment. Joy and Peace

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!!

On top are the parts for one of the blocks that will go in the Snowbound snowman applique quilt. It's a different block than came with the directions and definitely in different colors, but I like it a lot. The next picture shows how I ended up sewing the two parts to make the pinwheels...kept having trouble with the seam allowances underneath bunching up, so remembered Mom used to use paper under finer materials sometimes and it worked well. Just tear away the paper carefully and easily! Just used computer paper. I'm not so sure I ever want to make more pinwheel blocks but sure think they're cute! I got the directions for this block from the 301 Country Christmas Quilt Blocks book.

It's the same book that most of the blocks I'm using for what I call my Christmas Quilt--creative name, eh!! These are the three sections for it. Most of the fabric is Kate Spain's 12 Days of Christmas fabric. It's not the most artful arrangement, I know, but I'm hoping by the time I get all the borders on, it will look better. Whatever, though, it'll be a fun quilt to snuggle under with the girlie girls and boyly boys--hopefully this Christmas! So many different blocks and techniques to chat about and maybe make up stories about.

Surely know I'm not the only one in the midst of lots of projects! Have been working on Christmas for quite some time and having lots of fun doing it. Except for a few things I've bought, (some to go with projects) everything is homemade this year and no one is getting unfinished gifts. That's a biggie in my family as for years I would wrap up unfinished things and give them. (I know! Crazy, but that was me) Now, if it's not finished for Christmas, hopefully it eventually gets finished and given for another holiday or birthday. At least I've gained some wisdom in my old age! At this point, almost every present is finished or very close to it...needing a couple buttonholes, a bit of extra hand sewing, etc. There is one project that's not been started, but hopefully will be soon. It needs a bit more input from the recipients, though.
These are adorable "grab" bags made for the twinnies. Aren't they the cutest? Pattern was on All People Quilt with a bunch of darling bag patterns http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/projects-ideas/bags-pillows/free-bag-patterns_ss11.html I made three regular sized ones and three half size for girlie girls. These bags could probably be reversible if you carefully sewed the lining shut. These particular ones are the reverse of each other. Fabrics are adorable, so thought twinnies needed them both.

In the middle of all this, someone needs a quilt just for them Thankfully, I have this lap quilt top done, so it's just a matter of sandwiching it, quilting and binding. The blocks are from Amy's Creative Side blog : http://amyscreativeside.com/2010/06/14/simple-sampler-quilt-along-details/ Of course, being me, I changed things around a lot. Think I explained before that I wanted blocks to be half size, but didn't know how to do them properly until DL told me how, so there are a lot of different sized blocks. Like how they float, though. It's a priority so expect to get that into major production tomorrow. The top is one I was sure would stay at my house, but somehow it needs to go to hers and I'm okay with that. I'm sure a large part of my being able to do that is reading all the inspirational things others have posted about giving for one reason or another. I love quilters--they're super cool, giving people. Aspire to be that sort of person...not always easy for me to do!

The last picture is a bit fuzzy, but of a fun thing my dear friend Shirley, gave us the other day...a baggie full of pretzels dipped in melted white chocolate and then in what's called firecracker glitter--HOT and sweet at same time. Super fun idea that would love to replicate for Christmas. Sailor Girl Gourmet in Washington State sells the glitter.

CHRISTMAS IS A COMIN' BUT NO GOOSE IS GETTIN' FAT HERE!

Winter has come to our area. Not ready for it, but sure does make things look pretty with snow on them. Look at this beautiful art Mother Nature left on my porch early this morning! Would love to try free motioning something like that someday.A few days ago it was cold outside but still some fragrant roses on my lovely arbor. I've been so happy to have this strong rosebush survive and bring me such joy.

The thought of eating goose or duck has always made me ill. For years I didn't know why until Mom reminded me of this experience...my father worked building trades when I was an eight year old and broke his arm that year with unemployment benefits not available to him. The only income was from my mom selling RealSilk door to door. (anyone remember that company?) As a result, we had enough to pay rent and that was about it. We did have a freezer locker full of geese and ducks my father had shot earlier in the year and had that for breakfast, lunch and dinner for about two months. I really don't remember eating the foul fowls, but obviously, it's instilled in memory!! Another fowl, however, is residing at my house for now...below are a couple sneak peaks.

Here's some more fowls living at my house right now. Aren't they adorable along with their snowman and snowwoman cohorts? They're from Bunny Hill's free Snowbound BOM. So far 11 blocks are done and I'm anxiously awaiting number 12. This week I'm working on the 13 blocks that will go between the snowbuddies ones. Will probably not be doing what the BOM suggests,

but we'll see.

Here's where I am so far on the ladybug quilt along at Ivory Spring. I changed things by halving all the sizes of each block, and used fabrics I had on hand. Aren't those Betty Boop corners just adorable? They worked out to be the exact size needed...is that cool or what?

Home Tweet Home was a BOM started last year, but I found it earlier this year as a completed pattern set that I couldn't resist. Wasn't sure I'd be able to do the applique by hand with old, old hands, but it worked well. I don't know what it's called, but I sewed light fusible pellon (right sides together) to each piece then turned them and ironed them in place. Took all the pieces to the ocean in September and turned and pinned them there. For the small berries, I made tiny yo yos for the best results. There are eight blocks of different sizes and some have darling pieced sections to them. Not sure this will get done before Christmas and at this point it's mine!! My daughter thinks it would look great on her living room wall, but for now all that work and the cuteness of it all means it's home tweet home is here!

Went to western Washington for boyly boy Adam's baptism. Got some really good pictures with my phone of him with his mom, dad and baby brother, Spencer. Trey (10 years old) gave a talk on baptism that was so great. Girlie girls, Sabrina and Sydney (they ARE twins) in the beautiful dresses Diannalynn made. And beautiful Sagie played all the music for the program. What a great weekend we had.

Cute Chef Gavin at his "kitchen" that fits conveniently under his mom's kitchen counter. His toque is from a free pattern I found online last year. He wouldn't have anything to do with it at the time--had to be bribed with a peanut butter sandwich to even try it on, but the other day he popped it on his head himself and Jenny got a quick picture while he was baking one of his Toy Story toys! The picture of my Adam and girlie girl Olivia was in Philadelphia last month. I love how she's grabbing Daddy's sleeve; what a sweetie pie!
The last picture is the head of one super cute and rambunctious little Spencer. Are those curls wonderful or what? He's so fun and just a joy to be around. Makes my life so full to have all these fantastic grandchildren to adore and Christmas time can't come soon enough for me to enjoy my whole family here.

BLOGGERS QUILT FESTIVAL--OLIVIA'S QUILT

Cutie pie Olivia on her quilt today!!

Oh, Gramma! Sure do love my quilt says little girlie girl!

This is Olivia's quilt and it's my entry for the Blogger's Quilt Festival going on at Amy's Creative Side blog: http://amyscreativeside.com/2010/10/29/bloggers-quilt-festival-fall-2010/ (I know someone told me how to do that correctly, but can't for the life of me remember!!) It's a very vibrant quilt, but doesn't show up as well in this picture that was taken on a rather dreary day.

Olivia is my newest girlie girl (it was Seahawks game day) and was the inspiration for the quilt. Wendy at Ivory Spring (http://ivoryspring.wordpress.com/) had her Marabella quilt in the spring festival and I just loved it, so was ecstatic when Olivia was born and I had a super excuse to get the pattern. I fell in love with several quilts that featured owls during the spring festival also, and got a couple pink owlie fabrics to use in it.
About had a heart attack when hubby sent the picture of Starsky (grandpuppy) and his claws on the quilt! Like the picture of Olivia and Gavin enjoying the quilt together a lot better! Randy was visiting my son and family when the quilt arrived at their home in New York a couple months ago.

This is my first effort to really do free motion quilting and am happy with how it turned out. There are different kinds of things in each section...sort of meandering wiggles in the owlie triangles, outlining in the square owlie blocks and a different design around each of those--stars in one, words in another, etc. It's so far from perfect, but it was a lot of fun. The pattern was great to work on and came together quite easily. Last picture is my oldest girlie girl showing off the back of the quilt with lots of different fabrics in the "coins" that are from quilts made over the last year or so. I've posted about the quilt before and showed some of the process pictures that I could without showing too much before it got to Olivia. (just added the three photos on the top after ddil sent a bunch to me today)

ADORABLE PYRAMID BAGS

Four pyramid bags (also called teepee bags) sewn today. Aren't they just darling? My friend Shirley, gave me the pattern quite awhile ago. She'd sewn one but for the life of me, I can't figure out how she did it from just the directions! I found a tutorial on flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cascioli/398244195/ . Was hoping for a video, but this worked ok...still found it a bit difficult. The sewing is all straight lines, it's just the directions that confused me, so I decided if four were needed to get them done at one time! This isn't a tutorial, just hoping if you want to make one, these pictures help some!

Left above shows topstitching. It's not entirely necessary and doesn't go the length of the zipper as I couldn't figure how to do it, but it keeps the material from getting into the zipper. Right is a finished bag...isn't that material just darling? Came from Attic Window Quilt Shop. Below left are straps for two of the bags--one pressed, the other finished. Right is inside of the flowery bag.

The left above is the first side of the zipper to be sewn, the right one is after both sides of the zipper are sewn, the sides are ready to be sewn on the bottom (right in the picture). I found it was easiest to sew the zipper with it open. It has to be closed to do the bottom stitching and then you cut off the extra.

Below left is the strap sewn to the outside material...I always super sew straps and tops and bottoms of zippers as those are where all the stress is. Right is inside and outside with zipper closed after sewing them together.
This is with zipper opened. Pull the two materials out so they're touching themselves. You then sew it with the zipper tops touching each other, and from the owlie side here, across the zipper tops (sew back and forth) and then over to swirly material side but leave about three inches open. See the pinky one which really doesn't have a big enough opening showing there on the left so I had to unpick some stitches (one set of directions said to leave one inch open--all I can say is, HA!). Just makes it a lot easier to pull everything through if it's bigger.
Blue swirly is fuzzy picture, but shows the top stitching to close up the lining of the owlie bag. Have fun making these if you want to. I think they're just so cute!! Here's four bags made for my boyly boys on Oct. 30th. Thinking of fun things to put inside these marvelous little bags for my dear grandchildren.