Little Nuggets and Blogger's Quilt Festival

These are two of my favorite and relatively recent undertakings.  Nothing is very recent due to a bad knee that has limited sewing time.  My Runners from Disa Designs has a bunch of very cute patterns in it.  I made two of each of these.  One each for me and daisy one for my daughter, sunflower one for my daughter in law.  I used steam a seam (my favorite) for these.  Hard to see borders but wanted dark to really set the design off.  Lots of fun quilting something small--so much easier on the shoulders!

The daisy runner for my daughter who loves those happy flowers!

Sunflower runner is on my table now

Go enjoy the Bloggers Quilt Festival, graciously put on by Amy every six months!  http://amyscreativeside.com/2013/10/25/bloggers-quilt-festival-applique-quilts-2/

RANDOM THOUGHTS

These are strips for my eldest granddaughter's quilt.  She loves reds and blacks, so when I wanted to try a Sylvia's Bridal Sampler Quilt, it seemed a good color choice.  I loved making all of the blocks in the book and even added a few others I made up or found online.  Took me a long time, and it's taking a longer time to get it together! A few strips are now sewn together--it's going particularly slow since hurting my knee in a fall a few months ago.  She picked out a bunch she wanted and her little sister picked out some she wanted--after she had gone through EVERY SINGLE ONE and made comments.  This from my little girlie girl who is totally color blind and sees only in black/white/gray!!  

Strips of Sagie's red/black/white quilt.

Made this wonderful bread the other day...banana, orange, cranberry, pecan, oatmeal bread.  Absolutely delicious.  One thing I do to make yummy citrusy breads/cakes/cookies is to quarter the fruit, get seeds out then pulverize the whole thing in my Cuisinart.  Gives phenomenal flavor.  Basically used a banana bread recipe and added a cup each of cranberries and pecans that I ran through the food processor, too.  Used a cup of oatmeal to replace one of flour.  Used about half cup of yogurt and half cup of butter, instead of all butter.  It didn't rise much.  Also, stuck badly to bottom, but such great flavor.  A 2 oz. slice is about 160 calories...used myfitnesspal.com to figure that out.  A great site if you're wanting to lose weight and need a way to track what you eat.  My daughter in law uses an iphone app for it.

Proud girlie girls with fruits of their labors!

Didn't oil pan well enough, so bottom stuck!

My twinnie girlie girls came to visit gramma and boppa for several days this month.   They told their mom they couldn't wait to "do projects" with gramma.  It's their first time being her alone--once before came with their older sister, but this time it was just these little cuties!  I taught them to sew on my "baby" brother machine.  First they traced designs on paper.  Then they sewed those cute little baggies for Halloween goodies.  We filled little baggies with candy corn and those silly pumpkin candies to put inside the baggies.  Next we made "witches brooms" by baking peanut butter cookies with pretzel rods stuck in them.  When cool, we put some melted chocolate and colored sugar.  We put all the goodies in boxes for their family and my son's family.  We had a bunch left over that hubby took to church to share with friends.  It was soooo quiet after they left.  Glad I have some pictures of them to remember fun times.

 Third of my four girlie girls tracing a pattern on paper

Grandmas' Treasures

Years ago, while living in Frankfurt, Germany, I designed this wallhanging to represent our family.

Grandmas' Orchard


My hubby's sister was an artist and after I'd raved about her graduate art show, she gifted us with a portfolio of her work. Included in it was q block print of their grandparents home. It was the basis for the home and reminds me of many times visiting there when we were first married

The hills, mountains, apple trees are reminiscent of my family's home in Washington. Many happy, happy memories of times on my grandparents' and uncle's orchards as a child and later my parents apple orchard--part of which we now live.  People in the orchard are hubby and I plus our children and my brother's in there, too.  The columns are three dimensional.

The lake and fish reflect both families as we all love fishing.  Hubby has great memories of fishing with his grandpa and I've spent many, many days fishing on lakes, rivers and the ocean with my family.

Entered this in a contest for military wives through a magazine catering to military families and was thrilled to be awarded an honorable mention.

Piece was sewn on my then brand new 1976 Pfaff.  Had lots of fun trying out what seemed like an endless variety of stitches!  It's still a good machine.


Be sure to go here to see all the wonderful quilted pieces in this spring's blogger's quilt festival:
http://amyscreativeside.com/2013/05/17/bloggers-quilt-festival-wall-hanging-quilts/

Flying Flamingo Pillow

Flamingo Thread Painting Appliqued and Quilted Into A Pillow

Amy, at http://amyscreativeside.com/bloggers-quilt-festival/ is hosting her spring blogger's quilt festival again.   As usual, it will be wonderful and she'll have put in countless hours providing us with untold pleasure as we peruse all the entries.  This is the flamingo pillow made for hubby last Christmas.  Years and years ago, I'd told him I thought those plastic yard flamingos were fun.  He said, "I'll know we're over if I ever come home and find one of those in the front yard!"  Well...never one to forego a challenge, from then on I've found ways to give him flamingos.  And after awhile he and our family have gotten in on the fun, too.  We have flamingo puppets that amuse the grandkiddos, a little rug, Christmas ornaments, a monster-sized flamingo pen, etc.  

Nothing exciting, but the back

Saw a painting of a flamingo in flight and decided to "paint" with thread after being inspired by several quilters.  Enlarged the design, pinned it to material, batting and a backing and did an outline of largest areas.

This is a very out of focus picture, but shows the outline a bit.

Just started sewing very densely with the feeddogs down and my quilting foot.

Flamingo really coming together, but you can see the puckering that happened.

Up close with the "painting"

Ended up having to cut out the "painted" flamingo from the original material because of the puckering.  Stitched a very small and very tight zigzag all the way around it before cutting.  Then I appliqued that to another piece of the batik with backing and batting, again with a tight zigzag stitch.  Quilted it in a circular spiral sort of design to give it an airy feeling.  Then made the pillow case with piping.  It was definitely a labor of love and hubby was really happy for his present.

Be sure to go to Amy's and view all the quilting candy there.  You will not be disappointed!!!  Suppose this would be in the art category, or small quilts...not sure what other area it fits in!

http://fligamapoof.blogspot.com/search/label/flamingoes  shows a lot of the flamingos we have

Somebunnies To Love

Somebunnies and their carrots to share!

Not sure where the pattern came from for these batik cuties...thought it was Bernina, but can't seem to find it anywhere.  Just a basic bunny pattern with floppy sort of feet.  The carrots were from a video--which I can't seem to locate, either, but it's just basically a triangular/wedge shape sewn along one side to make a cone for carrot.  Mine are about hands' length when sewn.  Turn under about 1/4" and sew a gathering stitch with doubled thread.  Catch leaf  as you sew (two mountain shaped pieces about 2x3 sewn right sides together).  Used forceps to stuff ears, and ends of carrots, then stuffed by hand.  For bunnies I knew were going to children, double sewed the bottoms after stuffing.  Bunnies couldn't have been easier--just sew 1/4" seam all around.  Their feet were definitely floppy as I couldn't seem to get them filled, but figure bunnies have floppy feet anyway!!!!  Very easy to make--made 22 bunnies and 8 carrots for grandkiddos, hubby and some other kiddos.  

Last month or so, I've not been able to sew on my machine because of a sore shoulder.  Could do some applique so worked on a Rose of Sharon block quite a lot and did a couple other things as long as kept arms close to my body.  The other day I got brave enough to try some free motion quilting on a pretty table runner that had been sandwiched for quite some time.  It's made using extra blocks from Clover and Violet's Garden Steps quilt-along:   http://www.cloverandviolet.com/garden-steps   Absolutely love the colors and got rather addicted to doing their embroidered centers and making up several of my own.

Centers are ones I made up or adapted from something I saw online.  Middle one mimics some of the fabric used in the quilt.

Runners Rule...Wall Hangings Are Cool

Valentine's runner from My Runners by Disa bought on Amazon

Some of small quilts made over the years, mostly last couple.  Enjoy working in this format--get lots of experience, appliqueing, quilting and binding.  First one is from https://www.fabshophop.com/registration.asp  where they offer free quilt squares each month--gathered by visiting online quilt shops.  I've done a couple quilts from their blocks.  Also, used blocks from one set to make three runners (first one shown here), a little quilted purse and part of a baby quilt. 

Close To My Heart

Son's Elk fused applique wallhanging done for his graduation from anesthesiology residency last year

Bejewelled runner, with back below.  Like how quilting shows on black backing.

 

Circly wallhanging done with girlie girls and boyly boys.  They threw circles they'd colored randomly on floor.  Used picture of that to replicate circles, then they and their momma quilted it.

Home Twee Home resides at daughter's home now.

In Leafy Treetops is now at home of my son and family

 Girlie Girls with ladybug quilt.  Hubby thinks they look like crazed chickens--ladybugs, not girlies!

 Fishy quilt for hubby last year.  He loves it! 

 
 Ladybug pansy stained glass hanging.

 Autumn Berries runner--hubby thinks trees with buttons look like E.T.'s hands

Candy Runner...made three of these last year for daughter, daughter in law and us.

 
 Christmas runner from Disa book, 2012

 Christmas tree skirt.  Squares made with small flanges (1 in strips folded in half and ironed) sewn to 1.5 in strips.  Used three strips with flanges and one without on top, sewn into long strips then cut into squares.

 Daisy runner adaptation of Sunflower Fields, Disa book again.

Made from orphan strips left over from Christmas quilt couple years ago

Beautiful sunflower picture my friend took.  Planning to make a quilt from this but not sure exactly how  I'll do it!

Tiny wall hangings made for a friend's twin granddaughters.

Katja's baby quilt.

Sunflower Fields from Disa

Swirly Christmas Tree...fused applique.  Made them for daughter, daughter in law and us.

My son, the sewist/doctor!  When he graduated med school and since then, I've made a bunch of scrubs caps for him and to give to friends...all sorts of fabrics.  His Seahawks one wore out so he found a pattern online that he adapted--all like mother, like son he said!

Made this family history quilt in late 70's.  Home is hubby's grandparent's in Utah.  Copied from a woodblock print my sister in law made.  Trees/mountains/lake represent my side of the family in Washington.  People are hubby, brother, my children and myself.  Awarded honorable mention in a magazine contest.

Well...lots of pictures and explanations for some of my work over the years.  Love quilting and creating in fabric!