Bleh.....

Been feeling a tad bit under the weather the last couple of days....nothing serious....just bleh

so not much going on here....

but I did manage to baste....

mary



Wordless Wednesday.....

mary

Projects, projects....

I have quite a few little gift projects going... for many occasions...so here is just a little preview...

I don't mean to be so sneaky but I can't spoil the surprises.....

By-the-way....I love these hat pins....the color and the shape :) 

I began cutting into this far-too-gone vintage quilt...a gift for a special friend.....

And my court house steps are growing.....

I have ordered and received a few fun Japanese fabrics!

And I am getting ready to teach this class....

If you would like to see a fun picture of my last class....check out Julie's blog....here.  These women were so much fun and what fantastic pillows!!!

Happy Monday!

mary :)

Mellow Yellow....

I'm just mad about Saffron
Saffron's mad about me
I'm just mad about Saffron
She's just mad about me

Mellow Yellow by Donovan



Electrical banana
Is gonna be a sudden craze
Electrical banana
Is bound to be the very next phase

Mellow Yellow by Donovan

They call it mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow
Mellow Yellow by Donovan

I am having so much fun with yellow....

just the binding to stitch to this sweet small - whole cloth quilt....

Pattern from Scandinavian Needlecrafts by Claire Youngs.....

It's Friday!  Have a wonderful weekend!

mary :)

Super Secret Projects...

There are several big events comimg up for some special people around me....

I can't say who and I can't show you much....but I have had some secret squirrel projects of my own :)

this is a log cabin variation....court house steps 

This needs to grow a bit more, but will be for someone special....the idea came from here....

Another secret is this scrappy bit of fun!  Sorry can't show you much....

Happy Wednesday!

mary

Flea Market Finds - Part 2.... AND MORE!!!

In my last post about the Springfield Extravaganza, I showed you the sweet apron fabric.  Well it has already begun it's new life {for a later posting}....but there are a few other finds I want to show you...

one more look at the apron fabric :)

I found this piece of red and white buffalo check....love it!

We arrived at the market Sunday afternoon.  The vendors had been there since Thursday evening so they were ready to pack up and go home.  I am sure we missed a lot of fantastic finds, but by Sunday afternoon the vendors were willing to give us a bargain price!  So I found a very large quilt....not in good shape but that is what I wanted.  I wanted one that was well worn so I could cut it up without the guilt. 

Love the little dark blue triangle.  I have lots of plans floating around for this quilt.  It is completely hand quilted so it will make a lovely base for some embroidery, etc.

This was only about $10.00 and it is a full size quilt....cha-ching!

Vendors at Springfield come from all over the country, but we met a lovely couple from Ohio....just west of us.  They had a load of items....quilts, quilt blocks, just tables and tables of things.  I picked up a quilt and turned it over and over looking for a price.  The vendor told me her mom missed marking a few things and she would put $50 on this quilt.  My mind did some flips and I tried not to look shocked!  I was holding a queen size double wedding ring.  Completely hand pieced and hand quilted.  Scalloped borders with a lovely lavender binding....I could not pass up that price!

    

It is barely worn and I would guess it was done in the 30's from the fabrics....it is simply lovely!

I can tell someone loved making this quilt....what gorgeous borders....

This bit of wear on the binding is the extent of the damage.  I think someone took good care of it for a very long time :)

That's it for my finds....

In my last post I teased you with a look at a little project I have been working on.  I found this whole cloth quilt pattern in a book full of Scandinavian needlecrafts....by Clare Youngs.  I am using a large lemon yellow check {flannel} and quilting a heart design in the center.  The directions call for transferring the design with transfer carbon, but I have never had much luck with transfer carbon.  And I didn't really want to mark the top...so I thought I would give this technique a try.  You can find it here.... demonstrated by Leila of Where the Orchids Grow.  

I traced the design onto a tissue-like paper.  This one is actually designed for machine quilting...I don't have the original wrapper, but I think it is called Golden Threads.  Then pin the paper to the quilt {all three layers are basted together}.  And stitch just as you would normally stitch.  I will be demonstrating quilting with perle cotton to a group of quilters and I thought this would be a fun option to show.

If you look closely at the design there is a row of French Knots and a row of Lazy Daisy like flowers...I will add those at the end after I take the paper off.

Well, yesterday I received a package from Australia....I was so excited I forgot to take a proper picture of the wrappings....so I have recreated it here! Hee hee!  The French postcard is an early Happy Birthday wish to me.... 

In the year I have been blogging I have gotten to know several bloggers that I just adore!  I can just tell if we were located in the same town we would be stitching together and having a great time.  Suz is my sweet friend from Australia!  {But you all know that and her wonderful blog...PatchworknPlay}  We began corresponding when I reached out to her for some help with quilt instructions {don't you love it when the instructions are wrong}......and we haven't stopped emailing each other almost daily.  I must say, that is one of the most wonderful things about blogging - that there is a common thread {excuse the pun} that winds through these connections and pulls us together in friendship.  Okay...sorry...sounds like a Hallmark card....but you get the idea.

Suz is one talented lady!  Not only is she a master quilter, but she can knit!  Yahoo!  And I am the recipient of a lovely knitted scarf.....

I have been drooling over a similar scarf from Anthropologie...but this one is so much better....because it was made just for me by a friend :)

And if that wasn't enough....a very precious hankie made with Liberty fabric!  Oh my!  I am so spoiled now....I will be sneezing in style this winter!!!

I am such a lucky girl!!!  Thank you Suz....I am sending you a big hug!!!

Are you still with me?  I know this is a super long post and you are ready for me to just zip it!!!

But I have to tell you....the friendships are not just of the bloggy nature.  I have a dear friend whom I met through the shoppe and quilt classes....Mary Jo.  We had a class last night and at the end of the evening Mary Jo hands me a bundle of fabric! 

Wow!  I feel so blessed to have such wonderful people surrounding me :)  I love them all!

Have a great Tuesday!

mary   

Flea Market Finds....part 1

It has been such a busy couple of weeks.  And still so much I need to get finished....two  special projects...trying out some new techniques....my spiderweb quilt and still plugging away on the hexagon quilt.  Whew!!!

But today I had a very fun day with my husband at the Springfield Extravaganza!!! 

I have never been to the BIG Flea Market in Springfield and I was really shocked at the number of vendors at the show!  Unreal!!!  They had everything!!!  I sort of knew it would be big so I had in my mind what I was looking for....vintage fabric and, hopefully, feed sacks. 

Well, apparently, I was not the only one in search of feed sacks.  I was told by several vendors that they were a hot item and most were sold during the early bird hours.  But I was able to find an apron made with the sweetest fabric.

          

Isn't this fantastic?  I will use this in some fun projects ;)

Never fear, I found a few other great buys....I will show you later....

Today I began another small quilt using a quilting technique I have wanted to try.  Here is just a little peek....sorry I didn't have much time to get things together.  So stay tuned!

I am loving these big checks!!!

Finally, thanks everyone for showing your favorite fabrics and playing along!  Suz and I had a great time looking at all the fabrics and the stories behind them ;)

Hope the rest of your Sunday is wonderful...see you tomorrow!

mary

 

Playing Favourites!!!

It's Friday and time for a Party!!!  Suz and I have been cooking up a plan for all of us to show off our favorite little bits - or large bits - of fabric!  Come on!  You know you all do it!!!  You squirrel away that special little bit of fabric that you have used down to the last inch and a half....or maybe you have yardage, but you won't dare cut into it!   So here is your chance to Play Favorites and show off your bits!!! 

I will start with a few pictures of my all-time favorite fabric.

First up is an American Jane - Dot of course!!! 

This is all I have left of this fabric...boo hoo :(   And this is a case where I didn't realize how much I loved it until I had almost used it all up!!!  I don't even remember where I found it and finding it again I am sure would be almost impossible....do you do that?  Decide once your fabric is gone or a line is discontinued, that now, it is your very favorite on the planet!!! 

So next up is a collection of Katie Jump Rope....again, too little - too late!!!  WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?  I keep this collection of Denyse Schmidt fabric in a special box - separated from all the other fabrics.  It is sort of like the Ark of the Covenant!!! 

   

I love this entire line in every colorway!!!  But I know I am not alone....so PLEASE Denyse Schmidt.....give us Katie Jump Rope again!

Here is your chance to show us the goods....your favorite fabric(s).  It would be wonderful if you could add a little blurb about your fabric on a blog post with pictures and head over to Susan's blog at Patchwork and Play to link your post up with Mr. Linky!!!   You will find my favorites there and I can't wait to see what you have been hiding in that sacred box of scraps!!!

Have a wonderful Friday and enjoy the Party!

mary  

We're Having A Party!!! And I am going to Show Off my Best Bits!!!

That's right!  A Party!  Suz of PatchworknPlay and I are having a party and you are all invited to join in!!!  All you need to bring are your BEST BITS!!!

Okay...I know what you are thinking....but this is a quilting blog so we will keep it of the quilty nature.....

We all have our favorite little BITS of fabric that we are hanging on to or using in only the most precious projects....some are tacked to the bulletin board or taped to the machine! 

I have a tiny scrap of fabric that I cherish....literally a 1 1/2 inch square scrap pinned to my ironing board....

So get ready and take some pictures of your treasured fabrics....on Friday the 16th. you will have a place to link up your favorite bits!

And so I don't leave you without any pictures....here are a few new fabrics I picked up over the weekend...destined for a very special project...

I love this orange-y red and it matches perfectly with Michael Miller's tiny gingham in Fire!!!

So don't forget...take pictures of your favorite scraps of fabric...those bits you have been hanging on to or that yardage you just can't cut....and meet us here on Friday for the fun!!!

mary   

Basted, Quilted and Bound.....

If you recall, my family had an issue with this quilt being hung in our entry/great room.....

it was just too darn cheery!  But I have a large space that needs to be filled and I've always had a quilt hanging in that space...

So the Basket quilt in neutral colors, with lots of linen and muted tones seemed to be the Zen-like quilt they were hoping for....

It is finished....and basted....

This quilt was machine stitched with Aurifil 12wt ivory colored thread....random vertical lines first and then back through with several horizontal lines....

    

The binding is a French General stripe in grey and charcoal.....

the binding was hand stitched and the quilt washed.....and then....oops

  

A small area where I didn't catch the quilt top....darn! 

All fixed now and a sleeve added to the back so it is ready to hang...

This one is small....about 1/3rd. the size of the Dresden.  But I will add some artwork on the wall with the Basket quilt....

I will let you know how the fam likes it!!!

Happy Monday!

mary

Fussy {Cutting}

My dear friend Mary Jo introduced me to this sweet fabric.... Darlene Zimmerman for Robert Kaufman....

Sweet thoughts on a difficult weekend....

mary

this weekend is the 10th. year since September 11th.....     

Book Inspiration....

I love books....especially quilting books....

I have purchased a couple in the last few weeks that are stuffed full of inspiration....

These aren't new publications, but definitely a great resource for future {and current} quilting projects.

This is by Maggie Malone {gotta love the name}...the book is full - cover to cover - of quilt blocks.  It does not include patterns for the blocks, but is divided into sections based on the grid with which the block is drafted.  I think the grid helps make the blocks easier to draft on your own.

The other is a Kaffe Fassett from 2001.  I have a few of his books, but this one has vintage quilts and it is more for inspiration....how could you not be inspired by Kaffee Fassett?

      

Not much else going on....

I have been fussing with some arcs today :)

Again...another cool autumn-like day.....yippeee!!!

mary

Calm....

After all the horrible heat....we finally have some breezy, cool, autumn- like days.  My favorite time of the year....

I have been stitching a little quilt....in the calm....

The center is small and I am considering WIDE borders of Essex Linen....

There is something so soothing about linen...

Calm.....

How sweet....

mary

What a Week!

This has been an incredibly busy week around our house....

Family in town....the other side {family} having our annual reunion at the Shamrock Club....classes....work.....Maggie growing up.....oops

When did it happen???....she was a sweet little bundle of joy.  A very shy, dear, dear baby.

My sweet Maggie was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the tender age of 5.  It was very difficult...she was very ill.  I have such a love for this child and the tears are all still right there when I think of how ill she was....

But this week she attended a wedding with her special friend....

rehearsal dinner

She grew up...when your kids start going to weddings without you....they have grown up!

day of the wedding

She texted me last night that she caught the bouquet!

I received a lovely package this week from Trish at Notes of Sincerity....

Inside the package was this incredible bracelet for me!!!

And one for Molly!

Such a fantastic, wonderful surprise!  Our quilting community is full of amazing people!  And if you have not visited Trish's blog...it is full of inspiration! 

A huge highlight of my week was meeting {in person} Carla of Lollyquiltz!!!  We have exchanged emails and I was thrilled to know we would have the opportunity to meet!  She is just as sweet in person as she is on her blog.  I wish I had the chance to just sit and sew with her...I know there is so much I could learn!  So glad we had a chance to meet and put a face to the words :)

I need to crop Maggie's face and paste it to mine....LOL!

**just a side note** I would encourage everyone to learn the symptoms of diabetes....my Maggie was diagnosed at the age of 5 and my Molly was diagnosed at the age of 11.  Fortunately, we were aware of the symptoms before Molly became a very sick little girl. Of course, they have Type 1 or Juvenile Diabetes....it is good to just have in the back of your mind what to look for.  

We are off today to visit with more family!  Have a great Labor Day Weekend everyone!

mary :)