A Check List....

I mentioned in my last post that keeping up with a regular schedule has been a challenge for me...

I am still sewing almost everyday, but not always completing or getting distracted.

So this morning I decided to download Evernote...hopefully, to keep me accountable....a check list of daily tasks...

Today my list was full...and thus far I have completed 3 of my 5 tasks!

Blogging was one **wink, wink**

      The Swedish Bloom quilt needed basting and then to begin quilting.

Because this is a shoppe sample, and I would like it to be completed in a timely manner, I have decided to quilt it with a combination of machine quilting and hand quilting.

Straight line stitching in the sashing and hand quilting around the blooms and leaves...

    

Swedish Bloom quilt basted and quilting has commenced - CHECK!

Not too long ago, I purchased the Farmer's Wife Pony Club book.  I realize I am late to this party, but better late than never.  

I love the book...it combines two of my very favorite subjects...quilting and history.

Plus, included with the book is a CD to download the pattern templates and even paper piecing patterns!  With the extreme bone chilling temperatures and snow, my fun weekend plans were thwarted.....so....HELLO, Pony Club!

I chose Pig's Tail as my first crack at it.  I printed out the foundation paper pattern and transferred the pattern to my Golden Threads paper.       

Why did I print out the pattern and then transfer it?  I wanted to keep the original pattern and the Golden Threads paper is easy to tear away.  You could also use parchment paper, but I have found Golden Threads to come in handy!  I used it on top of this whole cloth quilt to "mark" my design.  I, then, hand stitched through the paper and tore the paper away after the quilting was complete.

   

With my Pig's Tail pattern and some cute Japanese Pig fabric...I stitched my first Pony Club block!

Certainly, you have all heard about The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt....I seem to remember a little quilt-along with this one last year....

Karen of "Laugh Yourself Into Stitches" is offering Craftsy classes to help those working through The Farmer's Wife book.

You can find the information you need - HERE - to take advantage of Karen's Craftsy Classes! 

Work on a Pony Club block - CHECK! 

And, finally, I have a little bundle of goodies that needed to be wrapped and popped in the mail....

  

more on the super secret contents later...hehe!

Package for___________ wrapped and mailed - CHECK!

I am feeling pretty pumped right now!  I am off to meet my sweetie Molly {oldest of my three sweets} - we meet for lunch on Mondays...Monday's with Molly!

I hope the sun is shining in your neck of the woods!

Blog - CHECK!

 

happy monday

mary      

Quick Quilt....

I started and finished a quilt top yesterday....this is a sample for the shoppe.

I wanted to show off our lovely new Birch fabric....

I will be teaching a Coin Quilt class this Fall and this is a baby version...Coin Quilts are wonderful quilts for beginners {and more seasoned quilters}....this line of fabric is perfect for a Coin Quilt....

Hopefully today I will get it quilted and can share more....

Molly is still quilting away...and so thrilled with all you encouraging words!!!  I think I have talked her into doing a sampler of stitches and to post little stitching tutorials....Yay!

Enjoy your Friday!

mary

Stitches....

Embroidery stitches are lovely....tiny works of art....properly placed and perfectly executed....

Lovely Molly!

I visited my favorite little flea market yesterday....truly a diamond in the rough!  I found something so exciting....although like my little market, a bit rough around the edges...

It is a quilt top....just a top...not finished...it has some holes....but all hand pieced.

The fabrics appear to me to be 1940's....have a look....

When I spotted this - I immediately thought of Clare from Summerfete....and her English Paper Piecing....

I am so drawn to this quilt top....I want to know who made this?  Why did she stop working on it?

I think I can save enough of it to finish it.....

Have a wonderful weekend....

mary

Crazy Quilting!

You may recall, my daughter, the lovely Miss Molly is making her first ever quilt...

The vision in her head was a Dresden Plate in the center surrounded by quarter Dresdens....

And, of course, the best part of it would be the crazy-like embroidery she would add to the top...

Well the top is together and the mayhem has begun!

Trust me...this process has been very dicey at times!  I really expected to find it shredded and in the trash last weekend.  There were desperate texts describing how nothing on this quilt worked....points didn't line up, blocks didn't line up....oh my!  

But it is coming together and I can't wait to see it finished....

After we she had started this Crazy Dresden {and I mean that with love in my heart}...my friend called me to tell me her mother had given her a Crazy Quilt and maybe Molly would like to see it....

     

It would be pointless for me to try to describe to you how beautiful and detailed this quilt is.  The quilt is about 130 yrs. old and was made by my friend's Great Grandmother shortly after she married.

Crazy quilts of the Victorian Era were not large.  And they almost always consisted of just a top and a backing fabric.  Instead of being quilted they were held together with embroidery stitches.

And boy did she know some stitches!  She embroidered the most intricate scenes in the odd shaped pieces....

Like this.....

The fabrics she used were fabulous.....silks, satins, a chenille looking fabric, velvet and even a piece of her wedding dress!

And then there was the painting!

It was a thrill to see!

So take heart Molly....you are in very good company indeed!

mary



Busy Stuff.....

I have been so busy the last week....finishing up samples for classes....working on my hexagon....thinking about shapes and quilts....digging into my roots.....whew!

 

One of the classes I will be teaching this fall is a freezer paper piecing class....it will be a very easy introductory class....

this little carrot placemat should be an fun way to get your feet wet with paper piecing... 

  

Then over the weekend I spent Sunday visiting my mom.  Molly and Kyle {Molly's guy} went with me and we took grandma to the local museum....out to dinner....and we visited a couple of cemeteries.  It is good for Molly to remember her heritage...

yep...she takes it very seriously :)

Yesterday and today I have been planning a quilt I have been wanting to do for some time...

a spiderweb quilt.  I have seen many fantastic examples on Flickr and there are a couple spiderweb quilts in MO 2.  But some time ago I had ordered the kite ruler from Marti Michell...

    

So I think I will end up with a 17" block....

Sure doesn't look like much now, but I think it will be a sweet...quick quilt.  My plan is to use some of the Flower Sugar fabrics in the kite sections of the block...

Hope you are having a productive Tuesday! 

mary ;)

Happy 4th. of July!!!

Such a busy weekend....and this year it almost seems never ending.....the fireworks began Friday night and have been booming ever since!!!

I worked on some blocks....and Molly worked on her Crazy Dresden...in between the fun and the food!!!

This is a fun checkerboard star....I really like this block, but it needs a little tweaking...

I used freezer paper to paper piece it and it does have a few inset seams, but not too bad!

I would say a great All American Beauty!!!

Earlier in the weekend I had a notion to try a Glorified Nine Patch....

Then still on roll with the arcs and the flowering snowball block....I tried a melon block in black and white...

And I will leave you with Molly's Crazy Dresden...the center of the center block is complete....

Now she is working on quarter blocks....

Have a wonderful Independence Day!!!

mary

The Progression....

Molly is working on the embroidery for the center circle of her Crazy Dresden Plate Quilt...

I love to watch her mind at work....

How she builds...layer by layer.....

 

More to come....stay tuned....

TGIF!  Have a happy and safe 4th. of July Weekend!

mary

Whole Lot of Crazy Goin' On!

Molly mastered applique without a problem....today we work on needle turn applique!

With her background chosen and her Dresden appliqued to the square....she took off with the embellishing....crazy quilt style!!! 

This was the part she was itching to work on!

Molly loves Embroidery......

And she loves the crazy quilt style....with a little more structure...I think this idea is brilliant!

Today she will appique the center...I can't wait to see the stitches she adds!

mary :)