Random...

February means a new block for the Mid-Century Modern Bee...

Cindy chose a great traditional block...the Winged Square block

 

my block is predominantly made of Denyse Schmidt fabrics, but I chose this great Kokka bug for the center square...

And I have had a request to sew a pickle-dish with a few folks...of course pickle-dish is one of my all time favorites!

I have done a couple of these...

and one for Clare...

 

 me thinks this one will be from Denyse Schmidt's new line Shelburne Falls...

happy thursday!

mary

EXCITED....EXCITING!!!!

Wow!  I have finished quilting the Gypsy Kisses {pickle-dish} quilt.....

The pattern is from Kathy Doughty and Sarah Fielke's Material Obsession 2....I started this quilt way back in October!!!!  Pickle-dish is a block design I have always loved...and since I knew the Quilting Fairy wasn't going to bring me one, I had to do it myself.  What's a girl to do?

The pattern calls for 4 rows of pickle-dish blocks (3 in each row), but I didn't need a quilt that large so I made mine 3 by 3....the final measurement is about 93 inches square....more or less....

The arcs are pieced using foundation piecing and then the entire arc block is hand appliqued onto the background....the center eyes are appliqued to the center section of the arcs....

I added a piano key border to the two sides and a background border to the top and bottom....and hand quilted the quilt with perle cotton...

I absolutely LOVE this quilt....as you can see by all the photos :)

  

Other news that has got my heart a thumpin'....I was tickled to find out that Carla is featuring my blog today as she celebrates her one year blogiversary.  Her blog is Lollyquiltz....she is one talented lady so I am thrilled that she wants to feature little old me.  And not to mention that she has been blogging for a year now....that is something to be applauded!!!  Visit her blog...she is planning a giveaway tomorrow!!! 

Now that my pickle-dish is quilted....it is time to start my Tea Party {Strawberry Fields} quilt....

This is a pattern by Sarah Fielke from the first Material Obsession book...I am telling you - I can't get enough of these books...these women are some seriously talented gals!!!

I marked my quilting lines with a Hera marker....

A Hera marker leaves a crease line to follow rather than an ink mark....

I have chosen my colors...perle cotton of course....

love hand quilting :)

Finally,  with all the excitement going on....my quilt, the quilt along at Lily's Quilts {which is just too much fun}, the tea party at work and all the fun stuff going on at Sew To Speak, and finals and cleaning the bathroom :(  ...... I forgot to mention that I won another award!!!  I was honored by Cindy at Rose Room Quilts with the Stylish Blogger award!!!

As a recipient of this award I have to list 7 little known facts {or not so little known} about me....hmmmm.....

1. I am a child of the 60's 

2. I was born in Ohio and attended THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY....Go Bucks!!!

3. I am married to Mike

4. We have 3 beautiful daughters and one mutt

5. Everyone in my family has an M name...which made it difficult to yell someones name without stuttering....Mike, Mary, Molly, Maggie, and Mary McNeil 

6. My dog's name is Flanders...and I love every inch of her :)

7. I want to live {at least part of my life} in Ireland...proudly we are of Irish heritage

I will need to choose other blogs pass on this award...YAY...another excuse to peruse the blogs!!!

Okay- sorry for the very wordy post!!!

mary

All is Quiet....Everyone is Studying for Finals....SHHHHH!!!

Yep...it has been like an abandoned city about my house as everyone is preparing for finals!!! I love it....

So today { I need to clean :) }  I made my binding...I will sew it on later and then hand stitch the binding on the back tonight.

I couldn't find the same spot I used for the eyes of the pickle-dish, but a smaller spot that I think will actually work better...

I finished all the quilting....whew....and I love the back just as much as the front....

And I cut a few of the wedges for the QAL and checked them with the background fabric...I think I am on the right track....YAY!!!

I am off to add my binding and then clean the bathrooms....ugh....don't you feel bad for me???

mary

Weather Forecast....

Gloomy with a chance of dreary!!!  This is the view from my kitchen sink window....this picture has not changed for the longest time....

I have been able to check off a couple of items from my list....some of those I will have to tell you about later....someone may be reading ;)

I want to get this pickle-dish quilted so I can start quilting the Tea Party quilt....focus, focus.....

But I did take a few to practice some free-motion quilting....

Then I did a little quilting....

Now back to that pickle-dish....focus....there is another one on deck and other blocks to be tackled!  Are you always thinking of the next block or quilt?  Or are you always in the zone? Ha!

mary

Weekend Work...

Pick stitching and piecing....

What are you working on this weekend?

mary

Stitchin' for a busy weekend....

Just a little hand quilting on the pickle-dish....and almost finished with the Union Jack....

I know you have heard it before....but I really do love hand quilting....and although I started out some 20+ years ago only quilting in the traditional way with tiny needles and marking my quilt top...I can't get over how much I love the perle cotton and stitches that make a statement.

I do still machine quilt....it definitely saves time...but if I have the time I enjoy hand quilting - plus - it keeps you warm on these cold Ohio days!!!

We have a busy weekend in store....classes....working...visiting with the g'ma's and building up to the BIG DAY.... that's right....my Maggie will be 21!!!  On Valentines Day!!!  Oh my goodness!!!

So not much will get done this weekend....just celebrating...

Have a wonderful pre-Valentines Day weekend!!!

mary

W.I.P. Wednesday....

Still a good deal of work to be done, but it is beginning to look like a quilt....

My apologies for the dark, fuzzy picture....our January days have been anything but bright....

Mary

2011 Is Off to A Great Start!!!!

The arcs are pieced and the "eyes" are appliqued.....

(excuse the stray threads)

This is a pickle-dish pattern from Material Obsession 2....called Gypsy Kisses....

The pattern calls for 12 blocks (each block is about 24 inches) - and the finished size of the quilt is HUGE!!!  Much larger than I need...so I am making mine a 9 block quilt.

The next step is to applique the arcs to the background fabric....the lovely Betty Dear....

Hope everyone had a lovely and safe New Year's!  Ours was very low key....although with college age children about it is a bit worrisome - they will understand when they have children of their own :)

And here they are goofing off at their cousin's wedding....from left to right....Mary Mac, Molly and Maggie....cousin Joe in between....yep....those are my girls!!!

Welcome 2011!

Mary ;)



Pinwheel Update....

Finished the pinwheel quilting and binding....to save time I simply meandered all over the center....loopy loops in the borders (technical term - tee hee)....

It has been washed and dried for crinkly goodness...

The back is a solid piece of fabric...white with blue spots....

The binding (Cloud 9 fabric ) hand stitched....

I even managed to crank out a few pickle-dish arcs today....now only 24 more....groan....

Off to the grocery...

Mary

Meandering About....

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!!!  Ours was fun with family in and almost everyone healthy :)  And fortunately, only two gifts to exchange!  YAY!  

The rush of Christmas left Flanders exhausted....last night, after the dust had settled, she found a spot under the tree to take a rest....

Flanders turned 10 yrs. old yesterday!!!  Happy Birthday Flanders!

While Flanders dog chilled, I did a little meandering on the baby quilt (baby shower this week)....

Only a little more to do on the borders....then binding....followed by a nice wash so it is all quilty crinkly good!!!!

I am so excited that gifts are finished and I can devote my time to the pickle-dish quilt....I can't wait to see it all together.

Stay warm :)

Mary 

M.I.A.......

Ugh!  I have been so durn busy this week....sometimes I have felt like I am just spinning my wheels (ever felt like that ?)....

I have done some shopping, some Christmas present making, and puttering away at the pickle-dish, and to top it all off....a baby shower gift....for NEXT WEEK!!!  Yikes!

For the baby shower I am working on a Pinwheel Quilt with the lovely Cloud 9 fabrics...from the best shoppe in Central Ohio....

Love these fat little elephants!

I do love this pickle-dish...even though it seems never-ending...I wish I had an entire day to just sit and work on it...maybe next week...huh?

Some of my time this past week was spent bonding with my new LOVE....my husband decided a new machine would make a great Christmas gift....who am I to argue?????

So I decided to upgrade from my MC6600 to the new Horizon 7700!!!!  YAY!  I really like the 6600 and could not imagine liking anything more, but this is quickly becoming my new best friend....

It is huge....a clear advantage for pushing a big quilt through....I love the free motion on this machine....thank you Mr. M!!!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho....it's off to work I go!!!!

Mary