A Year of Finishes....Part One

As my first full year of blogging is coming to an end...I thought I would recap the finishes and some beginnings of 2011....

In the Quilt Category.....

We have one of my favorite quilts of all time and certainly my favorite quilt design. 

Gypsy Kisses is a pickledish design from Kathy Doughty of Material Obsession fame.

This is a multiple techniques quilt....paper foundation piecing, patchwork piecing, hand applique, and hand quilted.

A popular theme this year was the Union Jack....

 

 

And Molly helped with the label.



Another Material Obsession quilt started and finished....although not completely quilted yet....

Strawberry Fields - which I call Tea Party

I love the sweet feminine nature of this quilt, but for some reason quilting it seems like such a chore for me....does this ever happen to you?  Here is the best thing about this quilt....it was while making this quilt that I emailed Susan {I didn't know her at all but I knew she had made this quilt}.  My copy of the book had errors and I wasn't sure why things weren't working out properly.  Enter....Susan to the rescue!!!  What a lucky girl I am :)  Good reason to finish this one, right????  

  

I was so fortunate to be able to do a couple of quilt samples for the shoppe using Suzy Ultman's fabric lines.....Appleville and Critter Community...

  

In May I was in a New York state of mind....a New York Beauty that is....

A whole cloth quilt...

made from flannel on the front and linen on the back....

  

A baby version of my Coin Quilt made from Birch organic....

I love this quilt....with the straight line quilting and then pick stitching...

   

Molly {my oldest daughter} decided to try her hand at quilting.  She does fabulous embroidery and loves crazy quilts.  So I thought she would enjoy a little hand applique and then to quilt in crazy quilt style!!!  Well, she did a marvelous job....

   

Then Lark {from Amy Butler} arrived in the shoppe....

  

Most recently, I have finished the Wonky Little Houses Quilt...again a sample for the shoppe...

It has been a fun year of quilting and making good friends!  I have a few more finishes to share later in the week....

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend :)

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

Wordless Wednesday....

mary

Peaceful Piecing....

Well, we finally have sunny skies and everyone is out of the house.  I am taking advantage of the quiet day to piece together the rows of my Tea Party Quilt.  It is almost the end of the quarter and I know my people-less days are numbered....so today a little peaceful piecing....

This quilt takes some time, as there are many points that need to come together nicely....most of the time they do cooperate and play well together....but every once in a while points need a little coaxing to meet nicely (or almost meet nicely)

I love the sweet nature of this quilt...hopefully I will have a couple photos later today of the entire quilt pieced **fingers crossed**.

Hope you have a peaceful day!

mary

Hello Friend.....

Well, I opened my door this morning only to find this little critter next to my step...

Now, he may look small in this picture, but he was by no means small...he had been eating and growing well...but for some reason he did not seem to want to leave this resting place and I knew we may want to walk outside today...I needed to get rid of this squatter.  I called the Ohio Wildlife Association and they explained that he was probably frightened by something and just playing "possum"....and if I thought he might be injured I could put him in a box (with a broom) and bring him in...ummmmm no.....I was not about to lure this guy into a box.  I gave him some time and about an hour later my little buddy slowly wandered off (he was perfectly healthy).  Whew!

I spent the rest of the morning getting things prepared for a beginner quilting class...we will make pinwheels...

And I worked on the Tea Party Quilt (Strawberry Fields)....I am loving this quilt....so sweet....

I ran a little short of the salmon colored Cloud 9 dot fabric....so I will need to pick up a bit of that tomorrow evening...

The border strips are not sewn together, but I do love how it looks so far...

.

And finally, I have been working on a little project that needs to be finished mid-month....

I purchased this precious ribbon some time ago...it has just been waiting for the right project!

mary ;) 

Weekend Work...

Pick stitching and piecing....

What are you working on this weekend?

mary

A Work Day....

I love Thursdays....everyone is gone and I have a quiet house.  I usually get up about 5:00 am...the boy {my husband} gets up about 4:30 am to get his shower....so at about 5:00 I drag my bag of bones out of the bed and down to the coffee pot. 

Once everyone is gone...I do a little jig and get going.

This morning the Strawberry Fields got me cookin'....

After some deliberation over the cutting instructions....I have a few blocks beginning to look like they belong in a quilt....

I love this fabric!!!  It is Flower Sugar by Lecien.   Very Spring- y....

And I think I have decided that this Strawberry Fields quilt should be re-named Tea Party Quilt...

It is turning out to be a very feminine quilt ....

Delicate Lace....by Hokkoh....

So - of course - in honor of the Tea Party quilt....I had to make Blueberry Muffins :)

YUM!!!!

A girl has to keep her strength up....you know.....

I hope you are having a lovely Thursday....maybe I will have some blocks all sewn together to show you soon {and yes the pickle-dish is almost all quilted}....

Flanders and I wish you a happy Thursday!!!

mary    

Weak in the Knees.....

I've been waiting for the remainder of my Strawberry Fields {quilt} fabric to arrive....Oh GOODNESS....does fabric ever make you as giddy as a school girl, weak in the knees, and an all-around blithering fool???

Delicate Lace - Tea Party....by Hokkoh

Day Bloom Bouquet - Garden....by Hokkoh

**smile**

mary