A Bit of a Break....

So much has been going on over the last couple of weeks that has kept me away from blogging or even catching up on my blog reading....

Most of my time has been spent worrying and caring for my precious pup...

  

It all began as routine blood work before having some dental work done.  But her blood work was a little off and so she was put on prednisone.  While on the prednisone she contracted a nasty intestinal bacteria.  Needless, to say we spent several sleepless nights.  She has been on an antibiotic and is feeling better...but she is an old girl - 14 yrs old.  We all love our pets so much and seeing them get old or ill is very difficult.  But for now she is doing much better.  

In between all the puppy care, I have had a couple of projects to complete for Quilt Market in Houston.  I should be able to tell you more about this later...

It is fun to be able to work with fabric not yet released....and this particular designer is pretty darn amazing...so it is always a joy to work with her fabric!

And, in the last couple of weeks, there have been birthdays!  Mine and a very good friend who has a birthday just a few days before me!   We both love all things Anthropologie!  So a little yummy smelling bar of soap and a handmade needle case fit the bill!

        

I enjoy making these needle pouches...and they are very useful!

Perfect pink stripe lining and a piece of wool felt for tucking needles into.  

I also had some left over blocks because of a measuring error on my part....ooops....so I made a couple doll quilts for a couple of cute little girls....

    

a very scrappy quilt with a scallop border.

And then for the little sister another scrappy quilt!

 

Now Emma and Madeline can keep their dolls nice and warm this winter!

As I said, I also celebrated a birthday!  And received some wonderful handmade gifts!

My dear friend Rachel from Family Ever After stopped by one evening with the most precious mini Dresden!

     

The Dresden Plate block is so near and dear to my heart!  I love this teeny version with sweet embroidery!  It was a happy day!

And my other dear friend, Susan, from PatchworknPlay sent a package bursting with fun!

she knows my love of fun socks!

But best of all, is the Dilly Bag she made using a piece of vintage patchwork I sent to her last year!

 

 

Amazing!  I absolutely LOVE it!  Thank you, Susan!

And I finished my birthday celebration by having lunch with my good friend, Mary Jo!  She is another lover of fabric and quilting!  It was great to see her impressive stash of fabric and chit chatting about quilting.  She is dear.  

Lastly, I have to say to my bee mate, Mary from Mary On Lake Pulaski...your block should be at your house this week!  Sorry I am so late!

happy sunday!

mary

 

Jack of a different stripe....

Recently {in the shoppe} we received a very cute selection of London fabrics from Dear Stella...

So I had to use them in a new Union Jack sample....

Perfect fabric for....

A raw edge Union Jack Pillow!

Cheers!

mary

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

A Royal Wedding Package....

Well....Molly has been cooking up a little surprise for someone.  Molly's friend has a grandma from Nottingham.  We all love the grandma!  And since the royal wedding is quickly approaching {oh what will I wear?}, Molly decided to surprise her with a few treats.

So for my part....I made a Union Jack pillow!

I had to square up the pillow to a nice 20 inches square....added some lovely dark blue stitching....

And there you have a pillow fit for a queen....hmmmm....

And Molly stitched a tea towel....

She used about a yard of toweling...hemmed both ends....

Added some trim!  We are going to complete this surprise gift with some tea and yummy cookies/biscuits!  She will love it!

I worked on another block for the New York Beauty....

Now I need to go clean my closet....ugh!

mary

Friday Finish....

I had great intentions today...no class this evening so nothing to stop me....right?  Oh well...it seemed everyone was stopping me....Molly wanting a sewing lesson...Mary wanting to pick out fabrics for a new quilt...

And then the disasterous curtains for my family room...I chose an absolutely lovely Echino fabric...nobody liked it for curtains, but I insisted it would be fantastic and so cheery.  I finished one panel, put it up and didn't like it!  I love the fabric...just not in my family room and on that window....Oh well....I tried.

But I did have one finish for this frustrating Friday....

The Union Jack has it's binding and a precious label....

This is actually an outside picture....Yippee...it was warm today!!!

For the binding I just used the same red polka dot fabric!!!

And Molly embroidered a precious final touch....the label!!!

So much for my bumbly...jumbly day....hopefully tomorrow the fabric I ordered will arrive and I can get crackin' on the Strawberry Fields quilt...I am itching to get goin'

mary

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day!  We are expecting warmer weather...maybe a little sunshine....and lots of love to go around!!!

I woke up this morning to find this waiting on the table.....

But alas...this bouquet is for the lovely Maggie!!!!  And Happy Birthday Maggie!!!

Then I opened the front door....and this was waiting on the porch....

But alas....this sweet sampling was for the adorable Molly.....

And my treat?  Well, besides seeing their excited faces....I made plans for daughter #3, Mary, and I to see Riverdance this weekend....AND....I finished quilting The Union Jack...

It is quilting with #8 perle cotton in white, red, aqua, and pale yellow....

Just need to add the binding...but that won't happen today....I think I may treat myself to a trip to Anthropologie....Happy Valentines Day!

mary