Oh Christmas Tree...

Carole E's little Christmas Tree quilt has taken up space on my favorite recliner.  She picked some wonderful fabrics and they look right at home with all my greens.

Rockin' Star

Rockin' with my "Arkansas Star" little machine-paper-pieced quilt made by Kim Woods, my online Bee Pal from Missouri.

Postage Stamp Basket

 Kim H's wonky gold star quilt with a postage stamp background is keeping my basket of stamps covered until they all are assembled.  My little Christmas quilt tour continues...

"We Three Kings..."

This gorgeous  Three Kings quilt made by my friend Encyclopedia inspires me to song.  I love all the music of the season, from Carols to Country to Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree.  

Do you have a favorite?

Decking the Halls...

Decking the halls with little quilts from friends.  Lisa Mason made this cute tipsy tree. 

 Cheers!

Oh, Christmas Tree...

How lovely are these tiny trees from dear David!  He remembers searching for the perfect Christmas tree in the woods.  A wonderful Christmas memory now lives in my house... 

I have an attic full of holiday decorations, but holiday quilts from friends are my favorite of all!

Tie Fun

Was gifted this bagful of ties from a fun friend! 

 Hmmmm....

"Foundlings"

My orphan blocks are happy in their new home now.  Those leftover bow ties and odd blocks were too good to toss, and I am very glad I didn't now.   "Waste not, want not..."

Closeup of my "Full of Scraps" dolly and her yoyos.

Old Friends Forever

I recently ran into an old friend from one of my early quilt classes and she told me she was giving up quilting...and could I use her stash.  I said I'd be glad take it off her hands and put it into a quilt along with my own vintage collection.  What are friends for?

Keeping On...

Keeping on sewing postage stamps here.  Slow work, but I enjoy the process and the progress.   

Twenty pages done!  

Keep Calm and Quilt On...

I just received the sad news of my friend Eri's passing.  She was always making quilty gifts for others and has left a trail of keepsakes for many of us.  She made me this caddy and bag and recently got me started on yo-yos.  I will miss her so much but will "keep calm and quilt on" just as she did up to the end.  What a wonderful legacy from this gifted young woman!

Size Matters

We swapped HST's in my Needle Arts group at the library.  So much fun to arrange the great variety of batiks in this Hanging Diamonds pattern...

I stitched them up today and was amazed how much smaller they became.  The 2 1/2" HSTs shrank to 2" and I think lost some of their charm.  What do you think?

Barb Vedder's Civil War Swap

I have not done an online swap before, but this was the one for me.  Bowties are my all time favorite block, and my stash of Civil War fabrics is needing to breathe.  Mailed 80 bowties to Barb Vedder, and now the hardest part...waiting to see what other swappers have made for me!

1718-ish Coverlet

Made four more blocks today.  The applique was time consuming, but the pieced blocks were a breeze.  I like the Kaffe gold and gray striped block a lot...not in the pattern book.  Already I have strayed from the original quilt design, but that was bound to happen.  I am taking some"liberties" with the blocks now.  However, I really admire those with the skill and patience to follow the original.

Sweet Charity

Tina's beautiful Show & Tell at Empire guild's charity sewing night at City Quilter...among many more wonderful gifts in the making for some folks who need some caring.  Not too soon to think about holiday gifts for the less fortunate.  Very cool, in fact...

English Garden is Growing...

Having a wonderful time with these Liberty florals.  The delicate prints are on the finest fabrics.  Hand piecing these is like reading Jane Austen in the shade...so genteel!

Easing Into My 1718 Coverlet

My first block 

and the second...

and then number three!

I joined The 1718 Coverlet Quiltalong, but I am six months behind already!!

Can You Guess??

Guess what this little gadget is...

a) wooden iron

b) seam roller

c) trapezius massager

d) all of the above

The answer is (d) and I bought one today at my guild meeting.  It is a handy "iron" for pressing seams at the sewing machine, leaves no carbon footprint, and relieves neck pain---all in one cute little power-less tool.  Oh, and I bought these luscious reds to use it on...no sleep tonight!

Still Quilting After All These Years...

This quilt was started years ago, and I have been enjoying it all along the way.  It is basted and bound now, so I can hand quilt the hexies at my leisure.  Very cozy on the cold rainy days we are having this week.

Colour My World

Colour my world with Kaffes and Liberties!  I have been saving these for something special and am 

hoping to put them into my  1718 Coverlet.  

AND

 My lawn is up!!!  Not quite Downton Abbey here yet, but this new grass is the grandest green!

New Start

 

Landscaping work has begun in my backyard at last.  

Remnants of an ancient oil tank were exhumed in the process.  An artifact, maybe?

I just want to see some grass now!  Meanwhile, I am starting a new quilt--

Spring, I think...

 Last week the furnace and this week AC!!   Whatever happened to Spring??  Thankfully, my pink dogwood knows what season it is.  Hope it stays a while...

A Classic

 

No problem getting in to hear the Shanghai Quartet today...but I had bought in advance.  Now I get it... make reservations over the phone!!

The program was classic and so was Jacket.  Never goes out of style!

Coat of Arms

I am now the proud bearer of the NYCMetro Mod coat of arms.  I get to wear this genteel jacket wherever I want for the next month and my first stop was lunch after today's meeting.  Wanted to grab a bite at Becco, but no tables were available.  After being turned away at several other lovely spots, ended up at the 8th Avenue Shake Shack.  The line was out the door and down the street in front of The Gentlemen's some kinda club.  Not to worry, no one dared to make a pass at the wearer of this coat-of-arms!

Return to Elm Creek

I made these little 6" Elm Creek blocks a while ago with a focus group at Empire Guild.  They are from "Sylvia's Bridal Sampler" book.  The 2-color combo of burgundy & cream did not work in many of the blocks, so  I added a bow tie (a favorite of mine) and some hexies.  Now to find some more blocks that are 2-color friendly.  Can hardly wait to get the new Red & White book which I hear is coming soon!

Before and After

This was my backyard last spring

BEFORE the cesspool collapsed in December.

This is my backyard now

AFTER the new septic installation...

It's going to be a busy spring here!!!

Neutral Corner

There were so many knockout quilts at the Empire Show this year that I simply had to take several trips around the quilt aisles for a second and third look.  But for some reason, this one grabbed my eye and would not let go.  I want...no, I need to make this quilt so I can live with it forever!!

Sorry to say, I was so mesmerized that I did not catch the name of the quilt or the maker.

Traditional Modern?

I love these traditional Cat's Cradle blocks made with Cherrywoods.   They look modern to me, but then again--I have trouble with categories.  Who cares, anyway!  I know what I like...

Quilt Mom

Lenore Matray, my quilt mom just passed away at the age of ninety-three.  Her enthusiasm for quilting was contagious.  She kept me going whenever I got bogged down with a project.  We "Dear Janed" together, we appliqued, we hand quilted, we lunched at Mario's, we played "Words With Friends, we just had so many wonderful days together that I cannot imagine quilting-in-the-park without her...but I do know her spirit will live in my heart forever.

I made this quilted portrait of her in 2007,  which she hung above her sewing machine.
                                                 

 Thanks QMom!

PS   Lenore was like a mom to me, but my real mom passed away last year.  I was lucky to have them both for so long.  I am also happy to have "quilt daughters" in my life now.

Some Assembly Required

Silk fans made by the members of one of my mini groups are going into my favorite format...diamond-in-the-square.  I like how all the individual creations work together here.  And maybe some smaller fans in the corners??  

Background Check

Trying out a neutral for sashing my postage stamp pages.  Liking this burlap color a lot.  

Only four more pages to go to make twenty-five blocks.  

But then maybe some 4-patch cornerstones???

More Postage Stamp Play...

Played with stamps today after I saw Victoria's blog.  It's the most fun I've had since this awful winter weather arrived.  Lisa's sheep really made my day!

Old Love

I made this little heart pillow in my very first applique class many, many years ago...long before back basting, fusing, freezer paper, templar, etc.  Except for the ruffle, it was all hand stitched and needle-turned, which is still my preferred method.  You never really get over your first love!

Chickens on Parade

A whole flock of chicken pin cushions were "hatched" at the first meeting of Ellen's new Craft group.

Can't wait to see what's next.....

Now What?

My Needle Arts group at the library is having a batik half-square triangle exchange.  This is my haul so far.  Looking forward to playing with them and seeing what others will make with theirs.  I have a feeling their will be lots of different arrangements.  Any suggestions?

PS...Add a pencil

After seeing Nifty Quilts blog post this morning, I quilted in a tiny pencil on the lower right corner...

Small Change

I finished binding my mini hexie tray cloth yesterday.  It measures only 5" x 7" and didn't take long to make.  But it was so small that it got lost in the sewing clutter here.  Cleaning out is a good thing.  Never know what's hiding under all your stuff!

EPPing With the Girls

Having a great time EPPing with my friends, Christa, Bernadette, and Jessica.  A light lunch, a little 

stitching, and a lot of "girl talk."  Perfect afternoon!