Monday, December 14, 2015

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.

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Rockin' Star




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

Saturday, December 12, 2015

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...

Friday, December 11, 2015

"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?

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Decking the Halls...



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

 Cheers!

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

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!

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Tie Fun



Was gifted this bagful of ties from a fun friend! 

 Hmmmm....

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

"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.

Friday, October 30, 2015

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?

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Keeping On...



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

Twenty pages done!  

Saturday, September 26, 2015

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!

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

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?

Thursday, September 3, 2015

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!

Sunday, August 23, 2015

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.

Sunday, July 19, 2015

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...

Saturday, June 27, 2015

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!






Sunday, June 14, 2015

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!!

Saturday, June 13, 2015

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!

Thursday, June 4, 2015

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.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

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!

Monday, May 18, 2015

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--



Tuesday, May 12, 2015

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...


Sunday, May 3, 2015

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!

Saturday, May 2, 2015

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!





Sunday, April 12, 2015

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!

Monday, April 6, 2015

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!!!


Tuesday, March 31, 2015

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.


Wednesday, March 25, 2015

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...

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

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.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

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??  




Saturday, February 7, 2015

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???

Friday, February 6, 2015

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!

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

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.....





Tuesday, January 20, 2015

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?



Wednesday, January 14, 2015

PS...Add a pencil




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

Monday, January 12, 2015

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!



Sunday, January 4, 2015

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!