The Most Thoughtful Gifts!

I was so surprised at what the mailman brought me this week. Look at the beautiful things that Carrie sent me. I have never owned such a gorgeous pillow. It looks PERFECT on my bed. I can't even tell you what her generosity has meant to me. I really want to make more ornaments like she sent me to decorate a tree with next year too.Look at the other special treat I received this week. Cindy was sweet enough to send me one of her special Christmas ornaments she made. I LOVE IT!!!!! I am hoping to have a tree next year to place it on. I didn't put one up this year because I was afraid Linda kitten would be all over it.
It rained all weekend and will continue to do so all week. I dread my commute this week though, it usually takes me 90 minutes each way to work but I am afraid it will increase to 2hrs each way this week. :( I don't remember having this much rain at once. Last Sunday it was 87 degrees and sunny, this weekend is 60 degrees and wet. Ya gotta love Southern California. What better way to spend a rainy day than to sew??

This morning I made 4 more "Sylvia's Bridal Sampler" blocks. These finish at 6".



I finished 2 more "Berry Picking Party" blocks. I think that leaves me with 4 more blocks before I can start the piecing.

That's all I have to show this week. I have a few finishing touches to do on a few things before I show them but hopefully they will be done by next Sunday's Blog entry.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

Stitchery progress

It took two weeks but I finally finished this "Berry Picking Party" block. I am trying to get all of these blocks done so I can start piecing the rest of the quilt. I want to give this as a birthday gift in May. May seems far but in a quilters world it is just around the corner.I finished the last block for my "Calendar Redwork" quilt. I have to find a nice red w/ white fabric for the sashing so I can start putting these together. This may be a Christmas gift for someone next year.
I also finished the binging on the redwork basket table runner. My mom will be ready for spring.

I had no time on my sewing machine this weekend. :( I really look forward to a day I can spend in my PJ's and live in my sewing room.

Have a great week everyone!

More LIB and Christmas gift bags

These are the final blocks for my "Life is Beautiful" quilt. Before I add the sashing and put them together I am going to make the 48 small circles that will be appliqued on the top. I spent any sewing time I had this weekend making grocery totes to place Christmas gifts in. Since our local markets are going to be charging 5 cents per bag soon I thought I would give everyone on my list a bag for their groceries. This also helps me in not having to wrap their gifts. LOL!

That's all I have this week. I really need to start making a dent in some of my WISP's. I am hoping to have a finish next week if I can get a binding sewn down.

Have a great week everyone!

Early Christmas gift for self

I bought myself an early Christmas present on black Friday. I headed over to Daisy Cottage Quilting, my new favorite online shop. They have the cutest patterns and quilting supplies you will ever find. She is even starting to carry Australian quilt patterns! The owners hubby even makes cute little wooded quilting goodies. I can't wait to get a hold of some of those. Anyway, look how cute my order was wrapped! I was so surprised when I opened the box. I even got a little surprise gift. :)
Now get a load of all this deliciousness. Oooooh, Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

This is what I am going to use them on. I have had this pattern set for a few months but I have been waiting for the right fabric line for them. I can't wait to have the time to get started.
If you have the time, head on over to Daisy Cottage Quilting and have a look. She even has a Facebook fan page! I love that feature because she always lets us know when something new has arrived at her shop.

Note: I will not be held responsible to any damage done to your wallet.

More "Life is Beautiful" blocks

This week I concentrated on the "Life is Beautiful" blocks. I finished stitching down all of the embroidered blocks. I cut out all the backs of the circles and prepped the applique and started stitching those down to their 4-patches. I have several left to sew down, which I will do on my lunch hour and evenings. I then have to cut those backings out and prep 48 small circles to applique in the sashings.




I also finished another "Berry Picking Party" block. I left out the monogrammed initials the pattern had and will change it to the initials of the recipient of this quilt.
I hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving weekend. Back to the ole grind tomorrow!

Have a happy, healthy week!

My Jane's have returned from vacation.

My Rainbow Jane and Dear Jane decided to come back from vacation. They went away when I was concentrating on the two Nearly Insane quilts I was working on. Then I started Sylvia's Bridal Sampler and they started getting really jealous. The first triangle is for Rainbow Jane RS-1, the second triangle is for Traditional Jane TR-1. I added all my Janes to a virtual design wall. Click on the frog widget on the upper right hand corner of my blog to see. I also loaded my SBS and LIB blocks there to see my progress. Joy's niece built us this site so we could easily see our projects grow. Check it out and let me know how you like it. She is working on a way to get blocks on point too! She is going to be having a giveaway here soon for a 1 year subscription. stay tuned.

Here is block #2 of "Baltimore Bunnies".
Block 3 of "Berry Picking Party"
and 6 more "Life is Beautiful" blocks.
I hope you all have a great week!

Prep Sunday!

I don't have much to show this week since I had a long work week. All I had time for was some hand stitching here and there.

Here are the first four "Life is Beautiful" blocks attached to their four-patches. I sewed these blocks this morning and just finished hand stitching them on.
Here is November's "Calendar Redwork" block.
This is the last "Redwork Basket" block. My mom wants me to make her a table runner with all these baskets instead of a quilt. I am hoping I can get fabric and get it done before Christmas.
That's all I have this week. I spent most of my time this morning prepping blocks to hand sew. Hopefully I will be a lot more productive next week.

Have a great week!

Sylvia's Bridal Sampler Row D + other stuff

Joy and I have the assignment of completing Row D of "Sylvia's Bridal Sampler" this month. Once I start making these blocks I like to finish, they are just so messy.
I think I should start taking pictures and looking at the blocks more closely before sewing them to the quilt. I see this one is completely off. Why didn't I notice this before??? Oh well, it really isn't as noticeable in person.


I had no idea how I was going to tackle this so I did it by hand. It isn't exactly as it should have been but I am calling it done.



Here are all the blocks sewn together. You can see them better if you click on the Frog Widget on the upper right side of my Blog.
I made the 10 Klosjes I planned on this month. That makes a total of 15 so far. Hmmmmm, 1985 to go. LOL!!!
This is the stitchery for "Berry Picking Party" block 2.
................number 11 of Redwork Baskets.
and finally, "Tisket a Tasket" quilted and bound.
I hope you all have a happy, healthy, creative week.

Goodbye October, Hello November!

I think it is time I had better start saving for a better camera. Yikes! Either my photo's are too dark, too light or too blurry. I used to have a great camera but I didn't want to put the time in necessary to learn it. New technology has arrived and I think I had better start saving and invest.

I put the borders on my "A Gardener's Journal" this morning. It is much brighter in person but I just couldn't get the lighting right. (see, I think I need a new camera) I am hoping to purchase the backing fabric in November so I can pin baste and get her quilted before the end of the year.
This is the tenth Redwork Basket completed. Two more to go and then I figure out how to lay them out. I have a ton of leftover red/white fabrics but I don't have any big pieces. I may have to shop for some sashing/border fabric for this also. I think I will cut strips and tumblers with the balance of my red/white stash and knock out a charity quilt in 2011.
This is block #1 of "Baltimore Bunnies" that I am doing with Monica. I bought this kit 2yrs ago at the Long Beach quilt show. The backing is flannel and the applique is wool and cotton. I almost went crazy sewing all those leaves on.
That's all for October! Time for November's goals.

1) Make/pin baste backing for "A Gardener's Journal"

X2) Row D of "Sylvia's Bridal Sampler"

X3) 2 - Redwork Baskets

X4) Cut all squares for "Life is Beautiful"

X5) 10 - Klosjes

X6) November's "Calendar Redwork"

X7) Work on "Blue Ridge Beauty" Leader/Ender quilt

X8) Block 2 of "Berry Picking Party"

X9) Block 2 of "Baltimore Bunnies"

X10) Cut Blocks 1 & 2 of "Civil War Tribute"

X11) Cut scraps into strips & Tumblers

If all above are finished before the end of the month

1) Quilt & Bind "A Gardener's Journal"

2) Prep more "Berry Picking Party" blocks

I pray you all have a happy, healthy, safe week, with plenty of time to play.