comequiltwithme

still kicking

2009-10-24T14:29:00.000-07:00

Wow can't believe I haven't posted in so long, however have just been to busy to even sit down at the computer. Bathroom was totally gutted and remodeled and am moving all my studio into storage to have ceiling fixed. What a fun time this is. Anyway haven't gotten a lot of sewing done lately.
tried to load a photo, but something must be whacky as it will not load. Will try again later.

finally something to show

2009-06-13T14:44:00.000-07:00

The table runner is a combination of log cabin type blocks. Fun to do but kind of a no brainer.
The remaining small pieces are experiments with circles and squares and re cutting units after a block is made.
This was lots of fun and I can see many possibilities for this technique.
Enjoy--

top done

2009-05-04T10:47:00.001-07:00

Yea, the top is done. I used a cut and slice 9 patch block to start this. I stacked 12" squares. Cut the squares into 3 equal divisions. (4") in both directions. (9 squares) then using alternating squares formed 2- 9 patch blocks, one with lights for 5 squares and one with dark for 5 squares, opposite 4 dark squares with the lights and 4 light squares with the dark. Sewed the 9 patches together. Then cut to the right and the left of the center square at 2". (full length of the block) moved those strips aside then cut 2" from the center square to the top and bottom, next mixed up the pieces and re-assembled blocks by sewing to top and bottom first then to sides. Next squared blocks up. for this one added a 1 and 1/2" strip between blocks. try this its like eating "chocolate". Have a great day. sun is shining and I need to go out and plant tomato plants. Lovely fresh BLT's in a couple months.

New top

2009-05-01T17:37:00.000-07:00

Just finished the top for my machine applique class. This will start sometime in June at the Quilt Shop. I used buttonhole/blanket stitch to do the applique, plus a straight stitch (gone over several times) for the antenna. I need to get it basted now and get it quilted so it can hang up at the shop. Felt good to actually get something done for a change. Have a couple things that will be put together as soon as I get this quilted. So be watching. Think I will quilt a circular feather or something like that in the center. Haven't decided that yet.

First two BOM patterns

2009-04-22T15:31:00.000-07:00

These are the first two BOM blocks. The colored fabric is mostly from my hand painted fabrics using the air brush paint. Really like the results when I use that paint. Working on another piecing idea. Will post a picture when I get it far enough along to really show it. A bit nicer today, but still colder than normal.

blocks together

2009-04-19T05:20:00.000-07:00

I finished putting the blocks together and think I like the results, now to get it basted and quilted.
Stinker is also approving of my block for the quilt clubs block of the month quilt. you can see the kind of help I get when trying to photograph anything. Note the wrinkles on the top of the quilt picture, I had to chase her off to get the photo.
Another cold and cloudy day here in the middle of the USA -spring flowers over a month behind. Crocus just blooming and they should have bloomed in early March. Tulips and daffodils are only about 4" high and no buds in sight. Lilac are just budding. In a normal year they should be blooming in another week I don't think it will ever warm up this year.

possible mystery?

2009-03-31T15:56:00.000-07:00

I think this might make a mystery quilt sometime. Would be done with fat quarters. Will run it past the shop and see what they think.
Cold and windy today. Snow this morning. brrrr Wonder if this winter will EVER end. Anyone else notice how we do NOT hear the words "global warming" anymore? Now its "climate change". Climate change is right, we froze our backsides off since late October. Haven't seen it this cold since the 5o's.

fun trip

2009-03-30T18:17:00.000-07:00

Had a fun trip down to KC area over the weekend. grandson was to run a marathon but it ended up getting canceled because of ice and snow. I stayed with my friend Sue and she showed me how to do some screen printing. This is the result of my drawings. It was really fun and I appreciate her teaching me how to do this. Had always been curious about screen print, but just didn't have the incentive to do it.
I think there will be a screen in my future very soon. Thanks Sue.
Have a few other ideas to pursue and will post as I do them. Last weekend was guild retreat, what fun. I have a top done, but want to add more to it before I post it.

Retreat top done

2009-03-19T05:42:00.000-07:00

Have the top done from the retreat last weekend. What a fun project. Its amazing to see how each put their blocks together. We had units that were 1/4 th of the block, everyone is putting them together in different ways. what fun.
Guild retreat this weekend. I will be stitched out.

Wonky Squares

2009-03-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

Finally something to post. This little piece is called Wonky Squares. Starting piece is an odd shape center with 4 unequal sides. Then strips added to all sides following the line of the center unit.
This was like eating popcorn (caramel corn-that is) grin. You can't leave it alone. Used up a couple pieces of scrap fabric to try it out. I can see more of this in the near future.
Went to Hancock Fabric Retreat last weekend. Have the blocks for a quilt almost put together, hope to have that to show in the next days. Norfolk Guild retreat this weekend, then next weekend a road trip down to Kansas.
Weather finally broke a bit. Was 80 degrees yesterday, today a bit chilly, but sure better than the sub zero weather we have had all winter.

Top is Done

2009-02-28T13:29:00.000-08:00

Finished the top today, I added a 1" strip of background between the blocks. Not what the pattern stated, but hey, not the first time I didn't do what a pattern said to do. grin. Couldn't get back quite far enough to get all the borders in, there is a 4 1/2" border all around.
I think I will bind it in either the orange or the batik from the points. Not sure yet which.
Another 5-6 inches of snow last night. I don't think Mother Nature knows there is global warming going on. Also was -2 degrees this morning. VERY COLD for this time of year. Has been super cold since early December. I'm ready for spring.

New block

2009-02-25T14:31:00.000-08:00

We had a workshop at club this week and this is the pattern. I wasn't able to do the stitching at the workshop as I had sprained my left arm. Its Ok now so stitched up the block and have the rest of the units pieced, just have to square up and sew the blocks.
Its always so amazing to see what everyone chooses for colors etc. There will be some wonderful wall pieces from this class. Everyone else used a light background, but of course, I had to be different and use a dark. I am pleased with it though.

P.I.G.S. project

2009-02-17T13:43:00.000-08:00

Yea, the top is done for my P.I.G.S. project (projects in grocery sacks) this is an annual challenge in our quilt guild. To join in you have an unfinished project, pay 1 fat quarter to enter, then finish it by a certain date. If you do not get it done your fined 3 fat quarters, if you do you get your name into a drawing for the fat quarters.
this was a jelly roll that I won at the Hancock Fabric Retreat last fall. Wanted to have it done for the spring retreat, for show and tell. Now to layer and quilt. spring retreat is the middle of March, so it needs to get done.NOW!!
Its always lots of fun doing the pigs projects, gets something finished.
I think I will bind with the leftover bright fabrics, stitched together. We will see what happens by then.

Happy Valentines Day

2009-02-14T05:32:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day to one and all. Here is "Stinker" sharing my Valentine quilt top. This is the wall quilt, there will eventually be a full size quilt to match. Was fun going through all the red scrap to make the hearts.
We have about 8" of new snow yesterday. The cardinals look really "red" against the snow, so I guess thats natures valentine gift to us. OK at least its RED!!
Hope everyone has a great day.

log cabin

2009-02-11T17:47:00.000-08:00

Finished this small log cabin, now if I had only put the top center block in the right orientation, it would have been fine. BUT--- now will make another with the top middle block turned the same direction as the bottom middle block. this will make it into a star. Oh well best laid plans.
Guess that's why I ended up with about twice as many 1" strips cut, than I needed.

Finally quilted

2009-02-09T10:48:00.000-08:00

The two batik wall pieces are finally quilted. They have been ready to finish for over a month. Hate it when life gets in the way of stitching. I've had these small batik squares for over 10 years, had forgotten that they were in an envelope in the file. What a happy surprise to find them again. Will have show and tell for quilt meeting tomorrow.
Rainy and windy day here in the middle of the country. 40mph wind out there. good thing I do not have to go out today.

Pretty Kitty!!!

2009-02-06T15:43:00.000-08:00

This photo was taken by a game camera by Tim Wilke on Jan 29th. This is about 4 miles South of where I am. I guess this cat has been in the area for about three weeks. He has seen the tracks and set up his camera and captured the photo.
Mountain Lions are not native here, this one probably migrated from the Rocky Mountains. A long walk as we are in eastern Nebraska. They follow the waterways away from their natural habitat when there is overpopulation in an area.
They feed on deer. There is a huge deer population in the area so at least it will have lots of natural food and not start taking farm animals.
Just thought I would share the picture .

I'm back finally

2009-01-24T15:59:00.001-08:00

In my last post I showed you a photo of the kitty that came to our house. Well no one has claimed her so I guess she is ours. When she is sleeping, at first glance, you think there is a skunk laying there. You can see her lovely colors from the top down. She hasn't earned a name as of yet, but "stinker" is beginning to rise to the top of the list. grin
I found the kitty screen prints in a pile of quilt "stuff"-- I had forgotten I had them. so now they are in a small wall quilt. The second is the progressive with the border added and quilting completed. This was done with a friend from Las Vegas. Her group was doing the individual progressives, so I did it with her.
Will actually try to get more up on here in the next days. Its snowing outdoors and supposed to do so until Monday, so doubt I will be outside a lot. Enjoy the photos.

pretty kitty

2009-01-01T11:23:00.000-08:00

Anyone want a pretty kitty, this little sweetie showed up on our porch a couple weeks ago, I hope she has a home and will go back to it!!! I don't need another kitty, but we will put out food and water so it eats and she can sleep in the shelter we have set up for strays.
She is tame though and tries to come inside, so we figure she was originally someones pet. Have a picture up in the post office asking if she belongs to anyone. Sure hope she does as she is a beautiful cat.

New painted pieces

2009-01-01T11:15:00.000-08:00

These are the new pieces I painted the last few days. I used the air brush paint to do these. I love the colors that came out and added some pearl to some of the pieces for glitz. I did find out that the pearl pieces need to be heat set from the back side first, then turned over and using a teflon sheet, iron on the front side.
I stacked some in the same curing cups also, it caused a bit of bleeding onto the fabrics below, but I rather like the results.
The pieces with black in turned out kind of neat too (my opinion here--grin) Now to figure out something to make using the fabrics. Next time more yellow/oranges.

Christmas

2009-01-01T11:05:00.000-08:00

I got this small quilt from my friend in Las Vegas for Christmas. I love it, such a neat idea to use the ribbon crossing over the pieces and then adding bling to it. Thank you so much Shirley, its hanging in the living room.

I've been busy!!

2008-12-29T05:11:00.000-08:00

The little angel will become a pin as soon as I make a trip to the craft store. She needs a halo and some flowers for her hands. I want to use a multi thread to make this, with maybe, gold running through it.
The silhouette is of a fairy sitting on the moon, I couldn't figure out what to use for wings that didn't completely obscure the figure. I finally used metallic gel pens and drew it over the figure. It worked, but-am not totally happy with it. Background is hand painted with air brush paint.
The last is for our art quilt challenge for February (yes, I actually have it done ahead of time!!!) Usually am working on things at the last minute. The flowers and leaves were first stenciled on with stencil paint, then when it was cured, I thread painted over them. The center is gold glitter. Background is painted fabric using the air brush paint. I am loving the air brush paint for fabrics. Its far less problem than most methods of putting color on fabric. Will be doing a workshop for our guild in April. We will use a friends garage so no one gets any stray paint in their home. Although this paint did come up off my kitchen counter when I accidentally dripped. Wiped away quickly it didn't cause a problem. Not sure what would happen if left to dry on a surface.

argh

2008-12-19T09:42:00.000-08:00

Didn't catch the typo before I hit send. its OF Course!! of course!! Merry Christmas to all and hope you have a safe journey if you travel over the holiday. Happy New Year to all too.

Finally something made

2008-12-19T09:31:00.000-08:00

I finished the top for this batik quilt in the last couple days. I had this piece of orange batik in my stash for years (and years) Finally decided something had to be done with it, so found a piece of brown batik to go with it. The nine patch and snowball quilt is what is the result. The small piece is the leftovers from the snowball blocks, I double sewed the corners and have a bonus piece. OF COURCE, I ran out of the brown and had to send a quick SOS to Lea to send me another yard. Thank goodness I got right to it, or would not have had enough fabric. The large quilt will be bound with the brown as well as the small piece.
Now to get a few more pieces completed. Yeah right, thats going to happen soon. grin.
anyway enjoy the new pieces.
By the way the orange in the small piece is the same, just was closer to the flash.
ice,sleet and snow last night. A bit of ice, a couple inches of sleet and then about 5 - 6 inches of snow on top. Thank goodness there was not a lot of wind.

Finally

2008-12-13T06:23:00.000-08:00

Finally something to post. No whoopie biggie, but at least something.
I'm on the abstract Challenge list at Yahoo and rarely get anything done. Thought I had best participate or they would kick me off. grin. The theme was beginning and end. This is a piece of my hand painted fabric and I thought it reminded me of the beginning and end of a stream cutting a path through hills.
Ok so its a stretch---now back to some real stitching.