Back to Work Today

Vacation time is over and now it's time for me to get back to work. That's ok.  I had a nice little break (up to the time when I pulled muscles in back) and am sort of ready to get back to work.  I did manage to get some little mug rugs done (and even did FMQ on them) out of a panel of pre printed flowers.  I'm still working on those because I have enough squares to make up 10 mug rugs.  They'll go out for birthdays or something like that next summer.  Quick little thank you presents, birthday presents or just "cheer up" presents.  I think I will be doing some more mug rugs but seasonal ones soon.  I found a cute snowman pattern that I think I can use and found some more pre printed squares which have dogs on them which would be good for my male friends or dog lovers.

What else did I work on?  I did some more wrist pads for the computer.  I am going to give them out at Christmas to the office I think.  I have some African fabric which will work well for that.  I also managed to do the Penguin top.  Need to sandwich it and get it quilted.  I like how it turned out.  I was going to send it to a friends fiance but when he heard it had penguins on it I was told in no uncertain terms that "HE" gets penguin stuff.  His fiance gets turtle stuff.  So this will be going to him instead.  Perhaps it will get there in time for his Christmas present.  I told him that I didn't think he would want it since it would be made to go on the wall.  Being a male I know he has some pictures on the wall but not "home made stuff".  He said he'd make an exception.  LOL.

I also managed to finish up (I think) the top for the the red and white wall hanging. 

This was suppose to be the center for a wall hanging.  If you scroll through my blog postings you'll see a picture of what the whole wall hanging should look like.  I thought it was too busy so I think I'll just stop here.  The center block, according to the pattern, would also have redwork flowers in between each leaf.  It looked crowded to me but I kinda like this.  What do you think?

That's about it.  Oh yeah, I forgot that my friend Connie took a picture of me a couple of weeks ago.  Who knows when I'll let somebody take another picture of me so I thought I'd go ahead and post it.  Can't say you weren't warned.  So put on your blinders and sit down...This is what I look like (especially since I haven't colored my hair in a bit.  Won't do it until income tax return comes in...lol). 

Everybody have a great day! 

Vacation time almost here but....

I'm off next week for vacation so I am getting all ready for that.  I have started to put some little guides in my calendar for it.  Like from 1-2 pick out fabric for X project.  Obviously I will not stick to it that much but it is more the fact that I am writing it down to remind me what I "wanted" to do. 

On the list will be a winter wall hanging.  I saw a cut mitten one and since I now have my Applique Block of the Month snowflakes from

www.customquiltkits.com

I think they might be added to it.  I've mentioned Customquiltkits before (when I received the adorable little mini ornament appliques) but wanted to mention them again.  Rose Hall, the owner, does a wonderful job of putting together these little kits.  Each one is $5.  This time I bought two packets.  Each packet has 12 snowflakes (all the same) in it and they already have the fusible on the back of them.

As you can see, they are about 3" which should be just right for a lot of projects.  If you wish to check out what else will be offered in the Applique of the Month Club, go to her website.  It also has her contact information if you want to get on her list.

http://www.customquiltkits.com/Applique-of-the-Month-Club/

That's about it for now.  Everybody have a good night.

Another one Done - pink for mom

Well mom likes to have pink things so here is another mini for her to choose from.  Today, when I visited her, she handed me a napkin and asked me to make something with it for another person.  Now before you think of the napkin as a small thing, look at the picture below.  That is the size of one of her napkins.  :)

You might also wonder about me always using the same grid pattern on her projects as well as square binding ends instead of mitered.  It's actually pretty simple.  Mom hates mitered corners and she likes the straight lines.  She hates the squiggles of FMQ and at least this way all her wall hangings will have the same consistent  look.

That doesn't mean I won't give up on learning FMQ.  I want to practice the brick pattern more.  It didn't turn out too bad when I tried it for the first time.  If you are interested, this is the link to Leona's youtube video on how to do it.  It's not that bad of one for a beginner.  I like how she mentions that her lines are completely straight and they are wiggled a bit to represent old bricks.  Of course I didn't have to "wiggle" mine....they came that way automatically.  LOL.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u0YOf66-nA&list=FLVOvhsTBIdJ25wNhi3L5mYA&index=4&feature=plpp_video

Leona has a lot of beautiful show quilts and has won lots of ribbons as well as written articles on Quilting.  I'll look forward to seeing more instructional videos for your domestic machines from her (did you read that Leona?  Please do some more.)

Check out her website.

http://www.leonaharden.com/

I would also like to thank everybody for their comments about my attempts at FMQ.  It is encouragement from friends like you that keep me going on this journey.

Happy Quilting.

Free Motion Quilting Bucket List

This month the bucket list produced Free Motion Quilting as our topic.  Hmmm.  Those dreaded words.  Can't say that I like Free Motion Quilting (FMQ) but believe it or not....I did it.  No, I mean I finished the project.  Some of you might have seen the black and white mini that I did and didn't like.  Since I didn't like it already, I thought...why not use that for the FMQ Bucket List this month/  I already didn't like it so it could only improve.

So here are some progress pictures.  I do not like FMQ and I am not good at it.  I will admit that I don't tremble in fear any more of it so that is saying something I guess.  LOL.

Here you can see what the black and white mini looked like.  Aren't the multi colored butterfly straight pins cute?  Perhaps I should have left them on.  :)

This was already sectioned off into areas that said "fill me" so I did.  No I didn't have any particular design in mind.  I figured I needed help with all of it so I just went with what came to mind.  It's not great and some of it is actually terrible.   That's what practicing is all about isn't it?

The final results

Something a little different

Why is it that just as soon as I am ready for bed that an idea hits me and I can't seem to get to sleep unless I get up and try it?  Now if that idea is too complicated, I'll just ignore myself.  Last night's idea was simple (if you discount trying to get rice into a bag at 11 p.m.) so I got up and tried to make something.

The "something" turned out to be a wrist pad.  The pattern was simple and I know I just quickly stuffed it and didn't close it up nicely but then this is more me and the first time so there is plenty of time in order to get better.

It is pictured as how it would be according to the pattern, but I found it nicer to use with the curved area pointing towards me instead of towards the mouse.  The nice thing is that it can go either way as well as it can be heated up in the microwave for those days when your wrist is hurting and you want a some heat on it.

I brought it to work and had a couple of people try it out.  It became apparent that while everybody liked it, their were requests for it to be made a little larger and not filled so full of rice.  THEN one  of the ladies, after I heated it up, put it on her nose since she was having sinus problems today, and LOVED it.  She said to make some longer so that it would cover the eyes also.  The bridge part (curved part) just fit her nose right so it rested on it.  I will try to take my pattern that I had found online (gotta love the freebies)

I also managed to take a snapshot of my work bulletin board which is currently acting as a substitute design wall. If you look closely you can see that my hearts are about half way stitched down.  The eagle, flowers and snowmen are all done.

Another finish

Ahh...Another mini for mom finished tonight.  Here it is...

So with mini number two finished, it was time to start mini number three.  It looks rather pale right now since it is just fused on but I'll figure out something.  I have a pink fabric in mind for a border on it so we'll see how it goes.  Now to go through my embroidery floss and see what color to use for the blanket stitch.

The hearts were cut out with my GO! and it is put on white linen.  Actually it is put on a white linen napkin that mom insisted on giving me.  One of MANY white linen napkins mom gave me.  She wants her two pillows made out of the white linen napkins also.  :)  She does love to give me challenges.

Free Motion Quilting

I signed up to do the Free Motion Quilting (FMQ) challenge and haven't had the time to do most of it.  I did watch Leah Day's video today and it's like a quilting light bulb lit up over my head.  Now, for everyone who knows me, please sit down before you read the next line...ok...ready?

I....THINK...I...CAN...DO...THIS...ONE! 

Yes, you read it right.  I think I can do this one.  Want to see what I'm referring to?  Here's the link to her blog page and just watch the video.  Sometimes the simple things are the best.

http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/2012/11/quilt-along-39-quilt-busting-with-matrix.html

It couldn't have come at a better time also.  The bucket list drawing this month is FMQ and I might use this as my example.  :)  Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?

Oh yes...I also promised you a better picture of mom's snowman mini.  Here it is.  Ignore the yellow/goldenrod colors at the top.  I hung the snowman over another mini that I'm doing for her and that's what you're seeing in the background.

The Start of Presents for Mom

Mom's birthday is December 10th and she'll be 93!  I thought this year she might like to have a choice on what mini she gets for her birthday as well as for Christmas.  I finished one of them tonight and here is a quick snapshot of it.  I'll try to get a better picture when I get to work.

I was in a snowman block swap last year and one of the ladies, Brenda Sutter, did this wonderful block.  She gave me an extra block which was a little larger and tonight I quilted it and put it together for mom.  Some of the things that mom mentioned she'd like are:

1.  A pillow for her bed (think sofa pillow size) which has embroidered flowers on it.
2.  A pillow for her back for when she sits in her wheel chair.
3.  More small wall hangings.

Of course the usual is also on her list.  That would be:

1.  Lipstick
2.  McDonald's hot picante sauce (she uses 3 packets at every meal if she has enough)
3.  More visits
4.  more hugs
5.  start the list over.

What are you doing for the holidays?  Has anybody ever made pot holders?  I am going to try and make some of them but haven't decided yet on the material.  I think my first ones, shall we call those trial ones(?), shall just be some seasonal fabric and not a particular pattern.  Start simple and work up.

I have another wall hanging to do which my friend Connie and I will be each doing. She is ahead of me on it so I'll have to catch up.  Hopefully over thanksgiving when I have some days off.

So many projects....so little time.  :)

Check this out!

I don't have much time to post today so I'll just give everybody a link to look at the wonderful work done by this artist.  Talk about inspiring me to get better with my applique.  :)

http://cynthiawilliford.com/cynthiawillifordgallery.html

Enjoy!