Blues

Sometimes, when beginning a project,

I stand in front of the fabric wishing the RIGHT pieces

would just JUMP OUT at me!!!

It's hard to decide WHERE to begin sometimes.

Right?

Well.

I'm happy to report the fabric didn't quite JUMP.

It just sat there right ON TOP of everything else and looked pretty.

SO...

I chose BLUE.

:)

This is the FIRST of TEN!

I am making table toppers/centerpieces/table mats

(which is the BEST term??) 

 for an upcoming retreat auction.

Another QUILTY tradition I began a few years ago.

I enjoy the challenge of making LITTLE quilts that

OTHERS might like.

My goal is ONE a week!!

We'll see how that goes.

;)

Little Quilts

Twice a month 

(first and third Tuesdays)

I serve a lunch to about 20 some senior citizens.

Yesterday it was Barbque chicken sandwiches

and salads on the plates...
PLUS...

little QUILTS on the TABLES!

I LOVE adding quilts to everyday LIFE!!

Tables, walls, BEDS....

There is a quilt for EVERY surface!!!

Quilting for the table

I'm in the midst of making little quilts for the table.

I have a goal...

12 table toppers.

They will be auctioned off at an upcoming retreat.

FOUR down....

eight to GO!!!!

I think I've blogged about these as I've been working on them.

A few of them include orphans from fellow quilters!

I can't say NO to lonely orphan blocks.

;)

They make GREAT table QUILTS!

All Squared Up

Little tiny squares too precious to toss...

1 1/2" unfinished....

make lovely pincushions.

They also work for coasters.

2 1/2" squares that were GOING to be a simple table topper

are NOW in line to be a new seat cover in MY SEWING ROOM.

:)

Can you see that little square RIGHT above my watermark???

An OLD, old piece that says I LOVE YOU!

Oooh! I love little scraps of fabric!

LOTS of little squares!!!

FOUR different sizes here wait to be chosen.

Berry basket was made using THIS method...

but a bigger size.

Don't be fooled.

I have little DRAWERS for every size.

This only represents the CURRENT bits and pieces I've cut

out of leftovers as I go along.

A simple table topper to add to my GROWING

stack of  auction items.

This one needs some hand quilting...

Don't you think???

Monday Making

Little orphans are becoming

Little quilts at my house these days.

I received quite a few orphan blocks 

a couple of years ago (has it been that long???)

and I'm STILL working at getting them 

Finished UP!

Most of them became charity quilts...

but I few blocks didn't quite FIT in.

These little quilts will be part of an auction.

They will be the centerpieces at a retreat/conference.

We'll eat our meals around these pretty little quilts.

:)

Thanks go to all the SWEET quilters

who sent me these lovely gems.

My goal is 12.

I'm up to 6

and I have until April.

Yeah! I think I"ll make it in plenty of time!

Although.....as you can see....

these guys are not DONE!

Knowing ME....

I'll wait until the very last minute to get the bindings on.

At that point I will have to DIG again to FIND

the right fabric!!!!

LOL!

I love all of them!

These table toppers would also make GREAT doll quilts!

Some of these little quilts are STRETCHING me.

I learned how to add PRAIRIE points!!!

It's always a good thing to LEARN something new.

;)

This is for when I'm NOT at the sewing machine.

I'll make a little progress today while I sit 

and watch Downton Abbey on PBS...  :)

The kids have been wearing the HATS I gave them for Christmas!

Made me want to make some MORE.

;)

four squared

Chances are...

If you liked the quilt you were making for a BED....

You'll like it on your table too.

;)

 

This quilt BEGAN.

Stalled.

Sat.

and...

Sat some more.

I took the four quilt blocks.

Quickly joined them together.....

quilted around the squares with a wavy loop.

Another quilt table topper for an upcoming

retreat and fundraiser.

 

I might bid on this one MYSELF!!!

Tables need quilts too

Remember last year when I used orphan blocks to make quilts?

This year I'm taking the few that remain...

and turning them into table toppers.

(This one includes someone's paper pieced blocks in the middle...

and some 3" squares from my 3" scrap drawer.

I LOVE my little square drawers!!)

 

It's a project for an upcoming retreat.

The table toppers will be auctioned off.

 

I happen to LOVE this one.

Maybe it will be "forgotten" at home.

;)

This one's a little bit bigger.

I made these blocks a long time ago

as I BEGAN making a QUILT!!

 

I did start a quilt.

Sometimes that's ALL that happens.

LOL!

 

Now these fun blocks will find a home on someone's TABLE!

A happy ending

for some quilt blocks that THOUGHT they'd been LONG forgotten.

 

My goal is to make 10-12 of these....by April 10!

When I'm ALL DONE...

I'll have a little show and tell.

:)

Hand stitching

I spent a LONG day in the hospital waiting room yesterday.

My Godmother requested I be there for her surgery.

I'm so glad I could be there for her....

And...

 

I'm so glad I had these orphan blocks to work on.

I am quilting them up

and will be donating them as table toppers

for a fundraiser coming up!

 

I hope to make at least 10!

Thought they'd be MACHINE quilted.....

but don't they look nice with those big stitches???

 

The ONLY problem.....

I RAN OUT of thread!

 

 

Since you asked.

A couple of you wanted to know how I did the stitches

 on this project yesterday.

I used my machine and curved all the way down each row.

Corner to corner.

I've tried this before with just one CURVE....

but when I double the curves in each square.....

my imperfections are HIDDEN. ;)

I do not like to mark quilting lines....

so this pattern worked great on this little table topper.

I began at the top of a row

and curved my line of stitching down to the opposite corner.

I then curved back UP to the top.

Then I curved down RIGHT next to the FIRST curve.

Here's the next SQUARE.

I did the same thing.

Down, up, and down again.

See???

Each square has THREE curves.

Here's the last bit.

When you get to the bottom of a row of squares....

You turn around and go back UP through

ALL the squares filling in

ONE MORE curved line.

Hope that explains it a bit.

I really like this quilting design...

but have to CONFESS.....

  I rarely quilt this heavily on QUILTS.

I usually save these close stitches for small projects!!!!

Here's what I'm working on now.

SWIRLY lines ALL over.

It goes much faster....

and it's a quilting pattern that seems to

come easily for me.

We probably ALL have a "DOODLE" that's inside of us.

Well.....this is mine. ;)

When you're wrestling with a quilt...

You don't want to have to THINK too much. :/

An Orphan No More!

Someone....once upon a time...made a block.

This is an oldie but goodie.

Since the fabric used by this unknown quilter is SO thin...

I decided it would not suit a quilt.

But.....

It WILL make a nice table topper!

I did the easiest thing and added a 2 1/2" border to the block..

then.....

I had some fun doodling stitches with my feed dogs down!!

The more stitches I added, the more I liked it.

I have three more orphans to rescue!!

Wish me luck!

;)

spring.

I had a lovely FINISH today!

Isn't it springy??

All those little tiny pieces of fabric can now shine together!!

Can you see my hand quilting?

I used #20 embroidery floss.....

Followed painters tape placed diagonally.

Very. Easy.

Very. Portable.

Here's the back.

Sweet.

And this is why I sometimes make these table toppers small.

It sits in the middle of this

BUSY table.

Someday...

I may show you what BUSY really looks like!!!

I would have today...

But I had already cleaned it off for company.

;)

today and yesterday.

Today:

A great fabric find!!!

An extra large wrap around skirt from the thrift store....

Love that place!!!

What do you think??? Will a linen/cotton blend work in a quilt?

I'm going to find out!

Yesterday:

Lots going on at my dining room table!!!

First of all, I think I've discovered
a "soon to be famous" seamstress!!!
She made this skirt without a pattern....
with only a little help from me!

We talked about...
biases, the grain of the fabric, seam sizes, stitch length.....
Our conversation buzzed with
sewing terminology!!!


Then she began a simple quilt!!!
woo hoo!!!

This was the only scary part for me.

A rotary cutter in the hands of a 14 year old!!

I fussed a little bit....

and worried a little bit.....

and fussed JUST a little bit more. ;)

Can you guess what I was saying???

"Close the blade!"

She caught on real quick!!

I am SOOOO excited to see this young friend

begin her creative journey!!!

Another friend at the dining room table

clicked away.....

She's going to make a mate for this slipper.

It's HUGE!!

I guess that's what happens when you want to

felt with wool...

It's got to begin really....really.....big!!

I think her son's foot is pretty big too!!!

Jenn was working on a table topper.

She added a flannel backing and will

hopefully get to begin hand quilting with

embroidery floss real soon!

I was so happy to work away with these friends.

Talking....

sewing.....

aahhhh!!!!

I am so thankful for these simple pleasures!!!