Monday, April 18, 2016

SO MUCH IS GOING ON....LOTS TO SHARE

 Deanna and I had to stop all other sewing/quilting projects that we have been working on for this month; we take about the week before the Project Linus meeting and make sure we have a quilt to take in.  This month we were a tad bit late in getting started.  Luckily, the meeting was canceled due to illness. 

Deanna has never done applique before, so this was a fun and exciting quilt project for her.  Plus, doing the hearts is an excellent first time applique piece to begin with.  It covers straight seams, curved seams and sharp points.  You can chose a variety of stitches and a variety of methods to apply the pattern to the fabric.

Deanna decided to try using a medium weight tear away stabilizer behind her hearts and to use a satin stitch to stitch around them.  She is now officially totally hooked on applique!  Yippeee.....because I love to do applique also.  Her quilt turned out so beautiful! 

Deanna totally amazes me and gives me so much inspiration!  You see she is almost Blind and totally can not see Yellow or Orange at all.  But look at how splendidly she chose her fabrics.  I did not get any up close pictures, but she did a fantastic job on the stitches!  I give her a standing ovation!  Great Job Deanna...You are Awesome and are a Superb Quilter!




This is the quilt that I created for Project Linus.  It took me quite awhile to chose the green fabric used for the sashing and then the striped fabric for the borders.  I went with the huge borders because everything just lined up perfectly  and when laid out it truly is very pretty.  I hope that the person who receives this can wrap up in it and feel warm, safe and secure.  Plus know that someone really loved making this quilt that they now "love".


 Told you Deanna got the Applique bug....big time....she has had these Dresden blocks for quite some time.  Most of them has some hand stitching done, just enough to hold them in place,  a ha moment...basting stitches....lol.  She decided to try Satin Stitching around these and she kept stopping and asking questions and then being so happy that they were looking great and getting done so quickly compared to hand stitching.  Plus, we talked about ideas that could be added like embellishments or just different fabrics in the center circles and so forth.  While I was working on....



I have never taken the front fabric of the quilt top and used it to bind the quilt on the back.  I read a post on a blog on Pinterest...so sorry, I did not think to write it down to give credit...but I decided to give it a try.  First off, was trimming all of the backing and batting two inches shorter all the way around.  It was easy enough, but did take some planning and thinking in order not to cut to much or some of the top fabric.  But it all worked out fine and dandy.  Don't you just love the purple and white striped backing fabric I used!  Purple has always been my favorite color so it was a tad bit hard to use, but easy when I remember who it was for! 

After trimming, I used a trick taught to me long ago by a long time friend and fellow Quilter/Excellent Sewest (this woman can do anything imaginable with a sewing machine and material).  If you need to turn under a seam at 1/4 or any other length....sew in a different color thread that stands out all the way around and then take it to the ironing board and presto....you know exactly where to press!   Plus, while you are there press it under one more time (especially with this fabric that sheds at every touch) and you have a very secure seam!  Now you are ready to sew it onto your backing fabric and finish your quilt!  Sorry to admit it, but I did not make it to that point.  Not quite sure what happened.  But the meeting was canceled for this month and I already did make one other item and will finish a couple of other quilts that I have started.  So, it is going to be a great month!





I am also very thrilled to announce that I sewed all 16 blocks together of Step 4 of the Scrap Dance Tango Mystery Quilt that Carole is hosting on From My Carolina Home!  For some reason right now I am not able to do links.  It is frustrating, but I will figure it out eventually!  But seriously, go and check out her Blog and look over the Mystery Quilt it is a lot of fun and you could easily catch up!

I just love the way these blocks have come together!  I am very tempted to create a whole complete set of blocks just like this and make a complete quilt out of these blocks alone!  Do you not agree?  They are Spectacular!



So this is the pillow that I put together for Project Linus!  I lined it with stabilizer and some heavier fabric, the fabric just seemed rather light to me, and then I did some free motion machine embroidery all over.  It was a lot of fun.  Then of course, sewed it together, stuffed it good and fluffy...then machine sewed the opening closed.  I know, I know the lazy way.  But it is good and strong that way!





Next, I got out one of the sets of unfinished Christmas presents that have been started and then put away until another day!  LOL.  Well now both of these pillowcases are finished and can be given out as gifts this year to someone!  The fabric at first to me was rather dorky, but it has grown on me through the couple of years that I have had it and now I really like it!  I had about 15 yards of it.  Someone had given it to me.  For that, I am always grateful!!!  It has been used in many, many projects.  Now down to about 3 yards!  Going to miss it when it is gone.



Just a breather from quilting stuff.  Take a look at my Big Baby Girl Dodger....she still loves to get up in a lap every now and then and get her special attention.  All 80 plus pounds of her, heck she is probably close to 90 now.  You see, she is 9 years old now and still all heart and love.  But she has developed arthritis in her hips.  So she can not run and play for very long at all.  It hit her really bad last year and even worse this year.  She is getting grey everywhere....but I love her all the more!





Mr. Shakes has become my Shadow and Deanna had laid her sewing machine cover down on the floor one day and it has now become his.  He pretty much sleeps there all the time we are sewing but follows me wherever I go!  Such a cutie!


 One morning, just shortly after hubby and I had gotten up and were drinking coffee, looking on the computers for whatever....all of the sudden it sounded like someone was stomping up on roof.  We had not heard any cars, but have had trouble with a neighbor.  So he went and got boots on and went out the back door to see what was going on.  The dogs had both taken their positions right in front of me!  I heard hubby open the gate and go around to the front and then he called me to come out,  all this time, the stomping was still going on!  I was not really scared, because the dogs were not growling or barking and it just was weird,,,,but something just was wrong so my heart was beating a tad bit fast.


Well, these two geese had decided to land on top of the house and just check things out for awhile!  It really was rather funny.  They were actually quite large and so pretty!  We just stood and watched them and talked quietly until they decided they had seen enough and flew away!  We have lived in this trailer for 4 years and never fails something new happens all of the time!  We love the Natural Nature of things here so much.


 Just a picture of the Daffadils that bloomed so long and beautifully this year around my yard!




We have a cat named Hunter that has decided to come and visit.  When we first noticed her, she was hunting Gophers.  So I called her Hunter.  She took a little while before coming up and introducing herself to us, but once she did boy does she love to come up and eat and get her pettings!

Hubby made her a special house to sleep in, but as of yet, she has not used it to sleep in.  Although, she goes in it to eat and lays in it and watches for whatever out in the yard before she decides it is time to leave.  Hopefully, she will decide to use it as her home and just stay with us as an outside cat and become part of our family.  Only time will tell.  I need to get a picture of her!




I have had this ironing board forever...it did not have a cover until this month.  I picked out the fabric (is it not so brilliant) and batting and then cut it to fit.  Hubby took the Staple Gun and did that part because my Corporal Tunnel has been acting up terribly.   Took a total of maybe 20 minutes and it was all ready to use!  How awful I felt that I left it go for so long.   But feel great and love it now.  Deanna loves it also and we use it everyday!  She even brought over her iron so we could both use it at the same time!  Hubby said we need to get another iron this next month to have in the other room for the big ironing board.  Which by the way, I also need to make a cover for.  LOL.



Just a picture of the applique hearts we were working on!


By the end of the day,  OH YES WE DID ALL OF THE SEWING/QUILTING IN ONE DAY THAT IS PICTURED......we were all pretty tuckered out.  We went in and got comfy, got some great snacks, put in a good movie and talked, ate and watched a movie.  Well Dodger and Shakes slept.

Have a fantastic Creative day yourself!  Thanks for stopping by; I love to read comments and always try to answer right away....but am slow sometimes, I have to admit it!

God Bless You!

1 comment: