Trying Something Crafty New

I am always trying to make a stop at Goodwill in Great Falls, MT when I go "to the big city" for errands, shopping, and supplies. I joke and tell my husband that I feel like Laura Ingalls Wilder (or at least what I think she would have felt like) when making these trips almost once a week. While at the thrift store, I usually get lost in the used book section and if you visited our home you would see the fruits of my many visits. I love the quilting, crafting, and embroidery books I find there. One recently combine applique quilting and embroidery. So I have been trying it out and also using fusible paper backed web for the first time. I think I may be hooked on this technique. Here are some photos of my first project from the book.

Here are some photos of the second wall hanging I just finished that needs to be quilted. I have three more projects in the works from this book and am somewhat surprised that I have actually used patterns and projects from the book as usually I just get ideas and then throw in my own variation - now writing that, come to think of it, the border on these are my own creation!

Amish on the Farm

Here is my work progress:



"...We farm the way we do because we believe in nurturing and supporting all our community - that includes people as well as land and wildlife" (Kline 1990). The farming practices used by today's Amish farm families have developed over 300 years and sustained the Amish as one of the most persistent and successful subcultures in North America (Stinner et al. 1989; 1992).









Holsteins are the dominant dairy animal, although a few Amish farmers prefer smaller breeds such as Jerseys (Guernseys are preferred but existing gene lines do not meet with Amish farmer approval). Horses and cows all have names such as Tom, Barney, Maggie, Tony, and Linda and this helps both to identify and create a close bond with individual animals.

The Amish still tend, as a rule, to pay attention to the signs of nature as a planting guide in the spring rather than following solely the date on the calendar. For example, clover is best sown when the ground reaches a "honeycombed" state brought about by the freezing and thawing of the soil.

Easter Chickadee

I spotted a felt cutout while in Michael's the other day and thought how it could work as a pattern for an applique' quilt piece. (I purchased a bunny face cutout also -- a project for another day).



It was one of those "picture it in my mind" of the exact fabric scrap I have to use with my new chickadee pattern purchase moments.

I don't think the end result turned out badly, but I do think my chickadee is on the very plump side.

Now to visualize the border or embroidered detail to go on this mini-quilt piece. I know it will come along.

Savannah wants this one too!

Rainy Dreary Days - Time To Sew

Saturday was perfect! I even got out and played ball with my son a couple of times. The weather was right for cooking chicken on the grill.

Sunday rolled around and the wind got to kicking up. We were still able to get outside and play ball and have some laughs at our lack of graceful dance in trying to hit it.

Now Monday rolls around and it is cold, damp, and just plain blah . . . I understand some friends of mine in Tennessee have been experiencing this for quite some time now. I hope it is sunny and pleasant your way today.

I am in the mood for a big pot of soup. I think it is going to be a combination of creamy potato and cheesy broccoli with some corn and crumbled bacon thrown in. My family really enjoys soup on cooler days.



On my sewing side -- last week I completed another embroidery & applique' quilt block called Blue Nile. I decided to try using some batik fat quarters I picked up recently. I think it turned out splendid, except I did decide to give another sewing foot to my machine a try after completing this block. Also, I am going to start playing around with using different color threads in the future.




One good thing women are good at is changing their minds . . . I seem to be doing a lot of that lately.

Petticoat Patty / Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Block

I have been in the "sewing" kind of mood since talking with a dear friend from Nashville over this past weekend.

"Tangent -- to go off suddenly in another direction or on a different line of thought, action etc."

That describes me or at least my creative personality at times. I have been in a "tangent" with embroidery ever since the beginning of 2009. I also purchased tons of very nice kitchen towels and keep an ever watchful eye out for cute patterns and designs to put on them. Just had to break down and purchase a new printer ink cartridge the other day.

So here is my very big Petticoat Patty or as some know her also as Sunbonnet Sue. She is from a 1992 publication called Favorite Applique Patterns from The Old Country Store with designs by Cheryl A. Benner.



I love the shape of the shoe in the pattern and decided to add a black button for an embellishment. Also, I put a miniature fabric yo-yo for the flower to add a little special touch.




The outcome is not quite decided as to whether the creation will turn into a big quilt or a wall hanging or a gift for a young girl as a blanket or doll blanket. I do know I will be playing with more fabrics and making more of these pretty Petticoat Patty / Sunbonnet Sue quilt blocks in the future.

There's A Bear Under My Cover!!!

I have been working on a new quilt top for my son, Wynston who is about to celebrate his 12th birthday.



He chose this bear under the covers with quilt blocks called "bear paws" included in the pattern. The bear face, arms, feet, and claws are all appliqued'.



I am almost finished, but need to put my hands on an additional piece of the fabric that goes around the border. Walmart has told me they will be getting more in. I will probably have to also check with JoAnn Fabrics here locally to see if they have some.

I found the face to be pretty easy to make, but the claws were literally a pain. I ended up zig zagging black thread through them individually to give it more of a rugged look and feel in them.

Wynston is thrilled to have this project almost completed and so am I!!!