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!

Patchwork Gift

I have spent this weekend putting together a patchwork throw for a lady who has been very sweet in carpooling my husband to work 72 miles a day 5 days a week since we moved to Fort Benton, MT in September.



Don't know why it takes me time to figure out what I want to do or make and then it seems like last minute.

Instead of quilting, I decided to use buttons to tack the quilt together. I like using buttons and like the end results also.



My 14 year old was in the room when I was checking to make sure I had everything finished. I told him I liked the back especially to and turned it over for him. He said it is a double sided quilt, but really it has some adorable pink raccoons (vintage fabric) with borders on the back.



My husband walked in the room when our son said, "Mom you know raccoons are not really pink." The reply my husband gave, "You know son, women like that sort of thing." Adorable -- the raccoons or what men think women really like!!!

Denim and Bandanas

I have to say I wanted to do something with denim for a while. I don't usually wear jeans and ended up finding some good ones for $1 at a yard sale in the summer. Then came the thought of cutting them up. Finally after many months I settled on who I was making a denim throw quilt for. (Someone in Arkansas will be getting this after the new year!!)

I played around with some ideas I found online for patterns and then asked a trusted source for advice on what she thought. Not being very impressed with the response, I decided to play around with some bandanas and denim. This is the end result.

I am pleased with the finished item, but don't know that I will be making another throw or quilt with denim for a while. I found it very time consuming.

Also, I have kept the upper portion of the jeans where the belt loops and pockets are and am playing with the idea of using them for aprons or making tote bags out of them. Guess I am in the total recycling kind of mind right now!!

More projects in the works in my future but now I must head to the kitchen and get some dinner going as some are starving.

Christmas in Your Heart

Embroidery and quilting are my favorite hobbies, but I have decided I will attempt to do some form of painting in 2012.

Recently at work in personal care, the staff person that I relieve saw my zippy bag of embroidery I had just begun to stitch on. She asked to look at it and immediately asked if I had plans to do something with it or give it to someone. I told her that I was just making it to turn it into something to sell in the future. She then jumped and said, "Make it for me to give to my future daughter-in-law as a Christmas present".

So here it is a wall hanging or even a table topper.

This year I find myself more into snowmen and love the different pattern drawings I am finding online to use. I think a snowman quilt will be in my future.



Hope Debbie and her future daughter-in-law like my creation. I enjoyed whipping the finishing touches on it last night.

Prickly Pear Quilts

My husband spotted this shop on our adventure yesterday. Unfortunately, I had my three kids with me while browsing patterns and pricing fabrics. I ended up purchasing a template to help with angles, but would have liked to spend more time looking at the books and other quilting aids she had displayed.

I did fall in love with this quilt found in the window of her shop. I noticed the variegated threads used to do the quilting right away. This is something I have not seen before but it is lovely.



The owner was sweet in offering my sons some magazines to look at to occupy their time while I was looking. Too bad cars don't interest them just yet.

Prickly Pear Quilts will be another stop at another time.


Thought I would show you a picture of the trolley car outside the shop. It is all decorated for the Christmas season.



Another shop (The Classy Flea Market) I wanted to visit had this cute sign outside of it. Didn't get to explore it as my family was hungry for lunch at 4 p.m. and then we had to get back home with a windy drive (winds up to 60 mph).

Log Cabin Sewing

I purchased some quilt blocks from my good friend, Judith, through Ebay and have just recently sat at my sewing machine to put them together. They are so colorful!!!

Now, I am having to plan what fabrics to use as borders. I think I have the purple and green one worked out as of last night, but the pink and green one is a different story. It may be traveling with me to the fabric store this weekend.

Mental Note to Self

Ever have to leave yourself mental and sometimes visual notes of things you want or need to accomplish. Well, here goes three patterns in quilts I have seen recently on the internet that I want to try to make. At least one I would be changing the colors but love the layout of the blocks.

Scraps Make It Pretty

I have been working on listing my quilts on Etsy. These are the ones I made last year - 2008. One that stands out in my mind is the purple and green floral with butterflies. I thought I would share a few pictures.

It is very hard for me to throw any scraps away. I found that very true this week in re-arranging my sewing workspace and also starting another mini-project.



This purple quilt was total scraps from another quilt which features log cabin quilt blocks that a dear friend made. I had to be sneaky and have another friend bid on them for me through Ebay because I wanted them so. Aren't friends wonderful!
I love stitching and creating quilts. Some are pretty but others are just plain special to the person making them.


The kids are on the big count down for Christmas now, even though they know most everything under the tree. The days are dragging for them. I am contented in knowing I am prepared and have finished my shopping, wrapping, and mailing.

Hope you are having a lovely day. I am past being excited and ready to explode as my hubby will be home tomorrow after being gone for 19 days for work training. Most of the time days fly by, but these have just been drag drag dragging. Well, to take my mind off of it -- off I go to stitch!

Quilt Block Playing

In keeping busy and exploring new styles for making quilt blocks, I have been doing an old technique called "biscuit quilting". I really like the puffed look and am getting faster with the process which includes a lot of pinning and stuffing.

The other block here is being made to act as a border to finish my daughter's quilt. She is into pinks and Sunbonnet Sue. The main portion of her quilt is a stamp design of a Sunbonnet Sue and Overall Bill scene. This is my second block creation using triangles. I find I really have to watch it on the placement of these pieces to get this design to come out correctly.

My Busy Stitching Fingers -- Embroidery

After finishing Avery's quilt top, I have been keeping busy working on creating some tea towels from vintage patterns I have found on flickr.com or from thrift shop finds.



I thought I would share some of the results. One of my favorites is the Scottie Dog. I found this pattern online free while searching for an applique' quilt block pattern of a Scottie Dog. I have not found the one I am happy with for quilting but fell in love with stitching the embroidery piece.








In getting more in the festive holiday spirit, I set out working on the PEACE, LOVE, JOY, NOEL, and FAITH towels. I love the cursive writing of these patterns. Which reminds me, I heard the other day on a news report that cursive writing is becoming a dead artform these days. I believe it is not being stressed to be used in the schools as much and people are more apt to be typing away on the computer than sitting down hand writing notes and correspondence to others.



My last favorite piece I just finished is the Celestial theme pattern. I have always enjoyed the sun/moon patterns and designs when used in decorating.



I must report, my tree is up and I was just looking outside at 2 a.m. to find the snow is falling. The holiday spirit is definitely on me now as I did some online shopping today and got most of my Christmas cards written out.

So no HUM BUG for me this year . . . I got to start saying HO HO HO!!! -- Hope you are too.

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.

Quilting Humor

I have been holding onto this comic piece for a really long time and it makes me smile every time I look at it.

My husband is really sweet about my many hobbies and interests. I am blessed to have his support, but I can imagine him making this statement if I forced it on him!!

A Cheery Quilted Tote Bag

It all started with Savannah Rose (my daughter, age 15) wanting to embroider a flower. She picked out the pattern and the color of her threads. She tried to stitch one of the outer petals in the pink but this project did not last long for her and her attention span issues.

Her embroidery hoop lay on my sewing table for months and I asked her several times if she wanted to pick it up again. Her idea was to maybe choose another picture pattern. I let her do this and she came up with more involved pieces as far as stitching goes. I will eventually get her fabric ready and help with that down the road.




So, I could resist no long and completed her flower. When stitching I was thinking what should I use this in for her . . . a doll blanket, a pillow patch, an apron for her dolls . . . then it hit me!!! I could make a TOTE bag for her to carry all her goodies in when we go on outings. (This is always an event for her to get everything ready and loaded on outings.)

Last night was the grand finale on getting my vision completed. Even though I was up till 3 a.m. doing the free hand machine quilting, it turned out beautifully.




Savannah was so cute as she was up with one of her not sleeping nights. She said, "Mom, this is beautiful. I bet you could sell these at the Farmer's Market next year. Maybe for $5 or $10." A business woman is behind those young eyes, but I think I might have to raise her prices on items for sell.

I included something in my machine quilting for her to carry with her in this piece. I hope she knows it always . . .