Charming Guys and Girls Quilt Club

February Goals

I didn't fulfill all my February goals- Sigh! :-) It's definitely not an excuse but it was a short month. I'm not going to beat myself up - it is what it is! :-) Maybe March will be better. teehee!

I didn't even get my Gratitude & Generosity Challenge #2 done. So, you can bet that in March I will have G & G Challenge #2 & #3. #2 will happen very, very soon. :-)

I did manage to piece, quilt & bound my Lincoln Schnibble quilt and I pieced my Mill House Inn log cabin quilt.

I don't have a picture (yet) but I did my fair share of Olympic stitching the past two weeks.

Thank you so much for stopping by to visit with me. Come again soon.

In Friendship!

The Party is Over

Thank you so much Kelly and Joan for hosting an incredible Spring Sewing Party - I had so much fun. I will do my very best to attend every Charming Girls and Boys Party :-)

I finished my project - it's officially a flimsy and I'm thrilled with the results. If I can find some backing in my stash I plan to quilt this one ASAP. It will look adorable on a small quilt rack in my home this Spring.

I used fabrics from several Me & My Sister Designs/Moda lines and the Feed Sacks pattern from Scrap Basket Surprises by Kim Brackett of Magnolia Bay Quilts.

Thank you so much for partying with me today. I hope you had as much fun as I did.

In Friendship!

Update

(1:30pm)

4 of 20 blocks - I'm finding myself humming "In my Easter Bonnet" LOL
Yes, there is a second little pile of cute fabrics (aka kit) for YOU to make one for YOURSELF.

Now I'm off to check in on some of you - don't want to miss anything! Be back later.

PAR-TEE

TIME

UPDATE

Time to party - been out to breakfast with my sweet hubby and now I'm in my sewing room ready to sew the day away.

Remember these - it's two piles for two (hopefully) sweet quilts. One for me and one (kit) for you. teehee
Here's the start of mine! :-)

See you later!

Party Time

Tomorrow is the day - I'm going to a Spring Sewing Party - woohoo!!!! Spring is my favorite season so I'm really excited. Need to make my final project decision later today. See you tomorrow.

In Friendship!

Embroidery Tutorial

I've been asked questions via e-mail regarding my embroidery. I'm definitely not an expert but I thought I'd share what works for ME.

The following pictures will explain a little better: (the explanations are under each picture)

1. I prefer to use a spring hoop because I find that my fabric is nice and taut and doesn't get loose. I lay the traced design on the outer ring of the hoop and insert the spring. And, I like to put the handles at the top in the 12 o'clock position

There is no right or wrong way to use this hoop it just happens to be what works for me and I've done it this way for over 20 years. :-)

You may also notice that I trace with a mechanical pencil - again a personal preference.

2. I like to do my embroidery with two strands of embroidery floss but I don't like to have knots on the back of my work. So, I strip one strand of floss - twice the length I think I will need - fold it in half - thread the two ends through the eye of the needle leaving the loop on the end of the length.

Bear in mind that purists will poo-poo this method because floss and/or thread does have a nap and now you've got opposing strands. I'm not a purist so it's all good. :-)

3. To take my first stitch I bring up my needle from the back of my traced design.

4. To complete the stitch I go down and then put my needle through the loop in the floss.

4a. Another view of my needle going through the loop of floss.

5. The back of my work with the first stitch being locked into place. I don't like to use anything on the back of my embroidery work (i.e. fusible, batting or muslin) . This is just a personal preference.
6. The loop method will not work with variegated threads unless you want a blended or tweedy look.

I strip two strands of embroidery floss, thread my needle, take my needle down from the top of my work, away from the traced design, keeping a length of the threads on the top (long enough to thread my needle later and weave the threads through stitches on the back) You can also make a knot at the end of the two strands and do the same thing thereby parking your threads off to the side.

6a. A view of my thumb holding the two strands of floss while I take my first couple of stitches.


I hope this tutorial is clear and answers some of the questions you may have about what works for Me. Please pardon the condition of my hands - I live in Arizona (it's a dry heat but it's also a dry cold)


As always, thank you for stopping by to visit - please come again very soon.


In Friendship!

In My Mind's Eye

You get excited about the 'next' project once you've selected the fabrics and pattern. It looks fabulous in 'your mind's eye' and you sew full of anticipation. And, then it happens - suddenly it doesn't look so fabulous and you start experiencing doubt and disappointment. You come close to scrapping the whole project, walking out of your sewing room and slamming the door. Dejected and done!!!!! Instead you persevere and hope that it will work out just fine in the end.

I've just described exactly what happened to me on Friday.

A few weeks ago I found a wonderful Log Cabin quilt pattern on Debi's blog (you'll find the tutorial in the left column of her blog). I wanted to make this log cabin quilt - I just needed a Moda Layer Cake (Mill House Inn was my choice) and 2 yards of a background fabric for the light side of the log cabins. The clotted cream dots arrived from Kelly's Cotton Charm Shop last week and I cut and sewed all 80 blocks full of anticipation. Sigh!

What's my problem? Well, I'm not sure I like the super dark eggplant color in the quilt - they seem to stick out way too much. I'm not as unhappy with the quilt as I was initially because I think if I use an inner border and dark eggplant colored outer border then it'll look just fine. I've chatted with Debi a bit and she doesn't always use a border when she makes this quilt - now I'm wondering if I should quilt it the way it is and bind it with the darker eggplant color.

What do you think???

Wow, I just spotted a problem - guess I'll have to call on my friend Jack the Ripper. The last two rows are in need of his assistance. It's amazing what you spot when you take a picture. LOL

Leave me your thoughts and ideas, please!

I appreciate your visit - come again soon.

In Friendship!

Wuzz Up? :-)

I can't believe it's been almost a week since I've posted - bad, bad blogger. LOL

Joan, one of our Charming Girls and Boys Club fearless leaders has tagged us to post a few of our favorite things.

1. My BFF, my Janome 6600. She's always there willing and waiting for ME.

2. I love to precut projects - I find that I can get things done much faster when I take time to precut. Here's a future project in bright, cheery colors. There's actually two - could one be for YOU? teehee

3. Two finished Snowbound blocks for Kelly & Terry - gives me warm fuzzies to do these for them every month in 2010.


4. 80 Mill House Inn blocks waiting patiently to be laid out and become a new quilt - YUM!

5. A finished (quilted & bound) Schnibbles Lincoln quilt. Double YUM!
(yes, more swirls - some people like to meander, I like to do swirls - LOL)

6. A huge favorite thing - my RED quilt cabinet in the entry way of my home. Holds 50+ quilts and makes me smile :-) everytime I walk by.

7. Mary Ellen's Best Press - a must have staple in my sewing room.

8. My most favorite - Cooper our 19 month old Shiz Tzu. Keeps me smiling. :-)
He's snuggled into his favorite spot - with my DH at the footrest of the recliner.

Thank you so much for all the anniversary wishes. We had a wonderful day - out for breakfast and then dinner later in the day.
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Thanks for stopping by to visit - come again soon.
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In Friendship!

Thirty Three Years - Wowzer!

It was February 12, 1977 - thirty three years ago Ron and Darlene promised each other 'til death do us part'. We're growing old together and having fun.

I can't promise to love you for the rest of your life but I can promise that I will love you for the rest of mine!

Happy Anniversary!

February Charming Guys and Girls

Quilt Club Goals

Love this new logo - don't you?
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Here we go - new goals means new projects - woohoo!!!! OK, some are a carry over from January :-)

First let me apologize for the glare on the picture (grrr)

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1. Schnibbles Lincoln - Wiscasset charms

2. Schnibbles Tuffets - I will get these done this month

3. Schnibbles Cindy Lou Who - ditto

4. Schnibbles Picnic - ditto

5. Tumbler quilt with Baskets of Flowers by Mary Englebreit

6. Log Cabin Quilt with Mill House Inn (need to place an order with Kelly today)

7. Kitchen Sink from Scrap Basket Surprises by Kim of Magnolia Bay Quilts - this pile of fabrics has been sitting near my sewing machine for a couple of months - time to git 'r dun teehee

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Hopefully I can stay focused! LOL Yes, yes I have some gift flimsies to quilt but I'm sure you're sick of seeing those - they will get done, too.

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There are so many other projects I want to work on but I need an 8th day of the week - we can call it Someday - what do you think? LOL

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Stay tuned - Gratitude & Generosity Challenge #2 is coming this week. :-)

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Thanks for visiting with me today - I appreciate you.

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In Friendship!

Year of the Schnibbles Finishes

I finished January's project - Madeline


I don't recall which month - this is Winter White - finished!

And, I've just learned that the February Schnibble is Sunday Best - I made mine last week and it's finished. WooHoo! Maybe I can spend February doing the ones from past months (really need to catch up-LOL)

Enjoy your day - thank you for stopping by.

In Friendship!