Saturday, February 28, 2009

Inspiration!

I've often referred to the blogging world as my International Quilting Guild. So much inspiration, friendship, advice, etc can be found in the blogging community. So, my international quilting friends I thank you for your opinions regarding how to set my sweet basket blocks. It was an overwhelming majority vote for an "on point" setting. :-) I'm going to set them on point and share my progress as I stitch along - stay tuned.

Speaking of inspiration! A long time ago I purchased a set of 12 notecards (four of three different designs) and I've been coveting them waiting for the perfect opportunity to use them. Earlier this week I took four to Kinkos and had "Inspiration Journals" made. They cut my cards on the fold line and I had them use graph paper for the pages of the journals. They are 5" x 7" and should fit nicely in a purse, totebag, etc - handy - because you never know when inspiration will strike. Now that I know that they look adorable and will work wonderfully I will take the other eight cards to Kinkos and have more made. There are so many wonderful note cards available and in the scrapbooking section of a Joann's or Michael's the possibilities are countless. Can you imagine the adorable inspiration journals that can be made?

These first four journals are going to four people who have provided me with inspiration on a regular basis since I started blogging.

Thank you for your popping in - come again soon!

In Friendship!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Opinions, Please!

I need your opinion(s), please!

I started these mini baskets sometime last Summer/Fall after Karen was kind enough to share her basket template with me. I have no specific plans in mind - just know that I want every basket to be a different fabric (no repeats). When Kathie read that, she offered to share fabric with me and sent a ton. Thank you so much, Ladies!

Anyway, I need your opinion(s) because I've come to a screeching halt and now I want to get busy again. The 10 blocks on the left are sewn down with a straight setting in mind; the baskets/blocks on the right are just prepped with an on-point setting in mind - which setting would you do?

I think I've answered my own question but I want to know want you think. Please!


Thanks bunches! I'll be waiting to hear from you!

In Friendship!

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Ta-Da!
(gotta love the ta-da moments - LOL)

Pieces/parts have now been assembled!

Squaring it up!
Sweet block!
Can you say Spring????

Wait for it!!! :-)
Wait,
Wait,
Here it comes! :-)
And, now the specifics! This is a Schnibbles pattern (State Fair) by Carrie of Miss Rosie's Quilt Co (yes, again - snicker) and I used a Jelly Roll (Maypole by April Cornell). I had plans to make it bigger but once I got started and saw it coming together I decided it would be best to keep it small (approx 36" x 36"). I think it's going to look wonderful on my kitchen table this Spring with a sweet pitcher full of flowers - I can see it in my mind's eye and I'm super excited! Carrie's pattern suggests an adorable piano key border but I had this yardage I needed to use. LOL And, did you notice my 'red peeper'? It shows just enough and covers some of the off-white background fabric. I love it! Peg at Happy In Quilting uses 'peepers' in many of her quilts and I've loved the effect so I decided it was time to do the same. :-)
That's it for today - thanks for stopping by - come again soon!
In Friendship!

Monday, February 23, 2009

New Project! :-)

New project teaser - started cutting and planning earlier today and then this evening I sat down to sew. I usually show you (ok, tease you - LOL) with my cut pieces parts but tonight I decided to show you the beginning of my project.

The next picture shows you the pieces parts becoming bigger pieces parts - tee hee!
Soon I will have completed blocks to show you (well, I already do but I can't show you yet - no, not yet!!!!)
Have you made your heart smile today - spending time with your needle and thread will do it - trust me! :-)
Thanks for stopping by - come again very soon, please!
In Friendship!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

The End!

As in binding your quilt. :-)

This blog post was prompted by a recent lengthy conversation with Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Co fame about bindings and such.

The next picture will show my preferred method...
I start in the center on a long side of the quilt - this way when I turn that final fourth corner I know that the end is near. teehee!!! I use binding clips but will only clip along that long side and around the first corner; after I turn the first corner I stop and clip again to the next corner (it's a silly game I play with myself). I hold the quilt like you see in the picture working from right to left (you'll notice my parked needled ready to go again). By the way, I cut my binding strips 2" wide and I like to use a Sharp needle with a single strand of thread.
edit: I failed to mention that I always stitch down my mitered corners (front and back)


Some prefer the method shown in the next picture.
So, what's your preferred method? I'd love it if you'd share your binding secrets!


I was chatting with Carrie to thank her for the package of goodness that arrived in my mailbox. Look at all those goodies she shared with me. All of her latest Schnibbles patterns, an adorable mini journal titled "What I Made" and one of her Tuffets. Oh, it pained me to remove the black ribbon (the patterns looked so cute all tied up), I took the Tuffet out of the bag and it now resides by my sewing machine and I wrote a few notes in my cute journal. Carrie, thank you so much for you!

Thank you for stopping by and please leave comment about your bindings and such!
In Friendship!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Chain, Chain, Chain; Chain of Fools :-)

Sorry, I couldn't resist - LOL! This oldie crossed my mind this morning as I was chaining to my heart's content. So, I had to share! :-)

It's a perfect day for sewing!!!!! Why? Because it's raining today on the surface of the sun and I'm a happy quilter.

Thanks for visiting and indulging my silliness :-)

In Friendship!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Showing YOU!

ME and I spent the day together and finished the center of my quilt. It's ME's first line with Moda, Friends and Flowers and the pattern is called "Furrowed Four Patch".

I have a few things to contemplate before I add the borders. I don't recall what my plans were for this fabric when I purchased it because I have two Fat Quarter Shop Jolly Patches, two charm packs and some yardage. This quilt only took 3/4 of a Jolly Patches package. Maybe it should be bigger? (it's approx 40" x 50" w/o the borders) Maybe I should stop here and make something else? This will look adorable on the quilt rack in the corner of my kitchen this summer - talk about a splash of Summer. Definitely reminds me of a picnic!

Today I'm off to spend the day with my 4 year old grandson, Eli - he's not feeling well. And, then later my Sweetie and I will go out to dinner to celebrate our 32nd anniversary.

Enjoy your day and feel free to leave me your thoughts about what I should do with this cutie!

Thanks for stopping by - please come again!

In Friendship!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

A Little ME Time :-)

I haven't done much in my sewing room in several days - so it's time for a little ME time.

Me and ME (aka Mary Englebreit) will be spending the day together working with these sweet prints. I've done the cutting and I'm ready to sew. woohoo!

Come back later and hopefully I'll have something to show for my efforts.
Thanks for stopping by - come again!

In Friendship!

Monday, February 09, 2009

Run!!!! Hurry!!!!!
My friend, Nan is finally hugging her blog - LOL and celebrating her 100th post with a wonderful giveaway! Oh my goodness you must take a look at all the goodies she's giving away! Take a few minutes to hug your blog and then go visit Miss Nan! :-)
In Friendship!
Darlene

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Just Sweet :-)

A little TV watching with my little redwork project = a relaxing Saturday evening!

Not much happening in my corner of the world the past couple of days. I hope that you've been enjoying your needle and thread, therefore making your heart sing.

Thanks for stopping by - I love it when you do.

In Friendship!

Thursday, February 05, 2009

Done - 'nuf said!

I hope I can do this every month! Maybe I need to pencil in "A Tisket, A Tasket" on the 5th of every month. I have to do this as soon as it's available or else I'll procrastinate and never get them done. You should see the piles of other BOMs that I've committed to - they are just sitting waiting patiently for my 'someday soon'.

Now I'm off to work on the redwork version. :-)

I'm having so much fun - I wish you could see the smile on my face and the happiness in my eyes!


Thanks for visiting with me! I really appreciate that you do!
In Friendship!
Ready, Set, Stitch!!!!

Can you tell that I'm truly very, very smitten with Anne's (aka Bunny Hill Designs) free "A Tisket, A Tasket" block of the month. I was stalking her site last night waiting for block #2 and there it was - WooHoo! I went to bed anxious to get up this morning to prep this cutie. I will sit later today to commence stitching - I've traced my redwork version, too. I'm a very happy girl today! Anne, thanks so much for providing this darling pattern.


Leaving you with a very happy heart! I hope that you do something today that makes your heart happy! Thanks for stopping by - come again soon!

In Friendship!

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

They're Missing!!!!

Hello, my name is Miss Bea Happy and my wabbit friends, Thimbles, Joy and Milly have been missing for a vewy, vewy long time. Enough is enough - where are they?????

Definitely not in the snippet bucket on the cutting table. Sigh!!!!

Look! Look! Look! Here they are but they look sad and unhappy! You'd be sad and unhappy, too, if you were 'stuffed' and 'crammed' in a basket. I wonder if Darlene did this while she was cleaning up one day and then completely forgot about my friends. I'm really afwaid cuz now they will be looking for revenge.

Be afwaid, be vewy, vewy afwaid!!!!! :-p
Ah - so much better - everyone looks more comfortable and happy. Allow me to introduce my friends to you ----left to right -----Miss Milly wearing frilly, Thimbles with the huge black eyes (she let me sit on her shoulders - teehee) and Joy with the crooked ear (she was injured by a wabbit hunter a long time ago).

Thank you for stopping by to visit - I hope you'll come back vewy, vewy soon!
Naughty Can Be Nice!
Miss Bea Happy, Miss Milly, Thimbles & Joy

Thinking Out Loud!

Has this happened to you? Have you left comments on different blogs and been ignored? Are there some blogs that you visit over and over and over again; leaving comment, after comment, after comment hoping to make a connection. You love the blog owner's style and you really want to get to know her/him better. Well, if that's happened to you when you've visited my blog I am here to apologize. 2008 was a super busy and stressful year for me and I did all I could to keep up with my life in general - I tried to keep up with blogging but in many cases failed miserably! Sigh!

I've made a fresh start recently - if you've visited my blog and left a comment I've responded to your comment and my plans are to diligently work on that! Bear in mind that if you're set up for "no reply" or your comment is annonymous then obviously I can't respond. So consider yourself warned - you're going to be hearing from me. LOL

Speaking of fresh starts! :-) The first block of a new BOM arrived yesterday and it's done. This is called "Women of Influence" through Homestead Hearth. In 2010, America will celebrate the 90th anniversary of women securing the right to vote. Block #1 commemorates Lucy Stone - who worked for the suffrage movement for almost 50 years. Thank you, Lucy Stone!

Thanks bunches for visiting - come again and come often!

In Friendship!
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