Wool!

 Lately I have developed an interest in wool applique. I like to have something in hand to work on while watching football or movies, and hand quilting just doesn't do it for me. I found this little pattern  and started working on it before the holidays. Now the applique is finished and I will complete the borders and figure out how you quilt something like this!

 

Not  to bad for a beginner....I think its kind of cheerful modern.

I have also become addicted to the "10 minute" table runner. These quick little projects give instant gratification with endless possibilities for stash fabrics to turn into cheerful house dressing for all variety of holidays!

 

This beautiful collection of ladies and quilts is the local Linus group for 2014, that meets at Duck United Methodist Church in a Linus-appalooza from January through February making hundreds of Linus quilts. These are largely used locally for children in difficult circumstance via local police, fire and shelter officials. It is such a worthwhile project. I am so honored to have friendship with a lot of these ladies.

 

Quiltfest 2014!

It's hard to believe that something you look forward to all year can come and go so fast!! But alas another Quiltfest is in the can. I relish the time spent in the winter quiet of the Outer Banks with such a talented group of women, time to relax, time to stitch, time to EAT and time to laugh!

 

We admire each others work.....

 

 

We hand quilt....

 

We tackle triangles....

 

We make pillowcases....

 

 

And Linus quilts....

 

Did I mention we EAT!!

 

We make table runners....

 

We discover some cool projects that friends are making...

 

We make more table runners....

 

And we EAT!!!

And we EAT!!!

 

And then we go home.... :(

Happy New Year's 2014!

 

A new year, a clean slate, a turned page....so much significance assigned to the date. I found this quote and I like it....

 

 

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.” ― Neil Gaiman 

 

I guess that is a theme for me, being brave. Brave enough to try things that push me out of my comfort zone. Brave enough not to worry if I will look silly. Brave enough to risk failure in order to experience as much as I can while I am on this blue marble in the universe. 

 

Worked on Bonnie Hunter's Mystery today. She made the big revel at midnight and the quilt is really cool with movement and color. I sewed one of the blocks together just to see what it would look like. A bit of wonk, but I bravely sewed on. It doesn't matter if there is wonk. It just matters that sewing it, looking at the colors and patterns makes me happy. Isn't that really what making art is all about?

Happy New Year.

2013 Quilting

 

Was looking at pictures over the last year...didn't quilt as much as I would have liked but got a few things going.

 

 

A UFO of charm packs with grey.

 

This is finished and bound and kept me warm on the sofa during football. A Christmas Turning 20.

 

Lisa shows off her fine long-arming skills, on my jelly roll twist Christmas quilt that is bound and in use!

 

This will be a fall table topper when it is quilted, still needs the print border.

 

This was a Christmas fabric swap I did with my friends, the Barefoot Quilters. I received the blue Grinch fabric and made this piece for Colleen. "Maybe Christmas, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps... means a little bit more!"

 

A quick kit table runner.

 

Civil War braid will be the backdrop to some wool applique, I think.

 

Father's Day sewing, a new apron for my husband.

On retreat in April, scrappy trip around the world, a Bonnie Hunter Pattern.

Love my modern Christmas Trees!

 

Fall table runner.

 

A throw down challenge....ridiculously small blocks....remains a UFO.

 

Playing with applique on the machine.

 

A little more progress on the throw down.

 

A Turning Twenty at the Fall retreat out of Laurel Burch cat fabric for a cat enthusiast friend who lost her mother in October.

 

Another top stitched at the Fall retreat, added the borders below for a finish!

 

A closer view of the Grinch!

 

Hoping to spend more time at my machine this year!

A Little of This and a Little of That



 

The problem with taking down the Christmas decorations, is what to put in the space that is left when "festive" is removed! I found these great prints that combines January snowflakes and February hearts into one table runner, the "10 Minute" variety. I am pleased with this bit of décor.

 

 

Work continues on the Owl Quilt, and I slipped in some chain piecing of Celtic Sunrise Clue 4. At the least I have all of the clue cut and now half sewn. 

We are tucked into the dining room today so we can support each other...haha. I am not sure who is supervising who!

Now I need to remember that little twist trick that makes the center lie flat. But that can wait until tomorrow.

Hoot, Hoot!

 

Whenever my Step-daughter is with us for a stretch, we usually get into some sewing project. We hatched an idea for a raffle quilt for her school trip and went on the hunt for some owl fabric and coordinating prints for a Disappearing Nine Patch pattern that is popular on internet quilting sites. (Not sure who originally came up with this nifty idea.)

 

 We found some owls that we liked and got to cutting..

Sewing away...

Next the magical cuts...

 Here's our block...I like the color pops!