The big Christmas pay off...

Here is "Thing 1" (aka Eliza, my niece) digging into her Christmas bag containing her Dr. Seuss quilt.  My little sis is wearing the wig.  The 19-month-old had it on her head and off again before I ever raised my camera to my face.

Katie is pointing out each letter of Eliza's name (thanks Tonya, you and your letters are brilliant!).

The quilt was a big hit!  Aunt "Lolly," my sister Laurie, gave her the cute set of polka-dotted Christmas PJ's the night before, and there was NO getting her out of those for a picture in the "Thing 1" suit, so hopefully little sis will snap a picture of THAT at a later date!

Little 10-month-old Asa (aka "Thing 2," my nephew), was a little slower in yanking off the wig than his cousin.

Since my daughter is now 13, I had forgotten how difficult it would be to get a nice, staged picture of the two of them, each posing sedately and happily in strange wigs and a change in clothes...what was I thinking?!?  One was ready for a nap, one just up from a nap and racing around, more like the Loony Toons cartoon mouse, Speedy Gonzales, than the book figures, "Thing 1" and "Thing 2."  This is the closest we got to a photo op of the two of them, Eliza giving Asa a "drive by" hug and kiss.

My sister, Laurie (aka Aunt "Lolly"), liked her quilt, Chelsea Cottage.

Quilted book bags full of good children's books were also a big hit.

We woke up to a white Christmas in North Alabama, a total surprise, then drove to Philadelphia the day after and had 12 inches of the white stuff on the ground there.  When we drove back home to Michigan a couple of days ago, it was 50 degrees and all the old snow had melted.  Weird.

Ahhh...Christmas babies...my daughter with her first phone and my niece and nephew with a new book...priceless!

Here's to a great new year full of promise and lots of quilting (and the New Year's resolution...again (sigh)...to start EARLIER this year on homemade Christmas items...yeah, right...).

In stitches,

Teresa  :o)

Last minute FINISHES!!

Yes Virginia...there will be a Santa Claus this year!

 

Dr. Seuss quilts are finished and wrapped (for Eliza, 18 months, and Asa, 10 months).

 

Cottage quilt is finished and wrapped for my sister...(shhh!).

"Olivia" quilted book bag is finished for Eliza...

 

Dr. Seuss quilted book bag is finished for Asa...

 My friend Judy Endres made this ornament for me...

 

My friend Beth Kruzich made these snowman ornaments for me...

 My friend Mary Jones made the Redwork ornaments for me...

 

...AND this beautiful wall hanging...

I will show more pictures of wonderful things after the first of the year.  It's been a crazy month...I turned 50 (and was taken by surprise by my Sit & Stitch friends!)  I've performed and directed LOTS of music in all kinds of styles.  I managed to finish all my homemade gifts.  Now I will be away from my blog for two weeks, enjoying the season with my family, near and far.  I look forward to catching up with all of you in the new year...I've missed you as my seasonal job responsibilities have taken me away from the blogosphere too much this month.

Have a joyous and safe holiday season!!

In stitches,

Teresa  :o)

The top is finished...maybe...

I love anything out of  a Blackbird Designs book.

This is my version of Chelsea Cottage.  I got all the blocks assembled, then decided it needed a sawtooth border.  The sawtooth border contains alternating red and black HST's.  I LOVE scrappy, and this is SCRAPPY!  I'm still trying to decide if I want an outer border, then must make a decision about the quilting.  I'm leaning toward hand quilting.  It will be a large wall hanging for my sister Laurie.  It's already 54 x 74...already big for a wall hanging.  Hmmm....

Weasley thinks the applique needs a cat or two, since my sister has cats.  Hmmm...

He's my worst critic and my biggest fan, but can be easily bought for some kitty treats.

In stitches,

Teresa  :o)

Actual progress...a view of the design wall...

I finally finished the hand applique piece for Laurie's quilt!  I wiped the cobwebs off the stack of already made log cabin blocks that have been waiting patiently and got to pin everything up on my design wall.  Now I need to sew them all together.  Yippee!!

I'm liking it!  This quilt started as Chelsea Cottage from the book, "You're Invited: Quilts and Homes That Inspire" by Blackbird Designs.  I decided to change things a wee bit (hey...it's me...).  I wanted larger log cabin blocks, so I added an additional "round" of logs.  All this meant that I had to re-draft the applique block because the block size changed from 16 x 24 inches to 20 x 30 inches.  I changed the proportions of the cottage and re-worked the vine and flowers.

I had promised a tutorial on how I do hand applique.  I thought I would use this project.  I even enlisted a less-than-enthusiastic husband to take some of the pictures because I found that I needed 3-4 hands (I wouldn't mind carrying extra weight around if it was something USEFUL like extra, helping hands!).

Well, I didn't check the quality of the pictures before rushing on and finishing the block...tsk, tsk, tsk...haste makes waste.  Some were blurry.  I would have gone back and made some more pictures, but I had rushed on and whipped up the block.

I do want to preview my favorite applique tools, though.  Especially the funky blue thing pictured above.  And for everyone who posted a suggestion as to where I could get more "dobbers" for my Roxanne's Glue-Baste, thank you, thank you, thank you!!  They are called "Lil' Sticks" and they are made by the Fasturn Company, and P3 Designs carries them and they're cheap...I ordered a dozen!  (they come in packs of 3)  Apparently, they make good cake testers when baking as well.

Anyway, I wanted to mention the blue coil.  It is a flexible French curve, and I LOVE using it for many things, but mainly to design vines for hand applique.  It is bendable and stays where you bend it so that you can "audition" a vine on your block, then move it to freezer paper or a sketch pad to trace it.  It is a drawing and drafting tool that I found in the art section of my local Joann's store.  I've also seen them in office supply places.  I also use it when hand quilting to make up and repeat quilting motifs.

After coming up with my "curve," I move it to freezer paper and trace one side of it.   Then I go back and draw a second line to make it as thick or thin as I'd like.  Because I iron my freezer paper pattern to the right side of the fabric, I don't have to worry about reversing the curve.

Anyway, I promise that a tutorial is still on my to-do list.  I have a greater appreciation for everyone that posts tutorials...like Crispy and Bonnie Hunter.  Thank you for all your hard work and attention to detail.  Tutorials are fun to do, but care must be taken and can't be rushed.

Anyway, I will pick a little project and do a tutorial soon.  I really needed to rush on with this project, as it is a Christmas present for one of my sisters.

I posted on Stash Manicure again this morning.  I revealed some of my stash on that site a couple of weeks ago and was asked to post again and go into more detail.  It was harder to do than I thought it would be...it makes you feel a little vulnerable...EXPOSED!!  I compared it to showing someone my underwear drawer...you know...it's all clean and boring, but most is old and in need of repair or replacement...the last bastion of privacy.  I love my stash...I've been hoarding collecting it since the early 80's, but it seems a little self-indulgent sometimes, especially in such bad economic times.  And have you ever seen the show Hoarders on the A&E TV channel on Monday nights??  Yikes! 

Check out Barbara Brackman's latest post about the price of cotton right now and what that will probably do to the cost of fabric.  I think we will all be "shopping our stashes" more in the near future...

I am shamefully behind on reading your blogs...I hope to catch up this weekend.  It is supposed to get all rainy and chilly here in southeast lower Michigan.  Ahhhh...fall.

In stitches,

Teresa  :o)

It's October...bring on the PUMPKINS!

It's October on the farm, so I decided to turn the watermelons into pumpkins with a wave of my magic wand...bippity boppity BOO!  This is block nine of "All Around the Town" (by Sue Garman).

Three more blocks (wedges, really) to go.  I had so much fun with the pumpkins and quilts, I think I need to go back and put a few more things in front yards.  Then I can start thinking about the cars and two borders.

(Here's the pattern front.)

Despite my protestations, my friend Mary Jones recently "paid" me for some hand quilting with the following goodies...

GORGEOUS new Jo Morton fat quarters, some Halloween coasters (to protect our furniture from mugs of steaming, hot, witches brew, straight from the smoking cauldron...), and a funky little big-headed Halloween ornament.  And do you see the kitty card in the left back corner?  THAT is going to be drafted into a future applique block...I LOVE that caffeine cat, just trying to get his morning fix, with his paws wrapped around his cup of java, foam on his latte-smacking mouth!  Me-OW!!

I love using greeting cards to get ideas for applique blocks.  My quilting friends are kind enough to save the fronts of their recycled greetings for me to make Christmas ornaments from.  Every now and then, there are some that get my applique needle quivering...just look at this doggie with the bird friends...

In addition to working on my barn block, I've been appliqueing the house that will go on the quilt I am making for my sister, Laurie.  I am using a variation of the "Chelsea Cottage" pattern from Blackbird Designs for her quilt.

I can't wait to get it on a piece of background so that I can surround it with my prepared log cabin blocks.  I've also been prepping more cranberry birds for little Christmas projects.

And getting the odd basket appliqued.  With all the painting I've been doing, it has been nice to relax with little obtainable goals in the evening, even if only for 15 minutes (thanks Victoria of Bumble Beans, Inc.).  Those 15 minute sessions can really add up! 

Have a beautiful fall day (or spring one, if you are "down under").

In stitches,

Teresa  :o)

29 log cabins, some prep work and SCISSOROOS...

I have a lovely pile of 29 log cabin blocks finished for making a modified version of "Chelsea Cottage" from You're Invited! by Blackbird Designs.  This is a U.F.O. that I am trying to finish for my sister, Laurie (long overdue...).

I am making the quilt slightly larger, so I am using 10 inch log cabin blocks rather than 8 inch.  The blocks are scrappy green and neutral with black centers.  This means my appliqued house block will need to be larger and therefore will need more stuff in it...like some trees, maybe.  That will be fun.

I have also prepped these applique pieces for my next 2 blocks of "All Around the Town" by Sue Garmon.  Fun, fun, fun!

And even more fun...just look at the lovelies I got in the mail today from Natima of NotJustNat (all the way from Australia!!).  Scissoroos (little snips with a kangaroo on them!), a really cool needle case, and a lovely card.  Here is a close up of the scissoroos - ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE!!!!!  Thank you, thank you - I will treasure them ALWAYS!

And you may have noticed a button on my blog from Singing With Birds - apparently my nephew's baby quilt caught her eye and it was chosen as one for her "Five on Friday."  Thank you for the honor!

In stitches,

Teresa  :o)