Getting closer...

Here are blocks 11 and 12 of the Civil War Bride Quilt (my 13th and 14th blocks of 20 finished).  I only have 6 more to go, then I will have the center of this quilt done.  The excitement is building for me...I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

I have drafted a fourth urn block, in addition to a music block and a house block.  I want to put urn blocks in the four corners.  The music one is really going to be complex - I think I'm a little nuts to attempt it (it includes the instrument that my daughter plays along with all the prerequisite flowers and fruit so that it will blend with the rest of the blocks).  The house block has tons of tiny round shapes and the urn block incorporates my husband's favorite flower and some unusual fruit.  How's that for a teaser...you'll have to come back and check things out!!  LOL

Here are the fourteen blocks on my ugly design wall.

In stitches,

Teresa  :o)

Over the hump...

I have 12 of 20 blocks finished now.  When I get a couple more done, maybe I will feel like I'm in the home stretch.  Of course, then there are the appliqued borders...

Please pardon my ugly, old, pink, college blanket that I use for my design wall!!  (how's THAT for recycling...that was 30 years ago!).  Perhaps the juxtaposition of my blocks with the pink spaces will make me work harder to fill the gaps with more finished blocks.

This is block #17, only without the elephant, and I added the apple tree,  My daughter rides horses, so this one was a must!  The idea for the "apple stack" came from my daughter's favorite movie, "Spirit."  I did an apple tree and sun similar to this in my "Home Sweet Home" quilt, which is hanging over my couch in the family room.

This is the yard animal block (block #19)...I modified the chicken to make her look less like a bird and more like a chicken.

To check out the progress of the whole international group doing this particular quilt, please check out Lizzie's 'Civil War Bride Quilt blog' here.  If you love applique, you will love this group, created to chronical the journey of making this reproduction quilt.

As I was recovering from pneumonia, it was nice to have some handwork to do...thanks from all of you for your well wishes during my illness.

In stitches,

Teresa  :o)

CWBQ blocks #5 and #6 (now 10 of 20 blocks are done!)

I'm still feeling punky, but was able to stitch down the last two leaves and get these blocks washed, trimmed and photographed.  I am now half way through the 20 center blocks of this Civil War Bride Quilt...Yippee!  I wish I had prepped more blocks before I got sick, as I don't feel like doing much, but a little stitching will be nice to do when I feel a little stronger (and stop coughing so much!). 

I will photograph all ten blocks together when I feel better!

In stitches bed,

Teresa  :o)

Kitty nurse to the rescue!

As it turns out, my chest cold that started early last week became pneumonia over the weekend.  Mr. Weasley, my constant companion, has become even more constant, if that is even possible.  It worries me a wee bit...aren't there cats and dogs that people take into nursing homes and hospital wings to seek out and sooth terminal patients??  He's freaking me out a little...when my mind wanders...

I think he really loves me and is worried, but mostly he is enjoying the warmth of my fevers and is obsessed with bendy straws.

I'm getting excellent care from all four- and two-legged people in my house.

I am bored but don't really feel like sewing yet, which is a bummer when I think of all that I could have gotten done in the past week!!  I've missed two opportunities to sew with people I love to be with, which would make me really cranky...if I felt better.  I only lack a few applique stitches to be able to post two more CWBQ blocks (my nineth and tenth!), but the unfinished block only mocks me from across the room, when no one else is around.  Sometimes my UFO boxes join the mocking chorus from their location in the basement (the quilt cave).  Or maybe my fever is back...

Even feeling crappy, I can count 4 blessings: 1) a cozy quilt to cuddle under, 2) two- and four-legged people in my house who love me and bring me hot tea and soup, 3) lovely friends and family sending warm thoughts, and 4) your lovely quilt blogs and comments to read when I feel like being upright for a little while.  God bless all of you lovely, creative people out there!

Here's what it looked like outside my southeast Michigan kitchen door before we got more snow today.  They say it will warm to above freezing in a few days...I'll believe it when I see it.

I keep seeing people blog about filling the first part of January with things you want to do more of in the new year...if that is true, I'm screwed...I'll be sick all year!!  LOL

Not in stitches, but in bed,

Teresa  :o)

Project dementia...leaky brain syndrome!

Oh no!!  I've done it again!  I was shuffling through my various UFO project containers and found one that totally baffles me!  There are pieces cut out and arranged on block dividers, ready to be assembled, and I have absolutely no clue as to where I was going with the scrappy blocks once they were sewn together.

I think I have C.R.S. disease...can't remember shit!  Does anyone else do that?  I like the blocks, but I think I am going to have to come up with another lay-out idea.  Maybe I will get hit on the head and the original plan will come back to me...doubtful.  I went through some of the boxes and did a little labeling...I really need to finish some of these very soon before I forget my game plan!  Ahhhh...obsessive-compulsive disorder...

I love scrap quilts!  I'll see something that inspires me to start whacking and taming the scrap bins, then just whack and whack and whack for a while while watching a good movie...ahhhh, Heaven (these are never short term projects!).  Then, of course, this long term whacking project gets put on hold and put in a container to re-visit when I have time for another whacking session.  I should have done a sketch to store with the pieces because now NOTHING is coming to mind...no quilt is materializing in the leaky cauldron that is attached to my shoulders.

Oh well...it will be fun to do something else with the blocks...

In addition to stitching on a couple of CWBQ blocks, I've been pushing myself to finish the applique on my "Bunnies Prefer Chocolate" quilt (from Bunny Hill Designs - have you seen that Anne decided to do another free BOM this year??  Click here to see it...TOO cute!).  I still need to do some embroidery embellishment on about half the block segments, but here they all are on my design wall, all appliqued.  Yeah me!!  I really want to finish this quilt! 

In stitches,
Teresa  :o)

Celebrating 2010 - the year of the stash...

Happy New Year to everyone!!  I was really ready to close the book on 2009...maybe about 5 months ago, really.

I have decided to make 2010 the "year of the stash" and I am declaring a little personal war on all my UFO's and bulging stash.  This scrappy bowtie quilt (with hand pieced blocks) above has been hand quilted except for the corners FOR OVER A YEAR!!  That is disgraceful!!  (I think it is even bound...no excuse for not finishing it!) 

I've taken the hint from others of you to post my list of things to work on for 2010.  My list, thus far, is just things off the top of my head...I need to go down to the "quilt cave" and do a thorough inventory of started items, THEN update the list.  It is really shameful, all the things that were started with such fun and enthusiasm only to be cast aside by the sexiness of a new project or new line of fabric.  So many projects, so little time.

I also need to sew more this year.  I named my blog in an appropriate fashion for me...fabric is really all the therapy I need...I just need to do it more!!  Planning with it, cutting it into shapes, petting it, sewing it, quilting it.  It really makes me feel better and brighter.  Just what is needed for the gloomy, cold gray winter months in Michigan!

And hanging out with other creative, wonderful quilting friends, either in Michigan or in quiltblogland is also a good idea for the new year.  I love all my quilting connections, no matter where they are!!

In stitches,
Teresa   :o)

Homemade ornament exchange (second post)...

Here is Mr. Weasley...watching us decorate the tree.  I used to be so proud of him because he left the tree alone.  This year he sees the decorated tree as some sort of fancy display of new cat toys...when he thinks no one is looking, he likes to remove low hanging items and try to carry them off...bad kitty!  We had to get the squirt botle out again...sigh.  I think he understands now (or is patiently waiting for us to leave town in a couple of days).  Either way, ho-ho-ho!

This is a little Santa made by Ellen.  He has a hollow egg

for a head, and sports angora yarn trim. 

This is one of the cinnamon ornaments 

Barb F. made for me...they smell so good every

year when I hang them on the tree.

While talking about cinnamon, here is a cinnamon 

stick reindeer I made a few years ago.

A few years ago, I made several of these patchwork Christmas balls.

Here is one of my whimsical candy cane "William Tell" 

bears (he has a tiny apple on his head).

Here is a different kind of patchwork ball I made a few years ago.

This is a little hard to photograph, but it is what I like to call an "Alabama reindeer" - he is made by gluing two raw peanuts together, then embellishing.  One of my grandfathers used to grow peanuts.

Deb made this lace on her fancy machine and covered a ball with it, plus some crystals.

A Grandmother's flower garden ornament...

This little reindeer is made entirely of sticks...

I wrapped tiny little styrofoam structures 

to make little packages from Santa.

Here is a little lamb, right from the manger scene in Bethlehem.

Merry Christmas and a Happy 2010 to everyone!

In stitches,

Teresa  :o)

Homemade ornament exchange (first post)...

One of my favorite things about Christmas is my Christmas tree...there are so many lovely homemade ornaments adorning it.  So small, so amazingly detailed, the one above was made by my BFF friend, Ola.  Favorite. Ornament. Ever.  I've shared her larger dolls with you before. 

This is a patched heart made by Cheryl.

This cute little mock Christmas ball was made 

by my friend, Jo.

My friend Margit made this cute little log cabin

ornament above and the beautiful Christmas star below.

Barb N. made these cute little guys...they are

both only about two inches high!

This is a Christmas cardinal made by Marilyn.

Judy E. made this labor-intensive cute 

little stocking...she's off to Florida for 

four months...I will miss her!

These is a very special origami ball made for me by the wife and children of someone I used to work with in a research lab, Chen.  They are very special to me.  I wish I had watched them do all that paper folding!

Mary Liz made this cool folded ribbon/fabric ball.

Sandi made this tiny little paper-pieced 

pineapple ornament...it is only about 

two inches wide.

Here are a couple of snowmen 

made by my best buddy, Ola. 

Here are some I made...first, a unicorn for my daughter.

I made this Santa ornament from recycled 

Christmas cards...thanks to Martha Stewart

for the fun idea.

This wreath is made from yo-yo's...

I will stop for now on this post and post more later!  I just love the yearly ornament exchange!

In stitches,

Teresa  :o)

Friday inspiration...

As the Beatles say, I definitely "get by with a little help from my friends!"  December is a zoo-y month for me with my music job responsibilities, so I get my sewing thrills vicariously through my talented quiting friends.

Last Friday at "Sit & Stitch" at The Quilting Season quilt shop, we had some exciting show & tells.  I love this black/white/bright quilt top by Kathy (holding on the right side).  When I first saw this quilt pattern, the picture on the cover did not speak to me.  But then, Kathy uses her excellent eye and color 

sense and knocks my socks off!  The picture does not do it justice.

Judy (in the center) was binding this beautiful treasure that will go on the wall above her bed.

Barb was putting the finishing touches on three little purses for granddaughters for Christmas.

Ellen was showing off one of her "liberated ladies" - she and Kathy are challenging our group to a swap of these stylish little ladies after Christmas (more on this exciting project in a later post).

Good luck in getting all your Christmas projects finished before Santa takes flight!!

In stitches,

Teresa  :o)

The PERFECT quickie gift for sewing friends...

This is my favorite tool and they are quick, easy and inexpensive to make!  I use simple bamboo skewers, various beads, and craft glue to make these stilettos.  I use this tool for EVERYTHING!! 

I push stuff under the sewing machine pressure foot when I'm piecing or sewing...I use it when preparing my applique pieces by the glue stick method...I use it to poke out corners when stuffing things (I blunt the pointy end a little first!).

I find the skewers at the grocery store, etc.  I have found 2 thicknesses...regular large beads work well with the thinner style, and I have found that pony beads or beads for children (like the one with the yellow star, above) work well with the thicker style.  Just find your skewers first, then buy beads to fit.

Using utility scissors, I cut the blunt end off the skewer to get the length I want, then I glue the beads on one at a time, using tacky craft glue.  You can make them as plain or fancy as you want.  I like using the alphabet beads to spell names or simple phrases...and the squareness of the beads keeps the stiletto from rolling off the table!

Enjoy!

In stitches,

Teresa   :o)