December's Crafting

Our  online quilt group (SQTG) just finished up a Secret Santa gift exchange.  Photos of the gifts received show that this exchange was a huge success, and hopefully this exchange will continue in the future.  Our exchange hostess went above and beyond her duties.  She would send us e-mails to encourage, and remind us that the SS clock was ticking downwards to mailing day.  She has a collection of "stuffed bears"; at least we are thinking they are stuffed (LOL), that she said were watching us and keeping us on track and would visit us if we were not doing what we were supposed to do.  She has a wonderful sense of humor and I know we all enjoyed her e-mails immensely.  

So, I received this wonderful gift from my Secret Santa all the way from Canada:)

In all the many, many years of sewing I have been doing, I have never had a proper pin cushion.  I think the one I have is the old "tomato/strawberry" thing that I had in high school.  I am no spring chicken, so that was a while ago. LOL I just love this one, it is so "handy"....... (Secret Santa, if your following me on my blog, I will think of you when I put my pins in, in a good way, not like a voodoo doll way. LOL!!!!!!)  Also a really cool Japanese Christmas printed fabric (can't wait to make this into something), mug rug, a thimble key chain, a red dress pin for woman's heart health, and a crocheted heart.  I have a friend who's grandparents were Danish, and she told me that they had hearts like this hung on their Christmas trees.

I was a SS for a member of our group who lives in Florida, this is what I made her.

This was so much fun to make.  

For some crazy reason, I always seem to come up with wanting to make something at the last minute.....  I started with wanting to make my youngest daughter (Monica) an apron. I have a neat looking apron pattern that I wanted to try and I already had the fabric.  Then, I decided that I should make her children, my two granddaughters and grandson one too.  So I looked up on the internet how to make those dishtowel aprons for them.  But,  I didn't want to make dishtowel aprons,  so I made a pattern upgrade. I wanted them to be lined, so I kept upgrading until the last one was less time consuming and more what I had in mind.  

Then, 2 days before Christmas, my husband asked if I had Jennie's apron done yet; that would be my second oldest daughter.  Let me backtrack.......... I had gone to the fabric store with my oldest daughter, Sarah, and she helped me pick out Jennie's fabrics and Monica's children's fabrics and linings. Well, I couldn't just do the one family members an apron and not do Sarah's and 2 of my other grandchildren, right? You see where this is going...............way to much sewing to get done before Christmas. LOL

Back to the 2 days before Christmas and Jennie's apron .....So, I said to my husband, why not, I whipped out Jennie's apron in a day, a full 8 hour sewing day.  Came out pretty darn good.  This is the finished apron front and lined back.  The ties are one long piece that goes thru the sides, around the neck to fit, around the back and long enough to tie in the front like a chef's apron.  I guess I didn't take a picture of the finished apron.  DUH!!

My daughter, Sarah, had bought an apron from the Ikea store this last summer, so I fashioned Jennie's from that one.  It is long, the pocket is split into 3 different openings the width of the apron.  It really is nice.  So, only 3/4 more to make.  

Next month's SQTG challenge......hmmmmmmmm oh what will it be?

It's cookie time............talk to you later

Sharon

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas.

Our family always gets together and celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve.  The only thing missing this year was our third offspring;  daughter, son-in-law, and our three grandchildren (ages 4-10).  My son-in-law is presently stationed at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas.  So, that left my oldest daughter, her husband, and three children (ages 9-15), my "middle" daughter and her significant other, and my son, and my 89 yr. old mother, and oh yeah, my husband celebrating our Christmas Eve.

Always lots of food and lots of laughter.

My husband is currently busy in the kitchen (I see 2 Pots on the stove) cooking up something to use the leftover veggies from last night.  It's not like we don't have enough leftovers to eat today (even after I send food home with everyone) he has to create more leftovers?  I have to confess though, he is the "main" cook here in this household.  He really cooks like a master chef..........you name it, he can make it.

I have to share a funny here; my daughters will call me and ask a cooking question, which I usually have to turn it over to my husband to answer for them. LOL  When I occasionally cook a meal my family doesn't believe that I did it!  But,  I am a master at Beef Stroganoff, and this is usually a birthday request from my oldest daughter, her husband, and their oldest son.  I am 2 behind in this.  (I have to note this for my New Year's to do list)  I don't like the NY's Resolution thing, so I make a To Do List.  This way I don't feel like such a failure if I flub up on my "goals".....

Maybe sometime later today I will finally be able to post what I have been busy making in my craft room this last month.

So, again, for those who celebrate, Have A Very Merry Christmas from me to you:)

Okay, it is now COOKIE TIME...............

Sharon

CHRISTMAS IS ALMOST HERE!

It's been awhile since I have had a chance to update anything on my blog.  If you've visited, thank you. 

 I am sure there are a few of us out there that procrastinate when it comes to making that perfect gift for Christmas, if you are a crafter we get these wondrous ideas to make things for family and friends, only to put it off; and before we know it, it's Thanksgiving and nothing has been started.  

Well, that was me this year.  Last year I did pretty darn good, I started in October and had finished long before Christmas.

I have been sewing, I think for about 3 weeks now, and finally am where I think I may get everything done.  The "child" who lives out of State, she's the trouble maker.  I have to have everything in the mail by tomorrow...... this is a timeline that I made for myself.  (P.S.:  You know who you are...............if your reading this, I am _________this close to getting it done:)  LOL 

I can't wait to show everyone what I have been up to, but, because of the surprise element ........I can't show pictures until after Christmas.

Wishing everyone Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays, and so forth:)

Sharon.......now going back to Santa's Workshop 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Recipe

My friend just informed me that she went to the store to buy Nestle' Toll House Chocolate Chips.  But, she found that all the bags she looked at didn't have the pan variation on them.

I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, maybe the milk chocolate chips don't have this recipe.  But, for the sake of convenience for those of you who want to try this great easy recipe..... here it is:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
combine these in a separate bowl

1 cups (2 sticks) butter.........now I suggested cutting the butter amount, my mom informed me that they
                                            were not as rich tasting if you don't use the 2 sticks.........this might be a
                                            personal choice here:)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs

beat butter, both sugars and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition

Gradually beat in flour mixture, do not over beat,

Stir in 1 cup semi-sweet choc. chips
          1 cup white chips
          1 cup coconut (this is optional of course)
          1 cup walnuts or pecans

Spread in greased 15 x 10 inch pan..........  BAKE:  375         18 - 20 minutes.......

I cut the edges off all around the pan, these become by biscotti cookies to have with coffee!!

Hope this helps

Sharon
                                                                                                                   

"My Chocolate Chip Bars"

Confession, I am not a good chocolate chip cookie maker!  I either bake them to long, not long enough ending in a product that is to flat or to hard.  So my solution is now just to make the bar recipe on the back of the Hershey's semi-sweet bag.  Always comes out pretty perfect.  Quick & easy, that's my kind of baking.

Maybe you have already found these bar recipes, but there may be some out there that never check this part on the bag; like me for many years. The many people I have given these to never tried the bars, and they have given me a "thumbs up" on the bars:)

I follow the recipe pretty much as it is listed. ......... BUTTER, (for me) the 2 sticks of butter is to much, but it does make a really rich bar.  So, if you make these for the first time, you may want to try the 2 sticks, and work at cutting it down when you make more batches.  I now use 1 1/2 sticks......still pretty darn good.
****My mom just informed me, that she likes it better with the 2 sticks of butter!  

I add 1 cup semi-sweet chips, 1 cup white chips, 1 cup coconut, and 1 cup nuts. Not much of an eye opening moment..........but try it, I am thinking you'll like it!

Not much preparation

Looking good!

It is very thick, so helpful hint.....spray spatula with cooking spray to spread  10" x 15" pan.

18-20 minutes at 375 degrees

I am a lover of biscotti, if you cut off the ends around the pan, it becomes a biscotti like cookie.  Some of my friends that I have given this cookie to, do not know this, because I always take that part for me, and just give them the bar.  I never said I was a perfect friend:)

I hope you give this recipe a try if you haven't already done so.  Let me know if you find it pretty darn good to.

My Adventure Into Sock Making!

So far this month:  I have been productive, but not much to show for it. LOL

I talked my friend (Charlene)  into taking a sock knitting class with me.  A few years ago we took a beginner's knitting class.  We are a wiz on knitted dish cloths.  I did manage to get a few more knitting projects done, a couple of scarves, 2 Wallaby sweaters for my grandchildren, and a few other things.  But, by no means do I consider myself a true "knitter". I really do find it relaxing and I do enjoy it.

Now, so I drag my friend into the quilt/knit shoppe.  We sign up for the class, and the teacher of the class so happens to be there when we do it.  So, she says, why don't we just get started and we will have that much more done when we come in for our first class.  Doesn't sound like a bad idea.....so 3 hours later we leave to come back the following week.  I think we have like maybe 3 inches sewn?

I end up tearing out what I had done at the shop, my friend does also.  She was watching  Char knit and told her she was knitting the stitches wrong.  So, she tears them out, Char starts again.  Char comes over to my house a few days later to show me her progress, and I ask her why she is knitting that way.........cause the lady told her to!  We look it up in my books, cause at that point I am thinking I am doing it wrong.  Nope.........the teacher lady was wrong.  She must have been looking at my friend upside down?

So once again, my friend tears her knitting out..........  Following week we go in to start the heal.  After 2 hours knitting, not understanding a darn thing (because she doesn't have the pattern for us to follow, she just takes our work and does some stitches and gives the work back to us).  (Or she takes our work, tears it out, and hands it back for us to re-do. Not understanding why, just doing.)  We head out to lunch. We come back, we have to scramble to get our chairs back.  You see, not only is she teaching us, but it is an open knit.  Around the table are 7-8 knitters, all doing something different.....she is helping us all.  Talk about confusing (the teacher was getting a little flustered herself...she's good, she knew how to help everyone, but it was frustrating to see her work so hard).  After 5 hours of knitting..........we looked at each other and knew we were done for the day, and left.

Third time is the charm?  No.  We finally get the pattern, but it is nothing like we are doing.  We are learning on small circular needles and the instructions are for 4 dbl. needles.  We are doing different number of stitches than the pattern calls for too.  Talk about lost.  After another couple hours.....we leave for lunch.  Come back, more knitters at the table.  Someone comes in and asks if she is teaching a class.....she said no.  What???? We thought we were still taking lessons.  So she takes a few minutes to sell a private job for herself .......and we are left to try and finish our "gusset" .  Finally, we bid goodbye, and hope I can figure out the toe from the so called pattern at home.   She said we need to come back for the toe ...........I am thinking no-way.

Are you still with me?  My family gets tired of the endings to my stories too.  So smarty me,  I find a pretty easy looking pattern on u-tube.  LOL   So I said to myself, everything fits pretty good so far, I can figure out the toe part of the pattern.  No, there will be no pictures of the toe of my sock, thank you. Once again, back to the internet again,  find another easy looking sock, and I am now working on that.  If this one comes out, I will tear out the end of that first sock and no one will be the wiser.  Oh, I do not want to go back into that crazy store for her to help us with our "toes".  

The moral of the story, I don't think there is one.  But, probably for a good wool sock you could buy at a department store, you would pay around $10.00??  We got a bargain, our pair of socks, if we finish, will only have cost us $60.00 (needles,yarn,lesson)........plus the 3 trips into the store.

I am sorry, I am laughing so hard I can hardly type.  Maybe someday in the future, I will share with you my completed pair of $60.00 knitted socks.     Again... LOL

Sharon.........
(Maybe I'll look for a crocheted sock pattern!!!! )

An October Quilt Challenge........

Finally, I completed a monthly quilt challenge with the on line small quilt group I belong to.  Now, I think I am only 4 monthly quilt challenges behind.  Someone in the group suggested she might complete the current challenge, then working backwards to catch up.  I liked her idea, and I completed our current challenge due for October.  Next, November challenge and September catch up!!

Our challenge for this month was to make a maple leaf small quilt/table runner/or whatever!   I really don't have enough things to display small quilts on, and   I always like to have a table cloth or runner on my kitchen table to "pretty" it up, so table runner it was.

This summer we had a couple of signature block swaps, totaling 100 blocks plus.  I was in both swaps, so my summer was pretty much spending a lot of time at my sewing machine to make the deadlines.  I was buying fabric for a couple of the past swaps, but never got to the cutting out part.  So, they are definitely on my UFO projects to get done before the end of the year.  Our on line group has decided to do a Secret Santa Swap, not to be left out of all the fun, I signed up for this also.  So, trying to get a couple of my UFO's done, SS swap, and lets throw in some secret sewing projects for family and friends...........I'm hoping for cold days to keep me inside wanting to sew?

But, back to my October small quilt challenge.  I am proud to say, I didn't have to buy any fabric for this project and found parts and pieces from my stash.  I don't have that large of a stash, but enough probably to keep me sewing quilts for a couple of years.:)  ..

Before I show you my completed October challenge...... let me explain that my least favorite sewing task is doing the binding on my quilts.  I don't know why......it is just not that enjoyable for me.  Even though it doesn't take that long, it may be just the process of getting it on the quilt!

Now, I am embarrassed to admit this part, since I have been sewing long enough to know all the little quick time saving tricks.  Wrong!!!! For some reason, I would attach my strips one strip at a time, cut it from my machine, attach another strip, cut it from my machine......and so forth.  Well, dah,  another light bulb moment..........I just "string piece" my strips all at once now.   DAH, again.  I am sure most of you probably already do this, but, there may be a few like me out there that just need a light bulb moment every once in awhile.

Strips joined, marked and string pieced!

Now, just cut apart and trim to 1/4 inch where sewn.

Showing perfect joined binding to quilt top!

"Easy Peasy.".....

Now, I have been using a method of binding per the Better Homes & Gardens Complete Guide to Quilting book  for many, many years.  It  does comes out very well with their instructions, but, I always have to refresh my memory when it comes to this part, and  their diagrams & pictures of the closing binding is always a little confusing with all the twisting and turning it takes to do it.  Now, I use the method shown in Kathleen Tracey's small quilt books.  Her method is clear and the photos are easy to follow.  A big thank you to Kathy Tracey!!!!!

Drum Roll...................October's SQG.Challenge......."Dancing Maple Leaves on The Patio"

Not my best pictures.........odd angle to get a good picture.

Well, I am a happy camper right now.  Finally got a monthly challenge done, and one that I like a lot.

Now.....on to getting those UFO's done, one at a time!!

Sharon

A Light Bulb Moment!

Every once in a while, (which are coming more frequently as I grow older:), I have this "light bulb" go off in my brain.  This one was a real reality check.  To understand why this was a "what" moment for me, let me digress back "a few years".  LOL

My mom in no way was a craft lady, no sewing in any way.  She did have some artistic ability though, and could draw.  The only craft I think I remember her doing was making crape-paper flowers.  That was a big thing when I was a child.  What she did with them, I have no idea. So, where did I get my crafting, sewing genes?

I grew up in a very, very small country town.  In the days where you would let your 7 year old child wander the streets by themselves.........  I would head to my aunt & uncle's place a mile and a half away.  My uncle had been wounded in the war, WW I, so he wasn't very active, and for some reason, I really enjoyed his company.  We would just set and talk in our favorite place, the swing under the big maple tree in his front yard. We would have lunch, and every day at a certain time, he would head in and take his nap.  I would stay and play with the neighbor kids, in his yard.   Most of the time he sat in his favorite rocking chair, chewing his tobacco, and watching life outside his window.  It was my most favorite place to be.

Anyway, I digress again......  Now my aunt was the bread winner.  She and my mom did part time wall paper hanging at one point.  What else my aunt did, I do not remember.  She baked bread a couple times a week, because that was the only bread my uncle would eat.  I loved toasted homemade bread from the oven.  (Boy, I am betting the ones under 50 right now are thinking this lady writing this is really ancient?)  They did have chickens, not a farm, just chickens in their yard in town. LOL  Anyway, with chickens you bought chicken feed in "feed sacks".  Pretty feed sacks, which would become fabric for clothing.  I was the lucky one who would get outfits from these feed sacks.  Maybe, "lucky" isn't the word.  But I wore them.......they were made for me with love.  So, maybe I got my sewing gene from her?  Even though she wasn't the "blood relative".  My uncle was the blood relative, he was the brother of my great-grandmother.

Now, somewhere along the line I developed a skill for crocheting.  I was 7 when I learned to do this.  I would walk into town past this really nice "old" lady that used to set out on her front porch and crochet.  I remember her being about 90, or thinking she was, when I knew her. LOL  She made me a crocheted set of clothing for twin dolls, not more than 1 inch in size.   She made them attached together, and into a pin that I could wear!!  I still have them to this day, and I don't know how she did it.

So, back to my sewing abilities?  I can remember my aunt showing me a couple of times how to sew on her sewing machine.  I think at one point in time, I was using her treadle sewing machine.  Anyway, I am just thinking I never really sewed again until that dreadful course in Home EC class.  I didn't really learn anything much there, my teacher was big on making sure your pins were put perfectly in line in your seams.  My outfit was a "straight skirt and white Peter Pan collared shirt.  Can any of you identify with this?  LOL

From there over the years, I received a sewing machine in my early 20's, and I taught myself to sew.  I did some pretty fancy things.  When my girls were young, I made many outfits for them.  I really enjoyed sewing clothes, curtains, etc.

As a stay at home mom, but working from home in our business, I got into the wanting to learn how to quilt.  Now, I think this was sometime in the mid-late 80's......... see, I am old, but not quite ancient!!! (Even though some days, I sure feel like it:)  Those were the days of good talk morning TV shows.  A lot of crafting and sewing, and low and behold, they were talking about "quilting"?  So, I tried a few quilting classes, never completed anything.

We sold our business, children growing and graduating from school, it was time for me to get back into the work force.  Just to have something to do, and the money wasn't a bad thing either.  The best thing happened, I found a friend that was also wanting to learn to quilt, and we started taking classes.  Every once in a while, we still take a quilting class just for the enjoyment  (with my oldest daughter, she is a fantastic quilter).

Now the light bulb moment!!!!  It took a long time to get here, I hope you are still with me:)  The thing is, that you never stop learning, or is it, you sometimes can't see what is in front of your face?  So, I had this moment a couple of days ago.  I am in the process of working on a monthly quilt challenge for October, from our on line quilt group.  I needed to make triangles from a 2 3/8 inch square to make a maple leaf quilt block.  Now, the 1/8 inch cuts are doable, but time consuming for me.  I have many rulers, which I recently learned, that you shouldn't inter mix them in a project!!!!!!  I had to learn the hard way, their markings may be off.  Anyway, back to the ruler I have had and really never used much.  I'll say this in my defense of my "stupid moment".....  I cut out several squares to set up my string piecing, and for some reason, I needed another block of 2 3/8".  I am looking at this ruler, and what do you know?  there in plain sight, all nicely marked are all the 1/8 inch markings up and down the ruler.  DAH, cannot express that moment!!!  But I am the first one to laugh at myself, and not take me to seriously.  I just can't wait to see what other "light bulb" moments I am going to have.  Never to old to learn new things!!!!!!

Do you have any light bulb moments you would like to share?   I sure would like to read them.

Sharon

Something Fun To Share

My friend, Char, and I attended a local guild's Quilt Show yesterday.  Lovely quilts!! All I can say is that there are many talented quilters out there making such beautiful quilts.   I just longingly look at them and think, how do they do this?

But, what I wanted to share with you is something that these ladies did............ and my husband wants one!!! This is not going to happen.

It had been raining, so I had to do my best to get some kind of pictures of this piece parked in their garage:)
Hope you enjoy this "out of the box" quilt LOL

Maybe you don't want to show these pictures to your significant others ..... they might also request one.

I'll keep my eyes open for some more "out of the box" quilts to share.  

Sharon

OCTOBER 1ST, WHOOPEE!!

Not only is it really fall, but the Holidays are just around the corner.  I am not ready to deal with that one yet, so, I won't be making any type of list for awhile for holiday sewing. LOL

But, I do have to do some things that  have been on my list, because they sure didn't get done in September.

My daughter sent me the doll quilt I made for my granddaughter, Gennevieve, to fix.  For some reason, their sweat dog thought it was hers, and loved it a little to much.  It should be easy, or rather, fixable with a little thinking on her grandmothers' part.  I think I am going to come up with some totally different corner:)

Then, there is the quilt I made for my grandson, Andrew" (when he was 3 & now he is 4)  that I want to enter in an upcoming quilt show in November.  Everything has to be sent in by the end of this month.  Sounds like a lot of time, huh?  Me, I am a putter offer...  I need to send in the registration form, with a picture of the quilt, and the entry fee.  That shouldn't be to hard to accomplish in the next week.  Hopefully.  LOL  I have to make a 4 inch hanging sleeve for the show (which will be a removable one, so no fancy sewing there).   That may be the problem. I have already had this quilt for almost a month, nothing done on it.

I do know how to take a blurry picture, don't I?

The theme of the show is Reflections of Nature.  

We have to include a story behind the quilt for their booklets. (150 words or less).  Here is mine.

This quilt was made for my 3 yr. old grandson, Andrew, affectionately known as "Andrew Bear", and he was living in Tennessee.  At the time he wasn't thrilled at having his sisters play with his things; so when I saw these bears, and the fabric, NO GIRLS ALLOWED, it was a perfect fit!  So, hence the quilt name:  TENNESSEE BEARS ON THE RIVER.      I have bear paws for the corners!

Leave me an encouraging reply that you have faith in my ability to get this quilt done for the show. hahaha

I'm going to be checking to see if you have any helpful hints for the "putter offers"............

Sharon

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU DID SOMETHING STUPID?

Well, my stupid time was yesterday.  My one hour of stupidity will now cost me probably a good night if not more of fixing my mistake.

I finally got the "humph" to get going on an old quilting project.  Got it all backed and ready to quilt.  So, in the last week I was able to get some hand quilting done around the applique on the quilt top.

Oh my, new fall TV programs to watch.  I can't just set and watch TV, I have to have something in my hands to work on.  So, I figure I will just mark the top of this quilt really quickly and I will have something to work on.  It didn't matter that I couldn't find the right marking pencil.  No, I would sharpen, and sharpen, and sharpen the old pencil that the lead kept breaking on, and you couldn't get a descent point with if your life depended on it.  See where this is going?

So, when you don't have a nice point on your pencil to mark with, you get a bulky kind of mark.  But, no problem, it will be fine.  I can correct it as I go.  Or, I will have a quilt that I will say is on the "Primitive" side. LOL  I just  kept on quilting, saying, oh, I'll fix that later.  Three hours later, I had a mess.

So, what will I be doing tonight?  Yup, I will be ripping out all that hand quilting, and then taking out all the markings I made.  I went to the store today and got me some new pencils.  Hopefully, I learned my lesson and will not end up like this again.  Haste makes "waste" of time.............

Until we meet again.......make it a good one!

Sharon

Got Apples? I Got A Quick Dessert!

At this time of year, it's going to the apple orchards and buying lots of apples.  We are pie people, and the only pie my son really cares for, are apple pies.  But sometimes, I just don't feel like doing the whole pie crust thingy, so this is when a good apple crisp recipe is needed.

I have faithfully used Betty Crocker's recipe  for  years, and it is okay, but; it just doesn't have the zing that I want out of my crisp.  So, once again, I search the internet.  I came across one yesterday that promised to be quick and super easy. Tried to find it again today, no luck.  (But to my amazement, I wrote the ingredients down yesterday.)  I am all about ( "easy":)  This one does prove to be super easy and really, really good.  So.........

IN A BOWL..........
                                         6 cups apples..........sliced
                                         2 - 3 Tbls. of sugar.  Depending on the sweetness of your apples.                                                                                                  Mine were all Macintosh's
                                         1 tsp. cinnamon  (or to taste)
                                         pinch of salt
                                         * lemon juice.....I used 1 Tbls.,( the same as apple pie:)

MIX ALL TOGETHER......place in the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch pan

IN THE SAME BOWL YOU JUST USED :)....COMBINE:
                                         1/2 cup brown sugar (I happen to like dark)
                                         1/2 cup quick oats
                                         1/3 cup flour
                                         1/2 Stick butter (cut in small pieces) Definitely use butter for crispy topping.

Mix all this with your hands until small crumbles appear.  About 2 minutes.  Sprinkle on top of your apples.

BAKE AT 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes.  Really good when warm!!!

I hope this will be a "to go to recipe" for you tool

Sharon





                                                                         

                                       

On My To Do List For September!

First, I need to get this quilt backed and quilted.......... I made this last fall in a class that I took with my friend, Char, and my daughter, Sarah.  I didn't have time to get it completely done last year,  but I hung it anyway for fall:)  Well, guess what, it is fall again, and I just remembered that I don't have it done yet.  I have taken the first step though, and I purchased the batting yesterday!!  I have to wash the batting, as it is 100% cotton, and I don't want to take the chance of it shrinking............and then disaster.

I am so far behind in my monthly small group challenges......but, I have two small quilts that I want to make. After a road trip last week, I was able to purchase some fabric for these two quilts.

This one was July's small quilt challenge developed by Marian Edwards of our group.  It is to have poison green and chrome yellow fabrics in it.  Can't wait to use my poison green fabrics in this!!

Our September challenge is a Little Red Schoolhouse, pattern by Kathleen Tracy, found in her book, Prairie Children & Their Quilts.  Or in  the book 101 Fabulous Small Quilts.  The schoolhouse pattern has long been a favorite of mine, I just have never gotten around to making one.  I bought some really great red fabrics (I think anyway) for the houses.  Also, a stack of light colored shirting's I can use in this quilt.  I just need to get some blue fabric, and I am all set to get started.

Don't worry, I will be back with my "peaches" story:)  Soon!!

Sharon

Where has Summer Gone?

Well, I know a good portion of my summer was spent at my sewing machine in my craft room.  I had joined two signature block swaps, plus was invited to do a private block swap that goes along with one of the other swaps. I think the ending balance on all the blocks I completed  is somewhere around 135.  Give or take a block!  That is not counting the many, many blocks I redid again, and again, because they just didn't come out to the square inch they were suppose to be.  But, in the end, I have many "flying geese" blocks that will become a border on a quilt down the line!!

 Being the procrastinator that I can sometimes be, I put my sewing off for a couple of weeks while my daughter and grandchildren were here visiting from Texas. But, as of today, I am totally done with all my swap blocks.  Yippee!!!!!

These are some of the different flying geese blocks I made

These are the snowball blocks I made for another swap.

These three blocks were made for a quilting friend that was unable to participate in either swap due to an illness.  But, many of the "signature swap" quilters have also made extra blocks for her, and eventually she will also have a signature quilt she can put together.

On your left are the 20 Ohio Star swap blocks I made to go with the flying geese blocks.  On your right, are my mistakes.........But I am going to use them in my quilt.  I like them, they are off their measurement by a fraction of an 1/8 inch.........and the seams will line up, and most of all, I like them!!!!!

This is what happens when you thing your paying attention, while watching your favorite DVD!!!

NOT!!!!

My next post, after I have another cup of coffee...........has to do with "peaches".  Stop back and see what I have been up to:)

Sharon

I WON

I ACTUALLY WON SOMETHING FOR MY QUILT THAT I ENTERED IN THE "OHIO OUTDOOR QUILT FESTIVAL AUG. 10TH.................... mentioned in my previous posting!!!

I apologize for the dramatics, but I have never shown a quilt in a quilt show before, and then win something!

I picked up my quilt this morning from the show, and was handed an envelope with my GOLD MEDAL....
Pretty Cool, huh?  Anyway, I just had to share my good fortune with everyone.........and what better way then put it into my blog.?

MY FIRST EVER " MEDAL!!!

Thanks for giving me a look............. hopefully you will stop back.

Thanks,
Sharon

OHIO OUTDOOR QUILT FESTIVAL 2013

I recently attended the annual Ohio Outdoor Quilt Festival held in Wellington, Ohio on August 10th. It is held at the Bonnie Brae Elk Farm.  They hold this once a year dating back to 2005 and showcase over 400 quilts by hanging them on century old buildings.  They also have them inside the buildings as well.

An excerpt from their brochure:  "The Ohio Outdoor Quilt Festival is not a juried show.  The show has a vitality that can only come from displaying the vibrant colors or a 10 year old's first quilt beside the sophisticated artistry of a quilter whose work has toured nationally.  Some of the quilts are purely traditional while some are clearly experimental.  Many quilts are newly completed and some have been retired after years of dedicated service.  Not limited to admiring the craftsmanship of experts, the Ohio Outdoor Quilt Festival also strives to celebrate the love of quilting in all its myriad forms." 

I live approximately 35 miles away, and wonder why in the world I never was aware of this show before the last couple of years!!!! A Big Duh!!

I didn't take pictures of all the quilts, but I tried to get most of them:)  Following are some of the pictures that I snapped.

FRONT

BACK

Here I am pointing to my quilt that took me over a year to finish, right up to the day before I turned it in for the show.  The Church needed a steeple and the bird house needed a perch.  Which you can't see either anyway!

This antique quilt was in one of the barns, so light wasn't that great!  I never took the time to appreciate the old quilts until the last few years.  Maybe because I have been making quilts for awhile now and hope some of them will have a good long life and be enjoyed by generations down the road?

Imagine, over a hundred years old!

You can only hope that your quilts will have longevity too!!

A beautiful cross stitched quilt.

If I remember correctly, this was all hand quilted.

BEAUTIFUL WORKMANSHIP

Many many years ago, my husband's mother bought his 2 sisters and me a queen size cross stitch quilt top to make.  Mine were in these colors as above.......... She also bought all the floss that was needed for all 3 quilts.  Somewhere along the line of raising 4 children and working part time, I forgot about the lovely quilt top that I was cross stitching.  We decided to downsize our house after 3 of our children married and moved out.  So, I hadn't worked on the quilt for many years and put it in a garage sale.  Oh the things you do and regret in life.  Seeing these beautiful cross stitched quilts made me sad that I had done such a stupid thing!!!

Hope you enjoyed the tour......... now back to getting my signature blocks finished:)

Sharon