Welcome Spring....

Or at least it felt like spring today with temps up to 70...yeah!

What have I been doing lately?

Quilting!!!  I've discovered quilting.  I always knew that I would quilt some day because I love to sew and I adore quilts. 

I signed up for a Kim Diehl class in August.  We meet every other month and make a mini quilt from her simplewhatnots collection.  I totally love it!

These are a couple for the ones I've made.  

I have to say these small quilts have really helped me sharpened up my skills.

This quilt I made from a you tube video from Missouri Star Quilt Company. 

I also finished a block of the month quilt.  I started it in October 2014 and finished it last month.

This is a pattern called "How Does Your Garden Grow?" By Norma Whaley of Timeless Traditions.  I am so happy how it turned out I even quilted it myself.

I am also working on a quilt along called Splendid Sampler.  We get patterns for 2 blocks every week and I think it goes for almost a year.  There are 80+ designers submitting their patterns.  I just hope I keep up :-)

That's all I have for now.  I did put a few pieces on eBay.  The link is on my sidebar.

Enjoy your day,

Leanne

All Prepped and Ready to Sew....

I spent the last two days prepping some stitching and stitching.

I have my block of the month ready for stitching. These are blocks 9 and 10 of Norma Whaley's How Does Your Garden Grow. I'm running a little behind but I'm hoping to get these done before my next blocks come....that's my goal.

This table topper is all ready for stitching.... I just love this!

This is a custom order.  My customer and I worked together to come up with this design.

I love it when two minds work together so well!

Here's the fabric for my next project.  All starched just hanging to dry.

Yes I do starch my fabric before cutting into it.  I think it's easier to cut the fabric more accurately  when it is starched. 

I bought this kit along with the pattern in Chicago when I went to the Quilt Market. So cute and I get to do a little embroidery on this one.

I finished these pillows last night.  These are going to be for sale at my craft fairs. They look so great on the chair I just might have to make one for myself :-)

I'm off to do some stitching.

Enjoy your weekend,

Leanne

I've Been Busy....

I've been working on these runners.  

I love how they turned out so much that I had to share some pictures with you.

I just love how perfect it looks on my dining room table but...

It's not my runner.  

I made both of these for a very sweet customer :-). The long runner was made to match a shorter one.  I think I did a pretty good job matching the colors and style of stitching.

The runners were made using a pattern by Ginger Sanchez.  This runner I made is longer than the pattern so I just stretched the pattern a little bit and added more pears and leaves.  I followed the colors used in the smaller runner. The runner looks so different then the pattern when using a light background and red pears. 

I made this bird runner to go in the same room.  

This is my own design and I used the same wools as the long runner. 

I so want to make this with a blue bird and red accents for an Americana look. 

Maybe make the bird into a cardinal standing on a holly branch...so many ideas so little time.

I think I'll spend the evening working on some hexies.  I'm not sure what I'm making but I'll just keep adding on.

Remember this quilt?  

I bought the kit at the quilt show, its a Primitive Gatherings pattern.

I was working on it last night but I couldn't finish the wool appliqué because I need to get some gold valdani thread. Only 6 leaves away from preparing this puppy to quilt.

Take care,

Leanne

This is not my garden...

but I wish it was.  ha ha

I just thought I would share a few pictures from our trip to Las Vegas.

My favorite places to stop by are the atriums at the Wynn and Belagio.

This is the Wynn.  So much color all made out of flowers.

I just love these flower balls hanging from the trees. 

I wish I could have these in my yard.

This carousel is amazing!

Even the floor is beautiful.

The Belagio smelled wonderful.

This Japanese garden is so pretty and I just love the tulips.

So peaceful.

Love these parasols.

Guess where we stayed?

If you said the Flamingo you are right.

The weather was perfect!

I just had to add one dam picture.

Okay one more dam picture.  This was taken from the bridge you can see in the previous picture.

This is what I am currently working on.  

I want the larger, longer runner to match the small one.

I just love how this is looking!

I'm still working on my hexies.  

I think I want this to be a table runner or two.  

I'll just keep adding fabrics in red, black, caramel and off white 

and make

hexies until I decide.

I finished this little Buttermilk Basin picture on the plane. 

I bought the kit at the Quilt Show in Chicago.

Have a great week

and

Happy stitching,

Leanne

Prep, Stitch, Prep, Stitch

I'm back to hand stitching some wool pieces.  I thought I better get back to getting ready for my craft fairs which are happening in the fall.  I like to cut out a bunch of backgrounds at one time, finish them off and start all over again.  

I know I told you these pieces were for my craft fairs but I just might have to keep this one.  It looks so springy looking and I have the perfect spot for it. 

I'm not finished yet it still needs the backing.

It's hard to tell but this piece is a wine color.  

I just love the color.  I wish I had more of this wool.

I always like having hand stitching projects around. 

I usually do a little stitching every night.  

It's so calming and the perfect thing to do while watching tv.

I think I'm stitching this mat in black. I love scrappy....penny rugs and quilts. 

 If you knew me you would be laughing because I am such a matchy matchy person but I just love scrappy.  It's the perfect way to use up the small pieces of wool. I am so frugal with hand dyed wool. If a piece of wool is 1 inch by 1 inch I save it.  I even save pieces smaller than that for stuffing certain pieces. I hate to see any of the wool go to waste.

I just love the flowers on this runner and the lace edging is the perfect way to finish it off.

I have this runner on Ebay right now.  Click here to see more pictures and more offerings.

I'm off to enjoy this beautiful sunny day.

Happy stitching,

Leanne 

Back In Time...,

I'm done!  I just finished this "Back In Time" quilt.  It's a pattern from Primitive Gatherings. This is another small quilt 16 x 18.  I have to say I'm a little addicted to doing these small quilts.  They are challenging ( which I love) yet you can see them up pretty quick.  Since I got the courage to try machine quilting I want to do more. I can't believe I was so afraid of trying this and now I love it!

Now there are a few mistakes maybe more than a few. 

Can you find them?

The little four patches are sewn with the red squares up except for two of them. I wish I could say that I planned it that way but I didn't. The four patches are supposed to float on the background but not all of them do. 

I am the type of person who learns from her mistakes so if I were to make this quilt again I'm sure I wouldn't make those mistakes.... Ha ha.

I'm currently working on this table runner "Pine and Holly" by Timeless Tradition. 

I also received two new blocks in the mail.  I'll be prepping them today.

Enjoy your day,

Leanne

Having Fun....in a Twisted Way

I'm making my first little quilt.  

I was shopping at Primitive Gatherings last fall when I fell in love with the 

Primitive Gatherings My Twisted Heart.

I thought it was so cute but looked soooo difficult.  

Well after talking to the gal at the counter I thought I'd give it a try and I bought the kit. That's not all I bought that day I assure you...I can't leave there without buying a bag or two of fun projects and wool and fabric and patterns, oh my!

Now that it's February I better get going. I laid out the blocks.

Sewed them together very carefully... I'm more of a beginner quilter.  I do a lot of craft sewing, wool appliqué and watched many quilt tv shows but still  I'm still a beginner.  

Yes! Everything lined up almost perfectly. Look at those corners!

I added the borders and...

 It doesn't look anything like the front of the pattern. Does it? 

Well the next step was really hard for me to do. All my corners were perfect, it looks so good and now I'm going to cut it up.  Yes CUT IT UP!

You use this little twister tool,..itty bitty twister tool, line up the marks on the tool and cut. After the first few cuts it wasn't so hard. Really. The more I cut the more I liked it.

One bit of advise stay really focused and organized. 

After all that cutting this is what you get....

 A pile of little pieces and this....

My Twisted Heart.

I'm not done yet but I will show you the finished product.  Hopefully I get it done today.

Enjoy your day,

Leanne

It's Snowing again.....

I thought it was time to put all the snowmen away

but NO

it's snowing again!

I made this runner using a pattern from Primitive Pieces by Lynda.
I had to give it my own touches of course.


 So I'll just start...

thinking spring and keep stitching.
This runner is made from a Country Stitches pattern.

Enjoy your day,

Leanne

I listed these table runners and a few more

on ebay.

Click here to see them.

Happy Winter....

I have been taking full advantage of the cold winter to work on some cross stitch, wool projects and unfinished projects.

I started this before Christmas and just finished the cross stitch portion a couple of weeks ago. I just love the frame around Santa with the snowman, trees and houses.

The above is a pattern from Brenda Gervis of With Thy Needle and Thread. 

I'm almost finished with this table topper. I just love all the scrappy pennies....it's a great way to use up all those little pieces of wool. I'm not sure how I'm going to finish the edges yet.

This is a pattern by Lynda Hall of Primitive Pieces by Lynda.

I also tried my hand at quilting. This was a kit I bought many years ago. I had everything cut and marked but that was as far as I got. So one very cold day I finished piecing and hand quilted it.  I really haven't done much quilting but I hope to do more.

Don't look to closely because some of my points are gone.

 Now to bind it and I'm done.  It will be great to finish this off.

I love this penny rug!

It's a pattern from Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings.

All ready to be stitched. I'll start this tonight.

I listed a few things on eBay...

You see my offerings by clicking here eBay.

Have a great day,

Leanne