gifts...

 Good evening, all!!  This is a rare post, after work at the hospital.  I just had to share these gifts with you!  A very nice lady gave me these...a Dresden plate variation quilt.  She said she has at least 60 quilts in her home, and is down sizing.  I think maybe the fabrics are 1940's through 1960's...do you have any idea to help me age this quilt?   I love her border!!

 The blocks are machine zigzagged on to muslin...

 and each plate has a yellow center.

 A yellow backing, very wide, with no seams...and I think it is poly-cotton.  And an unusual finishing technique...never have seen this before.

 The quilter hand quilted simply around each plate and around each block.  So...I put it in the washer on gentle cold, and it just washed beautifully!!  Cool gift, huh??

She also gave me this quilt top.  These blocks were from a block lotto at her guild.   I think I will take the top apart and set the blocks differently, with different fabric...any ideas on this quilt??



Hope each of you had a  day that was great, and that you are all tucked in and sleeping like a baby, at least in this neck of the woods!!!

Julie

An old quilt!!

Doesn't this look an lot like the Granny Blocks that lots of bloggers are doing right now?? 

 My sister and I found this old quilt in an antique store in Weatherford, Texas.  The pictures cannot possible do it justice, but it is the most beautiful, soft, and loved quilt!  All 1930's fabrics, hand pieced and hand quilted.  $55.00. 

 Is it foolish for me to buy old quilts like this one?  I hate to see it just draped over some old furniture, or used as a tarp or something.  I think of that quilter of old, sewing patiently by hand every stitch..and I honor her.  Do you have an opinion about old quilts?  Do you buy them???  I can't afford the really expensive ones, but this one, I could swing!

 A new project!!  This is a local designer, and I love her patterns!!  This is a raggedy edged quilt...fun and easy! 

I have all the pieces cut out, as you can see...just need to set them wonky and sew them together, them cut the edges to rags!!  Then wash it, and the magic will happen...at least I am hoping that, LOL!!!


Have a great day, all!!!

Julie

Bow Tie Mania!

 Hi everyone!  I have been secretly...well, probably not so secretly, cutting a bow tie out of every tiny scrap I have, or come across!  I have tons cut out...so tonight?  I decided that the fun MUST begin!    I made a few bow tie blocks...and it was such fun!  I think I may need a bazillion to make a bed sized quilt, so how many is a bazillion, anyway??    I could arrange the blocks this way...

 or this way! 

Here is one of the boxes I have filled with cut out bow ties pieces.  I have two more bigger boxes full. I even have some from my friend Joan!   Really, how many will I need?  Each block finishes at 3 inches...it boggles the mind to think of all the fabric variety!



Have a great day, all!!

Julie

Second post...

Finished it!!  I will not do the corners that way again, but I love it so much anyway...live and learn and enjoy the journey, right??  Pinks just make me happy...don't know why, I just think spring and fun when I work with this color!!

 We had the opportunity to sneak away to Wyoming for a couple days!!  It is just so beautiful there...I won't make you see all the pictures, but here are a couple to enjoy.

Grand!  Teton!!  Gorgeous!!



Have a great day, all!!

Julie

All strung out!!

 Well, the title says it all, right?  I had made these pink string blocks in the spring time, and now?  It is time to GET-ER-DUN!  Thanks to my string swappers and donators,  I was able to make a pink string border.  I only have the last border to go, and it will be the perfect size for a patient quilt.  Yahoo!! 

-

 Another view...

and these are the border wars!  I love days when I can just mess around, figure out what I want to by...just doing it.  Creativity is so much fun, isn't it??


***************************Nurse's notes***********************

Thanks to every one who might have thought that my last day (shift I worked) was actually my very last day as a nurse...no, I just meant the last day that I worked that week.  Traumatizing!!!  to say the least...again, thanks for the support.

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Julie K

Little pieces!!

 This zig-zagging makes me dizzy!  At least putting this quilt together did...I put my little seam ripper to good use, LOL!!  Don't know why it was hard to keep the blocks straight, but it is finally in one piece.  I tried a pieced border, but it really detreact3ed from the movement of the rail fences, so I BOUGHT NEW FABRIC and used it as a border!  did you catch that?  NEW FABRIC!!  That was fun!

 Just another dizzy picture...I love all the little pieces, and all the colors...these blocks are 3 inch finished.

And another Barrister's block too...and that was my day!


I spent a great deal of the day cleaning house...you know, deep down cleaning, moving things about and vacuuming and dusting...and that feels really good.  I have a home cooked meal on the stove...and that feels good too!





********************Nurse's notes***************************


My last day at work?  Was the very worst of my nursing career.  It was truly awful.  That is all I will say, except that a lot of tears and a few cuss words were used.  Sorry for the cuss words...

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Hey, a couple guys ran across the interstate right in front of me today!  Scared me to death...they were so, so close to becoming organ donors, it was downright frightening!  Cars going 80 miles an hour out there!

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A scam...


We were recently in a hotel room, having gotten away for a couple days...pictures later.  We got a phone call about 10 pm one night, and it was coming from the hotel itself.  A gentleman said that their data base had gone down, and could we tell him our name, address, and credit card number again, please?  WELL, NO, we could not!  We told him we would go down to the desk...sure enough, when we got to the front desk, they had not called...so this is a scam to watch out for!




Have a great day, all!!!


Julie

UFO number two...and Happy Fourth!!

This is UFO number two I am working on this week.  All the quilting fun comes to an end for me for a while, as I have to work the next long stretch...so tada!  Here is my three inch blocks/rail fence.  Little pieces are the best!  I finished all the blocks yesterday, now I just need to sew it all together.  This came exclusively out of strings...yahoo!!

And another empty container to report!  These containers are recycled from the cath lab at work, and are sturdy hard plastic...why throw them away?  I use them constantly to organize projects...



I wish everyone a wonderful fourth of July!!!



Julie

A UFO...

 HI Y'all!  Well, above is a genuine UFO!  I made these blocks as part of a quilt along with Judy L, some years ago.  I made the mistake of ironing (not pressing) the heck out of the blocks, stretching them quite badly. So in the closet they went, to become a UFO.  Sadly, they beckoned to me..."give us another chance, they cried!"  I took them out, sashed them with skinny sashing, and put this border on, the only reason being because those fabrics were the ones folded with the blocks.  So there!  So what if it doesn't go!!  The border actually fits pretty well, but each block has some ballooning in it.

 See the balloons (puffy blocks?)  I think it will quilt out, if I do it by hand, baptist fans...I am going to give it a try!  At least it is all in one piece...I am really quite pleased with it!  Perfectionist, I am certainly not...the journey is great fun, and my quilts are made to be used, so it is all OK.

And a few more Barrister's blocks!  Six inch blocks...loving these!!



SCRAPS and STRINGS!!  You know who you are...thank you so much, I did a little happy dance and cried a little happy bawl... and strings are being sorted and projects planned...yippee!!!!




**********************Nurse's Notes*************************


I was called in yesterday to take a heart at work...that means recover a fresh heart surgery patient, (bypass) straight from the operating room.  Stable...that is always good!  So glad to be able to work and be productive.  I am thinking about school again, more nursing....or history?  I love that!!!  But what in the world would I do with that sort of degree, except enjoy learning??

Just thinkin'...

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Have a great day!


Julie