Maple Leaves

It's been pouring rain since the wee hours of the morning.  I headed into my sewing room to make the fall table runner that has been on my to-do list for a while now.  The pattern is from the fall 2013 Fons & Porter's Quilting Quickly. I really enjoyed putting together the little 6 1/2" maple leaf blocks. The stem uses a neat technique where you sew down one side and top stitch the other.  I used a blanket stitch and some variegated thread for the stems.  I got this far in the project and realized that it will be a big table runner,  Finished it will measure 21 1/2" x 51 1/2".  In the top picture I haven't even put the borders on yet and it's almost too big for my table.   So now the question becomes whether I keep going and make this a quilt.  I will need to do three or four more rows like this one to get a good throw size.  I don't need to add another project to the list right now but it sure would be a cute quilt, wouldn't it?

Xoxo,

Row Along Quilt & Block Three

I was so happy to get my Bee in My Bonnet Row Along quilt hung yesterday.  It has been folded at the foot of my bed for way too long.  I love how the quilt shows all seasons.  I am enjoying looking at it every time I walk through the room.  Lori has a new book out that has this pattern in it and new patterns made from the blocks.  Take a look here.  I made block #3, this morning, in Donna's Quilt Along.  I am in love with Rapunzel and decided to stop saving at the fabric and use it.  It is a Japanese novelty fabric.  Hope you are having a good Wednesday!

Smiles,

Sunday Scripture

Joyfully,

Bits

The weather here has turned biting cold.  Snow is swirling in the cities around us but so far we haven't seen any.  The mornings the past two days have greeted us with frost.  I can smell wood burning so I know my neighbors have their fireplaces going.  It is such a wonderful smell.  The colors outside my window are spectacular right now.  I've had the oven going for two days straight.  I made Koralee's molasses cookies, from her book, "Everything goes with Ice Cream", for a shower that I'm helping to host this weekend.  I get to visit with dear friends and I'm so looking forward to that.  Today I made Alicia's No Knead Bread and a batch of chocolate chip cookies.  Simmering on the stove is a pot of tomato-lentil soup with spinach, corn and brown rice.  My husband says its the best soup I have ever made.  It is from one of my favorite cookbooks.  I have been a frequent fabric shopper on Etsy lately.  I was running low on Japanese novelty fabrics and had a little sewing panic attack since they are so hard to come by.  Never fear when Etsy is near!  I hope that you are enjoying your Friday.  I get to see my daughter tonight and fill her up on good food.  Have a wonderful weekend!  Oh, and the turkey platter came from a local shop, isn't it darling?

Smiles,

Quilt Along

I decided to make block two last night.  I broke my self-imposed rule of not quilting at night because when I do I make mistakes.  I must have been super tired last night.  When I finished block #2 of Donna's Quilt Along, it was way bigger than it should have been.  When I squared it down, I lost some points.  I had used some of my precious Japanese novelty prints and really didn't want to waste them. So, I made a very freeing decision, I'm keeping the block the way it is.  Why do we, quilters, put such stress on ourselves?  This quilt is not going to competition, will not be featured in a magazine and would still be loved by someone if I gifted it.  Truth be told, I am making it for me this time around, so I've decided to lighten up!  I love the two blocks together.  I'm having fun, that's the best part!

Blessings,

Patchwork Please!

Good morning!  I hope that everyone had a good weekend.  I had a fun weekend seeing both my college kids.  Paul and I visited a church that leaves us wanting to know more.  After five months, that is a hopeful place to be.  Moving is hard and a church home is vital to us.  I forgot to show you the trivet I made with the book I won from Lori.  I love everything that Ayumi does.  The trivet was very fun to paper piece.  I would like to make more but I will enlarge the pattern so I can set a big pot of something yummy on it.  The book is wonderful and I highly recommend it!

Smiles, 

Sunday Scripture

image found here

Blessings,

Quilt Sampler Quilt-Along

I am quilting along with Donna and some other wonderful ladies.

We are going to be making a sampler quilt.

Here is the first block.

Join us!

(here)

Smiles,

Strawberry's From Spain

On Monday I eagerly went to the post office to pick up my swap parcel knowing full well it was Columbus Day.  No surprise to you that the post office was closed.  I thought I was alone when I muttered to myself only to discover a lady behind me who kindly chuckled.  She said I was the fourth person in the last ten minutes to do the same thing.  I made a bee line back yesterday and I can say that the contents of my little envelope were well worth the wait!  My goodies came all the way from Spain from Teresa.  I will find out if Teresa has a blog so I can link to it.  The strawberries are darling and I love her fabric choices.  The attention to detail is superb, look at all those tiny embroidery stitches!  I am in love with the measuring washi tape and the cute little pen that writes in the prettiest shade of pink.  A girl can never go wrong with candy, either.  Thank you, Teresa, I love it!  It looks so pretty on my pink cake stand with the doily that I may keep it there to look at it.  Blessings!  (Update on the Strawberry Pillow post.  The block pattern is from the Strawberry Social Quilt pattern by the Pattern Basket.  I made three blocks and added fabric to make the size pillow I wanted).

Smiles,

Strawberry Pillow

Recently I participated in a Strawberry Pincushion swap hosted by the lovely Erin from Why Not Sew? You may remember my gifts to my recipient here.  I am headed to the post office in a bit to retrieve my swap parcel.  I wanted to thank Erin for hosting such a fun swap so I made her this pillow and pincushion.  I hope she has received it and I'm not spilling the beans on my blog!  I want to participate in more swaps because this was such a great experience.  I'll be back tomorrow to show you what I received.  Be sure to pop over to Erin's blog where she is hosting a giveaway for some fabulous Honeysweet! Blessings!

Hugs,

Sunday Scripture

image found here

Blessings,

Snippets

I didn't mean to take a blog break, but sometimes its just the way it works out.  I've been doing a lot of sewing.  The top photo is the quilt sample I made for the class I will be teaching at Pink Castle Fabrics next month.  The pattern is from Cluck, Cluck, Sew and is titled "Suburbs".  After it's quilted and up at the shop, I will get a better photo.  I won a giveaway over at Kathy's.  This wonderful pillow arrived and I just love it!  I'm not doing much fall decorating now that both kids are in college but I did add some wee little pumpkins to the window sill over the sink.  They make me smile.  The weather has turned and cold is setting in.  I always know its fall when the clouds are so low you feel like you can touch them.  I snapped this picture tonight from my back patio.  I have some clemantis that have finally decided to bloom.  Its like the garden is giving me its farewell tour.  This little guy in the last photo greeted me when I took the trash out.  The photo doesn't do him justice though.  He is much bigger than he looks, at least six inches in length.  I hope we are blessed with a long and lovely fall, the winters here are so long.  Blessings!

Hugs,

Sunday Scripture

With Joy,

Quilt Finish - Water Lily

I finished the Water Lily quilt.  I just love it!  I made it for a friend and it's wrapped and ready to go today.  The details of the quilt are here.  Make sure to take a look at Jodi's quilt using the same pattern, it's gorgeous!  I rarely if ever put photos of myself on the blog.  Yes, I have body image issues like every other woman I know, but at 51, it's time to get a grip.  I really like seeing pictures of other bloggers.  It makes them more real to me, not like I'm communicating with just the screen, ya know? So here I am, with some of my girlfriends on a getaway last week.  I am second from the left and yes I'm short…5'2".  The last one I took a few minutes ago with my timer set.  So hello friends!

Smiles,