Sashiko Pillow

WOW Challenge #12 theme: Japan

I made a Sashiko pillow.  The hardest part was chalking the first lines.  After those were stitched I used a pencil to mark the wrong side of the fabric for the rest of the lines.  That was easier to do and it was also easier to follow with the stitching.  Next time I try this I'll do all the marking on the back as it's more precise and the pencil isn't as messy as the chalk.  My stitches aren't uniform in length but they got better as I went. This was relaxing and it really turns out pretty.

Deep In The Middle

No finishes yet - just in the middle of lots of projects.

I did most of the work on this quilt, Ramblin' Rose in February.  This weekend the ric-rac stems have been sewn down.  I'm working on the flowers, then it needs to be bound.

I have a good start on my version of Sashiko for this week's WOW challenge - the theme is Japan.

Sharon from Kentucky made this Quilt of Valor.  I always audition several thread colors before starting to quilt.  White / off-white is seldom my first choice but with the red, white and blue quilts it usually seems to be the best.

The final Project Quilting challenge of Season 2 is large scale prints.  This looks large, doesn't it?  A striped or plaid fabric still needs to be added. 

These are pieces for a Quilt of Valor that is going to a wounded hero that I know.  108 rectangles that have one bit of blue and 54 rectangles of white/blue/white will yield sets of little triangle that will make 216 HST that are 1 3/4" square.  I'm still working on what to do with them.  Several red and white blocks are already finished... no pic.

This is probably the reason I have so many middles and no finishes ;)   It's almost finished.  Tonight?  Tomorrow?  Then I plan to have a week full of finishes.  

Feeling Lucky?!

Enter the giveaway for FOUR tickets to Legoland Discovery Center.  But hurry, tomorrow is the last day.  If you've never heard of the Legoland Discovery Center you can learn all about it at the giveaway. 
It's in Schaumburg Illinois, so I guess if you live in another part of the country it won't do you much good.  Unless you want to plan a vacation.  Legos are enough to plan a vacation around, aren't they?

That's all Legos... isn't it cool?!

Legos were a favorite at our house when the kids were little...

I loved playing with them! 

(I let the boys play, too)

IC#11 and Lessons Learned

Iron Craft #1:  something green

I made a mini green pincushion.  And I learned a few things. 

1.  Hot glue is HOT!  'nuf said.

2.  Cotton balls are the not the best option for stuffing a pincushion. 

Detour:  I have a whole bag of cotton balls for my Brown Paper Bag, of which I only used two.  I have another large bag for medicinal purposes.  Did you know that about a gazillion brands of alcohol wipes (the kind you use to prep the skin for an injection) were recalled about two months ago and they still didn't have more on the shelves when I looked last week. So we use cotton balls and a bottle of alcohol (no, not that kind - that comes after the shot).  Okay, back on track...

So I wish cotton balls worked well for stuffing pincushions.  But they don't.

3.  Bigger is not always better.

In the case of mini stuff I think a smaller glue gun would be better.

4.  I learned, again, that I like mini stuff!

I really do!



Mini Bunting

WOW Challenge #11 theme:  Birthday!

I made itty-bitty birthday bunting.  Red felt squares have fusible web appliqued purple fabric letters.  The squares were zigzag stitched to a piece of white yarn.  Enough yarn was left at each end to make hanging easy. 

It's just the right size for hanging on the refrigerator or maybe on a mirror.

Hang it on the wall,
or even down the hall.
Hang it on a door,
let me think some more...
maybe on a hook,
in a cranny or a nook.

Mini Quilt Exchange - Practice Piece

Jennifer of All Things Belle (and the force behind Make It WOW) has started a flickr group for a mini-quilt exchange.   It sounds like fun!  Of course I joined.  And of course I'm impatient to get started, so I made a practice mini quilt.

I had one lonely flower made from a log cabin block.  It was one of my cast-offs from last season's Project Quilting.  All that was needed was a stem, with a leaf.  Fusible applique held the pieces in place while they were stitched down with an applique stitch.  No binding this time, just the front and back RST with the batting behind the front, stitch and turn inside out.  Echo quilting was done in one of my new favorite thread colors - antique.  A length of embroidery floss stitched to each side of the top for hanging completes the mini quilt. 

It's just 3" x 5" which is the smallest size in the mini quilt exchange.  The largest size is 15" x 15".  I might just make a practice 15" mini quilt tomorrow.

Want to join the fun? Just one project per month.  That's doable.  Come on.  Join in.  You know you want to. 

MS Awareness Month - I'm So Done With It

A few days ago Facebook statuses started popping up with "Tomorrow starts Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month. Copy and repost this if someone you know/love is affected by MS....."  I'm paraphasing but you get the point.  Not being satisified with just copying and reposting I thought I'd make up a few (31 really) little snippets about MS that involved the letters M and S and post one each day of the month of March.  Just to bring a little more awareness and maybe a bit of humor at the same time.  Here's a few examples...

MS makes Minestrone Sipping difficult.
MS causes Missteps and Stumbling.
MS causes Mishaps and Staggering.
MS is a Merry-go-round of Symptoms.
MS can Minimize your Self confidence.
MS got My Sweetheart

As you can see the humor was sadly lacking.  Just two days of posting quick thoughts on FB and I'm rethinking that idea.

Before you think I'm whining, please know that I know that we have been so incredibly blessed that we had so many, many years when MS was just lurking in the background and was not a large, everyday part of our lives.  With the first mention of it as a possibility nearly 35 years ago, things could have been so different if it manifested itself more quickly and more powerfully.  Being able to raise his kids was always Scott's prayer and it was answered.  And so much more.   Listing tidbits about this Maddening Scourge of a disease makes Me Sad and gets me nowhere and doesn't really make anyone more aware of what this disease is or does.  It's like so many other diseases or disabilities - you 'get' the two-line-basics of what it is.  But each disease or disability has its own heartaches and challenges.  You don't really understand - or need to understand (who has that kind of time or strength) - the implications and nuances until you or someone close to you is affected.  

With MS, when you do really understand, one of the hardest things is hearing about someone young who is newly diagnosed.  It's heartbreaking. The best you can do is pray that MS takes its sweet time to manifest itself fully, that they have time to live a full, active life (and truly appreciate it) with just occasional inconvenient attacks before it all goes downhill. 

So. Be aware. MS exists.

And now I'm done.  Time to focus once more on the positive.

And the sun is shining again today.

He Leads Me

The theme for Make it WOW #9 was spiritual.

I made a mini-quilt.  Just 6" square quilted with ribbon paths and "bound" with couched ribbon.

and titled it "He Leads Me"

There are so many paths to take in life, so many choices to make.  I'm not always sure of His reasons, but I do believe our Lord leads me.  He puts up roadblocks to the paths I should avoid, and I try my darnedest to get around them sometimes.  He guides me down the path I should take.  I don't always go along willingly, with a smile and glad heart. Sometimes I go kicking and screaming.  But when my tantrum is over and I calm down I realize I have taken the best path, that He has chosen well.

From Hardware To Soft Quilt

The Project Quilting Hardware Challenge required at least 3 items of inspiration from a hardware store.

While I don't normally shop there for quilt stuff (although it has happened), I love the hardware store here in town, Knapp & Steiner True Value.   A visit to the hardware store in Chicago would generally make me uncomfortable.  I'd have to admit I didn't know what I was doing, didn't know what I was looking for, and was probably using the wrong words to describe it.  All this to a stranger.  But here, you walk in and they call you by name, help without making you feel stupid, or leave you alone if you need to look around.  There is usually a pleasantry exchanged, a smile, a laugh.  And, as often as not, you run into someone else you know.  Always a pleasant visit.

So here is how my quilt came to be....

Walking through our local hardware store I am always drawn to dowel rods. They are just the handiest thing.

I love the way they are all stacked and poking out of their holders. On this trip I also noticed all the coiled objects, all in lots of colors... the wires on spools, extension cords.

I noticed the stock had changed and Spring items were taking their places on the shelves. There were things for planting and many decorative items.

One display had oversized objects (butterflies, birds, etc.) on long poles to stick in the garden for decoration. And through it all an old wood floor worn by years and years of town people wandering the aisles looking for just the right part to fix something. Anything is possible with the right part!

The background was inspired by the wood floor. All different boards worn in different ways depending on the foot traffic, or stock placement or sunshine. I used pieces of tans, browns, neutrals and wavy line quilted with several different threads: browns, beige, gold, peach.

The flowers (inspired by those colorful coils) are biased strips of fabric gathered and stitched in circles on a stiff fabric circle background. Each have three beads for the center. Dowel rod stems insert in to bits of fabric on the back and entire flower can be removed from its holder.

Sun is a circle plus separate rays, all reinforced with heavy stablilizer. It's fashioned after a large metal decorative sun that was hanging in the store.

Sun is stiched in a few places but left free in others to highlight the 3D effect.

Spring quilt is pieced bright colors with appliqued letters and winding leaves (soon to sport flowers?). Instead of binding, ric rac is peeking out of the edges that hold the front, back and batting together. Quilt can be removed - it is hanging with another dowel rod. With the flowers and quilt removable, the entire project can be changed to adjust for the seasons. More fun!

Finished quilt measures 30" x 22" and is titled "Spring IS coming".
 
Head on over to Kim's Crafty Apple to see a dozen more hardware store inspired quilts.  Such variety and creativity!  You might also win a coffee cozy!
 
Me, I'm heading back to my sewing room as I have enough left over inspiration from the hardware store for another quilt.  Maybe when I emerge Spring will be rounding the corner.

Inchie Luck

I made an inchie for WOW #8.   The theme was lucky.

My scraps yielded seven green fabrics

I started with a paper piecing pattern with seven pieces.

All the fabrics are sewn .... needs to be trimmed.

Trimmed, shamrocks stitched, edges zigzagged.  Baaaaad picture.

Finished Inchie Luck:

green fabrics, 7 pieces, shamrocks, and 7 gold beads. 

I learned again, inchies are fun. 

I missed WOW#7 as it involved spray paint.

I didn't have any and was too cheap to buy some.

And I had crafter brain freeze.

Hardware Stores and Quilts

I'm starting a new quilt today. 

I need to head to the store first for supplies. 

No, silly, not the quilt shop . . .

. . . .  the hardware store . . .

. . . . for the latest challenge from Project Quilting.

Come on.  Don't you want to try this too?!

Join the fun: 

http://kimscraftyapple.blogspot.com/2011/02/project-quilting-season-2-challenge-4.html

There should be some interesting entries this time.

Again.

Olde Cedar Chest Finish

I made this last spring and it's just been waiting for binding for the longest time.

Just the right size for a large table or a small baby.

Meandering quilting with a soft, dusty rose kind of pink.

And it lays flat - love that!

Happy Birthday Sarah!

Party on!

Our Love... Our Life

The lastest challenge for Project Quilting is up for voting.  And there's an awesome prize for the public comments.  ;)  

As I waited last week for the new Project Quilting challenge rules I just hoped that it would be anything but a Valentine theme. The last few projects I made had been valentines and frankly, I was tired of them.  Call me a Valentine Grinch.  The rules came out and "Be My Valentine" was to be our inspiration.   Groan. Moan. Whine. When I got finished moaning and groaning I settled on a project and finally started to get into it.  Turns out I loved the process and, while it won't have a lot of public appeal, it's one of my favorite quilts.

I started with our wedding invitation.  I enlarged the graphic and traced it onto fabric with a brown pigma pen.

We chose these invitaions because that's how we felt.... like little kids playing dress up.  Little did we know!  That's just what we were.... so young and clueless!  But it sure turned out great.

Then I began creating squares that represented different parts of our life together.

We quickly became a family of five.  Sorry boys.  Aside from the button heads, they look like they are running around in their pajamas - poor choice of fabrics.

We didn't have a lot of extra money for entertainment.  Walks in the woods were free so we spend a lot of time doing just that, plus picnics, bike rides, cross country skiing, sledding.... we spent a LOT of time in the woods.

Car rides were another inexpensive form of entertainment for us.  (back in the old days when gas was so much cheaper!)  We would take long car rides and usually find somewhere to get out and walk for a while, or a park for the kids.

I rode all through my teen years and then Scott and I met on horseback. We rode for the first year we knew each other.  It got too expensive and we started a family so horses faded for a while.  When Justin was around 12 or so he wanted to learn to ride.  We took him and Adam for lessons and within in a year we were back into horses with three of our own boarded not far from home.  Trail rides, horse shows, teaching, hanging at the barn....

At some point we had enough money for a weekend home.  Not enough money for a lake home or anything like that, but we discovered that you could buy an old farm house for not too much.  Lots of room for the kids to run around and ride bikes and explore.  In the city we didn't let them roam to far at all so this was just right for us. 

There is a tree in the back yard of the second country home we had with our initials carved in it.  By this time the kids were getting older and didn't want to leave their friends to hang out with mom and dad miles away in the country.  Read 'boring'.  Sold the house. Sad dad.

Bird watching was one of the things we did in the woods.  The kids didn't quite share our enthusiam but did learn a lot about birds anyway.

This led to buying birds and then raising birds.  We had all kinds...  Cockatiels, parakeets, Nanday Conures, a Timneh Grey, Love Birds, and several different kinds of finches.  

 And then there were the other critters.  A stray dog and a stray cat started us off.  Then another stray dog joined with the first (literally!) and started a family.  They had two litters and we kept four of the puppies.  So at the farm we had six dogs and one cat.  Poor kitty sometimes thought he was a dog too.  Our pound is a wee bit smaller these days - but not much.

The farm.  Another old farm property we purchased just before retirement.  A place big enough to bring our horses to.  We turned it into the horse farm of our dreams, renovating the buildings with new stalls and other horsey things, added an outdoor and indoor arena, a few small fenced pastures and filled it with horses.  Even a few babies.  We lived our dream.  Awesome.

And this is how our family has grown.  An additional daughter and son came to us through marraige. And five beautiful grandchildren.   So blessed.

Our future is a blank canvas.

I can't wait to see what our Lord paints for us next!