New Start

After seeing Erin Russek's Dresden Plates I was so inspired and willing to give it a try. She always makes things look so simple and I always love the colors she uses.

However, I suppose this would be the right time to confess my extreme weakness when I see the word "sale". Especially when it points to a fabric sale.  I happened to stumble onto the Fort Worth Fabric Studio website and there it was, practically blinking at me, SALE. 

I couldn't resist and within a few days my order arrived.  I love opening boxes like this, don't you?

I'm heading to the laundry room to pre-wash, yes, I am a pre-wash believer :) Would hate to see all of those reds run into my blues, wouldn't you?

Then the learning curve begins and the attempt to make Dresden Plates.
Wish me luck!

Anniversary

This post is made with sweet pride, for today is our 42nd anniversary. How wonderful to be married to my best friend, my lover and soul mate. We met in high school 1964 and it was "love at first sight", well at least it was for me :) Our prayer was to grow old together and God has blessed us with just that.... we have definitely grown OLD together.

 

Design Wall Monday

Each Monday I check in with Judy’s Design Wall Monday over at Patchwork Times, to take a peek at all the wonderful projects you are posting on your design wall.  And, just as I sneak in to peek, I sneak right back out without posting a thing.  I know we all suffer with our sewing time being limited, if not obsolete at times, but I'm so proud to have a Tah-dah...finally something to share.

 I’ve finished the appliqué pieces from Erin Russek’s pattern Miss Hannah.  They are glue basted and ready for stitching. This has been a wonderful learning adventure in technique and color.  I could not have done this without Erin’s tutorials. With some practice I found I really enjoyed making each petal and leaf.  The only hang up I found was in selecting the colors I wanted to use. Until I took to heart what I had heard and read, “Use the colors you like and what feels good to you.” This basket of flowers puts a smile on my face.

Check out other postings on Judy Laquidara’s Patchwork Times.
Take care,
Penny

Design Wall Monday- 1/23/2012

I am so pleased this Monday morning, I'm finally able to show something on my design wall.  And can you believe it, two projects?!! 

Loving appliqué, I have the the pieces ready to applique to the background,the center bloom of Erin Russek’s Miss Hannah.  It was a challenge comming up with seven graduated reds but I found what makes me happy so I’ll continue on with the block and eventually with the rest of the Florabunda blocks.  If you like appliqué and you like video instructions check out One Piece At a Time and see this year’s BOM, absolutely awesome.

Loving red when I found JustTakes 2 I had to jump in.  However, being a slow beginner I thought because I know how to follow directions and my ¼” seams are turning out OK, sure I can do this.  Well, OMG so far, I've made each of the two “units” twice and yes the 3rd one has been ripped out and is ready for a redo also! Yep, I took off those wonderful corners.  Oh my, the learning curve is such fun! 

Oh I want to share one more thing.  My sweet hubby took me fishing this weekend.  Loved it and the time on the lake with him. But it was so cold! I think the fish wanted us to take them home just to warm up.

Check out what others are creating on their design walls,  go to Patch Work Times.
Have fun doing whatever makes you smile.
Penny

Design Wall Monday 1/16/2012

Gee, what can I say except what happened to 2011 and the first two weeks into January?

My design wall has had various projects up and then down....then up and then down again. With all of my indecision I decided to let the brain rest and  focus on the pile of sewing, mending and home making things gathering dust in the mending basket before focusing on the true 'fun' things of life.

A while back I purchased  seat cushions for my dining room chairs...( I know, I know, why didn't I just make them?) Turns out, by the time I remove those ugly white tags from the backs, I could have made them faster.  Since the cushions are red, the remnant of the tag shows if I just cut them off.

Don't you hate those things? I'm embarrassed to admit but for years I left the tags on because of the "Federal Warning Punishable by Death"! Just kidding, but that is what I thought.  When I finally read the entire label I realized how dumb I was.  Oh, but isn't  it  nice of the government to give permission to tear the stupid things off!?

Oh how I wish these were that easy to remove. No such luck. Each one has to have the stitching ripped, picked and then hand sewn closed.  I’d rather be doing applique!!

Happy sewing!

Penny

Design Wall Monday 10/17/11

Shocking, that's what it is, mind boggling! Where does the time go? The third week of October and I’m just now checking in with my quilting friends. However, I’ve not been idle, well maybe on the quilting side it would appear so, but I’ve started out on a new adventure for an ‘older gal’. There is the most wonderful quilt shop, in my small town, QuiltingSisters, and I was invited to ‘hang around’ with them.  And guess what?  They want to pay me for it, can you believe it?!  Well, since I’m a quilt novice it didn’t make much since to me, kind of like asking me to work at the local auto shop and rebuild engines.  Patty, the store manager, said she liked getting to teach an old dog new tricks.  Really, those are my words, she would never say it that way, but I kind of figured that was what she was thinking. J  Check out the store link.  What a fun place.

Well, I have pulled out the Pineapple Quilt and decided to keep on keep’n on. 

But, it’s re-reading the book and starting all over again. Finished cutting the strips and now working on my accuracy sewing a ¼”seam.

I grew up watching Mom sew on an old Singer feather weight, which I’m blessed to now have. And sitting next to her was always her sewing cabinet which she got from her Mother.  Notice she had to put pull handles on the drawers so she could open them.  Her hands were so crippled and bound with Rheumatoid Arthritis but it never stopped her from sewing.  She was a remarkable lady and my inspiration.

When my Mother passed in June, she left me a little money so I decided to purchase a Horn 3180 sewing cabinet in her memory.

To Mom, 

Thank you so much.  God knows how much I miss you.

Design Wall Monday 9/5/11

Well Monday is nearly over and I’m just now able to post. It has been a total blast working on block #2, nearly made me crazy(er) but hope I’m learning not to be so hard on myself and leave things alone once I’ve sewn it to the backing.

Hand sewing is playing a bit of havoc with the old tendinitis but that’s what the ACE band takes care of.  I discovered another help with pain, these little sticky leather circles that stick to my "pusher finger". I’m not into wearing a thimble and find these work very well.  The downfall is forgetting it is stuck to my finger and starting on housework to find I've got my hands in water.  But to avoid replacing with the real item, I have found padded Mole Skin works and cutting a piece the size I need..

I'm still loving applique!

Take care.
Penny

P.S. Can anyone tell me where I can go for instruction to spruce up my blog site? Like, how do you add a 'button' to the sidebar like Judy's Patchwork Times chicken???? Any info will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Thursday Thoughts

The morning is finally mine. The unfinished appliqué piece is sitting on my table drawing me in. As I'm sewing away it dawns on me, 

                                " It is impossible to quilt, piece or appliqué and be sad! "

You warm my heart when I think about you.

Happy quilting my friends. 

Design Wall Monday 8/29/11

Oh my gosh! I'm loving appliqué and discovering the amazing feel of using silk thread, like running a knife through soft butter.  Never doing appliqué before I started with Alex Anderson's book Hand & Machine Appliqué.  And then went to The Quilt Shows website and watched several teaching sessions.  From TQS I downloaded 2010 BOM, Hugs and Kisses by Susan Garman.  Here is my first block and first attempt at hand appliqué.

From this picture my background looks like a dirty sheet but I promise it isn't.  I wasn't happy with the first center flower and ended up making three different color combinations. Ended up with fabric I had in my stash.  When I'm finished with the twelve blocks I'm going to be a pro at leaf making... Tons of leaves with little tiny pointy ends, yikes!!

Here's the beginning of the second block.

More leaves to make at least they don't have two pointed ends per leaf.

It won't be a surprise if I change the color combinations as I go.  Makes it interesting to see what this fickle person will end up with.

Life is full of surprises, most we can't control. 
Those you can control....

Make them happy

Make them colorful

and

Make sure they're memorable!

P.S.
My heart and sincere prayers go out to all of you who were in the path of Irene.

Monday's Design Wall

The past several months have passed in warp speed making me realize how fast life passes when engulfed in a crisis.  In looking back I have no regrets, only thanks and praise to the Lord that He gave me cherished moments with Mom.  But, now it’s time to get back to my dreadfully clean sewing room. 

Can you believe it? No fabric piles and pieces on the cutting board.  No little, bitty, threads all over the floor or partially started projects screaming for attention.  Wouldn’t you label this picture as “Shameful”?  Well, it's time to change it from sadly clean to a happy mess!

I want to learn to appliqué.  Can you give me any suggestions? Websites, books, what to do or not?  I do have Alex Anderson’s Hand & Machine Appliqué book and plan on starting there.  Where I have been really inspired is reading Happy Days Quilting blog.  Patricia does amazing work!

Sorry I have nothing to show you on my design wall, but brace yourself because I'm going to change that!

Taking one day at a time,

Penny

To Mom

My newly discovered life, as a baby quilter, was placed on hold in March... 

Mom's health was failing.  Fact is I don't have many memories of Mom living without pain.  She had RA and, as it goes, its crippling destruction was cast on her with a vengeance. She was once an artist, now unable to hold a fork to feed herself.  She was also an athlete, now unable to walk on her crippled feet.  

This nasty disease may have disfigured her body but it never crippled her soul. She never blamed God for her pain nor asked Him “why me?” My guess is that she really didn't have time for self pity and little patience for those that did.

Mom certainly was proof that “looks can be deceiving”.  If you were to have seen her, on the outside she was small, frail and disfigured.  Yet on the inside she was strong, courageous and full of life.

Lord,

May not my heart grow weary

            from this pain I’ve always known.

Perhaps without this present thorn

            I, spiritually, may never have grown.

The day I said my life is Yours

            You’ve walked this path with me

Each step I take, though pain be there,

            my goal eternity.

I plan to win this race and be greeted by You Lord

            Please carry me through, the road I’m on,

            with eyes focused only on You.

May not my heart grow weary,

            from the pain I’ve always known.

For soon, I trust, You’ll call my name  

            and angels take me home.

My Mother heard her name called June 26^th, 2011.

Mom, it's bitter sweet.  To know you are finally out of pain, but missing you as my Mother and my friend.

Design Wall Monday.. is a bit empty today.

I had a few minutes to start quilting my first wall hanging quilt.  Quilted a few blocks. Pretty raw I must say! 

However, life pulled me away to more important things.  Attending to my frail parents most of last week. My dear Mom, bless her heart, is 87 and ended up in the hospital, leaving Sweet Dad, 88 who has Alzheimer's, home alone.

I look forward to posting an updated picture, next Monday, of my great quilting job. 
Do take care. 
I love reading all of your Design Wall Monday postings.

Design Wall Monday

Over the past several weeks I have been on a wonderful journey, which I’m hoping to continue the rest of my life. 

It all started with  a ‘Beginning Quilting’ class which covered the basics of measuring, cutting and piecing. Working on various blocks, sashing, and finish up on the border..

Here it is my FIRST (and so far only) quilt top!

The next class was ‘Machine Quilting’.  Covering the basic steps of preparing the quilt layers, pinning and we even had a chance to try some machine quilting techniques. 

Here goes... my FIRST attempt to machine quilting.

Side Note:  My sweet husband bought me a new Bernina Artista 635, as an anniversary present (41 years today).  I've sewn 48 years on a Singer featherweight so I'm becoming familiar with all of the wonderful things my Bernina can do.  I have never used a walking foot, so lining up my needle to do stitch in the ditch has been a bit of a challenge.  Believe me, it's not the machine, more like operator inexperience.

Because I wanted to experience the entire quilt making process I finalized it all with taking a 'Better Binding' class last week.  And so this journal will continue when I can show the completed wall quilt.

Have a wonderful week and don’t forget to quilt ‘n bog ....Don't you all  love to know what everyone is doing?  I know I thrive on your creativity and your sharing.
Take care

Snow Day Sunday

Woke this morning to a dusting of snow.  We usually see three to four snow showers each Winter and this should make three. The beauty of Arizona is the sun never hides long and the cold white stuff disappears quickly.
...even the prickly-pear cactus have snow on them.

more snow.....

Now that I’ve put a pot of Calico Bean Soup on the stove, my special recipe, and the house is filled with warm, fuzzy smells, what a great way to spend the rest of the day playing in the ‘Girl Cave’ working on projects!

Do you have a special soup recipe you can share? What do you like doing on days like this? 

Well, heading to the Girl Cave hopefully will have something to post on Design Wall Monday tomorrow.
Take care....

I Love New Lessions

After taking a Beginning Quilt Class using Alex Anderson's book Start Quilting. OMG this old garment sewing lady's head was spinning, it seemed I was learning a new language! After that class the next step was machine quilting and another great book to add to my reference library, Machine Quilting Made Easy by Maurine Noble.

Now I'm getting ready for another lesson on binding.  I have to prepare 4 sandwiches, quilted and ready for class on Thursday to learn the final step, binding.  I will let you know how it goes.  Hopefully will have something new to show you on my design wall. 

I was told I was the only one that could make my day a good one, so that is what I'm going to do. 
I hope you will also.

Design Wall Monday

Wow, everything is new for me. A newbie quilter and first time blogger.  I love checking in with all of you to see what great things you are up to.  All of your posts keep me motivated and truly inspired!!

After taking a beginning quilt class I jumped right in using Loretta Smith's book Pineapple Quilt A Piece of Cake.  With great excitement here is my design wall.  Four blocks down and several to go.

Still unsure of the arrangement but the blocks are fun to make.

I'm sure many of you have made a pineapple quilt. Your comments and input will be helpful.

Make it a GREAT week and please keep on quilting and blogging.