Thursday, August 29, 2013

A Year to Finish~~ Katie

My blog like most of our blogs is a chronicle of our lives. Family, Graduations, Weddings, showers, new babies, grandbabies, fun, vacations, projects, fabrics, sewing, and of course Quilting.
This one is about an adventure I went on, all alone, by myself, and with delightful results.
It is very picture heavy, but when I make my Blog Book for 2013 it will be in print!

Last summer I came to an epiphany of sorts...
This is what I said..

I think many of us go through this process.
We love a fabric.
We buy a ton of the fabric.
We try to buy the whole line.
We pet the fabric.
We fold and refold the fabric.
We put it in color groups.
We them put it into groups according to the prints.
We stash it...
We save it...
We hoard it...

Just waiting for the right project, the right quilt, the right pattern.

Time ticks by and we have now had the fabric for years and it just sits and stares at us.

***************************


At that point I decided NO MORE!


I was going to use that fabric I loved. I knew I would fall in love with another line and what good did it do sitting on my shelf.


So out came

Denyse Schmidt's
Katie Jump Rope!










As this was going to be an adventure I knew I wanted a King Size Quilt for our bed, BUT, I was going to make this quilt all by hand.  I love handwork. So I started by cutting it all into squares.



I then started the piecing.

Two by Two


Became four by four
Became eight by eight
Became a sixteen patch block



They were then pieced into the flimsy.
Still all by hand.









The backing, I asked many of you if you thought flannel was a good idea for a backing. Thank you to everyone who responded!
But alas, I was chicken, I did not use it, not on Katie. I thought this was not a time to experiment. So I went with a cotton backing. I am thrilled with my choice, and will for sure try flannel on my next quilt!

There is one part of quilting I do not like
Basting!


So Katie was sent to my long-arm friend, where she basted her for me. She even used hot pink thread so I could see the thread when it needed to be removed.






 Now let the fun begin!

The hand quilting.
I did this is simple rows, both horizontal and vertical.

Added my binding....
and...
Katie was done!

We then went on a phot shoot, after all she had been cooped up for a whole year.
This lady needed some fresh air!

May I present

Katie!






She looks so tiny here!


But she is 108 inches by 120 inches.








She is now home, washed and on our bed. What a treat to sleep under!

Now if I could just stop hoarding holding on to this fabric!


Have a wonderful weekend, do something you love!

Ours is filled with family and fun!



Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Rosie

Last June I was on Nedra's Blog Cactus Needle Quilts, when I saw a post about the Cruiser Bike her children bought her for her birthday.  I just fell in love with it and went on a mission to find a PINK Cruiser Bike.
How much do you love Amazon?!

Well, her she is...
Rosie
Her basket has a handle and will come off it we decide to stop for a picnic.


It is a Schwinn back brakes, no speeds, just riding.




When I was a young girl. I had the same bike in metallic aqua. Friends would sit on the back. Friends would sit on the handle-bars. I could even ride no handed!

BUT,
Let me tell you, you know that old saying
"it's just like riding a bike"?

Well, not for me! It has been years! I have black and blue marks all over my legs. I did not fall but gee whiz it took a while to get the hang of it.  The first time I kept swerving to the right. I thought it was because of my poor eye site. Oh contra!  the handle-bars were not tighten! They pointed to the right!  My sweet Hubby rode his bike all the way home to get the tool to tighten them, that was my first ride.

Here I am, now able to ride this beauty and have a ton of fun!

(Psst, that is a short, not a skirt)



When my sister saw the bike she asked me if I bought it for exerciser  Come on, I said, I bought it because it was
PINK!!
Any health benefits is just serendipitous!




Friday, August 23, 2013

I am so Excited!

I am so excited I am about to burst.  I have been waiting for this fabric to arrive for months. Arriving at my door today by the kind Fed Ex driver.

THE WHOLE 
22 BOLT
line of

2013 FLOWER SUGAR BY LECIEN

Be still my heart!!
 Take a peek at these beauties.





The leaning tower of Flowers!




Now listed in 
My Etsy (international shipping listed)
Or eBay (email for a quote)
    


Have a wonderful weekend.
Do something you love.


Do you.....

Do you have a small home town Grocery Store? Where when you walk in "everyone knows your name"? Even though we live in a large town, we are lucky enough to have this type of store.
The best meat in the world. The best bakery. The best deli full of fresh yummy home made food. Sweet corn, fruit and vegetables from our local farmers. I love this store. You can never just run in to pick something up! There is always someone you know. Or in my case, they know me and I have no idea who they are! LOl!
I love to bring the grand-babies in, they have a treasure chest and when you check out you can pick a prize!  Even Maggie at the age of 17 remembers the treasure chest.
I walk out of that store just feeling happy!  yes, very happy!

Oh quilting, yes!  I did make another barn.  I love pinwheels. This is Number 7 in Lori's Quilty Barn Along.


Have a wonderful weekend. Do something you love.


Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Scissors -- Part Two

A week or so ago I ask for some advice on what brand of scissors you liked the best.  I received many wonderful recommendations  Gingher, Dovo, Kai, Mundial, Famore, Tweezerman and Fiskars.

After much research I decided on these Dovo's. Pricey but so worth every penny.  I just love them.  Thank you all for such wonderful advice!  

My Before...




My new Dovo!  I know these will last long enough
for my great-grandchildren to love and enjoy.






Happy Sewing!