Resting....

Well, it has been a whirlwind summer for me, with 4-H and several new endeavors for my family.  Trying to get our house fixed up to sell, or live in...whichever The Lord shows us is best has been very time consuming as well.  Today, the house is mostly clean, laundry is running, and I am hoping for some quality, quilty time with this quilt.  (Just as soon as I quit drinking coffee and actually get showered.)

 

Really, it is mostly done.  Still waiting on the binding fabric to arrive, so I might just have time to cut into this fabric.

 



 

I purchased the FMF while on vacation this year.  Just got the stripe this week...the last on the bolt...thanks be. 

 

I am planning on making this pocket bag from the book "Romantic Home Sewing:  Cottage-Style Projects to Stitch for the Home" by Christina Strutt.  It should be a quick sew, and hopefully the perfect cross-body bag to haul my iPad and handwork to soccer this fall.

 

Linking up to Show and Tell Tuesday

Fabric Tuesday

And WIP Wednesday

 

You can visit the many other wonderful projects by clicking on the cute buttons on the side bar.

 

On a more personal note.  my family has been looking for a house with more elbow room in our area for almost 4 years now.  We believe we are seeking God's will in this, but He hasn't provided the house yet.  We go to look at two houses this evening if you could be praying for us.

 

Blessings,

 

KT

Independence Day Decorations

I finished something...and now I am taking the time to blog.  Will wonders ever cease?   Even more amazing is that it is already hanging in my freshly painted dining room in time for the Fourth of July!!

This banner is about 17" x 45" and made entirely of Jennifer Paganelli fabrics.  (If you've visited very often you know she is my favorite fabric designer.)

I used some of the scraps for the back.  The colors were too good not to make the most of.

Behold, my new favorite way to hang a small quilt!  So simple, and I will be able to switch out with a picture or another wall hanging seasonally.

I especially love the table topper to match, which measures about 28" square.

Oh, and while editing, I realized that there are water spots from vacation on my camera lens.  By the time I noticed breakfast was already happening on the table.  The lens is properly cleaned for next time!

Also made scrappy bindings for both quilts.  There is something about using as much as is possible of favorite hoarded fabric that makes me happy.

After marking the quilting pattern with a Frixion pen, I used a walking foot to quilt these gentle waves.

This block was inspired by the work of Amy Smart at Diary of a Quilter.  I love the web for seeking out new and interesting ideas.  With no time in my life for a quilt guild meeting, I rely on the online community of quilters for inspiration and encouragement. 

Linking up to Show and Tell Tuesday,Fabric Tuesday and WIP Wednesday.  You can check out tons of lovely projects and be inspired by visiting the links using the buttons on my side bar.

Blessings,

KT

Works in Progress or How to Have too Much Going On!

What do you do when your husband books reservations for vacation?  Well, if you are me you make a purse!  I am using Quilt Smart's Midi bag pattern.  The fabric is Lucy's Crab Shack leftover from making my summer bag last year.  This one is just a smaller version of the Quilt Smart Mondo that I made last year.  Both bags go together zippy quick, and are fun.  I am not receiving anything from Quilt Smart, I just really like their stuff so far!

I have three more Midi bag interfacings, and fabric selected to make bags.  They will make great gifts!!

Love the print I chose for the liner!  I still have lots of leftovers.  Good, because I need some pouches!

My Hunky Dory progress to date; three rows together!!  The corners where the blocks come together are rather bulky, but coming together well for the most part. 

This is the point in quilt making that I start to feel claustrophobic in my sewing space.  Had to move all those rows just to get to my computer!  Yeah, and that dark shape hovering in the upper right side of the picture...dress pants to be hemmed for Treasure.  Yuk!!  Totally avoiding those, though I should probably just do them and get them out of my face.

These fabrics are the beginning of a pile for a teen boy quilt.  Not my kinda fabrics, but a labor of love.  

From top to bottom they are:

Kona Flame (Careful, it could put your eyes out!)

Sew Sporty by Dan Morris for RJR Fabrics

Karen Foster Design Inc. for Robert Kaufman Sports Life Screen Print D #11543

Karen Foster Design Inc. for Robert Kaufman Sports Life Screen Print D #11539

Connecting Threads Silver solid

Still to come:

Kona Black

Connecting Threads Gray solid

Linking up with WIP Wednesday, so you can enjoy a bunch of fun projects!

Blessings,

KT

Scrappy Trip Works in Progress

Just a note, Google Reader is going to shut down this summer.  You can follow this blog with Bloglovin.  I am finding it to be a sleek reader, especially on my iPhone.

 

 

Well, my scrappy trip along quilt has been a constant ray of sunshine since I started it.  Sticking with one quilt from start to finish is not usually how I roll.  This quilt is just different for me I guess. 

I also had this drool-worthy block that Rene' sent to me all cut out and ready to sew in some of my favorite Jennifer Paganell fabrics. Well, I had been toying with the idea of my family needing some big puffy pillows since we removed the carpet in the living room. I pulled some Paganelli stash out and made a border and binding.

 

                       

 

This block was made to be part of my scrappy trip along quilt, but it didn't play nice with the others.  So I put it in time-out and made another one.  Funny, I still love the naughty little thing.  So another pillow was born!  More Paganelli stash for border and binding.

 

 

 

 

Now they are in my busy bag waiting for a moment for hand sewing.

 

 

As for my scrappy trip quilt, it is telling me nicely how it wants to be quilted.  I am just loving this sweet quilt.  Violet, my Singer 201, is speeding right along.  This has been an exceptional week already, in that I have gotten two days already with chunks of time to sew.  That just hasn't happened.  Don't know if there will be more time this week, but I am sure hoping!  I just can't wait to finish this quilt.

 

Be sure to visit all the other ladies playing along with WIP, by using the nifty button on the sidebar! 

 

Blessings,

 

KT

Practical Sewing

I haven't been blogging much. I have been sewing instead! Actually, I am awaiting a battery for my camera. (That explains the iPad pictures.)

Anyhow, my sewing space was once our tiny dining room. Hence the decor. Soon however, we will be installing new flooring and I will try to ditch the wall paper.

It is starting to really get to me how cluttered it is becoming. While I work on a project, the fabric on the shelf calls to me to play with it instead. Though I enjoy seeing all the pretties, they are wrecking my focus. So, here is my solution.

I made a pretty yellow curtain with a calico print I bought over ten years ago. Stash busted. Anyhow, this room is going to go in a different direction. Just don't expect it to happen fast, nothing here ever does!

On another practical note, we are running low on cloth napkins. Some have become mildewed when wet washcloths were thrown in the laundry. (Not Me from Family Circus lives in my house!). Really, they had lived a long life, and I can't complain.  So I dove into stash and found some fabric that I love, but it was languishing with no future purpose. Last night I put it out of its misery.

;0)

The old stitch and flip with some decorative stitching, and I have four more napkins to add to the basket.

Love the mismatched reverse side. I really don't put out matching napkins anyway. They all just go into the napkin basket for a life of utility. It is fun though, because some of us have our favorites.

I have my Mondo Bag finished, and couldn't wait to use it, so I have been hauling it everywhere! Really hoping that my camera battery comes soon!

Linking up to WIP Wednesday, so you can use the button on the side bar to see some more lovelies.

Blessings,

KT

I Think I Might Live in a Cave

Grainy, dark picture alert.

Recently, after some research and being nearly out of needles, I ordered a few packages of these. While I was at it, I ordered some trial thread. If you let them choose the color, you can get it much cheaper. My needles happened to be a deal too. Bonus! Bless their hearts, they sent me lavender! Well, I was itching to try both out to see what all the fuss is about.

Being a purple sort of girl, I was sure to have something that would do. Needing a little pick me up, I grabbed my Paganelli Pile.

Well, wouldn't you know, one thing led to another. Purple led to pink, blue, and green...

Before I knew it, nine, count 'em NINE blocks done!

One in the incubator.

( Why, oh why did I only buy a half yard of that yummy blue on blue print, Pretty Please, Sally?)

After I get the tenth one done, I am going to go back and finish some of my other WIPs. This Paganelli quilt is just for my own selfish entertainment. I never understood what people meant about savoring the quilt, until now. I want to take my own sweet time!

On the left are fabrics to still incorporate into the Paganelli quilt. In the middle are the Hunky Dory blocks I am about to finish off. I may just leave that perfect pile of Paganelli out to sing to me while I sew.

Oh, and the needles and thread, like butter! I will try to keep you updated as I use them more.

Be sure to visit all the other entries for Fabric Tuesday by using the cute button on the side bar.
Edit:

1. Hunky Dory Quilt--14 blocks to go.

2. Grandma's Peacock---nearly done!!

3.  March FMQ Challenge--not yet begun.

4.  Paganelli Pop--new project, 10 blocks down, countless to go.  NO Deadline.

5. New commitment.  Baby quilt for missionary trip.  Undisclosed destination, deadline--SOON!

Also linking up to WIP Wednesday.

Blessings,

KT

This Week so Far

Disclaimer: my Internet is down at my house and I am eating breakfast at McDonald's. I hope my blogging ap and Blogger play nice, because this is my third and final attempt to publish.

This is my FMQ Challenge for February. I am really not waiting until the last minute. I doodle during the month, then actually get to the FMQ. This month was a little intimidating for me. Feathers! To hide my learning curves I chose some gorgeous fabric. Sneaky huh? ;0)

I finished this up Monday night. I am not sure that you can see the quilting any better on the back. Sorry.

Last night I finally completed the quilting on "Grandma's Peacock". Tonight I hope to make the sleeve and attach the binding. Maybe I can get a proper picture of it hanging on the wall by Friday.

There is no other progress, other than housework (and a sorry little of that) at my house.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday, FMQ Challenge, and maybe Fabric Tuesday (if the linky is still up). You can use the buttons on the side bar to visit a wonderful world of quilty progress!

Blessings,

KT

This and That

Being the start of the new year, I wanted to establish some quilting goals to keep me on track.  My most important goal is to provide each of my immediate family with their own quilt.  Secondly, I really want to improve my free motion quilting skills.  Lastly, I want to have fun sewing, and not be hurried to get things off my plate!  Lately I have wanted to clear my small projects bin.  I started working on it over the holidays.  Just because I am a little burnt out on large quilts anyway right now.

Just need to finish up this mug rug to match my sewing machine cover.  I have plenty of rainbow strips left over from making coasters.  So I made a couple extra.

I am giving one to a good friend locally, and the other one will fly off to parts undisclosed to an on-line friend.  That is all I can say, other than you can be sure they aren't for me...look at all that red!

1.  My small projects bin isn't so full...

Especially since I am about to finish up my "Quilting Process Mini".  Check back Friday for a reveal and a giveaway.

2. Grandma's Peacock---this is to be finished January for sure!  Still find the beautiful FMQ pattern that Dee drew for me intimidating.  I will do it though!

3.  Freshcut Quilt---loosing steam since there is no way for me to quilt it at home.  We are house hunting, so spending the cash to have it quilted is not acceptable right now either. 

(My yellows are not photographing well today.  This is a soft buttery yellow!)

4.  Hunky Dory Double Hourglass quilt---no new piecing.

5.  Masculine Bento---not even started.

6.  FMQ Challenge---fabrics selected.  I think that I am going to make my blocks into a quilt as you go quilt at the end of the year.  This year's quilty goal is to build some FMQ muscles!!

7.  Strawberry Quilt---not even started.

8.  Finish Orange Pinwheel Top.

9.  Finish Sew Bee It Top.

I am going to add this to Works in Progress Wednesday. Be sure to Use the button on the side baar to check out the other goodies linking up there. 

 Hopefully I can get these all done this year!

Blessings,

KT

Work In Progress---Christmas edition

Making progress on Mother-in-Love's quilt.  Top is finished, back is pieced and ready.  This will be the first time to use flannel.  I wanted it to be warm.  Did you know that even if you sweep before working with navy flannel, it really doesn't matter.  Every piece of lint within a mile comes for a nice long visit.

This will also be my first time working with wool batting.  I will let you know how that goes.  Just wanted it to be warm, super warm!!

This is what polyester batting looks like after 10+ years.  Our picnic quilt was made some time ago, before I would have thought to call myself a quilter.  This was the last time I ever used poly batting.  Thought it would be good to share the lesson!!  ;0) 

After years of heavy use, it is just done.  I was trying to glean some of the denim for the next picnic quilt.  I don't know what I was thinking.  These were worn out jeans that got ten more years of heavy use out of them.  Not much worth using again!!

The little pile of denim scraps are all that was worth keeping of the original quilt.  The drooly pile are scraps that I am going to cut up and use.  Peeking out is the little container started blocks.

This is the little stack of blocks that are already done.  I had a pair of jeans bite the dust a couple of weeks ago.  These fabrics are left-over charm squares from other projects.

So WIP update:

1.  Treasure's Quilt---FINISHED!!

2.  Mother-in-Love's Quilt---Much progress.

3.  Peacock quilt---Haven't touched it.

4.  Picnic Quilt---Started, and collecting more denim.

Be sure to visit all the other WIPs by using the nifty button on my side bar.

Christmas Blessings,

KT