Buried treasures

Oh Look what wonders you find when you dig deep and clean out the closet! I emptied the closet in my sewing room while re-organizing and found a few things I had forgot about! This little 9 patch top was buried in a box at the back of the closet, I made the little 9 patches while visiting my grandmother back in the 60's! Yup was sewing back then. I rediscovered them in the late eighties and sewed them together and then put it away again, I added the border yesterday and today I will quilt it, won't it make a cute table topper?

I also found Sweet Peas, from a workshop I took with Nancy Pearson back in 2002, now I need to work on that also. I tool a 3 day workshop with her at the American quilt museum in Paducah, and it's where I really learned how to applique.

Another top I found was my very first attempt at applique, the pattern is from Baltimore Bouquets by Mimi Dietrich, oh my stitches were terrible, I can't decide if I want to redo it or just go ahead and quilt it, it shows just how far I have come.

Orange envy

Oh I had such orange envy! While Pat Sloan was having her OP (orange pile) challenge we were involved in OP (Operation paint) so after getting my sewing room back in shape I pulled some fabrics and made a block, what a fast fun block! I made 4 blocks and made a table topper.

It's even finished! I used a theme fabric Easter eggs and will be a bright addition to my Easter dinner. So I may have arrived late to the party but I still had fun!

sewing room make over

After reorganizing my sewing room last week, my sweet DH said he would paint it! See me jumping up and down??? I've Only waited about 5 years for this big event, so faster than a speeding bullet I selected the paint and we had a painting weekend. Of coarse I had to empty all the cabinets again and when we put the room back together I moved my fabric cabinets to a wall where they fit better, Painting was done Saturday and it took me 2 days to get everything back where I wanted it, I need to find a nice piece of decorator fabric to recover my big top, found some great window toppers in the sale bin at Lowes. I really love the seamist shade. Still have to hang up my design wall, but for now I am just enjoying the fresh new look

Calico Garden

Finished the center of this small quilt and put it together, now onto the borders, I decided on the modern method. The quilt is a replica of one at the Shelborne museum.

The borders have 1" squares set on point and individually appliqued down, and fussy cut florals above that, this should probably take me a while.

The fabrics are all scraps and some are from the 30's thru the 90's from my mom's and grandma scraps as well as my own and some friends.

reorganizing sewing space

Three days and many hours later the cleaning frenzie is almost done! I have gone thru every nook and crany, even the closet! then all the drawers! I tossed out a bunch of stuff, I have bags of fabric for Women's industrial, quilt magazines I will take to the guild and boxes of craft supplies for the 4 H ...gee how does this stuff multiply? Honestly I am not a pack rat! LOL

I love my big top ironing surface, it's actually a TV stand and I have great storage underneath for my current projects and supplies

Peg board helps store lots of tools that I use frequently and don't get lost in a drawer, I use pencil boxes to store small spools of thread that I use for applique, the little drawers hold needles, pens, pencils etc.

My DH is going to paint my sewing room, I think we can get to the walls now LOL. Will be doing more after the painting is done, new curtains and a bit of rearranging. Last year we bought 2 cabinets for my fabric and I could use a third! See what happens when you have 3 gals coming over to work on the quilt trail wallhangings?

Sweet retreat and Vintage valentine

I started these tops last year, had all the fabrics for the chain blocks in my stash and was going to do something else for the center floral blocks, but when I went to the quilt shop to get backing and thread for another quilt lo and behold she had the rose fabric! so I treated myself and bought the panel. The Pattern is from June 08 American Patchwork and Quilting. I dragged the blocks out this week and finished piecing the top and then added borders rather than the pairrie points but I may still add the points, I need to think about that before I quilt it.

I also but borders on my Vintage Valentine, so that's ready to quilt, I will hand quilt it, hope to have it done by May. I pieced the backing for VV today and then spent hours looking for the patttern I can't remember where it is, or if I gave it to someone? hate when I lose my mind.

Bunny Hill Feb. block

Yesterday the Feb. block was posted at Bunny Hill I couldn't wait to get going on this sweet block and it's done, and now I have to wait till March for the next block, these are just too cute.

sewing machine cover

Sometimes you just need to play! I made this cute machine cover which doubles as a chair cover and it's so bright and cheerful, I used Pat Sloan's Nicki fabric and the flower pattern is hers too.

just measure the size of my machine and kept adding strips around till the size was right.

Dear Hannah

Goodness gracious I finally made these darling blocks into a top, now need to decide on borders I can't believe I started this top 4 years ago, I used just the applique blocks, and will make a lovely little wall hanging. Most of the fabrics are Batik or hand dyed. I used the hourglass block to set it up with, love the green stars.

I resumed work on Calico Garden another quilt with tiny appliqued blocks only 16 more to do and then the borders

In memory of Putter

We lost our little kitty Putter yesterday, he was my quilt buddy, loved to sit on my sewing chair and supervise my sewing, or just keep me company, we will miss him so much.

walk in the moonlight

Farmer's market

Two more quilts I finished last year! and I so love Walk in the moonlight, I think when my daughter sees this one will probably go home with her!

Pattern is by Pat Sloan from her book "Learn to Applique"

I also finished Farmer's Market by Pat, I'm donating this quilt to the 4 H so they can earn money for the camper scholarships. Pat offered these as a free BOM last year.

Friendship garden

In my year of getting things finished!! I hand quilted Friendship Garden by Alma Allen and Cherie Ralston, I just love this quilt as does my fur buddy Tinker, I hand quilted this and only took me 2 years! LOL
I used a wool batt and it's so toasty
warm, which we sure have needed this winter.

I finished 14 quilts this last year!! I can't believe how many still need to be done! some will be machine quilted by me, and I hope to send several of the larger tops out. I must admit it feels great to have finished so many. But feels great to start a few new projects, while working on the stash reduction