A Little Hand Applique..

I decided the border needed an appliqued vine and some flowers. So, I started it and I think it is just the thing. I am following a pattern in a book called Quick and Easy Scrap Quilts. The pattern has an appliqued border, which I thought I would do without. I am willing to admit my errors!
Edit to post:
I learned how to hand applique from a great quilter in Ketchikan named Judy Madden. She makes beautiful quilts, but especially hand applique. Her technique is really easy, you draw the vine on the wrong side, bast the fabric on the right side following the lines on the wrong side. Then you trim to the basting stitch about a quarter inch and needle turn the seam under as you applique. I really like this technique. I don't have to pre-cut anything.

Tablerunners, Tablerunners, and more Tablerunners....

I love how easily my house can be decorated simply with a homemade table runner. I have three now and probably better stop until I need more for fall. They are lovely. Not because I made them, but the fabric and patterns really are creative.

I haven't been very busy creating lately. I have been busy researching all of the latest fabrics and what people are making with them. There are some wonderful frilly ruffled dresses, bags, pillows, etc. I find it all inspiring to make more than just quilts or table runners. However, I have promised myself that I would finish all of the things that I have started. So, that means that I still have to finish the nine-patch and hourglass quilt, and two other quilts. Oh, and the retro apron that I started last week. What to do, what to do.....

The Pattern Basket... Beginning

Today I managed to get all of the flowers done, and the first border sewn on. Next I have to maked the pieced border using the rest of the charm squares that were in the kit. I really like the way this is turning out and I think it will look beautiful on the entryway table. A nice way to welcome my husband home from work tomorrow.
I also received the muslin I ordered in the mail today so I can get back to work on the nine-patch and hourglass pattern I was working on a week ago. I ordered a retro scrap bag that came with the perfect fabric to add to it, and some Heather Bailey Fresh Cut fabric! Yeah, I have been trying to find an online store that sells it still, and now I don't have to. Now that I see it in person I am not sure what to make with it though. Any ideas? I would love some inspiring comments please?!

Beginning the Retro Apron....

I found these left over 5" squares from a previous project and decided that I would go ahead and try making the patchwork apron in this book. I really want to buy the Fresh Squeezed charm pack and the accent fabric, but I can't wait! These are lovely fabrics, well loved and used in a two other projects, so I figure the leftovers deserve to be used up.


I realized that when I began to sew the rows together, I had sewn two blocks in the wrong order, whoops! I fixed it and it is right now. My only complaint about this pattern is that the pattern pieces in the book are on both sides of the paper. So, if I want to make more than one apron in the book, which I do, then I have to go to the store and get some tissue paper to make an extra pattern. I will have to work more on this later. In the mean time, I am going to finish quilting a quilt that I started about 1 1/2 years ago and do the binding on another quilt. Good things will happen!

Fabric Obsessions....

Do you ever find yourself up at 10 o'clock at night with an idea that will not go away? That is what happened to me on Friday. I became completely obsessed with figuring out a way to make a bag using this extremely romantic fabric. I love the big flowers and the pink and green, so divine. Yes, those are my two favorite colors together. I have wondered when I was going to grow out of this phase. I don't think it is going to go away. When I belonged to a quilt guild in Ketchikan, AK, one of my friends would tease me about it. Everything I made had those two colors in it. I didn't even have to try, it just happened. Or if someone else made a quilt with pink and green, I would ooh and ahh and say I have to make that pattern. This friend would just say, "I wonder why Karen, it has pink and green in it!" I do make things using other colors, but it always comes back to these. I am still trying to work on a second bag with the leftovers.

Great Quilting States...

I have a question for quilters here in the United States. I would like to know which state you think is the most popular quilt state? I think it is Washington, maybe Iowa. But, I don't want to live in either one of those places, so if you could give me your opinion based on personal experience, I would like to know.

p.s. Tina, I haven't received an email from you about your mailing address. Let me know so that I can mail you your Tri-Recs rulers.

Happy Quilting!

My Creative Space...

Not well decorated, but it is all space just for me! I don't have to worry about cleaning up when I am done. The room is all the way at the back of the house, so I am disturbing any one with the sound of my machine. I have really enjoyed having my own room for all of my crafts. So this is the Quilt Room.
I went to the quilt get together last night and the ladies were all so nice. They oohed and ahhhed over the fabric, projects and patterns that I brought with me. I actually finished the binding on the tablerunner in the above picture and it is on my kitchen table. It is so cheerful and I love the bright colors. My next project is also a table runner. I guess I like table runners. You never can have too many.

Quilting.....

I am actually going to get this project done today! You know, blogging is kind of like getting to quilt with my friends. I miss that so much. After we left Ketchikan, AK I never found another group of ladies to quilt with. There wasn't a quilt store, guild or even a quilting bee in Vermillion, SD where we moved to next. Now we are in Vero Beach, FL and tonight I finally get to quilt with other quilters! Yeah, I am so excited. I don't know what to bring to work on. The main idea is to go and make friends so I don't want to work on anything to difficult. So maybe I will bring things to cut for future projects. I get to sew at home so I wont feel like I am missing out on anything. Thanks for helping me to think it through.

New project....30's Fabric

This is the project that the Tri-Recs rulers came with. I thought that I would give it a whole week before picking a winner, but I don't think there will be any new entries so I will go ahead and announce the winner now! So, the winner is....Tina! yeah! I hope that you enjoy them and if you would click on the sidebar where is says about me there will be a link where you can email me your mailing address. Thank you to everyone for playing along with me. And for all of the really nice comments you made, really, they all made my day.

Progress is progress....

I finished sewing together all of the rows of nine-patches and hourglass blocks. Then I added a 1 1/2 inch border. Now I just need to to wait for the muslin I ordered to come in from Keepsake Quilting to finish the outer border and binding. I have never made a quilt using muslin, but I like the simple quality of it. It has a slightly old look to it, mixed with the newness of the other patterned fabric. I can't wait to drape this over the back of my chair. Thanks for all of the nice comments that have been left about this quilt. I appreciate every one of them. Since I recently moved and don't have a group of local quilting friends yet, blogging and sharing my quilting endeavors is the next best thing.

New Quilting Purchases!

I made an order from Fat Quarter Shop and received it yesterday. Yeah, I haven't bought any new fabric like this in a long time. I assure you that it was a heavily thought out process. Nothing was ordered without great thought as to what it would be used for. The kids are all excited about me making them a cupcake out of fabric from the above pictured book. The layout of the book is very cute and feminine. The projects inside are great for someone that might be holding a bridal shower, or a baby shower, or a birthday party for a dear friend.
I did order one splurge item. On the left is a grab bag of 30's fabric with a cute pattern. It also came with the tri-recs tools needed. Too bad I already have one set. I have noticed that people on quilt blogs like to do give aways, so maybe that is what I will do. If you would like to have your own set of tri-recs, leave a comment below and dependant upon the response, I will pick the friendliest quilter!


I love the fabric in these packs! I ordered almost everything from Michael Miller's Pod Posey line. Very bright and fun without being childish. I also really loved Lakehouse's pretty and feminine fabrics.

The fabric on the left is going to make some fabulous curtains and dresses for my girls and the pattern on the right is a full kit for the pattern shown. Too much fun and not enough time!

EQ6

I just received my EQ6 in the mail yesterday and I am intent upon actually learning how to use it this time. I had the EQ5 version on an older computer and couldn't find the software to re download onto this one. So, I spent more money, but at least I can now try my hand at designing quilts. Doing it on the design wall and on paper is not inspiring to me. Give me something to play around with on the computer and I am ready to go! So far so good. The only problem that occurred was during the initial start-up. If you have Vista and try to click on the desktop icon you have to right-click while holding the control key and then select run as on the menu. Apparently there is a safe-guard in place. I really panicked at first but when I called their tech support they were very helpful. So, thanks EQ6 tech support!

Coming along...

Finally, now I can see the pattern! I decided that I would only be able to make it this big because I ran out of nine-patch material. I will just have to make it bigger with borders. There are tons of left over blocks, what shall I do with them... hmmm. Maybe a few pillows to go with it.

The green is really dominant but I like it. It is pretty spread out so it shouldn't cause too much trouble once it is quilted. It is amazing to me how different the finished quilt looks when compared to what you put on the design wall.

3rd times the charm!

I tried three different versions of the hourglass to go with the fabric in the 9-patches. First I tried a light green, then red, and then I finally gave in and went to a fabric store and bought the final winner. I think that it will work, even though my hope was to use up what I have.

It comes from a Marcus Brothers line, I really like their fabric, especially the blues and browns.

So now i just have to finish sewing all of the hourglass blocks, make a few more 9-patches and I will be ready to put them together! I am glad too, I have been making these blocks for days and I need a different project!