Posts from — February 2007

Yesterday my trusty sewing machine quit on me. [sob, sob] I was working on finishing up the top for Mom’s wallhanging. It sews in place and in reverse. [sigh] I dragged the Brother 1500 off the machine quilting frame to finish up. I’ve never pieced with the Brother. I was surprised that it sews nicely and it’s quiet. (It makes a lot of noise when it’s on the PC Quilter.) I finished up Mom’s wallhanging complete with flange and mitered borders. I’ve never mitered the corners before–they look okay and seem to lay flat. Just don’t look too closely at my mismatched seams on the stars! LOL (Picture is clickable)

I *really* like the border fabric and may have to go back and get some more for one of my Women of the Bible quilts. It’s a grape viney pattern with grape leaves and grapes that I think would like nice on the borders of my “scrappy” WOBQ.

I dropped off the Bernina at the local vacuum & sewing machine repair shop. Hopefully it won’t break the bank to have it fixed. Mom told me I was having a good month of sales in our booth at the antique & craft mall so I’m sure that that money will be going to pay for the sewing machine. God usually knows when I’ll need a little extra for such things and He always provides. (Thanks and praise to Him!) I’m going to keep working steady on piecing some other projects before I move the Brother back to the machine quilting frame to finish up some projects there… Let’s see how many other things from my WIP list I can finish up.

I managed to snap a few pictures from the local quilt show we attended yesterday. There were two appliquéd quilts that were beautiful–one captured Best of Show. (Pictures are clickable to see an enlarged view)

On the left: Dian Lamb’s “Guardian Angel” First Place - Machine pieced & Machine quilted
On the right: Lynda Caffey’s “Crazy Quilt” Third Place - Any piecing method & Hand quilted [Lynda's quilt has black & white photos of family members, her grandmother's lace and wonderful embroidery work]

On the left: Sonia Wittenberg’s “Black & Brights” - Machine pieced & Machine quilted
On the right: Wanda Smith’s “Block of the Month” Third place - Comination piecing & Machine quilted [This one is done in batiks]

On the left: Wanda Smith “Bear Mountain Cabin” First Place - Machine pieced & Machine quilted
On the right: Diane Johnston “Dad’s Tulips” Second place - Combination of quilting [This one is done is plaids]

Shirley Pierce “Baskets & Hearts” Best of Show & First Place - Any piecing method & Hand quilted

Last night as I was trying to square up Jessica’s quilt top before sewing on the binding, our youngest quilt inspector, Ludo, would not leave me alone to get it done. First he jumped up on the cutting table to see if he could help…

Can I help?

Then, unfortunately, he decided it was a good spot for a nap…

Think I’ll take a catnap right here…

Later on, I finished trimming and went to sew on the binding. Guess who showed up to help again?

You *have* to let me help now…

It’s impossible to sew when he’s laying right there. He attacks my hand the minute I try to put the presser foot down. [sigh] I just let him be and a short time later…

Hmm… think I’ll take another catnap!

Today I finally got the binding sewed on. Not without more “help” from Ludo, I might add… (What is it with cats and quilts?)

This is the mystery quilt pattern Jessica and I both started over Labor Day weekend last September. The mystery quilt is called Chain Event and it’s from an email loop called A Pocket Full of Mysteries. Mystery quilt designer Dorothy Young hosts a mystery weekend a couple times of year. She shares her pattern for free during the mystery weekend. I actually started 2 of this particular pattern and I’ve finished one. It’s my Autumn Night quilt. I entered it in the Fiber Arts Show that’s this weekend. (I can’t believe that there are only 2 pictures from the 2005 show on that link… somebody needs to get some more up there!)

Tomorrow morning, dd Rachelle, dfs Alice, Cindy and I are going out to breakfast and then heading over to the quilt show. Hopefully, I’ll remember the camera and have a few photos to share afterward.

I missed posting yesterday… forgot it was Wednesday. I don’t have any pictures anyway. I finished machine quilting Jessica’s pink & white Chain Event quilt top. While I was working on that, I cut out and basted 14 heart yoyos from the 3 different fabrics Jessica used on her quilt for 2 or 3 pillows. I realized that my idea of using the heart yoyos on pillows was one of those perfect “final touches” that I manage to pull off without any preplanning on my part. You see, Jessica’s quilt is machine quilted with a pattern called, Straight Heart Vine. It looks like a flower stem with a heart “flower.”

(Machine quilting pattern from Munnich Designs)

I’ve decided to applique stems and leaves on the pillows with the heart yoyos to match the machine quilting design. I just love when things come together like that. I’ll take pictures tomorrow when I have sunlight so that you can see the quilting design and some of the heart yoyos. I still need to find some fabric to use as a background for the pillows but the LQS isn’t opened until Monday.

I found this heart yoyo today while checking out some quilting blogs. Penny of Penny Sanford Porcelains has posted a free tutorial on how to make them. I thought they were darling and that it might be cute to make up a few pillows with them on to match Jessica’s pink & white Chain Event quilt. Her quilt top is on the quilting frame right now. I’ll post pictures in a day or two.

I hope you all are spending the day with those you love.