Blog is acting up? I'm not sure if this is going to work? Or Google has change things? I've been working on this and I'm now picking out the backing. I'm pretty sure I've decided on the backing but was short and luck have it, I found some extra exactly like I'd picked out. This pattern is from Toppers by Lynda Milligan & Nancy Smith. I love the idea that it can go over pillows or the back of a sofa. To change the decor a little. Now, if I can squeeze quilting this between making gifts that will be nice! If not I'm sure I'll have it done by next Christmas...

Frost is on the ground and roof tops and it's 39 degrees but it's climbing, it was 34 when my husband got up at 5:00am.
I'll bet everybody is busy......

Back to my sewing room, Crissie

Christmas Time

I would like to take this time to wish everybody Happy Holidays and a Very Merry Christmas! Our Snow people are out on the table, the most snow we'll get around our house but they get us in the swing of Christmas Sprites! Now I'm trying to beat the clock on making gifts!



I've been making Table Runners and have an assembly line in the works. I love this fabric and think it works with Thanksgiving or Christmas. I'm just planning on straight stitch quilting.

Before the holiday's I made a bag for my light box.



I've completed two UFOs this year and will post those when I get them quilted. I'm still planing on working on UFO's in 2012. It's so hard to think how fast this year has passed! I'm not very good at keeping New Years Resolutions..... I make them and then fall short of following through! One of my friends told me she keeps a journal and when she starts a quilt she also put the date she plans on completing it. Good idea! But I don't know how good that would be for me? I skip from one thing to another, to many loves to keep up with. I should do as she does and never start another project until I've completed one. But some times I just want to do aplique work and other time I like piece work and then a friend will ask if I will quilt something and my work gets set aside. And then there's the ladies in our group who will bring a sweet pattern in and we just have to do it together... like the purse pattern. But those grommets discouraged me when JoEllen had troubles getting her's to work for her. I ended up giving her my package so she could complete her purse. Funny story, when we went to PIQF we found the grommets and felt they were to expensive, as we walked around we found another booth and they were mush more reasonable. We search through all they had until we found clear ones so they would go with our fabric. Come to find out they were yellow not clear~ Disappointed! We found another brand at JoAnn's but they didn't work as well at least not how the YouTube showed they should. So I'm going to complete what I started into a different style!
Have you ever checked out QuiltingHeaven.com? It has just started a few months ago from what I understand and is drawing lots of quilters.
Quiltingly Yours, Crissie

Table Runner

I quilted this for my sister-in-law.

She was having a little problem learning her new machine so she was going to tie this pretty table runner she made. I offered to quilt it for her, Everybody in our group is making these they go so fast and are really easy to make as long as you get the border fabric. Some of the ladies tried using others that were actually border prints, but they didn't work out.

I've been getting the different pieces ready to applique on my next basket quilt block. I've got to get back in the swing of things after my husbands had his operation.

I just did a large meandering. I just couldn't see it tied! It was really funny too as I purchased my fabric just like this years ago and she just purchased hers a few weeks ago. Funny how you run out of something and try so hard to find it, yet this print they must have made another run or found it in the warehouse? Makes you wonder?

I just love the Janome 7700 Horizon machine, this is my fourth Janome and second one with the extra room. Of course this table runner was a breeze, I've even quilted a queen sized quilt and have no problem, I have so much fun free hand quilting I just love it!

Back to the sewing machine..... Happy Sewing to everybody.. Crissie

Miss Poppy Crabapple

Miss Poppy

Miss Poppy is now completed just a few more embroidery stitches here and there and it will go in with the rest of the blocks... in waiting~

Three of us decided to make a bag together~ Rita made hers on the first week and we discovered the grommets were very difficult~

We watched as JoEllen make her purse:

We watched the YouTube demo and tried everything we could to get those sweet grommets to stay on!

They were pushing and pressing as hard as they could, going back and trimming more fabric away to help them fit easier!

After watching JoEllin and Rita struggle so much with getting those grommets on, I'm not so sure I want to try? My bag is cut and ready to sew together but I'm seriously thinking of switching to another type of pattern .. NO GROMMETS

She would get them on (with a struggle) and when she sat down they would pop, pop, pop off one at a time!

She was able (with her husbands help) to get them on all except one and I think they had to glue that one down~ As you can see she picked beautiful fabric.... from her stash!

This is our sweet friend Darlene, pin basting her quilt sitting in the middle of the table... nice to be so young and able to sit on her knees! I remember when I use to be able to do that! I was worried the tables might move, there were several card tables lined up, she was sitting almost in the middle. She's fairly new to quilt, but you'd never know it, her work and combinations of colors are so beautiful~

Last night I picked the fabrics for my Miss Bell from Delightful Quilts in Bloom~ Lynn do you think I'll ever get them all done? Eight completed and four more to do, at a snails speed! And then there's the border too~ WOW ... My work is cut out for me~

On August 7th four of us took a class at Thimble Creeks Quilt shop from Meg Hawkey ~ Crabapple Hill Studio ~ We worked on the sampler, like hers pictured here. The day was packed full all kinds of information and lessions, we were so excited and learned so much from her.

Rita is coloring and even thou it looks like JoEllen is stressed (she will kill me I'm sure) she's got it all together. The walls were lined with all kinds of Megs work and some ladies took all three of her classes from 10:00 in the morning until 5:00. We had a wonderful day together.

We are getting ready for a hot day, so every thing needs to be watered, then it's down to getting some sewing done. I hope ever body has a great weekend, if your traveling drive safe on this Holiday weekend. Have fun and enjoy....

Quilting the dotted quilt..

I finally got the borders all together and now I'm quilting. I'm so happy I'm at this point, my niece is getting married the end of August so I'll be able to send her quilt to her.

If I can only focus on quilting, but my thoughts keep flashing to other things I want to do.

One of my friend just finished making a king sized quilt using this same pattern but in pastels, she told me she's had lots of compliments but if anybody asked her to make one for them she would for a thousand dollars.

I'll post more when I've completed quilting this quilt...

I hope everybody is having a nice summer and staying as cool as you can. Our weather has really been mild so far.

Happy Quilting.....

Crissie

Sarah's Quilt

What a mess I've made.... I'm trying to complete a quilt for my niece Sarah, picking colors is fun,

but the anticipation of it coming out like I want has made a unsure feeling down deep in my stomach.

This isn't bad compared to how it was yesterday, just trying to pick a good variety of colors

I made this quilt last year in a class with four of my friends, and then sat it aside and felt I would only make a small quilt. When I found out Sarah was getting married, her mother told me she loves 1970 things, Right way I felt this would fit her fancy. Then one of my friends had added a border of the spikes to her quilt and I was really attracted to it, so I started making mine. Then she showed me another photo having corner blocks that fit the theme. The First run for the second border went just fine. This isn't pressed yet, it's just to give me an idea of where I'm going?????
Yesterday I folded the things I had pulled out of my basket, separating the fabrics that were two dark and didn't show up that great. I completed one more border yesterday and have laid it on the back of the sofa and folded the other end close to see if I like the corner block? I hope I'm going in the right direction? I've been thinking the corner block maybe should be a little larger and that still might be a thought?

Back to my sewing room to make another border...

A version of Cathedral Window

I've completed a baby quilt called a version of Cathedral Windows. I took two classes in April , I was really excited as I really like the original pattern. I've made a pillow top with the original version and one day would like to make a full quilt. This version would be to hard to make anything much larger then a baby quilt, wall hanging or small throw. I was really disappointed and had lots of frustration getting this together. At first I started quilting with losing thoughts of how I needed to pin baste the quilt better, What was I thinking??? I had only pin basted in the posts! What a shock I had when I turned it over to take a look at the back, I had gone only in one direction at that point. So.. I sure didn't want to add this to my stack of UFO's and waste the cost of the fabric, And it's a gift for a new baby that's on it's way. I picked all that I had stitched OUT! PATIENTS ... PATIENTS.... I pin basted enough to hold it together. But working threw five layers of fabric at times without it shifting, (is it just me or can you see where this would be hard to do) I can tell you it isn't an easy job, at least not for me, not when you have to stitch in a half circle directions! I kept getting disappointed and kept encouraging myself to continue! I'm at the easy part now of adding the binding, I wanted to cut the binding on the bias, but decided I just wanted to get this little quilt completed so, I chose the easiest way without any further frustration. I'm hoping when I wash it, that will hide a multitude of things I wasn't happy with .

Each window is folded back to show off the fabric behind the folded half square triangles and then stitched very close to the edge. Frustration is put aside... so happy I can take a nice deep breath of relief that it's done ... I keep thinking this is NOT A QUILT TO BRAGE ABOUT! It's a love quilt to be loved and to cuttle with!

I hope everybody is having a nice relaxing day and all your quilting problems are little ones or easy corrected!

Have a Happy DAy

Crissie

Andrina's Quilt another UFO on it way

UFO one down and many more to go!

I'm so happy I finally got this quilt completed for my grand daughter Andrina, even thou she was fourteen when I had finished the top and now almost 21, she still loves basketball and is excited to see her quilt. I'd asked if she would like something with a different fabric, she said no. She hasn't seen this so has no idea of what to expect. I've pulled one more quilt from my UFO to complete for her brother. Now anybody that's been in quilting for a while will know by the name of this pattern when it was started too. Stack and Whack Quilt, I hope I can remember how this goes together. I've got several of the blocks completed so now I'm trying to figure out where I left off and how to cut some more to make it larger for a man not a child, the print will be okay it's not really childish, But on the Halloween theme. I hope I can get this together, I've always really liked this print.


Time to start reading those instruction again..

Happy Stitching to everybody... Crissie

May 13, 2011

Spring if finally here.... Don't you just love the spring flowers?


I posted to my BLOG yesterday and this morning for some unknown reason it would not work and was no longer on line? So I'm trying once again.
I love spring flowers ! I just wish all the beautiful flowers could last a little longer for our enjoyment!

These are orchids my son Eric grew this year, he has many of his grandmother plants, and I was really surprised to see how large the blooms were. I invited him to take the rest of her plants home, I think he takes better care of them then I do. I start out in the spring, love working in the garden but then fall short of following through during the hotter weather. I think too he's got a better protected location then I've got. My mother use to bring all her plants into her kitchen when she knew it was going to be colder then normal. That's what's great about having a large kitchen!


This is one of my UFO's I completed last year, it was fun collecting all the small flower prints and I had so much fun quilting all kinds of flowers, leafs and swirls.
Work in Progress " Quilts in Bloom" Block of the month

Well I guess it's no longer a Block of the month, it was started October 2009, this is Miss Lily block number 6 ... half way there is a good feeling!
I'm working on block seven now, this is Miss Poppy. Now that this in on my BLOG I see the bottom part needs a little adjustment. Looks lopsided to me? Good thing some are just glue basted down. Back to the light box!

Yes! Another UFO, this was started in 2004 maybe 2003? It's a quilt for my grand daughter who has always loved balls when she was a baby the only thing she wanted was a ball. She's almost 21 and still loves basket ball. I felt she might have grown past wanting anything to do with ball but is excited she is getting her quilt.

It's a little difficult to see the patter but I completed it yesterday and am ready to add the binding then I'll take a full picture so the pattern shows up better.


The girls have a new cat house with feathers, I'm not sure how long those feathers will last? Right now they are on dove watch...With kitty vision of how fun it would be to chase those doves... good thing there's a patio door between them! Out with the old cat tree in with the new cat house...
Miss Paws
Here is Austin and his friend Tina, Gosh it's almost time for Grandma's youngest grandson to go to kindergarten this coming September. Tina is always by his side and is such a good little girl.

May 12,2011

Spring is here can you tell.... My wisteria tree is very old around 35 years old and this year it was so full of blossoms so many and the blooms were very long. It really hasn't bloomed this much in years, I'm wondering if they really prefer colder weather because we had a very cold winter this year, I think colder then normal. I'm just sad that the spring flowers don't last longer but it's such a joy to see all the beautiful flowers..

I can't believe it's been so long sense I posted anything, time just seems to fly by. Lets see if I can give a good reason why I haven't posted anything in a while? One terrible thing happened and I have been nursing a sick cat, Ms. Paws~ She has a bad habit, she likes to chew on thread I have to make sure I cover the sewing machine threads if I'm using the thread tree, my new machine has a cover that goes over the top where the thread is so that's great, I've followed thread down the hall and into the family room a few times... not good! But I was working on some beading and forgot to cover up my work before going to bed, so I could continue the next day. When I got ready to work on my beading the next day I couldn't find my work, found it on the floor with the eye of the needle portion still on the fish line but the rest of the 2" needle was no where to be found. I ran a magnet over the carpet many times and had no luck! The next day my friend Ms Paws started acting as if she didn't feel good and only ate a little food. So I took her to the vets and their x-ray showed a needle in her throat. They sent us to a specialist and their x-rays showed two pieced of the needle. After a lot of thought the veterinarian decided to operated on her through her back and a mussel as he said a less invasive way to remove the needle. She is doing really good now and most of her fur has grown back, she has another two weeks of being on antibiotics, She's really good at taking her pills, she is the most active of our other cats, she is such a talker too and at times if she can't find me it really sounds as if she is calling Mama Mama!.

New cat house out with the old cat tree, but the girls are on bird watch, watching the doves on the patio...

Miss Paws~

I've been working on Quilts in Bloom blocks and am now on block seven. This block is Miss Lily completed in April~

Miss Poppy is in progress......

I keep thinking six is half way done .... but then I stop and think about all those little flowers that have to be done on the border! But who's in a hurry ... not this quilter! And like they say Rome wasn't build in a day. But it would be wise if I only would work on one project at a time and if I would only stop jumping from on project to another! !

This is a quilt I completed in the late '90's for my grand daughter she still loves basket ball so this grandmother is trying to complete her quilt, I've been quilting it on my Horizon machine and I'm just doing a large meandering with loops and circles using polyester thread, I didn't put a border on it...that's a first for me, I'm just going to add a black binding.

A Boys Best Friend:

Austin is almost five years old and ready for Kindergarden... now there's how time fly's, I can't believe he's ready for school already. His friend Tina is always by his side and such a good little girl.

Just had to share orchids my son grew this year, he has many plants that were his grandmothers hobby, she had such a great way of making anything she touched in the garden bloom it's heart out and looks like her grand son has the same touch!

I couldn't believe how large the blooms were!

Needless to say I gave him the rest of the plants to see if he can have better luck then I have had? I'll bet he will.

Here is a quilt I forgot to post, I completed this last summer and felt I would never get it finished. I had started it in the early '90's and loved collection all the different small printed flower fabric. I really enjoyed quilting it too, I put all kinds of different flowers. One of my quilting friends suggested I applique the border before I attach it to the quilt, that was such a great tip and I'm so happy she spoke up and shared that with me. I know I would have not even thought of that! At this point I'm sewing on the binding.

Happy Quilting,

Crissie