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

Dresden Plate Quilt...

Could I say it's better late the never?

Work in progress.. I've completed this a few years ago and just wanted to show my friends, they are getting excited about taking a Dresden plate pattern class. I made this and quilted it for my cousinT. I used pearl cotton thread and did the blanket stitch around each plate, pedal, flowers, leaves and stem. I really enjoyed working on this. I'm slow at what I do but it gets done and that's when I can get that good feeling.

It's always a good feeling when you complete something. Have you ever looked back on something you made and thought to yourself, "Did I really make that"? Good feeling~

January new adventures~

I took a class about three years ago and was instructed how to make this table runner. I really feel bad I can't remember the teachers name, her husband had made all of us the rulers (2 each) that are required to make this runner. I've been moving it from place to place not having time to quilt. So I'm off to a good start on working on UFO's this year. I wasn't so sure I like the Fairy Frost Fabric (the lightest blue) that was suggested I use, but after I quilted (meandered) over it I'm really pleased. I love making feathers so I've worked feathers in to the fern looking variegated blues, our kitchen looks down on the dinning room table so when the light is on the table the feathers really show up. I had wanted to use a binding the same as the dark blue, But it's some place hiding from me. Maybe that was good as I really think the fern fabric looks good as the binding. So now I've got a blue table runner that goes with the blue in the cushions of my dinning room chairs ..... It sure would be good if I would focused on my own work but so much fun quilting for other people too.

I'm working on a large double sized quilt now another UFO and I've almost finished that one too. I don't have a long arm so I'm doing this on my new Janome 7700 and I think we are getting along really good now? I like when I complete a project. It's such a good feeling, don't you think?

NY2011

This is the last day of 2010 ~ I would like to wish everybody a Happy New Year for 2011~~~
And my furry friends want to join me, so here is our Gidget sitting in one of her favorites places~ The old coal bucket, what a laugh! She is the boss of the house hold!
And here is Ms. Paws and her sister Sneezie to wish you a Happy New Year too!
We have a feral cat we have been feeding her for four years now. Every morning she will be waiting under our maple tree, if I'm late she knows exactly where our bedroom is and has been seen at that end of the house watching for the drapes to open, then she knows its time for her food. I can only talk to her, she won't allow me to get closer then two feet, if I try she jumps behind the bird bath or up the hill she goes. She is so pretty and I feel so sad that she has to be outside in such cold weather but she must have a nice place to curl up being this is her forth year. I captured her once when she was about a year old and had her neutered and was given her shots but she just didn't want to be friends and is happy being free. At least we can feed her and help her a little. I sure do wish she would be friends!

The Day After Christmas

I hope everybody had a great Christmas and today is a day of rest or is it a day when we all have to catch our strength and get ready for the New Year?
We had a very nice Christmas Eve and enjoyed two of our three sons and two grand children. We had a nice dinner and exchanged gifts. On Christmas day it was just Jonny and I we did a lot of nothing and just ate left overs as my refrigerator is full, kind of a lot for just two people to eat.
I made Lynn's Raspberry Shortbread recipe. When she posted her steps in making her's last year, her's looked like something Martha Steward made, mine looked as if it were something Elanor Burns tossed over her shoulder. There aren't very many ingredients so I don't know how I could go wrong but it was as if there wasn't enough moisture? Just Butter, Flour, sugar and the jam? I do not know how Lynn kept her's so nice and neat? I had crumbs from one end of the pan to the other. But you know the old saying "Looks aren't every thing"? They were really good and didn't last that long, so that's a good thing~

And this is for Gerry.... click twice Gerry and you'll be able to see detail a little better~


Maybe you all have a Very Happy New Year~

Quiltlingly Yours,
Crissie

Maple Tree Almost Winter~

My pretty little Maple Tree shows it's almost winter!
I completed my friend's Bee's Knee's Quilt, and by now she has the binding on.

After completing Bee's Knee's I finished this quilt Gerry made for a friend, I just did a large meandering all over, I really liked the effect and it kept the quilt nice and soft. Of course this went real fast! I LIKE THAT! This is a gift from or group of ladies, we want to give to Patty for Christmas, Gerry did all the work, This is for our Bible Study Leader, I know she'll be really happy. I really like the blocks and the way this turned out, Gerry will add the binding.
I made the label and sewed it into the corners so she can catch it in the binding, I've stitched it on the two sides that are on the quilt. Patty wanted it patriotic, I was wishing for the sail boats that Gerry made to be added that Gerry made, but they got voted out! It was said they were to white? Wonder if I could applique them on the back..... Gerry did such a great job on the little sail boats! I can ask can't I?
Quilt Inspector are taking a brake....
These Quilts were made using the same line of fabric's (I think). Pattern Sweet Sugar Swirls....
A few of the girls took a class at Thimble Creek.


I hope everybody is getting ready for Christmas~ decorating and keeping warm. It's almost time to start cooking candy and cookies isn't it?

Quiltlingly Yours, Crissie

It has been so long sence I took time to post anything, I've been so busy. Lots of new baby's being born so baby quilts had to be made. I made this quilt for my nephew's little boy Wyatt, what do you think about the quilt inspector? She's pretty good about know exactly when any quilt goes down for a picture... I need all the help I can get.





This is my friend Dianne's Bee's Knee's... not so sure I got that right but it's a darling quilt and I had fun quilting it.

Hard to see the feathers but if you look close they are there~

Last night I completed the #5 block, Miss Susana from a 2009 BOM and I'm starting on #6

named Miss Lily. I get these ready and take to our quilting group, I think it easier then setting up my machine for just a few hours of sewing, and it's ready to grab and go. I'm so happy this is completed and excited to start the new one. This is from the book Delightful Quilts in Bloom. Lynn Wilder Kitted these BOM, she started in November 2008. I'm so behind and love her patterns, isn't it a quilters dream to do just about everything you fall in love with? I really love the little hummingbird in this block, by the way they measure 14"X14". So for me it's to the light box table and tracing for the Miss Lily.

Hopefuly I don't take so long to post next time?