New Beginnings and Old Habits

Happy New Year everyone. Hope your holidays were as hoped for.  Here all the decorations are down and the house is looking a little empty right now, but that to will change. As will our weather the last couple days have been very cold for Texas but next week it will warm up and I will go to a quilting retreat with good friends.

My plans for this year is to empty those project boxes.  Is it just me or do you find that if you abandoned a project it is had to get back to working on it?

I started this project more years ago than I will admit at a retreat/workshop with Jo Morton.  I love it and do plan on finishing it but it has been slow going.  (Note to self - take it with you to retreat). 

This is my design wall today and there is another project on it that I cannot share at this time ☹️

 

I have started to add another round on the hexagon project.  And will take the other, which is a Frivol by Primitive Gatherings, to an upcoming retreat with me.

My last finish for 2016 was a swap that I did with some friends.  I did not want another large quilt so I  only used about half the blocks.  I have plans to use the other half in a quilt for my kitchen table.

 

I have also been doing some cross stitch while binge watching Netflix shows.

Here is the lastest that I picked up from the framer.

 

And this is in the works.

 

That about sums up what is new with me.  My goal is to plug along on those unfinished..... and try not to start too many new ones.  In two weeks I will have Rotator Cuff surgery so hopefully that will not through my goals of kilter too much and I am  thinking positively.

Till next time.

Pat

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS

_{The packages are opened the stockings are emptied and now for a quiet peaceful day.  Hope you all have a wonderful day with family and friends. Here are a few shots  from around my house.}

 

   

Getting back on tract - well maybe

I can't believe two posts in less than a month.  I finished a quilt top and sent it off to the longarm quilter and will post a photo when I get it back.

In the meantime I had a sampler framed amd I am very pleased with it, but can't decide where to hang it.

 

It is by Appleseed Prim and stitched on 35 ct. Confederate Grey linen.  I have also finished this sampler by Sampler House stitched on 40 ct bisque linen with one  strand of silk.

 

I have another sampler that I am really wanting to start, but I have a major problem with my right arm and will see a doctor about it next week.  In the meantime I have pulled out this unfinished project that was started in 2012 and plan on finish it up.  I can't decide if I want to make some additional blocks and set it like the pattern or just use what I have done and do a straight set with sashing and call it a finish.  The blocks have yet to be trimmed to size and are just put up and I am sure that there will be a lot of switching of blocks to get the colors right.

 

I am also wanting to get back to my English Paper Quilting.  I have two projects in the works - 

 
 

 

I guess that is about all new with me other than getting old and hating it!!  Have a great Thanksgiving.

Until next time

Pat

Small Quilts - A Book Review

Have you noticed that a lot of the well known quilt designers are jumping on the small quilt bandwagon?   Some have been doing them for several years with great success.  If you are anything like me you have a stack of large so called bed size quilts.  Well I have decided  that I am scaling down by finishing up my large projects that I have started and then concentrate on smaller projects.  I have made small quilts for several years and get many compliments on them.  I love to scatter them  around my home in my everyday decorating.

Well Moda must have noticed that people like them and has published "Mini Marvels"

 

It is a wonderful  addition to your quilt library.  There is something for everyone and most projects would look good whether you choose modern or reproduction fabrics.  The patterns are concise and easy to follow and can be easily hand quilted if you so desire.  And as a special perk the proceeds from this book benefits Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.  So why don't you go out to your favorite quilt shop and purchase this book.  And don't forget buying from a small business or designer also benefits the quilting industry. Just say'n ........

This is my first time to use this mobile app so maybe I will be better about posting.  You can also find me on Instagram as Bedfordquilter.

New Beginnings

 

I am finally back to posting and want to wish you a Happy New Year. 

On January 1, 2015 my DH lost his battle with Pancreatic Cancer.  It was unexpected at the time as he was doing well.

I am slowly getting back into my sewing room.  My  design wall  has looked like this for months.

A group of friends did a swap for these 4 patch half square triangles. This little quilt was inspired by a reproduction of an antique quilt from the book “Small Blocks Stunning Quilts” by Mary Elizabeth Kinch and Biz Storms. I hope someday this will adorn a great grandchilds crib. It makes me smile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year the American Quilt Study had a challenge to reproduce a small quilt from the mid 1800’s.  My friend Sarah proposed a private challenge following the same rules.  This is my reproduction.  I really enjoyed the challenge and searching for the “just right” fabrics was so much fun.  The photo of the original is in the book “Crib Quilts and other Small Wonders” by Thos.K. Woodard and Blanche Greenstein.

I have also been doing some needlework. This is a reproduction sampler from Little House Needleworks.  The frame I wanted was different, but could not make contact with a frame store that carried it.  But I am satisfied with the frame I chose and I just love the fabric it is stitched on.

I have made some progress on AW 1662 by Scarlet-Letter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have read several good books over the last couple months and I highly recommend them if you like historical fiction.

My Name is Resolute by Nancy E Turner

The Secrets of Mary Bowser by Lois Leveen

These is my Words by Nancy Turner and the sequels

Sentence of Marriage by Shayne Parkinson and the sequels

Until Next time

Pat

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Fourth of July

 

Hope you all have a wonderful day however you spend it.  Stay safe.

Pat

Just Had to Share

 

I am so excited my sweet little granddaughter Gracey is taking sewing lessons this  summer.  She made her first pillow.

Maybe I will have another quilter in the family yet!

Until next time.

Pat

My World

Someone reminded me it has been along time since I posted.  Where to begin – shortly after the first of the year my husband was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer.  He is over half way with his Chemo treatments and later this Summer he will undergo the Whipple Procedure.
During those first few months I did a lot of handwork.  I stitched this sampler.  Can you see that flower on the bottom right – I ran out of thread for those last few stitches and I am waiting for it to arrive.  I am anxious to get finished and get it to the framer.  I love the Gingham Linen it has such a different look.  This design is from Little House Needleworks  and it is called Mary Ann Myers.

I also worked some more on this sampler.  I really like it but I have to lay it down and stitch on something else sometimes.

So I have been gridding the linen and pulling threads for this sampler AW1662 at
www.scarlet-letter.com/samplers

As for quilting I am working on a 1/2 inch English Paper Piecing project.  The pattern is in the Spring 2013 issue of “Primitive Quilts and Projects” and I have also seen it on Colonial Crafts website.  It is called Stars in the Garden by Yellow Creek Designs.  When finished it will be about 22 x 29.  I am trying to decide if I want to make it larger.






I also have made this little top from “Simply Vintage” Winter 2013 issue.  It is a Quiltmania  publication.  Be sure you do your math on this one.

So that is what is going on in my world.
Until next time (hopefully not so long)
Pat

Where Did 2013 Go…..

 

It seems like just yesterday that I was asking about 2012 and now here it is almost 2014. 

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and that your New Year will be all that you hope for.  As always I appreciate you stopping by and love to read the comments you leave.

I have not been in my sewing room for a long time – life just kept getting in the way.  I have done quite a bit of cross stitch and recently had this piece framed.  It is “Birds of a Feather” designed by Brenda Gervais of With Thy Needle and Thread.  Brenda does such a lovely job with her designs.

I am currently working on this one and working with the silk thread is a real plus.  It behaves wonderfully. 

I planned to sew today, but I am not sure what I want to work on – do  you ever get that way?  I did make a challenge quilt, but I cannot show it until the fall. 

After all of the Christmas decorations are put away I  will be hand quilting this.  I am thinking way ahead and it will be for my grandson when he is grown up.  When he was just a little guy he loved to watch the birds.  I am still debating about what I want to do on the bottom I might just quilt the date into it.

Until next time.

Pat

It’s a start

 

It has been awhile yet again.  About a month ago I went to a quilting retreat.  By planning ahead I was able to get three – yes three – tops put together.

 

I swapped 9 patches with friends for this one.

These were also some swap blocks that I had left over.

 These were from another swap.

My long arm quilter sent me an email just before I left saying that I had a spot in her schedule coming soon.   So I looked around and found this one.  I had pieced it in 1997 it was a mystery quilt from Debbie McCaffrey. The fabric line was from the Groom’s Quilt in the Smithsonian Museum Collection.  Andover had a new collection from the International Quilt Study Museum that went perfect with the top.  So I made a strippy back and it is like having two quilts for one.

So while I was in this phase of getting some older projects done I finally hung some of my small quilts in my sewing room…

Next month I will be going on another retreat and hope to get another  top completed. 

On another note Mr. Quilts and I went on a short get away to Arkansas.  The temps were cool and the nights were in the 30’s, but unfortunately we were about a week early for the fall color   But it was nice to get away.  We came home via Tulsa where I stopped at The Silver Needle.  It is a wonderful needlework shop and I swear that I could have spent a week or more looking at all they had to offer.  I attend a needlework group at the local library twice a month and I wanted a portable magnifier light.  While at the shop I found this Dorset model and I love it. 

 I guess that is about all that is new with me….

Until  next time

Pat

Off the Top of my Head

 

Last time I posted I forgot to show my latest finish.  Sorry it isn’t a better photo.  This quilt is from the book “History Repeated”

Since my last post I attended a retreat and I worked on putting together my first half of the Nearly Insane quilt from the book by the same name by Liz Lois.  I also worked some more on my Lily Rosenberry quilt.

Currently I have finished making the cute little 2 inch Cake Stand blocks from Temecula Quilt Company blog.  I bet a lot of you also made them.  I am patiently waiting on the setting they suggest or I might make some more and use a setting I have in mind.  They are like potato chips you can’t just make one!

A few minutes ago I just catalogued an entire shelf of my quilting books in a very short time.  I have started using this software – I have no connection but I am a happy customer.  If you have an iPhone or iPad you can buy the less expensive version and you will be able to sync between the two.

I have some left over Lost Ship Blocks that I am going to set in a stripy quilt but I want to tea dye them to blend better with some other fabric.  I needed some fabric for this project and a very nice lady did a Random Act of Kindness and sent me some.  We know quilters are the best!  So I will post that later.

I told you this post was just off the top of my head.  Thanks for stopping by.

Until next time

Pat

First a Little Housekeeping

As you probably know by now Google is closing their RSS feature tomorrow.  I will miss it for following all of the blogs I like to read.  I have considered what to do ever since I heard about this change.  I have decided not to go to Bloglovin or any other service.  So if you follow using RSS you might consider following me via email and I hope you do. You will still be able to comment by going to the blog and proceed in the usual manner.  I love to read your comments.

So now to the fun part quilting/sewing and cross stitching.  Once again it has been a long time since I have posted. I was doing a lot of cross stitch and other needlework.  I found that I was best to stick to one project at a time rather than trying to rotate them.  So I have made a lot of progress on Birds of a Feather by Brenda Gervais.  As you can see I have all of the alphabet done and most of the tree.  I had some frogging to do on the bottom border but that is almost done too.


Since my last post I have attended two workshop/retreats can’t post a photo of the first one, because it may be in an upcoming book by Betsy Chutchian,but I will give you a hint it is crib sized and really cute.  The next one was with Jo Morton during her annual trip to Texas.  It is call Tea for Two and the pattern is available through Jo’s website.
 
I was determined to use the particular background fabric and had a limited amount.  So at retreat I made the 6 inch blocks and could not go very far with the amount of fabric I had.  I came home and put it up on my design wall and while doing some other things I kept looking at it and finally said Nope to big.  So I deconstructed the top and recycled the background fabric and went with the 3-3/4 inch blocks.  I love the way it turned out.  I am not sure how I will quilt it yet.  Have you ever done that?








I have also brought out Lily Rosenberry out of hiding  - I decided to rotate the blocks and I will be changing the border.  I am currently working on the fourth block.

I will be attending  another retreat in a few days and I am not sure what I will work on I have really been trying to get some of those unfinished projects done. 
I think I have rattled on long enough.  Thanks for stopping by …
Until next time.
Pat

It has been a while

Gee, I did not realize just how long it has been since I posted. 

In January I attended a retreat and enjoyed it, but when I returned home I could not get myself in gear.  Maybe it was a let down??

This is  the quilt I hand quilted while I was retreating.

It is called House on the Square – designed Jacqueline Paton

After not doing very much I decided that I should get back into the sewing room.  I saw photos of these antique doll quilts on the web and went about reproducing them.  The first one is 9-1/2 inches square and I machine quilted it in the ditch.  The second is 8 x 10.  I made the blocks with all of the quirks of the antique and it is hand quilted, but the stitches look like a child did them.

                  

I also made this little quilt, which I am hand quilting.  I started following the pattern of the fabric, but I think I am going to unquilt it and do something else.  The pattern for this can be found on the web it is called Baby Basket by Anita Shakleford.  It measures 14 inches square.

 

For a long term project I have this on my design wall.  It is from a pattern called Nighthawk – designed by Judy Hasheider

The other day will attending Little Women Club one of the attendees showed us the neatest trick to add a little something to your binding.

Cut a strip 1-1/2  inch wide and a contrasting strip 1-1/4 inch wide.  Seam the two together lengthwise with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Press wrong sides together matching the raw edges.  And you will get this.  (Sorry the photo is blurred and I should have used higher contrast, but you get the picture.)

You can adjust the width of the strips according to how much of the accent fabric you want to show.  Also, when you go to miter your binding corners it will miter beautifully.  And this will lie flat unlike a piping. 

On another subject I have a 13 year old West Highland Terrier named Daisy.  Daisy is constantly pawing at the sunshine on our hardwood floors or if she sees a shadow she will jump at it.  The other day we had a beautiful sunshiny day and my husband and I left for awhile in the afternoon leaving Daisy home.

When I returned I went to my sewing room, where I have this doll bed sitting on the floor.  And returned to this.  There was just enough sunshine shining through the blinds to entice her.

I think I have rambled on long enough.  Thanks for stopping by.

Until next time.

Pat

New Beginnings

 

Happy New Year.  I hope you all have gotten off to a good start.  For me it was nice to get back into the sewing room.

Before Christmas I was busy finishing up a quilt for my Daughter In Law.  I made this top back in 2008 as a block of the month, but never did get it quilted.  When my DIL saw it she loved it so I told her I would quilt it and give it to her.  She was pleased with it.

 

 

 

 

 

Last year I was part of a swap for Lost Ship Blocks.  I put a portion of the blocks together and sent it off to the long-arm quilter.  I am calling this Formation as the way it is set it reminds me of a formation of ships.  I had it quilted in a simple Baptist Fan design which is one of my favorites.  I really like how a secondary design showed up with this setting.

On of my goals this year is to work on small quilts that I have had on my list for a long time.  So this week I put this green quilt together.  It is inspired by an 1885 Crib Quilt from New York State.  I think that Jo Morton did a great job with her small quilt version.

The little brown top with the stars was a fun sew from a SAL from Temecula Quilt Company.  They always have such cute little quilts.

I looked in the quilt closet yesterday and found several small tops waiting to be finished.  So I am going to get busy and get them basted and ready to quilt. 

I have also been stitching on this sampler.  It was designed by Brenda Gervais.  She has another new design Frances Pool a reproduction sampler from 1832, which I want to stitch also.

With all of these projects on going I think I will be staying out of trouble – will you?

Thanks for stopping by. 

Until next time.

Pat