Arizona Home

This is our home in Gold Canyon, Arizona.  We were there long enough to settle in and then jumped on a plane and flew back to cold weather.  It was a nice flight with clear weather so we could see the landscape.  Yesterday was a fun day with out kids and grandkids as we celebrated Christmas together. We'll drive the jeep back to Arizona in a day or two.

I played pickleball a couple of days in AZ.  I was so sore on the third day that I decided I might hurt myself if I played again.  We also attended a Christmas dinner while we were there that was delicious.  The entertainment was a choral group that sang Christmas carols.  They were one of the best groups I have heard.  We are anxious to get back there.for a couple of months.

Black and Brown

The sun and shadows were hard to deal with while taking this photo.  I decided to call this quilt Black and Brown.  I made it to compliment the decor in my fifth-wheel trailer. The binding is black.  There are at least twelve different fabric patterns in the squares.  I like this pattern and will probably use it again.

Strip Stacks

A couple of years ago, Roxane gifted me with a jelly roll of Kaffe Fassett fabrics.  I had been looking for a pattern since that time and I found this one in Houston.  It was in a booth (Desert Stitchin) that had mostly southwestern-themed quilts and one similar to this.  I purchased the pattern called Strip Stacks.  This quilt is only 50" x 72".  The background is really five different black on black fabrics that all read as black. I really like the colors, the way it stands out with the black background, and it was quick to make. I have been thinking about how I am going to quilt it and have finally decided to just use a meander with a variegated thread.

Modern Pickle Relish

This quilt is Modern Pickle Relish from Modern Quilt Relish. The pattern shows a green quilt with a black background but I have really wanted to make a white quilt for a long time. The focus colors are five shades of green. The quilt will be a sample for Overbrook Quilt Connection.  It was fairly easy to make.  I cut the pieces after lunch and had it completed by nine the evening.  I had to take time out of that to fix supper and bake some cookies.  So it a project that can be completed in a day. I like this quilt and will be making it in primary colors with a white background.

I Pledge Allegiance

Claudia's Creations designed this awesome small wall quilt. It has excellent directions for multi-hooping the embroidered words.  The stars are simple to applique.  This will be a Christmas gift for my military grandson.  I haven't decided whether to attach a hanging sleeve or wait to see how he wants to display it. It is inspiring! Thanks, Claudia.

Cowgirl Boots

I think these are just the cutest cowgirl boots!  There are from Kwik Sew pattern K113 Ellie Mae Designs. The pattern also include peep toe sandals and little flats.  I saw this pattern at the Overbrook Quilt Shop and just had to make it.  After making a sample for checking the size, I tackled the tan boot. I would have been much easier if I hadn't chosen the tan fuzzy lining.  But it did not take long and I love then! I think my favorite baby cowgirl will also love them.

A Small Quilt

Sometimes a day brings a glorious surprise!  Last Wednesday I presented a class for making a cathedral window quilt-- a small quilt of four squares...Yesterday I received a thank-you card with a four-inch cathedral window quilt stitched to the front.  It is absolutely beautiful and well-done.  You just never know what someone with do with a new technique. Thank you so much, Levia!!!!!

Christmas Gift

This is a chalkboard made from the chalkboard fabric.  I put a piece of peltex and fabric on the back for stiffness.  The loops on top are for hanging and the big loop on the bottom is for holding an eraser.  This is easy to make.  You can tell that this piece had been rolled tightly.  When you purchase this fabric, be sure it is rolled loosely with no kind of wrap around it and not ever folded.

Cathedral Window Class

This group from North Central Kansas asked me to teach the techniques for making a cathedral window quilt.  We started at 10:00 am and by noon all the ladies had completed a four-patch cathedral window "quilt".  The colors are magnificent, the ladies are great stitchers, and the fellowship was great fun.  We had show-and-tell after a yummy potluck lunch.  I also demonstrated a technique for using the triple stitch for redwork and showed some new notions. Thanks to Bonnie for being my co-pilot on the trip. It was a fun day with lots of laughter.

Houston Quilt Festival

This is Overbrook Quilt Connection's booth at the Houston Quilt Festival.  I am demonstrating a three-pocket bag in the middle of the photo.  I did purchase a couple of vests and one quilt pattern.  The show brings a lot of quilters and stitchers from all over the world.  I talked with ladies from Belgium, Brazil, Australia, Netherlands, UK, France, and many states in the US including Alaska.  So it is always fun to hear what they want and what they have found at the show.  We sold lots of Bohin chalk pencils, FriXion pens, three pocket bags, and patterns.  But I am glad to be home.

Patterned Tiles

These are patterned tiles made for the November Software Sampler project.  They are stitched on layers of felt and can be used for coasters.  The thread on the bottom one is pink, so does not show up as much as the purple and white.  Tiles are another way to use the special tools in Designer Plus software.

Software Sampler Photo Bag

This month the Software Sampler lesson covers photos and how to change them to enhance them in different ways.  One of my SS friends send email "postcards" from her trip to France, so her photos became the focus of my project.  The photos were printed on fabric sheets with my inkjet printer. The bag is made from the "stiff" fabric that Bernina dealers use to demonstrate the machines.  I love that fabric for making bags because it has a unique natural texture.  I also use fusible fleece to help the bag keep it shape.  The handle of the bag is made from braided strips of the bag fabric and cotton lining. This was a fun project.

I Pledge Allegiance

This is a project I worked on last week.  Norma asked me to complete the embroidery part because she had never attempted to multi-hoop.  So she will finish the piecing and the quilting.  This is a design from Claudia's Creations.  Claudia does a good job with the directions.  I did not iron the piece because it has gel-pen lines on it and Norma may want to use them for cutting.

Tiny Teddies

I found this kit at Mama's Log Cabin in Arkansas.  I looked at it for a while and also the kit will kitties and finally this jumped into my hand!  It is just so cute.  Most of you know that "I don't touch the needle", meaning I don't do much handwork.  So Monday morning I digitized the teddies in my Designer Plus software with the advanced applique tool and added the faces.  I had most of the 15" x18" quilt finished before heading to bed. Did I tell you how cute it was?  Now to figure out what to do with this "impulse" quilt.

OQC FFBT

These are photos from the Overbrook Quilt Connection Fabulous Fall Bus Trip!!  Forty-one enthusiastic quilters left Friday morning at 6:30 a.m. on a thousand mile adventure to seven quilt shops in four states. The top photo was taken at Block-by-Block in Carthage, MO.  Then it was off to Sager Creek Quilts and Mama's Log Cabin in Arkansas.  We stopped at the Log Cabin Quilt Shop in Oklahoma at 9:30 p.m. before staying overnight in Tulsa. We were up and on the bus at 7:00 a.m. and headed to Sooner Quilts in Guthrie.  Our final stops were in Derby at Sunflower Quilts and Severy, where the second photo was taken.

One of the ladies shared that "what happens on the bus stays on the bus!"  But many participated in our "Fat Quarter" event at each stop.  One of the quilters could then receive a huge bag of fat quarters.  We had seven extremely happy people with that.  Several of the quilters learned to do twilling during the trip. We had a demo about the new ruffled yarn scarves. I showed a couple of quilts and shared how to make them.  We had a few games, a few quilting tips, a few "green" tips, a few drawings, and a ton of laughs. Roger, our driver, did a little shopping because his spouse is a quilter.  Bonnie, my newly retired superintendent friend, was a great help to me.  Thanks, Bonnie

We had a great time!

Sunflower Cupcakes

Overbrook Quilt Connection is one of eight shops in the Fabulous Fall Bus Tour.  These are sunflower cupcakes that I helped my granddaughter decorate this afternoon.  They really are as cute as the photo and taste really yummy.  We used my kitchen and it was a yellow frosting mess by the time we were finished.  But we had a very productive afternoon.  She has another 150 or so to frost tomorrow.

My friend and I are the hostesses on the bus that leaves the quilt shop tomorrow morning at 6:15 am.  It will be a long day as we visit four shops in Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.  We will spend the night near Tulsa before returning home Saturday evening after visiting three more shops.  It will be great fun.

Thanksgiving Wordle

This is the Thanksgiving stitch-out from "Pillow Talk" by Claudia's Creations.  I had some fabric that changes from light to dark that I used for the background. I really like the fabric in this context.  The batik border is a fall leave pattern but it looks like some kind of military camo because you can't see the entire pattern.  But it is a fun project.

Messenger Bag

This is my version of the Software Sampler project that I am teaching next month.  It is a messenger bag that uses several Corel Draw techniques that are part of the Bernina Designer Plus digitizing software.  But this bag does not have embroidery.  It is all completed with Transfer Artist Paper (TAP) that transfers images directly into the fabric.  The designs are washable and crack-resistant.  I found TAP easy to use.  Developing my own design took hours! I would use the paper again for making someone a special gift.

Halloween Wordle

This wordle is also from Claudia's Creations.  The collection is titled Pillow Talk.  Your local Bernina shop may have the CD since Claudia was at Bernina University. The size is approximately 12"x13 1/2", but you can make it any size you want.  The embroidery will stitch entirely in the jumbo hoop.  I love making these!

Christmas Wordle

This is an embroidery pattern from Claudia's Creations in a group called Pillow Talk.  The pattern is for a pillow wrap but I decided to make it into a small quilt.  This will hang at Mea Bernina.  The pattern group also has designs for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, Easter, Hanukkah, and 4th of July.  I used the jumbo hoop but there are also designs for 5"x7" and 6"x10" hoops.  The designs come in twelve formats and is easily stitched.  I think I will make a couple for the desks of my "worker" friends.

Reverse Irish Chain

Three trips to the quilt shop and my quilt top is finished. It has its appointment with the quilter.  I have the top on my bed because I think it is a bit big for the fifth wheel.  I guess I will just wait and see.  I love the colors even better than I thought I would.  It looks fantastic. I am calling it a reverse Irish chain because the chain is usually dark or bright colors with lighter fabrics. This is my rendition of a quilt I saw at spring quilt market.

Where have I been?

I know that Emily is worried that something has happened to me.  Well, in July I was gone to Colorado for two weeks of vacation.  We stayed in Taylor Park that is north of Gunnison.  It was nice to have 70 degree temps during the day and 30-40 degrees at night.  We enjoyed time with both of our sons and their kids.  This is a photo of our new trailer which we really like

During the last couple of weeks, I have been reacquainting myself with hot temps.  So I have stayed in the house and not done much of anything.  I worked on stitching  the quilt for the fifth wheel and just have four more rows to sew together.  Then off to the quilter.  I am also completing a project for Della that must be done this week.  So off to the sewing room.

Alternate Block

This is the block that makes an Irish Chain design in the quilt.  I have about half of these blocks finished.  I have had to go back to the quilt shop twice for more fabric.  It is difficult to scatter the fabric in the blocks because I only have about a dozen different designs.  But overall it will look great.

New Quilt

This sixteen patch is a sixteen inch block for a quilt I am making.  The alternate blocks will give an Irish Chain look to the quilt.  I saw a similar quilt at spring quilt market and designed the quilt in EQ6. I found the browns and blacks at Great Plains Quilts in Burlingame.  Today I am going to work on the alternate blocks.  More for you to see in a day or two.

This quilt will find its way onto the bed in my fifth wheel RV.

Reeds & Grasses Table Runner

This is a table cover for my fifth wheel which is decorated in tones of brown and black.  The pattern is from the Bernina web site and titled "Reeds and Grasses Table Set".  The cover is made from black linen and the designs are from the Reeds and Grasses CD.  I was learning to use continuous embroidery on my machine. It really looks nice!



The bowl is a project for this month's Software Sampler.  I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this project so much.  I have made another one to coordinate with the Reeds and Grasses Table Cover. The bowl is very easy to make.

Just Busy

Yesterday, my machines were singing all day.  The embroidery machine was busy making free standing lace angels and quilt labels.  I have five quilts that need their labels to be complete.  My other machine and I were binding two quilts.  So I have been working, just not on anything that is spectacular.

Owl Oven Mitt

The owl oven mitt is from a pattern, Kitchen Whimsy, by Common Thread Designs.  It is one of the new patterns that Roxane found at Spring Quilt Market.  Since I am the lazy type, I digitized the pattern so that I could use embroidery applique to complete the project.  This really is fun and quick to make. I forgot to take a photo of the pig oven mitt.  It is very cute! The Overbrook Quilt Connection has patterns for you.

Anita's Arrowhead 2012

Anita's Arrowhead is now completed.  I tried several different fabrics for a border and the blocks just did not want to play with them.  So the blocks end with a binding from one of the dark fabrics.  I completed the quilting with a design from Classic Line Quilting by OESD.  It really does look perfect for this quilt.  The backing is a small-figured geometric with colors that matched the other fabrics perfectly.

I finally found the binding fabric for the Mosiac Memories quilt.  So that is the next project to finish.

Thread Cabinet

Sometimes it takes years to find exactly what you want.  We spent January and February in Arizona.  I had the opportunity to attend a Sewing, Crafts, and Quilt Expo in Phoenix.  ROM Woodworking had a booth and I found this thread cabinet.  They were going to be at the Machine Quilter's Showcase in Overland Park, KS in May and so I could pick up my cabinet at the show. Thursday was the exciting day and today my husband helped  mount the cabinet in my sewing room.  I am so pleased to have all my embroidery thread in one place where I can see every color.  I still have more colors to add, so there won't be many of the 400+ pegs without a color.  This will make choosing thread so much quicker and easier.

Anita's Arrowhead progress

This is one block of Anita's Arrowhead that has been quilted.  I have the quilting half completed and now have to get more thread.  So I will finish the project when that happens.  I am using my embroidery module to quilt the blocks. There is still indecision about a border...

Saturday:
I have finished quilting all the blocks.  The remaining fabric has been laid around the quilt and it does not like any of it.  So the quilt will not have a border.  It will just have black binding.  A photo will be coming your way in a day or two.

April SS Project

This is my project for the April Software Sampler lesson.  A black kitchen towel was used as the background to the Benartex fabric.  The flower fabric was scanned into the software and then I used advanced and partial applique.  The #47 foot, Spanish Hemstitch, was used to attach fabric to the bottom of the towel.  Now I just have to learn the software lesson so I can teach it effectively.

Newton

Newton is one of my favorite fabric lines.  I saw it several years ago when we were in Arizona.  Last summer I found it again in a booth at the Omaha Quilt Show.  This is my second Newton quilt.  It will be a gift to my favorite neighbor who is expecting in June.  I am so anxious to give it to her. The gender is still a mystery so no pink or blue...

The quilting was completed on my 830 with an embroidery package titled Classic Line Quilting.  It is quick and fun to use.  The designs have been developed for the blocks, sashing, and border. It is easy to quilt with the jumbo hoop!

Long Island Ice Tea

This embroidery is from Lunch Box Quilts.  It is from the recipe collection called Cocktails.  It is a fun project, especially when completed on a black kitchen towel.

The last three days have been busy and long.  I have been working at the Overbrook Quilt Connection as they have been part of a 10-quilt shop bus tour.  We had three buses stop at the shop each day.  The happy quilters had two hours to enjoy shopping and have a meal with us. What a fun time!

Charlie

Charlie has been our best buddy for eight years.  Last week he seemed lethargic and so we took him to our local vet and then to a speciality animal hospital.  We found out he had a large tumor in one section of his heart.  Charlie now continues to be with us in our memories.  He went with us on our vacations.  He loved riding on ATVs and thought we bought the side-by-side with a bed in back especially for him.  Jim had to give him a ride each time he used it. He reminded us about mealtime.  He took the job of protecting us very seriously.  Charlie was a great dog and friend.

Stunning Stained Glass

This is my finished piece from my first Wednesday sewing group at Mea Bernina. ( I worked on it most of yesterday because we were having a new shower installed and I had to stay out of the workers' way.) The pattern is from the Stunning Stained Glass Collection from Nancy's Notions. The wall hanging is about 9" x 20". This is the first time I have used Quick Bias. I used a double needle to stitch on the bias. I loved using the 830 because it would lock the stitch at the beginning, again at the end, and then I could cut the threads with the machine. I don't know that I will do another one soon, but it was a good learning experience. And, I thoroughly enjoy the sewing group!

Mini-quilts

This is my attempt to show the use of lettering in a Bernina Software Sampler lesson. My thanks goes to Sue in Texas for her inspiration. The three mini-quilts are held together by grograin ribbon. Due to my own procrastinating, I decided to use Roxanne's glue to hold the binding on the back. Worked like a charm. The font for "Dare to" is based on CK_Alis_Hand_Official. The font for the large words is based on Matterhorn. This is an interesting lesson because there are so many different ways to change the original lettering in digitizing software.

Little gifties

I know these don't look like much...but they are a neck saver when you use them in your vehicle. These are fleece seatbelt covers that can be made in a few minutes. Just some fleece, velcro, ten minutes or so and you have completed this project. I am going to make a couple out of leopard print fleece. I think they will look and feel nice in my car.

Anita's Arrowhead

Well, this is as many blocks as are going to be in this quilt. I am mulling over how to finish the quilt. My first idea is to just bind the quilt with black. My second idea is to put a 1" black border around the quilt and then choose one of the fabrics for a four inch border. What do you think?

Bright Stripes

I first saw this quilt pattern on All People Quilt. It was made with darker colors and blacks. Then while I was in Des Moines last year, I saw this one done in whites and brights and purchased the kit. JoAnn Rodgers did an excellent job of quilting. This may be someone's Christmas gift.

The quilt is quick to make. I used jelly rolls by Robert Kaufman both for the colors and the white.

CD Holder

The directions for the notebook cover and the CD holder can be found in One-Yard Wonders by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins. Their directions are fairly easy to understand. I added a side to the CD holder (thank you Sue in Texas) so that it would fit into the notebook rings. There is room for 5 CDs on the front and 5 more on the backside of the holder. I like both of the patterns so much that I will have another cover and CD holder finished this weekend. I am using them partially finished for a Software Sampler class and then they will be completed. Both are patterns that will be made into gifts for friends.

Software Sampler Notebook

This is the project for my Software Sampler lesson this month. SS is a lesson using the Bernina Designer Plus software for digitizing.

This is a notebook cover for the CDs and lesson sheets for the month. This was a fun project and I have been waiting for a couple of months to complete it. I should have used a tone on tone for the background to show the designs better. I like this project and have fabric to make one for me.

X-Blocks Practice Piece

Last week the Southwest Bernina dealer came to the RV resort to speak to the quilters. She is a new quilter and so talked about some of the quilts she has stitched. One of the techniques was using an X-block ruler. The ruler is from Quilt Queen Designs and there are a couple of books, one is Once Upon a Time in X-Blocks Land. I really like one of the quilts she showed us and decided it would make a great baby quilt. So I stopped by her shop and helped the Arizona economy. Today I took a couple of hours and put together a 12 block sample. I really like the look.

Anita's Arrowhead Quilt

This is the beginning of my Anita's Arrowhead quilt. I am using the same white on white in each of the squares. I have made one WOF strip for each of the five colors. After finishing this much, I have decided to make another set of blocks to make the quilt 6 blocks by 8 blocks.

The uniqueness of this block is that it is made from 8" squares of the colored fabric and the white fabric that is sewn together on the edges. The the square is cut corner to corner and then cut twice to make the pieces for the finished block. It really is fun and easy to make. There are lots of bias edges so starching helps make things easier.

Five Color Quilt

This is a photo of part of my Five Color Quilt from the booklet, Mosaic Memories. I think I purchased the kit in Salina. I remember thinking how much I loved the purple squares in the quilt sample, but no such color in my quilt. The colors are much brighter than the photo. The top is queen sized at about 97" x 97". It really was rather easy to make--just a perseverance task. I did use a lot of thread and it did take a lot of time. I am glad to have it finished. Now on to my Anita's Arrowhead.

Anita's Arrowhead

These are two of the blocks that I completed today during the workshop I attended. The instructors showed us how to stitch the blocks, the cutting techniques, and the sewing tips. The range of fabrics was fabulous--from batiks to Victorian-looking prints. I think this will be a quick, complex-looking quilt. More on it later.