Just a Tease

Here's the Spring! quilt being quilted.  I am using #8 pearl cotton and the arm is sore from yesterday's quilting. It is hard to pull the needle through the fabric with the pearl cotton.  (aspirin does a wonderful job on it!)  

I'm off to the dentist this morning but hope to get back to quilting it this afternoon ... I'd like to have the quilting done before Friday when I leave for Lancaster.  

Other want-to-finish projects: 

• binding on a baby quilt which may go to Project Linus or I might keep it as my first long arm experience

• lay out the bow tie blocks to see if I have enough for a quilt

•borders on the string x blocks

Shoot, I know I have lots of things to finish but none of them are coming to mind right now. 

Need to get the show on the road.  

Happy Quilting All.  Bonnie 

Eye Candy

These two quilts have been done, for the most part, for a few weeks.  

The first one, on the left,  is from a strip roll I purchased at Faithful Circle Quilters show in April, 2008. I think the fabric was called dimples.  When I first  moved up to the Poconos I spent the week sewing this up.  (Pat had already moved up with most of the furniture... so I didn't have to unpack! Except for the studio...)  I finished the top sans borders and then was on a hunt for any of the dimple fabric.  Finally found some in pink at the fall show in Harrisburg.  My friend, Ruth did the quilting for me.  Now to get the label on.  (Which shouldn't be an issue as it is made!) The pattern is Butterfly Blooms from Cozy Strip Club pattern series.

This one is from FabricholicAnonymous's summer 

mystery designed by Ann.  It was a nickel mystery designed to use up 5" squares.  I did the quilt top fairly quickly. Took me a while to get to the quilting part which I did on my dsm.  The straight quilting went very fast.  But the slight circles around the quarter square triangles... not so fast and a million strings to tie.  It needs a label and will get one, one of these days. Sharon calls it my misty quilt... I do like the combination of dark and light blues and greens.  A great example of a scrap quilt.  Nothing was purchased for this quilt ... unless it was backing... it's upstairs so I can't check it right now. 

 The amazing thing about these two quilts -- 

both were done in less than a year! WooHoo! 

I'm still hand quilting Spring!  My shoulder is a bit sore from what I did today so will not go back to it until tomorrow afternoon. 

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie

Hand Applique Is S L O W

Last night I finished all the hand buttonhole stitching on the Spring! wall hanging.  3/4th of the way through it I looked up  buttonhole stitch on the internet.  I can never remember where to start it.  Ah, next to the fab I'm trying to cover, than take a "bite" into the motif.  I started a new thread using the info from the internet.  A couple more letters I realized I could do a more efficient job if I went the right direction... ie, I wouldn't have to purposely put the needle under the thread.  Light Bulb moment!  The rest went pretty fast. 

If you'd like to see what got me moving along more quickly check Mary Corbet's Needle 'N Thread. 

Next Up:  I'm going to hand quilt the Spring! wallhanging using pearl cotton.  I have a label to sew on a quilt.  I've got a new project ready and waiting for me to start -- I've got some batiks waiting to go on that project.  

Anyone going to Quilter's Heritage Show?  Pat and I are going over on Friday.  We'll be meeting up with Marge and Candy  from Fabricholics Annonymous for lunch.  Our goal is to try all the long and mid arm quilting machines available while we are there.  I'm hoping to buy either a new or used one over the next few months.  Pat's job is check out the maintenance issues.  

Our squirrels, birds, chipmunks, turkeys and deer have been pretty quiet recently.  

I'll have a picture or two tomorrow.  Actually, good point, I'll go take a couple before the sun is gone!  

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

I Found It!

I've been looking for a few sewing things:  specifically a pair of magnifying glasses that clip on to my regular glasses for doing close up work and my leather coin thimble.  I knew I had seen both since I'd moved so that was a plus.  The thimble I had seen within the last two weeks.  

I have been working on  hand buttonhole stitching the Spring! quilt.  I'm now on the letters Spring! My poor finger was getting brutalized by the constant pushing of the needle yet I couldn't find any of my leather coin thimbles, they're my favorite, easiest to use thimble.  I tried an old one but the coin part keeps falling out.  I tried a regular metal one. I tried a ring type that should have worked.  Then I decided I would try a "patch" type ... all it is is a gummed circle that you put right where you need it.  

Up I went to the studio to look for them!  Couldn't find the patches.  Bummer.  But in routing  around looking for them I found my regular thimble and the clip on magnifying glasses.  Awesome.  Now I am just missing the patch thimbles and I can deal with that.  

 

Back to the spring quilt.  I have done i, n, and part of g.

 I'd love to get the letters completely done so I can get on to the bunny.  And, thanks Polly, for the bunny consultation.  It's great having your own art teacher on call!  

Pat tells me blogs with photos are better than those without.... here's today's photo -- my computer took a pic of me in my magnifying glasses.  Hard to see but they are flipped down here.  

One other note:  sorry for the weird layout for yesterday's blog.  No matter how hard I work at moving everything around, getting it just right when I upload the blog everything moves around again.  Sometimes it's ok, sometimes not.  Yesterday's was not but I think I was so frustrated I quit trying.  

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

Give the Gal a Gold Star

Yesterday's Progress: 

String X blocks sewn together

Spring letters, leaves cut out, ironed on and some hand buttonhole stitch done

Several more bow tie blocks made 

Today's Plan

Finish the hand button hole stitching on the Spring! quilt  

Add the bunny and stitch down

Go out to dinner (hey, I'm not turning down that offer!)

 

So, before the day is completely gone, I'm signing off.  

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie

Making Progress

Here's what got done yesterday: 

Spring! top is together.  Finally.  Now to get to the applique. 

String X blocks are ready to be sewn into rows.

A couple of bow tie blocks were done. 

Here's the plan for today -- it's Wednesday which means I will go to the clubhouse to sew . . . 

Put the String X's together

Cut out the letters for Spring (hum, do I hand buttonhole stitch the letters and rabbit on??) 

Cut the next step for the million blocks quilt... that's what I call it cause it seems like that!

Who knows whether I will even take these to work on cause that means I need to take the sewing machine too.  But, I have that super light Janome Gem so why not?  

Sorry, no pictures to share today... maybe some tomorrow... 

Happy Sewing All  Bonnie

Fidos for Freedom Quilt

Fidos for Freedom is a group in Laurel, Maryland that helps people through hearing dogs, service dogs and therapy dogs.  Jen's dog, Kona is a therapy dog.  When she was up last week she asked if I had anything I could donate to their upcoming silent auction. Well, shoot howdy, I could get a quilt top out of the house.  

I made this 4 patch posie from mostly stash fabric.  (I think the floral print came from when I made some shorts for the kids when they were young -- think 6 yrs. old or so.  And, maybe only for Jenny, I just can't see Kevin wearing that fabric at any age!)

This is really an interesting technique.  The designs on the fabric certainly look different when done this way.  There are lots of different flowers and a parrot on the fabric.  I didn't think to take a photo of the fabric before I cut it apart. Check out the parrot in this close up.  

Jenny is doing the quilting and finishing and then will donate it to Fidos.  I'll try to remember to post a link when it hits the silent auction page for Fidos.   

Spring! is coming along but I am not making fast progress on it.  I still have to get the piece together as a top.  Last night I traced the pieces that will be appliqued on. I am thinking of using a machine blanket stitch on those pieces.  If I would get off the computer and actually do something....  And, I always sew with an ender so that does take a bit of time to keep organized.  Right now I am sewing x blocks together as my ender.  I'm going to have that top together before the Spring one if I am not careful! 

On to the studio! 

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

A Pause to Read

Ok, I admit it... I have done nothing in the studio since Friday.  I had a book from the library that I need to return on Thursday. So, I started it Friday evening.   Saturday was errands and when we got back, I thought I'd read a chapter or two.  But, it drew me into the story.  (Oh yes, the book is Suzanne Brockmann's Into the Fire.)  By 1:00 am I couldn't keep my eyes open.  Sunday after church I picked it up again (maybe read a little bit... yahda, yahda...) Luckily I didn't have to stay up half the night to finish it.  I was done around 8:00 or so.  Phew.  I'm not picking up another book for a day or two!  (that doesn't count the books I listen to on my mp3!) 

The Spring! quilt is waiting for me on the design wall.  I did start sewing the blocks together.  I think I have 2 more tulips to get together and then all the background squares.  While in Scranton on Sat. we hit Joanns so I could get some fresh wonder under for the bunny and letters that go on the Spring! quilt.  

Here's a little eye candy: 

 

Jenny made this tote for herself after making a bunch of 

purses/diaper bags for friends. She uses it for her seewing stuff. 

Our dog news:  As long time readers know, our English Springer Spaniel died this past fall.  We have been missing the companionship and joy of a dog.  So, while I was in Maryland for the classes in February, Pat put in an application to adopt a rescued English Springer Spaniel.  We found out yesterday that we were approved for adoption!  Woowoo!  Now we are waiting to be paired up with our perfect springer companion.  We did request a dog rather than a puppy.  I look over the Maesser site regularly wondering about who our new friend will be!  Evidently it can take anywhere from 3 to 12 weeks to get our dog.  And, actually we requested not to have a dog placed until after Jenny's last recital in mid April.  I'll keep you posted on the dog front.  

Now, honestly, I need to go quilt!  

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

  

What a Hoot!

Pat and I had an appointment this morning and decided it was a good idea to end with a nice lunch out.  So we went to the purple restaurant. (yep, it is purple.) 

We had a great lunch at Cora's in Hawley, PA.  Lunch was almost over when I found this spinner.  (We were eating in the bar -- notice the Yuengling sign in the back.)

Dress up magnets.  Pat 

couldn't believe it when I whipped out my

camera to take pictures.  So, look carefully at the close up pictures below. 

Pamela Goes Quilting.  And notice her matronly figure and very stylish -- um -- top and pencil skirt.  Which I am sure looks quite lovely with her sandals and socks.  What a laugh.  Pat was already to buy the set for me but I am just as happy with the digital version.  So quilters, thoroughly check out the bars you frequent. You never know what you will find!  

More got done on the Spring! quilt.  Tomorrow I should get the top done.  I was putting tulips together today.  I think I have 2 more to do and then the rest of the blocks.  The quilt is made on point.

On that fun set of pictures let me remind you it is National Quilting Day Saturday.  Find some time to quilt!  

Happy Quilting All!    Bonnie

Bird Update

Quick Update 

A little wood pecker visited the feeder today.  Of course, there is no way I can tell if it was the one who flew into the window or not -- but I'd like to think so. 

l Spring Quilt l

Woowoo... blocks are made.  It is now on the design wall for me to figure out color placement.  I won't have the whole day tomorrow to work on it but I will get some more done.  

Y Other Odds and Ends Y

I've been working on a string x quilt from Quiltville.com.  The strings are done, the sides are sewn to the strings, the blocks are cut to the correct size.  And, tonight I pinned them in groups of 2 so I can sew them as my enders for the Spring quilt.  Do I feel organized or what?  

I hope to get more done on Spring! tomorrow -- the first day of spring! 

Happy Quilting All  Bonnie

A Few Pictures of Quilting Stuff

I promised pictures of the other two bags Jenny made when she made mine.  Here are Emily and Becca showing off their new purses.   And here's a salute to the Cricket Buddies.  What is a Cricket Buddy, you might ask?  A person who became a great friend over a high school biology assignment. I think it is tres cool that they still get together when they can, especially since they live from Boston to DC on the eastern seaboard. 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

So how cool is this!?  Have you ever played with webdings?  I have in other programs but not in Blogger.  What do I find but the subject of my next picture!

  

Four Patches!  Here is the sample four patch I showed at guild Monday night to get people interested in the lowly four patch.  I don't really think it is lowly, but it certainly is easy!  

I was trying to create a dark diagonal line with both the smaller and larger four patches.  I think the smaller four patches succeeded but the larger ones weren't as successful. 

I have another purple piece with four patches and half square triangles but couldn't find it when I tried Monday afternoon.  Note to self: think about organizing all finished quilts somewhere.  This hunt, throw, lift, hurl system just doesn't cut it.

Upcoming on Institches with Bonnie:

Spring! wall hanging is cut out.  On to sewing today. Hopefully today I'll get at least half of the Spring piece done.  Photos of a four patch posie top that is being donated to Fido for Freedom auction.    

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

Wild Bird Adventure

Jen and I were having lunch when we heard this loud crash sound.  It was this woodpecker who had flown into the french door.  He really hit hard and stunned himself.  He sat like this for 10 minutes or so.  We thought he was going to die because at one point he wasn't even holding up his head.  We chose to watch him from inside, rather than go outside to assist. He has visited my birdfeeder but always flies away if he realizes we are watching him from inside.  I am sure he was very stressed. His legs were under his body, he wasn't he standing on his own.

Eventually he moved enough to get one wing back where it was suppose to be. He still wasn't moving much.  Another 10 or 15 minutes passed.   

Finally he got up on both feet.  And before we knew what happened he was checking out all around trying to decide where he should go.  We were going to leave him and go on up to the studio.

 As we walked off we heard another hit on the window as the bird flew off.  He did fly off of the porch area and I haven't seen him since.  When we took a walk that 

afternoon I checked the area and haven't seen a dead bird around the back.   

But, check out the window.  Nothing like the saying, "scared the s--- out" of some one. (note to self -- clean window before it gets baked on!) 

I decided the windows must have been reflecting the backyard.  The bird was confused as to what was the real out doors and what was the reflection.  I'll let you know if he comes back to the bird feeder.  My guess is he won't show up.  And, I'm not sure whether he has lived through his experience.  Hopefully he did.  

I have several quilty things to show off but I think I'll wait to post those for another time.  Don't worry, I promise to show you all the quilt stuff soon!  

Happy Quilting All.  Bonnie on her way to the studio via the laundry room (boo!) 

Dog and Bed

Here's Kona lazing away on her new dog bed cover.  Doesn't she look contented?  Jen whipped it up using my serger.  Good to have that machine used every once and a while! 

I finished a sample top for a block of the month I'm doing at Mt. Laurel Quilt Guild.  When I get the photo taken I'll post.  First block is a four patch done the easy speedy way or magic 4 patch way depending on who you heard about it from.  Here's Marge's version at Delaware Quilts. 

Now I have to figure out a block for next month's bom.  I'm thinking I will continue to feature 4 patches and will keep most of the blocks between easy and moderate.  I might end with something hard but probably not.  To entice entries I will be offering some little additional items to be drawn from the non-winning names.  Most quilters love to win something even if it is only a chalk pencil to mark their quilts with!  I know I do!  

Now, on to the quilting studio.  I've got that new Spring! wall hanging to get made!  Spring is springing in on FRIDAY! 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie

Check Out My BD Presents

Isn't this tres cool?  

Jenny made  it for me for my birthday.  It is wonderful.  Lots of pockets on the inside.  As soon as she gets the button on the outside I am so changing purses.  She had 3 of these here yesterday but I forgot to get a picture of them all together.  I'll try to get her picture of her girlfriends with their purses.  

Pat gave me a great set of interchangeable knitting needles.  They are really good looking with multicolored wood.  I hope they are smooth and help me knit faster as I have way too many knitting projects going.  (not as bad as quilting projects but .... a few)  I found a sweater kit I had completely forgotten about.  I've decided to go ahead and make it up.  The biggest problem to my way of thinking is it has lots of different colored yarns that need to be started and stopped.  Why did I pick something so involved!  

Won't these be fun to knit with? I love the idea that I now have all size needles between 4 and 11.  And, because of the interchangeable cables I have from short to long cable lengths.  Much more efficient than buying needles at every size!  Pat got these from KnitPicks.  They have some luscious looking yarns but I am trying to be strong and finish a couple of projects before I buy something new.  (Doesn't that sound way too much like quilting?)  

Tomorrow's plans:  Finish putting together the purple 4 patch top.  Begin a new project: SPRING!  -- the pattern that I got in the mail Saturday.  I've already started grabbing fabrics for it so I am so ready to go on it.  Can I do it in 2 weeks?  Probably not unless I have my nose to the grindstone!  

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie who knows spring is really around the corner.  It was 60 degrees today in Northeast Pennsylvania.

Almost Spring in the Poconos

Kona and Jenny came for a visit.  However, Jenny left for NYC to visit friends.  Kona is having a sleepover here!   LOL.  Kona's a great dog but a real licker... she loves to lick your hand, feet, legs -- where ever she can reach.  This morning she got to greet the deer walking behind the house.  

After lunch we drove down to the nature trail in our neighborhood to go for a walk.  This was the first time we were out there this spring. The first thing we noticed was the tree on the right.  

Then we came upon this tree still with its stump. 

 

A little farther along the path we saw this grouping of stumps.  Hum.  The saying busy beaver seems to be born out here.  They were definitely busy at some point in time.  

 We continued on until we came closer to the stream that was running through the area.  Ah, ha!  No wonder there were so many gnawed stumps around here.  They were all in the beaver 

dams.  This was one of two in a very short distance.  We've never seen any beavers around but we definitely see the results of their hard work.  Now, if I could just be as diligent with my quilting! 

Another great mail day today.  I received a new pattern called Spring! designed by Kim at Kim's Big Quilting Adventure.  She has a new Etsy shop too where I purchased Spring!. While at her web site check out Bucky Bunny and his good friend Bette Bunny.  I want Bucky but he doesn't have a pattern yet.  Hopefully he'll get one too.  You have to go back a week or two to find Bucky.  I digress.  Spring is next up on the quilt plan.  Or at least I want it to be next up.  We'll see if I can do it as quickly as the hearts.  It is time to move on to spring!

Tomorrow, I'll share my very cool birthday present from my daughter.  But, I'm pooped now.  (remember that walk in the fresh air???)  I'll try to share some quilty pictures tomorrow.  

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

Mail Call!

What a great mail call I had today.  First I received this great birthday greeting from Faithful Circle Quilters in Columbia, Maryland.   They recently ran a contest for a birthday card they will use for the whole year.  This isn't the new card but it certainly is lovely. On the back of the card is the photo it is taken from -- a lovely water lily. And, then here it is repeated.  (hum was this done with smoke and mirrors?)   But thanks to Maggie who designed this card and Jeannie who sent it out.  

Yep, my birthday is fast approaching.  No big plans except to go to a downtown restaurant who gives you a free lobster dinner on your birthday.  I love lobsters.  I have since I was 5 years old and we used to go down to the docks to get them fresh.  Yum...  (just don't ask me to cook them ... did that, don't want to do it again.) 

WOW!  My first blocks have returned from my FCQ Equilters.  I designed this block based on a plaza in Cozumel.  I made up several to test it. Then sent out a  multicolored print and asked them to make some with colors to match.  Here's the first group to come in!  I'm so very pleased with these blocks from Helen.  It will be a lot of fun to play with these and decide how they

should go together.  I also asked them to send some extra little blocks because I see a thin dark border around the blocks and then a piano key border of some of the little blocks as the final border.  But that will be a while before all the blocks are in. And, I used all of the fabric up that is the bigger block.  So, the quilt won't be any bigger than 24.  

I have been working away on magic 4 patch blocks for my guild's block of the month.  Have you tried these yet?  Check out Marge's instructions at Delaware Quilts.  She calls them Easy Speedy Four Patches.  You can make them scrappy by making several at a time.  When you match rights to rights after the first cut, (ie before the 2nd cut) change the pieces around.  Works like a charm.  I'm not as excited about the process for big blocks... I'm doing one at 8" finished but it is great for the 4" finished ones I am doing as a sample.  When I get the blocks put together I'll take pictures and show everyone. 

8000+ readers since I started in mid-September.  No, it wasn't just me seeing if anyone had commented.  And, I know it wasn't just my hubby, son-in-law, son or daughter.  Other people read this blog also!  Thanks to all for reading.  I'm thinking of putting up the pattern for the block shown above but it won't be until I have the top done.   

Happy Quilting.  Bonnie  

Wow! What an Offer

Are you one of those people with lots of quilt tops?  Do you love to piece, but are so-so on quilting?  Then here is an offer for you to look at! 

Joanne at Splitting Stitches blog is offering Joanne's Stimulus Package . She is offering very inexpensive prices on quilting your quilt in an overall pattern.  (Hey, $25 for a twin/queen is an incredible price!) Go check out her blog.  I'm signing up for a quilt as soon as I finish this! 

Do you ever lose presents?  I do, and, I'm sorry to report my daughter Jenny does too on rare occasions.  Unfortunately, I am notorious.  It does help that our kids are grown and don't live close by so  I can put things in fairly obvious places and not lose them.  

You might wonder why I even thought of this.  The short story is I am in the middle of making a photo book on Shutterfly.  Hey, a free photobook is a good thing.  I decided to use the photos from our trip to Alaska in 2006.  (2009 - 2006 = 3 years.  Well, except it's only 2 and a half as we went in July.)  I had planned to scrapbook the photos and ephemera -- luggage tags, brochures, receipts.  So I found the box and went through all of the stuff saved in the box.  Along with a ton of alphabet stickers I found these cute ornaments I had bought for the kids.  Yep, lost for 2.5 years or 28 months, give or take a few days! YIKES.  Jen you can have first choice when you are here this week.  Kevin, do you want me to hold on to yours or bring it down in April when we come down next?  I'll be happy to have it grace our tree for a bit if you want me to store it for you.  Of course, I may not be able to find it for another 2 and a half years!

I need to finish the photobook today as the coupon expires.  (Hey, for some reason I thought today was the 9th... so I've lost a day somewhere!)  I'm more than half way there.  I've found it to be extremely easy and fun to do.  I did spend some time on Sunday sorting through the over 400 digital photos and had narrowed them down to 70 or less so that was a big help. 

When I finish that I'll be back to sewing.  Or maybe napping.  I was up way too late working on the album and then I couldn't sleep.  No more caffeine for me evidently!  

Happy  Quilting All.  Bonnie 

To Do Lists

Do you use a To Do list?  I do but not as successfully as I would hope.  Usually, every Monday I write a list of what I want to get done during the week.  I check it daily or even more often sometimes if the list has lots on it.  Mostly I list my quilting to dos but sometimes I have general errand to dos.  What I've found out is I don't follow my list.  And, when life gets in the way I tend not to write my lists. But, I feel great satisfaction on finishing items on my list.  

This week's list reads in part:

make samples of block of the month for guild

make samples for the fast 4 patch method to demo at guild

tie off ends on green, blue and beige quilt (yes, it's almost done!) 

clean the upstairs bathroom: sink, toilet and shower

sew string x blocks together

iron million blocks quilt blocks

If I were really good I would write them in priority order.  I don't always do that but I have today.  

I list the steps to get to the total -- see clean the bathroom? I will probably do those at three different times because I really don't want to spend an hour cleaning the whole thing. (Who wants to clean bathrooms....? Not me, but Jen is coming up so I do need to clean the bathroom.) 

I usually list way more than I can possibly accomplish so I can keep focused on what I want to do and what I next want to do.  I finally realized I was sewing but not finishing quilts. I like the piecing the most so I would continue to piece.  Now, I try to finish something and do the piecing too.  The list keeps me on track.  And, now that I am aware of not doing what I write down I force myself to review what I want to get done.  If I choose not to work on something listed it's my fault.  But, I can't complain if I didn't follow the list. That's the no whining part.  

I hope to have a finish to report by the end of the day.  Don't know when I will be able to get a decent picture but hopefully soon.  

How do you keep on track with your quilting?  Have you found a better way than a basic list.  Let me know and I'll post some of the ideas on the blog. 

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie (I am so ready for spring!) 

Spring Like Weather

Surprise, surprise the temps are suppose to be near 60 today.  WAAAHOO!  I guess I'll have to get out of the house and take a walk of some sort.  

First, let me share a tree trunk.  What? you ask.  Yep a tree trunk.  This tree is on the right side of my driveway and I was really taken with the texture of the tree.  This is the only tree that is this shaggy.  It struck my fancy.  How could I reproduce this in a quilt? Hey Chris -- here's a weird tree for your landscape.... although yours look like beeches.  I am not much of an outdoor person so I'm not sure what type of tree this is. 

Here's a stack of fat quarters I won at the New York Beauty class a couple of weeks ago. I had forgotten all about it.  There were more pieces but I shared some with Sharon.  I had to twist her arm to accept any of them.  

Brian:  I will share your name with my friend Debbie.  I am sure she will enjoy it as much as I did.  Thanks for the suggestion!  

When are you coming up for some mountain biking?  

I have been instructed to get going as Pat and I are doing some errands today and I am still surfing etc.  

Happy Quilting All   Bonnie 

Applique

This is the applique I did for Beth who is part of the FCQ E Quilters.  I love the leaves, I like the flower colors.... I'm not sure about the beaded flower yoyos though.  But, I am done, the block is in the mail.  And, I probably won't applique blocks like this again. And, of course, yesterday I saw a friend at the Wed. Quilters doing a flatter flower that would have also looked good with this..... 

While there Debbie showed a quilt she had recently gotten back from a long arm quilter. (Was I about to say a long armer??? Sounds way too alien to use!)  Debbie did a great job with her fabric choices.  This looks so like her!  And, the best part is she is planning on keeping this quilt for herself.    

  Here's a closeup of the block. I'm sorry you can't see the quilting too.  

It's time to make and put the binding on the green, blue and beige mystery quilt.  Also, time to name it....  Do you name your quilts??? 

Happy quilting all!  Bonnie 

Square Root Day Squared....

I am sure my family is laughing their heads off at me.  I am nearly hopeless when it comes to math.  Well, I can add, subtract, multiply and divide but don't ask for too much in the way of higher math.  I think it is because I went to 7 different schools from k to 5th grade.  In those days schools didn't test the kids to see where the gaps in the knowledge was.  And I'm pretty sure there were BIG gaps in my knowledge.  That's my story and I am sticking to it.  

But since it is still square root day - 3/3/09  here's another 9 patch to ooh and ahh over.  It is one of my favorite quilts even though it is getting a bit worn.  This is another quilt that Sharon and I made together.   The side that is over the bannister mirrors the side showing. It is a beautiful quilt if I do say so myself.  We gave it to our church in Columbia to auction at a live auction about 10 years ago.  DH went to the auction to support the church while I was in California visiting.  I'm not sure how it happened but he ended up buying the quilt to the tune of $190.  Wow! And it is only a lap quilt.  Sharon and I liked this design so well we also made a miniature version of it that we put in a silent auction at our quilt show.  It went for about $100 if I remember correctly.  Amazing.  Now, the quilting is coming loose on the lap quilt.

We chose to machine quilt it on the diagonal.  And, anytime someone tries to anchor their feet and then pull it up it pops stitches on the back.  Now when I do diagonal quilting I almost always use a rounded zig zag stitch.  (I don't know its real name -- it's used for knits mostly.) But it gives a nice look to the quilt and so far, the stitches don't pop out.  

The birds and squirrels have been missing from the bird feeder and the ground under the bird feeder as of late.  Well, until the snow storm yesterday.  This little guy's face is covered with snow because he was rooting around in the snow looking for some of the seeds that fall from the bird feeder.  He's a pretty timid squirrel because when he saw me looking out of the window with my camera in hand he scurried across the yard and up this tree.   I was lucky enough to see a squirrel jump into his nest when I was visiting in Maryland. (no camera around to capture it...)  Squirrels have big, messy nests.  I've been looking for one in our trees but so far haven't seen any. Hey, I'm not going outside in 10 degree weather to look for squirrel nests.  

I have the border quilted on the Nickel mystery.  And, I was figuring the amount of fabric I needed for the binding. (see notes above re: math ability.... I needed my calculator... which kinda belies the concept I can do the 4 basic functions...) Perhaps tomorrow I will get that done.  Time will tell. 

BLOGGING hint of the day:  I go crazy trying to get the pictures where I think they should be. And, sometimes as I fuss around with spacing I lose the picture entirely.  It vanishes.  After way too many months of blogging I figured out I could go to my internet program, which happens to be Safari on my Macintosh, click on Edit> undo typing.  If I hit it a few times the photo usually comes back.  YEAH -- no uploading the pics again.  I know the pics sit in some location but I haven't been able to figure out how to get it from the photo site to the blog. One of these days I'll figure that out... 

Happy quilting all.  Bonnie (and another happy birthday to Jenny.... :) 

Happy Birthday Jenny!

Today is Jen's bd -- happy birthday. We'll celebrate it when you're up here next.

And, for all the mathematicians out there -- check out the date: 3/3/09. It's square root day. According to USA Today, there are only 9 square root days a century. This one is so obviously quilty it is almost scary! What is a nine patch but a testament to squared numbers. 3x3=9.

In honor of square root day, I share with you 9 patch quilts.

This is probably based on a quilt at Quiltville.com but darn if I can find the pattern. It was quilted by Maria O'Haver. She did a superb job. View her website here ... and notice the quilt on the machine! You should check out all of her pages though. I notice she has added rental time on a midarm machine -- if you are in the Maryland area give it a try. I really enjoyed my experience last week on a midarm.

Check out the close up work here. She used blue thread in the blue triangles and 9 patches and then used white in the rest of the quilt.

Below is a 9 patch that I did with my friend, Sharon. She and I used to do quilts together on a regular basis. However, since my move we haven't tried it. But, who knows, we might some time. This was done for a baby boy. We used our stashes for the most part.

Now, without further ado I need to hit the studio. Yesterday I worked on the million pieces quilt (so named by me because of all the little blocks going into this quilt.) Since the main part of the blocks are done I think I will quilt the borders on another mystery quilt. It's just borders, binding and label to do and that will be a finish.

Happy Quilting on 3/3/09, definitely a day to do a 9 patch. Bonnie

Snow Watch, Sigh, Again.

I was ready for spring.  I was happy that the snow was melting away nicely... although there was a little snow still on the ground around our house.  

WAIT, No, I don't want any more snow.  But we are on watch for snow -- anywhere from 4 to 9".  Starting tonight, ending tomorrow evening.  With luck, we won't get as much as some areas. 

Guess I'll be staying in the house tomorrow.  Sounds like a quilt day for me. One of the quilts I should work on is this green, blue and beige scrap quilt.  It was a mystery quilt last year, called Nickel Quilt.  It was easy to do the squares using the walking foot.  The quarter square triangles were another thing.  I did little semi circles inside and outside these areas.  (A completely different design could have been done with a long arm.)   I need to tie off all the thread and then quilt the borders.  Hum, would feathers be good in the borders?  Perhaps if I don't make dense feathers it would work, as this quilt is lightly quilted.  

So, keep tuned.  Maybe I'll actually work on this quilt tomorrow.  And, maybe not. I'm working on a quilt I still call the million pieces quilt. I'm in the process of putting the blocks together so that may take precedence.  But who knows what I'll feel like doing tomorrow! 

Happy Stitching!  Bonnie