Every one likes a new pillowcase

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAomYjHzUQk







I had made some flannel sheets and I had left over flannel . I used this tutorial as it is soo easy and I wanted to do french seams. It was a breeze and half an hour later I had a pair to donate

This is a free pattern

http://www.nightingalequilts.blogspot.com/2015/06/new-free-pattern-bravo-indigo-quilt.html



Please click on the link above, I was looking for a pattern that would reflect the modern quilting movement. The Nightingale Quilt website has a few that I have made and very pleased with the outcome.

This is the facepage from the pattern - ignore the black ink line going through the pattern that is a printer problem



There are only a few blocks to this quilt, it is not complicated but a lot of thought was put into the design and you have to pay attention because of the block selection and the number of rotating rows. You will quickly know if it is out of synch.

Here is the selection of blocks. It is apparent I need to be more precise a sewer. The blocks were no problem but the little 1" x 4" white inserts drove me to derrrrrrink!




As you see I am progressing I have 2 sections completed one more to add and I am done

Too many projects not enough hours

This little guy needs an appropriate shirt. Look at him taking it all in,he is getting ready to accept all the ladies kisses. So of course Nanny had to oblige





Apparently you know who doesn't like any of his mitts they are too small for those large hands. So I had to make a pair of mitts with I dare say idiot strings so he can't take them off and toss them!

A work of Art in somewhere??

This is the pattern

Lets start in the beginning when I purchased the pattern, looks nice. BUT I did not like the written pattern LOL

It came with a 2 x2 pattern and you are to blow it up at least 2 fold. Well that means I have to go to the printer and have it done, what if it turns out ugly and I spent all this money on the pattern it was $30 to begin with




This is the working prototype

SO I decided to make the little 2 X 2 and bypass some of the instruction - basically I want to rewrite the pattern and I have done a little playing and now getting somewhere I decided I would probably make another with a different technique and decide on how I would really construct the pattern if I was to make a full sized quilt out of this





AS you can see I worked across the pattern, It is all applique and I had a ton of scraps and that is it , why not put them to good use , most had adhesive on the back so that was an added bonus. This is round one

Tomorrow I hope to add borders and then visit the store and look for some crappy batting that I can play with and decide how I would top stitch this little devil. We will have to see how I progress and as I do I will post new photos below.


Here it is just a little tweek here and there when I get some more supplies

Birds are anchored and won't take flight

This baby is all ready for the longarm



I cut the birdies with my accuquilt cutter die with fabric fused to stabilizer. Once pressed to the quilt they were in position for me to stitch on and I did so with invisible thread. The birdies are raw edge specimens so with washing they might get a little fuzzy around the edge. But no worries they are so well adhered that will be the extent of the wear.

Raw edge quilting will give the quilt a " country " look .

Now the big question is what will I over stitch on the quilt, perhaps butterflies in amongst the birdies

Birds on a Wire

Now you have to use your imagination , we are just pinned together. I have 30+ birds, of 2 sizes and various hues, (and most with wings since I took this pic) 4 yards of ric rac and two yards of background fabric. I have pinned on the birds, their wings and sat then on the ric rac. Tomorrow I am going to iron down the birdies and wings are they are backed with double sided adhesive and I must iron them on and then stitch them in place. I have left some ric rac on the edge for a little leaway. Once all is stitched in place I have another dilemma ... Should I put leaves and buds along the ric rac and make it look as if the birdies are sitting on vines. Hmm well that is up for debate and of course another day. As you can see it is a progressive approach nothing is decided until this is stitched down and can't move.

Yes I have gone to the birds.

In admist a bunch of old coots!

As I made my rounds I noticed something peculiar. A vine hanging from a tree adorned with a stuff monkey. As most of our residents are elderly I wondered which little kid is missing his favorite bedtime toy...

Good help is hard to get!

The wind is whistling around the corner and the sun is pretty strong but I placed his highness on the perch and this is what we got. The quilt at least looks better in person ... hopefully you get the idea




You may get the idea of what I would like to do here. I have a twin sized quilt the center is brown/white chevrons
I am going to top stitch that part with


Then in the white part where there are no trains I will do a locomotive circulating on a track. Where the applique train is with the animals I will stipple around to make that part pop.

SO many ideas .. Wonder if it will work out as planned, LOL. Time will tell................ On another note I have another applique quilt in a kit, Hmm wonder where that is. I guess I will look for it tonight!

This is taking forever

I started to crochet them and I must admit I am a loose goosey crocheter so I decided to knit them but there are so many other distractions. LOL I made them 15 X 20 and it looks to be a good size



I also played around at monogramming vinyl placemats with my embroidery machine, turned out ok but it is the infancy stage where I want to tweak more but it is ok cheap entertainment and I can put all sorts of stuff on that one vinyl placemat and at $1 it is my practice piece

One more bites the dust

I attended a lovely sew in at a Public Library in Belleview, FL.
I had a collection of 4 X 4 HST and arranged them into this pattern, then added some little borders that are from a majestic mountain pattern. I put large side borders on this quilt - I am not sure if I am going to over quilt them in Free motion or perhaps add some embroidered detail Time will Tell. This quilt would be large enough for a single / twin sixed bed.



Once again after a good press and mounted on the frame instead of the floor of the RV the quilt will come to life. Hmm now I wonder what I patterns I will bestow onto this top

Can't cut straight worth a darn

I made up my own Xmas cards, embroidered the lace angel on my embroidery machine, grabbed a new card, cut a hole then put a backing on the hole. The angel is glued on and can be removed to hang on the tree. SO far so good as long as you don't look past the angel at my crooked cut. With dull kitchen scissors, and a crooked ruler what does one expect. Heck I can't even color within the lines

Picture this................

My neighbor was outside his house, bare chested and scratching, He said he had ants .. yep even in the pants. He dumped his drawers and there in amongst all his clothing were these million of ants. These little minute guy have big choppers. We brushed out the shirts inside and out and the shorts and pants. Loaded with spray he sprayed his drawers- not the ones he had on but the ones that house his clothing.

After the ho haw the other neighbors appeared - of course after the ferocious beasts had been put down. Vic and I nursing our bites as the neighbors went to investigate Vic's domicile a plan was constructed. It is hot and humid just the perfect weather for our pesky friends and Vic is on the warpath.

http://mypestprevention.com/2012/04/ant/

Strip Tease

I had a load of fabric odds and ends,they were in 45" widths, so I cut them to make nine different strips 2.5" X 45". I sewed them together. Now I had a long piece about 18 X 45" with nine various colors I laid it down on it's width once more cutting my sewn strips every 2.5" Now I had the little squares all together and approx all equal in size. I played with the placement and I am now adding 3/4" strips between. In the end I will have 16 pieces that are I think going to be about 13" x 19". I am getting there a few more hours of sewing and then pressing and then to figure out which orientation I will place them in. Here is the work in progress






As you can see I got the 16 sections together, this is a modern quilt and luckily they are supposed to be a bit on the whacky and not level to the eye Good thing!! I used every scrap I had and yes there are a few places where it dips but in the end the whole quilt top is squared. Now I just need to cut some finished borders- but it is too darn hot. Maybe tomorrrow

Hotel guest

One of the neighbors has a shady lot and on that lot lives a large turtle. He seems to lunch on lettuce, apples and hibiscus plants

What goes klank klank in the night?

Seems as if we have a pet at night?? I noticed a large hole dug out under one edge of the shed. I filled it up and later that night I heard a funny klanking sound, the shroud of the armadillo makes a weird sound as he slowly moves hunting for worms. I was prepared. I poured some Ammonia into the whole and then replaced the sand and added a little more ammonia on top for good luck, AHHA no Armadillo was here last night!!

The neighbors suggested that I manage to mix ammonia and chlorine in , in my line of thought I would gas myself with mustard gas ( ammonia and chlorine are among the ingredients) before I did in the little armadillo. I am still armed and dangerous with my ammonia we will have to see what comes back if it does and I wonder where the heck the neighbors dog is?

Keeping up my quota

I have landed in Florida and getting organized

Look what I did



I am almost organized and decided to do a little embroidery each day

Just a reminder

That the white stuff is a coming. On our way to Florida we hit snow in Oswego, NY and it followed us in forms of snow, rain and hail, Hope it is not waiting for us in FLorida

Better late than never right?

I took an old Teddy stocking that was Jennifer's and then I placed on it a " Teddy label" . These labels are all the rage for people to have to note the newborn baby , birthday , size, coordinates and all that fun stuff. People usually purchase a stuffed animal with a plain tummy . You remove the stuffing ( separately packaged ) and revealed once the zippered compartment is opened. Well I cheated I grabbed this Teddy and fixed it up for our Teddy, I will fill it for an Xmas to remember. Well maybe!

almost a wholecloth

I made this log cabin/ applique quilt and now finished. The pics don't do it justice. The open areas are filled with applique on the flip side, the batting requires that it be stitched down every 8" and I have managed to do that in all areas. As you can see there is a lot of free motion quilting on this quilt. It is almost too pretty to sell so beaware it will be gifted but who too?? I am sure there will be a special occassion

It is true

I can bake I just can't find the time but today out of desperation and a wanting to get rid of some lingering ingredients I managed to make a load of date squares. Too hot to taste test but the house smells nice

Loops and swirls

My next project is about 75% done, I am stitching a large applique quilt, with feathers and loops. I am now in a position that I had to take it off the frame and turn it> my only regret is that the nice white cotton is so creased up from having it wrapped on the poles however that can be steamed out once done.

I am surprised at the decline of quality fabric and how thin weight them seem to be after all the sizing is removed. When I am finally finished with this you won't know there will be so much stitching PSI I can get away with it.LOL

Run RUn RUn

YOu probably wanted to know why I have not been attentive. WEll
Ben has kept me on the run with all his medical appt's sudden blindness in one eye.
Retinal emergency surgery , drops and more drops and more Dr visits. We are up for more surgeries for Catarcts now and all the visits to get on the list.

In the meantime we salvaged this stroller, removed the fabric, washed it. Then Ben sanded down some key areas, I replaced waterproof fabric on the bottom that was worn and tires were pumped here is Ted's new ride, Now to find Ted!

Another Finally

The body of this quilt is made up a meander pattern the outer border and corner piece is more along the lines of a traditional quilted pattern

OOPS I found one more quilt that I had hidden!