New Year 2012 New Ideas

I've finally gotten back into quilting.  I started making a lap quilt for my father which grew beyond my poor old sewing machine's capability so, of course, I needed a new sewing machine.  


For (an early) Christmas my DH got me a Laura Ashley NX-2000 Innovis by Brother, it's a dream....

My New Brother (lol) 

I found a super soft minkie for the backing, which will be good for Dad - after all he is 95-years old :D

I made a dish mat for my DD which was so much fun and so easy to make - visit my friend Connie's blog Quilting by the River for a quick tutorial :) 

Cute huh? 

I've got a couple more to make for myself, yea!! 

Hope everyone has a Happy Holiday

~ CHEERS! 

Carry You Home

I've not been quilting since my sister passed but I have been very busy remodeling my house, as per my sister's instructions to me.  I'll be back after the new year with my new quilt studio!  I took over the 2-car garage and it's truly going to be wonderful once it's finished...one more set of cabinets then to move in the machines and start anew!

I was listening to a song by James Blunt and although the entire song isn't relative to my sister there are two verses which are.  The song is from the movie "My Sister's Keeper" entitled *Carry You Home* and I wanted to share those:

As strong as you were, tender you go.
I'm watching you breathing for the last time.
A song for your heart, but when it is quiet,
I know what it means and I'll carry you home.
I'll carry you home.

If she had wings she would fly away,
And another day God will give her some.

As strong as you were, tender you go.
I'm watching you breathing for the last time.
A song for your heart, but when it is quiet,
I know what it means and I'll carry you home.
I'll carry you home.

That is exactly what I did, I carried my sister home holding her as she took her last breath; to catch that last breath is beautifully sad.

Excellence vs Perfection - Random Thoughts

I was reading through some e-mails this evening and came across the following saying.  It really made me re-think what I said about my block earlier today ... "it's not perfect."  I stopped and really thought about the words I was reading the meaning behind them, so from this point forward:

I will quilt, "reaching for excellence one block at a time".

Did this make you think twice?

Arizona 2 Star Quilt Block - Finished

I just finished the block for an on-line quilting group.  We aren't swapping blocks rather each group member makes a block using the pattern for that month.  This month I picked a star pattern as I've never made one, love them to "pieces" (pun intended) and wanted a bit of a challenge for myself.

I've been making quilt tops for a few years now; however, I've rarely worked with half-square triangles. I made some mistakes (bias...argh!) and although it's not a perfect block, it's my block and it's a learning block.  I'll never know what I'm capable if I don't try, right?

On to another project for yet another on-line quilting group using Bonnie Hunter's Crayon Box pattern, make 12 blocks by April 25, 2010...I've got time :D

What's on your Design Wall?

It's Monday morning and I am hoping that this post will start a new page - I am dedicating one separate page for DESIGN MONDAY @ Judy's website "Patchwork Times".  It's a wonderful site, great owner and a great way to catch up on those UFOs that somehow got away from us (we all do it...LOL).

I worked on "Pink All Over" this weekend.  I don't have my design wall up yet as I am testing the Block Butler to be sure it will, in fact, stay up on my walls since they are texturized.  However, I did want to post WHAT NOT TO DO!

I was just chugging along on Sunday without a care in the world, happy as a clam to be sewing.  While trimming up guess what I did.....and then I felt defeated - actually was more upset with myself than anything!  Always, always be sure to check what should be cut and what not to cut...LOL  Lesson Learned!

So, I put that aside and worked on a single BOM block for an on-line group and made mistakes.  I think my mind must have been in a 'fuddle' because, as you can see, I'm going frogging this morning...Grrrr

 

At this point, I stopped -- had to was afraid of what might happen next...LOL

Happy New Year 2010 !!

It's a new year and I've plans for new quilts ... not that I don't need to finish the UFOs I already have...LOL

My resolution is to do nothing but quilt.  It makes me Happy and I get lost for hours at a time; dinner, what's that you say? 

I started this blog in an attempt to keep me on track....unless of course I get sidetracked. So, I've decided to try and post a weekly blog about whatever happenings are happening! Bear with me as I figure out the Blogger and all it's quirks ~

I'm so excited and ready to tackle that stack of UFOs, as well as some mystery kits I never got around to doing (hanging head) but didn't list ... I'd have to dig them out first but I've got at least 10 sitting around.

And then...there are the three quilt classes at a LQS I received as Christmas presents from DH.  When I went to gather my fats for The Buggy Barn "Heart Crazies" class I realized I only had 2 pieces (each 1 yd) of white on black...which actually surprised me!  So, off I went and gathered 8 more - 9 fats of each color (red, black, white on black) are needed for this pattern.  I received 10% off those because I brought their bag with (I love discounts for remembering to bring the LQS bag with) and, on top of that, I received one 25% off coupon for each class (3) and used those coupons to purchase fabrics for the back of each quilt; 25% discount on one cut of fabric, for each class, which is why I purchased backing fabrics for each one...woohoo!!

QNN TV - Home Page

http://www.qnntv.com/aspx/qnn/default.aspx#
Wonderful Online Resource.

Joseph Bruno 1894 Quilt

This quilt was made for my great uncle, Joseph Bruno, upon his retirement from North Creek Hotel in 1894. The quilt will be hung in the Adirondack Museum, New York for an upcoming temporary exhibit "Common Threads: 150 Years of Adirondack Quilts and Comforters." starting December 2008 through November 2009. I am so proud to be the owner of this wonderful quilt and even happier I am now able to share it's beauty with others!

The blocks of the Heavenly Twins was made by the Twins and their faces are made of leather and the sleeve tops actually 'puff' out.

Stagecoach is appliqued and the horses are actually oil paintings of depicting the actual horses that drew the stagecoach.