Pillow to match Redwood quilt

Here is a pillow made out of Redwood fabrics that matches my Redwood quilt. It is 18"x18" square. I hadn't done a ruffle in a long, long time and forgot what a struggle they are-----------I even did it the way I find easy------------zig-zag a heavy thread (like perle cotton) to a little above the 1/4th" line and then pull that heavy thread to gather the ruffle, but it still was hard to do, but I'm happy (mostly) with the way it turned out!

Another beautiful day here in the neighborhood! Maybe Spring is finally here-lots of flowers in bloom which makes my heart happy! There were some wildflowers in bloom along the roadsides as we drove to Tyler (about 40 miles away) for another Quilt Show. It was fun to see the quilts and shop the venders. I got several bargains with $1.00 and $1.50 fat quarters for Project Linus Yellow Brick Road quilts. I'll be working on them on Friday at our DFW Gang Sit and Sew! We have such a good time when we get together!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Challenge to Myself Number Ten Top Finished!

Here is Challenge to Myself Number Ten top finished! I like the way it turned out even though it was a lot of fiddling!!!! It was fun to see the stars grow each time a row was added. This one is 51" x 52".

Now on to Challenge Number 11 which is a Bento Box. That should be a nice one to do. It will be all scrappy because I'm pulling all that fabric from my stash! My stash has gone down some in certain colors, but not as much as I would like!!!!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

What is "Plarn?"

"Plarn " is the words plastic and yarn put together to make a new word plarn. It is plastic bags cut into 2" strips that are tied together to form long strips that are crocheted into bed mats for the homeless. The first picture shows "Plarn" rolled into ball. The second picture shows it crocheted into a partial mat---it only shows part of the mat---the mat is 54" wide and will be 72" long. The third picture show a closeup of the crocheting---it is done with a double crochet.

My friend Jackie got me started with this --------her church is doing this as a project. You can read about it at Lutheran Church charities . The video tells all about it---how to cut the plastic bags and how to crochet them together. They use a single crochet, but Jackie's group is using a double crochet, which is going faster, IMHO! Jackie has been cutting all the bags for the one that I am crocheting, but now she wants to learn how to do the double crochet stitch so she can put them together as well. A single mat takes 500-700 bags! It's such a great way to get these bags out of the landfills and from along the highways! Seems like I always see one hanging from a tree, flapping in the breeze!

There are so many different charities that we can serve no matter where we are---seems like they just show up at the doorstep when you least expect them---keep your heart open as to where you can serve and one will find you!!!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!


Jan

Challenge to Myself Number Ten

Well, I've made it to number ten and this is the most labor intensive one yet! This Challenge to Myself quilt has stars which I love, but they are made a different way----with the points in the sashing and border. I had 720--- 1- 1/2" squares to sew on the corners of those sashings and borders, but as you sew it together it is fun as the stars appear and shine! I used scrappy everything for this quilt and I like the way it is turning out!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Some Knitting!

Been doing something new for me----knitting two socks at a time on 41" circular needles-----this has been quite a challenge, but I did it! They aren't perfect by any means, but they do look like children's socks and they were done 2 at a time!

The first picture shows the book I used which had very clear directions and pictures, if you paid attention to every word, which I sometimes would run on ahead and that wouldn't work out very well-------------I started over several times!!! Also shown in the picture is the needle(s) I used. They were made from bamboo and very nice to use.

The second picture shows the socks. They look a little different to me---sock two has a little more shape to it, don't know how I did that, but they give the "appearance" of socks.Don't know if granddaughter could wear them or not!

Anyway I'm glad I did them and probably will do another pair, since I have the yarn for them, this next yarn I have is a bit smaller, but says same gauge as first-------we''ll see what happens. But first I want to finish my challenge quilt which is coming along nicely!

Let quilting (and knitting?) help you make someone smile!

Jan

Checkmate!

This quilt is called "Checkmate" and is a pattern from Pieces of the Heart. I used some Zippity-Do-Da fabrics left over from a quilt and some charms that my friend Jackie gave me and some other scraps that I had from my stash. I didn't add the big border nor the navy border and it is still a good size quilt for Project Linus. It seems like a very happy quilt!


Today I plan to start on my Challenge To Myself quilt number 10! It's stars, so I know I will enjoy that one!!!


Let quilting help you make someone smile!


Jan

What a Difference 2 Borders Make!

Well, I put the 2 borders on the Disappering Nine Patch 2 and it does look better. I didn't have enough fabric to make a wide border, but a small one is okay because the length was already good enough. The fabric really isn't pure white as the picture shows, but is off white with pink polka dots.

Yesterday I was able to get some embroidery done on a pillow I am making to match my Redwood fabric quilt. It will match this quilt. It is very simple embroidery. I really am on an embroidery kick and am really enjoying it. I have 3 more projects lined up to do!! I'm off to the quilt shop today to get my list of things to go with these projects.

Also need a new ironing board cover---Maynard made me a big board ironing board, so when the top gets "used up", I just buy a couple yards of pretty fabric, cover the board and staple it to the back of the board, and I'm ready to go again. I love it---it's just my height for ironing sitting down. I'm just short on one end, so it is nice to have it just the right height!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Another Kind of Disappearing Four-Patch

Ran across this wonderful tutorial for making another kind of Disappearing Four Patch block, so just had to try it! It is easy, but looks complicated and that's what we like! I just realized that I forgot the top and bottom borders when I took the picture and so you will have to imagine them on there!!!! Wow, talk about being absent minded! The tutorial will tell you how to do the block.

"Red and Green Log Cabin" is a quilt that is going to Project Linus. I'm starting another pile of quilts to be delivered. I delivered a pile of 20 quilts a week ago--they are always so happy to get them. Makes me happy and spurred on to continue making them!

Last, but certainly not least are two pictures of a darling little pincushion that my friend JoAnn made for me. I turned it on it's side so you could see that it is made in a tartlet pan. It is just precious! Thank you, JoAnn!!!!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Dallas Quilt Show and Challenge #9

The Dallas Quilt Show was this week-end and who can resist going to that! The DFW Gang (we forgot to take a picture) consisting of Debi, Brenda, Sally, Marje, Maynard and myself met at Denny's and then headed to the quilt show--a virtual head-spinning adventure---so much to see, where do we look first!!! But we did all right and had a wonderful time! The picture shows my loot---I especially had fun getting the $1.00 fat quarters for the Yellow Brick Road Project Linus quilts! What a wonderful array there was of those. A new kit for wooly sheep and some notions and a new basket pretty much rounded out my purchases! Maynard enjoyed looking at machines and even had us all convinced he might buy an embroidery machine at the Bernina booth---only I wasn't fooled one bit----I know how he works---looks and looks and mulls it over in his engineering mind and then MAYBE buys it. It was lots of fun looking and looking is free!!!!!

Also shown is a picture of my 9th quilt top in my Challenge To Myself. I called it Purple Sunsets and it is a Snowball quilt. Now on to number ten!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Good Day for Some Cleaning Out!

It was a gray and dreary day that Saturday, so was a good day to go through the scrap basket and see just what was in there! Lots of little pieces and a few long pieces of left-over bindings. So I divided them up and the second picture shows what was left---nice, neat piles of 2.5" strips, now to pick out a pattern from my new book, "Scrap-Basket Surprises" by Kim Brackett published by That Patchwork Place. The trouble is picking just one--there are several that I want to do!!!

What I didn't show was the nice neatly rolled up bindings---all sorted together by colors---I figure that some of my quilts can have a scrappy binding! Most of the Project Linus quilts though have the back pulled to the front and stitched down for binding.

Also I have a bag full of short strips that I still want to use for the Aunt Philly's Toothbrush rugs -- someday I'm going to master that stitch!!!!!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh----that felt good to clean out---now what can I sort through--------my clothes closet-------------nah---fabrics are better!!!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Challenge To Myself Number Eight

Challenge to Myself Quilt Top Number Eight finished and ready to be quilted! This one was done by the tube method where you sewed 12 strips together and into a tube and then cut them so that they ended up in diagonal rows. Think I'll only do one of these!!!! I think you also make bargello quilts this way, too.

The next Challenge to Myself quilt is a snoball quilt--that one should be easier to do since I have done those before. I have 4 quilts to go and I'll have completed all 12. Maybe have to do her other book---"Fat Quarter Fun." Have to think on that for awhile!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Maynard's Finished Quilt Top!

Maynard finished his quilt top and in my humble opinion it is beautiful. He likes it, too, but he says his piecing isn't the best. I said for the first quilt and the hard pattern that it is, he did very well!!!! This pattern is in a recent issue of McCall's Quilting magazine. Now he can go back to the one he started a year ago and maybe finish that one! As you can tell, I'm very proud of him and his first quilt top!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Hearts Wall Hanging

Late for this year and early for next year, but I hung these hearts anyway! These hearts became a wall hanging on the wall where I have all the wedding pictures of the last generation , my generation and the present generation. It looks like it just fits there! I decided that it didn't really need to be seasonal!! It has just enough applique to "quench my thirst" for applique! It is in one of the current issues of McCall's quilting magazines. Fun to do because it is not too big, I enjoyed it a lot!

Rainy and dreary here--a good day to curl up with some knitting--I am trying to learn how to knit 2 socks at a time on a 40" circular needle----I got the first part----casting on the cuff and now am working on the instep. Next comes the heel, I think---have to follow those directions----it is a very interesting way of doing them and when you are done, you have 2 socks and you are done with a pair!

Going to also start on my next "Challenge to Myself" quilt--it is one where you make a tube of strips and then just rip a seam where you want the strips to start---seems a little confusing, but I'm sure I'll get it as I do it (I hope, I hope!!!)

Only a few days until the big Dallas Quilt Show---can't wait for that! The DFW Gang is meeting for breakfast and then going to the show---what fun! We always have such fun together!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Quilter and Husband Maynard

Husband Maynard is making his first quilt and he chose quite a project for his first one! Triangles in an octagonal setting--I think they are called LeMoyne Stars sometimes---Correct me on that one, please, if I am wrong!!!! The pattern is in a current issue of McCall's quilting.

I got a picture of him sewing and of the first half of his first quilt! Also a picture of him at the Little Gracie Pro II quilting a log cabin quilt for Project Linus. He is concentrating very hard at both tasks!!!!! He is an engineer so he has figured out different ways to do the quilt and since he is also a woodworker, and I didn't have the triangle template that he needed, he went out to the workshop (man cave) and made himself one of each of the two sizes that he needed!!!! I was impressed!

It's nice to have him share my hobby---he doesn't complain about fabric purchases, since he makes fabric purchases, too!! It is hard sometimes to share the sewing room, but I just set up the trusty Featherweight in the kitchen and I sew merrily along out there! We've been married 42 years, so I guess we have learned to share!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Almost Caught Up With Project Linus Quilts!

Here are 4 more PL quilts and I'm almost caught up!!! These were ones I had done at retreat--had help naming these-=-Jackie and JoAnn came up with cute names!

The first one is called "Life Savers." It is one of the "Challenge That I Gave Myself" quilts. It is made of Half Square Triangles and I used my pile of brights to choose the fabric from. I love bright! Second one is called "Skittles"---it's also very bright!

The third one I called "Neon Hula Hoops" because there are circles in the focus fabric that remind me of hula hoops---guess I am thinking about the hula hoops because that is one thing I can't do on the Fitness tape on the Wii!!!!! This is another of the "Challenge I Gave Myself" quilts also. I have done 7 in that challenge with 5 to go!

The fourth one is called "Strawberry Lemonade." It's not quite as bright as the others, but is right up there in second place!!!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Hodge-Podge

Been up to lots of Miscellaneous stuff this week---here's a few: Singing the Blues is for Project Linus---there's a little guy who looks like Elvis on here, so Jackie (the gal at retreat helping me name the quilts) named this one Singing the Blues!!! this is number 14 for the Project Linus pile for this year. Hope to get several more quilted to take to the drop off point on Saturday!

Here are 2 quilt barns blocks from a free online BOM that I found---just like the Ohio barns that are decorated with quilt blocks!

This is my Dresses quilt all finished---I love all the little dresses and it was so much fun embellishing them with lots of little tiny things. The panel is from Anna Lena. The fabrics are 1930s repros. Here is a closeup.

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

A Few More for Project Linus.........

These are again for Project Linus---I have so much fun making them, that I just can't quit! I call this our little ministry!

I called the first one "Rectangles and Squares because that is all it is--very easy pattern and yet I can't remember where I got it from---need to write all this stuff down I guess!! Number two is called "Lucky, Lucky Horseshoes" because there are lots of horseshoes in this one. It was one of my Challenge quilts from the book by Karen Snyder "Bundles of Fun. "

Number 3 is a Yellow Brick Road that has lots of Ladybugs that are reading a book called Grow Big Flowers and there are lots of flowers all around them, that's why I called it "Ladybugs and Flowers." And Number four is called "Dear Aunt Grace" because it is all Aunt Grace fabrics. I have grown to like Aunt Grace fabrics---they have a tendency to grow on you--have heard other people say that, too!!!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan