Am I seeing double???

As usual on a quiet Sunday morning I am sitting here checking my email and visiting Facebook to see what everyone is up to.  Today is tamale making day at my house so it’s about to get crazy.  Yesterday was tamale making day for my cousins in San Diego and of course they posted pictures. 

So why am I seeing double???

This is a quilt that I have hanging on my wall in my living room.  It was made by Frances Moore (I love Frances) and I purchased it during a quilt auction many years ago.  According to the label it was made back in 1999.  Every Christmas I pull it out and display it. 

So what a shock it was when I saw this picture on my cousin Stephanie Landa’s Facebook page this morning.

Now I bet you are seeing double. 

Enjoy,

Five of a Kind - 2018

A while back I shared the the 5 travel cases I made for the “Five of a Kind” Christmas gift exchange that I participate in each years.  Once again, here’s what I made. 

Today was the day for our exchange and luncheon.  Want to see what I received????? I did good.  I’m very pleased. 

Here we go.

First up, this darling little wall hanging made by Justine Gentile.  It will look great on my front door in February. 

Another wall hanging but this one is made from wool.  See that big bell on his hat?  This was made by Lynette Ashton.

A beautiful hand stitch eye glass case (or maybe a case for my rotary cutter) was made by Christi Kolisnyk.

Pat Adair made this wonderful wall hanging to celebrate St. Patrick’s day.  This one may be a little large for my front door but I will definitely find a place to hang it in March.  Love the label Pat. 

Last but certainly not least is a candle holder with a battery operated candle.  Nancy Post made this using the bottom of clay pots for the base and the top told.  I guess she glued them in place before painting the entire this.  It is really well made. 

I guess that it until next year.  I’ll start thinking about that after we get through the holidays. 

Enjoy, 

Design Wall Monday – December 3, 2019

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a picture of my design wall but here it is, a Poinsettia for my front door.  

I am getting ready to make a queen size quilt using curved piecing so I though this was a nice way to practice.  This is a free pattern available on the Sew Kind of Wonderful blog using their Quick Curve Ruler. 

I still need to add the binding before I can hang it on my front door and hopefully that will happen today.

Enjoy,

Five of a Kind - 2018

I am part of a group of 12 women that celebrate a Christmas gift exchange each year.  Instead of making 12 gifts, we each make fivK, hence the name Five of a kind.  This year I’ve made travel cases.  I started with a pattern by P3 Designs and made a few minor changes.  I changed the size slightly and added the hexies, triangle thread catchers and little pin cushions that can Velcro to the front when the case is open. 

Of course I had to make a sample for myself.  Here’s mine all loaded up.  Everyone won’t get all the goodies like mine, they will have to add their own supplies, but I did include the small cutting mat and a small ruler. 

The little triangle thread catcher folds flat so it can be tucked inside along with the little pin cushion. 

I  love mine and I hope the five that receive one like it too.  The exchange is on Friday the December 7th.  I’ll share the five gift I receive after that 

Enjoy,

Sweet Lily–Becomes a Wedding Quilt

I just put the finishing touches on this quilt.  It’s been waiting for the binding to get added and I finally finished sewing it on this morning. 

This was a kit I purchased quite a while back from Quiltique in Henderson, NV.  At the time I didn’t have a plan for it but as it turns out I think it is a perfect wedding gift.  I was told they like neutrals with just a little bit of color added so I think this works. 

Here’s a close-up so that you can maybe see the color. 

Soft but pretty I think. It has wool batting so the quilting really shows up nicely.   Here’s the label that Bear’s Quilt Shop added for me and as always they did a wonderful job quilting it for me. 

As you can see the wedding is next weekend.  It is being held at a Vineyard out in Temecula, CA.  We are really looking forward to going. 

Until next time,

Enjoy,

Retreat Quilt

I just got home from another wonderful retreat at Vina de Lestonnac, a retreat center in Temecula, CA.  I have been fortunate to stay two times in the same sleeping room and it is one of rooms that has quilts on the beds.  I fell in love with this quilt the last time I stayed in the room and again this time. 

It is twin size and has very thin batting in it.  It is quilted with an all over meander that is fairly small.  I’m sure it’s been washed many, many time and it is extremely soft and comfy.  I have no idea who made it and if it’s an actual pattern but it’s easy enough to duplicate.  I checked for a label but unfortunately I didn’t see any indication of who made it. 

I’m pretty sure I see this one in my future, I just love it.  I may change up a few of the blocks but I love that they are set on point and how the border sets it off. 

Enjoy,

Design Wall Monday–September 3, 2018

Nothing new on the old design wall but I did finish another new skirt.

I’m slowing getting rid of some of my old skirts and replacing them with new.  It’s fun and a quick and easy project. 

I’d like to get a quilt top layered so that I can start quilting it.  We’ll see maybe it will happen over the next few days.

In the mean time…………………….

Enjoy,

My Yellow Skirt

I’ve been wanting to make a “retro” looking yellow skirt for a while.  I thought the fabric would be easy to find........not!  I finally found this one and only fabric at M & L.  Fortunately it was exactly what I was looking for.  I’ve had it cut out for a while but finally sat down and sewed it together this morning.     Enjoy,  

Design Wall Monday - August 27, 2018

It’s been a while since I’ve had a Design Wall Monday post.  I don’t exactly have a design wal to shae but I do have a couple of things I’m working on.  As I’ve mentioned before I’m in the process or relacing some of my older skirts.  I have two cut out and hopefully I’ll get them sewn up tday.    Here’s my Yellow skirt.  I think it has a slightly retro look to it.  

I loved this fabric when I found it and decided it would make a great skirt.   Enjoy,

Posting a Blog Post from my IPad

I am trying to transition from using my laptop for just about anything to attempting to use my iPad more and more.   As a test to see how it’s working, here is a picture of a quilt top that I worked on last week.  

Until next time, Robin

Design Wall Monday–July 23, 2018

I’m not sure I like this but this is what was most recently on my design wall.

I decided to play with making a small (20” square) piece using a herringbone pattern.  It’s very similar to a braid but notice how the rows are interwoven together.  It wasn’t hard, just different.  My fabric choice is questionable.  My excuse is I was in Las Vegas and these are what I had that would show the contrast of light versus dark.  I don’t know whether I like it or not.  Maybe with different fabrics I would like it better.  I’ll have to dig around and see what else I can come up with. 

Enjoy,

Size Really Does Mater

I’m in Vegas this week attending a Quilting Retreat that I’ve been coming to for close to 20 years.  I usually teach one day and this year I taught a “Great Grammy Square”.  The idea is to make 12” blocks and make as many or as few as you like to make anything from a wall hanging, table runner, throw quilt all the way up to a king size quilt.  In talking to my friend Barb, we were discussing pin cushions we each had using basically the same idea.  She brought her pincushion (the one on the bottom), and I brought mine. 

The end result was a study in cutting size and the finished blocks. 

The block at the top is what we are making this week.  It is made using 2 1/2” squares.  The next one (it’s just sooooooo cute), is made using 1 1/2” squares.  Reduce the cut by another  1/4” in and you have the cute pincushion with the red button in the middle, it was made using 1 1/4” squares.  And that cutie at the bottom (Barb’s pincushion) is made using 1” cut squares. 

I’m always amazed at what a big difference the cut size makes.  I always think whether it’s 1” or 1/4” it’s not going to have a huge impact but sure enough…………..SIZE DOES MATTER.  

Enjoy,

Design Wall Monday–July 9, 2018

I’m back to working on this…….

My Great Grammy Squares.  This is just a sampling.  I actually have 26 blocks made using these fabrics from two different (but similar) Bonnie and Camille lines.  I’ll be teaching this next week at a Las Vegas retreat so I need to put the finishing touches on the instructions today and tomorrow.  As you may recall, this is the same (but different) as the quilt and shams I recently finished. 

I also just finished a boring but practical skirt.

I have a couple of really cute tops that I’ll now be able to wear with my boring white skirt.  Like I said, practical and boring but we can’t all be “The Star”. 

Until next time………………………….

Hugs,

3 More Skirts

Who said skirts need to be boring.  Check out these fun ones. 

A quick story about the women’s face skirt.  I watch a lot of “The Cooking Channel” so of course I see a lot of Chef Anne Burrell on various shows.  What you may not realize is that Anne always wears a skirt (straight line instead of my A-line) and they are made for her.  Well one day I was watching one of the shows that she is on and she had a skirt on made out of this Robert Kaufman face fabric.  If she can do it, why can’t I.  BTW, I was able to find the fabric on the flat folds at M & L so the skirt cost me under $5.00 to make.  And a second BTW, the fabric name is “Bouffants and Broken Hearts”. 

I’d like to make one more (a boring white one) before next week but I have other things that are a priority so we’ll see if that happens. 

Enjoy,

2 New Skirts–More To Come

It is unbelievable how hot it is here in Southern California.  I live in Seal Beach and today the temperature topped out at 110 degrees.  By any standard that is very, very hot. Thank goodness we have air conditioning so today I stayed inside and finally manage to get a couple of new skirts made.  Most you you know that I have worn a skirt just about every single day for the last several years.  I haven’t made a new one in quite some time and it’s definitely time to retire some of the old ones and replace them with new ones. 

Both of them were made with fabric I purchased while visiting Kauai a few months ago.  Hopefully tomorrow I’ll get a few more made.  They are actually quite simple to make and don’t take much time, it’s more a matter of just doing it. 

Enjoy,

Design Wall Monday–July 2, 2018

Not exactly my design wall, more like my design yard but however you see it it’s a “Finish”.  Yeah!!!!!

I call this one my Great Grammy Square quilt and shams and it’s what I will be teaching in a couple of weeks in Las Vegas.  This is my second one using Kaffe Fasset fabrics.  The first one is currently on my bed and is similar to this one, but different. 

I’m also working on another version using two different Bonnie and Camille fabric lines and Kona white.

This one will have a very different feel to it and probably won’t be as large.  I have 24 blocks already made but I’m not sure how big I want to make it.  I guess for now I’ll just keep making blocks and eventually add sashing and borders. 

I still have several skirts to make but I got sidetracked by finishing the Kaffe and gray quilt.  I also need to finish writing the tutorial for the upcoming class.  Guess I better get moving and just do it.  

Enjoy,