Sylvia's Bridal Sampler

I finished the last three of the blocks that the Quiltingsisters are doing this month. They're not perfect but good enough for me. I haven't paper pieced for a quite some time so it was fun doing it again. I can hardly wait for next months assignment. C6 - Crossed Canoes
A-5 Amethyst

E-1 Nine-Patch

Now it's time to move on to something else for a while. I need to make a new sample of "Magnolia Lane" so I guess I'll go cut it out so I can sew on it later.

Sylvia's Wedding Sampler

Another block completed. This one is B10 - Friendship Star. As you can tell we are doing the easier ones first and saving the more difficult for later.

Elm Creek Quilts

I belong to an online yahoo group called Quiltingsisters. Several of us are making Sylvia's Bridal Sampler. Each month my sister, Melinda is assigning blocks for us to make. She is assigning them in order of difficulty mixing strip pieced, paperpieced and templates. There are a total of 140, 6" x 6" blocks. This is just the beginning of a long journey. Here are my first two blocks.

K3 - Churn Dash

H8 Pinwheel 1

Until next time,

Cute New Purse

At a recent quilt show a bought a really cute purse pattern. Now keep in mind, I design purses, bags, quilts and other odds and ends but I still can't resist buying a pattern now and then. This one was really cute it's called "Sonoma Swing Bag" by Pink Sand Beach Designs.





I'm leaving for "Spring Quilt Market" in Pittsburgh later this week and I though this was a great little bag that I could carry and it would hold just enough. I loved the fact that the outside pocket is just large enough to hold my IPhone (most cell phone pockets aren't quite large enough).






Now that I finished this one I think I'll make another one in black and white.

First Project On My New Machine

So if you had a brand new Bernina that costs a gazillion dollars what would you make? A gorgeous piece of clothing, a tiny delicate miniature quilt or a beautifully sewn machine appliqué? Well not me! My first project on my brand new Bernina 820 is………………………………

“TISSUE HOLDERS”! Yes my very first project was 18 tissue holders for the next quilting retreat that Two Wacky Women is hosting.

As it turns out, it really wasn’t such a bad project. First I got to practice winding a bobbin (a piece of cake). Then I got to thread the machine or should I say let the machine thread itself (once again a piece of cake). I chain pieced everything so I really used the knee lift a lot. The thread cutter worked like a charm.

I’m still in love with my new machine……..who knows what the next project will be. Stay tuned.

The Evolution of the ORT Jar

The first thing you need to know is that my friend Terri's husband, John, is quite a character. He's very funny but also very clever. After making ORT jars at my friendship group last night, Terri took her ORT jar home and showed it to John. Here's the message and pictures I received.

"John liked this little project and sees great potential for holiday themed print to be used as a coke or beverage container at parties to identify your drinks. Here are his pictures."

Thank you John and Terri for sharing. If you'd like to make an ORT Jar or a beverage container visit my sister, Melinda's blog.