Ironing Pad/Tote

While I was at my Vegas quilting retreat, one of the gals had an ironing Pad that also served to tote a hot iron.  I didn’t see it but my sister Melinda did.  After we got home we did a search on the internet and saw a pattern for one that we think is similar or maybe the same as the one Melinda saw.  We decided we didn’t need a pattern all we need was the material and we could make one.  I was the guinea pig and made one and it seems to work.  I have no idea if it’s the same as the one in Vegas or the picture I saw but it works and it’s cute, if I do say so myself.

I can’t wait to try it out. 

Enjoy,

I’m Baaaaack!

I’m back after a much needed break from Blogging.  I may not have been blogging but I’ve been very busy.  I’ll be sharing many things with you over the next week or so.  I have many pictures from the Las Vegas retreat I attended, a new tutorial for a fun little “Magic Wallet” and much more.  But for now I just have to show you my new shoes.  I was at IQF in Long Beach today and I managed to not add to my fabric “collection” but I couldn’t pass up these. 

and these………

And here’s a side view……

I love them both. 

Stay tuned and Enjoy!

Vegas Workshop

Sorry that I’ve gone missing the last few days.  I’m in Vegas with my sister at our annual quilting workshop.  Yesterday was my day to teach so I’ve been plenty busy.  I will share more when I get a chance but in the mean time here’s a few blocks that I made on Monday, it is part of a quilt called Happenstance.  Hopefully I’ll finish the top today and will get a chance to post another picture.

See you soon!

Enjoy,

Trunk Show Thursday–7/14/11

Yesterday was a very busy day so this is a day late but here it is anyway.

This is my original Lattice Patch that is now the cover quilt for my newest pattern.  I originally made this several years ago but didn’t have a name or write the pattern until recently.  I’ll be teaching this in Vegas next week. 

Enjoy,

A Gorgeous RQe logo Charm

I have more to show you later but for now I’m just going to show off my new logo charm.

 

It so so darn cute!  My friend Karen Waterbury made it for me.  Karen makes jewelry and personalized pendants.  She has a fairly new blog http://karenwaterbury.blogspot.com/ and you can also find her on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/kwdesigns2.  She is very talented and I know you’ll love what she’s doing. 

Thank you Karen, I love it!

Enjoy,

Miss August

She’s finished and although it’s still July, Miss August is hanging on the front door.

Here’s a close-up so that you can see a little of the quilting.

She is just so darn cute!  My granddaughter Emily and I have been brain storming the next 11 months.  We’ve go so many ideas that will make this a really fun project. 

Enjoy,

Design Wall Monday–7/11/11

Meet Miss August – My First Calendar Girl

Over the last few day’s I’ve shown you my efforts to take the Garden Girl pattern from Garden Club Quilts by Country Threads, Inc. and turn her in to my own paper pieced version.  My plan (at least until it changes) is to make one mini-quilt each month and dress her appropriately for the month she represents.  So without further delay…….drum roll please………

Miss Aggie August

She’s going to get a small border of the sunflower fabric then I need to quilt her and find a place to hang her up on the wall.

I think I’m in love.

To see what others have on their design walls, head on over to Judy’s Patchwork Times to check It out. 

Enjoy,

Miss August is in the Making

Yesterday I showed my EQ version of a Garden Girl.  As I mentioned, she is inspired by Garden Club Quilts by Country Threads, Inc.  It’s certainly not exact but let’s just say, she’s similar.  I think I’m going to make individual small quilts.  I’ll find a place to hang them one at a time, changing it out each month. 

My version is going to be paper pieced and will be a 12” square.  Yesterday I printed out the PP pattern but since it’s a 12” block it prints out on 4 different pieces of paper.  After taping it together and then cutting it apart in segments, I took it to Office Depot and had them make copies. 

Here’s the fabrics I picked out for Miss August.

She’s going to be wearing a sunflower dress with a red hat and shoes.  I’ve started making it so you can check back tomorrow to see how she turns out. 

Enjoy,

Garden Girls

I have always loved these Garden Girls and have wanted to make some for quite some time.  You can see one of the girls here,

from this book.

Unfortunately it is out of print.  I was able to find one awhile back by buying a used book through Amazon. 

I actually own a wall hanging with three of the Garden Girls.  It was made by my friend Frances Moore and I purchased it at a guild auction several years ago.  Here it is hanging on the wall of my dinning room. 

I’ve recently been inspired by Stephanie of Loft Creations.  If you haven’t seen Stephanie’s quilt you really should head over to her blog and check it out. Her Garden Girls are really, really cute.  I’ve also seen a few other variations so I’ve decided the time has come to make some. 

I got out the book and decided that maybe it would be easier if I slightly redesigned the block so that I could paper piece it.  Here’s the first one I came up with. 

I like her but I think her head’s a little big so instead of redoing the whole thing I decided she needs a chin/neck and hair. 

I’m planning on doing 12, one for each month of the year so each month she can have different clothes, shoes and hat.  Now that she has hair (OK maybe not much hair, but neither do I) some months she can be blond, some months brunette and maybe even gray, I’ll decide as I go. 

Enjoy,

A Beautiful Piece of Jewelry

My dear friend Merna has always been a crafter and she is now into making glass jewelry.   Here’s a piece she gave me as a gift.  Isn’t it beautiful?

She and her husband, Rog moved to Texas many years ago but they are back “home” for a few weeks and are staying with they’re youngest son, Tom.  The good news is that Tom lives really close to us so we’ve already seen them three times and we’re going to have breakfast with them again on Monday.   We’ve really missed them.   We used to have dinner together at least once a week.  You really know who your true friends are when you can go without seeing them for several years and pick up exactly where you left off.   Sure wish they’d move back. 
Enjoy,

Trunk Show Thursday–7/7/11

Round and Round We Go

Here we go with this week’s truck show quilt.  This one was made back in 2005. I had purchased a kit from Elisa’s Backporch at a local quilt show, it included a tower of batik fat quarters as well as the templates.  As it turned out, my sister Melinda had also purchased the kit at a show back east.  Sooooo, when she came for a visit she brought her fat quarters with her and we spent time making drunkard’s path blocks. 

Enjoy,

Practicing my Feathers

I love feathers but I’m not very good at quilting them…….YET!  I know that what I need to do is practice, so yesterday I practiced.  I’m making a little giftie for someone.  The project needs just some simple quilting to hold it together, in fact I usually just do some simple straight line quilting.  Today?  Feathers. 

The good news is that the fabric is so busy you can’t even see my quilting…….believe me, that’s a good thing.

See I told you, you can’t even see it. 

Here’s the back where you can actually see the quilting.  I told you not very good, but I’m determined and will continue to work at it.   When the project is complete you can’t even see this side. 

The giftie is now finished and will go in the mail later today.  I hope the nice person I’m sending it to likes it.

Enjoy,

Design Wall Monday–Independence Day July 4, 2011

My design wall looks exactly like it did last week. 

I’ve take the blocks off the wall several times trying to figure out how best to trim them so that I can sew them back together.  So far everything I’ve considered just doesn’t feel right.  I’m not sure how long I can put this off but I think I’ll take them down later today and play with something different.  To see what others have on their design wall head on over to Judy’s Patchwork Times blog.

In the mean time,  and far more important, those of us in the United States are celebrating our nations Independence Day, also known as The 4th of July!  One of my favorite patriotic songs is America the Beautiful.  There are so many wonderful renditions but this one is new to me.  I found it while visiting some of the blogs I follow.  Thank you Such a Sew and Sew for sharing. 

God Bless America!

Enjoy,

Lattice Patch is at the Printer

I finally spent some time finalizing my newest quilt pattern “Lattice Patch” and sending it off to the printer.

I’ll be teaching it to a bunch of quilters in Las Vegas in a few weeks.  Fun, fun, fun!

Enjoy,

Seal Beach–My Home Town - NQR

Unfortunately there’s no sewing going on around here this weekend.  But my husband and I did manage to go do my favorite Mexican restaurant.

Not exactly what you’d call fancy, in fact it’s right across the street from the Seal Beach Pier.  If you’re wearing long pants and closed toe shoes you just might be considered over dressed. 
After dinner John and I took a leisurely walk out on the pier.  Here’s the view looking towards the end of the pier and then a picture of when you turn around and look back at Main Street and the beginning of pier. 


As you’re walking out on the pier you can peer over the side and see a parking lot on the left.  Tonight these two guys were parked right there entertaining anyone that wondered by.

I guess at the end of the day they just close up the umbrellas, climb in the cab of the truck and head home.  

It was late in the day so the beach had pretty much cleared out. 
Last but not least is a photograph of “Slick” the Seal Beach mascot.  Notice his shiny nose?  It’s suppose to be good luck to rub his nose whenever you walk by.   I can’t begin to tell you how many times over the years I’ve rub that shiny nose, and I think it’s working.  I feel pretty darn blessed and lucky. 

Enjoy,