Christmas Gifts

Made for great grandson who loves GREEN tractors..for Christmas..Pillowcase. This was shown at my Tacoma Quilt group...."Show 'n Tell time

2 others I made....one with baseballs and the other for a girl.for Christmas

 Peasie Hats made for grandson's for Christmas

 Wall Hanging 'Live Simply' ...made for daughter-in-law.

The is the final installment of the 12 month wall hanging that I did each month with 

CountryJunktion.com....They were a challenge but I enjoyed doing them. Techniques were needle turn applique.....in the ditch stitching.....short-arm quilting.....button hole stitch.

Something different on each one. You can scroll through my posting and see each one for 12 months. 

This is December 8" x 22"

November finishes

This is the a little panel that I picked up at the Maine Quilt Show in July. I did a lot of stitching outlining in gold....black...and then added the sparkles and a star atop the tree to give it a little bling.

The story behind this is, I felt inspired to make this for a gal in our church that was almost dead and the Lord touched her and she lived and our church just set her up in her own apartment in time for Christmas. Her old apartment had been disbanded and  all her things gotten rid of except personal things. I felt she needed something special. We all know she is a miracle. I wrote at top left "God's Gift" and to the right "A Miracle"  and her name and date. For truly she is a miracle.

These are special pillow cases. The reason I decided to open them up is because on the first one I only had pieces but a great piece of baseball material and it worked out great. The last one is for my great-grandson - 2 who into green tractors...You can give him a farm book and he will spend hours looking through it...very unusual. When I was visiting my son in Tn. I found this perfect piece at Hancock's.

Close up

This is called 'Bargello with a twist' by Maggie Ball. Each year our quilt chapter has a challenge and this year we chose this. Mine is 40x40 and when I was in Tn purchased most of the material...I was really challenged in reading the book as it is not explained well but when I got past that with help from the gals it went together in jiffy time and I am really pleased...I am using wool batting and will be hand quilting. My hand are ready to do a small project. I have until Spring to finish. All the gals will be different coloring and layout. There are approx. 21 different ways you can turn these blocks to make a design..The light color is the key piece.

Table Runner & Nov. BOM

This is the 11th (November) in a series of 12. Country Junktion. size 8"x22".

designed by Amy Heaton.

 This is a kit I purchased last year at the Maine Quilt Show and finally got it finished. Christmas design...I quilted on my short-arm.

This is a close up

I try finishing something every month.

October BOM

This is my finished Block of Month - 10 in a series of 12 from CountryJunktion.com.  Almost to the end....Size  8"x22"

September BOM

This is my finished Block of Month - 9 in a series of 12 from CountryJunktion.com. This is one of my favorites.. they have been really fun to do,

 

August Block of Month

This is my eighth in the block of the month series with countryjunktion.com. I used several different techniques. It is posted online the 1st of each month. Mine will be a Christmas gift. Designed by Amy Heaton on Connecting Threads.  

Ohio Collection in progress

This is my Ohio Collection by Anita Shackelford that all the piecing was done in 2005 and has sit in a box until now. I did not have the expertise to put it together then. All different sizes and no pattern to lay it out..lots of gaps to be filled in..I am really enjoying it and hopefully will have it all done by Fall. Over 1/2 way there. Below is English paper piecing block...I had one done but the pieces were larger so decided to re-do and I am hand sewing to a piece of fabric and will fit it in the blank space. This was a monthly workshop I took at a local quilt store. I am the only one who finished all the blocks.

July BOM

This is my July BOM Mini. Finished!! 7th in a series of 12 Country Junktion.

LOG CABIN ZOO

This was made for my great nephew, Nicholas Roland  born May 31, 2012. It is named 'Log Cabin Zoo' . It is 30" x 50". I wanted to make something bright ....the back is delightful with all the colors.  Book: QUILTS for BABY by Ursula Reikes ...Patchwork Press 1993. It is an old book and I have made several out of it. They are easy and fun....fabric is what make them. 

America the Beautiful

This is a pattern offered in McCalls Quilt Magazine 2011. It was a series of 6 parts. Seven of us gals in my quilt group challenged ourselves making it from our current stash. We chose our colors as we did each part. At least for me hoping it would all come together. We gave ourselves a certain period of time to finish. Two of us have finished. It was fun Size 72" x 92" 

Titled: "AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL"

Mine is above and Pauline's below.

What fun we have been having.

June Block of Month Mini

 

Series of 12....block with countryJunktion.com ..fun!!

May BOM

This is the 5th in a series of 12 mini's that I have finished. The blocks are free each month from Country Junktion

Freezer paper needle turn applique....stitch in the ditch....special fancy stitching.I have really enjoyed them. 

Nature's Rhythm

This is named "Nature's Rhythm" design by S.K. Peters for Clothworks. It was a simple quilt but I love the movement of the fabrics and it was very satisfying to make.

Confetti wall hanging

This was the newest technique I have learned. Our local quilt group had a workshop this past week. It is called 'Confetti quilting.' First you make the background with grass, mountains, sky or whatever you choose. Then cut out the tree using  lite heat 'n bond and iron it on. Batik fabric's are cut into tiny pieces and placed and cover the whole picture with tulle and machine quilt.

I was amazed at how it came out. I really enjoyed the process and have many ideas with my own drawings  or you can use any pictures. Our instructor Alvine had many samples of things that she had done.  It was a lot of fun...but I did learn the hard way YOU DO NOT IRON IT or the tulle disintegrates!! It was lots of fun. Size 12" x 14".

60 degree table runner-Octagon mat

Our quilting group had a workshop for a 60 degree table runner. This idea has been around for a while but if I do not have some walk me through certain things it goes right over my head. I finally conquered it and was told to just add a couple more to the octagon. They came out very well and I am pleased with them. These will probably be the only ones I make but at least I challenged myself.

Sassy Purses

Sassy Purses

I have made eight of these purses for family and myself. The pink one is for a friend...she saw it... like it and asked me to make one for her. She picked out her own fabrics. The handles have screws on the ends so you can make several and just change the handle. The pattern is very easy and they come out so good. It was designed by Barb D. 

Funky Folk Flowers

This is a class I took with Busy Thimble over 10 years ago. I had finished 8 blocks. This was a learning experience in learning 'how to ' do freezer paper needle-turn applique. The center blocks are 8" and 1 1/2" border. This was designed by Susan L. Powell 1998/99. I really stretched myself as far as choosing colors. The idea was funky folk.....I really am glad it is done and really like the result.

March BOM, panel, wall hanging

I have been busy the fist part of the month ...This Mini Wall Hanging is the third in a series of 12 offered FREE by  www.countryjunktion.com. I used  freezer paper and needle turn applique....machine quilted....also different colors for the clovers and gold buttons. 

 This is a kit from Keepsake Quilting in NH. I like to name my quilts and this is "Wild Animal Kingdom". It is machine quilted and bound.

I named this one 'Bird of a Feather". I found wonderful fabrics with cardinals on a shop hop with my quilt group last year. Pattern is from Fons and Porter-Love of Quilting Nov/Dec. 2011. 18" x 52". I used various quilting designs on it. The colors and depth of it do not show up very well. It was a fun one for me to do.

Reversible Apron

Our Tacoma Quilt group met today and we had an all-day workshop to make aprons for those who chose to. This is not my cup of tea if you know what I mean. But I had this beautiful Christmas fabric given to me about 2-3 years ago by my quilter friend Sherry. She had been making aprons that were reversible with stitching that you could run the cord free so it would fit anyone. Today there were several patterns offered but I like 'simple' and 'quick' so decided to make this. Sherry was sick so I improvised and took a basic pattern and made a pattern and created this version. It really came out nice and I will give it as a Christmas gift. I never finish anything at a workshop but 'I did'...hooray!! Thank you Sherry for the inspiration. You can see the gals at our Tacoma blog.http://tacomalakesquilters.blogspot.com

February Mini BOM -

Block of the Month - February ....Country Junk'tion pattern by Amy Heaton. 8 x 22". I did needle turn applique and used heavy bonding for ribbon.

 A funny thing happened while I was beginning to top stitch. I had made myself a healthy drink ...chocolate based with bananas and blueberries and sat it next to me. Well, I hit that and it covered me and my hanging...broke the tall glass and covered the scatter rug and floor.....what a mess!  I washed the hanging and it came out beautiful......thankfully! I learned a valuable lesson....do not put your drink on a sewing machine...The thing is I never do...I usually place it behind me on a table....It sure was a mess. But I really like the way this turned out. The original was done in Pinks and Greens. BUT I am a black and white person so decided to do my own thing.

Part #2 America the Beautiful

This is the second section of a 6 part McCall's 'America the Beautiful' (see side bar for finished quilt). Four of us started out doing it and have been joined by another. I thought I would never get done these trees...stars are needle turn applique. The star within a star was part of the fabric which I fussy cut. 

Part #1 America the Beautiful

This is part one in a series of 6 of 'America the Beautiful' sampler Quilt from McCall's Quilt magazine 2011. There are four of us doing this using only our stash. We have given ourselves a year if we need it. It is challenging because you are tempted to purchase that 'right' material.You can see the finished quilt on the sidebar.The names are 'Fields Block'...'Shining Sun Block'...'Barn Block'....Designed by Lynn Lister.

Sampler Plus-Tacoma Challenge

Our quilt group had a drawing to receive 9 blocks and we could finish off any way we decided. These will be finished and displayed at the State of Maine Quilt show in July. I chose to add one more block and then use embroidered flowers that I had purchased at an auction a few years ago, which were made by a fellow quilter in my chapter.

I cut these down to 4" to showcase these as a center for this quilt.

Size is 51" x 65". Great to have it finished!!!

BOM Mini quilt

This is the first in a series of Monthly Mini quilts. 

Designed by Amy Heaton for Coun'try Junk'tion. The nose and Big Button are heavy heat 'n bond. All the other pieces are put on with lite heat 'n bond and then button hole stitched. It was a fun project. Heard about it on Quilt for Us.. I am a member.