4-patch Doll quilt in progress

4-patch Doll quilt in progress

Originally uploaded by Q_uilted T_hrifted

     I hope to make this into a doll quilt. It is our Christmas project for the Tuesday Quilt Group I am in. This year we are buying a doll and making a quilt to go with it and then donating them. I’ve got a good start. Usually it gets finished the night before it is due. This one might even get done in time.
      I often work on a piece of cardboard and use stick pins to hold the pieces down. I tend to pick and chose fabrics as I go instead of designing and laying out the entire thing and then sewing. The cardboard allows me to carry the project from my sewing room to the TV room where I set up the ironing board. The computer is in the TV room as well which is usually where by boys are hanging out.

     My older son is home from college. It is so nice to have him around. He hasn’t been feeling well for over a month. Playing football out in the cold for the past 13 Saturdays probably hasn’t helped any. He is exhausted and is slowly healing his body. A quick trip to the doctor to get antibiotics and hopefully in 4-5 days he will feel better. He has allergies to dust, mites, and cats. I have been trying to wipe down just about everything I see.

     The younger son is battling streph. He is on antibiotics as well. What fun we are having!!!  He is so attentive to taking his medication morning and night. What a difference….from the older one!

     Last night was Tiger Cub Scouts. We played some math games with 4 boys and 1 girl. The 5 parents rotated around the room to play with each child. I find it is better for the child to play with a non-parent at least in our case. Daddy was a bit impatient! That doesn’t seem to happen with someone else’s child!!! Funny how that is.  I really enjoyed the evening and the children had fun.  No candy snacks tonight…..wow, does that ever wind them up! I had sticks of gum in case the children noticed no snacks but they were having so much fun and I didn’t think about it. It will keep for next time. Our older son was not interested in Cub Scouts. We are giving it a chance with the younger one. It gives him time with other children. We live in a neighborhood that does not have many children his age.

     I feel so good today I could jump out of my skin! I want to plan something fun for this evening with my family….what should I do with a 19 year old and a 7 year old? It may be pizza and a movie…that always goes over well. Any suggestions?

November 28 2008

I just came across a  4-patch that Jude did a few years ago. It is in ginghams. I was fortunate enought to come across a garage sale and acquired an unfinished quilt in ginghams. I will take photos and post soon. Jude, I really like this. I am always fascinated by the multitude of different fabrics you work with. If anyone else has 4 patch quilts they would like to add to this post just let me know.  

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Sunflower CQR What If…

Sunflower CQR What If…

Originally uploaded by Q_uilted T_hrifted

What If..
– I take the bargello theme and run with it for the center of my sunflower.
– I set the flower on top of the crazy quilted block.
– I put 3 dimensional petals around the edge of the flower (still in my mind)
– It takes me 10 years before I get the embroidery and embellishments on this one!

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I am really enjoying this project. It is 1am and I have the computer all to myself with no distractions!

I am getting really tired and will write more in the morning. I just wanted to get some progress noted on the CQR Flickr Group. I am mixing all the different projects I have worked on over the years with all the new techniques I am trying for the first time. I enjoy Jude’s work so much. It is exciting to push myself into an area I know nothing about…..all I know is I want to have texture in this project. I want to use as many scraps as possible. I want to do hand sewing on a foundation! I have to admit though I have been mixing machine sewing and handsewing on the same block. I feel like I am one with ADD…I jump from one to the other with enthusiasm and excitement.

I started this project by taking many of the 1 1/2 squares I have cut for my Triple Irish Chains and making them into a 49 Patch.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27565576@N02/2678216310/

I now have 3 blocks completed and a fourth in the fabric collection process. Not one fabric is the same! That does mean so far I have 147 different white and golden tone fabrics in the quilt. They are all from my stash or from bags and bins and boxes of fabric the Tuesday quilters have given to me over the years. I tell them “please

don’t throw anything away….I WILL use it” or at least attempt to.

The second block I wrote about a couple months back.

The third and fourth blocks I did were the circular centers of the two sunflowers. This one below I appliqued onto a solid foundation. The other one I appliqued onto what I thought was going to be a crazy quilted foundation. I still couldn’t pull myself away from an orderly process. I ended up with a radiating background.

I was able to do some of the hand sewing in the car for 12 weeks of football going back and forth to the games.

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They made it into the playoffs so I even worked on the the 13th week at home while listening to the game on the internet.

I love technology these days!

My appliqued block on a radiating foundation pieced background.

I still have all kinds of embroidery and bead work I want to do on this block. I really like the radiating affect.

The fifth block is the top one on the right side. I loved the leaf fabric and did not want to cut it into small pieces so I made stacked coins out of all the little white and off white scraps I have (believe me I do not throw anything away). I set them 1 inch in from the right side. It matches the stacked coins on the second block. I thought it would bring a theme that may run within the quilt.

The sixth and seventh blocks I went back to the sunflowers. I have been making a scrappy bargello quilt.

I wanted to take that theme and add it to this quilt as well.  I think what I ended up with is very nice and will be developed even further. I was finally able to achieve a crazy quilt block on a foundation. You can see it in the first picture above.

After appliquing the sunflower onto the foundation with the radiating pattern I cut out the back so it wouldn’t be so thick and heavy. I took the back and used it to represent the petals on this block. I then did the couching around the two seams. The texture is superb. Once it is quilted it will be even better.

This block is done in a freestyle piecing method. I wanted the feeling of depth. I may have to work on the concept a little further in future blocks. This one worked out OK. It has a 1 inch strip on the right side to give the block an a-symmetrical feel.  I like the overall affect it has on the quilt.

In total I have 15 blocks in progress. Three of them are adapted orphan blocks given to me by Sharyn R from the “Quilting Babes” the Tuesday Quilt group I am in.

The background fabric is a beautiful sunflower design that I just adore. I had to bring the block down from 9″ to 7 1/2″ unfinished. It wasn’t that difficult to do. I may make a few more stars with crazy quilting centers. I suppose it all depends on how large this will end up being!

And that is me at the bottom of this photo….Ha! Even my shoes are the color of this quilt. I told you it was my favorite color. You will see if over and over again in my clothes and things I make and thing I collect and items I thrift. I just really like it!

Well, it is now 1:58 am. I have been working on this for an hour. I am still a novice at all of this. Oh yes I am. Those that read this I thank you. If anyone wants to contribute with golden tone fabrics let me know! The scrappier the better … as I say!

Owl Tree Ornament

Owl Tree Ornament

Originally uploaded by Q_uilted T_hrifted

I purchased this at a thrift store for 49 cents. It was the first owl item I’ve purchased. I am now passionate about
the hunt for small owl items.

This one is a painted rock. It was also purchased at a thrift store a few weeks ago.

I really like this one…… Maybe it just reminds me of “Mom and Son”!

I love thrifting with a passion. I now have a number of owls. I want to paint a shadow box and put them inside in a small grouping.

I picked up a house box that I want to paint. Heaven knows when I will ever get around to it.

Items I collect.

Lavender hankerchiefs were one of my first collections. I would get them at Antique stores. This was before I really knew about thrift stores!

Wood Carved Santa Tree Ornaments. They were popular a few years back. I rarely see them any more.

Vintage quilting fabric, quilts and stuffed items made out of old quilts…teddy bears, rabbit, heart shape.. more teddy bears.

Aprons

Small porcelain dolls that I have hanging from a small Christmas tree.

Small Sewing Machines i.e. pencil sharpener

Hard Cover Suitecases. I have two. One I picked up at a garage sale this past year…filled with embroidered items, fabric and vintage table cloths..for $4.00!

My most recent thrift store purchase was a large trunk. I will try and photograph it soon. It needs to be cleaned…. My Dad said a little bleach in water should take the musty smell away. We could use it to put toys in….or some of my quilts! I just don’t want to put the quilts in unless I can get the smell out of the box.

I have in this past year been able to pick up some scrapbooking supplies.

I’ll write more…time to put the little one to bed!

He wanted me to add this. His Eric Carle collection of books.

Although we didn’t read Eric Carle tonight. We are on the second book of the Merlin Trilogy. He is pointing at the work awkwardly. It’s a word that is a little tough for a 1st grader! We’ve been reading by flashlight this past week. It is fun and helps with the wind down process…..as many lights off as possible….it’s magic…like Merlin the magician! Nite.

Strolling Around After Houston International Quilt Fest

I just love the shade of red in this quilt……it is fantastic!

Waxahatchi Quilt #2 Tulip Bulb – I think

I didn’t get to go this year so I pulled out some of the quilt tops I purchased in Texas after the show at Antique stores in the area. I am still excited that I took a little extra cash to make these purchases.

Originally uploaded by Q_uilted T_hrifted

Waxahatchi Quilt #2 Tulip Bulb – I think…
The second quilt top I purchased in Waxahatchi Texas. The red is so deep and strong in this quilt. The blocks are sewn together with black thread? I think that is strange… stranger yet is that it looks like one seam is machine sewn and the next is hand sewn.

I do think that the black stitching around the applique looks wonderful. I don’t even want to quilt this because it is so interesting to analyze the back of the quilt.

I do not see this pattern very often.

Here is a repair that was made prior to my purchase. I would say it is a little on the rough side but certainly keeps the hole from getting any larger.

Do you think a little mouse got at this one?

A bit of a pucker on this one…..

Two layers of fabric were quilted under this hole.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Close Up

 

Waxahatchi Blu Daisy

Pretty yellow

I really don’t know the formal name of this pattern.

This is one of my favorite blocks – polka dots

The villian of quilts ….. mice…..

 

 

 

 

Peace

A few weeks ago I woke up early and said to my guy…..the mist is rising from the lake it would be a perfect time to take some pictures and capture the moment….he listened…..and look what he came up with. I love them…. and I love him. He probably wouldn’t believe me if I told him. We tend to knock heads together quite a bit. The stubborn German in me and the stubborn man in him! I do love him though. We created two very beautiful boys together. They are both miracles. They are the proof to me that we were meant to be together. Without the two of us they would never be who they are.

The younger one is still close to the nest and the older one is flying like the geese above. Off to find himself. I think like the bird flying south for the winter and returning the next year… instinct will take him away and instinct will bring him back to us. The hardest thing I have ever experienced as a parent is watching the independence draw my child away. The younger one is home and brings such joy. What would I be doing today without him. Would the feelings be even more intense if my little guy wasn’t here to nurture and care for.

Mom and Dad need nurturing too. We too often don’t take the time for us. One thing is we both love and enjoy taking walks at all times of the day. I hope it is something that our boys will inherit from us. You only capture moments like this during the quiet early morning of the day. I want more times like this…

and I want my guy to know I love him. I love you.

I have to thank Lorimarsha for posting the quote below on her Flickr site. It really speaks to me.

“Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each of us individually. Peace, for example, starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us.” The Dalai Lama

P.S. Maybe my guy and I won’t knock heads together so much if we both find more inner peace!?!?!

If you click on the photo it will take you back to my Flickr site

Peace

Originally uploaded by Q_uilted T_hrifted

Autumn Quilt

Autumn Sampler

This is a top I made quite a number of years ago! I made it even before the Tuesday quilters group that I am in formed and that must have been around 1994. We purchased our current house in February of 1995. My first son was only 5 years old at the time. I think I took a class on this quilt…isn’t that strange I can’t remember back that far… scary. In fact to tell the truth I can’t even remember if my first son was born when I made this quilt. He may not have been. He was born on June 25th 1989…almost 20 years ago. Where does the time go. I lived in Germany from January 1987 until August. I have to believe I made this quilt even before then. I know while I was living there I made my guest sister a lavender heart pillow. I went back a few years ago and she still has it. I guess that is one project I have to admit I finished! That doesn’t happen too often. I made my first son’s baby quilt out of some of that same lavender fabric. We didn’t know if it was a boy or girl…purple/lavender to me was a neutral color. Anyway…I digress…

I believe there is one more border that needs to go around the perimeter of this quilt. I do have a pattern that is in a filing cabinet that hasn’t been opened for years. It is all my patterns and saved patterns and treasures from years ago. I guess if I opened it and found the pattern there may be a date, a class receipt, fabric purchase receipts or even the name of the teacher. I know the teacher and pattern design was by a woman named Helen. I think it is Helen Thorne. There are 4 quilts that were designed to go together as a set. I only made the Autumn one… it is truly my favorite time of the year. I am only sorry it is almost over. Almost over…it snowed again today and I had to scrape ice off my windshield this morning (November 11 2008). I would have to admit I am in denial!!! The tree in my front yard has only one leaf on it. ONE! That is a sure sign Autumn is over.

I enjoyed so many aspects of this quilt

• The scarecrow I hope to add a face some day. There is a crow on the arm sleeve that is not sewn down all the way.
  
• The apples are a log cabin design. This fabric dates the quilt. Some of these fabrics I look at today and don’t like as much. Another 10 years and I will love them. They just aren’t old enough…70s…for some reason it’s a hard decade of fabric to love!
  
• The stars are in the golden tones I love so much. This is where I used some old clothes and fussy cut some butterflies.
  

• The applique pumpkins were a challenge…more psychologically than anything else. I even appliqued the stars. This is still just a top. I know once it is quilted it will be fantastic. I want to do echo quilting in this area of the quilt.

• I have always liked maple leaves. I have two other quilts that I have made that are Maple Leaf designs.
  
• The school house has a clock button for the belfry.
  
• The turkeys were also fun to do. I plan to make some more this year into pot holders and give them to family members on Thanksgiving day as gifts.
• When I made the sunflowers I knew I would some day make an entire quilt with them!
• The ducks..my only regret is the one on the left I wish the background and the duck were not so close in shades…they blend together too much.
• The trees are string pieced. I have a wonderful diamond string piece quilt that may have been a subconscious choice of quilts because of how much I enjoyed the string piecing on the trees.
  
• The Flying Geese were done years before paper piecing of flying geese became popular.
• The black and white Nine Patch/Checkerboard section…who doesn’t like a good black and white quilt. Haven’t made one but I know I will some day! This section has one of my favorite and probably oldest pieces of fabric. It is a piece with these little people on it. I haven’t taken a close up photo but I will.
  

I hope you enjoy this write up…my trip down memory lane. I apologize the photographs aren’t as clear as they could be. I will update them if and when I can get clearer photos. It is either the camera or the camera operator…..probably the later.

The camera I think is getting as tired as the owner….. good night for now.