I'm Just Playin' Today....

I've been wanting to try my hand at making some alphabet letters ( with some encouragement from Tonya ).....so here's a "B"....for ME!!! This will probable end up being a pot holder. I've been teasing a friend of mine that she needed to wash some of her pot holders or throw some of ( or ALL ) away!! But then again I became very aware of how some of mine looked, so I thought I better make me some new ones before she could dig around in MY pot holder drawer. I plan on making her some new ones too. Nice to play today and take a break from quilt making.

Strips and strips, strings and more strings. I really don't know exactly what I plan on doing with these, but it's nice to just sit and sew on some mindless sewing WHILE I'm thinking about what I can do with other projects. As you can see, part of these strips I turned into one of those much needed pot holders.

Another pot holder in progress......this one is seriously cute!!

I NEED THIS 24/7 !!!!! ( this was machine embroidered )

FINALLY!!!!

YES!!!!......FINALLY....to lots of things. I have been having a refrigerator and freezer calamity that has been going on for over a week!! ( and it is still not over, but partly my fault because I won't decide on which new one I want...too many options ) I finally got back to my sewing room this weekend and I FINALLY decided on sashing for my boxy star quilt that has been in limbo. I really like how this is turning out.

It's amazing when I look at each block at how many memories come with each piece of fabric scrap. The little dotted cornerstones are vintage from my grandmothers stash.....still stiff with heavy sizing. There is no telling how old this fabric is. This square includes scraps from garments my grandmother made for my mother. The fabric on the left at the bottom....gold with turquoise....I have the actual garment from this scrap that my mother wore in high school. It's a blouse with a very full skirt....it's cute!

This square includes some scraps from garments I made for my daughter when she was about 5 or 6 yrs. old as well as some from the one and only log cabin/scrap swap I have ever participated in. I am going to REALLY LOVE and ADORE this quilt!!!

TV Quilts

Here are some quilts I recorded on my dvr from the Fons & Porter- The Love of Quilting from my local PBS station. DVR is getting full sooo, I thought I would see if I could photograph some pictures from my TV before I delete this program. They said these quilts are fairly old. All three quilts are about 1/2 inch log cabin strips-WOW! This one has the pineapple design I LOVE!!

Old "Stuff and Things"

I forgot I had this kit from a retreat back in Oct. 2007. It's supposed to be a random patch, but I'm thinking --no! On a previous post I showed a random patch I did at this same retreat that is in oranges, lime greens and some light blues in the Amy Butler fabrics. It is probable my least favorite of anything I have done. I have even contemplated about cutting it apart and re-arranging it or adding some other fabrics with it.....I dunno! When I signed up for the retreat the main purpose for me was to get back into the groove of sewing for I had been running our greenhouse for several years and was way out of the sewing loop. I had my brand new fancy sewing machine that sat for nearly 2 yrs. before I finally started to learn how to use it.....so, I had no projects to work on at the retreat , thus the random patch!

I could take some of the printed squares and maybe applique them to some kitchen towels I have.

I could be a little more creative in my layout selection this time!

Or....I could mix them up with some fabric I already have. I just love this black chicken fabric. I have several chicken fabrics....maybe a "Down on the Farm Chicken Quilt" in the future. I just have a hard time keeping myself from getting bogged down and slowed down in the decision making process. The possibilities are endless and I LIKE ALL OF THEM!!!

My future little designer.....

Yes.....here is just a sampling of a possible up and coming designer!

She spends hours and hours dressing and redressing this dummy dress form. I am her secretary and man the phones and take orders for all her fabulous designs!!! We (or she ) can do this all day long......that is until her Papa ...................

LETS HER DO THIS!!!!!.................( she's just 6yrs. old)

Charity begins at home...

You know the old saying " when you feel bad, do something nice for somebody else". It really does work!! These are some of the pillowcases I made for Cooks Children Hospital in Ft. Worth, Tex. These are fun and quick and great for using up some of my scraps. I have a pile here that needs to be put in the mail next week.

Now I have an excuse to buy some of those cute little boy fabrics (since we don't have any of those here).

Love these too!

They request pillowcases from infant all the way up to 18 yrs. Like I said...these are fast. I used my serger. I do these in between other projects for a change of pace and am doing something good at the same time. You can go to http://www.dfwstitchawish.com/ and check it out. Maybe there is something like this in your area. It will lift your spirits like it did mine!!


I really thank ALL of you for your kind and generous emails, thoughts and comments concerning our loss of LiL Sister. When I went out to visit her last night at her "spot", I told her she was famous and known "world wide". As I closed my eyes I think I heard her barking with approval . Quilters are the best!!!!

Good Bye "LiL Sister"

My dear sweet and CONSTANT companion suddenly wasn't feeling well this past weekend and so she told me she just wanted to lay down and go to sleep for awhile if that was ok with me. I told her yes, that would be ok because I knew how hard and tireing it was to be 13 yrs. old and all. I'm just going to go right over here and lay down and see if I can rest Momma.....I'll see you later ok? Yes LiL Sister....I'll see you later........I will miss you and love you forever. Oh, momma.....don't cry and be sad....I promise..I will see you later.....I'm just resting........ok?....................................



I don't know what to say except that I'm heart sick. I haven't felt like doing anything. I've been in such a haze and I can't seem to quit crying. To some people this might seem silly and trivial, but I spent more time with LiL Sister than I did my Hubby. We took walks together, we sat out on the porch together. LiL Sister loved to go fishing and ride in the boat. Numerous times just she and I would go and spent sometimes up to three weeks at our lakehouse ( and yes, I took my sewing machine too ). I never did anything without her and vice versa for 13 whole years. She was always smiling and happy and she always made ME smile and be happy. So I thank you for letting me spill my sadness. I'll be back around when I get out of this funk I seem to be in.

Wonky Houses

I first saw "wonky houses" on Nikki-Fancy That and I was immediatly hooked! After more research and clicking on her links I found wonky houses everywhere. I had never seen anything like these before and just couldn't quit looking at them.....so, I did this--I Stopped Staring and Started Sewing!!! Talk about fun, I loooved doing these! These houses are alot brighter and more vibrant than it shows. Somehow by the time my pictures get here they don't look as good as they do when I edit them
. They appear sorta of dull, anyway, they are still cute!

I found about 10 or so of these houses in with my scrappy log cabin squares that were put away nice and neat one day when I was in a "Clean Up This Sewing Mess" mood one day, and before you know it I was off onto some other project and these cute lil houses were soon forgotten.

Most of the fabrics are from the "scrap stash".....a few tiny pieces from the "good and want to keep these for twenty years also" pile. That's sorta what my hubby said when I was whining about not cutting into my newer fabric. Have you ever had fabric that you loved and wanted to pull it out and just look and look at it, and couldn't bare to cut it? If I see a fabric that really speaks to me I usually go ahead and get at least a yard of it. Lately I have began a practice of taking some of these fabrics I love so much and just draping them across a chair. That way I can see them often as I pass through and enjoy them instead of them being folded up on a shelf. As I tire of one and another catches my fancy, I just trade out! Maybe someday I'll post pictures of some of these fabrics I am talking about . Some are just too yummy for words!

This is the very first house I did. It's obvious to see I was nervous, scared and downright UPTIGHT! See how straight and upright everything is. It didn't take me long to think outside the box and just loosen up!! I know one quilt police who raised her eyebrow when I presented these for inspection. I loved it and was laughing outloud (inside my own head of course), I was the picture of respect on the outside though... she was my elder. This is what she said...."well honey, none of these squares are the same size. How do you expect to sew them together"?? I felt soo LIBERATED!! So I was excited to discover these again.....it's kind of like Christmas when you find a long lost UFO. I need to get busy and make some more, right?? And then I will want to make some wonky stars and some hearts and wonky baskets, maybe try some lettering. I hope I live to be 150 (well, sorta)!! Later ya'll......gotta go take some pictures of my FINISHED chunky churndash quilt before I load it up to go to the quilters.

Scrappy Log Cabin

This a project I started from Melly and Me challenge and scrap swap. I discovered these squares in the closet yesterday and didn't realize I had so many made already. There are about 46 in all- (they are small, about 5 1/2"). With sashing and a border I think that will be enough to make a nice size quilt. So, that makes me feel good to find a UFO that isn't as "UFO" as I thought! This was the first (and only) swap I have participated in. It was nice to have some new and fresh scraps thrown into my stash besides the same ole ones I have been working with. This log cabin was fun and easy, but I don't see my mountains of scraps getting any smaller.

I need to quit feeling like I NEED to sew up all my scraps before I can start cutting into my newer fabrics. After all, I don't want 15 quilts that have all the same fabric in them. There's just something about cutting into newly purchased fabric. Just like the ME fabrics Nanette is using in her new project..... yummy, soft and dreamy cute! Alot of my scraps seem to be in the darker shades and I'm ready for some modern and more updated projects. Yes, I think something lighter and more cheerful is in order!

This pinkish fabric will definitely NOT be what I will be using for the sashing. It really is amazing how some colors just ruin the look. I guess it works the same way when we put certain colors on our person and we can look totally washed out! But as long as we have lipstick on it's ok!

Thanks go out to the QuiltingNana over at Creative Urges for stopping by for a visit and offering such sweet comments. She too is a fairly new blogger and has a great sight!

Wouldn't This Be Great!!!

These are my thoughts to All my blogging quilters and friends!! I want to have ALL of you as my neighbors forever!!!

HAPPY 4th YA'LL....

A Few Of My Favorite Things....

.50 cents for this bag full of sparkley goodness!!!

Lucious pink bed jacket with rhinestone buttons.......

This vase may top my list. ( love ) I've had it for years and it just seems to blend well anywhere I put it.

And of course.......Lil Sister!!!

INDECISIONS!!!!!!

I FINALLY decided how I was going to finish out my Chunky Churndash quilt. I woke this morning determined to DECIDE and to get on with it!!!! I have never cut a sashing or a border before ( uncharted waters for me ). I've had quilt tops I was afraid to finish. I quess mainly because I was afraid I would stretch it out or it would be all worped or something. So.... I decided.... there's no quilt police here! I jumped right in and picked out the border sashing.....started cutting up 2" squares to sew together for my borders.....uh, that's gonna be a lotta squares!!!

I think I'll just do like 9 patches and sew a row of those all the way around. Doesn't look so bad does it? I wanted it to be colorful. I'm not scared anymore. I followed Bonnie's how to instructions on sashings and it came out JUST PERFECT!! One of my favorite quotes is so true---"Getting Started is Half the Battle". Now if I could only purr-fect hand applique like Nanette. She does such beautiful quilts!