A Finish!

I slow stitched on this Sunday all the way to the finish line!

HAPPY DANCE!!

Isn't it just too WILD?!!  I haven't enhanced this photo, it really is this bright and colorful in person.

I didn't quilt this one too heavy and this was my first time at BIG STITCHING.

Choosing concentric circles in each square.

Border quilting

Another block closeup.

The back.

This quilt is one I sewed 4 1/2 yrs. ago using inspiration from a Gwen Marston book I have.
One day I basted the top and then there it sat.  How should I quilt it?
I'm so glad the BIG STITCH thought came to me and I could finally get on with it.

Hubby says it is HIS and NO I can't give it away!
I said " not even for one of your great grand children coming in Feb?"

He still said "NO!"

It measures 48" x 60".

Projects A Plenty With Clamshells Too

It has been very busy and a lot of projects going on around here at Brown Dirt Cottage. One project is this baby quilt in progress. I am short one block but my brain got tired so I started on the zig zag border. This is my first zig zag border, but I am wondering if I would have liked the black and whites reversed...???? Love Gwen's version.

I have a deadline on this project and I have a lot more done on it since I took this photo. This quilt will be auctioned off at my 35th H.S. class reunion on June 12. I was kind of volunteered to make a quilt for the auction to raise monies for our next reunion. I must say I had a hard time deciding on what type of quilt to do, but I finally decided to make it an original, one of a kind 'folksy' fun lap size......maybe someone will like it....?????

I have made quite a lot of headway on my clamshell too. This is going together a whole lot faster than I ever imagined. I think if it had been the only project I had been working on it would have been finished already.

I received a GREAT package from Sharon over at Indigo Threads. She told me she had started a clamshell way back and it was still a work in progress and she wondered if I would like some of her 50's and 60's vintage fabrics to add to my clamshell. Well...HECK YE-OW!! Aren't these just FAB!!! Thank you soooooo much Sharon!!! I love each and everyone and have already included them in the quilt.

Some close ups..........love these.....

Oh my..........yum...yum....

Wow............wow.......

......... Love the plaid............

I have also been thumbing through and enjoying some of my new books. What great inspiration!

I did manage to get a trip to the library in. I would KILL to own these 2 Texas books!!! I have checked these out numerous times. Some great inspiration as well!!!

Ok......so these are all the 'inside' projects I have going on. There will be some major exterior work done on the ole homestead. Would you like to see some 'before' and 'after' photos??? After I meet all my 'quilty' deadlines and serve on jury duty...uuugh.....I need to start some 're-do' on the inside too.....after all, it has been around 14 yrs. since anything has been painted. I am most definitely tired of Mr. Brown Dirt's mustard colored office (yes, that's the color he wanted).

I'm off to clean my kitchen window......now that's a project that has been way over due!!!

Oh.....and Goober says to say 'HEY'........

I Love Me Some Gwen and Freddy

I've been using Gwen Marston and Freddy Moran's new Collaborate Again quilt design book. I had a hard time choosing the first one I wanted to try and finally chose the Spider Web design. Here is a close up of one of the blocks...look how nice the banana fabric plays with all those dotty polka dots. All of the blocks measure 20".

I showed some of these blocks on my design board on my previous post.....well, here it is all sewn up together. If I decide to leave it like this and just bind it....it will measure 60" x 60"-ish. Mr. Brown Dirt has told me MORE than once..."I don't like square quilts"....."can't you make it more oblong than that?" So....he got me to thinking.....I may add a type of border at the top and just the bottom.....I'm thinking some 'spikes'.....???? maybe ????

I started out wanting to use some of my fruits fabric Mr. Brown Dirt bought me a couple of Christmases ago into every block....see here....love those blueberries.........well, I didn't manage to get fruit in all of the blocks.

Oh LOOK......some of my new Kaffe Fassett jumped in there........Heavenly!!!

I think this is probable my favorite block!!! Look Nanette....CHERRIES!!! It really just came to life when I added the B/W batik half squares to the corners. Thank you GAIL...this is some of the fabrics you sent me....Perfect for this block!!!

I really loved this quilt design. I don't know if you noticed or not but I have 3 different style blocks in this quilt. If you follow the instructions in the book...ALL of your blocks will look like my third photo with the blueberries....BUT....the blocks in their sample quilt in the book looks like my first and last photos....sort of like a buzz saw effect. SO.....if you make this quilt and follow their instructions your quilt is not going to look like Gwen's photo in the book. I played around with my template and came up with three different blocks. At one point I was going to make three different quilts using all the same block types.....but in the end I said "NAH"...I'll just throw them all in together. I think it turned out ok.....I.LIKE.........And I LOVE this book!!!

What's Cookin' on the Design Board

I thought I would let you peek at what has been on my design board lately. This photo shows some round 'thangs' AND some square 'thangs'. Look at my first ever SPIKES I played with this past weekend.....oh...these are fun and VERY neat!! To the left in the photo is my log cabin blocks I started oh so w-a-y back when. I have decided they needed one more row sewn around the outer edges...the top 4 blocks are all I have done on this. Those GREAT BIG round blocks are about 20"....they are from a quilt out of the Gwen Marston and Freddy Moran book.

These are some piano key borders I will sew on to a BIG and UGLY quilt I started W-A-Y back when too. I have since finished all four and have sewn them onto that UGLY quilt......and can you believe the ugliest quilt I ever made is THE BIGGEST one I have ever made.....it's at least a queen size......yuck!! Who wants THAT much ugliness spread out over their bed????..HA! I might show it to you sometime! OK....OK...go here to see which one I am talking about!

And of course a productive sewing weekend would not be complete without some more cute little stars! These are about 3 1/2".

"AAaahhhhhh.....cum on Mom.....can't you stop with the quiltin' stuff and come play!!"

Star Progress...

I'm coming along on my teeny tiny stars. If the sun had been shining... the colors would have popped more. In person they ARE pretty wild. My plan for these is to combine maybe a few other odd type blocks scattered here and there until I think it's big enough, sort of a Gwen Marston style. I want it to be CRAZY and BUSY and BLINDING!! Lots and lots of color......so, you're going to need your sunglasses when I finish this one! Wanda over at Exuberant Color likes blinding color too!! Go check out her newest project. Tonya at Lazy Gal Quilting has just returned from her trip to the Netherlands. You need go over and see her photos. Tonya stayed with her friend Joes and wow, Joes sure has some quilts I would love to have. Welcome home Tonya!

When I got tired of playing with my stars I decided to work on getting some more of my scraps that are in large tubs sorted. Since I'm participating in the Black and White Challenge I decided to pull all the B/W fabrics out and pile those up together. I'm thinking about just sewing up all the scraps...just as they are...as my first challenge. WHY NOT!!?? Get these suckers used up. This might be fun and interesting.

Santa came to see me today!!! My good friend FRAN over at Making Memories One Stitch at a Time sent THE best goody package.....( hey Fran, I thought you were just sending me a Christmas card? ) There was CANDY..( uh, you coulda sent more of this ) candles, patterns, a 'cotton picker' scrubber..( now where in the world did you find that in Canada? ) And 6 fabulous fat quarters, some with the CUTEST pink kitties ! The other 3 fat quarters are going to become some of my little stars because they are WILD and fit right in!!! Isn't the tiny santa sack with the candy cute, cute, cute?? You are tooooo sweet Fran!! You shouldn't have, but I'm sure going to enjoy all of this. Thank you again!!

My featured santa today I thought would fit right in with all the snow everyone has been having. He too has been braving the storm, spattered with snow here and there on his coat and hat. I think he was a gift from someone years ago, but I really can't remember. I love the little lamb he is carrying, yes, alot of my santas have lambs with them. I think this one is one of my favorites too, I like his detail. Bbrrrrrrr...........Baby, It's Cold Outside!!!!!!!

Fall and Holiday Sneek Peek

Here is the beginnings of my fall quilt project. The design is an ole stand-by from the 30's.
I saw this design on a program on tv last week and wrote down the dimensions and cut it out.

The above pieces get these cream triangles added. I have had a few of these fabrics for awhile and have been anxious to use them. I added a few of my new ones as well.
So far this has been a really fast and easy style to do....many options with just this one block.

There will be some of this pumpkin color added with an applique I'm thinking about putting in.
I was thinking small pumpkin s or maybe some fall leaves mixed ....or maybe a combo of both.
I could even embroider words of some other fall designs too.....probable just applique though.

After laying out what I had sewn up I discovered it is going to be bigger than I planned. I really just wanted a lap/throw size for the couch.....but dear hubby suggested using half....and then turn the blocks another way with the other half...thus creating a totally different quilt. I must admit I was impressed with his immediate response with a solution. He is such a quick study!! Or... ALL my quilt talking is rubbing off on him!! The pumpkin colored fabric will go in the middle of the cream squares as an applique.
I have discovered I like to applique.....I've tried different ways and used different supplies.
The main thing with me is...I just need to do it over and over to get better at it.
My first time to applique...I had my turn under allowance way to tiny ..harder to manage.
I think I figured out I was holding it wrong and appliqueing upside down.

Nanette ...over at Fredas Hive... is organizing a swap featuring this cute lil cottage. I just fell in love with hers and thought I would try my hand at one. These little cottages are fast and easy. The sky is the limit as to how you could decorate and use these. Her tutorial is top notch!
I think there have been alot of people sign up for this swap...no wonder....it's cute!
Maybe I'll just watch from the sidelines........participate from the shadows so to speak.
These little cottages would make a fabulous table runner .....placemats......pillow.
I realized I need more Christmas fabrics added to my stash...................does this mean I have
to go BACK to the fabric store??????

Oh..and hubby wanted to know..." how many times do you have to measure it before you cut it"?

I MUST give a BIG THANK YOU to Clare for her techno help to me this weekend...her tutorials are top notch too. She invited me to join the liberated quilters ring and I was honored to accept. I'm probable "the rookie" in the group..but I LOVE Gwen Marstons work as well as the wonderful work the ladies in this group create. Thank you again Clare!