Old hobbies

Well, I did it.  I only took just a little over 8 years.  But this beauty if Finished. Done. Complete!  Woo and a Hoo!

I put the finishing touches on this weekend as we traveled upstate for yet another Soccer game.

I had forgotten how peaceful, rhythmic and fulfilling cross-stitch can be, especially on long car rides. I enjoyed it so much that I have decided to start another.  

Quilty Stitches by LMS

I ran across this Quilty Stitches over on Little Miss Shabby's blog.  She has a complete list the supplies needed including all of the floss colors she used, but you certainly could use any combination that suits you.  Each block has it's own post with a wonderful PDF that you can print out.  What a great way to play with color combinations. 

 Quilty Stitches is a beautiful combination of crossed quilt blocks.  I think it will make a wonderful wall hanging, or pillow or center for a quilt.  How fun would it be to complete a quilt using the Quilty Stitches in a quilt surrounded with quilt blocks using the same pattern!?!

I certainly be contemplating the possible design settings while I am cross stitching this beauty.  I'll let you know what I decide when I finally finish.  Maybe I'll finish this one up in less than 8-10 Year.  Or maybe not...

Christmas finish {in July?}

This is the year!  I can feel it.  Every year I think to myself, "This year I will get Christmas done early."  And yet every year I am working on projects right up to Christmas Eve. Well, I say, NO MORE!  I declare that this is the year I will have all my Christmas projects done by Thanksgiving!

HA! HA! HA!  Good One!  Almost had myself believing it!

Doesn't matter how much I plan, how much I get done,  I will always, always find something to try to make and squeeze in at the last minute.  However, I have gotten one project out of the way.  My Brother and his wife brought a beautiful baby girl into the world this March.  This will be her first Christmas.  She will totally need a stocking for all her goodies.

Last year I made these stockings for my brother's family.  The new little one could not be left out of the matching family stockings.  I started piecing these hexies in June and just yesterday finished up the Embroidery for the name.

While I made each stocking similar, they are each a little different.  Different trim around the cuff, different Christmas decoration on the cuff and a different backing.  My own little touch to personalize them a little.

With this stocking I had this reindeer fabric from last season and I thought it would be the perfect thing for a wee little one.

I even fussy cut out a reindeer hexie for the front.  How Cute is that?!

AMB Tour Day 4- South Carolina

South Carolina State Block Tutorial

Hello All!  Or should I say, Welcome Ya'll to South Carolina!  I am Kristin of The Crafty Quilter's Closet, Day 4 on American Made Brand Tour. I am sharing Today with Spring Water Designs in Maryland so be sure to pop on over there and check out her block.

Being chosen to design a block for South Carolina was simultaneously exciting and scary.  Not being a Native to South Carolina, I felt a TON of pressure to do this wonderful state justice.  Since moving to the state 6 years ago, we have learned a lot about this place we call home.  One of the things we've learned is South Carolinians have fierce pride in their State.  Nowhere is this pride more evident than in the their flag.  The South Carolina Flag can trace it's roots back to the Revolutionary War.  The Blue of the Flag representing the blue of the uniforms worn by the troops warn in the war.  The Crescent, which most people wrongfully assume is a moon, is actually a gorget.  A gorget was originally a protective military throat covering, although over time it has become an ornamental military piece.  The palmetto tree on the flag was not added to the flag until 1861 as a reference to 

Colonel William Moultrie's defense of Sullivan's Island.

Fort Moultrie, Sullivan's Island, SC

Fort Moultrie

The significance of the flag and the broad use of the palmetto tree and crescent throughout out South Carolina made including them into the block a no-brainer.  I wanted to add something to the block that made the block evident to other's, who may not be as familiar with the South Carolina Flag. Thus the pieced block in the shape of the State was born.  As part of the criteria for the Block set forth by AMB we had to include the name of our state.  South Carolina is quite a long name to try to add to a 12"X6" piece of fabric, but I managed that with a little embroidery.

You can download the hand embroidery images Here .You can get the South Carolina Block directions Here

Now for some free stuff!

I have 3 give-aways today.  You heard me!  Three!

First is a lovely bundle of Fat Quarters Solids from American Made Brand. Oooo. Ahhh.

Second is this beautiful stack of 6.5" x 6.5" solids.  Also American Made Brand.  (Did you see that coming?) But wait there's MORE.  The winner of this stack of fabrics will also be sent A package of Aunt Maggie's Sweet Corn Bread Mix.  A produce of the Gullah Gourmet Inc., made right here in Charleston SC!

Third, and sadly, Final winner will be sent One Royal Blue and One White Fat Quarter, White and Blue DMC floss, a package of 22K Gold-Plated needles!  GASP!  (did she say Gold?!) and That's not all.  Included in this prize is a bag of Cromer's (Guaranteed Worst in Town) Roasted p-nuts!  A Columbia, SC original since 1935.

You'll have just one week to leave me a comment telling me what state you're from and something fun you like to do there to be entered.  Make sure if you are a No-reply blogger that you leave someway for me to contact you.  If I cannot email you, I will have to pick another winner. Sorry. Winners will be announced May 27th!

Only US residents or those with a US mailing address are eligible for this giveaway.This giveaway is now closed.

Ah..life.

I don't know what it is, but as soon as I get really, really busy with all of my mom/wife duties, I get flooded with creative ideas.  All I really want to do is sit down and quilt, or sew, or knit or anything but laundry.  Sadly, this is how my week has been.  I have squirreled away a smidgen of time to work on my block for the American Made Blog tour.  But that's it.  Nada, zip, no-more free time for me.  And it is driving me CRAZY!  For now I'll just have to settle for writing down my ideas.  I will give you a teeny tiny little sneak peak at the design I have been working on for my Block.

Sorry you'll have to wait until May 19th for the full reveal.

Out with the old...

Yesterday, I did it!  I hung my quilt.  The Modern Medallion is a work in progress no more!  I took down my Bargello quilt that had hung in my dining room for the last 2 years (it was time.) Seriously the rod tabs were showing some serious stress.  It probably should have been switched out WAY sooner.  The rule of thumb is hang for 6 month then rest.  Okay, well 4 times longer than the rule, but now it gets a much deserved rest.

 I finished up the rod pocket yesterday morning and up she went!  It took me the better part of 6 months, working off and on to complete the hand quilting for this beauty.  The quilt itself is 60"X60" Overall 10" inches bigger both in length and width than the Bargello.  It may take some time to get used to this new beauty.  I already had to rearrange the decor on my buffet.  We cannot have anything blocking those beautiful hand stitches.

 I used Coats and Clark Hand Quilting thread for most of the hand work.  I did switch it up a little and used #5 Pearl Cotton in Yellow for the orange peel border.

I love the pop of color it adds to the grey green walls. Sometimes I walk by the dining room and just gaze at the finished project.   ahhh.

 I do feel a slight sense of sadness at loosing a project that has kept me company for nearly 6 months.  Although, I'll admit it is a welcome feeling of accomplishment to have this baby checked off my to-do list.  Out with the old and in with the new.  

Hand Quilting

After a week of machine quilting, I needed a break.  Don't get me wrong I love machine quilting, sometimes a change of pace is needed.  Today I sat down with a cup of coffee and had myself a nice long hand quilting session.

 I am still trying to finish up my Modern Medallion.  After today's work I have only 1 side left to hand quilt before I can bind her up!  I am really enjoying the slow, quiet peace that hand quilting brings.

With the windows open and the birds busily chirping a slow song, it is a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of a week with 3 kids.  I seldom have time just to sit and take me time.

 There is always the pull of things needing to be finished, but just for today those things will have to wait.  I'm hand quilting today.

A New "sewing" Accessory

Today, I took a break from ironing interfacing onto the backs of t-shirts and whipped up this little pin cushion.  .

I have been spending an hour a day working on hand quilting my Medallion quilt.  I am determined to get it finished before the New Year

Every night (or most nights) I sit for an hour watch TV, drink a glass of wine and quilt.  (i know, i know the last two are dangerous when mixed.)  So far, it has been working out.  The problem I seem to run into the most is that I keep loosing my needle.  ("just slip it onto your quilt." you say.  "place it in the needle case you made." you say.  "stab it coldly into the arm of the couch." you say. )  Well, you see, I have tried all of those things and my needles either end up broken or lost. And well, only once embedded into my thigh. (no worries, the wine really helps numb the pain.) I also am unable to keep track of my scissors.  I am not even using the tiny little embroidery scissors.  I have my big honkin' fabric scissors down with the quilt.  I am quite sure they have developed the ability to teleport.

Enter the couch arm pin cushion and scissor holder. I followed this pattern over at Reily Blake Designs.  The tutorial was excellent.  I like the way this pattern works even with my couch's wooden arms.  It stays put and so does my needle.  Amazing.  (I know. Right?)  I must say it is a cute addition to my sewing accessories.  Now, I am all set for a glass of wine.

Teeny, Tiny

Ah...summer. It is here in all it's glorious splendor.  Filled with bright laughter of the kids as they rush in and out, in and out, AND in and out of the house.  The Hot, Hot Sunshine, that radiates off of everything causing sweat to pour off of small, and not so small faces as they run in and out And in and out of the house. The bold colors of summer that stick to the feet and shoes of the kids as they run in and out, in and out of the house. (Shut the door Already! Were you born in a barn?!)

And with the arrival of summer comes the arrival of Vacation.

One of the things  I took with me on vacation was these tiny little paper hexagons.   170 tiny little hexagons.  Let me explain.  I saw a pattern in the August 2012 issue of American Patchwork Quilting for a scrapy little hexagon pieced bag.  How Cute!  The idea of a hexagon piece bag has been in my mind for almost a year.  Just hanging there.  Bugging me.  Suggesting ever so politely, that it be made. Pestering me. UGH.  The problem was that the Pattern in the Magazine called for 1 inch hexagons.  Which, let's be honest, is CRAZY!

Mine are a more reasonable 1.5 inch hexagon...definitely sensible. HA!

So I've been stitching, and stitching and stitching red fabric to the tiny little hexagons.  And guess what?  Now I have 170 teeny tiny little hexagons.  Ta-Da! Now it's time for more Stitching, but the fun part...stitching them together.  Where will this lead?  Most likely to the UFO pile, but hey! I have all summer to play with them.

2 down...168 to go.

All a Blur

The past few weeks have literally been a blur.  After having surgery (something I'd rather not discuss)  I was on some serious pain meds.  The days seemed as if they flew by.  I did some hand quilting on my Modern Medallion Quilt.  A good quilting friend of mine warned me of the dangers of quilting while on pain medicine.  Did I listen?  Noooo.

My quilting varies greatly from section to section, and not just my stitch length.  The design is mostly stitch in the ditch with a little echo quilting thrown in just for fun.

I  left some rather large areas unquilted.  I moved around the quilt from the center out, mostly.

I added some stripes through the patchwork border, not that they all go the same direction. :)

Since all my stitches were different lengths, I continued the trend.  Should be an interesting finish.

A Long overdue finish

Here it is.  My finished Modern Medallion Quilt top!  Can I get a WooHoo?

 Many of you may remember way back last summer when I took the Handstitched class with Rachel Hauser over at Stitched in Color.  This quilt was a collection of hand-stitching projects that cumulate in one big dramatic quilt (that is of course) Hand quilted.  I will be undergoing surgery in a couple of weeks which means I will have a ton of time to sit and recuperate.  I thought this hand-quilting project would just be the thing I needed to keep me from going mad.

don't you just love quilt tops with feet?

Take a good look at this, you may not see it again for a year or more. :)

Now I am off to load the LOVE Quilt and dabble in a little negative space quilting.

Just Hangin'

This weekend everyone had long term projects they were working on.  M had the typical high school assignments papers, tests and quizzes.  J had a spanish assignment and E had a power point for English.  Therefore I felt absolutely no guilt at working on a couple of my long-term projects (aka. UFO's).  

It was a wonderful feeling to be back sewing and working with fabric.  Being sick this fall I haven't had much opportunity to work on quilting at all.  Truthfully I haven't felt like it.  At one point  I contemplated selling all of my quilting things!  Now that is sick!

I finished up this Star blossom from my summer foray into paper piecing.   It was a quick finish with almost immediate results! John and I just had to staple the finished project onto a canvas.

This was my second finish.  I have been working on this since February!  Well, not continuously.  I bound the quilt, sewed on my rod pocket AND hung it! (talk about an accomplishment).

and that's the end of round 3

I finished up these little beauties 2 weeks ago.  I cannot believe it has taken so long to post!  These dogwood blossom appliquéd blocks are part of the 3rd round of my Modern Medallion Quilt. (Yes, I am still working on that quilt.)  It has been the biggest Handstitched project to date.

These dogwood blossoms were fused onto the background fabric.  I used a blanket stitch to applique the flowers to the background, as well as adding a decorative flair to the edging.

And here they are added to the third border.  The next round should go quickly. (HA!  That is a relative term around here.) When I actually get to it, it will go quickly.  Solid grey or green will surround the quilt in the 4th round.  It will make a beautiful setting for the hand quilting!