Twist and Pout!!

This week I finished the first quilt made here in Connecticut.

Introducing:  Twist and Pout.

I've added Swarovski crystals in pink, rhinestone and black jet - they are hard to see in a photo.

I used my favorite cable border stencil -

I started this quilt at my September retreat, you can see some of the blocks here.

If it looks a bit familiar, it is made with the same technique as my Passage to India Quilt.

I set up my banquet table for pin basting in the family room so I could watch TV.   If only coco had thumbs!  She really makes herself comfortable, doesn't she?

I used some left over large pieces of batting and used this fusible tape.  It is awesome!

TIP: overlap the pieces of batting by about 3 inches.  Cut through all layers, then remove the extra pieces.  Your seam will match perfectly.  I think this is an wallpaper trick.

It stays soft but holds strong.

Here is the label I made.  This little mad baby just cracks me up!

I used skeleton toile' that I had in the closet - perfect for this project!

My friend, Susan,  made a 4 patch posie with the white version of this same print.   Our quilts will be in a special exhibit at the Brownstone Quilt Show, November 8th & 9th.  Click here to link to our website. 

Hope you are having a great week -

Fun For Friday - Fall Quilt Festival - 2013

It's that time of year again for Amy's blogger quilt festival!

This year I'm sharing the quilt I made to commemorate Hurricane Sandy exactly 1 year ago today.

"Frankenstorm" 

Quilt Stats:
Doll & Mini Cateory
Size 21" x 21"
Storm at Seat pattern - Paper Pieced
Machine Quilted

 I quilted it in a spiral pattern, like the hurricane winds.

The backing is a batik and a vintage piece of Peanuts fabric.

You can see how small it is next to the rotary cutter.

You can use this link to the Doll & Mini Quilts cateogry.  There are also quick links to all the other categories.

Happy Halloween and enjoy the rest of the quilts in the festival.   Thanks Amy!

Happy Quilts and Happy Weekend

I Tumble for you Jack!

I recently finished a new little Halloween quilt top. **post publishing note - I forgot to change the year on my image bucket.  I really did just finish the top and start quilting the doll quilt :) **

Jack Tumbler

Diane of Butterfly Threads sent me a set of her tumbler templates.  Thanks Diane!  She manufactured these and they are great.

here is how my design progressed:

This is how I move my rows from the wall to the sewing machine.

If there is a way I can mess it up, I still do.   Ooops!

Here he is before pieced.  He shrunk quite a bit.

Here is a doll quilt I started in a car trip to the Vermont Quilt Show in 2012.  I'm hand quilting it and is my take along project.

Hope you have a great quilting week!

FFF - It's the Bat Phone!

I have a new phone and it actually rings.  Like with a bell and everything!

I can't remember the last time I heard a phone that rang.  Hey look, Ma, it has a cord too!  Since I split my time between the kitchen and everywhere else I decided to get a real wall phone.

We live in a time when we can send a robot to Mars and decode the Human Genome.  Why then can't we make a cosmetic case that doesn't break in the first few weeks of use ???

Have a fun weekend

See you next week, same bat time, same bat station.......

I Can't Believe My Luck!

I won a raffle quilt last Saturday!!

Susan and I attended the Greater Hartford Annual Gathering.    It was a great event with 2 lectures, raffle baskets, door prizes, lunch and vendors.  Here is the label on the quilt.  I still can't believe it I won it.

Here is the quilt on the guest bed - lovely for Autumn!  Fred T Bear likes it :)

I was able to add to my collection of  Creative Grids rulers.  These are my favorite rulers.  I'm replacing all the sizes I have with these a little at time.  They are pricey - but worth it to me .

I also picked up forked pins.  These pins are terrific.  They don't slip or shift.  I'm the kind of piecer that needs all the help she can get.

And here is some more great luck that came my way.  My blog buddy, Janet, picked me in her recent give away - hooray!  I got the lovely hand quilting book, fun fabric, a lovely card and special halloween candy - from Canada.  Thanks so much Janet I've been enjoying it all so much.

Fun For Friday - Falling for fall

Happy Friday!

Fall has arrived in New England and it is wonderful.  I've been doing a little fall decorating.

Here is a centerpiece I made.

I started with the "cinderella" style metal carriage and added extra floral picks, a LED candle, a berry spray and a cute little bird.

I started by deconstructing the floral picks, then I hot glued the pieces I liked to to the carriage. Total cast with coupon; less than $20.

I got all my quits back from my friend Margaret's house - thanks again Margaret!!  I organized them in to categories for use, storage and display.

I have a couple displayed in the dining room.

I decorate the top of my hutch with 2 floral garlands from Joanns' and have a string of lights on a timer.  It gives a nice glow year round -kind of a set it and forget it touch.

I arranged a fall color display up at street level by my new house.  Here is the view from my mailbox.  The house if barely visible behind our rock.

Rich repainted the front door from raspberry to black and I found these great urns at Grandinroad thanks to my friend Joan.  Coco looks like a statue doesn't she?

Finally here is a spider that has taken up residence outside a family room window.  She has built a very lovely web.  It looks like tatting or lace.

Hope you are enjoying Autumn as much as I am.  Have a great weekend!