Stars in A Time Warp

Hello from very snowy Connecticut.  I guess I asked for it in my last post with my remark about it being an easy winter!

Hooray.   I finished my Stars in a Time Warp top.  It measures about 40" square.

I have two tips to share about using this setting:
Make a road map!  I made a color copy of my layout on computer.  I have literally turn pieces the wrong way in the 10 steps to the machine!

I ended up clipping and pressing the long connecting seams in different directions.  I tried an open seam, but it kept warping that point.  It is intended as a wall quilt so I don't need to worry about stressing the weakness.

I've decided to commit to sharing my project process and inspiration.  This quilt has a long winding road to come into being.

I always loved the Sawtooth Star (c.1890) quilt in this book co-authored by Barbara (see her blog here), Rachael and Natalie who are founding members of my NJ guild.  It is one of my favorite State Documentation Books - EVER.

Can you believe I removed page 110 and lost it?  The horror!  The Shame!  I still have the notes we made when making it for a guild raffle quilt.

Here is me and (former blog partner) and still great friend, Mary V., selling tickets at the 2007 quilt show.  Jill and Susan set the quilt for us and Mary quilted it.

We made a little quilt with leftovers to raffle to a guild member.

The color combination is one that I love and have used before.  Here is a quilt I made Hanna in 2002.    coco was so curious about it laying in the snow.

There is every color and style of fabric in this quilt. It was the result of a year long nine patch swap with my friends of the Piecemakers of Elmhurst, IL  and there is my little sparrow at the top.

Here is the backing (pretty sedate for me).

You can tell it was well used!  there are a ton of thread pops from tugging on the top.

I made a little mini quilt for her American Girl doll, Molly.

 It has a cute dollhouse print on the back.

Here you can tell just how little the little one is.  I resized the nine patch.

I also made this quilt with pink and black as a setting theme.  It's called "Good and Plenty" and is part of the Hanna Vedder Private Quilt Collection.

Here are some snowy photos - the first one is unfiltered - it was that blue in the early morning hours.

 It was so beautiful.

I'm off to New Jersey tomorrow to teach Folk Art Applique' - My Passion!  I will share some photos next week.

Let me know if you like having the back story of my quilts.   I never know it is too much or too boring.

Happy Wednesday from the great white North East.

xo

Happy Pumpkin Season

I started the week by switching the quits on the first floor.  Here is my "Obama for President" aka "Olympic Star" which is at the end of the kitchen.  I usually hang a bigger one here, but I kind of like the green framing it.  Audrey and Angie started a wonderful blog dedicated to Eagles!   See it here - Quilt Like an Eagle

In the Dining Room on the table.  This is a reproduction of a quilt in the NJ state book called "Sumptuous Stars" 2009.  This is a quilt I wish I had made full sized.

In the Hall (with the) Poisoned Apple 2012.

This was such a fun quilt to make.

Yea! My Hot Flash top is done.  Let us pretend that it is hanging in the right direction - ha ha

Here is my morning glory - going strong since May.

Tip:  Press your applique' on terrycloth towel with the applique' face down and use steam.  I sort of mangle my work while I sew - I've always had a tight hand and envy people who's work stays nice in progress.

See how lovely it looks? you don't get the seam allowance shadowing.

Kyle remarked recently about my American Girl Doll; Annie being in the closest.  I got to feeling bad, so I made a little vignette for her.  She can watch me sew....is that creepy?  I don't talk to her....not much anyway.

Thank you Carrie P.!!  I won this lovely Iphone cover in her recent giveaway.

On the nine-patch front, I'm getting closer to having them all.  If you haven't sent them yet (and you know who you are) you have 10 days to get them to CT.  Please let me know soon if you can't make the deadline.

Whew, I guess that's all the randomness I have today.

What's Cooking Good Looking

Remember this old thing?  I finished this top in Sept. 2012.

While I wait to get my stencil for my King quilt, I'm marking this one for machine quilting.   I'm using a stencil that I designed and cut myself.

I've approached the Stencil Co to see if there is interest in manufacturing this.  I hope so, mine is getting a little ragged.  Would you be interested in a 18" fan stencil?

FFF - Summer Cooking (or the lack of)

Here's an easy no cook summer meal.  Use any frozen pizza and add dollops of pesto (I use Classico) and cook according to package directions.

I use the Presto Pizza Pizzaz baker.  It makes a frozen pizza in 15 minutes, and you don't turn the oven on.   It's great for heating up leftovers too.

I drizzle the pizza with Balsamic Glaze.  You can add your favorite spices and enjoy!  For supper you can get fancy and add a simple green salad.

Of course this is my all time favorite summer meals fixins'.....heaven.

I just finished this book and really enjoyed it.   It was the first time I have read this author.

This was another wonderful read this summer -

I'm always looking for a good book.  What have you been reading?

Oh My Stars!!

Over the past couple of days, I've added the background pieces to my large EPP stars.  I'm using this lovely toile' (what else?) that has flowers and birds.

I think I'm going to stop at 9 stars and here they are:

 Here is how I plan my fussy cuts on a large piece of fabric.

I made pattern pieces with manilla folders for the corners and 1/2 squares.  I machine baste them, before hand whipping.

Since I'm catching up on sewing room TV, I machine basted the diamonds too.

My friend, Jill, shared this great tip.  After you lay out a block design, take a photo (it lasts longer).

This way if your pieces get moved or you have to pick them up it's no problem.  Brilliant Jill!

Speaking of stars - I want this Guy

To do less of this:

and way, way more of this:

Don in all his badness will return March 25 with a 2-hour premier.  Here's a little something to tide you over....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-fIFeMVMso


Have a Fun Week!

Elfing Around

Greetings!
I've been busy with all the usual holiday stuff, but I finished my gift quilt and wanted to share it.

I used Jay McCarroll fabric and pieced the back, and pieced the batting, and made a scrap binding.  Waste not, want not.

For the quilting, I stabilized the block then added the wavy lines and also quilted the circle centers.

How wonky is that?  So funny.  The large print was not really on grain, so the whole back got thrown off.  I'm okay with it.

No peeking until Christmas.....

I really liked these colors and thought they were an unusual combo, until one day while looking at my inspiration board I saw all of these.  They are of similar color combinations.

I've finished 2 more stars -

What a nice model.  Thanks Coco.  She'll be turning 2 on  Christmas Day.  What a good girl she's turned out to be.

I'm prepping a couple of more.  I'll be making 12 in all.

And finally, I'm having twins!  I received this amaryllis as a hostess gift and it was asleep so long, I thought it would never get going.  I'll post what color it is when it blooms.

Kids are coming home tonight!  Hope you are having fun with your family and friends during this season.