September 29, 2013

Quilted and Bound... and Red Headed Woodpecker Sighting

and ready to head towards Massachusetts. :)

My friend Elizabeth will be the recipient of this little quilt.  She and I are members of a blog where 12 friends have been making something for each other , one friend at a time, one friend a month.  We each got to choose an idea for one month and someone chose the Schnibbles quilt patterns.  We could use any of them that we wanted and I also put a little spin on the one I made for Ely.  The circles in the center are made to float on top of the quilt.  I hope she likes it once it arrives.  This is a 2 year old UFO that I am glad is finally making its way home. :)

My hubby and I drove up to Kerr Lake for a picnic and I shot these photos while we were there.  Enjoy!







While we were at the lake we had the pleasure of spotting a red headed woodpecker flying from one tree to the other.  I shot these photos before he decided he wanted nothing more to do with us and flew away to a tree farther down the lake.






I am linking this post up over at Connie's @ Freemotion By The River and Linky Party Tuesday!

September 27, 2013

Peace Out Baby!

I wanted to show you all a 60's inspired project made with batiks that I made for my friend Christine a couple of years ago.  I used the foil sheets to add the word Peace to this pillow.  Fun little flower buttons around one border just added the Flower Power edge to it. :) Enjoy!



September 25, 2013

Twister Quilt!


The game Twister was invented in 1966.  According to the patent information issued, the game was filed on April 14th, 1966 and accepted on July 8th, 1969. The two names on the patent were Charles F. Foley and Neil Rabens. (source)

I remember playing Twister as a young girl and into my teens... and then after I married and had children, it was nothing for our friends to come over on the weekend for grilled burgers, homemade ice cream, and a game of Twister. We were still agile at that point in our lives.  Oh to be that young again!
I found this image online and cleaned it up, printed it off and took it over to Staples and had them blow it up for me to 36 x 42 inches.  I used a large piece of tracing paper and made pattern pieces from the ran off copy.  I used fusible to apply the dots and the figures.  Using all batik fabrics, I was able to create the quilt below.

 




I quilted each section with a different texture design.  I am really pleased with how it turned out.




I showed it to my hubby once it was finished and he asked who I had quilted it for.  I told him that I had made it myself.  He looked stunned. lol... Just goes to show that he is accustomed to seeing traditional quilts come from my workroom.  It was fun making this quilt and I think I shall have fun creating a few more.  I have to keep him guessing, now don't I? :)

September 9, 2013

Pincushion Alert!

Good morning everyone!  Look what we went to bed to last evening.  I went outside to make my pincushion photos before it got dark and I was able to capture this beautiful sunset before I came back inside the house!



I love making fun pincushions. I decided to make a "homey and warm"  design using the brushed homespuns that I bought at the Fat Quarter Shop.  I love buying my fabrics from them... top notch company all the way around!

I found my pattern in the little book that I showed on a previous post... 100 Pretty Little Projects.  This book is crammed full of fun things to make!


Here is my pincushion.




I did the embroidery of the heart and the house with Anchor pearl cotton thread that you can find at my online shop.  I love this thread for embroidery and for blanket stitch! If you have not tried it, you should.. it is a bargain of a deal at 90 yards of thread for only 1.75!

I stuffed the pincushion with crushed walnut shells that I purchased at Pet Depot.  I went in and asked for them and the manager had no idea what I was talking about.  I told him that quilters stuffed their pincushions with them.  He looked at me and said that they definitely did not sell quilting things there.  I walked off and went in search of my prize and waa-laa... found them!...  I took the bag to the counter and called him over.  I showed him my find and then proceeded to tell him that next time a quilter walked through his doors, that he would know what they were searching for.  He said it was a first for him.  We both had a good laugh. :)

 Here are a couple of pincushions that have been gifted to me by friends... The first one my friend Omma made.. She hosted a pincushion swap and this is one that I received back in my box.  I love it and have used it in my quilting studio for the past 5 years!




My friend Marie made Mr. Owl for me. She is always making special things for her friends.  I think she has made over a dozen of these to date.  He keeps me company by my sewing machine.  he can hold a lot of pins!

The last pincushion I want to show is one that I made for my friend Nicki.  We had a blog with 12 friends and we made something for each other once a month. The month that I had Nicki's name, our theme was Victorian Pincushions.  I think he is very victorianish, don't you. :)





I hope you have enjoyed my little pincushion post. :)