Happy Saturday

Hi everyone, I have joined Karen from log cabin quilter to work on The Women by jeana kimball, and am so excited to start. We will making the Cranberry Album Quilt and my blocks will be 8 " square so will be enlarging patterns this weekend also have to work on a baby quilt I am making...see previous post. It is a rather dismal rainy sat here hope all in Texas with the flooding are ok...am praying for all of you. It looks terrible down there on the news. 😔 Well I hope all is well with you🌻

Step 1 - Baby Quilt

Happy Friday everyone! I have all my triangles cut for a very Special Baby Quilt I am making for my Best Friend's daughter. The new mom wants greys and whites, so I tried to stay true to what she wanted and have picked oranges, greens, greys, yellows and whites. More pics to follow: But this is what I am working on this weekend:

With my camera you can't really see the grey/yellow/white fabric, but if you double click you can see the fabric. Well, it will be a very busy, fun weekend, Lots of Quilting Hugs, Mary

Back Basting Method - I like it

Hi everyone, Last night I tried back basting two of the leaves on my When the Cold Wind Blows Block... and I have to say the leaves laid nicely down and in place...hmmm might start using this method, I really liked the results

I have tried to show you the back of the block and then look how nicely they laid, Well, Happy Tuesday everyone Happy Hugs, Mary

Question...curious minds and all..

Good morning lovely bloggers, as u know I love hand stitching I really do , I would like to ask all of u that hand appliqué...what is your favorite method. Do u use freezer paper, or needle turn as u go-which is the current wAy I do it, do u use glue? Or.. Have u ever done the underneath or back basting method of appliqué. Do u use a vinyl overlay? Or do u just eyeball it? My last block I am trying to do does not look anything like the pattern so I am going to draw a vinyl overlay to see if I can get it more precise. I m not a perfectionist but something about this last block bothers me. See previous post and u will see what I mean.... So tell me if u have a chance what is your favorite way?. Many happy hugs Mary

New Block from Blackbird Design

Here is another project I am working on:

And this weekend my Middle Young Son, Michael received his Master's Degree in Finance - here is a pic

Here he was on the stage when they "Hooded" him... so proud!! Hugs, Mary

First three blocks done

Just completed Block 3 - Yeah! Here are the firs three for my Ole Glory!

Now onto Block 4.... Hugs, Mary

Block three ... continues

Hi everyone, I am still working on Block 3 a little more progress - got all those little blue circles sewed on and vines now starting larger circles on flowers:

Sorry my family room is a mess, this is where I handstitch at night - see my lovely blue back support! Lovely, right?? Well, hope you week is progressing smoothly, I am going to try and cut out circles for baby quilt this afternoon, Hugs, Mary

Question for you all

Ask your husband or significant other what color is your bedroom....ours is cream w sea foam green ceiling..we have vaulted ceilings...my husband when asked said dark blue😳. 99 percent of men get it wrong... So funning😊 Hugs mary....😘 I forgot to tell all you lovely ladies I hope your Mothers Day was beautiful!

3rd block still progressing

Well, still stitching the 3td block...you can see it is a work in progress! A lot more to do, but didn't want you all to think I was slacking, even though the temps here are in the upper 80's and I am getting sooo excited for Summer...

but at night I do all my hand stitching and it is sooo relaxing, I really like all the hand work on this block! Lots of Hugs, Mary

Inspirational

Today I am at work and visiting a lot of quilting blogs...one in particular I love to visit is Norma Whaley, she put this quote on her blog: "Sadness gives depth. Happiness gives height, Sadness gives roots. Happiness gives branches. Happiness is like a tree going into the sky, and sadness is like roots going down into the womb of the earth. Both are needed, and the higher a tree goes, the deeper it goes simultaneously. The bigger the tree, the bigger will be its roots. In fact it is always in proportion. That's its balance." -Osho, Indian spiritual teacher. It reminds me of my Mom...My Mom is 91 going to be 92 this July. She has seen soo much in her 91 years. She has buried everyone of her friends and relatives, my Dad, a grandson, yet she gets up with a smile everyday, she pushes forward even though her body is frail, her mind, thank God, is strong. She is the first to give her opinion and the first to give a complement. She is the backbone of our family. She never ceases to amaze me, and with Mother's Day coming up, I am blessed that she is still here to celebrate with myself and my 3 sisters. Her sight is failing but her Spirit is strong! ....Hugs, Mary

Third block progressing

Hi Everyone, Here is the beginning of the Third Block...just basted, not all the pieces yet, but just the 1st phase as it were..

close up of one flower partially done:

As you can see much more work to be done...but still stitchin! Happy Thursday, Hugs, Mary

Old Glory, 1st block done

Last night I finished my first block of Old Glory - The Eagles.... I did find these challenging to say the least, especially their beaks and wing points, but I like how they turned out, now to the next block....

Here is a close up of each eagle so you can see what I mean,

Also took a picture of one of the fabrics I used - my favorite so far...

Well, that is it for today, Hugs, Mary

Auditioning....do you do this?????

I have been 2 days auditioning fabrics for this "other project" I am doing....and finally decided on this green - however, as is always my case I purchased this particular green fabric in 2007? So, now I need 3 3/4 yards of it and I have about 3/4 of one yard - typical right? So will start to try and duplicate the color at my quilt store. For some odd reason, I have a ton of reds and blues and creams but green, I don't have a lot of.

This is a really old pattern that has been on my to do list, so am going to give it a try., Also, have been working on my Eagle Quilt...oh the lessons I am relearning here - Eagles are not easy to Hand Applique!!! Those beaks and wings - OH MY!! Got better with the second eagle, the third is a still a work in progress..I think the second one looks like an "Angry Bird" but it's an Eagle??? I also gave them each an eye... they needed some personality right??

Then the Cold Wind Blows Block 2 is slowly coming around, have this much appliqued down, however have to fix that flower - see...

See these blocks are HUGH, and am used to Bigger pieces to applique - a Lot Easier (in my humble opinion). If you look at the flower - There is not supposed to be a space there but there is, so some ripping tonight on that one...How was your weekend sewing projects coming along??? Hugs, Mary

Annie Downs Bag

I picked this up at the Quilt Festival yesterday, it's a shopping bag but I thought it was really cute and I forgot to share yesterday on my post:

Isn't it the cutest??? Hugs and Happy Friday, Mary

Sometimes you just have to have a fun day!

Hi....today I attended the International Quilt Festival in Chicago. WOW is all I can say, Beautiful Quilts in Red and White. I brought my camera so you can see what I saw, now I am not a photographer so bear with me here....

This last one was my favorite - love the chedder! Primitive Gatherings Quilt Shop and Pieceful Gathering Quilt Shop were there, just to name a few...so I did spend a couple of pennies...LOL :) Anyway, it was a Beautiful Show they put on and enjoyed a day out with my Sister! Hope you enjoy all the eye candy, Hugs, Mary