Fourth Stop on the Quilt Trail

Joe Brown is a blacksmith, using traditional methods, inspired by nature.  He explained that he loves making leaves. 

Joe Brown hammering out a leaf

Working on another leaf


His daughter, Erin showed us how to spin sheep's wool.  She was very patient and explained each step.  She also does tatting, which she makes into earrings and other jewelry.  Erin also creates new fabric by taking fabric scraps, laces, ribbon, and thread and sewing them into new unique fabric.  She was wearing a scarf that she created with her new fabric.  I just had to purchase a small package of greeting cards which she made with the fabric.

Erin spinning sheep's wool

This is the Quilt Trail "Bears Paw" block across the road from the Browns 

2014 Rutherford County Quilt Trail Tour

Today, about 20 ladies ventured out on a delightful, sunny summer day to see the country side around Rutherford and Cannon Counties.  It was the first ever Barn Tour in this area.  Local high school students painted the quilt blocks and mounted them to the barns.

Our first stop:
Star within a Star--the barn was built in 1935.  The land was acquired in the 1820's and the Murray Farm is still in operation and being worked by the same family.  It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Star within a Star on Bradyville Pike

The next stop was along side the road, so I did not get a picture of the Dutch Girl.

Our third stop:
Log Cabin--Ferrell Hollow Farm
Cindy runs a retirement farm for special needs horses while creating products with unique herbal blends.  I bought a jar of Calendula Balm for my hands.  Her husband, Alan crafts handmade rockers and chairs using native Tennessee woods.  

The white strips in the log cabin block are painted with lavender flowers which are grown on the property.

Log Cabin Block and Cindy

One of the Special Needs horses

 

Alan has been on Tennessee Crossroads with his handmade chairs

Design Wall Monday

Yes, I know it's Wednesday but I did create this little wall hanging on Monday.  On Saturday, our Guild had a class taught by one of our members.  Denni offered (4) different scenes that we could choose.  I chose Summer, partly because I liked the umbrella.

Summer at the Beach

 Here is what I learned:
--Iron Fusible interfacing to the back of the background piece
--Prior to fusing the Heat & Bond to the applique pieces, cut out the middle to help eliminate the stiffness and bulk to the finished wall hanging

Skip on over to Judy's Blog at Patchwork Times.com to check out what others created on Monday...

Making Baby Books with Charm Squares

It has been awhile since I created a baby picture book from "my" fabric.  I have made several using pre-printed panels which is nice since they have the story-line printed on the fabric squares and the page numbers.  All you need to do is add the batting.

The 3 little babies are related to my sister through marriage.  They would be my sister's niece's grandchildren.
(2) little books were created this week-end using 5" charm squares and a couple of ice cream cone blocks.
I'm hoping Mom and Dad will enjoy making up stories based on the pictures.  Two of their aunts love horses, so one fabric has horses and horseshoes.  I found in my stash (2) matching charm squares with their birthday month of June.  Here are a few pictures.....

Oops!  I almost forgot to mention who wrote the book on how to make these darling fabric books.
Gwen Marston wrote "Fabric Picture Books" with pages and pages of beautiful color photos and lots of inspiring fabrics.  The details of the fabric book construction and assembly are very clear, so the books are very easy to make.  For me, the most difficult part was sewing the spine at the top and bottom.  My 12-page books were too thick at the top and bottom.  Changing to a blue-jean needle helped.
 

Back with number selvages and front with Ice Cream Cone

Back pages with Gramma's desserts and Aunt's horses

View of other pages in one book

Inside front cover with birthday month and cake

    

Design Wall Monday

My January scrappy blocks are back.......
I got them out last week and discovered I didn't have any more swirly gray fabric for the sashing around the blocks.  So, what is a quilter to do?  Buy more fabric, of course!  Thankfully, Connecting Threads still had the same fabric and it just arrived on Saturday.  Before, I could begin working on this project, I needed to finish my QOV and get my MTSU quilt ready for entering in a local quilt show.

Hop on over to Judy's Blog at Patchwork Times to see the creations of other quilters...

DWM 08042014 (January Scrappy Blocks)

Quilt of Valor

Yesterday, I finished the binding on the QOV that I started this Spring.  Today I washed it and was so glad that I used the "Dye Catchers" in the wash.  To be safe, I used (3) and they all came out a bright pink.

Red fabric has not always been kind to me.  Before I knew about Dye Catchers, I ruined a beautiful Bible Cover and my favorite denim purse with a beautiful embroidered block on the front.  Both pieces had a "running red" lining, which ran through to the front.

QOV July 2014

Quilting by Gertrude O'Neal  July 2014

What happened here?

My husband ventured into my sewing room and asked "What happened here"?  Oh, the clear spot.  I had to clear it off, so I could sew the rest of my flannel rag quilt.  I used up most of the scraps left over from a previous rag quilt.  I plan to take the quilt and remaining scraps to my sewing group tomorrow.  Hopefully, someone with the special scissors will volunteer to snip all the seams and wash it, prior to being donated. 

"The Clear Spot"

Rag Quilt prior to cutting & washing  (36" x40")