Design Wall Monday

Is it September already?  The days of this year have been just clicking by....
Excited to be finally working on this project.  I found it in the Aug/Sept 2011 Quilting Arts Magazine.  On page 12, Maria Elkins wrote an article on "Color Confidence", along with a wall quilt, she designed. 

Amazingly, I have never made a color chart and now I realize what I have been missing.  Back on March 1st, 2014, I made a comment on So Scrappy's Rainbow Challenge Blog and won a pack of hand dyed fabrics created by Vick Welsh and ever since then, I have been wanting to make this color chart.   There are several more panels that I need to make. 

This is what I have created so far.....

 
Stop by Patchwork Times.com to see creations from other quilters....

New Family Arrived

Our deer little family has increased.  While I was at sewing yesterday, my husband took several delightful pictures and a little movie.  Two Sundays ago, I spotted a deer and her fawn at the salt & mineral block in our backyard.  The next Sunday, there were 2 fawns with Mama and yesterday at noon and later for dinner, the entire family.  Oh, I might add that we purchased 100 lbs. of whole kernel corn for their enjoyment.  We have discovered that we will probably not be able to continue this feeding schedule, since we were not expecting this crowd.  We also have several types of birds, a couple of bunnies, and lots of squirrels.

Mama and her family on 08/26/2014

Design Wall Monday

Last Thursday, I began working on a couple of "Bags of Love" for our sewing group.  We only need to make (3) button holes for each bag and since I hadn't made a button hole in over 15 years, I was having a difficult time.  It only took me 3 days to make the first bag.  Most of the time was spent remaking the parts that I did incorrectly due to "operator error" and not reading the entire instructions.  The 2nd bag, I made yesterday.
The picture shown below is the first bag.  I have an entire bolt of 60" Navy ticking, which I hope to cut into sections for bags and work on them tomorrow.

(1st)   Bag of Love

If you are not familiar with "Bags of Love", it is an organization called:  It's My Very Own and is a faith based non-profit organization dedicated to providing for displaced children through the support of local communities.
Children are removed from their homes due to drug abuse and neglect, not because of anything they have done. These children are victims. Many are left with nothing of their own. They lose their home, their parents, their clothes and their toys. Each Bag of Love includes a handmade quilt, stuffed animal, toys, and personal care items.

Link up with Judy at Patchwork Times to see what other quilters have created...

Design Wall Monday

I found a pattern for a Sewing Machine Cover on page 94 of the August 2012 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting magazine.  I liked the design and the fabric used.

However, I wanted to use a block of hand pieced hexagons that I had sitting in a pile of unfinished pieces.  I machine appliqued the the hexagons onto a section of grey "Marblehead" by Ro Gregg for Paintbrush Studios.  My Brother Embroidery machine was not the same size as listed in the pattern, so adjustments were needed.  By the time I was done, my cover looks nothing like the magazine design but I am very happy with how it turned out.  A different design was machine appliqued to the back of the cover as an added surprise.

Link up to Judy's Blog at Patchwork Times.com to see what others are creating....

2014 Quilt Trail Adventure continues

We had lunch at the Cripple Creek Presbyterian Church.  Lunch was catered by Carolyns Creations also known as Goodness Gracious and it was delicious.  Historian, Steven Cates gave a lecture about the families from the area.  Many of the people we visited had lived in this area their entire lives as did their ancestors.
A small local quilting group presented a quilt show in the church.  Several of the ladies belong to my local quilt guild.  There was a fantastic photo transfer quilt with hundreds of photos.

Readyville Mill

Our last stop was the Readyville Mill, which was built in 1812 and is home to a restaurant and available for weddings and special events.

Tennessee Cotton

Double Wedding Ring at the Readyville Mill

Peaceful areas surrounding mill

It was a fantastic day and I hope other quilt blocks will be added to the Trail for next year.    

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