Perfect Fabric Found

Back in February 2014, I created a Scrappy "Pink" quilt with ice cream cones and lots of HST.  While looking for a couple of silicone bobbin keepers, I discovered a fabulous fabric which was perfect for the back of my Ice Cream Cone quilt.  On top of that, it was on sale.  So, I bought 3 yards. I found it at:  Superior Threads

Here's the quilt:

Ice Cream Cone Quilt Top finished 02/27/2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the fabric I found for the back of the quilt:

It's hard to see but the background is a light pink

Design Wall Monday

Last week, Darlene Zimmerman (aka "The Feedsack Lady") came to middle Tennessee to teach two different classes to several guilds in our area.  I chose to take "Amalie's Log Cabin" class.  Can you believe it?  After all these years, I had never made a log cabin quilt.  Darlene suggested cutting all the strips to the exact size.  This did help keep the blocks from growing off center.  Plus, I didn't have to trim after sewing each strip.  Darlene designed (5) different patterns. With each pattern, Darlene included "Amalie's Story", which told of her great-great grand aunt.  Letters were also included with the pattern, but the letters were fictional based on known historical facts. The other patterns are:  Thimble quilt, Hourglass quilt, Crosses and Losses quilt and Many Blessings quilt.  All can be found on her website; Feedsack Lady.com

One of our guild members brought her hand crank Singer and she created her blocks at an amazing rate and they looked wonderful.

I decided to make a table topper with my accumulated stash of Civil War fabric.  It still needs a couple of borders before I quilt it.

Now, that I have learned the best way to sew these blocks, I hope to make another table topper in honor of my Great Grandfather, who was in the Civil War.  He enlisted Sept. 14, 1861.  Our family saved his Civil War Diary, which he wrote from Nov. 15, 1864 to May 4, 1865.  He was in the 9th Iowa V.V.I.

Civil War Table Topper

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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.....

 
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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.

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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.

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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.