Under the Wire...

Couple of mug rugs completed...

 And some zippy bags for some sweet little girls...

Hey Sandra, I made the pulls from the fabric, what do you think?  Have a great day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 I'm grateful for each of my blog friends!  Have a safe and happy holiday!

Doll quilt

I'm posting another vintage find because I haven't taken pics of anything newer this week.  Here is a small doll quilt I picked up.  It is only 13 inches wide and less than 2 feet long.  But it is cute and obviously well loved. 
I've been preparing for some time off after I get my carpel tunnel surgery next Monday.  From what I was told my only challenges with this surgery is going to be swelling and not to ripping out my stitches.  Anyway, I'm going to take about two weeks off from sewing until I get the stitches out. 
Anyway, I hope to get more recent pics of projects up soon, possibly today since it is going to rain.
Have a great day! 

corduroy

There was a lot going on here on 11-11-11: a wedding, a trip for my husband and a new baby born to our friend's daughter.

 Apparently, it was also corduroy appreciation day...I know this because our local news team reports things like that.  I didn't think much of it at the time.  According to the Corduroy Appreciation Club, that date was perfect for corduroy celebrations because all the 1's put together most resemble corduroy.  I also so this was reported and discussed on a number of blogs but I can't remember which ones. 

So just because the textile gods like to jar me, I found this the day after Corduroy Appreciation Day:

Embroidery on Corduroy!!!!!!!!!   I've never see anything embroidered on corduroy! 

Anyway, it certainly is a dear little piece, it even has a satin binding.  The little boy seems so stoic about the little girl's intentions to kiss him :)  The embroidery is done really well but it makes me wonder...did the child or the maker really love corduroy?  Why that fabric and was it for a baby?  I love the mysteries of some pieces...

Sandra is in town!!!

One of my favorite things in the fall is the opportunity to see my friend Sandra when she visits from Canada.  Besides bringing me some goodies, she always gives me refills of Canadian maple syrup (mmmm liquid gold).  This week we have been shopping and also teaching each other techniques:

Sandra taught me how to make a zipper bag!!! Yipppeee!  I am going to use this to cart Seamus' things when we are doing dog therapy, it's perfect!

Then I showed Sandra techniques on the embroidery machine like applique and how to make a berry purse :)

Mostly, of course, we just gab and carry on.  The third member of our trio is always Sandra's husband who is a saint and so patient with two blabbering women who are always stroking fabric in quilt stores!  Thanks Dennis for being such a good sport!!!!    Tomorrow night I hope to get to see them again and make a nice dinner before they leave on Saturday to head home.  I am sure they are exhausted at this point but I am so grateful I got to see them!!! 

Placemat Queen

I know a lot of people like to make fancy placemats for their table.  As for me, it has more to do with my love affair of fabric.  I feel like placemats really can showcase fabric I love.  For a few years I've had stacks of fabric put aside that I wanted to "someday use" in my dining room.  Yesterday I worked on Thanksgiving/autumn placemats:

 I had enough fabric left for a topper on the hutch:

However, my husband said I am three days too late.  We celebrated our Thanksgiving on Tuesday because my husband is going to be overseas for the next month.  Still, I will enjoy these for the next few weeks.  Today I am off to a wedding and tomorrow I have to attend a tea.  I"ll get back to sewing sometime next week because SANDRA is coming to town!!!!!!!  More on that later :)

Getting caught up

A few weeks ago, I attended the Keystone Quilters Guild show. This guild always has one or two rummage rooms that allow you to pick up some things at minimum costs. I didn't buy much but I did pick up a stack of these squares. After many washings, they finally looked bright and cheerful.  The colors remind me so much of my Pennsylvania Dutch style kitchen,

There was a time when I didn't appreciate these primary colors but now they appeal to me in a nostalgic, cheerful way.  So yesterday I used them up.   I made a table square:

 And a set of lined napkins:

 And then I finished these placemats that had been on my to-do list of years:

Actually, I have a long list of placemats I've wanted to make and hope to get some of them done this month.  We'll see how that goes!

Fun shower!

We had lots of fun at the shower yesterday!  Martha had asked to see what these babies look like up close, so here is one that I made using a piece of edging from a torn linen I had (can't throw anything out here).

In addition to the other gifts I made three bundles for the baby; each bundle had blankets I made for the baby, bibs, burp cloths and toys.

One featured dogs which included a bib that said "Poodles love me!"

Winnie the Pooh is their theme so I did a set in some leftover fabric I had from years ago:

And one featuring boats, including a bib using fabric that featured Naval symbols (Drew is a Naval officer):

I just love LOVE making baby things! :)  Don't you?

Happy Birthday Miles!

Cupcakes!

Presents!

Oooooo TRUCKS!!!

And of course, DANCING!

Baby shower favors

A new baby is coming!  Tomorrow we are having a shower for Drew and Caitlin's new baby.  I made these as shower favors for the guests.  A few have some surprises attached: like a little kitten in the pouch instead of a baby, or a stuffed puppy or rabbit attached like a leash to a matroyshka or two.  It's just fun.  Of course one of the happiest things you can do is make things for babies!

We are off soon to my grandson's second birthday as well.  Busy family weekend for us!
Have a wonderful Saturday! 

Autumn Walk

Today's moment of beauty is:  "We are richer and more beautiful by moments of reflection." 

A walk alone with a dog is more than just exercise or recreation, it is part of my creative process.  Today I have two sources of inspiration.  The first was a website a friend had recommended and I recently joined called the Quilting Board.  A very nice woman had shared a pattern and tutorial to make a maple leaf shaped mug rug.  It was definitely on my "want to do list." 

As we walked, I surveyed the mess about us and thought of variations on her idea.  Certainly there were enough examples scattered around us.

Ted and downed branches.

Here are some variations I thought of:

An oak leaf is good.

So is this red maple.

Ginkgo and Birch are good too.  I thought a wonderful one would be a leaf from a tulip tree but there weren't any on our walks.  Some leaves wouldn't cut it for mug rugs though, like the locust or my black elderberry bush which are just too skinny to accommodate a mug:

Locust

Black leaf elderberry

Still, there are a lot of other options, like bushes or plants:

The heart shaped leaves of the hosta and hydrangea would make fun mug rugs.  Today the possibilities seem endless.  Don't you love days like that?