Kathy's Quilt

Kathy is technically my aunt but since she is only 4 years older than me, we grew up as sisters. I adore her.  She loves tea and is a real Anglophile, we share a love of Victoria magazine and all things pretty.  I had been working on this tea quilt for her and then learned she had been searching for a afghan in blackwatch plaid.  So I ordered fabric for her for the backing.

When I finished the quilt, I still had some pieces of the plaid left so made her a couple of throw pillows featuring her favorite tv show: Downton Abby! 

I gave her "unbirthday" gift yesterday and she loved it.  It is so much fun making unexpected gifts for loved ones.  Just made my day!

A few finishes...

Because I don't have enough of my own UFOs (just kidding, I really have a ton), I have to finish other people's work.  I picked up and finished this little embroidered piece and then framed it for a small wall hanging.

Another finish for an upcoming program.  This one is also a wall hanging and I wanted to go out of my comfort zone by using colors I'm not normally comfortable with (ORANGE) and solids at that!  
My life has been chaotic lately, to say the least.  Mother has been in and out of the hospital, we have been watching her dogs and things are just upside down here.  I even finished another piece but for the life of me, I can't figure out where I put it.  I keep sewing on though and hope to post another photo tomorrow of a lap quilt I am gifting today.

Have a wonderful day and think spring!

Greta likes the Library!

We are fortunate to have a little library in our neighborhood.  It's great to have access to books to read and the owner does sweet things for the kids and the dogs in the neighborhood!  

Greta has learned to love trips past the library.  She practically drags me there on our morning walks!

She knows there are biscuits in that thar library :)  And she gets one when we take our morning constitutional.  

Seamus isn't interested in biscuits.  As a retired Therapy Dog, he still maintains a "no treat" rule outside our home.  It's nice for Greta to get something special while she visits us!

Have a great day!

February Funk

"The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house all that cold, cold, wet day. I sat there with Greta. We sat there, we two. And I said, 'how I wish we had something to do!' Too wet to go out and too cold to play ball. So we sat in the house. We did nothing at all".....--Dr. Seuss, poodled.

32 days until Spring and we are in the normal February Funk.  Not enough exercise, too many grey days;  no wonder I lose my creative mojo during this weather.  

Sewing does help and I have a number of pieces in the pipeline just waiting for the final binding stitches.  I hope to post a few photos soon.

Hugs and stay warm!smile emoticon

Carol's quilt

I won a jelly roll years ago at a quilt show.  I was never sure what to do with the yellow/grey/black/white fabric until I found a magazine at guild that showed a quilt similar to this one. I was able to get two quilts with the checkerboard out of the jelly roll and the leftover pieces I put in the quilt for Diana (see previous post).  

My neighbor Carol is always helping everyone and she loved this as I pieced it.  It seemed only right to gift it to her.

Great quilting from Terri Trotter at Fireline Design!

Diana's quilt

Gave Diana her quilt this past week.  It was so nice to visit with her and I was excited to give her the finished project.  She had seen the top on my blog or facebook and said she loved it.   Like everyone else in the east, we are currently experiencing a big blizzard.  

I have Italian wedding soup in the crock pot, keeping the back shoveled for the dogs and staying warm.  It's a good day to sew!  What's it like where you are and how are you spending your Saturday?  Stay warm and safe!

Happy Sunday

So far we are having a wonderful winter!  I just hope it continues this way!  

I've been working on a lot of projects.  During the week, I'm embroidering and binding in the evenings. Weekends I spend working on new quilt blocks.  Here is a top I recently finished:

It's for my aunt who loves tea :)  I ordered a special backing for it in December.  My aunt has been searching for a blackwatch plaid afghan to put on her couch so I am putting that kind of plaid on the back of her lap quilt.  I hope she likes it!  I've been really busy and hope to keep up with this blog a little better!  Have a great day!

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a happy and safe New Year's Eve!

I finally got in some sewing this weekend.  It's been months and it felt so good to piece this donation top!

I used up a bag of scraps for this and it felt so good to utilize the fabric.  I've been thinking about goals for the future and I only have two:  to write and to use up fabric.  Fortunately, my neighbor Carol has decided to join me in a stashbusting year.  Carol makes aprons and I am making quilts, mostly for donation this year (my family has pointed out that they all have quilts now).  I'll also be working on pieces for upcoming programs that I hope to develop.  What are you hoping to do in 2016?

Holiday Clean-up Commenced...

Yes it's time to clean up the holiday mess.  It wasn't that bad this year and I've already made mental notes for next year:  Only make chocolate chip cookies because that is what everyone wants, ask folks to bring a dish along because it makes life easier, keep with the minimalist plan for a more relaxing day.  Our holiday was cheerful and jolly and we are looking forward to a quiet New Years Eve.  How was your holiday?