My Garden Pics Spring 2011

The first blooms of spring! I love this time of year the wisteria smells so good! Mornings on the porch with a cup of tea and bird watching. I really should spend time cleaning the flower beds instead of sewing and quilting. There aren't enough hours in the day to do everything I enjoy.
Monday is a workshop with Marsha McCloskey, I am so excited! I will post some pics.
Happy Spring!
Happy Quilting!!!

Colleen

Projects finished today

Today I finished one of my PhD's on Myra's blog. The quilt is for Stitching Memories Quilt Guild fundraiser.  This is my first "quilt along" that I enjoyed VERY much with Joanne from Thread Head.

I also did the finishing binding on a Christmas Tree Skirt and a Tablecloth that are for the Guild Festival in Sept. I have made lots of items to sell at the Festival, the tops are done so now I MUST finish them. We are having a "Festival Show and Tell" at the meeting next Monday so that will be my inspiration to finish as many  items as I can this week.
Happy Quilting!
Colleen

USMC quilt

I made the Marine Corps quilt for my husband Dale who served 1966 - 1970. This quilt will be used as covering on the seat of his 1951 Ford truck. I will post pics from the car show he is going to. Large squares and lots of borders. I will have to make bound splits for the seat belts to be used. Cotton corduroy is the backing.

Power shopping at Dallas Quilt Show

The day before leaving for Dallas Quilt Show my new book Out of the Box, by Mary Lou Weidman, arrived. What an inspiration!!! I only had a few hours at the show so I - POWER SHOPPED- (learned from many years of buying at market in Dallas and Highpoint N. C. for a store I used to work for.) The bright multi colored squiggley stripe was my inspiration fabric. This will of course be a long process for my story quilt. My theme is a view of my secret garden from my favorite chair on my porch!. The Mary Englebreit fabric has many garden signs that I will use on garden stakes throughout the quilt. My creativity is flowing and my 5 yr old grandson Alex has already requested several things to be added, this will be lots of fun!!!

Dallas Quilt Show

What a day!!! I only had a few hours to see the Dallas quilt show but it sure was worth the RUSH! We had to pick grandkids up at 2:00 so I did some Power Shopping!!! I found the beginning fabrics for my STORY QUILT!!! Alex age 5 is helping Mimi decide what will be in the garden of my story, more to come as I begin and post my progress.
This week I am making a throw size Marine Corps quilt for my husband's 51 Ford truck (looks like TowMater from the Cars movie). It is all Rusted but totally rebuilt engine. He is driving it to Dallas next weekend to a car show.
Quilt shows and car shows!!! Lots of fun.

Happy Quilting,
Colleen

Guild Newsletter - no sewing today

I did not get to sew a stitch or even open a quilting book or magazine all day. I have volunteered to do the Newsletter for my guild and worked all day on the computer, veryyyyy tiring but several members have responded they rec'd and were able to open the file. Leaving tomorrow for Dallas Quilt Show, staying til Sat night with my precious daughter and family. My sister is going  with me, we will have sooooo much fun! Now I don't have to have the newsletter on my mind!
Happy Quilting!
Colleen

Table linens for Festival

I have added a 2" green paisley border on the runner since this pic and will bind the placemats with the same green paisley. I am shopping for a black and white print for the backing.

This week I am working on some quick quilted table linens for my Guild's Festival in Sept. The Mary Englebreit fabrics are 4 placemats, table runner and table square. I also put together the Talkin Turkey pattern in a table square using homespun plaids and calicos. I have lots of items constructed and need to schedule a couple a days just for finishing some items.

Attention Quilt Bloggers! PLEASE HELP ME FIND A PATTERN

• Recently while browsing the world of quilting online I saw a quilt that was a garden scene with teacup bird feeders . Does anyone know where I can find that pattern?

Quilting obsession - I am sewing and cant stop

Help!!! This is the second quilt top I have started this week and it is only Tuesday. I am so excited about my guild Stitching Memories, we are having a Holiday Festival in September. Our members are making lots of wonderful quilted gift items and quilts for sale. Also a quilt auction will be held and a silent auction. We have high hopes of raising a lot of money for our guild to plan an exciting program schedule for the coming year. This year we are hosting Marsha McCloskey at the end of March for a workshop and Becky Goldsmith for a workshop in July.

I fussy cut the blocks for the Lily quilt yesterday and have the 9 blocks plus the sashing all layed out on my work table. Tomorrow I will audition borders, this will be a lap quilt.

Help me!!! I am sewing and cant stop, my enthusiasum is at an all time high right now. Soon I will run out of steam and design ideas and get a well deserved rest! Then I will begin free motion quilting all these beautiful quilts and quilted decor.
Happy Quilting,
Colleen

Design Wall Monday - Cottage Quilt

This sweet little quilt has storybook cottage scenes, I am using small florals in green, lavendar, yellow and pink. This project will be sold at my Quilt Guilds Festival in September. 54" sq can be wall hanging, table cloth or lap quilt.

Folk Art applique table square

This is another project for my Guild's Holiday Festival. The table square has a machine appliqued center bordered with a cute Folk Art print and plaid. The applique is from Simple Comforts by Kim Diehl. I was experimenting with variegated thread that I like to use for free motion quilting, I don't like it so much on this applique. The items I am making to sell at the Festival are going together pretty fast as I am not agonizing over every decision! Also I used Steam a Seam for the fusible applique, the layered flower in center is very stiff that is why I will add a hanging sleeve so it can be a wall hanging. The size is 54" sq.

Watermelon Baskets table square

The Watermelon Baskets table square is for my Guild's Holiday Festival. This one represents Summer, I am working on a Fourth of July table runner and a Christmas patriotic table square, I will post them soon. Friday and Saturday I will be sewing at a workshop where our Guild members are all working on items for the Festival.

Borders added to quilt for auction

Today I added the borders on the quilt for auction fundraiser for Stitching Memories Quilt Guild. Tomorrow I will layer and pin for free motion quilting with my Bernina 430. Our guild Holiday Festival is in Sept. We will have an auction for quilts ( 14 so far ), a silent auction and lots of items "Homemade With Love". That is the theme for the Festival and the name of the cookbook we have made and will be for sale at a Tasting Luncheon the day of the festival.

Thanksgiving table runner

This table runner for Thanksgiving is for the silent auction for my quilt guild. The pattern is Talkin Turkey by LydiaJo ? sorry cant remember the name. The pattern is for placemats but I decided to make the runner, it is about 48" long.

2nd PhD done - Handbag

I have finished another PhD for the Myra's blog challenge. I stitched down all the flowers and leaves and added an iron accent amythest cross and used a pretty pin on the closure, I will add a magnetic closure under the pin. This handbag is for a silent auction for my quilt guild's Festival in Sept.
Colleen

New project Lizzie Mae's Medallion

Today I started the applique for Lizzie Mae's Medallion, all adhered and ready to machine applique. It has been over a week since I did any sewing, my youngest daughter was home for a visit and the whole family had a wonderful week! All went home this weekend, so I started a new quilt today, Lizzie Mae's Medallion. I decided to do the applique by machine. I have been collecting the fabrics for several months, my plan is to make it by the pattern ( I have never made a quilt by a pattern before) but will add my own touches to personalize the design with additional pieced borders. Since I usually draw my design layouts and work out the kinks as I go along, I hope this will go quickly. Wish me luck!
Happy Quilting,
Colleen

Bohemian Romance finished

Yesterday I finished Bohemian Romance, free motion quilting using lots of feather stitching in border and some blocks. This blended quilt is based on Spendid Blended Olio from Marsha McCloskey's book Blended Traditions II. The overall large print dark color fabrics create a pretty blended effect. I used a floral flannel in shades of green for the backing. I have not washed it yet ( I love the puckered effect from that first washing) because the water line to washer is frozen. I will post again after washing.
This is my first finish for the PhD Challenge for Myra's blog.

Happy Quilting!
Colleen

Progress on PhD's

 I have added mitered inner borders and pieced outside borders on the batik quilt I started in November, before all the tshirt quilts for Christmas. This quilt will be auctioned as a fundraiser for our local quilt guild.

This quilt is also for the auction - last weekend at a retreat I added the two extra rows and alternating blocks in the corners. A narrow black inner border will accent a 5" wide border of the tan paisley used in the alternating blocks.
Both of these quilts are included in Myra's Phd challenge. I have one quilt to post at "Done", the Bohemian blended quilt has a lovely green floral flannel on the back. I'll post a pic tomorrow when the light is better.
Happy Winter quilting!
Colleen

Cold winter fix for drafty windows

 Covered the small window with fake fur, really uptown window coverings! Opposite windows on North have 2 layers Warm and Natural and one  quilt top.

Well all you quilters out there is the brutal winter weather will love this pic! My quilting workroom is upstairs  garage apartment 3 rooms with lots of windows, wonderful in the spring and fall, but this weather has forced me to find a solution to the wind chill factor. I have hung layers of warm and natural batting over the windows, still get enough light. It has helped a lot, the triple bay area is covered with batting that I pieced together so it looks like a hodgepodge but what ever works!!!
Even wearing my cotton quilting gloves to stay warm.
I am machine quilting the Bohemian blended quilt with a flannel backing so that is helping to keep me warm too. Taking a break to make beef stew for dinner and a dessert with sugar free ingredients. Then back upstairs to sew.
By the way I didnt add that I have to go outside to the garage to sew upstairs. That metal lock on the door sure is cold!!!
Happy Quilting and stay warm
Colleen

Wool Jacket almost finished

I am waiting on a few small iron on accents then it will be finished.  It is soooo soft and the sweatshirt lining feels really good. The washed felted wools are so easy to work with. I used a plaid wool that came from a skirt from Goodwill for the upper back and front lover edging. the same wool was fringed for the trim on the shawl collar, more fringed trim on back and also some cotton edgings. Can you see on the inside neck that I added a narrow piece from the sweater, added a very narrow dark brown cotton edging to finish. I think I might add an wool applique "tag".
Happy Quilting! I am planning another jacket in black red and gray.
Colleen

New project

Last week I attended the Oklahoma City Winter Quilt Show - it was wonderful. I sat in a seminar with Barbara Crawford, Crawford Designs. Her booth was the first one that really caught my eye and drew me in because of the beautiful wool applique. Lots of jackets, Christmas Stockings etc. The group I went with had signed up for a sweatshirt seminar called "Now You See It - Now You Don't". I had not signed up but there was room for me to attend for a small fee of $8.00. WELL THAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT $$$ I SPENT ALL DAY!!! As we waited for the seminar to begin I had no idea it was put on by my favorite booth!!! Barbara is a very enthusiastic teacher and the jackets she displayed were beautiful. Starting with a sweatshirt as my pattern and a jacket design idea pattern that came free with purchase of a sweatshirt I started planning my design with the incredible woolens I had purchased from The Rabbit's Lair, thank you Mary for being so helpful in pulling every piece of wool that took my eye!
Here is a pic of my jacket "work in progress" making changes as I go along and adding trims and iron on metal bling. I have ordered the letters in O O A K in bronze to add for my  " one of a kind" signature. I am having soooooo much fun, I havent made any designer wearables in years, I was truly ahead of my time 25 yrs ago.
Colleen

Sheri's and Cody's quilts with Cotton Dale!

Last night I gave Sheri her birthday quilt and got pics of hers and Cody's on their beds. She was proud to tell me he has been making his bed with his quilt, I love that sweet 17 yr old boy!

Quilt Along progress

I have been Quilting Along with Joanne at Thread Head. This quilt has been so much fun! All the blocks are finished for my auction quilt, I have added  a 4 patch border and will finish with anarrow black border and an outside border of my paisley. My blocks are from the first 10 from 2010, there are 10 more blocks coming in 2011. They will be for another project. Check out Thread Head's blog if you would like to quilt along with Joanne.
Thank you Joanne for wonderful pics and instructions!
Colleen

Works in Progress

 I have finished the second one, it is for my daughter in law for bday. the top pic will be layered tomorrow and quilted this weekend. I have never had so many works in progress, 4 in all, the bottom pic is a quilt along I am doing with Thread Head, it will be made for a fund raising auction in September. Also I have a lap size quilt in beautiful batiks that I need to get a picture of. When I started the quilts for Christmas gifts, 3 t shirt quilts, one black and white and 2 Christmas tree skirts, I put the others away. Winter will be a busy time with many finishes, I hope!

thanks for viewing my blog

I love your comments

Colleen

Works in progress! January 2011

Happy New Year to all you Quilt Bloggers! 2010 was a busy quilting year for Colleen and I have started the New Year off right.
I hosted the first annual Quilt-a-thon for New Year's Holiday! My sweet sister Janeen and good friends Margo and Ame all came over with sewing machines and projects. We sewed all day Friday and Saturday, Janeen even spent the night, although we were too tired to stay up til midnight and did not make any mischief at all! Ame completed a lap quilt for her son, Margo bordered a lap quilt and layered it and learned to stitch in the ditch. Janeen started a 9 patch Cowboy quilt for husband Buddy.
We sewed, laughed and of course ate lots of goodies, Margo made the most delicious black eyed peas, Ame made a great Italian dip and Janeen brought an ice box lemon meringue pie. We even took a break to watch the Grey Gardens documentary, then sewed a few more hours. A good time was had by all and we will certainly do it again!!! I forgot to take pics of all of us sewing, Here are pics of what I finished piecing, we had fun telling each other what looked good and what might need to be changed, true quilters!!!

 Bohemian beauty! what a mix of gorgeous fabrics and colors, this was so much fun! This will be a traveling quilt from master bedroom to living room, looks great both places!

 I began this blended quilt last year and decided to change borders. This is for my daughter in law's birthday, a little late, Happy Birthday Sheri Dec 29!

The mixed borders give a new softness to this quilt.

Thank you for taking time to read my blog, I always appreciate your comments!

Colleen