I won any book I wanted from Emily @ "Em Celebrates" and "Celebrating Big Girl Pants". I chose this book. I absolutely love it. I love the cow in the book (since I collect cows) and I'm thinking I can change it into a Moose (I collect them too). Thank you, thank you, thank you Em. I luv U girlfriend.
I recently joined a new group: "Quilts, Bindings and Books". We are going to read a book and then make a quilt that represents some portion of the book. The book we choose is "The Lover's Knot" by Clare O'Donohue. So I went to Amazon and ordered my book. Of course I had to check out some quilting books.....I was bad....lol
I love applique and this book is great. It has a DVD with the patterns and you can print the patterns up in 5 different sizes. But that's not all....
I am such a fan of Kathleen Tracy. I follow her blog religiously. And my DH won't throw a fit at my buying books as long as they have anything to do with the Civil War. lol
Now I did get some sewing done too.
I finished the quilt top for my nephew to be, Cowen. It was too dense with all pieced blocks so every other block is a neutral plain block. I like how it turned out. This weekend I will sandwich, pin baste and machine quilt it.
Don't think that I have forgotten my "Primitive Primer" quilt.
I've been so busy with so many projects lately. The other day I pulled this block out and started working on it again. I usually work on while the Detroit Tigers are playing. After this block is done I need to make the Starburst block and the appliqued border. I can't wait to finish it. I already have a wall I plan on hanging it.
Today would have been my Dad's 90th birthday. He passed away in February 2010 on Superbowl Sunday. How he loved the Superbowl. I miss you Dad.
Wishing you a quilty day.
Hugs, Cathy
I worked on a baby quilt last night. My nephew is in the Air Force and stationed in Germany. He and his wife are expecting their second son. So this quilt will be for Cowen.
I plan on making Churn Dash, Shoo Fly and 9 patch blocks in blue and neutrals. Six each with the centers dark and the outside neutral and then six each with the centers light and the outside dark. These blocks are 6".
I would have gotten more done except I had a very wonderful visit from my Grandson Brian. He left this morning to go back to college and came over to see me for a little bit and give me a couple of his wonderful hugs. I'm going to miss him but gratefully he will only be a couple of hours away so we can go visit him.
Wishing you all a quilty day.
Hugs, Cathy
A Little Bit of This is.....It's Friday Night Sew-In.....Yay!!! I've got dinner in the slow cooker and fabrics picked out for tonight's Sew-In. Hope to see you there...
A Little Bit of That is......Last months Bunny Hill BOM. Took me a while but I finally finished it. Now I need to start on this months BOM.
Yesterday Terry and I decided to go out to Kennsington Metro Park for a picnic and a walk. It was much hotter than we thought it would be but we still hiked a bit. Get ready for a lot of pictures....
The swans were out in record numbers. We counted at least 50!
Love taking pictures of the wild flowers.
We came across a secret stairway. I wonder where it went?
We took birdseed with us this time. Terry had fun with the chickadees. He was sitting there maybe a minute when the first bird came.
While walking we ran into this couple take the kids for a walk. I think they smelled the birdseed. They walked right past me and headed for Terry....and mean they ran to him.
They loved the seed. And they remembered us. We left the Nature Center and then came back later. When we pulled into the parking lot these 4 Sandhill Cranes were lying in the shade. As soon as Terry got out they came running. He dumped a handful of seed and then we took off running.
There were so many of these Swallow Tail Butterflies all over the place. They really liked purple flowers.
I spotted this red tail hawk. He looks so majestic. But he also explained why there weren't a lot of birds around.
I just love Sunflowers. Any size, any shape, any kind.
This park is so big and has so much to offer. Including a petting farm. This goose reminds of the goose in Charlotte's Web.
It was so HOT... But this fella knew how to keep cool.
Caught this little fella just before he dashed down his hole.
While walking on the boardwalk that crosses a small lake saw this creature. It was the biggest snapping turtle I had ever seen. His shell was about 20" long and 15" across. If you look closely you can see the moss that is growing on his shell.
Now if you think this is a lot of pictures I have to confess I took about 100 pictures yesterday. We had so much fun walking and taking pictures.
Wishing you could have gone with us and hoping you have a wonderful weekend.
Hugs, Cathy
My AAQI quilt "Midnight Garden" is finished. I stitched in the ditch around the flying geese and then did some freeform quilting around the applique. It finished at 8 1/2" x 11 1/2". The picture looks a little wonky, it looks better in person.
So now I am just waiting to hear back from AAQI with a number and then I will be sending it in. If you have a little time make a quilt or buy a quilt. The money goes for such a great cause.
This quilt is dedicated to my cousin Donna.
Wishing you a quilty day.
Hugs, Cathy
I'm the happiest when I'm sitting at my sewing table happily sewing away.
As you may or may not know I am a contributing member of the 15 minutes play blog. We are doing a BOM using made fabric.
This is the latest block. See Saw.
Flower pot block.
I took this picture prior to making the see saw block. I still have to make the triangle block. I love how these blocks are coming together. Not sure how I will put them together yet. Each block is 12".
Victoria at 15 minute play asked if we would make a block for a charity quilt.
I chose the flower pot. We are to use bright colors and a green background. Anyone who knows me well knows I do not have a lot of bright colors in my stash. I am more a country colors kinda girl. But I think it turned out nice. It is now on its way to Victoria.
I am all caught up on my Barbara Brackman CW BOW. I tried, oh how I tried but I just couldn't get that Y seam done right. So I did HST's. I feel you need to enjoy what you are doing and I just couldn't doing the Y seam.
Now for some strange reason I had NO PROBLEM with this block at all. I printed the pattern on freezer paper, ironed it on the fabric, cut it out and sewed it together in about a half hour. Usually I sew this block by hand, but today felt brave enough to do it on the machine. I love it. But I will probably do it over again in different colors.
I have my AAQI quilt, "Midnight Garden" all machine quilted and just need to sew down the binding. Once done I will post a picture.
Wishing you a quilty day.
Hugs, Cathy
The picture is not the greatest. Bad lighting. But at the top it says: Cut - Sew - Quilt. And at the bottom it says: Repeat as Needed! Not sure what to do next but I'm thinking a narrow inner border followed by a 3" Outer border. Then it will be time to embellish with buttons and what nots. You can check out what Sarah is up to here. While at her blog check out the Flicker pics.
My latest AAQI quilt???? Not sure...it is awfully dark. But I did want it dark. I'm calling it
"Midnight in the Garden". I'm hoping to lighten it up with some FMQ using bright thread. If it doesn't work I'll have another little quilt to put up on the wall.
Guess what??? I won a quilt book of my choice at the "Celebrating Big Girl Pants" blog. My wonderful friend Em picked my name out of the hat. I'm so excited. You should go see what everyone who contributes to the blog (I'm one of them) is doing. The link is on my side bar. This Blog is dedicated to conquering the fear of FMQ. Em's quilting is to die for. Lots of inspiration there.
Well I'm off to working on projects in my sewing room. So many projects so little time...lol.
Wishing you a glorious, quilty day.
Hugs, Cathy
This is the latest EQ7 BOM. I worked on it after I did my last post. After I made it I put all the blocks from this BOM on the design wall.
I really like how these blocks are looking. Can't wait to finish this one.
The latest Barbara Brackman CV BOW. I was going to try an easier way but I really liked the way the stripes looked.
I was asked to show all my Floribunda blocks that I finished. 13 all together. You know it is funny how they look so different in person than they do in a picture.
Today I played around and did a border on my Follow Your Bliss Quilt-a-Long. I was going to make log cabin blocks but really didn't want to do paper piecing for this. I like how this one works. I'm working on this with Sarah Vee @ Sew Joy (a link is on my side bar).
The heat has been terrible here. Then last night we had rain, today we had rain, and now it is cooler but still high humidity. Hope it is comfortable where ever you may be.
Just heard that my Nephew Nate who is stationed in Germany with his wife Ashley and adorable son Talin are expecting there second son. Now I can start the baby quilt.
So as always, I wish you a quilty day.
Hugs, Cathy
Go Detroit Tigers!!!!
Before I start showing my recent projects I want to remind you today starts the AAQI Auction. As you know I have been making quilts for AAQI. They recently sold this quilt I made, HUGS AND KISSES.
This quilt was dedicated to my Cousin Jack. I recently found out that the quilt was bought by his daughter Judy. It made me cry. Anyway...I just wanted to remind you about the auction. So either make a quilt or buy a quilt. It is truly a worthy cause.
I took hand applique projects with me on vacation and never got a thing done. And now that I'm home the heat and humidity has been horrible. And as you know Cathy don't do heat and humidity. I turn beet red and am soaking wet all the time.
But ha ha....I do have air conditioning in the bedroom and my sewing room is directly across from it. So I put a sheet up in the hallway opened both doors and put a fan in between. I must say it worked. My sewing room is now air conditioned (at least until I get the next electric bill, lol) Necessity is the mother of invention.
Now to Quilty stuff.
I made these 2 blocks for the 15 minute play BOM. I'm having so much fun making fabric, cutting it up and making blocks. 2 down and 2 to go.
I made 2 more Floribunda blocks. That makes a total of 12.
Here are 2 of the latest Barbara Brackman CW blocks.
I signed up for a quilt-a-long called "Follow your Bliss" with Sarah V. at SewJoy. Her blog is on my side bar. Of course this started the first day of my vacation so I am playing catch up again. Looking forward to making a sweet quilt to hang on my sewing room wall.
That's it for show. Now for tell. I've got the background block for July's Bunny Hill BOM and have all the pieces prepped to start appliqueing. I have the directions printed out for the current Barbara Brackman CW block and printed up the rotary cutting directions for the August EQ BOM. So I will be busy today. (In my nice air conditioned sewing room)
Wishing you a quilty day, not too hot and not too humid.
Hugs, Cathy
