It's Been a While....

My husband has been on vacation the last two weeks and we've been busy.  We went to a Cider Mill, walking, Quilt Shows, Flea Markets and watched our 2 granddaughters for a week.
Oh yeah and my leg healed up and I was able to walk in the 2 mile "Step Out for Diabetes" at the Detroit Zoo.

First the Cider Mill....guess what?  I didn't get a picture of the mill, but took some pictures of the river and a butterfly.

The path is along an old railroad bed.  It went for about a mile.  It was very relaxing listening to the sound of the river rolling along.

Here is the butterfly, although it looked more like a moth.  The body was very thick and if you look closely you can see it's antennae.

This is what greeted us as we walked to the Quilt Show at Wolcott Mills Metro Park.  It was such a beautiful Autumn day.

I loved the hand quilting and the ribbon border on this quilt.

Don't you just love Halloween Quilts?

The Quilt Show took place in the historic Mill building.  It was small, but I really enjoyed it.  This was my first quilt show since I moved back down from Up North.

We found another small quilt show in Hadley, Michigan.

The machine quilting is so fantastic on this quilt.

This was a favorite of my Husband's.  Since he is such a Civil War buff he loves anything
with reproduction CW fabrics.

My sewing machine has been acting up lately.  I was checking out new machines on Amazon and saw a Brother Sewing Machine I was interested in.  I went to my local Brother dealer and found a machine that had some features I was looking for.  Needle down position, quilting stitch, a blanket stitch that is easy to adjust in many different sizes, and I can run it without using the foot pedal.

 Here she is.  It is a Project Runway, Novis 4o.  I love it.  Since I spent last week at my daughter's watching the girls I didn't have much time to play.  I'm making up for it this week.  I also go a wonderful surprise from a friend.  My husband's friend's daughter gave me a featherweight sewing machine.  It was her grandmother's and she doesn't use it.  She knows I sew so she gave it to me.  Now my featherweights number 4.  I think I need to sell one.  lol

 I did get a couple of projects finished.

You know when you make a square in a square block?  Well this little quilt

was made from trimmings.  It will probably be a AAQI quilt.

It is approx. 8"x11".

This is the quilt I made for the Quilts, books and Binding group I belong to.  We read

a book and then we were to make a quilt that represents something

from the book.  The book takes place in the fall in a town in New York that is

on the banks of the Hudson river.  This is the spot that Nell  was re-proposed to

and where she went to think.  I call it "Nell's side of the River". 

It will also be an AAQI quilt. 

This has been a lengthy post but I hope you enjoyed it.

Later this week I hope to share some news with you....

and I'm hoping to have a giveaway...

So stay tuned.

Wishing you a quilty day!

Hugs, Cathy

I've been lurking lately...

I haven't been doing to much lately, just lurking, reading a few blogs.

I have worked on some applique and hand quilting.  Nothing really ready to show you yet. 

I've had an infection in my leg and am on antibiotics and have had to keep off my feet.  Normally that wouldn't bother me but I can't sit at my sewing machine.

I'm all set to start a year long Bee at 15 minutes play.  And we have been asked to say what has inspired us to quilt.

My inspiration comes from new family members, nature, photos, books, Alzheimer's,  holidays, friendship and fabric.

Here are some of my original works from my inspirations.  I hope you enjoy.

What inspires you?

Hugs, Cathy

A Happy Quilter Indeed

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

Playing Catch Up Again and AAQI Auction

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

It's Finished

Finished my AAQI quilt.  I hand quilted it.  Sent the email with all the info and am just waiting for the registration number so I can send it in. 

It's going to be hot and humid today.  So find somewhere cool to spend the day.  I am going to try and get some quilts sandwiched today so I can get something finished.

Have a quilty day.

Hugs, Cat

What Fantastic Weather

Sorry to go on and on about the weather but I've been enjoying it.  More on that later....

The latest Barbara Brackman CW block.  One of the few projects I'm actually keeping up with.

This is my latest Alzheimer's quilt.  I used the 15 minutes play method.  I made this quilt in about a half hour.  It is all sandwiched and I plan on hand quilting it today.  You might remember the last quilt I made for Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative..."Scraps of Hope".  I'm happy  to say that it sold for $40.00.   If you can... make a quilt, if you can't... buy a quilt.  It all goes for a great cause.   Click here to see all the wonderful quilts made for this cause.

Now back to the weather.  It was so nice out yesterday.  Hubby and I went out to Stoney Creek Metro Park.  We stopped and picked up Subway and had a picnic.  But first we walked.

We walked along Stoney Creek.  It was a nice shady walk, at first.  Then we walked in the sunshine.  Very hot and a good workout.

We saw some wonderful wild flowers.  And I had a devil of time getting a picture of this dragon fly.  Most of my pictures were of just the greenery. 

When we got home I went out in the backyard and found that my peonies had blossomed.  These flowers mean a lot to me.  They came from my parents home up north.  After Dad passed away and we were clearing out the house we decided to dig up the peonies.  These plants were transplanted from every home my parents lived in...  They would be very happy to know that they are with me now.

Wishing you a quilty day and lots of sunshine.

Hugs, Cat

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW AND LOTS OF BLUE

Here's the old.  I finished binding it and I have it hanging in the living room.  Was going to keep it in the sewing room but DH loved it and wanted it in the living room.

Close up of the free motion quilting.  And I promise this is the last time I will post pictures of this quilt.

Now for something new...this is my latest Alzheimer's quilt.  I call it Hugs and Kisses.

I've had this done since Monday but kept forgetting to post a picture.  It is last Saturday's Barbara Brackman Civil War Block.  This is the last of the blue.

Guess what I FINALLY finished?

January's Granny's Hankies BOM.  I'm so glad to have finally finished it.  Now on to February....After I finish March's  Bunny Hill BOM...lol

Still overcast, the sun peeks out once in a while.  I hope this bad weather we are having all over the United States leaves soon.  I hope all my friends in the south are safe.

Wishing you a quilty day.

Hugs, Cat