Color!

I have been working on a ruffle scarf for my oldest granddaughter and the colors in this yarn are so fun that I just had to share!  The yarn is Starbella in the "Fly A Kite" colorway and it really is reminiscent of brightly colored kites flying in the sky!

Silent Sunday

The First Dandelion

 The First Dandelion 

Simple and fresh and fair from winter's close emerging, 

As if no artifice of fashion, business, politics, had ever been, 

Forth from its sunny nook of shelter'd grass--innocent, golden, calm as the dawn, 

The spring's first dandelion shows its trustful face. 

 ~ Walt Whitman 

My "The First Dandelion" quilt is the result of my art quilt group's third challenge.  We were to make a quilt using scraps and a significant amount of a solid that represented spring.  I definitely think I met the challenge, but let me tell you...this quilt was not without challenges!  My first two attempts were so bad that they went directly to the garbage, but thankfully the third time was the charm and I ended up with an acceptable piece.

Our next challenge is to make a quilt using any amount of yellow and use a photo for inspiration.  Hmmm...I wonder if I could snap a quick photo of a dandelion in the snow and use this quilt for the upcoming challenge?  Or would that be cheating?

Bindings

I've been doing some binding lately...lots and lots of binding!  The Mountain Laurel Quilt Guild made the blocks for these Project Linus quilts in February for Project Linus Make a Blanket Day.  Tops were assembled by volunteers and then a couple of guild members with longarm quilting machines volunteered to do the quilting. My plan was to ask guild members to help with the bindings too, but binding is my favorite part of making a quilt and the stack of unfinished Linus quilts that I just picked up from the quilter was too tempting.  I put the binding on one, and then another and another and before I knew it the whole stack was done!  These quilts are now on their way to children in need via Project Linus.

Snow Day!

Thankfully we aren't getting as much snow as what was originally predicted for our area. We have a couple of inches on the ground with a little more expected to accumulate throughout the day, but the worst is over. It's still enough to declare a snow day though...I'm off to my sewing room!

Silent Sunday

Good To The Last Scrap

Sometimes you just need to add a little color and fun to your life and this little Priority: Alzheimer's Quilt does just that with its bright colors and fun selvage scraps. This quilt will soon be for sale on the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative's website.

Have you ever purchased a Priority: Alzheimer's Quilt?  If so, Ami Simms is inviting you to participate in Facebook Foto Friday.  Just post a photo of the Priority: Alzheimer's Quilt that you purchased, include its name, maker's name and why you love your quilt on the AAQI Facebook page.  If you haven't purchased a quilt as of yet, you can buy one at www.alzquilts.org/quiltsforsale.  Remember...profits from all sales and auction purchases fund Alzheimer's research!

Pillowcase Tutorial

The Avengers!

My youngest son and his family all love the Marvel comic book heroes, so when my daughter-in-law made it a point to tell me that she saw fabrics of their favorite characters I knew that I would have to get some and make them each something...but what?  No one in the family needs another quilt, so I opted for pillowcases!  Now they can all go to bed at night dreaming of Thor, Captain America and Spiderman!  

Spring Strings

It's hard to come up with gifts for nursing home patients and it's even more difficult to come up with gift ideas for someone who is in an Alzheimer's unit.  There are so many things that aren't allowed in the unit for safety reasons, so it really limits what kind of gifts you can give.  My mother-in-law just celebrated her 80th birthday and I racked my brain to try and come up with something to give to her that she would enjoy.  I finally decided on a mini makeover for her room.  I made two spring string table toppers, added a little pot of brightly colored silk flowers and some newly framed family photos and it all made for a very happy birthday indeed!

Silent Sunday

Hoots!

Aren't these little hoots just the cutest things?  They are a quick knit and easy enough that I was able to make these four while I was down and out with the flu!  The pattern is "Owl Puffs" by Jenna Krupar and can be found on Ravelry.

Mama's Got A Brand New Bag!

It's the truth that one thing always leads to another!  I found a lovely green wallet on sale that I couldn't resist, but that purchase meant that I needed a new bag to match.  I didn't have a pattern, only an idea in my mind of what I wanted.  I simply stitched some 2" Civil War Reproduction strips together, quilted the pieces in a 1/2" grid, added a pretty green lining and scrappy handles, then finished it off with a vintage button closure.  It turned out just as I had hoped it would and I couldn't be happier with my new bag!

Silent Sunday

The Pajama Quilter AKA Dawn Ramirez

Old Dog...New Tricks

I'm not very brave when it comes to trying new free motion quilt designs.  I am comfortable meandering or quilting loops and swirls and that's pretty much what I have stuck with since I got my Juki machine and Grace frame a few years ago.  Lately I have been thinking that I need to try something new, so I broke out my Pajama Quilter Workbook and trusty whiteboard and started practicing!  Yesterday I worked up enough courage to try "fern ziggle" on a real quilt.  It's hard to see the quilting in this photo, but I must say that I'm quite pleased with the end results.  I guess an old dog really can learn a new trick every now and then!

Ugly?

There's a little challenge going on over at String Thing Along that will hopefully prove once and for all that even the ugliest fabrics can make beautiful quilts.  I tried to pick out some really ugly mismatched fabrics for my block, but I honestly don't think it's all that bad.  There's no doubt in my mind that all these ugly blocks will make a beautiful scrappy quilt for charity!  Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder...what is your opinion?

Silent Sunday