Finishes - Finally!

The open house at Sew Graceful was yesterday so I can finally share some finishes with you.  This is a block of the month that starts now.  The quilt is "supposed" to be made with wool but I can't stick with a pattern.  My background and appliques are all cotton.  The bias on the border may look difficult but is really quite easy. 

This wall hanging is a Jan Patek pattern, Punkin Heads.  I really enjoy making her patterns.  One nice thing about wall hangings is they're small enough to quilt on your home machine.

The applique on this fall wall hanging is wool and backgrounds are cotton. 



The thing I most enjoyed finishing was my to do list!  I love to start the week with a new list -- gives me a special delight in marking off an item. 

I will post lots more photos later this week.  My camera battery died before I could take photos of everything.  Of course, I didn't have my changer with me.

Another one ready to sew

Ahhhhhh......I feel so much better.  I took some "me" time and have my fourth Baltimore album block ready to sew. 

If you've never tackled a bias vine vase (say that fast three times!) you should give it a shot.  It's easy and is sure to impress all your friends. 

According to the order in which I received my blocks, I should do a border next.  I have the templates cut but don't know if I'm ready to tackle it yet.  I am working on some projects for the Sew Graceful Holiday Extravaganza to be held August 13.  I usually can bounce from project to project, but once I start a Baltimore block I have tunnel vision.  I can't help it........it's not a bad thing.......no it's not (insert smiling face here). 

Hope you have had some time to play in your tunnel whether it's quilting, stitching, hooking, cooking, gardening or whatever. 

The fun begins!

Finally.....a little time to work on Friends of Baltimore.  I ironed templates on last night

and am making 1/8" - yes 1/8" - bias today

Sigh.....I'm a happy girl!

Still no Baltimore!

Do you ever look at a pattern and think "Oh that won't take long" or "Oh I want to make that and that and that"?  I'm afraid that's where I am at the moment.  Too many projects and not enough time to accomplish everything.  I am almost finished with the Christmas quilt but am already thinking 4 projects ahead. 

Been making circles.

And sewing swags

The finished quilt be offered as a block of the month at Sew Graceful Quilting.  If you're local, you can see it and lots of other projects I'm working on during their fall open house Sat, Aug 13.

I'm still itching to work on the Baltimore.  I have the template made, fabrics pulled and just need to find some time to start this block.  The most fun part will be the bias stem vase - looks daunting but it oh so fun!

Before I start it I must do some cross stitch charting.  I chart for Merry Cox and had better get the chart ready for the Just Cross Stitch event in Williamsburg later this year.  Be sure to check out both sites - Merry offers some wonderful on-line classes for those who can't make it to one of her workshops.

Hope you have a great week......and that you're working on only ONE project......instead of the 6 or so I'm tackling!



We interrupt progress on the Baltimore album quilt for.........

.......vacation.  Now don't get me wrong; I love vacations as much as anyone but vacationing and album quilts just don't go together.  Consequently, I don't have any new blocks to show.

For quite some time I've wanted to go to the Vermont quilt show so we packed up the car and headed out for our road trip.  Unfortunately, about a million other people decided to travel at the same time.  Ok - maybe not a million but it seemed like that!

Our first destination was Bar Harbor Maine where we saw lots of these on our ocean excursion. 

Roses were in abundance and the air smelled so wonderful.  We ate lots of fish, took a few walks and generally relaxed.  The motel where we stayed offered us a free room upgrade so we felt very pampered in our $650 per night room (we paid far less than that).  Only excitement happened when we had to be rescued from our elevator.  Power went out just as the elevator door closed so we spent about 30 minutes waiting for the fire deparment to open the door.  Good news is that I now know how to use the elevator emergency telephone.

On the way to our next destination, I got to visit a very well known wool business - Dorr Mill - located in a the hills of New Hampshire.  Wool was everywhere....I mean everywhere.....really.  

Our next stop was Fort Ticongeroga, New York.  Last time we were in the area the fort was closed for the season so a stop was on our list.  It was interesting to visit such a historic location.  We also took a side trip and drove up Mount Defiance. 

Next stop was Burlington, Vermont for the quilt show.  This was the 35th show - it's the oldest and largest show in New England.  Go to Vermont Quilt Festival to see a photo of the best of show quilt.  As usual, the quilt was much prettier in person.  The special exhibits were wonderful too. 

While in Burlington, one MUST visit the Shelburne Museum.  It's not open year round so be sure to check dates/times before you plan a trip.  They do an outstanding job displaying quilts.  Imagine a book with the spine nailed to the wall.  Each quilt is enclosed in a huge glass enclosure that can be turned just like pages in a book. 

Next stop was to visit the shop the ladies who publish Primitive Quilts and Projects own.  It is a charming shop located in Williamstown WV.  I'd hoped to pick up the fall issue to bring back to Sew Graceful Quilting but was about a week too early.  Here's a photo of their shop but you can see more by going to their blog and looking at the Apr 27 entry.  Cute, huh??!

 

We'd planned a side trip to Virginia to visit the quilt museum there (I have the BEST husband in the world who always indulges me in side trips!) but I was getting antsy to come home.  We decided to save that visit until later. 

I've been busy making berries for a Christmas project.  I should have it ready to show next time.  Until then, hope you find some time to stitch.



Block 3 of Friends of Baltimore

I have decided the Friends of Baltimore blocks are just too darn much fun.  If I didn't have other commitments, I'd spend 8 hours a day working on them.  As it is, I fit a few pieces in here and there but am always thinking of them. 

Here is the third block.  It has smaller pieces than numbers 1 and 2 but was way too much fun. 

Notice the teeny tiny circles?  I have to admit they were a challenge.  You see......Karen K Buckley's Perfect Circles don't come that small so I had to cut my own circles.  Have you ever tried to cut a perfectly round circle out of freezer paper?  It's not easy.  

Of course, the lyre will have strings embroidered.  Actually, there's quite a bit of embroidery on every block but I'm saving that until the end to do.  I don't like to get out my embroidery "stuff" and then have to put it away and then get it out a few weeks later.  

I'm putting together a block of the month so better go and cut more kits.  I promise I won't let my mind wander while I'm cutting.  Focus.  Focus.  I can do this!

 



Another Baltimore Album Book

Ever have a time when you know you've been busy?  Crazy busy like Paula of Pacific Patchwork says.  Then you try to put your finger on what you've been busy doing and can't quite figure what has happened.  Not much to show for your efforts?  That would be me.

I started on my next block of the Friends of Baltimore quilt.  I'm itching to work on it but need to finish one more project first.  Here's my block in progress.

The red flowers with petals are just too much fun to make.  I could make them all day long.  Here's a closeup.



I mentioned Dr. Dunton's book a few posts back as being a "must have" Baltimore album book.  Another great album book is Baltimore Album Quilts by Dena Katzenberg.  She was curator of a traveling exhibit of Baltimore album quilts (1980-82).  She put together a catalog of quilts - lots of color photographs and detailed photos.  Only 3500 copies were printed so the book is quite scarce.  I bought a copy several years ago, read it, then put it aside.  Took it on vacation to the NW last year.  Put it back where it belonged and promptly forgot where I put it.  Several weeks ago I thought it would be good to reread it and couldn't locate it.  I searched high and low to no avail.  Finally, I was so distressed I bought another copy.  Oh yeah - the next day I found my long lost copy.  So now I have two.  Oh well.....I'll use one as a working, I can drool on this one, copy and the other will be my too good to use copy.  Ever do something stupid like that?!

We have all been so saddened by the events in Joplin.  Sew Graceful Quilting is taking donations to help the victims.  You can read specifics in their current newsletter (just click on the newsletter tab on the right side).  I donated 3 kits and hope you'll take a few minutes to hunt up something to give. 

Since I've got Baltimore on the Brain today, I think I will close and work on the block.  Who knows, maybe I'll have a finished block to share next week?!