Wednesday, August 31, 2011

#33 and #34

Today I worked on Farmer’s Wife blocks #33- Farmer’s Puzzle and #34- Flock.

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The Farmer’s Puzzle block became the Bonnie’s Nightmare block.  I had to take it apart four times and re-sew to get it anywhere near correct – and I still don’t think it looks like the picture. 

The Flock block includes a bit of classic Mickey Mouse fabric leftover from a quilt I made a long time ago. 

Bonnie

Monday, August 29, 2011

Binding, Binding……

Yesterday I finished the colorful binding on the huge quilt for my friend.

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And today I finished another quilt binding for another friend ……

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I truly enjoy doing binding, but now I need to get back to my long list of unfinished projects.

Bonnie

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Farmer’s Wife #69 and #70

Two nice and easy blocks from The Farmer’s Wife – Block #69 Practical Orchard, and Block #70 Prairie Queen
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It sure is fun to grab fabrics from the scrap bins and put odd combinations together.  Each little block is a piece of artwork all in itself.
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In the mean time, I’m working on bindings for friends.  Here is a colorful binding on a quilt filled with nine-patch blocks in bright colors.  The quilt is huge, so the hand sewing of the binding is taking a long time, but I’m really enjoying it because just when I get tired of a binding fabric, a new one begins and I get to enjoy that color for a while.
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Bonnie

Friday, August 26, 2011

#15 and #16

Two more Farmer’s Wife blocks completed – #15, Buzzard’s Roost, and #16, Calico Puzzle

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I love that old black and white cat fabric. 

Back to my binding projects…………

Bonnie

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Tumbler Frenzy

My Fall tumbler block quilt is now all sewn together and ready for the next step – borders? no borders? – and will be put away for a later decision.

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I wanted to get the design wall cleared so that I could put up the Christmas tumbler blocks and make sure it was OK before I return the Accuquilt Go Cutter to my friend.  I really love the Christmas reds and greens.  They always make me smile.  (However, this picture makes the colors look dull.  Believe me, they are vibrant in person.)

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My favorite fabric is this one (below) and it is the very last scrap left.  Again, the pictures does not do it justice as the mottled green in the background is actually a very sparkly bright Christmas green.

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These blocks will get packed up in a project container for a while as I really need to get back to my binding projects.  When I get bored with the binding, I will take time out to make a few more Farmer’s Wife blocks.  A quilter is never without things to do!

Bonnie

Monday, August 22, 2011

Project progress

Block #3 of Christmas At Hawk Run Hollow – progress so far.

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On the quilting front, I am enjoying using my friend’s Accuquilt Go Cutter and have started a tumbler block quilt.  It began as a dark green block and the dot fabric seen below, but the contrast was too great and not pleasing to the eye.  So I switched to fall leaf fabrics instead and am happy with the result. 

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A closer look at some of the leaf fabrics….

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A huge storm came my way on Saturday and the whole neighborhood was without power for 14 hours.  By the dim light from the front window, I was able to work on binding for my friend and got one of her quilts finished.  The only sufficient light to take a picture was on my front porch.

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It is so wonderful to have power again – to be able to use my computer,  sewing machine, iron, overhead fans, and microwave! 

Bonnie

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Exchange

(Warning – pictures are dark.  Photographer error.)

Today I picked up some quilts from a friend.  She asked me to bind them for her. 

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In exchange for my binding services, she made a huge loaf of pesto bread for me (oh so yummy) and a little coin purse.  She included extra fabric so that I can make a notebook cover or tissue cover.  (Her daughter gave me the bookmark pens.)

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AND – she loaned me her Accuquilt Go Cutter ! ! !  Whooee.  What fun. 

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This morning I made two more Farmer’s Wife blocks -

#63 – Ozark Maple Leaf, and #64 – Peace and Plenty

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I won’t be making any more Farmer’s Wife blocks until I get all the binding done on those quilts – and I make good use of the Go Cutter. 

Bonnie

Monday, August 15, 2011

And two more

Two more Farmer’s Wife blocks completed  –

# 13 – Buckwheat and #14 – Butterfly at the Crossroads.

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Bonnie

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Birthday Blessings…

Today is my birthday (I’m almost as old as the hills), and I have been touched by all the greetings – via email, Facebook, snail mail, at church, gifts at my doorstep and flowers.

When I got home from church today, there was a package on my door with this adorable heart-shaped scrappy fabric wreath made with love by my wonderful niece.  I think it looks outstanding on my bedroom door.

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There are fabrics from my niece’s stash and from my sister’s stash.  There are new fabrics and old fabrics.  The one that stuck out and made me smile is this one…..

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What aunt wouldn’t want to get something from her niece that says “you rock”! 

Many thanks to my family and friends for all the smiles you gave me.

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Here is a little quilt (table topper) that I made with a package of charm squares – Moda’s Mother Goose & Friends by Terry Clothier Thompson.  The fabrics around it are possible border fabrics – if I decide to do a border.  It may be done as is, in which case those fabrics could become the backing.

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Hmmmm – my design wall could use a new covering.  This one is coated in threads.  Well used, you might say.

Bonnie

Friday, August 12, 2011

Another surprise

Today I decided to finish up an old, old project.  All I needed to do was finish the decorative blanket stitching on the leaves of this flannel quilt.

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It was nice to finally say “finished”, but I was very disappointed to discover this quilt was not on my UFO list.  I did what any sane quilter would do…….. I added the project to the UFO list and then crossed it out!

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In the basket with this unfinished quilt I discovered a gift my cousin Lou Ann had given to me many years ago.  I had forgotten about it and was delighted to find it and enjoy it all over again.  It will be fun to use it once more and hopefully not let it get buried in with an old project.

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Thanks again Lou Ann.

Bonnie

Surprise

Yesterday the UPS man rang my doorbell and left a long package on my doorstep.  Since I had not ordered anything, I was in for a nice surprise!

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Yes, a cheerful pink package from my friend Christine who explained that she had been shopping at Vogue Fabrics.  She found these batik beauties in the sale bin and thought of me!  Love it when that happens.

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Of course I spent the rest of the day dreaming of quilt patterns that would show off these colorful fabrics.  Thanks Christine!!!!!!

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Last night I finished binding this quilt – pattern Happy Hour by Atkinson Designs.  The fabric came from a 10” fabric line sampler, but I cannot remember what line of fabric – sorry.  It was quite a while ago.

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My friend Moe did the quilting – excellent as usual – and I hung it in my hallway to enjoy for a while.  (The picture washes out the colors.)

Today I am very grateful that I am a quilter – because of the creativeness, the friendships involved, the fabrics, and the end result.

Bonnie

Thursday, August 11, 2011

And more…

Yesterday I made two more Farmer’s Wife blocks – some very, very easy ones.  #48 Homeward Bound.

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and #41 – Friendship Star

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Please note the fussy-cut sewing bird in the center.  The block is made with two sewing themed fabrics because some of my best friendships came from sewing/quilting.

Bonnie

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Early morning sewing

Tuesday is my day to volunteer at church, but I woke up nice and early this morning and had time to make a Farmer’s Wife block before leaving the house.IMG_1116_edited-1-1

Block #56 – Maple Leaf.

That makes 14 blocks completed and if I decide to do the smallest setting which requires 50 blocks, I only have 36 more blocks to make.  If I make four blocks a week, then I will be ready for assembly the second week in October.  Someone out there write that date down and check back with me to see how I did. (Thanks.)

Bonnie

Thursday, August 4, 2011

More Farmer’s Wife blocks…

While attending to laundry duties today, I enjoyed making….

Block #11 – Broken Dishes (my favorite so far)

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and Block #12 – Broken Sugar Bowl

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And the other day I finished block #7 of Christmas At Hawk Run Hollow

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Can’t you just smell those pine trees and hear that horse snuffling?  I get a kick out of the proportions – the birds that are bigger than the horse, and the small barn door that the horse could not fit through!  Folk art is delightful.

Bonnie

Monday, August 1, 2011

More Farmer’s Wife

These Farmer’s Wife blocks are addicting because they are small and quickly done.  Of course I am picking all the easy ones to do.

Bocks #9 and #10 – Box and Bowtie

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On  blogs that are also doing The Farmer’s Wife, there are some that are using a specific line of fabric, and some that are using a particular color scheme. 

I’m using scraps from my scrap bins.  There is no color scheme, nor rhyme or reason to my fabric choices.  The fabric for every block has been chosen on my whim or fancy for that day.  Here are my scrap bins.

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There is plenty to choose from and each block requires only a small amount of fabric.  It is fun to pick through the scraps and try to remember when I used each fabric.

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The other day I cleaned out all my book shelves, taking out all the books I have read and am ready to donate or sell, and re-arranging all the unread books in a pleasing manner.  There were so many unread books that I made a vow to not purchase another book until I had read at least half of the books in my home.  (There were 85 unread books which means I would have to read at least 42 books.)  That vow lasted one week.  I read one book, then purchased four at the used book store, another two on-line, added one free Kindle book and one purchased Kindle book.  I have GOT to learn how to read faster!!!!

Bonnie