Friday, January 29, 2021

February Stories

 I've come to really look forward to the emails I receive with pictures and stories to share!

Nancy Schrader sent these pictures, and here is the story that goes with them...

I just finished the binding over the weekend.  I started piecing during my treatments making something for me to keep as I usually gift most of my items.


Named so far, "Waves of Happiness".  Subject to change, the label isn't attached yet.

 




Melanie Tubinis seemed to feel bad she didn't having a quilt to share, but I don't think anyone will complain about this one.

This is Lily and Cosette, our newest family members. They are Brittany Spaniels.  I know they're not quilting related, but I mentioned them in the note I sent to Alex for the newsletter. 

This is also from Melanie.

This is a Christmas gift I received that I know all quilters will appreciate! 

Mary Ellen Casey Sent these two pictures of quilts made with a pattern called "Plaidish".  (Tutorial by Kitchen Table Quilting here.)

The blue is just “Blue Paid” ; the green one is “Sunlight in the Forest”.

 



 

Keep checking back for more pictures!

Monday, January 18, 2021

January Show and Tell

 A few people submitted pictures for this month.  As always, I hope to see more....  I update the posts each month as pictures come in, so it's never too late!

 

Liz Wagner sent in the first four pictures - of her Christmas quilts.  





Marian Fry sent these in, after sharing her story in the newsletter.  First are memory pillows for a friend who lost her husband.  Second is a large array of cookie plates she made!



Jenny Grimsley shared a couple of projects at the meeting.

This is Jenny's finished "Monthyly Mini" mugrug.  The pattern was shared in a previous post.


Jenny made four of the leaves from a project shared on her weekly sewing session with friends to make this beautiful table mat.


Red and White Challenge Revealed!

Thank you to all who sent in pictures for me to share on the blog.  I am hopeful that being able to see what fellow members are up to by coming here makes you feel a little less isolated.

The first to submit an entry to me was Mary Ellen Casey.  The pattern is Feathered Star, so for now it's called Valentine Feathered Stars.

 

  Nancy Schrader made two pieces!

I had planned on having mom and I dress in red and White and present together.  We were at a tea party for my nieces shower.  My sister is on the right, mom is the midget next to her.  Lol her words not mine.

 

Hope you enjoy.  I am sending detail shots because parts are 3d.  This was so therapeutic for me, a precious memory, and I was fearful we would not be alive on reveal day, so I worked like a mad woman.  Made while in lockdown from material I had.


Enjoy my entry #1, "Ladies in Red".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Nancy had a chance to visit her mom for a mini reveal along with her brother.  She shared this picture, saying, "I really like the picture of mom which tells all in these times."




 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy to finish #1, and sad at the same time because I was replaying our fun together in my head while I made it and still unsure when I would see them again.


Went to empty the trash can fill of snippets and decided to make a 2nd one.  4 layers; mesh, confetti, mesh and a seersucker backing.  Ribbon used in the binding.


Again, I am sending a detail shot.  Back lit so you can see the layers.


Introducing "He Loves Me". Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up is Gloria Crittenden, who also made 2 pieces.  She didn't provide names for her entries.



 The following pictures are from the slide show created for the zoom meeting. 
Jenny's piece, tentatively named "Quarantea"- features amazing hand embroidery


The baskets in Tracy's piece are only 3 inches!  She said appliquéing those handles was a real challenge!


Sue's piece features wool appliqué.  The heart is woven wool strips. 


Connie chose a new technique as her challenge- using a ruler by "Sew Kind of Wonderful".  Each color section is quilted individually.


You will have to see the quilting on Val's in person, as this photo doesn't do it justice.  The background is vintage linen.


Carol's "Blessed", features tiny 3 inch paper pieced log cabins.  She used the challenge as an incentive to finish this redwork embroidery.


                     Mary Ellen calls this one "Out on a Limb".


Alex's piece is a cover for a pillow, made so the insert is removable, making it easier for the display when we can hang it!


                       Donna calls this "All Reds Go Together"


Elaine Lemley Collected real leaves that turn red in Autumn to use as the pattern for her piece.  Once the appliqué was completed, she decided to make the whole thing leaf shaped, which was a real challenge to bind! It's called "It's not Easy Being Green"



Elaine used various techniques on her "Falling leaves" piece, including seed stitch, netting and painted lutrador.  The background was quilted before the leaves were placed.

 


 Martha Lorshbaugh based her design on a pattern by Patchabilities.  Instead of appliqué, Martha used techniques learned from Linda M Poole to color her design with colored pencils.  It's called "Vintage Sparkle"


Cynda said, in addition to herself, there are 4 others who contacted her to say they had finished a challenge entry, but were unable to send pictures.  So the exhibit at the library - as soon as the library allows us to do it- will feature more beautiful red and white quilts! I can't wait to see them all!



Monday, January 4, 2021

Monthly Mini and Community Service

 Monthly Minis’ - each month we will provide a link to a free “mini” project for you to try. These will be projects that you can most likely complete in a few hours or less of sewing.  This month’s mini is a Valentine’s Day Mug Rug - because February will be here before we know it, and we all need a special mug rug for Valentine’s Day. Consider making one for a friend to brighten what can sometimes be a dreary month! It’s a larger mug rug - finishing as a 9 inch square. Note that the instructions have you make the “house” a little wider than necessary, and then you trim it to the correct width. I’ve also included a link to a tutorial that has a great binding technique for small projects like this. (Links are located below the picture)

 Enjoy!

 

 

Valentine’s Day Mug Rug Link: https://flamingotoes.com/heart-home-mug-rug/

Binding Tutorial Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWauykQzr7w

 

 LOOKING for a SEW-ALONG?

Border Creek Station Pattern Company has  a “Stashbuster” that they do each year - it’s one block and the suggestion is to do one a week (but of course you can do more.). They give several suggested layouts as well. If you have 52 at the end of the year, you can send in a photo and be eligible to win something. 

 

COMMUNITY SERVICE Sew-alongs and Kits

Looking to do some Community Service sewing, but don’t have the ideas or the fabric? Want to “get together” with some friends for a morning of Community Service sewing? Since we can’t get together in person to sew, we will be hosting several Community Service Sew-Alongs via Zoom on the last Saturdays of January, February and March. You can work on something that you provide, or we have kits made up (see pictures) that you can take to make a complete quilt top.  Kits are for lap size or smaller quilts. The first step is to  contact Connie Grimsley to sign up for one of the dates!  If you need something to work on, whether for a sew-along or on your own, just contact Connie.   Happy Sewing!