New Glasses!

I recently won a give away of reading glasses (8 pair!) from Gretchen at Bird Nest Cottage.  I was thrilled to have won them, as my collection was dwindling down, and I needed to buy more.

I wanted to show you who else was excited about the new glasses!  He kept saying " I see"  "eyeglasses".  He would not 'write' or 'use the computer' without his eyeglasses.   Can you see my new quilt frame in the back ground???  Q snap... I love it.  Thank you Gretchen for the wonderful new glasses!

My first swap block

I received my first swap block from my partner, Sunny, yesterday.  (you can click the button on the right:  Block Swap Adventure  to learn more about this group)

With this group, we get to describe what type of block we prefer, and Sunny couldn't have made this block any more perfect for me!!  The colors are actually brighter than what my photo shows, but you get the idea. 

I drool over this quilt everytime I see it in catalogs and on the web, but I know I could never create something so beautiful.  (it is offered as a block of the month project)  I am hoping to collect enough scrappy colored blocks from this BSA group to start something similar... in these happy, happy colors!

Yesterday I made this label for our friend's baby quilt.  I wanted to use my Brother machine to embroider her initials and the year on the label, but was very disappointed in how the letters looked.  Too plain, too simple.   I love hand embroidery anyway, so I made this little label and sewed it on last night while watching tv with my daughter.   It's been a good week.  :o)

Brother 101

I am trying to learn my new Brother Sewing Machine and while I am having FUN doing so, I still have a lot to learn.  But that's okay... practice will eventually make me the 'master' of my machine, right?

I practiced free motion quilting on this little block.  I am amazed at how much easier the fabric glides around with the feed dogs down and the quilting foot attachment on the machine.  If you click, you will see that I have a ways to go.... and that I changed designs throughout the process.... but it was fun.  I can feel the potential here!!!

I decided to call this quilt 'finished' without adding the appliqued flower designs, like I had mentioned in an earlier post.  I cut the flowers out, but when I laid them on the quilt, my daughter and I decided it would be too 'busy' by adding all the flowers to it.  I machine quilted this on my new Brother... much easier to do with straight lines!

This is the back side of the quilt.  I hope to give it to baby Kamden's mom next week. 

**The most important thing I have learned so far about my Brother.... the needle will go up or down, whether your thumb is out of the way or not!  I was trying to change out the quilting foot attachment and 'thought' the needle was in the way.  I hit the up/down button and guess what?  the needle was already UP... so when I hit the button, it came DOWN.... right into my thumb.  It broke off when I snatched my thumb out and yelled some word I didn't even know that I knew.  ;-)  I had about 1/4 to 1/2 of a needle hanging out of my thumb.  I pulled it out without difficulty, stopped the bleeding, and once my heart beat calmed down , I resumed sewing.  BIG LESSON LEARNED!  It was pretty sore for a day or two, but much better now.  I think the owners manual said something about turning the machine OFF when changing out accessories.  I guess I need to reread that part. **

A sweet project

I actually found out about the Quilt for Kids project from another blogger and I don't remember who to give credit to:

The project is sponsored by Downy and they have helped provide quilts for very sick children in hospitals.  They send  the (free)  fabric to make a small quilt and the quilter makes and returns the quilt within six weeks. 

I used to be a neonatal and pediatric nurse and as a young nurse, some of us enjoyed sewing doll clothes for the babies.  (back before premie clothes were so available for purchase)  The families loved them.

I have several people in my life who have passed away and I thought this would be a great way to 'remember' them.  I ordered my first kit today and will make it in honor of a recent friend who passed away.  I wanted to share this site with you just in case you are looking for a way to share your love of quilting.  Happy Quilting!

Sneak preview and Georgia Bonesteel

I completed my swap block for my first month in the new group.  (click on block swap adventure button to learn more about this swap)  I can only show a preview, because  my partner hasn't seen the block yet.

But let me tell you... my seam ripper and I became very good friends while making this block.  I had not used templates to make a block in a very long time.  I pulled out my trusty "Lap Quilting with Georgia Bonesteel" book to find 12 inch block patterns.  Of course, the patterns in her book are made with templates.  Thankfully, I was able to find my stash of templates that I had already made to go along with this book, so I was able to save time there. This block proved  to be very challenging for me to make.  It took me a lot longer than it should have, but in the end, I am satisfied with the block and will be mailing it out to my swap partner this week.  I've decided to use the swap group as a way to challenge myself... to relearn... and to learn even more about piecing blocks.  I have very fond memories of using my Georgia Bonesteel book, as this is the first quilting book I had ever owned, and I've used it a LOT!  I hadn't even opened the book in years  and had to climb into the attic to even find it.  What a joy it was to reopen and rediscover the treasures inside.  

*PS.. I loved Georgia  Bonesteel when I was in high school and used to watch her on PBS (whenever we could get the station).  While in college, I dated this one  guy for a short time and was over at his house one day.  He came into the living room to find me watching Georgia Bonesteel on his tv.  He asked "what ARE you watching?"  "you aren't serious, are you?"  "are you really watching that???" LOL.... yes, I was serious... and still am!  :o)

Pssst.... want to see?

Do you want to see my Goodwill finds from today?  (I told myself I was NOT going to go there today.  But  I had to run an errand anyways, so.... my car automatically turned into the GW parking lot!!)

Look at this sweet little chair:

For $1.99, I thought it would be perfect for my little rag doll that I 'plan' to make soon.  :o)  I love this chair!!

And, if I had not stopped at Goodwill today, I would have missed this:

Another vintage stitchery!  If you click to enlarge the picture, you will see the pretting handmade lace that trims the little spread.  CUTE!

Here's the other end of it ... identical to the first one you saw.  I think it's pretty sweet for $2.  I also found a huge crisp white cotton sheet that I plan to cut up for an embroidery project.  And of course, I brought home a couple more books... one on rug making and one about training  dogs. (for my daughter...mine are not trainable! )  Yes, I'm glad I stopped at Goodwill.  You see, it doesn't take much to make my heart sing. :o)