Goals for July...

Blah...who's idea was it to have GOALS anyway?  Certainly not mine!!  ;o)

Well let's get it over with...

1. Ten wee houses got made...

                                    

...for a total of 72 houses!  I am really liking the size of this...8 houses by 9 houses.  I never had a goal SIZE...so this might be it...OR do I want to make it really big?  I will leave it up on the design wall and get a feel for it...and I wouldn't mind sprinkling a few trees here and there....

 2. This UFO got put together last month and July saw it quilted with an all over meander.  I am liking it a lot!!  Binding is scheduled for August!!

And some close ups!

 A soft, soft flannel on the back makes this a VERY cozy quilt!

 3.  'Winter Wonderland' by Norma Whaley got machine quilted but I really want to do some BIG stitch quilting on this one before the binding goes on!  That will be a project for August!  Love this quilt!

I did an all over meander on this one too...and I am so glad I did, as it was a tough one to quilt, what with all the wool applique!

 4. Block four of 'Where the Cows Come Home' got stitched!  Such a fun project!

5.  This quilt was beautifully quilted by Hazel, then the binding and label got stitched onto the School House quilt at the beginning of July...and all was completed well before the Wedding, which was on July 18th!

6.  More UFO busting....I am currently Big Stitch Quilting Baptist Fans onto my 'Buds in a Basket' quilt...it's set up in our family room right in front of the TV (and the fan) and will be an on going project!  Man, I love this quilt!

7.  Clam Shells...only two rows got stitched...can you tell that it is my least favourite project?  

 And the gravy....I continue to hand applique Orange Peels...usually at Heritage Quilting....

And this little wool mat by Kathy Cardiff got stitched on our drive to Calgary!!  Backing goes on next!

 It's funny, at the beginning of each of these 'Goal' Posts I think I don't have much to write about...and then I go and surprise myself!  I can actually SEE those UFO biting the dust...which is such a VERY good feeling!

Was it me or did July go by in the blink of an eye?  OUCH!!  I've got to take time to smell the (wool) roses! haha

Have a Fun Friday and Happy Stitching!~P

Where the Cows Come Home...

Yup...it's time for more Barn raising as in 'Where the Cows Come Home' by Kathy Cardiff and her daughter, Taylor Olvera!

July was officially Block Four's month BUT that doesn't mean we can't have someone jump in anytime to join us...and Deborah decided to do just that!  She joined Primitive Gatherings BOM Barn Raising and has just completed her first barn...in fact this is her first wool block EVER!  Deborah is new to wool...and if she can build a barn out of wool then she can build anything!  Just look at her first barn...is this not gorgeous!

 And this is my block...block four, called 'Amber Waves of Grain'!  It was a fun one to build...

 And a closeup shot...don't you love the bales of hay...and the crisscross door!  Yup, I am loving this project!

Renee is currently MIA as she is painting her new REAL house... so she is excused and will show and tell her barn when she gets around to it!  It's all good...I'm sure the Cows will understand and will know where to go when the snow starts to fly! (better paint a room for them, Renee...I'm thinking something in Hay Bale Yellow....:o)

Thanks Deborah for jumping in and sharing your first wool project ever!  We hope you share Block Two with us next month...same time, same place!

I hope you all have a thrilling Thursday and Happy Stitching!~P

Flying HIGH!

How's this for a WONDERFUL friend....She see's a vintage quilt that she KNOWS that I would love...so she takes pictures of it...

Oh my...I LOVE THIS QUILT!!

...then she buys me the pattern, that was designed after this 1930's quilt...and

if that wasn't enough....she adds this lovely fabric and Roxanne's applique glue to make it!!  I love EVERYTHING...and it's not even my birthday!  Thank you WONDERFUL Friend!  You are the BEST!

This is such a HAPPY quilt...can't you see BIG stitch quilting on this one?  Oh man...I have the urge to cut into this fabric and get started on those balloons!  Plus...I have lots of wee scraps of 30's fabric to make the balloons!  (My motto is hoard save everything!!)  Patience...patience...I now KNOW what my next applique project is going to be!!  :o))  Get the Orange Peel quilt finished FIRST...then move onto 'Balloon Bouquet'!  (I am biting my fist....and grimacing! Patience isn't in my vocabulary...)  Friends really do put you to the test, don't they?!:o))

Have a wicked Wednesday and Happy Quilting!~P

HOUSES, HOUSES, HOUSES...

Glynis finished her 'HOUSES, HOUSES, HOUSES'  Quilt by Yoko Saito and it is DDG!!  That is quilters' lingo for DROP DEAD GORGEOUS!

This was a BOM put out by Primitive Gatherings...lovely wool and Diamond Textile cottons!!  Every two months Glynis received her row of HOUSES...and she would jump in with gusto!  She admits she got sick of stitching windows and doors..and we DO NOT want to mention fence posts to Glynis.....but oh how sweet they are!

Glynis had her friend, Sharon custom quilt it for her...Sharon FMQ around each house, door, window, tree...must have taken her hours!  Then she put in wee puffs of clouds, birds and smoke...not too much to detract from the quilt itself!  Sharon did a fantastic job!!

Click on the first picture for a slide show for an up-close and personal look at Glynis' HOUSES!  Her stitches are PERFECTION!! 

So do you agree...DDG?!  Do I need to get the paddles out? :o)))

Yes, Glynis outdid herself!  Hope you enjoyed seeing her quilt 'up close and personal'!  Now it will hang proudly in Glynis' own HOUSE for all her visitors to see!  Right next to the defibrillator!

Have a terrific Tuesday and Happy Stitching!~P

Santa's Elf Hard at Work...

While I have been gallivanting the countryside, Sandy, aka...Santa's Elf...has been busy making the rest of us look bad!!  She finished off her CHRISTMAS GIFT to her son and DDIL and let me tell you, it is magnificent!  

The fabric is from Barbara Brackman's new line of fabric called 'Ladies Album' and it is lovely!  

 Zooming in for a close up...Hazel beautifully quilted this monster of a quilt....

 This quilt is huge and will easily cover a king size bed!

 Yup...it's beautiful and I'm sure Sandy's son and DIL will be thrilled!

So what's Santa's Elf's next project?...Well...let's just say it involves her RV, a lakeside spot, her bikini:o) and maybe a wee bit of handwork...even Santa's Elf needs a little R and R!!  Well done, Sandy!!  You deserve a rest...while the rest of us get caught up!

Have a magical Monday and Happy Stitching!~P

Slow Stitching Sunday....

I was so inspired by Tim Latimer's Big Stitch FREE HAND Baptist Fan quilting...which you can see HERE....that I signed out the Baptist Fan Quilting Stencil from Heritage and gave it a whirl!

I know...No Free Hand for me...(maybe someday) but for now I am loving the results from using a stencil!

I used the Pilot Fixion Pen to mark my grid.  I use this pen cautiously as it can bleach out dark coloured fabrics but on white or light fabrics it is perfect!  I will iron off the marks when I'm finished.

I marked off half the quilt before putting it on my PVC Quilting Frame.  I started in the middle and will work my way down before marking the rest of the quilt.  I will switch to my quilting Hoop when I get closer to the edge of the quilt.

I am using Valdani Perle Cotton #5, Size 12 which gives the quilting a nice subtle look.

So that's what I will be doing this slow stitching Sunday!  What about you?  What are you stitching this morning?

Have a sunny Sunday and Happy Stitching!~P