My New Project

I'll need 6,400 of these little babies for my finished project!

It's my current Sew-Between. I hate those dangling threads that come everytime you pull something out of your machine. So I keep a 'sew-between' project on hand. It needs to be a project that requires little or no planning. I just chain stitch a square, piece or thangle in after I'm done with my main project, and leave it in the machine until the next time I come to sew. This way I am always chain sewing and never have pesky dangling threads.

I learned about this from Bonnie Hunter, she calls it 'Leaders & Enders' but that is too much of a mouth full for me. I've always called the project that is continuously underfoot a 'sew-between' because it's the project that you are sewing between the times you are working on your 'REAL' projects!

Cheers,

Dionne

Cotton Boll on my Mind

I've got Cotton Bolls on my mind. When I was young I lived in Arizona where there are many cotton fields. Well, perhaps many is a bit of an exageration. My mother was a nurse/teacher at a school for "Drastically Disabled Children" I don't think that term would have been allowed today. Actually that was the term the staff used and it wasn't until I was older I learned the school was actually a boarding school run by the state for severly handicapped children.

In the summers I spent many days at this school, mostly because I had no childcare and the school was air conditioned. The children were usually dumped at the school by their parents and never went home again. It wasn't a cheerful place. But that's for a different blog, not mine.

Next to the school were cotton fields as far as you could see and I spent a lot of time gathering up the Cotton and bringing it into the children in the classrooms. They didn't get recess and I was always trying to figure out ways I could get a little playtime with them. Nurse Ratchet, the head nurse (not her real name), didn't like the distractions I brought to the school and I was often kicked out -- left alone to wander the cotton fields.

My children are so excited about my quilting. I mean really, just look at the excitement on my daughters face here:

Well, maybe excitement isn't quite the right word. My youngest is a little, but my older ones are more apt to say... "Please don't give me another quilt for Christmas." In my defense they aways get other gifts as well. REALLY.

My middle child the other day said she'd like a specific quilt. I was excited. When she showed me the quilt, it was an intricately appliqued pattern called Cotton Boll. It is a beautiful pattern and looks like a lot of work. I prepared myself mentally to take on the challenge.

Then, low and behold, there on Bonnie Hunter's Blog I read about her latest mystery quilt called Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll. Oh, goodness, I could make that quilt for my daughter and it would be fun as well! I love a good Bonnie Mystery!

The last one I did is the Tobacco Road Mystery. Here's a picture of my version of it here:

For this mystery I need:

About 5 yards of neutral scraps (FQ and smaller, the more variety the better) I should be ok here, might need to visit the LQS, darn.



Ok, that is a pitiful display of neutrals. Here I thought I had so many.




About 12 to 15 varieties of green. Bonnie used avacados and yellow greens. Sorry Bonnie, can't do those. As this is for my daughter, I'll use Kelly, Lime, Bright and Deep greens. I use green alot so I'll probably be low, better head to the LQS!

Although, now that I look at what I do have, some of these are so pale they almost look like neutrals.





About 12 to 15 varieties of pink. Bonnie is using doubles, but I'll use mostly brights, raspberry shades and whatever else I can find.


Lots of pinks here. I buy pinks and sherberts all the time, I just never seem to use them...





About 16 varieties of chocolate. Yummy!

Actually, some of these look like neutrals in this photo. I think I'm beginning to see a running theme here. Maybe I'm neutral dislexic.

Also, we'll need some larger cuts. Two yards of red for the Anchor color (Bonnie is using less, but I'll add a second border and binding) I'm trying to decide between these two fabrics. Any thoughts?

And finally 1/2 yard of green for an inner border:

Mmmmm, lots of blue in that green border fabric. Do you think it will matter?

Mysteries are fun! Quilting is fun! Cricket wants a new quilt! Nice Huh! Won't my daughter be surprised. Do you think she'll notice the intricately appliqued, advanced Cotton Boll pattern she asked for is really a beautiful scrappy Cotton Boll Bonnie Hunter pattern?

Cheers,

Dionne

Santa Came early via Missouri!

You know me, always involved in a swap, I am.

I try to get my stuff out right away, so I don't have to think about it again. And of course, I had forgotton completely about the Candlemat Swap I was doing. So yesterday the mailman comes with a package for me.

And look what it was! A BEAUTIFUL candlemat, in lovely fall colors!

Also it came with some lovely gifts, all wrapped nicely with a bow. With a BOW! (I'm taking notes here because it was such a nice touch and I never take the time to wrap things with a bow -- not even to my DH). But what am I thinking anyhow, he wouldn't appreciate a bow anyhow. But a fellow quilter would, I did!

Mary, I'm definately going to do this in the future. What a festive package.

She also sent me a cute turkey magnet, perfect for the coming holidays! And a wonderful heating bag, filled with corn from her farm. My family are all athletes -- so this will come in handy. Plus it gets chilly in Washington state.

And then this BRILLIANT denim bag. It's the perfect size and sits up on it's own. Perfect to put next to my machine to catch stray threads and bits and bobs meant for the trash and not my sweater.

Thank you Mary!

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think of Mary's lovely work! Isn't it beautiful.

Cheers,

Dionne

Double Cross Christmas

A few weeks ago I posted the first month of the AccuQuilt block of the month program. I had forgotton to add an alternative layout option.

This is one option if you don't want to make the sampler quilt, but want to use the first block - the Double Cross Block, in a single quilt.

Here is the original block:

Here is a quilt using the Double Cross Block, with solid cornerstones and an alternative faux irish chain block:

I changed the colorway to red, green and gold for christmas. I'm not finished with this quilt, and I expect with my other projects it won't be done in time for christmas. At least cutting it out was a breeze!

Cheers,

Dionne

One Quilt, Six Colorways

The class ended and all the student quilts are in various stages of completion.

I love seeing how one quilt can look so different.

Cheers,

Dionne

GreenPiece - Month Six, half way there...

Yes, it's true, we're half way through the year already!

This is so exciting because the blocks are looking really nice. The two blocks we're making this month is SO much easier than last month!

Start with four 1 1/2" strips in red, brown and taupe. Sew one taupe strip to one dark strip.

Cut strip sets each into eight 1 1/2"segments. Sew segments together in rows and make a 16 square center that should be trimmed to 4 1/2" x 4 1/2"

The blocks are made with four flying geese, four 2 1/2" corner stones and one 16-square center. This month there are two lovely applique blocks as well. I particularly love the ginko pattern.

Here is the same block in a an alternate colorway:

Cheers,

Dionne

Night-About-Town Wristlet!

This wristlet is so easy to make! One fat quarter will make two bags with handles.





We made this pattern as a way to practice on the stitch regulator, but I really love how they've come out.




Perfect little wristlet for a night on the town, or an afternoon lunch with the girls.

And here is one more picture:

Cheers,

Dionne

This is not what I planned

I had this idea in my head for a beautiful quilt. It was really lovely. This quilt would evoke all the crispness of a late winter afternoon. But something just isn't right.

Granted I'm not even half way done with it, there is still WAY more to do on this bad boy ( I say bad because it just isn't turning out like I had planned) but already I'm a little disappointed.

The problem is, I can't figure out where the actual problem is. In my mind and on my pattern, such as it is, everything is a duplicate. It just doesn't LOOK right, or maybe I should say it doesn't FEEL right.

I know, I know, what can you say. You don't know what I was thinking of when I started this project, what look I was going for or even where I'm going with it now. But I just thought I would go ahead and share my disappointment for the day with you.

Should I continue or just cut my losses? I guess since it's not a disaster I'll continue and still finish this off. Think it will improve?

I guess since there is no way of correcting a problem that can't be found I can't make corrections to it.

Maybe I should have made the 2" strips more wonky. NOT all exactly two inches, angled more in the blocks.... Mmmmmm....

Cheers,

Dionne

Halloween is Over...

Thank Goodness!

It was one Halloween party after another for the last four days. It took me two days just to recover!

Is that REALLY me? Well, it was a lot of fun anyhow.

Cheers,

Dionne