Fabric Auditions, Sharons Block & More... Part 2 of 2 Today

I have had this book for awhile and I love looking at it. Its by Wendy Etzel. (She also has 2 books called Collectible Quilts 1 and 2 that have adorable ideas as well. Check them out to see what I mean). I have been adding to my collection of "wood" & "building material" fabric little by little and I am in the thought mode of an nontraditional Bear Paw type quilt with some log cabins in it. You all know how I love purples and greens so of course those colors will have to fit in somehow. I am putting drawings, clippings, patterns and fabric together in a pile in anticipation of this.

These are a few things I have pulled so far.

I finished the last block of the CQ RR and got it mailed off today. This is Sharon's "In the Garden" block. I tried one of those Spider Web Roses in the upper right corner but don't think the technique came out well for me. For the amount of ribbon I used, I could have made a different rose of the same size with 1/2 the ribbon. Oh well, I tried it.

So now I am back to my needle book and as you can see, I am full out into it. I am having fun experimenting & since it will be my own, I am being daring with my stitches and gaining a good confidence to repeat them.

This is the latest photo of it. I have done a few more seams and even tried a motif in the upper left corner. Can you see the difference from the last time?

I have picked out this button for the closure and along with a tassel, it should work. The pic does not show the iridescence of the color, but I love how it pulls out all the colors of the block.

Now this may look like the most stupidest thing in the world to some (kinda like an anorexic mug holder), but as promised, this is the "thread tree" my husband made me. After I separate all this floss, I sure don't want to lose it and this keeps it up and neat until I need it. I am not going to wind these pieces back up on a bobbin to save so this solved the problem! I do save all my thread and floss cut offs in a plastic bag that's taped to the end of my table though. Eventually, I am going to sew it between water soluble stabilizer and make something out of it. (Another thing to stay tuned for, LOL) I believe I saw that idea in Quilting Arts Magazine.

This is a fun fabric that I wanted to share. I bought a piece of this down at a quilt store in Belleville a couple months ago. It is designed by Nambooka for M&S Textiles in Australia. I can't wait to cut it up.( Please click for a closer shot).

My pictures are coming out dark lately. I think I need to be using a brighter background and possibly another setting. Please bear with me while I experiment & make adjustments. It may just have something to do with how early the sun is setting and I am not looking forward to the "Fall Back" part of the time change this weekend. Yes this weekend, but if you don't remember, Microsoft will.

Felon was guarding this shoes as if they were puppies, what was he thinking??

Last but not least, the finished stocking is on its way to Iraq for Christmas.

Till the next time..... Jane

Halloween & Honking Orange Fabric - Post 1 of 2 Today

The caption of this photo is "Us at Camp". Roxanne's words underneath were " I think it's time for us to go home now, the fire isn't going anymore." Thanks for the pic and the courtesy of me using it, Roxy! Very funny indeed!

Below is a pile of Crazy Judyths Honking Orange fabric that I played with today. What a fun, weird and wacky color orange is for quilting. Very spicy!!

Below here are the treats I will be giving out for anyone who comes to our door tonight. Do you think I'll get a window soaping if the kids find these in their sacks? Out here in the woods I doubt we will get any trick or treaters, but if we do, I tease you not, they will be going home with a fat quarter 'cuz I have no candy or change!! But I can see it all now... the kid takes his bag to the car, the mom peeks inside, sees the fat quarter, and I get 75 more kids with quilting mothers at my door. They'll be driving out here from town if the word gets out...Gee, maybe this wasn't a good idea after all...Hahahahaha!!!

Anyway, have a great Halloweenie, now its onward to Turkey Time !!!!!

My Week Thus Far...

It's a good thing that I dug up the plants that I wanted to try and winter over. The "little fern" did pull through so I upgraded her pot and stuck her in a good sunny place. Not a bit too soon as the picture below shows. The photo was taken Wednesday morning about 12 miles South of here (as the crow flies). It did not stick for long but the "S" word is already back in our vocabulary and will remain there for the next 6 months. Photo courtesy of Roxanne Anderson. Thanks Roxy!

I got the soldier stocking pieced and stitched. This afternoon the plan is to finish the construction part. Dan said that it was alittle frilly for a soldier and I have to kinda agree but who knows where it will end up. There are women soldiers too! All I knew is that I wanted to use an American theme to show support and encouragement and this is how it "came out". My CQ always turns into a surprise at the end & not necesssarily a good one.

It was a red, white and blue evening all around considering the Cherry Cheese dessert my husband made. I am lucky that he cooks and "enjoys" to. The best investment that I ever made was buying him a set of Paula Deen cookbooks. He loves her and loves playing with her recipes. (though the thought of all the butter makes me cringe). This was the best one he has made to date and the crust was perfect!

The report on "Ken" is that he is home from rehab. His treatment went well and I don't fear a relaspe from him in the future. Ken offers me the security I need. After all we have been together since about 1979. I decided to keep Mark available too as I have a darning foot and plate cover for him that I want to try some free motion stippling with. I am hoping that he will put some excitement back into my life.

I also have an idea for my stitch practicing (Lord knows I need it) and I want to sew up my idea sometime this weekend. Dan made me a thread tree too and I will show you that at the same time.

For now... Have a great weekend!!!!!!

Post Card from Sandy

I forgot to include this pic of a fabric post card I just received from Sandy, she was member of a group I belonged to downstate. It was great to hear from her and sweeter yet to have her remember me. (I blacked out my address)

Last night was the 1st guild meeting of the year for the Superior Stitchers. Stockings are due Nov 3rd for the packages that will be mailed to the soldiers serving in Iraq from our area. Here is the basic beginning of my stocking from a pattern that was passed out last night. I want to make it special for whoever gets it.

Just for grins, I am showing you the things I have on top of the bookshelf that holds all my quilting/crafting books. One is a photo are of my Mom and Dad and the other photo is my paternal Grandma and Grandpa. Grandma was pregnant with my Dad at that time. Wish I could have known all my Grands better!

Finally the Needlebook and My Blatant Affair !

The scrap basket got dumped out Monday morning and I was able to put together the cover of my needlebook. I picked out some threads and got to stitching on this project that has been at the back of my head for far tooo long. This is the progress so far.

I think what really got me going was a page in Carole Samples "Treasury " book. It is on pg. 10 that our Dear Carole writes (and I hope I am not breaking any laws here by quoting her) ,"When you are ready, this book will be there as a loving substitute for a living person who knows exactly what to do, helping you to realize that its not about perfection. It's all about making as much beauty as you can for yourself and others. The endeavor asks only that you give yourself permission to make mistakes until you have mastered all of the necessary techniques - and you will."
Didn't that speak to me when I needed it!? I am off on something good now...

During the making of this block, my Kenny (Kenmore) decided that he would not wind anymore bobbins thus his unfaithful self had to go for rehab. I had to call out Mark (F.W.), and proceed from there. We are getting to know each other fairly well in Kens absence, I may even love him, but via a phone call I heard Ken is a new man again and wants to come home. Mark and I are hitting it off real well so Ken may not be in my life much longer unless he makes some changes. Something tells me I have outgrown Ken and we may need to move on to new relationships. I may be ready for something daring, a much more savy, mechanically minded guy. Stay tuned for that!

Sharon over at http://commonsense2creativity.blogspot.com/ posted a pic of her CQ/embroidery books so I thought I would do the same. These are the books I use for inspiration and ideas.

But these books are by my side at all times for their sheer ability to show me the "how to's" and "when to's".

These books have taught me most everything I know about how to crazy quilt.