New Year, New Needle

Happy New Year!

As I was stitching on the last few berries of my rose fan blocks yesterday I realized my applique needle was so bent. I think I used the same needle for all four blocks and probably some buttons and other small mending items in between. Why? Needles are probably one of the least expensive notion we quilters buy. As I was drifting asleep last night after seeing the old year out it came to me: New Year, New Needles. My resolution for this year is already done. I am going to start the year right off with changing out all of my needles, in my EPP and applique projects and on the sewing machine.

 

The four rose fan blocks are finished and I love them. All of the berries are stuffed, a technique we learned in the Sue Garman class where these blocks were started. The berries on the vase picture show the stuffing a little better and the rest will poof out more when it is quilted.

I played around a little bit with lay out, vases in corners or in the center, but I really like the secondary berry design with the vases in the center. There will be a red sashing between the blocks and a red border and these blocks will become a Christmas tablecloth on my dining room table.

Ok, one last picture with a little distance, I can't help myself, I love the way these blocks turned out.

Happy New a Year!

 

Posted with Blogsy

Tis the Season For

Christmas cookies for breakfast!

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Rainy Day Applique

I am sitting this morning with my cup of coffee popping out the plastic disks in about 60 berries. I thought my little work space looked so funny with all these trailing threads but it really works quite well. This tip was mentioned by Sue Garman in a recent class I was in: gather your stuffed berries with the applique thread and leave a 6 - 8 inch tail to applique them on. Simple, but a time saver. Several of my class mates had heard this before but it was new to me.

Yesterday was a rainy, drizzly, cool day and I assembled the little berries all day long. I gave them a good press last night put the ruler over them to add a little pressure and keep them in one place over night.

They will be glued on to the block for stitching as soon as I get all the plastic disks out.

Happy Stitching,

Cheri

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

One Month In

We have been on the road in our RV one month today. We are happy to be spending this winter in Texas which just happens to be close to our grandchildren.

I thought I would be getting lots of stitching done but I just have the four rose fan blocks

at various stages of applique and one completed Patchwork of the Crosses block stitched.

There have been many walks on long empty stretches of beach.

and a couple days spent fishing.

I never would have guessed I would find alpaca at the beach,

this is Sunshine and her little black sibling.

They belong to the RV park owners where we are currently staying. The freezing cold weather the country has been experiencing has made it's way into Texas. I am not sure if it was my new alpaca neighbors or an especially cold morning standing at the school bus stop with my grandson that inspired me to get some yarn and crochet a couple pair of little red mittens.

I have not crocheted in years but these were fun. A quick and easy free pattern on ravelry.com.

Happy stitching and stay warm friends.

Cheri

 

Posted with Blogsy

International Quilt Festival

I made a very quick 3 hour stop at the International Quilt Festival as we traveled through Houston. I packed a lot in three hours but I spent a lot of time at this recreation of the Infinite Variety, Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts show from the American Folk Art Museum a couple years ago. The display was just beautiful.

Happy Stitching,

Cheri

 

Posted with Blogsy

My New Sewing Room

We have had a lot of changes this last month. My husband and I have retired!

After months of planning we are going to hit the road and do some traveling.

This is our new home on wheels.

This dinette and the storage space under the seat is my new sewing room. My sweet husband is more than willing to take my sewing machine, but I have carefully packed and prepared hand projects.

I have four applique blocks from the Sue Garman applique class all ready to go. I also have a couple little knitting projects (a new hobby for me), a needlework sampler, and most of the Patchwork of the Crosses english paper piecing quilt in the tub.

Ziplock baggies are my new best friends in preparing our RV for our travels. Here are baggies of precut berries and batting for making stuffed berries for the applique blocks.

I am sure that I have packed enough to keep me busy for three times the amount of time we will be traveling. I am having to say goodbye for a while to some of my projects. Auntie Green is coming along nicely. I have the right side border finished and am now working on the left border. She has just grown to large to take along.

We are so excited about our new adventure. We are off to warmer climates, meeting new friends, and stitching at the beach.

Cheri

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Fun Class

Baltimore on the Prairie is an appliqué conference held at Mahoney State Park, midway between Omaha and Lincoln Nebraska. I live close by and was able to attend a one day class yesterday with Sue Garman.

The class project was the rose fan, the top center block on Sue's Bed of Roses quilt.

Sue had a wonderful way of teaching, she split the class in three smaller groups and kept everybody busy at all times. The smaller groups would go up to her work area one group at a time to watch her demonstrations.

It was a very personal way to watch her techniques and while your group was not at her area you got a chance to visit with your classmates from around the country and even Australia.

The conference continues this weekend with three day classes. I am still absorbing all of Sue's time saving methods from my one day with her.

My friend Leslie and I are working away on our block here and note we each have a sheet of paper filled with tips under our scissors. I am going to make four of the rose fan blocks, it makes an interesting secondary design, and make it into a Christmas table topper.

 

Happy Stitching,

Cheri

 

Posted with Blogsy