A Magnificent Miniature Wedding Ring Quilt

Yes, I said magnificent.  This quilt is 13" x 9" and has 272 pieces in it.  It was english paper pieced by the one and only Sonja, and then given to me as a gift for Christmas.  I am so fortunate to have a friend who adds to my collection of miniature quilts in a way that only she can.

Another treasure added to my cabinet of tiny treasures.  Thanks Sonja!!!!!!

As I will be away from my computer for a few days, I want to wish each and every one of you a Happy New Year.  May this upcoming year bring you health, wealth and happiness!

A Christmas filled with family

The best part of Christmas is having the family get together.  Sorry quilters, this one is for the family.

The festivities began a couple of days early with the girls decorating the tree.  What a pair of cuties!

The visiting and posing for pictures began.  My three kids complain about the pictures every year, but humour me anyways.

As always, Kris is a big help in the kitchen.  After all, a Christmas dinner doesn't just cook itself.

And then, the eating began.  Thanks to all my family for making my Christmas perfect!

Merry Christmas Every One!

To all my blog land friends, hope you have a wonderful Christmas filled with family and friends.

My presents are all wrapped and ready to go.  I didn't make a lot of them this year, but these two I just love.

A couple of mugs rugs off to a couple of my dear Postie friends.   The first picture shows them wrapped and placed in front of the Poinsettia that lovely Terry gave me.  The Christmas tree is a little hidden.  Two of our Granddaughters decorated the tree.  It is so cute I left it exactly how they finished.  Each decoration was perfectly placed with love, and I didn't have the heart to move them.  Thanks girls!

Hope to here from each of you after Christmas.  Love to all!

Fran's Quilt

I finally finished quilting Fran's 1870s sampler quilt.  She had purchased it as a block of the month from Dianne at Diversity, then had her good friend Val piece it for her.  This rather large quilt is stunning!

As you can see, I couldn't get the whole quilt in the picture.  So here it is in bits and pieces.

The quilt is now on Fran's bed, just in time for Christmas.

Bali Popalicious

I love Bali Pops.  Katja has just received her shipment of the latest colours, so I get to play  I'm starting out with the Key Lime Pop.  The strips are pre cut  to 2 1/2" by width of fabric  One of my favourite sizes to play with.

So far I have done a little strip piecing and a few half square triangles.  When I'm done, I'll post the directions.  Have a great weekend everyone.
 

Another Beautiful Quilt from Sue Daley's Book

I just finished quilting this stunning quilt.  Kajta had done the glueing, as described in Sue's book, and Sonja did all the piecing and appliqué.  It is the cover quilt and is beautiful in these colours.

Katja had asked me to quilt feathers, so feathers is what she got.  The book is released this month and should be in the Katja's soon.

Farmer's Wife Quilt-a-long

I've just been informed that I am in copyright infringement if I post my tutorials for the book on line to the public.  They are to detailed, and therefore you don't need to purchase the book.  This was never my intent.  I was trying to make it easier for you to make the quilt if you own the book.

Since I can't publicly post my help, I suggest that you join the yahoo group which has rotary cutting instructions for those that need them.  For my friends that have purchased the book, please e-mail me privately and we will discuss what help I can give you.

I will continue to make my blocks, as I do love them.  Hope you will join me!

ps.  To e-mail me go to my profile on the right, click on it, under my picture there will be a place to click to e-mail.

Bev's Quilt

I just passed this beautiful quilt back to Bev.  Bev has made this sampler quilt for her own bed. Way to go!

The batt in the quilt is wool, so it has wonderful drape and loft.  I'm certain that Bev and her husband will enjoy sleeping under it.  Warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Just in case you hadn't noticed, the inner portion of each block is a six inch block.  Now we all know that the Farmer's Wife blocks are six inches, so if you don't want to make all 111, you can make just a few and set them this way to still get a bed size quilt.  Just a thought.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

And he has his list and he's checking it twice.  This is one of my prized treasures.  My Mom made this wonderful cross stitch piece.  She worked on it off and on for three years.  Wow!  I was so excited when she said it was mine.

The list of names are those of my family.  Starting with Mom (Olive)  working down through my siblings, all Mom's grandchildren, one great grandchild, and then Mom's siblings.  The detail on this piece is amazing.  Thanks so much Mom, I love it!

When I downloaded the pictures of the Santa, I found some pictures on the camera from an early Fall day.

Blanche is keeping a close eye on the Grandchildren as they dangle their feet in the pond.  I wonder whose idea the feet in the pond was.  I'm betting Grandpa!

A Farmer's Wife Quilt-a-long

Have you ever wanted to make a sampler quilt.  How about a sampler quilt made from 6 inch squares.  The Farmer's Wife book has 111 six inch blocks.  I have decided to use it as a basis for my sampler quilt.  If you would like to join me, I will begin posting regularly every Monday starting in 2012.

The book gives templates for hand piecing all the blocks.  Sorry, I don't do templates.  As much as possible I will give directions to rotary cut using the Easy Angle and Companion Angle rulers. Click here and then click on each of the rulers to see how they are supposed to be used. Sometimes I will be using them a little different, just because that is what I do.  You will need to purchase a copy of the book to follow along.

Now to inspire you, I will give directions for the first two blocks.  This block is called Autumn Tints.

For the four patch, cut two strips 2" wide.  Sew together, and then sub cut into 2" sections  Join together to make four patch units as shown below.  Cut two 3 1/2" squares for the alternate pieces.

Lay out your block and sew together.  I am using scraps of batiks for my quilt.  Feel free to use whatever fabric you like.  Since the blocks are only 6 inches, you don't need much for each block.

This block is actually the first in the book, and it is called Attic Windows.

Using a 4 1/2" strip of fabric, use the easy angle ruler to cut two pieces as shown above.  Use a 2 1/2" strip to cut the pieces adjacent to the inner square, using the same method.  Cut the inner square 2 1/2".

Now the fun begins.  Using a 2 1/2" strip, place the ruler so that the 4 1/2" line is on the left hand squared off end of your strip.  Cut.  Now flip the ruler on it's axis so that the 4 1/2" line is even with the top of the strip.  Cut.

You now have all the pieces you need.  The inner row should be fairly easy to sew together.

To add the 2 1/2 x 4 1/2" pieces you need to line up the fabric as shown above.  The little tail on the light blue should cross the inner row, right at the quarter inch mark.  This will give you a nice straight line when pressed. This method may be used any time you are sewing units together that have angles involved.  Add the 4 1/2" brown pieces last.  Scroll back up to the picture if you have any questions about placement.

I hope you will join in on the fun.  You may make all of the blocks, or just a few.  There is no deadline or pressure to finish.  The point is to have a little fun.  If you have any questions, please e-mail me.

Sue Daley's New English Paper Piecing book

Sue has penned a book on English paper piecing, the easy way.  Instead of basting all the pieces with needle and thread, she has developed silk finish paper pieces that the fabric can be glued to.  Then when the pieces are joined together, the fabric is easy to separate from the paper for removal.

I received an advanced copy of the book at market.  I used some sample swatches I had received from Blackbird designs and a glue stick I begged from the United Notions booth, to start this pillow while still in Houston.  I stitched the pieces together on the plane, appliqued them to a background when I got home, and here is the result.  Sue uses some great shapes that I hadn't used before.

This is the table runner that is featured in the book along with the pillow.

This is the book.  It will be released in December.  Katja has ordered several copies.  Sonja is busily stitching the cover quilt into what will be another stunning sample.

Beginner Quilters

For several years I have been teaching a beginner quilting class at Katja's.  Tuesday night was the last class for the latest group of beginners.  And what a talented group they are.

Alba's quilt was fully quilted, and ready to use.  Just a little binding left to stitch down.

Elizabeth had used striped and polka dots.  The stripes were a bit of a challenge to make sure they were all going the same direction.  Elizabeth handled this no problem at all!

Melanie was trying real hard to hide behind her quilt.  I caught her peeking to see if I was done.

As you can tell by the smirk on her face, Shelly was proud of her quilt.

Sheila was getting to know her new sewing machine by trying out different feet to quilt her quilt.  She has to play with all her toys, after all, what is the use of having them if you don't get to play.

What a great group of women.  I enjoyed my evenings with them.  This however was my last evening beginner class.  I have passed the torch on to Nicole who is much younger and more able to handle the evening shift.  Good luck Nicole, I know you will do great.