Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Turtle in a Blender with Borders


What do you think? I still need to quilt it and bind it (I'll use the same purple, I think). I don't know if I'll end up cutting down the outside border or if I'll hand quilt it. I do know that I don't machine quilt well enough to machine quilt that large an area. I'll post another picture of it when it's completed.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

The Black Cat is finished




The binding was a bit of a creative challenge for me. I think I failed in what I had originally planned, but I like it none the less. First, I tried to bind the little quilt in thread. It took me at least two hours to stitch the part I photographed (above). It gave me a very sore thumb and was extremely difficult with the large needle I used. It took me only about two minutes to snip it all out after I decided that it just wouldn't work. For one thing, I didn't have the time.





My next choice would have been black fabric, but I couldn't find it in my stash. So, on to plan C! I had some beautiful red batik out that I'm using for another mini that I hope to complete in time for the auction. It's a favorite and I know I can get more of it, if I happen to use too much in the binding of Black Cat. That was my final choice and I do hope it looks OK. Irregardless, it's done. I just have to put the hanging sleeve on it before I turn it in next Thursday at the Guild meeting.






Here is a picture of the back of the quilt. All of the threads and knots show. I think it looks interesting, but it's certainly not normal for a quilt. This one is more of an art quilt miniature, so it works just fine. In art quilts, you can do whatever you want to.







Monday, February 23, 2009

So excited!

Thanks to my son and daughter-in-law, I just booked a flight to see my grand kids in early April! I'm so excited! I haven't seen them in person since July of 2007! I can't wait to hug those little rascals!

Thanks for voting

Thanks to everyone who voted on the setting of the miniature blocks! The winner is the setting with the majority of purple in the blocks in the corners and center. I'll put a picture up when it's finished and ready to go to its new home.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

And the Oscar goes to......

Tonight is the Academy Awards ceremony and show. When I was younger and lived in Mesquite (TX) and my mother lived in Dallas, we saw a lot of movies together. There were even a couple of times that we saw everything that was up for best picture. Now, I'm lucky if I've seen one of them. This is a far cry from perfection for a woman who has wanted to be both an actress and a movie critic at one point in her past.

I love movies. I love books. I love the artistic in all the things I see. I love to see the stars on the red carpet and the ones sitting in the audience. I love the magic. It's almost a shame that I'm not fooled by it anymore.

I hope you get to watch the show if you want to and that you enjoy it as much as I hope I do. Regardless of how long and drawn out it turns out to be, it won't be all bad with Hugh Jackman hosting. Yummm.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Changing backgrounds?

I found another new background that I wanted to try, but I couldn't get it to work. So, I'm sticking with this one for a while. I like it, so it'll work.

I'm almost done quilting the "Black Cat" mini. I'll post a picture when I have it totally completed. It will be going to the auction too!

Friday, February 20, 2009

A Little Background

I've visited many blogs over the last few months. I had noticed that several had really cool backgrounds and I always wondered how they did it. They weren't available on my layout. I noticed that many of the blogs were on Blogspot also. Then somewhere I heard of free backgrounds and started looking over some of them. There are some great ones out there! I wanted something nice, but that I could still read and that wasn't distracting. So many are to me! Today I went to check out some more blogs that were in the OWOH giveaway and there was a logo in the top left for free backgrounds. I clicked on it and voila! It was a breeze to set up because the maker told me how to do it, step by step!

Now, for a little background on me. To me, dressing up is a t-shirt without printing on it!

Good day to all and to all a good weekend!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

PTunia


I picked up my specialty license plate a few days ago. I've been meaning to take a picture of it since then. Today, I finally remembered to take the camera outside when I went. This was not my first choice, but I was thrilled to find it available. I have a bumper sticker on the back about the Dallas Quilt Celebration next month and there is also one of those frames that go around the license plate that says "Quilter's Go Around the Block". When I'm driving around now, everyone should know I'm a quilter and PTunia is the quilt mobile!
Just curious, do you name your car or sewing machine? I've got 2 Singer Feather Weight machines. One of them is currently living with my daughter-in-law in CA. That machine is named Sarah. The FW that I use at home is named Aunt Bea. I have an older Viking that I bought used. She came named, Ethel Marie. I also have a tan Singer 301 (which is what I am currently using the most), but I've never named her! I'll have to think on that. I think PTunia is the first of my cars that I've actually named. She's a cranberry (Looks purple to me!) PT Cruiser.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Setting options

I'm having a hard time deciding which of these settings I like. Seeing them side by side helps. My hubby thought it would be better to have the majority of the green turtle fabric in the corners and center. I'm leaning toward the purple in the corners and center. What do you think? Please give me your opinion. The poll is to the right. I'll leave it up for a week. That should give me time to finish up the quilt (adding borders and quilting) before the show for its new owner.



Friday, February 13, 2009

Friday the 13th!

There is something about this day --- supposedly being bad luck that makes me want to just flaunt it and have lots of fun! I plan to sew some later. If my stitches are all crooked and I can't sew a straight line, it really won't be that much different from any other day. Enjoy!!!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

And the Winner is.....

I used the random number generator this morning, as soon as I rolled out of bed, and it came up with #22! Congratulations to Birgit! I have sent an email to her and hope to get the rosary off to it's new home tomorrow morning.

This has been a lot of fun! Thank you to all of the bloggers who have come by for a visit. I hope to see you again soon.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Have I Done This Before?



Here is a picture of my completed miniature quilt for the Quilt Celebration live auction, which will be held on March 14th this year. I've done a series of lime type green and purple pineapple quilts for the auction over the years. I can't even remember how many. Is this the fourth, fifth? Have there been even more than that?


The first one was made from two hand painted fat quarters for a challenge category that year in the auction. I made all nine blocks from those two fat quarters and I was hooked! I finished up the quilt with batik fabrics used for the border, binding and backing.


This little pineapple is the only foundation pieced pattern I really enjoy making. I wouldn't enjoy it nearly as much if I hadn't discovered the play between the two batik fat quarters! I've made several of these quilts and love them all. I only wish I had taken pictures of them all. "Have I Done This Before?" is so similar in color to the others that I've made for the auction, that it felt very much like I'd made the quilt before by the time I finished. I may have to make one more in these colors in order to end the series.


The blocks in the completed mini were actually made as possible alternate blocks for another mini I'm making. I've been working on it off and on for more than 2 years now. I just can't seem to really make what I pictured when I started it. These are the blocks in that quilt, which I have affectionately named "Turtle in a Blender". I plan to have it finished by the quilt show so that I can turn it over to it's new owner.