Snippets Wreath

Date:  2008

Reason:  This was a project done by LBCQ at Dora's house.

Fabrics:  The border was a gift from my friend Kath

Lessons:  The snippets technique includes using an iron-on applique on the wreath pieces that are cut into small "snippets" and arranged in the desired shape.  Iron on several layers for best results.

Diane's Quilt

Date:  November 2008

Reason:  Diane wanted a Southern Stationers quilt like the one I made for Leslie.

Special Fabrics:  Diane provided t-shirts.  I used my own denim for the rest of the top.  The back was purchased at the local fabric warehouse.

Mine

I was trying to make a joke, but the joke turned out to be on me.  I took fabrics I thought were ugly and put them into a potholder.  How beautiful is this???

Here's another potholder with the same pattern, different fabrics.  Doesn't look early as nice, does it?!

Fabric selection is everything.

Thank You Table Runner

Date:  December 2008

Pattern:  This was adapted from Australian Country Threads Pg 42 - 1st Edition Collector's Edition.

Reason:  A thank you gift for being care group leaders for five years.  They were dairy farmers so I knew a cow theme was in order.

Lessons Learned:  Stuff cut on the bias is stretchy.  My Aunt taught me some triangle logic.

Thoughts:  A class in triangles would be a good thing.  Learning how to keep a decent deadline:  Also a good thing.  This took almost two years to complete.

Weekender Diamond for Jaurez

Date:  October 2008

Size:  Twin-ish

Inspiration:  An orphanage in a garbage dump in Jaurez, Mexico.

Special Fabrics:  A friend donated 4" squares - fabric samples from the Weekender clothing line.  Another friend gave me the back and the fill.

Lessons Learned:  Stretchy fabric is evil.  Patience is necessary.

When my friend gave me a small bag of scraps, it didn't occur to me that it would make four tops!  This is the first of those.

Here's a "now I can laugh" moment.  After I finished wrestling with all four tops, a friend told me it would have been easier using a ball tip needle  *face palm*

Life is Precious

Date: 2008

Reason:  Applique Class

Fabrics:  The leaves and stem piece were provided by the class teacher, a friend from LBCQ.

Lessons:  Needle turn applique, piped borders

Thoughts:  This is one of my first attempts at machine quilting - I only had a walking foot back then.  I wanted to continue the stems and leaves into the quilting.

This is actually a bit of an emotional wall hanging.  The leaves that my friend provided were leftovers from a quilt that she made while sitting in the hospital at her husband's side.  Using the same pieces that my friend did during a very hard time in her life reminds me that life is precious.  I just can't take it for granted.

My friend's quilt (called Lifelines) and her story is in the book Little Bits of Comfort.

Lilac Fields

Date:  2008

Reason:  A friend gave me corduroy blocks that were already cut and pinned into a pattern.  I like treats!

Fabrics:  The backing is a pink sheet that another friend gave to me.

Lessons:  Corduroy frays a. lot.  After I put it together I washed it and SO MANY seams frayed.  I took the opportunity to use a pretty variegated thread and some fancy stitches and sewed over all the seams.

Thoughts:  A very good drag around the house, picnic on the kitchen floor type of quilt!

Blue

My beloved grandmother enjoys creating more blocks than she needs for a project.  She then gives many of them to me for me to play with.  I made this wall hanging from the first such care package to go in my sewing / spare bedroom.  It matches the blue Storm at Sea she gave me for my birthday several years ago.