Cactus Wall Quilt

When I did the “Funky Fabric Quilt” wall hanging (posted on my blog on December 29^th) it was part of a set, the Cactus Quilt being the second part to the set.

The name of this quilted wall hanging comes from the Cactus quilt pattern used to create the six points of the quilt. It was foundation paper pieced.

The funky black fabric from the previous quilt made for a great background for this quilt.

My husband was just fascinated with this quilt, and currently has it hanging in his art studio.

 

The backs of quilts are sometimes as interesting as the fronts. I really enjoy the way this particular wall hanging turned out from the back. It was quilted by hand using black pearl cotton thread.

March Free Prize Drawing

I am sorry for being so late in having my March drawing. Life has gotten very busy, but I didn’t want you all to think I forgot. This month’s winner is Melissa. She has a lovely blog at http://blog.sewbittersweetdesigns.com/

I will be sending Melissa one of my lovely bookmarkers!

 

Congratulations Melissa!

 

 

Quilt Shop Visit

Last week Joe and I decided to take a day off and visit a new quilt shop here in Minnesota. It is called “The Old Creamery & Quilt Shop in Randall, Minnesota.

It was a lovely day of just browsing their selection of fabric and seeing the quaintness of the shop.

They had a coffee shop and deli as well, so we stopped for a small snack.

The bakery case was something I could not pass up. Lots of delicious muffins!

A quiet little lunch and spending the day with my husband looking at fabric and quilts made this day so special.

Well, a piece of apple pie was a special touch too!

 

 

Sydney’s Baby Quilted

With my newest little granddaughter here, I knew I had to get her baby quilt finished

 

I had some pieces left from another project, and it was just enough to make this darling quilt

 

This fabric was from a Daisy Kingdom line that I got for $1.00 a yard when it went on clearance. It is actually dress fabric for little girls. I cut apart the striped fabric that was meant for the skirt of the dress, and incorporated it into the border.

This little quilt is for Sydney, our latest granddaughter, and since she came into the world early she is very small. I avoided using cotton batting by Warm and Natural, since it would be a little too much weight on her, so I used a polyester batting by Morning Glory. It made the quilt so light and fluffy.

This batting was so nice to hand quilt through. I pieced yellow sashing strips and used a coordinating fabric for the blocks.

Here you can see a close up of the adorable fabric I used. It has little paper dolls all around the border.

The newest addition to our family, little Sydney! She is our tiny angel! What a beautiful gift from God!

Victorian Crazy Quilt – Block 16 Buttonhole Stitch

I am sorry for my long absence, for all my dedicated followers please do enjoy this months Victorian Crazy Quilt block

Well, it is time again to post another block from my Victorian Crazy quilt. This block was named for the buttonhole stitching I did around the outside of all four sides. I just love this stitch. You can do so many other variations as long as you know this simple stitch.

I always try to make the center of the block extra pretty and add something special to it. Here I started with the feather stitch and added long gold bugle beads.

Did you notice when I stitched these blocks I did not color coordinate fabric with threads. By using contrasting colors of embroidery threads, your stitching is going to stand out even more instead of blending into the background.

I embroidered a simple flower in the right hand corner of this block. I wanted to add a yellow stone to the center.  You can see how I had to stitch it on in several places from the center hole in the stone to keep it secured in place.

The cretan stitch is another favorite of mine. By adding 4 long straight stitches to each side in red and cream threads, it really changed the look and made the row suddenly wider and more complex.

I think my favorite part of this block is the yellow and purple flowers. Instead of stitching leaves on the stems, I added silver bugle beads.

February Free Give Away

I know that you are all wondering what the next free give away is going to be. I thought I had better get it posted, so you can all join in on the excitement. I wanted to take some time to show my appreciation, and to thank my friends and followers on my blog. I am giving away a little Snowman art piece to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The heart garland is draped over his fence and he is ready to celebrate!  It is a print from one of my original drawings, matted with colorful cardstock. I added some paper punched snowflakes to remind us that there is still a chill in the air. I used a black acrylic frame and it is protected with glass. The finished piece measures 5x7 inches.

I will do a random drawing February 1st from those of you that are “Followers” on my Blog and I wanted to give you all a chance to be part of this fun, so I am sending this out to you now.  If you are not registered as a member yet,  sign up soon! I know I have some very dedicated overseas friends as well – this invitation is also extended to you, so please sign up, and tell your friends. And please, you need to make a comment on the blog, so I have a way to get back in touch with you.

 

 

And The Winner Is

I would like to let all my friends out there know that the winner of this month’s free give away on my Blog was Anita Kropf from New York. I will be sending her my 2013 Snowman Calendar later this week. If you would like to be part of next month’s drawing, sign up as a member on the site. Please make sure you leave a comment on the blog, so I know how to get in touch with you, if you are chosen as a winner.

 

I will be posting February’s give away on my blog around the 10^th of January, keep your eyes open and good luck to all of you!