Merry Christmas Quilting

My Christmas tree!

A Little Saturday Sewing

Too Cold to Run

What do you do when it is too cold to run? Why sew scraps, of course! I got up and got ready for my day and had an extra hour this morning that I spent with myself, my sewing machine and my beloved batik scraps. A great way to start a Friday! I highly recommend it!




I hope you get to spend some time communing with your sewing machine today!

Happy Sewing indeed!

My Tulip is Quilted

My scrappy tulip block is quilted! Doesn't it look cute? And ya gotta luv a striped binding!




I heavily quilted the red background with a hot pink thread for texture and a little bit of contrast.



I hope my friend likes it! She is getting it tonight!
Happy quilting!

Ichy Sewing Fingers

Hello! I am alive and well out in my real life and I have had some itchy sewing fingers! What's a girl to do? Start sewing that's what! I zipped this little thing together last night.
The truth is I've been wanting to make one of these Scrappy Tulip quilts for a long time. I have seen several of these out in blogland. LeeAnn at Nifty quilts has made a cute one! Girlfriend used a red polka dot, isn't she sassy? This little block is being made as a gift for a friend but I do intend to make a lot more of these blocks so I can make a quilt for my bed.






And guess what I'll be doing tonight! Happy sewing!

Oh Yeah, My Quilt is Here Too!

I almost forgot! My red quilt is here too!

We're Here!

Victoria and Shelly and I are here in Houston at the "Big Show". If you see us, come say "hi"! We've already talked to quite a few quilters and it has been fun! Hey Roseanne, you rocked! Happy quilt showing!

A Pretty Pink Quilt

Finally a finish! To say I have under gone some life changes is an absolute understatement! And as a result I have not had much time to sew. However, I did finally get this cute little pink quilt finished. (And not a minute too soon. I the tiny recipient was born in Dallas, Texas a week ago.) Yipee!




And of course, I pieced the back!
It felt really good to be sewing again. After taking an unintended breather, (Your life falling apart usually makes that happen)I'm back to sewing my brains out whenever possible.




And more exciting news? My girlfriend, Miss V,Is coming to Austin on Wednesday. We are going to Houston for the BIG SHOW on Friday. (Yes, that's right 5 days of quilt stuff together! Yipee!!!) So if you see two tall women (I'm 5'8 and she is 6 ft) with short hair at the quilt show in Houston, it could very well be us. So, come say "HI"! We'd luv to visit ya!
Happy sewing!!!

Another Wednesday

The top is finished. Yeah! Crazy busy with not time to quilt. Rats! Going to try to steal a few moments here and there. Yeah! I've got a plan!
Happy quilting however you can manage!

Happy Labor Day

Happy Labor Day! Can you believe it is September already? My kids have been in school for two weeks already and I still am amazed at how time flies. It has been crazy busy here (both good and bad crazy) and I can't believe how long it has been since I have posted. I may not have been posting but I have found the time to squeeze a little sewing in. Hallaleulia!!
I started out with a few strips.




Put them together.




Then put an inner border on it. It's getting cuter isn't it! I'll border it today (something pieced of course.) And then it will be ready to be quilted.
What a great way to spend a Monday! Happy quilting!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Happy Friday, indeed! Why so happy? I have an abundance of reasons today and I'll start in not particular order. First of all, this is the last Friday before school starts. Yipee! My little angels will be in school bright and early on Monday morning! Hallaleulia!! I am going on a "soul retreat" this weekend and I'm so, so, so looking forward to it!! Yipee!(again) And lastly, I finished my summer crochet project. I sewed the flowers on last night. This bag is HUGE! (It reminds me of a giant pair of granny panties. You know what I'm talking about, a pair of panties that are so big they just make you giggle.) I got the pattern from Lucy at attic 24. I don't know why mine is so huge (could it be because I used cotton yarn?) but I don't care, I LUV it!




And because I like the rhythm of crochet I made this little cutie too. I had some yarn left over and this was fast and easy. I glued a pin on the back and it makes a cute brooch! (I'm thinking these would make great teacher gifts!)




And last but certainly not least, I have NOT given up my obsession. This is the back of a little something I'm made for Amanda Jean. I know I've said this before, but I LUV a pieced back.
Have a fabulous weekend and happy sewing!!!

A Friday Finish

I actually had this quilt finished earlier this week but have had no time to post. It has been a very busy but very good week! So in celebration of a good week and an even better weekend to come, here it is! Tuscan Leaves. If you are in Austin, Texas the weekend of September 17, 18 and 19, you can see this quilt in person. It will be hanging in the Austin Area Quilt Guild Show. It will be a great show!




And of course, I pieced the back! How could I not? I LOVE a pieced back! It just makes my skirt fly up!!!
Have a great weekend and happy quilting!

Radiant Tree of Life

It has been a crazy-busy week here. In the middle of it all, I managed to zip up this little cutie. It is made totally from my scraps (a recurring theme in my life and definitely not a bad one.) It is a Radiant Tree of Life, made to go in a silent auction that benefits an organization I'm involved in in Austin, Tx.



Didn't it tun out CUTE! And guess what? It ended up going home with my friend Doug and his amazing wife, Allison. (Doug is the person who inspired this little piece.) Isn't that FABULOUS! Enjoy, my friends!




I hope something or someone inspires you today! Happy sewing!

Dresden Plate, A Class Sample

I've been thinking about what class I'd really like to teach this fall at Sew Much More in Austin, and I decided to make a Dresden plate. They are so much fun and really not that difficult. First, pick your fabric.




Next, put it together. Not sure? Come take my class!



Once it is together, there's nothing to be done but to quilt the dog out of it!



Doesn't it look good!!! Just looking at it makes me so happy! Quilting is awesome!

My leaves have veins

All my leaves have veins! Halla-freakin-leulia!! (Yes, that is a word in Texas.) Yes, I know there is something very wrong with a person that would cut-out 300 leaves, machine applique' them down, quilt around them and then put veins on them. But don't they look GOOD?!! Yipee!!!





Now this quilt just needs a binding. But not today.




Cause we are headed to the pool! It is 99 degrees here today. Happy Quilting!!!!!

A Confession

Okay, I've done it. I've cheated on my obsession. That's right, I've been making granny squares. After being inspired by Lucy at www.attic24.typepad.com I had to make some. Have you been to her blog? Girlfriend has a way with color that makes my skirt fly up! I have to say, once I got the hang of it, I can see the appeal of crocheting. It can be relaxing, plus you can do it at the pool while the kids are swimming. (And don't worry about that about those folks that are staring at you while you are crocheting at a pool. They don't think you are a FREAK at all. They wish they could do what you are doing.)
But don't think I have given up quilting.
No, no, never! I'm still plugging away at this quilt.




I'll have a bigger picture and more to say in a few days. For now, I can say, it is almost done! Hallaleuia!!!!!

Happy sewing!

Red, White, and Blue

Happy 4th of July!

Machine quilting, Fifteen Minutes and More Retreat Musings

Halfway through machine appliqueing 300 leaves it occurred to me that I would have to quilt around each of these leaves. Actually, my thought was, "Holy smokes! What WAS I thinking?"




However, I am now almost at the halfway point of having quilted around them and they are looking GOOD! Yipee!





I have been managing to get a little 15 minutes of sewing in. So that this pile of scraps is becoming these.




Aren't they looking good? I plan to make one of those string appliqued tulip quilts from these. I'm thinking ahead.
At our retreat, one of our discussions was about how far 15 minutes of play could take you (both creatively and just for getting something finished). I have done this before and it is addictive! Try it! Sometimes it is hard to stop!

I also had a few more tidbits about our retreat that you may not know. Rene' had the cutest pajamas you have ever seen (and she snores.) Amanda Jean sometimes buys and uses JoAnne's solid white instead of Kona. And Grubers quilt store in St Cloud, Mn will probably have sold more fabric in June than ever before, simply because Doris and Toni did some "serious" fabric shopping.
Happy sewing and enjoy your 15 minutes this weekend!

Home Again

I'm back from retreat and to say it was wonderful is an understatement. It was beyond FABULOUS! We sewed alot, talked alot and laughed a whole lot! The most fun you can have with your clothes on! I met some amazing women. I hope I can do them justice with my descriptions.

First of all, there were Toni and Doris. These two ladies come from one of the "I" states and they are NUTS! (Luv y'all mean it!) You don't want to get in between these ladies and fabric. It won't be pretty. However, don't worry, you will hear them before you see them.
Next,was Terri. She makes beautiful bags and the woman is another serious fabric shopper. If you meet her in "real life", check out her purse, you will be impressed!
And then there is Rene', she is a lovely, lovely person. She was also the only other southerner at this retreat (which was a good thing, because although we were all speaking English, there are somethings that need translation.)
Next is Shelly. She is a genuine cowgirl and she has a cowboy named Scott and a pair of pink cowboy boots to prove it!
And then there was Mary. Mary has a pretty new grandbaby and the pictures in her purse to prove it, too! Mary's sister lives near me and when Mary comes to Texas I'm taking her to my guild for show and tell. Yipee!
And then there wasAndrea. Andrea is a beautiful, sweet Mormon girl and she is a "sick ticket". If you see her on the street, ask her what Pilates can do for you. She is also a good quilter on her way to being a great quilter and I can't wait to see what she produces on her journey.
And then we had the amazing Amanda Jean. Do you want to know if she is really crazy? She is! Hey Amanda, you know I think you rock! I can't wait to see what you do with your batik scraps!
And last but certainly not least, was my fabulous friend Miss V. What can I say about her that I haven't said before? You are an amazing quilter, a wonderful friend and an incredible person and I sure am glad I know you! (Especially since you are the one that invited me on this trip.)
It was an incredible weekend, ladies and I can't wait to do it again next year!
Happy quilting!

Visiting the Border

I spent Tuesday at the border. No, I didn't go to Mexico and I wasn't walking that thin border between sane and crazy. (Although I have been there a few times lately, but that is a story for another day.) I was putting a border on my quilt.




Looks good doesn't it?! And it will really look good once it is quilted! But first I have to go piece the back. (I can't help myself, I LOVE a pieced back!)

And lastly, do you like my new blog look? I have to thank my fabulous friend Miss V. Isn't she great! As if she didn't have enough to do. (Believe me!) Thanks Victoria, you know how much I appreciate you!

Know I gotta go piece a back. Happy sewing!

Musings of a TOTALLY Self-taught Machine Quilter

Recently I have read a lot of commentary by quilters that are hesitant to quilt their quilts (for a number of reasons), and as a TOTALLY self-taught machine quilter I felt the compulsion to comment myself. Here are a few things I've learned in 10 years of machine quilting.

1. The ONLY way to get good at machine quilting is to quilt your quilts, both big and small.

2. Forget the notion that you will screw up the top by quilting it. If your top is folded on a shelf, it is not a quilt and you are not enjoying it.

3. Machine quilting is a process. You have to start somewhere. The first quilts you quilt will be just as important in your journey as the most recent. Ask a mountain climber which steps are the most important in climbing a mountain. The answer is it takes all the steps to get to the top.

4. Pin baste very close (every 3-4") and do your stitch in the ditch. Now you can take alot of the pins out and do your free-motion. After taking the pins out you quilt will be lighter and easier to maneuver.

5. Stitch in the ditch is the underwear of your quilt. It simply a foundation for you to come back and do the curvey, pretty stuff.

6. The middle of a big quilt is a bitch to quilt. (I can't lie you you.) However, once the middle is done and you move over just a little bit it gets a lot easier!




7. Ripping out stitches is just another part of the process. I have ripped stitches out of every top I've ever pieced and every quilt I have ever quilted. Sometimes it feels like you are ripping more stitches than you have sewn.

8. Managing your bulk is half the battle. Make sure you have a surface to the left of your machine that can hold all of you quilt. (A portable table is excellent for this.)

9. Tell that little voice in your head that tells you "you're not good enough" to GO AWAY!

10. Perfection is overrated. Good quality work is not.

11. Don't hunch your shoulders and BREATHE. Stick the girls out, you can't hunch your shoulders if the girls are out!




You can do this. Machine quilting is not rocket science but it is a skill that is learned. And it is not always easy but you CAN do this. It certainly isn't as hard as being up with a sick baby in the middle of the night when you have the flu yourself.

I have quilts on every wall and bed in my house and not all the quilting is great but I can appreciate each one for what it is. (Do you love that dirty faced, stinky little kid any less than the the sweet faced, scrubbed clean one you let run outside for "just a minute" right before you were leaving the house to go see relatives?)
Okay, it is not exactly the same thing but you get my drift.
So quilt your tops and do something amazing for yourself. And I guarantee after you quilt a king-sized quilt you will be doing the Rocky dance cause you will have accomplished something hard and wonderful!
Now, I'm stepping off my soap box to go sew my brains out! So, happy quilting!

Oh My Stars

You know those quilts that just "have to come out"? Well this was one of "those" quilts for me. I was inspired by an exhibition of Amish quilts at the Houston Quilt show. I came upon a red quilt with scrappy stars and lots of quilted feathers and I was mesmerized. (Red, stars, feathers are all some of my favorite things!)





And when I quilted this quilt, I went really "went up" a level. So, if you have a quilt top that is something special to you but isn't quilted because you are afraid you will mess it up. Get that quilt out get it pin basted and quilt it! You may surprise yourself and do something FABULOUS!! Happy quilting!

A Pieced Back

What's not to love about a pieced back? Makes my skirt fly up!