Memorial Day - Show your Red, White and Blue!

I hope you are all enjoying Memorial Day.  Its a beautiful day here in sunny southern California. 

Remember to give thanks to the veterans in your life.  Thank them for protecting us and fighting for our Country. 

May God continue to Bless You All and.. God Bless America.

This red white and blue WIP was started at least 8 years ago.  I asked my sister Dana to show me how to  do reverse applique.  She is a great teacher and one of my favorite quilters.  I finished the center and gave it to my mom for a border challenge.  She added the red and the NSEW applique.  If anyone wants to volunteer to do the next border let me know, I'm in no hurry obviously.

Ok, I showed you mine, now you show me yours!

Have a great day!

Nines in Nines - WIP

This is a wedding quilt I'm working on but I'm not saying who its for ;]

I saw a beautiful quilt at our Flying Geese Quilt show last year.  It was so striking hanging at the show that I had to make one. 

I am recreating this quilt from a picture so I'm sure the measurements will be different.  When I find out who made the original quilt I will thank her for the inspiration and post her name here as well.  Mine will have fewer blocks but will be set a little differently.

In this image are the ingredients for blocks I've made.  The blocks are simple 9 patch blocks.  Using a whole lotta 1-3/4" squares from scraps to make 80 dark 9 patches and 36 light nine patches.   Strips of 1-3/4"x4-1/4" to make the triple strip sets.  And finally 64 dark 4-1/4" squares and 9 light 4-1/4" squares.  If anyone wants the exact numbers, email me and I will write up the instructions.

All these ingredients make two sets of larger nine patches.  So here is what I have so far.  I am working on the setting triangles right now.  It is different than the original in that I'm not making any more darn 9 patches, lol.  Well maybe a few for the setting.

This has been a great stash burner.  A couple of tricks I have learned here and there have helped make this go together smoothly.

1. 
   
   After sewing a seam, iron it closed first, then open and iron toward the dark side.  It actually helps the make the blocks lie flatter in the end.
2. 
   
   I used a 1/4" seam allowance, important that you check it when you start and a few times along the way to ensure you are still sewing that 1/4" seam.  If you are 1/4" challenged, like I am, then by all mean just be consistent throughout the entire quilt.
3. 
   
   Measure and trim your 9 patch blocks after you have created them before placing in their larger block setting.

 Check back in a week or maybe two to see the finished top.

Have a great week! 

Happy Anniversary Baaaabeeee!

On one hand it is hard to beleive its been 8 years and on the other hand it seems like its always been this way.   Thank you for being a loving and supportive husband.  Here's to many many more years together.  Love You Pete

This Celtic Knot was made by my sister Dana for our wedding in 2002.  Its all hand done and about 14" square.   Actually it is currently the only quilt adorning our walls and hung so that we see it everyday to remind us of that day.  I think it is just beautiful.

Lucy June

Some friends of mine recently had a baby, her name is Lucy June and I can't wait to meet her.  I'm hoping to bring this to her soon. 

I found the Seven Berries fabric at Calico House in Brea when shopping with Mom.  This allowed me to buy fabric as well as use some of my abundant stash.  Hardly made a dent in the stash... but it was fun just the same. 

The piano keys are actually somewhat blended all around but you would have to look closely at the fabric.  This green fabric has bits of yellow so I move to yellow and so on all around.  Didn't really follow a pattern just kept building until I was done.  Very fun.

Happy Mother's Day!

This J is for Jane.  My mother Jane is creative, supportive and just knows a little of everything.  I aspire to be the type of person that my mother is.  She has always tried to help me see the bright side of any situation.  She doesn't talk bad about others.  She tries to understand the why of things.   

Though she is miles away, she is always right there for me. 

I love you Mom.

Dots that Circle Around

My friend Julie Herman http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/ was just selected for the cover of Quilts and More Magazine with this pattern Circle Around. I had to be one of the first to use her pattern. This was a really fun quilt to make and went together quickly. She even has a kit on her site http://shop.jaybirdquilts.com/

I used a fat quarter bundle, Moda Shangri-La by 3 Sisters, a gift from Natalie at Beyond the Reef.  I  added some white on white dots and some blue on white dots. I didn't spend much time arranging as I usually would but I didn't want to over think it (that usually takes the easy right out of it, doesn't it). But it was fun and fast! Thanks Jaybird!

Phases of the Moon

I started this quilt while living in New Mexico and fnished machine quilting in 1993. My first applique project. I create the design. My sister Dana sent me applique instructions and I embellished with leather and beading.


It now lives with my good friend Gina in New Mexico.

WillieNo! is playing Vanna White in the corner. He is such a showcat!

May Day! - Im Making a List

I'm writting down all the ideas that I have. Little ideas, big "ooooh" and what-if ideas. When they still look interesting next month, maybe I'll try to make them happen. If you are ASODD (Adult-Shiny-Object-Distraction-Disorder) left handed quilter in your right mind, you'll understand most of what I'm doing on this site. If you are not, it should be entertaining to watch. Meanwhile, I am fargin-quilten-blogen!