A Harvest of Plenty

So when you have a cold for 1 1/2 months and you don't feel like doing anything but sitting in front of the TV and blowing your nose and sleeping, what do you do?  Well I read and I quilt or embroider.  That's about it.  Oh and eat and sleep and go to work.  Sometimes I force myself to go into my quilt room and finish a project thats due..for a baby thats due or for previous commitments.

I have read about 5 books from the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child, a little addicted to Reacher.  Just finished the 11th one today Bad Luck and Trouble, You don't mess with Reacher!
Haven't missed much work, but my personal time has been mostly a wash for the last couple of month.  I have spurts of energy thus the minimal blogging.

Meanwhile I wanted to share this project that I'm working on.  This 1st of 9 blocks.  Its from a book by Helen Marshall called The Embroidered Miniature Quilt.  This cornucopia is about 3" SQ.  But there is a lot in that little space.  Mostly followed her directions, with a few variations on stitches and colors.

The book has lots of techniques including neadlelace which you see here in the horn.  You actually sew a border around on a piece of a paper template and then work small buttonhole stitches across and wrap the edges.  The you pull away the paper and lay it over a couple layers of batting and sew it down.  I used a Perle cotton Variagated that I picked up from the Wool Lady in Temecul and I love how it turned out.  The benefit is of being sick is that my multitasking is reduced and I can only focus on one thing.  I can actually follow instructions, imagine!

The pineapple was satin stitch sewn over batting.  I must have been feeling better, because I did a variation from hers.  Then a trelis over top of it and a bunch of boolean knots on the top, which were as she directed.

As I said this is one of 9 and I'll post them as I get them done.  The whole quilt is only about 24" Square.  Fun project though!

Mom bought her Sweet Sixteen and is quilting up a storm up there in Northern Cali.  She bought the table mounted one and is having a ball.  I can't wait to see her results.  She's already an amazing quilter, so this will just inspire her to the next level.  Can't wait to visit her and use it.  Or get my own, hehehehe.

I hope you all are keeping away from this nasty bug which will just not go away and that you get some time for yourselves.

Love to All,
Aunti Nic

The Fernandez Boyz Quilts

 Congratulations to my friends Patty and Jorge, they had a new addition to their family.   This is Aaron Daniel Fernandez. Is this boy adorable or what?

So of course I had to make him a little quilt.  Very fun little puppy fabric.

For the label I took a photo of one of the little paw prints and used Photoshop Elements to put some text on it.

His big brother Aiden was born in 2009 and for some reason I did not do my Aunti diligence.  Turns out he has a thing about choo-choo trains.   I saw this train fabric at Calico House in Brea and thought of him.  I am not usually into panels, but these just fit the bill so perfectly.  My husband Pete had the idea of just cross hatching the panels and I love the way it turned out.  This is a big boy quilt, about twice as big as his little brother's.  That ought to do it!

The label was screen captured from an image on line and kind of colorized with Photoshop Elements. 





I hope you all get to sew this week!
Cheers,
Aunti Nicole

Road was Packed!

I am happy to report that Road California was busy busy busy.  Lots of wonderful quilts to see and lots of people.  Great news for the quilting industry!

We had a great day at the show yesterday and saw everything we could in one day!

And yes, cracked the wallet open and picked up some goodies.

3 yards of lovely!  I got this from Natalie's Beyond the Reef, not sure what to do with it yet but it was talking to me.  Trendex BD-003R.










A couple of patterns of Kenna Ogg of Madison Cottage Design, go Kenna!  I feel a scrappy quilt coming on!

Picked out a border template for a hand quilt that I have been working on for .....3 years (yeah i know!)

Been looking for clamps for quilt sandwiching.  Found these little gems at the gadget booth.  They work pretty well.   Sandwiched two quilts this morning! 

Ok thats it, I did my part for the quilting economy.

Hope you all have a wonderful week and find some time to sew.
Love
Aunti

On the Road Again!

Off you Road to California!  I've heard great things so far.

Special exhibit by Susan Else Fabric Sculptor.  Mom was very impressed with this exhibit, it shows her quilting from back in the 90's when she was doing more traditional quilts with her outside of the box selection of fabrics and a little sumpin different.  All the way to the present where she is coming "off the wall" so to speak with her art and pushing the limits.  Can't wait to see it for myself!

Our friend Natalie's booth is right up front near the entrance Beyond the Reef with lots of bright shiny new fabrics to play with.  We're coming Natalie!

Mom (Jane St. Pierre) has a piece in this show.  She is one of the 8 in  "Sprague River Aspens" Part of the Klamath Basin Vistas Exhibit hanging right near the front entrance.  I'll put in the picture lata!

So we have a new friend coming along with us.  I was teaching and AutoCAD Electrical class and explaining how I design my quilts to one of my students.  He said what quilt guild to you belong to and I said Flying Geese. He smiled and he told me that his wife was a new member in the guild about a year.  So the next guild meeting I made it a point of looking for her.  So I'm asking everyone do you know Debbie and she turns around, she's right in front of me.  I'm Debbie ;]    So we're bring our new friend with us today.  I am looking forward to getting to know her.  Guilds are a wonderful thing.

So I'll take lots of pictures and have lots share hopefully.

Hope to see you there!

How much is that Window in the Doggie?

My friends Jorge and Patty are expecting in February.  I found this puppy fabric and my neighbor Betty picked this stripe for me.  A big stripe like this is fun to work with and just adds so much to a normally simple block.

I love how the little puppy pieces show up in each window!  Dog noses are my favorite!  and who with dogs does not have paw prints on their windows, hmmm?

 A lot of fun and silly surprises with this quilt.  I only fussy cut a few of these blocks, the rest of them just came out fun!

So the puppy fabric is by Timeless Treasures Fabrics, #Dog-C5855
The stripe is Nottingham Village, Judie Rothernel Collection for Marcus Fabrics.

The choo-choo quilt I did last week was for this little one's four year old brother.
I will probably machine quilt both of them next weekend!

Hope you all get a chance to sew this week!
Love Aunti Nicole

I've been working on the Railroad!

Actually, I have been working on the trains. My friends little boy is just fastinated with choo-choos so this fabric inspired the quilt.  Its called All Aboard designed for Exclusivley Quilters 

Beautiful artwork on the trains, but I couldn't just leave it at that, I had to hack it up and put borders.

The outer fabric is little badges for all the different train companies.  I remember being little and watching and waiting for the train to go by what seemed like forever, which each of these little logos on the cars.

I should be able to quilt this pretty soon!

New Years resolutions:
I resolve to learn to be a better photographer specifically for your viewing pleasure.
I also resolve to keep a notebook by my side and write down all of the crazy ideas that I have daily.
And of course to finish some of my 14 UFOs ;]


Happy New Year to you All!
May 2012 be the best yet.
May you never run out of fabric
May your thread never break
May you never lose your need ;P
May your backing never pucker
May your ripping be minimal
May your ideas run amok
May you be surrounding by quilters with passion!

And you to and your families, Health and Happiness in 2012.
Love Aunti Nicole

Merry Christmas My Dear Quilters

Christmas Eve and all is quiet at the Morris home.  I have a week long vacation ahead of me and I've got one foot nailed to the floor and I'm spinning round my quilt room.  What should I work on????  I have plenty to do, believe me, but its hard to settle down and get to it!

What is that WillieNo! ?

Oh you're looking at my Christmas quilts, I see......GIT OUT OF THE DARN TREE!

This was a class I took a while back at Quilt Cupboard when it was in Fullerton, wow that was a while ago.  

I made this for a couple at work for a Christmas exchange...hard to find a good manger scene.  My first try with fusible web....good grief....I learned about Sewer's Aid which is a a silicone that keeps your needle from getting too sticky.

This was a pattern I made for a class I taught last year at Quilting Bee in Orange.  Pattern is available at my shop.

I loved doing this one!  Two charm packs of Fruit Cake.  I just sewed two sets of charm squares into half square triangles and arranged them until I liked the blocks.  I'll probably have to do one like this again!

I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas.  Whether you celebrate Christmas or Hannukkah or Kwanzaa or are just take some Holiday time out to enjoy your loved ones, may you find Joy, Hope and 

Peace on Earth.

 God Bless Us Everyone!
Love
Aunti Nicole