Happy New Year 2014!

A cold February Day 2013

 

Remembering the cold weather that lasted thru May of 2013 Brrrrrrrr!

Today is New Year's Eve Day.  The end of 2013 Tomorrow is the Beginning of 2014 - A fresh start and a time for renewal for many.  I sit here at my keyboard looking out my window, it is - 8 degrees outside here in Hudson Wisconsin. the Sky is light with some sunshine showing thru& the trees look grey covered with a light coating of snow.  Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!  My home feels cold and my back is bent over making it difficult to walk around this morning.  Right away I turn up the heat and head for the microwave to warm up a hot cup of Cocoa and make a warm bowl of oatmeal so I can take my morning meds.  I am seriously thinking I need to move to a warmer climate.  These old bones of mine can't take this chill.... I am cold and feel miserable this am, wanting to get into my sewing room to organize it for the new year of fun projects but not feeling warm enough to be able to sit and bend freely.  Yes a warm climate would be nice this time of year!  I sit here reflecting on my need for warmth knowing I need to move to the kitchen for breakfast so I can enjoy my day, take my meds and continue to reflect on this day..  Today I plan to look at those accomplishments, and happy times of 2013 and look forward to a great New Year.  Welcome 2014!!!!  I hope the chill does not last as long this winter as it did last winter. 

The Holiday Craft and Bake Sale was a success

My churches Holiday Bake and Craft Sale was a great success again this year. All of the pot holders I made and some of my coaster sets sold.  I always enjoy seeing all of the different things that the other talented crafters and bakers make.  I took pictures to post but my computer is not behaving so I am not able to post them tonight.

On our Speakers at the Patchwork Harvest Quilt Show XI

 

"Saturday's Speaker was Debbie Bowles of  Maple Island Quilts.  I did not catch her 1st in the morning but I was told it was standing room only but I did see her trunk show at her 2pm presentation On Curves and It was very enjoyable.   She showed how she cut the Curves for her quilts by varying the width and length of her fabrics and layering dark and lights. She was a very informative  Speaker. 

Yesterday at the Patchwork Harvest XI Quilt Show I met our speaker Lori Allison.  Wow did she have a great trunk show of quilts to show us.  You can catch and interview with her here with  "the trip around the world block " That she had in her Trunk show.  She loves Kaffee Fassett Fabrics and you can view some of her other quilts she designed using them by clicking here.  I was very inspired by her way of doing easy strip piecing and cutting techniques to achieve these spectacular quilts.  I enjoyed her quilt "the Candy Queen" and the Feathering on her pattern "Feather my Vest".

 

I'm off to the Patchwork Harvest XI Quilt Show today!

I hope you will all join me at the Patchwork Harvest XI Quilt Show Today at the Middle School in Hudson WI from 11am - 4pm at 1300 Carmichael Road.   Come and see the marvelous quilts done by the Ladies and Men of the Hudson Heritage Quilters.  Yesterday the Mayor and his wife stopped by and enjoyed the show.  We have a variety of vendors there for you and a silent auction too.  You can catch me at the Raffle ticket table by our lovely Raffle quilt done by the ladies of the Guild.  Later I will be at the admission table in the afternoon.  at 1pm today our Speaker will be Lori Allison  of Allison Designs.  Yesterday our speaker was Debbie Bowles of Maple Island Designs.  She gave two presentations and I understand the morning one was standing room only.  I missed that one but was able to be there for her afternoon presentations and it was quite awesome.  She discussed Curves from her book on using curves in quilts and her quilts were very spectacular.  Hope to see you there.  - Diane Swett 

It's a great Saturday Morning in November

A Triangle Bag I made at the February Retreat 2013

Today is the 1st Saturday in November.  I am planning to finish more coaster sets and pot holders.  Yesterday I ordered two pot holder pattern sets from Annies e-patterns Central.  Last night I made the templates and cut them out for each pattern.  I can't wait to use up more scraps on these pot holders. 

 I also downloaded a free pattern yesterday  for Triangle purses from Pintrest. I have been making these little triangles purses since this spring in preparation for Christmas.  Thank you Dale Potter for your pattern.  It has given me a new perspective on how to make them in a simpler way. Here are some I have already made.
Thursday the pattern arrived for the Spinning Diamonds Quilts.  Now to gather my fabrics for this quilt.  I am excited because this will be my 1st quilt using Batiks. 

Other bags I made during the spring/summer 3013
in Preparation for Christmas

Town Square
Pot Holders 

Six Mosaic Pot Holders

 

Quilted at the point Tuesday morning with my quilting buddies Gwen & Frank

a pair of Mug Buddies Coasters ready for binding

 

yesterday morning I joined my quilting buddies at the point for our usual Tuesday morning quilting session.  we each worked on items that we want to place in the Holiday Craft Fair.  It was a nice cool autumn day and we were getting and matching colors for our projects.  I chose more fabric for my mug buddies that I am making.  I have 5 sets of 2 sandwiched together and ready for binding and just need to make 5 more sets.  I also started working on a hot pad similar to the ones I made last year.  I want to make 10 of these for the sale in different kitchen colors using a crazy quilting pattern.  Wow I have a lot to do.  I am also working on a Halloween Candle mat using a free table runner pattern I downloaded from a blog.  I am using fabric from my winnings when I went on the Fall Harvest Shop Hop Bus trip.   

Scrappy Pot Holder 2012

Halloween Fat Quarters "My Winnings"

A tutorial for a "Spinning Diamonds" Quilt by Kaye Woods

Spinning Diamonds a pattern
by Kaye Woods

This morning I awoke early so I was looking on Pintrest for some quilting ideas using my smart phone.  I came across this YouTube tutorial by Kaye Wood on "spinning Diamonds".  The technique seemed easy and the quilt looked complex.  I guess that is why I pinned it.  I watched the video on You Tube while I ate my breakfast and visited the website and decided to order the pattern.  So now I can't wait to receive the pattern in the mail, but I will collect the fabric I want to use.  I have decided to use Batiks for this quilt.  This will be my 1st time using batiks and I am excited about that.  I have seen other in my quilt club using batiks for a blooming 9 patch and they were so pretty.  The pattern uses 9 different fabrics ranging from light blue, pinks, purples, greens and deep blues, cut into 2 1/2" strips with strips sets of 5 pieced together.  I will post pictures of my project when I start working on it. 

It was a dreary Saturday morning until I went to my Hudson Heritage Quilting Guild meeting.

I awoke early this morning to a dreary cloudy & rainy morning.  It was cold out this am, only 36 degrees.  I contemplated staying home this am instead of going to my HHQ mtg.  I am so glad that I decided to go tho.  A lot was covered regarding the upcoming Patchwork Harvest Quilt Show XI we are having in November.  When I entered I noticed a table with a few items on it, and a couple of beautifully pieced and embellished crazy quilt style blocks.  I was immediately drawn to them.  I love to do crazy quilting myself and was delighted to see that someone else did too.  We discussed the upcoming Fall Holiday Quilt Show at the Middle School and other guild business then it was show and tell time.  after a break we had a presentation by Linda Lemon Keller, she showed us her wall hangings she had done using wool and doing it in crazy quilting and embroidery.  Wow what a great inspiration was she.  she also shared her library of good books on Embroidery and creativity.  I already have on book by Judith Baker Montano on Elegant Stitches.  I plan on adding to my own library some of the books she had on her list.  Here are some pictures of my own crazy quilting on hot pads and embroidery and applique block with beaded embroidery on it.
 

Halloween is fast approching and I have a Surprize!

With Halloween on the way I have been busy making some cute goodies using the 5 Fat Quarters I won on the Fall Harvest Quilting Shop Hop Bus Trip I went on recently.  These fabrics are the cutest Halloween fabrics and I am enjoying working with them.  Keep tuned in to see what these fun fabrics become.  :)

A SMALL NEEDLE CASE FOR YOUR EMBROIDERY, APPLIQUE, SEWING & QUILTING NEEDLES

This Friday at my ASG mtg, (American Sewing Guild), I am in charge of the craft instruction. I put together a kit for each person at the meeting to make small needle case.  This could be part of your sewing kit, kept with  embroidery or applique threads or as a part of your quilting kit to hold your quilting needles.  I use mine when I need to finish my quilt binding and to bury knots on the quilt top after machine quilting.   

 

A small neelde case

Patterned fabric - 2 1/2" x 4"

Batting or Felt 1 1/2" x 2"

button for front

needle & a legnth of of thread

Directions:
fold pattern fabric in half wrong sides together - it will measure 2" x 2 1/2" - finger crease fold then open

place batting and/or felt at the top of the fold.

Thread the needle and sew thru all fabrics near the fold, catching the batting along the legnth of the fold.

sew button on the front of the case.

place needles thru batting - Now you have a needle case to use with your applique projects or quilting projects or to place in your sewing kit.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

The Harvest Sampler Shop Hop Bus Tour October 12th 2013

 Saturday October 12th


Pumpkin Hollow by Bunny Hill Designs
Block of the Month at Quilter's Haven in Rosemont MN

I went on a bus ride with my quilting friends from Hudson for the HARVEST SAMPLER SHOP HOP.  I awoke early at 3:30 am, (a whole hour before the alarm went off)     It was still dark out, the air had a chill to it and the wind was picking up.  I dressed and ate breakfast and left the house about 6:15 to drive downtown Hudson, WI to my 1st Hop Shop -  "Sew Little Time" Quilt Shop in to meet the other ladies and wait for the bus. This is my Local Quilt shop and I enjoy taking classes and 1st Tuesday Quilt club and Meeting my friends in the Civil War Quilt Club.   Judy and Carol were already there and Karol-Lee drove in just after me.  The parking lot began to fill with the other ladies coming to catch the bus.  We were all excited and chatted while we had coffee and doughnuts at the shop and signed our "PASSPORT'S" for the trip. Linda gave us our pair of fat 8's & our 1st Block, "Autumn Basket", and a goody bag to take with us.  The Finished Quilt Showing all the Blocks was hung on the wall above the counter. 

Finally the bus arrived and we were off to our 1st shop. As we started on our way names were drawn from a bag for door prizes.  To my surprise and delight my name was drawn and I chose a prize of 5 fat Quarter of Halloween fabric.  I already had a project in mind, earlier in the morning while I was reading an email from www.FreeQuiltPatterns.info I downloaded a Free Pattern: Fall Table Runner by Melissa 

Our 1st & 2nd Blocks - "Autumn Basket"
 from Sew Little Time QS in Hudson WI, &
  "Doris Delight" from Quilter's Haven in Rosemont
MN with 2 fat 8's each 

Halloween Fat Quarters - My winnings

The fabrics I bought while on the Shop Hop

My Third Block, "Richmond" at Eagle Creek Quilt Shop

 

   

Our 1st stop was "Quilter's Haven" in Rosemont MN.   This was my 1st visit here, the staff were friendly and I enjoyed looking at all the fabrics and displays and was able to find some fabric for the Sock Monkey Baby Quilt I plan to make.  The fabric was a dark brown printed with Baby ABC Blocks.  They had Coffee ready for us and while taking a break in their classroom I enjoyed the Pumpkin Hollow Block of the month by Bunny Hill Designs Quilt that was taking shape on their Classroom wall. 

Back on the bus everyone was checking out each others goodies.  The Chatter & laughter was intoxicating.  We soon arrived at our 3rd Hop Shop Eagle Creek Quilt Shop in Shakopee MN.  It is located in an old renovated Train Station building.  I had visited this shop last winter on another Bus shop hop and could not wait to go inside and check out what they would have in store for us.  On the wall were displays of quilts large and small, felted projects and needle punch.  Every nook and cranny had purses, fat quarters, patterns of all sorts.  On the wall by the children/baby fabrics was a Dr Seuss "Cat in the Hat" Quilt using a panel - wow what an idea it gave me.  I had pieced together a Dr Seuss child's quilt at Quilt Retreat this past summer & that would make a great backing teamed up with some cuddle fabric.  Yes! I did buy the panel.  After coffee and cake we Hopped on the bus and headed on to our next Quit Shop.  We still had three more shops to go,  The Noble Quilter in Elk River MN, Quilted Treasures in Rogers MN and Four Seasons Quilt Shop in Maple Grove MN, each with their own specialties

I enjoyed my visits to each of these last 3 shops.  Each one was so different than the other.  At the Noble Quilter I fell in love with a quilt that was on display there designed by shop owner Angie Roberts whose shop and quilt pattern called Perfect Palette had been featured in Quilt Sampler spring/summer 2013 issue. 

The perfect palette

 

At Quilted Treasures I found some cute baby quilt pattern kits in adorable childrens fabric backed by soft cuddle material.  Then we went to Four Seasons quilt shop in Maple Grove.  I had been here before so I headed towards the back of the shop to thumb thru their 30's materials in children's prints for my Baby Quilt Projects and did pick up 1/2 yard of Civil War Fabric for my Sampler Quilt. 

We arrived back at "Sew Little Time" Quilt shop in Hudson WI about 6pm and Linda the Shop Owner had some treats waiting for us.  Brownies and Ice Cream.  Yum!  I signed up for a finishing kit for the Harvest Quilt and the went home.I got back home about 7pm and looked over all my goodies and reviewed my day, I ate supper and went to bed early that evening.  It was a fun day spent with my quilting friends. 



















Working on Baby Quilts this week

Choo Choo Dinoz Pattern

This Summer I was able to piece 4 baby quilts and this week I started to quilt the Winnie the Pooh quilt that I am making for my Grandbaby Amelia who is due in November.  I also started to piece together a very cute quilt for my Great Grand Baby Emmet who arrived last week 10/3/2013 - My daughter Marie gave me the quilt fabric and pattern late summer but I was going away going on my 3rd road trip and didn't get home till late Sept.  What a pretty quilt pattern from Studio E Fabrics named Choo Choo Dinoz.  The panel with coordinating fabrics are colorful and the Dinoz Characters are adorable.  I finished cutting apart the panel today and pieced together the 1st section.  tomorrow I will work on the second section. 

Polka Dotted Dino

Soft green stripes and yellow squares surround this Polka Dotted Dino.  Of course Dinoz Babies travel the world over.

Pictures of my mug coasters & playground paintings!

This is my 1st completed set of coasters.  I plan on making 10 sets for the Holiday sale this year.
the 3 sets below are ready to be bound. 

 The above coaster set is finished and ready to be paired with a colorful mug.  the other 3 sets are ready for binding. 

The picture below is my painting of a playground scene for a book illustration. 

today promises to be a beautiful sunny autumn day - a great day for Sewing and Painting.

this morning I awoke to beautiful sunshine - it is supposed to get up into the 80's later but right now it is cool and sunny out.  I have been making coasters for our Church Holiday sale and want to have at least 10 pairs of them made for the sale.  4 pairs done - 6 to go. I plan on pairing each set with a mug and will call them Coaster Buddies or Mug Buddies.  I also am planning to make some more of my crazy quilted pot holders.  They ones I made last year sold well.  I want to bring some samples to the our ABW meeting next Sunday afternoon. 

Today I will take advantage of the nice weather and take my easel and watercolors and do some painting outside on  my back patio.  I need to complete some pictures for my daughters book.  I'll take some pictures later to post here. 

I've had such a Blessed Summer but am so ready for Autumn to here.

Fall has arrived. Cooler Temps and beautiful sunshine with a warm yet cooler breezes. working on several projects today, quilting, blogging & drawing - I love this weather. so pleasant to be able to wear a light sweater for comfort.  Today I want to do some quilting on one or two of my baby quilts.  Then work on a proofing project for Pile O Fabric and later in the day sit out on my patio or porch and do a drawing project that is due in Nov.  I am feeling pretty rested today and energetic.  Love Fall Weather and cant wait for the trees to change into their autumn finery. 

Today has been an awesome Saturday for me.

This Morning I awoke early, dressed and gathered up my 5 finished baby quilt tops that I was able to finish at the July Quilting Retreat.  I wanted to participate in show and tell at my monthly meeting of the Hudson Heritage Quilters.  So off I went to the meeting, boy was it full - we talked about the upcoming Quilt Raffle at the Patchwork Harvest XI Quilt Show coming in Nov on the 9th and 10th.  The proceeds from the sale of the raffle tickets will  benefit the local food shelves.  The Show and Tell was great.  I think one of the ladies even had made a Quilt from Sedona.  I believe it to be the same one that I am collecting fabric for.  Wow, I do want to talk to her about her quilt.  It was beautiful. after show and tell we had a presentation by Quilt Designer Marilyn Foreman of Quilt Moments .  she has a very interesting take on kaleidoscope quilts that seems easier to do and many varied patterns.  she even has patterns that use the Twister templates.  I like her patterns and felt a little bummed out that I did not have my checkbook with me this am, but I did take her catalog home with me so I can order some of the patterns,  I thing I will look in my LAS's to see if they carry her patterns.  It was a good meeting and gave me many food for thought today.  Check out her link here.  This evening I plan on catching up on my emails and looking at the proofing from Pile O' Fabric's blog that needs to be done.    I am looking forward to finishing up the Baby Quilts and continue with my other WIP's. 
Yesterday I picked up my mail from the post office and boy do I have a stack to go thru, (after all it's been accumulating about two weeks now.)  I got a package from my friend and Applique Coaster Swap partner Linda and I just had to open it 1st.  What a lovely set of applique coasters she did for me, such pretty colors.... It made my day.  Aren't' they pretty.  I do hope she liked the ones I made for her. 

Here at Motel 6 again. Guess why!

It was another uneventful day until we got back from shopping this afternoon.  The  morning was spent leisurely packing up my gear and getting ready for my trip back home.  Valoriea and I decided to go to Walmart to pick up a few things.  She shopped for garden items and I got snacks to take along on my trip.  When we returned home we were greeted by a blast of hot air, the temp inside was 80 and the outside temp was about the same.  the AC went on the fritz again.  we both hated the idea of another night at the Motel 6 in Newport TN but as the eve went on it got hotter and unbearable.   I put all my packed luggage in the car ready for tomorrows departure and packed my computer and overnight bag for another night at the motel.  Boy was I sweating buckets - my hair was wet and my face was flushed.  Valoriea grabbed my bottle of Gatorade for me to take along.  I did not want to have a fainting spell or leg cramps tonight.  So Here we sit, me on the computer and Valoriea reading a book, at least we are cooler. What a way to spend my last eve here.  not very relaxing But cooler than 85 degrees.  LOL

Newport TN Motel 6

A day spent at the Museum of Appalachia in ClintonTN

Today was a beautiful day the temps were in the mid - high 70's, the sun was out and the sky was clear.  Valoriea and I spent the morning at the Farmer's Market in Danville.  I tasted some great Cider and caramel bars while there.  bought myself a couple of small potatoes and acorn squash to eat at home later this week.  I would have picked up a beautiful plant to take home with me but I didn't think it would survive the long hot drive home in my car.  It gets large white flowers that bloom at night & they are very fragrant & gorgeous.  Then we went to Sevierville to look at Clayton Homes by Norris that Valoriea wants to build on her property.  These are prebuilt and very nice.  I could see myself in one of them.  Then we headed over to Clinton TN to the Museum of Appalachia's "Days of the Pioneer" Antique Show.  I was expecting an indoor museum but we were both wowed by the enormity of the place.  It was a large area with original log cabins set amongst the trees.  They had a Civil War Encampment on one side and a Revolutionary War Encampment on the other side.  Many participants were dressed in period clothing and they even had a gun salute by the soldiers.  There were many tents set up with Antique Dealers.  Wow such eye candy for this lover of antiques.  Valoriea's friend Kathleen was at the Old Homestead cabin spinning wool with a hand spinner while her friend Darlene was spinning wool with her spinning wheel.  there was a smaller cabin set up for weaving and even a kettle of Sassafras Tea.  I meandered through the tents admiring the wares offered, quilts and handmade items as well as old antiques, over to the Southern Buffet Shop for lunch, a sandwich of fried bogalona with Tomato and Mayo and old fashioned sweet lemonade.  It tasted good.  After lunch I sat outside listening to the musicians play their banjo's and fiddles and watched as kids and adults square danced.  I enjoyed my time at the museum.   

Ask me why I slept at Hotel 6 Tuesday night.

So you ask why I slept at hotel 6 Tuesday night.  One answer - Heat- excessive heat.  Yesterday Valoriea and I went to the Knoxville Fair with her friends from her FCE, (Family & Community Education) group.  We had a great day. attended a dresses from 1800's given by one of the ladies of the regional group.  She had been sewing them for fun for a long time to wear and had a collection of them...  We also went to the seniors tent where they had a show regarding Mayberry - it was fun and tickled the funny bone.  there also was a Crafts and Art building that had a display of quilts along with crafts makers from soap, to sweater kittens to quilters sewing different projects. A lady was tatting a doily and others were presenting their crafts.  there were a lot of ribbons in this building from 1st prize and others.  The weather was very hot in the 90's so we kept going back into the air conditioned building and caught Chef Walter's presentation of Cooking for the Food City Kitchen.  A local food market chain down here.  His pumpkin peanut butter squares were to -die - for yummy. you can go to the Local 8 web site, click on food city kitchen and sign up for emails from Chef Walter.  When we returned to Valoriea's home she opened her door and boy was it HOT inside.  Here AC decided to quit working - the outside temp was 90+ and the house temp was 88 - inching up to 89.  We tried to open all the windows but there was no breeze out.  The temps were not going down outside anytime soon and we decided that we would take the landlords offer of a hotel room that eve.  The repair man would come in the am.  so that's what we did we escaped to an air-conditioned hotel for the night.   

Wow I'm home and still enjoying my summer

I can't believe my working trip is over and I've been home a week already.  I have had so much fun on my trip and in between.  Life is Good and God is Great.  I feel very Blessed.  Sat August 17th I attended a fun Baby Shower for my 31st grandbaby coming in November.  Proud Papa Earl & Proud Mamma Rikki were excited and the food was the best ever.  Aunty Beth & Nan did a Great job putting it all together.  I was so excited to be able to share the Baby Quilt I am making for little Amelia.  This is the top I finished at my quilt retreat this past July.  I have it ready to Quilt and plan to have it done by the time little baby "Amelia" arrives in November. 

Winnie the Pooh Baby Quilt

This is the Diaper Cake fashioned by my Daughter Beth.  She put it on Pintrest - it is just adorable

Rikki & Earl - New Parents to be. :)

I've returned from my Tennesee "working" Road Trip

Paducah Water Tower

My Visit to the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky

I enjoyed my Road Trip and even got to go to the quilt museum in Paducah KY.  I took some pictures here but was unable to take any inside the museum itself only in the Lobby.  I did get some great pictures of the Yo -Yo display there to share with you and other items.  The Quilts on Display were just Gorgeous!  The quilting and piecework was excellent and the display of quilts was fabulous.  Lol - can you tell I enjoyed them.  They also had an exhibit of Civil War Quilts and I fell in love with a simple log cabin variable that had so many pieces of different fabrics in each block and had a piano key border that continued with all different fabrics.  I would have loved to take a picture of that one.  I also saw quilt made of just simple blocks that repeated.  Nothing very fancy for most of them but just very refreshing to look at.  There were also a lot of applique quilts in this display.     

My Mother would have loved to see this pillow.  she loved making yo - yo's .   

 

I Enjoyed seeing all these little projects completed with the Yo-Yo's.