Turtle Stitching

This is my first attempt at Sashiko, the pattern was printed on the fabric, so seemed pretty easy. I needed to make a birthday gift for a secret sister and this is it. I'm happy with how it turned out. I hope she will like it. My DH likes turtles, so keeping it secret from him was a bigger challenge. Now I need to start another one for him and keep it a secret again.....whew can I do it again???

Here is the fabric I put on the back, I'm so proud of the zipper. I hadn't done a zipper with a flap for so many years. Now back to regular quilting, I have a Xmas quilt to add borders.

Happy Quilting!

Surprise Mail

This little package arrived in the mail yesterday from Mary, I wanted to get this posted sooner but things didn't work out. She's wrapped it so nice with twine and a snowman tag.....oh so darn cute I didn't want to mess up the packaging.

To my surprise when I opened the package, Mary sent me one of her wonderful little quilts I saw on her blog. It felt like a early birthday present when I open this wonderful star quilt. It actually arrived on Mary's Birthday which was yesterday. The picture doesn't do this quilt justice, the quilting is so detailed with curls in each star is awesome and done so prefect.

I'm still in shock I can't believe this fantastic quilt came to my door. Thanks so much Mary you are very thoughtful. Happy Birthday Mary.

Happy Christmas.

Playing Catch Up

A few of you asked what I purchased on my LA shopping trip. Some patterns I had my eye on and so had to snap those up. The Eiffel Tower quilt pattern was an impulse buy, since I had just vacationed in Paris last spring, I have to make that quilt....very soon I hope.

I was looking for Halloween fabrics and bought a few pieces. Mostly I wanted reproduction fabrics as our local shops don't carry much if any of these type of fabrics.

Look what found it's way to my mail box....oops I just realized I forgot to include the sweet label that came with the scissor fob. Darlene (Quilting Daze) is a very thoughtful friend and thinks of all the details, do you see the charm that says "made for you", I put this fob on my stork scissors I bought in Portugal. I also noticed the flower is very similar to the Portuguese flowers I have in my garden. Thanks Darlene, I will think of you when I reach for my scissors.

I've had fall decorating on my mind lately. I bought this little kit last year and didn't get to making it, so I wanted to make sure I had this finished this in plenty of time to enjoy the season. I love fall and all it's colours. More fall decorating to come.

Happy Quilting.

Stitching in the Garden

A whole lot of gardening going on and not much on the sewing front. We've had a pretty incredible warm sunny week, it seemed as if spring was never going to come and here it is!. I'm about three quarters finished cleaning up the garden and about 90% done with planting perennials and a few annuals in pots around the deck. It sure feels good to have most of the garden ready. I stitched this cute little babushka doll pincushion in between getting dirty.EDIT: the free pattern for the babushka doll can be found here, she's about 4" tall.

Isn't this the best bag, I've been using it everyday since it arrived at my house last week. Mary surprised me by sending this wonderful bag to me. Thank a bunch Mary, you are so very sweet to think of me.....I love it!

And look she even included a matching pincushion, how fun is that.
If you don't hear from me I'm still lurking around, just spending a bit more time in the garden. That's if the rain holds off a little longer, if not I'll be back in the house cutting and sewing again.

Happy Quilting.

To Open or Not

I know...I know....I shouldn't have opened it so soon. How could a girl not open a big box that arrives in the mail. This box would have been sitting in the corner, staring at me, taunting me for 2 weeks...open me...open me. Early birthday gifts are just as much fun as late ones. I had no idea when I saw this little quilt in progress on Mary's blog that it would be coming to live with me, it certainly is a treat to see it show up at my door. Mary knew how much I loved her "chicken wire" basket and sent one for me to display my collection of little quilts. Can you see those perfect squares, I think they are 1/2" finished (the gold is not that bright, it's more mutted than the picture shows) Mary's quilting puts mine to shame, she does wonderful impeccable quilting....Thanks so much Mary I love this sweet little quilt and basket.

She also tucked this sewing pouch in the box, isn't it so cute, that zipper doesn't look to difficult, I could whip up a few of those....LOL. I can use this to take my stitching along to meetings.

My red and green quilt is all wonderfully quilted by my dear friend Lauren and ready for me to hand sew the binding. Next will be washing to get that warm cozy crinkled look that I just love to see when a quilt is all completed....ohhh I can't wait to get it in the washing machine and show you again.

Happy Stitching.

First Quilt for 2009

My first post for 2009 and you're probably getting bored with hearing about snow, I promise I won't talk about it again....LOL. We've had 3 weeks of snow fall and here is 3 weeks of shoveling the driveway. We've only been able to get down the back lane and into the garage for the past few days but every day DH was out there shoveling in hopes we could park in the garage. Behind that huge pile of snow is our second car....I don't think it will be moving until spring.

Over the holidays I received a surprise package from Carole. I had seen this table topper on her blog a few weeks ago, not knowing she had plans to send to me. Carole made one of her awesome embroidered labels for the back, if you want to see it go here. Sorry I didn't take a picture.

Carole had my little package all wrapped in the cutest snowman paper. She also sent me 2 of the Crabapple Hill patterns, the stitchery witches hat and a stitchery pillow with "Happy Halloween". I'm excited about starting these projects. Thank you so much Carole for the fantastic surprise gifts, you are a sweet friend.

A New Year and a New Quilt. When I pulled out all the decorations before Christmas I realized that all year I didn't make a red/green quilt (which BTW I had planned to do in 2008) If I don't do something right away....I forget quickly, so I started a few days before Christmas making the stars (better late than ever). In between working a few 9 hours days and all the holiday events I got this top finished (being snowed-in was a big helped to get this top finished). I didn't use a pattern, if anyone is interested in the measurements I used (just yell), I'd be happy to send them along.

Happy New Year and I look forward to your continued friendship as well as some new friendships in 2009.

Sewing Annie and Awards

Do you see what I see....little bits of hair sticking out from behind the tissue????
Here she is Raggedy Old Annie ready for any sewing task. She has her sewing kit Handy with needle, thread and thimble ready for sewing, quilting or stitching. I can't believe I have my very own Annie, do you see what's on her dress, my initial, there will be no doubt who she belongs too. As Carole said, my heart feels warm and fussy with how kind and generous quilters are in blogland. I've formed live long friendships who I might have the opportunity to meet someday. Darlene and I have been swapping nine patches for a number of months now, we each will seek in little goodies as surprise gifts....teehee....it's so much fun. Well the biggest surprise came from Darlene, she went and ordered this Sewing Annie just for me. I'm so very touched by her generosity and thinking of me on my Birthday....see I can stretch my Birthday out for the whole month. Thank you Darlene....I will think of you while enjoying Sewing Annie sitting next to my computer. Oh one more thing....A little birdie told me Sewing Annie has a twin with a different initial on her dress....Hmmm who could that be....*vbs*
There are more kind and thoughtful bloggers out there. Gizmo has award me the "Spreader of Love" award. Thank you Gizmo for thinking of me. I feel very blessed with your friendship.
And then Tamara gave me the "You Make My Day" award. Thanks for making my day with this award.

The rules for the "You Make My Day" award, are to re-present it to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know through an email or posting to their blog so they can pass it on. You may get the award more than once, so if you do, consider yourself very loved! So pass it on!!!

There are so many to choose from I couldn't possibly name only 10. So if you read my blog regularly consider yourself on my list of people "Who Make my Day"!!! And so pass the love on!!!

Happy Stitching.

Some Surprises....

As you can see a few chocolates have already been devoured, don't want to waste time just looking at them...teehee. When I got home from our island holiday these are the goodies awaiting my arrival, it was worth the wait. These yummy sweet chocolates Annie sent me all the way from Australia. Thanks so much Annie for a wonderful box of handmade chocolates. And Thanks Sharon for organizing a fun and yummy swap.
This little pink quilt is for a swap with Karen, we talked about doing a swap some months ago but with Karen's house tour which involved redecorating an entire room "you go girl", we decided to put it off until now. I'll show you what she has made me when I receive it, I don't even know what she will send, we promised to surprise each other. If you haven't seen her beautiful house it's well worth a look. Karen has excellent eye for colour and decorating. I wish she could visit me and redo my house...LOL
Here is a close up of the quilting.
More about swaps. Darlene and I have been swapping 9patch blocks for a few months and I've been having a blast exchanging with her, thanks Darlene, I might be late this month...sigh. See my sneak peek post here. Sometimes we send each other little surprises, oh my is it ever fun...teehee. When I told Darlene that I was making the PDG's she offered me some seaside rose fabric. What a great surprise in store for me. Here is my first block done sitting with a gorgeous collection.. I wasn't sure about how the embroidery colours were going to work together but after seeing this picture I think it will be a wonderful combination with the fabrics.
Even more surprises when I got home, does it ever end....oh gosh... don't get me wrong I'm not complaining a bit...lol. Caroline was so sweet to send me this heart pincushion, little strawberry and red trimmed crocheted doily. I love them all, I think the buttons are vintage and the purple lace is hand dyed. Thanks so much Caroline, this certainly is a wonderful package of treasures. Big Smiles from ME!

I feel so lucky to have met these wonderful ladies and I cherish their friendship.

Happy Stitching to Everyone.

Friendship

There is definitely a learning curve when you get a new computer. So now it's taken me longer to do things. The camera is now connected....yippee one hurdle over. The next hurdle is figuring out how to use the new Photoshop S/W. It seems I just learnt how to use the old version, the newer version is changed and so different. I guess, I'll get over these hurdles sooner or later...LOL.Friendship truly does come from the heart. And it's very special when you find a friend that you really connect with. Someone that you can share with and feel very comforted. Quilter's are such a special group who really enjoy sharing handmade gives with their friends. I feel very thankful and lucky when I receive a gift made by a friend. Okay...okay... enough with the mushy stuff...LOL

This teddy bear angel I stitched on muslin and did a small amount of tea dying. The red and yellow fabric is actually flannel. Soft and cuddly friendship pillow. I know....I know no more mushy stuff....
Look what I got from a very special blogger friend. No two fabrics are the same. I love the 30's fabrics, they make such a sweet quilt to look at and always makes me smile. The quilting is excellent. I wish I could quilt like that! Thanks Darlene, I will cherish my little quilt from you.

Special Surprises

Friends are like purses...you might have a whole collection, but some are certainly more special than others. Isn't that the sweetest saying, it was in the card I received yesterday from Darlene. And I was the recipient of really big surprise box of Apron Strings fabrics, Holly Taylor charm packs, several patterns and the cutest pincushion. As you can imagine...I've been drooling and fondling this package since it arrived. Whatever am I going to make with this lovely pile. Darlene this is absolutely the best gift, I "Thank You" dearly.