Square Stars

The first 3 blocks of Emerson's quilt are made. She told me she wanted a "star quilt", but then she wanted squares. I told her to make up her little mind, and she came up with "Square Stars"....I asked her what that meant and she said, "You know, Grandma. Stars with squares in them." So, Square Stars it is! Sassy approves!
The Friendship Stars would have had squares, except I used a different technique. I always use half square trianges, but went this route instead! It was much easier and less seams! I liked it ;)
I finished the Sailboat block on the Underground Railroad Sampler. After making an entire quilt of these blocks for TJ, it went like the breeze carrying that boat!!I have 10 out of 16 blocks quilted. I love how each block has looked once it is quilted! Here are some of them....Once I finish the sashing strips around the Sailboat, this is the next block in the hoop...
Goodness, who would have thought a hand quilter would have so much to share??? I had more, but it will wait til next time!
Thanks for stopping in!!!
~Bren~

Monday Sew Day

I am taking a "Sew Day". I have worked hard the last week tearing down wallpaper, and today is a reward day for me! Yes, that Chamomile LOVES a good sew day. She hears that thread being pulled through the fabric from another room and comes running!

I had a busy, fun, weekend. My son's girlfriend, Carrie, came to town and I took her to Acorn Quilts! She wants to make a Sampler quilt, so we had a look around. You just know I can't leave there without a purchase...or 2...or 3! I grabbed that yellow yard to add to Emerson's quilt. It needed that splash! ALL of her fabrics are in the dryer and will be part of my Sew Day. I grabbed some premade labels for myself, and that bundle of 19 different Stonehenge fat 1/8ths for a friend. These feel like silk, but are 100% cotton...perfect for applique.
Yesterday we made a trip to our old town to meet the newest member of our family....my new great niece...and I realized I did not have a hand project I could take along. I grabbed the Henrietta Whiskers pieces for the next block and was able to prep them on my trip. I must make sure there is something to "grab" for the next time!My dear friend, Sue, lives there and we were able to stop by to see her and her family. Sue and I have been very close friends for 29 years, this month in fact. I got to see, up close and personal, her latest quilts....she is such an inspiration! I miss her terribly and I cried half the way home!!! My husband kept saying, "It's only an hour and a half away. Drive up there once a month!" I need to do that!

I found a new-to-me quilting blog and have just LOVED visiting there! Cottons n Wool is full of gorgeous quilts and stitchery. I love her style and tastes and I fell in love with one of her latest quilts, "Folk Art Blooms" It goes along with the new "look" I am desiring to give my new kitchen/eating area. I ordered the book this morning.

You can see Anne's top here. I plan to do a 4 block wallhanging version for the small wall in my eating area, but someday would love to make the entire thing.
So how will I spend my Sew Day? I am headed to the studio to finish a project, and then I will need to spend a bit of time cleaning up. It is a "creative disaster" down there!! After that I want to cut into that fabric and get at least one block made for Emerson's quilt. I need to make 12 different, 12" star blocks, total. After that, since Sweetheart works late tonight, I plan to spend the late afternoon and evening hand quilting. I am sailing along on the UGRR Sampler....pun intended! ;)That is, if Cammy will let me quilt without pouncing on every stitch I make! Eventually, she calms down and just wants to lay....regretfully it is always on my hoop!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

~Bren~

Friday Sewing Day

Instead of a Friday NIGHT sew-in, I took the entire day! I spent the morning planning and preparing for my quilting class, and the afternoon making these needlebooks for my students. They are SO easy to make and very inexpensive. All you need is 1 yard of fabric and a package of heat and bond. I press one side of the heat and bond to the wrong side of the yard and then pull the paper off. Fold the other end up to meet the top end and press the right side down. You end up with a nice big piece of bonded fabric. You need to cut rectangles, 4X6 inches and then cut pieces of (thin) batting 2X4 inches.
Fold both in half and lay the batting centered in the fold of the fabric.
Stitch down the center of the batting and then press closed.
You could get up to 20 needle books out of that yardage...I only needed 8, so that is what I cut. Now to finish them all sweet, trim the raw edges with a set of pinking shears to get a cute finish.I put a quilting between (needle), and a basting needle in each book as a little gift for each new hand quilter.I finished out my Friday by spending the late afternoon and entire evening hand quilting. I finished this block....it was very dense in quilting...and a couple of sashing strips.It was a productive day and I plan another one very soon! I have more to share about my Saturday, but that can wait. I need a nap!!

~Bren~