There's No Place Like Home

Hi friends,

I have been away again - caring for my sister in Michigan for the last week.  I'm back home again as of today, and am happy to be back by my sewing machine.  No sewing was done for the past week, but a lot was accomplished, and progress was made in my sister's care.  

While gone, I took a big ball of yarn with me, and here is how far I got with it:  It's to be a baby blanket for an infant - a donation project.

No quilt work will be done today though - I'm too tired, and also I am such a basketball fan, especially for Big Ten college teams, that I'm resting so I can stay up and watch two of their teams play in the NCAA Sweet 16 later tonight.  I'm rooting for Michigan State University against Duke, and the University of Michigan against Kansas.  So tonight it's basketball, and knitting during half-times.

I did a little work on the applique Birds of a Feather before I left, and am auditioning some red/yellow print fabric for the four flowers in the corners.  What do you think?

Cutting, seam ripping, playing with fabric

Before the sewing machine stopped working, I finished the latest doll quilt from Lori's blog.  It's named Abundance (Humble Quilts Abundance link up )  Lori's blog is one of my favorites, and she has great instructions for doll quilts for all of us to make.

Here's my finished version of Abundance.  It's 12 inches square, and is tea-dyed to make it look older.

Sophia Grace and Rosie like it very much!










Since my sewing machine was not working last week, I made use of my time cutting and kitting up fabric and seam ripping.  Here are two other things I worked on:  (1) A kit I bought had 1.5 inch strips of fabric, and I sorted fabrics and cut the length of each piece needed for this pineapple quilt. It's 30 squares, and each square is 13 inches finished size, with rounds of lots of 1 inch finished pieces.  Now I'm eager to start sewing on it.  It's from Moda, Collections for a Cause - Legacy.

(2) A great friend, Sharyn, gifted me with a partially completed applique block of the month from Blackbird Designs.  It's called Birds of a Feather, and I have enjoyed looking online at different versions of this quilt.  I am having fun with it, and when completed, it will be a great reminder of my good friend, and I will think of her every time I snuggle under it.  Sharyn had completed several of the blocks, and I decided to make a big change - by changing out the background fabric.  I know, lots of seam ripper work, but it actually went very fast, and I'm auditioning background fabrics right now.  The dark green background is being replaced with light cream color.  I love the teal fabrics she used for birds and flowers.  Here's the leading contender for a background, a fabric named "freckles", and a picture of a piece of the previous background.
Check out Patchwork Times to see what everyone else has on their design wall this Monday.

The Janome sewing machine is now fixed (new fuse) and is humming peacefully again.  The repairman's advice:  Don't plug in the iron and radio and sewing machine in the same socket - even with a surge protector - because that was probably what caused the fuse to blow.  So now that I know better, I'll do better. 

AAQI Quilts for Sale

AAQI Quilts for Sale - This is the last year for buying little quilts to support Ami Simms wonderful organization, Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.  Thanks to so many of you for supporting this wonderful cause.  If you would like to buy a little wall quilt, I have two still for sale!  This first one is 9 inches by 9 inches, and could also be used as a doll quilt, or a mug rug. Click on the name under the quilt to go to the site if you would like to purchase it to support the cause.

OCEAN WAVES REMEMBERED

The second one is made of homespun plaids and black, and is 6.5 inches square.  It would make a good mug rug, or you could hang it on the wall.  I hope they find a good home!  Again, click on the name under the little quilt to go to the site to purchase it.

HOMESPUN HOPE

Thank you very much!

I was sewing on a charity baby quilt this week, and somehow blew a fuse on my sewing machine.  At least that's what the onscreen error message indicates.  I think Bonnie Hunter is right, the old machines have fewer parts to contend with, and are more reliable.  This is the second time I've blown a fuse on my Janome.  So, instead of sewing up a storm this weekend while hubby is away in Florida golfing, I am using my rotary cutter and mat, and am cutting up a storm, in preparation for sewing when my machine gets back from the shop.  There is always something to do in the quilt room, right?