disappearing nine patch

The disappearing nine patch block is a great block that looks more difficult than it is.  I have some black and white with a splash of color blocks to assemble.  I am having fun moving them around and plan to sew them together with one border of color and a larger border of black and white fabric.  I haven't picked the color of the first border yet...to be continued : )

I am linking up to Fabric Tuesday at QuiltStory blog...see the link in my sidebar!

~piece~
elizabeth

inspiration

This is an amazing woman, a blind quilter:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lfaSmDxVZQ

What an inspiration!   What a blessing : )

~piece~
elizabeth

postage stamp quilt

I am making slow progress on my postage stamp quilt but I can already tell that I like it!  I am using Moda Botany and it looks so nice with the solid white fabric.  It will be slow going while I finish some swap commitments, but I am really in no hurry.  After all, this is suppose to be fun : )

~piece~
elizabeth

 

checkerboard

I made this checkerboard in bright "french" inspired fabrics.  I have always liked the look of the checkerboard pattern, and it is easy to make in any size that you choose.  This quilt measures 30"X30".  I enjoy making small quilts because they give me a chance to do a little hand quilting.  I would never tackle a large quilt to hand quilt because it would probably never get finished!  I recommend making a checkerboard for the fun of it, and who knows, I may even play a game of checkers on it one day : )

These fabrics make me smile and I like the backing fabric too...I am glad I have enough of each of them left in my stash to play with another day!

~piece~
elizabeth

swap block

I just received my first swap block from the Block Swap Adventure.  My swap partner is Sandi, and she made me a black and white log cabin block : )  I received a pink felt valentine with my swap block!  Thank you, Sandi.

She requested a Halloween themed block....I hope she likes it : )  I sent her the extra green halloween fabric along with her block.

~piece~
elizabeth

german stitchery

I finished my heart embroidery and framed it with some Amy Butler fabric from my stash.  I am not sure how large I will make it, but I plan to keep adding more sashing in a log cabin style.  I used Valdani brown variegated thread on off white cotton fabric.  The darling pattern called Snow Hearts came from a German blog called All About My Quiltshop Kaleidoskop.  It is an interesting blog and there is a translation button that translates the German to English!

My embroidery skills aren't that great...I can't even make a french knot...but I still enjoy a little handwork now and then : )
__________________________________________________________________________________

I am entering this block at Quilt Story's Block Party as a Traditional Embroidery quilt block.  This is a fun contest with some gorgeous blocks....go have a look!

~piece~
elizabeth

cigar box

I keep my stitchery floss, scissors, and needles in cigar boxes.  As I get my stitchery projects ready, I can put the needed supplies in a cigar box to keep them separate and organized.  I have had my light box, blue pen,  and both cotton and linen fabric out today, getting some projects ready to stitch.  They are perfect for when I am in the mood to do something while watching television with my husband.

I show several embroidery projects on buttons on my sidebar if you are interested in a little stitchery of your own.  And you don't have to smoke cigars to get the cigar boxes : )  They sell them at the cigar shop for 50 cents!

~piece~

elizabeth

one house-many projects

A month or two ago, Beth at Love Laugh Quilt challenged quilters in our blogland neighborhood to make a 12 inch house quilt block and mail them to her.  I forgot to take a picture of mine : (  but I included cats in the windows looking out at birds in the sky, and I used some of my Kaffe Fassett fabric for the house and roof.

Beth picked the winners of all the blocks at the beginning of January and there were so many blocks sent to her that she was able to choose several winners!  She also sent each blogger/quilter that participated a small fabric house to use in any project they wanted to make, and ask us to send her a picture so we can see all the projects made from one house.

I made mine yesterday, and it is now hanging in my sewing room/studio.  I used linen and some of my stash of homespun plaids and stripes.  It is 12"X12", and is a fun reminder of all my new neighbors in blogland.  I moved into this blogland neighborhood on July 24, 2010 and it is a very inspiring, pleasant place to be : )

~piece~

elizabeth

mug rug love

I made another mug rug....they are so fun, quick, and easy!  I am also showing you my favorite mug.  I got this in Las Vegas a few years ago at The Beatle's Love Show by Cirque Du Soleil.   I went with my daughter, and we both had a wonderful time, and would be happy to go again : )

~peace...oops, I mean, piece~

elizabeth

i'm seeing red today

The Be Mine Blog Tour has put me in the mood for red projects!  I have some hexagon flower coasters, and a few valentine table toppers to show today : )

~piece~
elizabeth

be mine blog tour

Today is 1-11-11....cool!!

I am enjoying the Be Mine Blog Tour.  I made a quilted heart ornament using the pattern from Vickie at Spun Sugar Quilts blog on day one of the tour.  I was inspired to make a cute mug rug with the 1 3/4" patchwork squares too!  The backing for my quilted heart ornament came from some fabric that I have in my stash.  I have made many fabric valentine's from this cute, vintage postcard fabric that have become nice little decorations or gifts for valentine's day : )

~piece~
elizabeth

vintage memories....100 years ago

My mother-in-law gave me a memory book(dated 1910-1911) she found in an old chest...one that she had bought many years ago.  It is written by a 15 year old girl that "I think" was looking through a basket of fabric scraps and decided to make a journal of how these fabrics had been used.  She never mentions her name, just her age, as she tells the tale of each piece of fabric.

The cast of characters are Lettie (her sister), Larry(her brother), Aunt Eliza, Mama, Papa, Mrs. Nickles(dressmaker), Ellis(her brother), Mrs. Keech, Mrs. Long(dressmaker), Mrs. Young(dressmaker), and James( Lettie married him at age 20).

The setting is Neosho Rapids.  In one dress she went to the fair with her Papa.  It turned cold and they left and stopped at Peaks and bought some cookies that she ate as they walked home.  She gave one of her dresses to a little girl that lived in a camper's wagon.  She had a dress and sunbonnet from fabric used in their front room as a border.  She bought a dress at age 14, from Sears and Roebuck that faded green, so she dyed it dark brown.

Mama made a doll tick out of one of her dresses that she had worn when she was 2 years old.  She and Lettie made several of the dresses, and both she and Lettie tore their dresses on barbed wire on different occasions.   In fact, she had torn her dress the day she was writing this journal : )

She talks about school and church, and singing "Hang Up the Babies Stocking" at Christmas when she was 6 years old.  I wish she had written her name somewhere in her 14 page journal.  I am so happy that she took the time, 100 years ago, to journal about these fabric scraps.  I am certain she would have a blog of her own if she were living today!

I have enjoyed her sweet story.  I wonder if someone will be reading my blog in 100 years : )

~piece~
elizabeth

postage stamp quilt along

I am going to join Rachel's postage stamp quilt along here.  I am deciding between Moda Botany and Central Park for my jelly roll print.  I will be using Moda Bella pure white as my solid.  This is going to be a fun quilt and I don't think I can go wrong with either choice!

~piece~
elizabeth  ~~~~I decided to use the Botany~~~~~

sewing fun

Today my daughter, MB, came over to make some cute pouches for her friends.  She is on break from graduate school, and I love to have her come play with me : )  We looked through several tutorials and then made our own design.

Here MB is using blue painters tape to mark her quilting lines.

Sewing a zipper : )

Cute pouches!

Fun day!

~piece~
elizabeth