Bren had a question for me about how do I quilt away from myself on my big 3 roller quilting frame. This is something that I learned to do with a special thimble that I found years ago.
I call it a “paddle thimble” as to me it looks like a paddle or a tennis racket 
Here is a link to the site that I order from.
It is referred to as a hand held thimble. It takes a little while to get use to as do all thimbles. I use it for all of my quilting. The link also shows you how to use the thimble. With this thimble I can quilt in all directions – up, down, side to side. I can use my thumb or index finger whichever is the most comfortable and convenient.
I own 3 of these thimbles now! I started with only one and the price was half what it is now then I lost it and ordered another. Then I lost that one too! I ordered another and then found one of them that I lost and before you know it I found the first one too. Now I have 3 and I keep one with my quilting frame and one with the little bag that I travel with — and when writing this I wondered where the 3rd one is and come the conclusion that I have no idea!! I think I lost one again. I have a habit of loaning them to others now and then so they can see if they like them to order themselves – I wonder if it never got returned – I’m not even sure who I loaned one to last! A mystery it seems. Maybe it will turn up, in the meantime I still have two of them
I have a feeling I will be searching the house as I hate loosing things and curiosity gets to me wondering where it was misplaced at.
EDITED less than half an hour after I posted this: Ok it was driving me crazy – where did it go. I scoured all the areas I keep quilting things in this house and found it right on the tray by my lamp in the living room – how silly is that – I picked up the little cosmetic bag that I keep threads and tools in when I am working and found the one I keep in there and it was right next to it. Mystery solved
Finally the last couple of days I have sat down with “Insanity” and got a little quilting done. I am now done with row 6, which means half way through the next row I will be half way done quilting this quilt!! I started quilting it 5 months ago – but was gone for the month of May so that isn’t bad – actually 4 months of 
quilting – a total of 70 hours and 35 minutes. Yes I am that precise. I keep track of the hours spent on this quilt for prosperity! It took me 490 hours and 40 minutes to piece this quilt so I will keep track of how long to quilt it also — I figured that would be a heck of a lot less time time than hand piecing that many blocks.
Photo on the left is block numbers 13 & 12. Photo on the right are the triangle pieces for that row. I didn’t put a lot of quilting in number 13 and I might got back and add a little more. I think when I get totally done with the quilt I will go back and look it over and decide then if any more quilting needs to be added for it all to look right. Most I have a lot of quilting in and not sure if the ones that don’t have as much will look right.
On the Christmas Baltimore Album border #2 I have been working on too and I’m half way done with that border. I am working on the white flower right now and I’m almost done with that one so tomorrow I will get the last red flower glue basted in place on that. It is moving along nicely. I have been getting in a lot of work on the quilts since last Friday for some reason – I tend to do that – work a lot then read a lot. I go through phases.
From the last post I had I think we all agree we have way too many patterns and not enough time to make them all! I know I will think I have the next project picked out and then by time I get ready to make a new quilt I have changed my mind and moved on to something else that I have seen.
All these ideas that run through your head for new projects!!!! Just yesterday I was reading a blog – Exuberant Color – Wanda was talking about a lot of blocks that she had pieced together that are in the “vanilla” category – whites/beige/tan/very light gray ect. and it totally reminded me of a pattern I picked up last year at the Madison Quilt Expo 2008 – Wisconsin. I guess because I had been posting some photo’s of that quilt show the last couple days it was in my mind. The colors on the patchwork in the background of this pattern are darker beige’s than what Wanda had but the idea is the same.
I had gotten the pattern at the vendor booth from the Primitive Gatherings store which is located in Wisconsin; I’m not quite sure where the store is – I think it is northeast of Madison (maybe an hour away?) – maybe some of my Wisconsin readers know where the store is? I didn’t see an address on their web site. I couldn’t find the pattern either but I did get it almost a year ago so I couldn’t post a link to it here so I am taking a picture of the pattern so you can see it. It is a very simple old fashioned looking quilt - country style -there was just something about it that I liked — so why haven’t I made it!!! The pattern designer is Julie Feidt. I could find no link to her name or patterns.
This is a great pattern that a person could use a patchwork of whites/beige/tan and then really spice it up with bright color flowers from their stash of scraps. This could be a totally scrap quilt. One day I will make it — when I do not know
So I wonder on average how many patterns do y’all have stashed away that you really want to make but most likely well never get around to doing because you are constantly finding new patterns that you add to your stash? I have at least 15 patterns stacked up waiting in line and that is not counting all of the patterns in the magazines that are stacked up with pages marked indicating that there was a pattern in the magazine that had caught my eye — and that is not counting the over 30 quilting books that have patterns (plural) in them that caught my eye which was the reason why I bought the books to begin with
What is a quilter to do — so much eye candy out there and just not enough time to make them all!!
by Karen on July 17, 2009
in quilts
My daughter, Melanie “From Scratch” is having a give away of cookbooks on her blog. If you are interested in cooking head over to her blog and see what she has. She is a great cook and it is her way of relaxing when she is home from work.
Awhile back I posted a photo of my adventurous grandson eating bugs at a company dinner with his dad so now it is my granddaughter’s turn Yesterday Ciera got her long hair cut and donated about 6 inches of hair to locks of love. Here she is with her new hair style. I think she is the cutest granddaughter ever!
I got a few new plants for the porch. I have a 3 tiered wrought iron planter that I bought years and years ago and occasionally remember to get plants for it — it has 
been awhile since I have used it. I need to re-pot the plant in the middle as it is pot bound. The other two just need the hangers taken off and the price stickers.
I managed to get one more Dear Jane block quilted today on the “Insanity” 
quilt. I am almost finished the with the sixth row. If I would have been working harder at it the last couple months instead of working on the Christmas quilt so much I would be closer to the finish line! Oh well, it will get done one day. This block is from row F #11.
Here is one more photo of one of the quilts at the Madison Quilt Expo 2008. This one is called “Rhapsody in Motion” I can’t see who the name is on this quilt that made it, but I bet whoever did it designed it herself. It looks hand quilted to me.
Wow, finally finished the first border today and I have some prep work done on the next one. It really didn’t take all that long to applique that border – I just took a lot of days off in between working! Here are several photos so you can see what it is looking like.
I did lay it out on top of my “Insanity” quilt to get a photo of the border with the quilt to get a better look at what ending results will be like. I am pleased with the results.
The top photo looks a little distorted for some reason but if you click on the photo it takes you to a larger photo and that one is clearer.
Yesterday photo that I posted was from Mildred Sorrells quilt at the quilt expo in Wisconsin in 2008. I think everyone agrees it is wonderful. I sent her an e mail to see if the pattern is available but sorry to say there isn’t one. She designed it and doesn’t really have a pattern, just her drawings.
We are going to have a cold front come through the state by the weekend – can you believe low 80′s and 50′s at night for a couple nights!! I’m ready for the cooler weather. We would have been in Wyoming right now if Mike hadn’t started this six month contract job 
I have been told though that he will have 3 weeks off – most likely in September due to scheduling and I bet we will find someplace to drive our motorhome to for those 3 weeks. Someplace like in the mountains and cooler weather!
Here is another quilt from that same show the Madison Quilt Expo in Wisconsin 2008. This quilt is by Ann Fahl and the quilt is called “Wow That’s Orange” I have seen this pattern in Keepsake quilting – maybe with a different background fabric. I have always loved it. Talk about bright colors! Wow – I love it. I believe from reading Ann’s web page that she is a machine quilter. I do not know if she designed this pattern but some of her quilts on her page have coneflowers in them something like this.
I had quite a response of the photo of the quilt I posted yesterday. It was decided that the pattern or part of the pattern was a design of Elly Sienkiewicz. I had not remembered her name but when I went on a search I found a lot of Baltimore Album type of quilt books by her I remembered seeing some of the books over the years. You can see some of them at that link above.
Here is a photo of a quilt that I saw at the Madison Quilt Expo 2008 last year in September in Wisconsin when we traveled there. Isn’t this a great quilt. I think it says that the title of the quilt is “Butterfly’s Delight”. This quilt was made by Mildred Sorrells. I thought the color on this quilt was so cool. The middle of the quilt if I remember right is reverse applique. The flying geese are pieced and then I believe the butterflies and the flowers are needle turn applique but I could be wrong on that. It is hand quilted. If you go to the link on her name you will see other beautiful quilts by her. I hope she doesn’t mind me posting this photo.
Once again I feel like I have been so lazy. I have not been doing a whole lot lately. I did get the grass cut this afternoon. 
The weather had actually been better today than it has been. It rained this afternoon but with it the weather was so much cooler than it was supposed to be!! Instead of 94 it got to
84! I can live with that. It was breezy and felt nice all afternoon.
I have quilted a little on “Insanity” about time huh! I have gotten 3 blocks done since the last I showed any photo’s of it. The photo on the left is from Row F # 8 & 9 and the photo on the right is of block # 10. When I am half way done with the next row that will make it half way done!!
I’m not sure if I ever shared this photo of a quilt that we saw when we were in Pennsylvania in May. It is a beautiful quilt. It was on display upstairs of the Old Country Store in the museum that they have. Isn’t it beautiful. I love the bright colors. I didn’t think to write down the name of the pattern or who made it. I loved it though. It is appliqued by hand and hand quilted and some of the flowers are 3 dimensional. Does anyone know who made it?
by Karen on July 12, 2009
in quilts
Nothing going on here today. It was too hot to do much of anything. It has been in the high 90′s for the last couple of days and will continue during the week I don’t like sitting in the air conditioning so I was out on the porch for a bit continuing with my Karin Slaughter books but eventually had to come in. I would like to live some place where it stays around 75 degrees all year round – anyone know of the perfect place
Right now I have some blueberry muffins baking for breakfast and of course the oven on will heat the house up a little more and get the A/C blowing even more – but there you go, I feel like having some muffins in the morning!
Chris at Dye Candy is having a give away of her delightful hand dyed fabric – go visit her page and see what she has.
Back to my book -
by Karen on July 11, 2009
in quilts
Late last night I had my husband pull the two winning names out of the hat. And the winners are: Miri from Israel who has a blog called “Milk and Honey Quilts” and the other winner is Renee from Washington state. I have contacted both of you by e mail and will get your packages in the mail early next week.
Thanks to everyone who posted. I had around 85 entries. I’m sorry some of you entered too late but I will have another give away later in the year and you will have a chance then to enter. I was amazed at how many people came and left comments. Quilters from all around the world. Please continue to visit and leave comments. I love to know what it is about my blog that readers like and to be able to visit your blogs as well. Everyone who left a comment who has a blog I have bookmarked them and will be stopping by to see what you have.
Several weeks ago I entered into a give away that Deb over at Quilt Gal was giving and I won! My package arrived in today’s mail. I got a book that actually included a pattern ( photo on the right) that I have been looking at from the Piece O’ Cake people how cool is that. I had no idea the patten
was in that book. I also got some fat quarters and a little thingy to put clippings of thread in by the sewing machine or work basket. Thanks Deb for the neat gifts.
Tomorrow I will announce the two winners of my drawing that had been going on for most of the week so make sure you come to check it out.
Now I am going back to the living room to sit down with a coffee, a piece of my delicious cake and a book that I am almost finished with. The book is by Karin Slaughter – have any of you read her? I have all of her books. The one I am re-reading is “Blindsighted” her first book. I thought she had a new one out and I was looking for it today only to find out on a search on the computer that it will be released on July 14th! Her new book is called “Undone” and she is combining characters from the two series that she has into one book – I think that will make it very interesting. I will have to wait until Tuesday and then see if the local bookstore has it – if not that is ok, I will be visiting my mom again soon and there is a Barnes & Noble and a Border’s Bookstore in her area – I’m sure one of them will have it. Melanie we will be going to the bookstore when we visit
