A Happy Valentine's Day

Hope you are having a wonderful day! I have a blast from the past to celebrate the occasion- a Bargello Heart quilt. (sorry-it is another photo from the foyer floor)



I made this quilt back in 1994. I had taken a class in Oakdale, California back a year or two before then, when I lived in Modesto. It was taught by Deb Ayers who co-authored the book Bargello Hearts with Nancy Podolsky. When I returned to Ohio I taught this as a class at a couple of quilt shops and it was quite a hit. I've made several of these quilts, but this is the only one I kept for me. I made it as a wedding gift, a baby gift and as a raffle quilt for the American Cancer Society.

It really is an easy quilt to make. The hardest part is picking out the fabrics and finding the ones you need to bridge from one color to another.



I had forgotten about this quilt when last week a friend brought it up and I looked to see if I still had the book (I did) and where the quilt was (folded up in a basket). As I look at this quilt now I realize how much has changed in the quilt world since 1994. I machined quilted this with nylon monofilment thread - it was considered cutting edge and machine quilting was still considered "not authentic" in my quilting world. It has a polyester batting and I didn't put any quilting in the border at all- yikes!!! Well I've never washed this quilt and I never will. I made a big goof when I labeled the quilt by writing directly on the back with a pen that I thought was permanent but was in fact the water based marker I'd used for signing Christmas cards. No amount of heat setting would make this ink permanent.

Here's hoping you got chocolates and flowers to celebrate the day and if you didn't, do what I do, buy your own and then you are sure to get what you want - LOL!

Happy stitching-
carol fun

A heartfelt display for Design Wall Monday

Yesterday I mentioned that I wanted to whip up a small wall hanging for my kitchen for Valentine's Day, which lead me to a lengthy search for some heart blocks I knew I had stitched up a couple of years ago. That's them at the top of my design wall. They are about 14 inches square and stitched up in Debbie Mumm fabrics.



And during the search for the heart blocks I stumbled upon these Stack-n-Whack block which feature hearts in them. I had totally forgotten about them and thought I had corralled all my SNW projects in one container - I hadn't. Not only did I find these blocks but I found 3 more SNW projects - holy hording Batman!






This fabric is really colorful. It has a stained glass look which is why I picked the black frame I assume. I made these years and years and years ago. As you can count there are 7 finished blocks. I found 7 of the 8 wedges for an 8th block and there are about 10 more cut out and fabric to do more. They are very pretty, they kinda glow and I have no memory about why I didn't finish them, but I think I will. Maybe just a lap sized quilt instead of a big queen sized one that I usually end up with.

Pawing through basket after basket of unfinished projects gave me time to ponder what I'm going to do with all this stuff. My first thought was I need a dumpster - a BIG dumpster - but since our driveway is already bumper to bumper with cars that isn't feasible at the moment. So I think I need to find some new homes for them. I'm sending some fabric with my son to his volunteer job. He works with an organization that does art projects with disabled individuals. They taken my donations before. And I'm going to do some giveaways with other projects in progress. Check back couple of days. I need to figure out the logistics.

As for the little heart wallhanging for my kitchen - ummm, I don't really like any of these blocks for that room. They are all the wrong colors. Oh well, not every project goes as planned.

Happy stitching-
carol fun

A Valentine for Sampler Sunday

In keeping with the spirit of the upcoming festivities I have a very pink sampler for this Sunday. This is another Blackbird Design piece, called Truly Thine.



I started this ages ago and only recently got around to getting it finished and framed with one of those great Joann's coupons. I have no idea what the linen is called but it is a very deep rose. The frame has a bamboo look, black-ish with wine undertones.



You may have noticed that instead of "Truly Thine" my sampler says "Truly Mine." This goes with my personalization of the piece where I stitched my sons' initials in the lower right corner - the C and the N in big Smyrna cross stitches. By adding both of their initials I was able to eliminate a diamond motif made up entirely of Queen's stitches - a stitch I can do but I don't really like to do. A brilliant move on my part if I say so myself, and I do - LOL!

I had planned on sewing and stitching yesterday and today but instead I've spent most of my time trying to finish a shawl that has lingered way too long on the circular needles. I figure I have about 4 more rows of 500 stitches and then the bind off. Tomorrow is another day (as Scarlett reminds me) and I should have some time to sew then. No guild meetings and my younger son doesn't have to be to his volunteer job till 3. I'm in the mood to whip up a little something valentine-y to hang in my kitchen. Check back tomorrow.

Okay - now I'm going to try and catch up responding to all the lovely comments you've left the last couple of days and then the last rows of that darn shawl.

Happy stitching-
carol fun

One done and one to go

Monday night was my guild meeting and that's when I pick up my finished quilts from the long arm quilter, and pass another top off to her. I'm always excited to see what she has done. So on Tuesday I decided I should get the binding put on the quilt I picked up the night before and I should get the binding on the quilt I'd picked up the month before--- I'm running a bit behind here.

By Wednesday, I cleaned off a decent sized space on my table and trimmed both quilts, and I was able to sew together a binding for one - my Dazzling Debbies. Ta-dah!



I spread the quilt on the floor in my foyer and then took the picture hanging out over the banister. (you probably shouldn't do this but it is too drizzly to go outside and I wanted to get the whole quilt in the picture) Anyway I love how it came out after it was bound and laundered.



Nice and smooshy!



So today I figured I'd finish up the second quilt - my yellow Carol's Stars - but when I came downstairs this is what I found.



I didn't have the heart to wake him up so, this quilt will get bound another day. The weekend is just around the corner and I hope that you and I both have some quality sewing time.

Happy stitching-
carol fun

The Home for Wayward Poultry

Give my your tired, your poor, your wayward poultry yearning to be free.... or something like that. In the last week I've had 2 different bloggers ask me if I would be willing to give a good home to chicken blocks and chicken fabric they had in their homes. And I couldn't say no!!

First are these wonderfully dotty chicken blocks from Stephanie at Kwiltz by Stephanie.



And she sent other goodies too - there was a bag of dotty scraps and this pretty yellow fabric that says "DOTS" and that little polka dot sock change purse came stuffed with dotty buttons. Such fun!



And this great stash of chicken fabric came from Cindy at Tops to Treasures. I'm particularly fond of the chicken holding the bowl of pasta -one of my favorite foods.



Thank you both for such lovely poultry themed goodies! I will give them a good home and plan to include them in poultry projects in my future. I hope everyone is having a good week and that this little bit of polka dot poultry gives you a smile like it does me!

Happy stitching-
carol fun

I got lead over the rainbow by the String Beans on Design Wall Monday

Wow, this was quite an adventure and I had no idea where I was going to end up when I started this quilt. It began with this pattern, String Beans, by Stephanie at Loft Creations.



As you can see I was dazzled by a multitude of fabrics in rainbow colors- polka dots, checks, plaids and stripes - yikes! (you can click on the pictures to see the all the different fabric designs.)



Originally I thought I'd mix up the colors but when I had them on the design wall grouped by color I really liked it. Then I decided to use the same fabric for the sashing strips as the background so the String Bean blocks would float. Which lead to the brainstorm that I could make the cornerstones follow the same color order as the block- pink w/yellow, orange w/pink, yellow w/orange, yellow w/green, green w/turquoise and turquoise w/yellow. I thought I was a genius! (yes I easily impress myself - LOL!)



And floating the blocks and adding the rainbow bright cornerstones created a secondary pattern that I hadn't anticipated, but again - I LIKED IT! So off I went, sewing, sewing, sewing. This was simple sewing but somehow it took me all day Saturday and Sunday. By Saturday evening, I had the center of the quilt finished and seeing that secondary pattern got the little hamster-driven wheels in my head spinning and I sketched out how I could carry that pattern into the border.



I think it gives it a bit of a scalloped look. Now that yellow border fabric is a bit of a problem child. I know the bolt said 100% cotton but I have my doubts. It has a bit of a poly/cotton feel and I wouldn't have used it except I had oodles and I was seduced by the color and it's random dots. I am easily taken it, and no I don't need to buy a bridge this week. Ask again next week though. The border is a bit wavy but I figure a great all over quilting pattern, cotton batting and a spin in the washing machine will render that waviness inconsequential.

While I was sewing this quilt I remembered that when my boys were younger there was a show where they sang the song, "Polka dots, checks and stripes, yikes!" You can see the video here. My oldest son thought that this song was the reason behind Garanimals clothing, which I just found out they still make. Since he had trouble putting shirts and pants together I got him a lot of these outfits. Now that he's grown up he speculates that there would still be a large male segment of the population that would like Garanimals for adults. Since they aren't available he's goes with the basic gray plan - gray suits, white shirts and a colorful tie. Garanimals for lawyers- LOL!

Well I still need to get the back sewn up for this. It got bigger than I expected - 82" x 86". I can't wait to pass this off to my long arm quilter at tonight's guild meeting.

Hope your week is full of sewing time!
carol fun

Vintage button-y goodness!

About a week or so ago, I won a giveaway from Laurie over on Button Floozies blog -- a card of lovely vintage buttons! So pretty! Thanks Laurie!



Now with all the wildly colored things you see on this blog you may think that I'm not into vintage stuff, but I am! Particularly vintage buttons, but do not ask me to sew a plain white button back on your shirt - LOL!

I am fortunate to have some vintage buttons that belonged to my great grandmother, Mary Kuehne Wasser, the mother of my dear sainted grandmother, Catherine Wasser Damon. (yes I was an adored first grandchild and it was wonderful!!!)



My grandma gave me the large black buttons shown in this picture of my great grandmother. I know its not the greatest picture, since it is a photo of a photo but if you look real close you can see that those same buttons are on the dress she is wearing. A dress she made herself! I'm fortunate to come from a long line of women who liked working with a needle and thread.




Here's a tighter shot -



and a close up of the actual buttons! They are about 1 1/4 in diameter and deeply cut. I count these buttons among my family heirlooms. And I've purchased some vintage buttons of my own from vendors at quilt shows, like these 2 bracelets -



How could I possibly resist polka dot buttons??? I know, it was impossible and I didn't try. These were purchased from a couple, Susan & Alan Baker, of Prize Possessions who come to all the big quilt shows and they have hundreds of bracelets made with vintage buttons. They don't have an online shop, so seeing them at the shows is a big treat for me. I have lots and lots and lots of bracelets from them as I've been purchasing from them for about 15 years.

Well the weather has been gorgeous the last two days - temperatures in the upper 50's and even low 60's today! Fabulous weather for Ohio in winter,oh maybe we got moved from Seattle to Pensacola -- I could deal with that!

Don't forget to check out the parade of quilts at Pink Pincushion and A Quilting Life - those Full House Schnibbles are so cool! I can't wait to get started on the one for February.

Happy stitching-
carol fun