Scrappy Artist

My customer (and friend) Teri knows just how to use scraps - great color combo's.  She has never found a scrap she didn't like or use.

That's why I keep giving her some of mine.  When I'm bored with a stack of scraps or just don't want to mess with any more (believe me I have plenty) I pay it forward on to Teri, who in turn, makes these awesome quilts and then brings them back to me to be quilted.

Its a win win situation.

I love quilting her quilts because I can pick out which scraps were mine and how she put them to good use.

She plans her quilts out in advance.  I think she uses lined graph paper and draws them up first and then proceeds.

Me, I don't think that far ahead with the use of my scraps.  I'm a grab and sew girl, and that is why I mostly make the crazy crumb block scrappy quilts.

I should take lessons from her!!!

Quilted using panto "American Beauty" by Patricia Ritter Urban Elementz

She also put more scraps to good use in this child's quilt

Number 7 a race car number the letter W for her grandson Wryly

cute race strip on the back

 Hehehehe cant wait to see what she comes up with now.  Gave her a whole g. bag of scraps - have fun Teri

People Wonder Why

Many people ask me why I work so hard weeding and gardening practically everyday.

The answer:   So I can look at this when I'm done - and this is just the beginning, everyday I get surprised with more and more blooms in various locations in my yard.

Today I had help - Ky came over and we worked on just one section along the fence line.

I'm gaining.  It has taken me 3 years to get to this point and I think by end of summer I will have completed my mission of having all of the fence line cleared and mulched.

this is how it looks with being only partially cleared  I had worked on this section a little last week

one small section of fence line completed today

After the columbine comes the clematis they are already starting to climb I just got this area cleared out yesterday 

My big helper  she is not happy I took this picture, Really Grandma???

Plenty of work left to do

I Must Be Nuts

Like I don't have enough ufo's and projects going all at the same time, now I started yet another one.

I joined "Strip Club" with some other quilters/friends.

A local quilt shop has a Strip Club group and the group picks a pattern and all make the same quilt, using, of course, our own choice of colors.  The reason it is called Strip Club is because the patterns chosen are made from strips.  (Makes sense)  Hmmm I should submit my Knot Garden as a candidate for pattern someday.  It is made using strips.

Yesterday a few of us got together and started in, each sharing ideas as to how this pattern goes together.

Now that we know how to do it, we just have to do it!!!!

Here is the beginning:

  This needs to be finished by October, and it will probably take me that long to get it done.

I have Brittany's to work on and in addition I have cut and getting ready to make the memory shirt quilt for my Sister-In-Law Cheryl.

Received my brother Don's shirts last week, have them cut - need to make a run to quilt shop, purchase the fabrics needed and I can get working on that one.  Once I get the fabrics it wont take long at all to put together quilt and ship off to her.

And then of course the warm weather keeps calling me outside - its a toss up as to what to do.


BTW - I now have a name for my new garden friend  "Fiona"  Toby says she is a peacock, but Sarah and I insist she is a flamingo.  Whatever she is, Fiona is here to stay and I love her.

It Only Took Two Year

Not because it was difficult or any reason other than I just kept putting it aside.

Started this Feb 2012. First. Made the top. Then ran out of fabric. Lucky for me the store had more of the same.. I needed more just for borders.  When I started this I had an idea how large I needed it to be.  Once the center was completed I knew it was going to need large borders.

Normally you don't enlarge a quilt just by adding borders, but in this case I think it worked.  The fabrics were so beautiful they added to and did not distract from the center.

For some unknown reason. I do not enjoy adding borders, and this has three, so put it aside again.

A few months ago. Actually about six months ago I added the borders.  Then of course you know what happened in Nov. so put aside again.

At long last I loaded and quilted this. Finishing this morning and now I'm sewing on the binding

This is no small quilt. 93x105.

This will take a few days to hand bind but I will stick with it until done.

This is another original design name of pattern is Mosaic  I free motion quilted again using my peacock feathers.  The quilting design worked well with the paisley prints.

A Small Quilt For WIC

Raining out early morning nothing to do but sew.  Boo Hoo for me right?


Sewed the last border on Gus's new Vroom Vroom Quilt.  Waiting to decide how I'm quilting it.

In the meantime,  I have a bag of fabric given to me to be used to make WIC quilts.

Started right in cut, sewn and quilted this morning, and yes it even has its binding on.

Ready to give to the wonderful group of girls that make these every week for WIC at the Gathering Place in Milton.

Here is the one I made this morning.

Nothing too fancy, but I think it turned out pretty cute anyway.

Sun is trying to peek out, Im going to get dressed ( yes Im not dressed yet) and play in the wet grass and mud.

Maybe go and get the rest of the fence I need for the pond.

Finishing Up Winter Scrappy's

Hope you all had a nice Mothers Day - I know I did.

Thanks to my great kids - Breakfast with Toby, Sarah and Gus.

Lunch at Stacy's with Stacy, Bert, Brittany, DJ and Tavyn.

Today started right in and cleaned the carpets.  This took about 4 hours.

Rested a bit and then loaded and finished the second of a scrappy quilt I had worked on during those long long cold days of winter.

Scrappy number 1

Flanged binding

Free motion leaves

Scrappy number 2

Free motion Peacock Feathers

Its a good day to work inside - rained most of the day, too wet to work outside.  Perfect day for finishing up those winter projects.  2 down - 5 more to go. Hahahahahaha  - never lacking for something to work on around here.

Prairie Points and More Prairie Points

No I didn't make this - I don't even know how to do Prairie Points.

On the list!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Along with mitered borders, trapunto, thread painting etc etc etc.

So many ways to be creative.  Sometimes I wish I were 3 people then maybe, just maybe I could accomplish all the possibilities.

Julie Churchill made this amazing wall hanging, and she let me do the custom quilting on it.

I had to take many pictures while quilting this so I could remember how each section was quilted.  Once you roll the section you cant see it and my memory isn't that great, especially when you do this over a period of a couple of days.

While I was doing this I was thinking of all the "professionals" that actually draw up a design to stitch before they begin. Maybe I could consider doing this in the future.  However, I usually "wing" the stitching after the quilt is loaded and I begin.  I just never have a complete plan before starting.

Hmmmm another class to think about taking.  Add to the List!!!

After a long 10 days without having Gus, he has brightened my days again.

Yesterday he found a new use for shorts:

What a comedian!!