AnneElizablog

1st Quilt Finish of 2012

2012-01-30T18:16:00.000-05:00

Here it is, all quilted and bound, my first quilt finish of 2012. It is a pattern of Kathleen Tracy's, who is doing a mini-quilt each month this year. Since I love participatory quilt projects, I was all in for this one!

Pink Lemonade

2012-01-25T17:15:00.000-05:00

I have finished my top, Pink Lemonade, from Lori's quilt-a-long. I almost gave up on the yellow because I wasn't sure how much I liked it with the pink but now I'm glad I stuck with it. The yellow came from my stash, like the rest of the fabrics, and fortunately I had about a yard of it. That limited my choices. I will quilt it in a simple fashion, starting tonight! Thanks, Lori!

Crosses Mourning Quilt

2012-01-18T16:28:00.001-05:00

One of my goals for 2012 is to make one small quilt each month, inspired by Kathleen Tracy of A Sentimental Quilter. Followers will make a quilt every month from one of her books. The first one is Crosses Mourning Quilt from Prairie Children and Their Quilts. Since I have several of her books and love to make little quilts, I am on board with this project!

Another goal is to work from my stash. So far, so good.

Log Cabin from Civil War Scraps

2012-01-06T17:30:00.000-05:00

Well, Barbara Brackman's block-a-week celebrating the 150th anniversary of the civil war is over. Every Saturday morning in 2011, I looked forward to a new block, which I usually made on Sunday or Monday. This past Sunday, New Year's Day, I gathered up the pile of civil war reproduction fabrics that have been sitting on the floor next to my sewing machine. I sorted them by color and put them away in my stash. I set aside any "scraps" and began cutting them into 1 1/4" strips. I immediately started sewing them into log cabin blocks, pictured above!

Of course I will finish my Civil War 150 quilt. All the blocks are done but I have to go shopping for some sashing fabric and that could take a few weeks. In the meantime, I will work on my Civil War Log Cabin. Happy New Year!

Quilts of 2011

2011-12-30T16:33:00.000-05:00

My year-end review of quilts I completed in 2011. Midnight Stars was a quilt-a-long offered by Lori of Humble Quilts. Her directions are easy to follow and I look forward to her next project in 2012.

This is "Four Flowerpots" currently hanging in my kitchen. It is the result of a challenge from my weekly quilting group.

"Baby Steps" now belongs to my 6-week-old great-nephew, Eli.

"Mini Diamonds" is made from my vast collection of nineteenth-century reproduction fabrics.

"Vintage Nine-Patch" started as eight very humble, old nine-patch blocks given to me by my friend, Linda.

"Animal Alphabet Games" was a panel I hand-quilted for my great-nephew, Mason.

"Winter Scraps" is a folk-art table topper I made for my brother and sister-in-law.

Fabric Notebooks

2011-12-17T11:48:00.000-05:00

My quilt guild is making things again! This time, fabric-covered notebooks from a pattern in Quilting Arts "Gifts" magazine.

December 1st

2011-12-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

Inspired by Lori of Humble Quilts, I made this festive table topper designed by Cheri and featured in the current issue of Primitive Quilts magazine. The pattern called for cotton and wool fabric but I didn't have any wool so I used all cotton. The appliqued shapes and "pennies" are fused. I may quilt it using perle cotton, not sure yet.

RIP Nellie, 1995-2011

2011-11-22T10:53:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, November 19, 2011, Nellie, beloved family dog and faithful companion to our family, died peacefully. It is with heavy hearts that we mourn her passing.

Nellie came to us, scared and skinny, in 1996, through David's patient, Mrs. Bruno, who was active in the Montgomery County Rescue League. We never knew Nellie's exact age but estimated her to be about a year old when she joined our family. She was a mix of Golden Retriever and Brittany Spaniel and came to us already named Nellie.

In a family of brunettes, Nellie was a redhead, but her personality was anything but fiery. She was the sweetest, gentlest and most uncomplaining member of the family. She was a strong and healthy dog up until the very end. When she and Adam were very young, we would attach her leash to Adam's stroller and she would pull him up the hill at the end of our street. She loved running free in the park at the other end of our street. Chasing squirrels was her very favorite pastime. One of Nellie's finest moments was when a squirrel got into our house and Nellie cornered it and bit off its tail!

Nellie was a good dog and we will miss her.

Amish Leaves Quilt

2011-11-14T20:23:00.000-05:00

I've noticed some quilt bloggers have posted their leaf quilts so here is my contribution!

Little Antique Nine Patch

2011-11-09T21:37:00.000-05:00

At our quilt guild meeting this morning, my friend Linda gave me these little antique nine-patches that she had bought years ago but never did anything with. She was cleaning out her sewing room and I was the lucky recipient of some of her cast-offs. The red check fabric came from an estate sale I attended last year and the brown paisley border fabric is new.

Mini Diamond Quilt

2011-11-05T09:56:00.000-04:00

A little quilt I pieced this week. Pattern from the book, "Bits and Pieces."

Civil War 150: Blocks #40-43

2011-10-31T17:00:00.000-04:00

I'm still plugging away on Civil War 150. I can't believe there are only 8 more blocks which means only 8 more weeks in 2011!

Crafty Bags

2011-09-15T16:54:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you feel like making things that are not quilts. My quilt guild is gearing up for our quilt show in December, 2012 (I know, it seems early to me, too) by offering tutorials in making "bag-ettes," little zippered bags of varying sizes. Aren't they cute?

And this is a "ditty bag" from a pattern I picked up a couple years ago from a quilt shop. It uses 10 strips from a Honey Bun which you sew together and fuse to fusible fleece. I still have to buy some velcro and a suitable button for a closure.

I really enjoyed making these quickie projects!

Sunset at Assateague

2011-09-07T14:51:00.000-04:00

This is the last sky picture, I promise! Beautiful sunset over Assateague Bay in Virginia, last weekend.

Labor Day Weekend in Chincoteague, VA

2011-09-06T15:39:00.000-04:00

We returned last night from a great weekend in Chincoteague, Virginia - our sixth in a row. The weather was magnificent, as pictured. This shot was taken on a sand bar. For $10 you could take a 10-minute ferry ride out to a sand bar to experience sun and surf. Unlike the national seashore on Assateague, it was unregulated so dogs and alcohol were permitted. As the tide came in , the beach got smaller but there was still plenty of room for all. Lots of fun!

Today is the first day of school and it is raining.

September 1st

2011-09-01T18:25:00.000-04:00

Here is another dramatic sky picture, taken last week, the night before Hurricane Irene came through. There was very little damage although many lost power (not us). The weather has been magnificent every day this week. Tomorrow we head to the beach for our annual Labor Day Weekend in Chincoteague, Virginia. Then it's back to school on Tuesday. More quilt pictures to come...and I have been knitting too!

Cloudy Day at the Beach

2011-08-30T16:26:00.000-04:00

A couple weeks ago, my husband got the urge to look at the ocean so we packed up and drove to the beach for the day. The weather wasn't very nice but it didn't rain. What is that saying? "A bad day at the beach is better than a good day anywhere else."

Earthquake & Hurricane Week

2011-08-26T18:02:00.000-04:00

Well, this has been quite an eventful week. On Tuesday afternoon, I was in the basement folding laundry (such an exciting life I lead!) when the windows rattled and the whole house shook. First thought: a truck ran into my house. Second thought: a bomb (this is Washington, DC, and we think about those things). Third thought: an earthquake? Yep, that's what it was. My son and I ran upstairs and turned on CNN and saw that we were right. I had experienced one once before, in Chicago of all places. It's very scary but over quickly. We had no damage and nothing fell so we're good.

Just as the dust had settled from that, we are now bracing for a hurricane that is predicted to hit the east coast tomorrow and Sunday. I'm not too worried - I think the worst thing that might happen is that we lose power. I stocked up on tunafish and granola bars but the stores are out of bottled water. Keep your fingers crossed for us this weekend!

Carolina Lily & Empty Spools

2011-08-07T18:58:00.000-04:00

Here is the latest (#32) block of Civil War 150 - Carolina Lily.

And here is the one before that - #31 - Empty Spools. Funny, I just posted a "Spools" quilt that I made and here is another spool. You can see that I didn't make it an empty one. It looks kind of big and blobby but if I put it with the other blocks and step back about 10 feet, it looks okay!

Prairie Paisley

2011-08-03T10:23:00.000-04:00

Now August is here and that makes me sad. Even though we have a month left of summer, it somehow feels like less than that. Of course it has been bloody hot here in the nation's capital. Rain is in our forecast today and I am hoping for it.

Above is Prairie Paisley, a top I just completed. If it looks familiar it is because it was on the cover of a recent magazine. Yes, I am a magazine quilter at times. I had actually bought a jelly roll and yardage of Minik & Simpson's fabric a couple years ago and was waiting for inspiration to strike. When this pattern appeared, I pulled out the fabric and started sewing.

Spools Doll Quilt

2011-07-24T11:54:00.000-04:00

My great-niece turned three last week so I sent her this little doll quilt that I made.

Civil War 150

2011-07-20T15:03:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted any photos of my Civil War 150 blocks lately, so here are some that I have made in the past month or so...

I've been having a lot of fun with feature fabrics - fussy cutting them to fit the blocks.

Now I have both Generals Grant and Lee represented.

I am up to date and have 29 blocks so far...that makes 29 weeks out of the year.

Acadia National Park, Maine

2011-07-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

My husband and I returned last week from a trip to Maine. Isn't this just how you picture it to look? We had a marvelous time, hiking, eating lobster, and just enjoying each other's company. I even found a quilt shop in Bar Harbor called Fabricate where I bought some blueberry fabric!

Flag Quilt

2011-07-01T15:05:00.000-04:00

Happy Fourth of July weekend! This is a mini quilt I made a couple years ago. It now resides in my friend Kitty's country house. I have made a few little flag quilts - they are awfully fun to make when you are in a patriotic mood! We are planning to go to a baseball game on the 4th - how American is that? - and then we leave on the 5th for a week's vacation in Maine.

Baby Quilt

2011-06-22T13:51:00.000-04:00

June is hurrying by way too fast. My youngest is off to Spain for a month with his school's immersion program. My other son is home from law school for the summer doing an internship. We are enjoying his company because it has been three years since he has spent this much time at home.

Yes, I have been doing more than just making Civil War 150 blocks! This is a Log Cabin baby quilt that I saw in a recent magazine (can't remember which one at the moment!). It is a great "leader and ender" quilt and came together very quickly. I hand-quilted it which also went very fast and was a pleasure.

Block #20 - New England Block

2011-05-31T09:00:00.000-04:00

It's the last day of May and oh, how I hate to say goodbye to this month. The Washington summer has officially started with a high temperature yesterday of 96 degrees and the same is forecast for today. It is 9:00 a.m. as I write this and already it is 87 degrees! A good day to stay in and sew. Yes, I am still working on Civil War 150 - here is Block #20. Look closely at the background fabric!

ABC Games Panel

2011-05-30T22:41:00.000-04:00

A quick and easy baby quilt made from a panel that a few of us bought online for $5.00. I hand-quilted around each block, bound it and called it done. En route to my niece's baby boy - my grand nephew?

Sugar Pumpkin Pincushion

2011-05-16T19:49:00.000-04:00

Sometimes it's fun to make something that is not a quilt. This pincushion was a kit from Fig Tree Quilts that I've had lying around since the fall. When my husband and son went away for a few days in March, I decided it was time to make it! It took me the better part of two afternoons but it was great fun. One of the tricky parts was what to stuff it with? After searching online, I discovered crushed walnut shells, also known as bird litter. Who knew? I bought a rather large bag at Petco so I expect I'll be making quite a few pincushions in the future!

Missouri Star

2011-05-10T09:06:00.000-04:00

Block #19 of Civil War 150. We have had gorgeous May weather here in the nation's capital. Love it!

Civil War 150 - What I Have So Far

2011-05-08T16:22:00.000-04:00

Continuing with Barbara Brackman's block-a-week civil war quilt. This has been so much fun to follow along every Saturday. Three of my quilting friends are participating also and it has been interesting to see how our blocks compare. Still no clue how I will put them all together!

4 Flowerpots

2011-05-02T16:36:00.000-04:00

This is my finished, four-block quilt, which I started quilting back in the winter with the snow falling. It is heavily quilted, as you can see, and it was quite tricky to get the four quadrants of quilting lines to meet up properly. The lines are spaced 3/4" apart and I used masking tape to mark them. I quilted the dogtooth border in the ditch, eyeballing it. I renamed this quilt which used to be called "Rainbow Surprise" because that was the name of the challenge. It is now hanging on the wall of my kitchen in the space where "Dear Jane" used to reside (yes, I am a Janiac).

#16 White House

2011-04-24T22:39:00.000-04:00

This doesn't look much like the White House but I wanted to use some striped "Lincoln" fabric I had and I also decided the flag & cannon fabric would be a nice touch in the corners. I have a few fabrics with civil war motifs - what better place to use them?

April is almost over and our weather is finally starting to turn a corner! We had temps in the 80s today plus blue skies and sun. I sat outside for awhile and actually got hot. No complaints here.

#15 Fort Sumter

2011-04-22T14:55:00.000-04:00

I decided to use an Abraham Lincoln fabric that I bought at City Quilts in New York City. I felt it was time to inject some Civil War symbols into this quilt.

Seeing Red!

2011-04-03T17:15:00.003-04:00

I have been experiencing some technical difficulties with my blog, specifically with publishing my photos. I'm very frustrated because I have some wonderful pictures, new and different for a change, to share from my recent trip to New York. You have probably read about Infinite Variety on other quilt blogs and I have been wanting to participate! If this post is successful, look for more to come.

Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef

2011-03-21T20:05:00.000-04:00

Today, I went to see the most amazing exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. It is a depiction of a coral reef, made entirely of yarn and other found objects.

Do not ask me to explain the mathematics of "hyperbolic" because geometry was my worst subject in high school!

This exhibit took my breath away and the pictures will just have to speak for themselves.

A community of crocheters made these wonderful coral shapes. The project was started by two women in California, Margaret and Christine Wertheim, co-founders of the Institute for Figuring (note: my mind cannot fathom such an institute - go figure!).

If you will be in Washington, DC, before April 24, you must see this exhibit! And Washington in the springtime is beautiful.

I believe the exhibit travels, so it may come to your area. If so, see it!

St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T20:32:00.000-04:00

I don't usually make green quilts but this is a little wallhanging I made after a trip to Ireland that we took in March of 2008. Wonderful country, wonderful people. As you can see, I was in a hexagon phase when I made this quilt.

London Square

2011-03-13T12:18:00.000-04:00

Block #11 of Civil War 150 is London Square. A sunny day in the nation's capital but I wish it was warmer!

Lincoln's Platform

2011-03-08T22:13:00.001-05:00

Block #10 is Lincoln's Platform, or otherwise known as Churn Dash or Hole in the Barn Door. Took a lovely field trip yesterday to Purcellville, Virginia, with some quilting friends to visit a wonderful quilt shop, Web Fabrics. I bought the green and gold fabrics which I promptly sewed into this latest block.

Midnight Stars, Quilted

2011-02-28T20:18:00.000-05:00

I finished quilting Midnight Stars and sewed the binding on last night while watching the Academy Awards. I used the hanging diamonds quilt design suggested by Lori and I think it was a good choice for this small quilt. I was going to use red for the binding but didn't have enough fabric so I went with the cheddar. There's a gorgeous red fabric on the back which I - oops - forgot to take a picture of!

Birds in the Air & What I Have So Far

2011-02-26T16:27:00.000-05:00

Here is Block #9 of Civil War 150 - Birds in the Air, an easy block. Pictured below are the first nine blocks of the quilt. I have no idea what I will do for sashing. That is a decision for a much later date! In the meantime, I've enjoyed making a block every Saturday afternoon.

Cotton Boll

2011-02-23T12:43:00.000-05:00

Most people used a stripe with this week's easy block and I did too, with less than perfect results. Will I redo it? Not right now but maybe later. Not sure how I feel about this fabric either.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T16:01:00.000-05:00

Log Cabin

2011-02-13T14:51:00.000-05:00

Block #7 - I was delighted to see that Barbara Brackman recognized Abraham Lincoln on his birthday, February 12, with this Log Cabin block. No struggles with this one!

Valentine Cookie Party

2011-02-10T20:47:00.000-05:00

Kate's annual cookie-baking party was held on Sunday. Heart-shaped cookies were mailed to my two oldest in NYC. Yum!

Richmond

2011-02-07T19:45:00.000-05:00

Block #6 of Civil War 150. This is a very pretty block, not hard to make. I decided to add green to my color palette and I like the result. Not sure about the blue star but I'll leave it as is. It was interesting reading about Mrs. Jefferson Davis.

Our snow is slowly melting. Are you allowed to knit while watching the Super Bowl at your own party? Because I did.

Snoopy the Cat

2011-02-05T13:16:00.000-05:00

When I stepped out on my front porch the other day to get the snow shovel, there was my neighbor's cat, Snoopy, relaxing on one of the wicker chairs. Snoopy is always a welcome visitor, sometimes preferring the porch swing. He does not seem at all concerned about our dog, Nellie.

No quilt pictures today. I've been busy quilting, alternating between Midnight Stars and Rainbow Surprise. Will post a picture soon!

Kansas Troubles

2011-01-31T14:04:00.000-05:00

Block #5 of Civil War 150. I have never been to Kansas. Love the look of this block although putting it together can be a bit troublesome!

Midnight Stars Top is Finished

2011-01-29T17:24:00.000-05:00

I spent several delightful hours yesterday and today putting together my Midnight Stars top. It all came together beautifully and I am pleased with the result. A couple tips: I squared up and trimmed the 5 1/2" pieced blocks before sewing them to the setting squares and triangles. I also pinned A LOT when assembling the blocks. I like Lori's idea of the hanging diamonds quilt design and will probably use it myself.

Basting My Quilt on a Snowy Day

2011-01-27T14:42:00.000-05:00

I finally got around to basting my Rainbow Surprise quilt. I've decided to hand quilt it the old-fashioned way, with straight lines. No marking necessary and masking tape is my friend!

P.S. Happy Birthday, Rebecca!

Texas Tears

2011-01-26T09:29:00.000-05:00

Block #4 of Civil War 150. I had forgotten how much I love making sampler quilts. Each block is a new challenge!

Midnight Stars, Corrected

2011-01-24T17:15:00.000-05:00

Oops! Thank you so much to Lori, who very kindly corrected my arrangement of Midnight Stars. The cheddar squares go with the red triangles and vice versa. Fortunately, I had only sewn the inner star blocks which meant I only had to rip out one of those and replace cheddar with red. Whew! Of course, as Lori pointed out, I could have kept it the other way...but I think this way looks better, don't you?

Midnight Stars, In Progress

2011-01-24T07:52:00.001-05:00

I worked on Lori's Midnight Stars over the weekend. It's coming together nicely, as you can see. I agree with Lori - snipped off points don't bother me too much!

Temperatures have been in the 20s here in the nation's capital. That's cold for us! I try to take a (short) walk outside every day but mostly I've been home sewing. My plan for today is to baste my Rainbow Surprise 4-block quilt (see post on January 1st) and get it ready for hand-quilting.

7 Sisters

2011-01-21T13:37:00.001-05:00

Here is the third block in Barbara Brackman's Civil War 150 quilt. I machine-appliqued it. I thought about hand-appliqueing it, but not for very long.

Midnight Stars

2011-01-18T16:15:00.000-05:00

I've been working on a few other projects and was anxious to start on Lori's quilt-a-long, Midnight Stars. I finally got it in gear and here it is so far, on my wall. The pieces are not sewn together, just arranged where they are meant to go. We had ice last night and this morning so no school today.

Cardinal in Snowy Tree & North Star Block

2011-01-12T19:57:00.000-05:00

What was happening outside today...

And what was happening inside.

January is great for sewing!

Kathleen's Nickel Quilt

2011-01-09T19:41:00.001-05:00

A group of us got together last Wednesday to put together and tie this quilt for our friend, Kathleen, who is very ill. The pattern is Baby Nickels from a book called Loose Change. It is made from 5" squares of 1930's reproduction fabrics.

Civil War Quilt - 1st Installment

2011-01-03T11:39:00.000-05:00

Barbara Brackman has started a Civil War Quilts blog and will be posting a new block pattern each Saturday. This is the first installment, entitled "Catch Me If You Can." I was pondering how to commemorate the Civil War Sesquicentennial quilt-wise and this is perfect! Thank you to Barbara who has done so much to keep our quilting history and tradition alive.

1-1-11

2011-01-01T15:33:00.000-05:00

A project for the new year. This is my four-block quilt top, made for my Tuesday group's Rainbow Surprise challenge. We each picked two paint chips at random and had to make something (anything) using those two colors. My colors were "American Beauty" and "Daisy" - a rosy red and a bright yellow. I had always liked four-block quilts and this is the result. I'm planning to hand-quilt it sometime during 2011. Happy New Year!

More Quilts Finished in 2010

2010-12-31T12:13:00.000-05:00

Rouenneries

Strawberry Fields

Pies & Tarts

Eliza Jane's 9-Patch

Quilts Made in 2010

2010-12-30T21:04:00.000-05:00

Nine Patch for Eric and Becki's wedding

Cheddar Cheese & Crackers

Pink Flowers

Kaffe Fasset Tote Bag

Welcome Presents

2010-12-27T18:50:00.001-05:00

The way to a quilter's heart is through fabric...and quilt books. These arrived from my sweet niece, Amy, who drew my name in our annual gift exchange. The books have a more contemporary slant than my usual, which is a good thing because I like to push myself in new directions. And isn't that fabric gorgeous?

Oh, and by the way...we did not get the snow that everyone else did!

My Birthday...and I was sick!

2010-12-22T17:18:00.000-05:00

Last Monday was my birthday. I woke up with a sore throat and by evening it had developed into a full-blown cold/flu. I was in bed for two days and now, a week later, am still not feeling 100%. But the show must go on...things to do, people to see, places to visit. I think I'm finally caught up with gift-buying, holiday cards, laundry. Got my hair cut today and that's always good for a lift!

I'm feeling a bit aimless, quiltwise, since I was on deadline for our recent show, and now that it's over...well, I have to start something new! I have resurrected one machine-piecing UFO and I also found a needlepoint pillow that has been lying dormant for one year? two years? I am thinking about a new hand-piecing project and am considering "tumbling blocks," a pattern I have never made.

The photo is from the Quilt Show in Chicago I attended in April. I don't remember if it is new or old but I thought it looked festive for this time of year.

More Quilt Show Photos

2010-12-10T13:29:00.000-05:00

This is my Feedsack Frolic quilt, made from a collection of feedsacks accumulated over at least ten years.

I made this quilt top which was then tied by members of our guild and will be donated to one of our charitable groups.

"Strawberry Fields" shown in a previous post. Doll quilt size based on an antique quilt. See previous post for more details.

News Flash: We had a few snow flurries this morning, amounting to a light dusting. Sadly it melted before I had time to take a picture!

Needle Chasers Quilt Show

2010-12-07T13:42:00.000-05:00

My quilt guild, Needle Chasers of Chevy Chase, had their biennial quilt show this past weekend. As you can see, I finished my Pies & Tarts quilt just in time to hang in the show. Final stitches were made at 8:30 pm the night before - perhaps a new record! See my post of November 1st to read more about this quilt. I was going to hang it on the wall in my family room but I may use it as a throw instead since it is so snuggly. Our weather here in the nation's capital has gotten very cold. It is a shock to our systems after a warm fall. More quilt show photos to follow.

Mug Rug

2010-12-04T17:09:00.000-05:00

The fad that is sweeping the nation... Inspired by my friend, Kitty, who does all things crafty, I made this "mug rug" to match my favorite mug.

Pies & Tarts

2010-11-01T19:29:00.000-04:00

I have been quilting steadily on my Pies & Tarts quilt which I've entered into our quilt guild's biennial show the first weekend in December. Did I say hand-quilting? Yes! I have a little less than five weeks to finish the quilting, make a sleeve, and sew the binding on. The quilt is 60" x 60". The pattern is by Sue Daley of Busyfingers in Australia. I picked it up at A Touch of Amish quilt shop in Barrington, Illinois, in August, 2009, when I was visiting my sister. I was in a state of panic because I hadn't brought anything to work on and my fingers were itchy. The circles are made using English paper piecing which are then appliqued to background squares. Very labor-intensive but great fun.

Why Does It Have to End?

2010-09-10T14:23:00.000-04:00

We went away for Labor Day Weekend, as has been our tradition for the past seven years, since our oldest started college. Pictured is Adam in the surf at Assateague, VA. We were lucky...Hurricane Earl was a no-show and the weather was perfectly spectacular all three days.

Now it's back to my routine which hopefully will include more blogging and definitely will include more quilting.

Mills Lake in Colorado

2010-07-27T11:04:00.000-04:00

I have gotten horribly behind on my blogging this month. We just got back from a week's vacation at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Wonderful trip! My brother and sister and their spouses joined us there for a week of hiking and good fun. No quilting was done, sad to say, but I did visit two quilt shops in Estes Park, Colorado.

We returned home on Friday and son Adam came home from camp on Saturday. I enjoyed being an empty-nester for five weeks but am very happy to have him back. On Sunday, a violent thunderstorm hit Washington, DC, and many trees and large limbs came down, with resulting power outages. We lost our power on Sunday at 5:00 pm. Fortunately, it came back at 3:00 this morning - yippee! What I missed most: 1)air conditioning, 2)garbage disposal, and 3)hair dryer.

Eliza Jane's Nine-patch Doll Quilt

2010-07-03T09:38:00.002-04:00

I joined Kathleen Tracy's American Schoolgirl Club so each month I receive a pattern for a doll quilt - this is the first installment. I have decided to try to match the fabrics in the original and was able to use some antique fabrics from my stash.

Baby Quilt (Tied)

2010-06-22T21:22:00.000-04:00

It's been awhile since I've posted. Life has intervened! But in a good way. One son was home from Israel and the other finished school. So I've been busy with doctors' appointments, shopping trips, a visit to the DMV (yes, my youngest now has his learner's permit!), and then a 3-day trip to the Poconos and the Berkshires to drop them off at their respective camps. Now we are empty-nesters for 5 whole weeks! Woo-hoo!

Thank you all for your kind comments about my Strawberry Fields quilt. I had great fun working on it and like the way it turned out. For those of you considering hand-quilting, go for it! I think you will find that it goes a lot faster than you think it will.

Pictured is the baby quilt I made for a woman who works for my husband, at his request. Instead of hand- or machine-quilting, I tied it. I used a higher-loft batting than I usually use (Quilt-Lite which I found in my stash). It's so fluffy and snuggly. The baby shower is on Friday...I finished just in time!

Strawberry Fields, Finished

2010-06-09T16:49:00.000-04:00

My Strawberry Fields Doll Quilt is quilted and bound. I stayed true to the original and used a red paisley fabric for the setting. This is the first time I have done a zig zag setting. It was not hard and it was fun to try something new.

For the quilting pattern, I went with my go-to, "when in doubt" the tried-and-true Baptist Fan. It's an allover pattern which I marked using a blue washout pen. I hand-quilted it using Mettler quilting thread, #514.

I mixed reproduction and antique fabrics. It's easy to use antique fabrics when the pieces are so small - you don't need much! The setting and backing fabrics are reproduction. All fabrics came from my stash. Thank you, Lori!

Mini Housewife

2010-06-03T17:47:00.001-04:00

My Bernina is fixed and I am back in business - yippee! To celebrate, I made myself this mini "housewife" or needle case. The pattern comes from Kathleen Tracy's book, American Doll Quilts and the fabric is from Rural Jardin, the new French General line by Moda.

I love handmade sewing accessories!

End of May

2010-05-27T19:26:00.000-04:00

The month of May is almost over and I am sad to see it go. School is winding down, the weather is beautiful and not hot yet, flowers are in bloom, and the summer months stretch out ahead. My second child was born in May and I have such happy memories of that time in my life. Now we are on the verge of Memorial Day Weekend - I will put out my flag tomorrow.

Baby Quilt in Progress; Bernina Uncooperative

2010-05-23T21:35:00.000-04:00

Alas! Last week, as I was stitching away on this baby quilt, my Bernina made a wheezing sound and the handwheel froze. I tinkered with it a bit then called my local quilt shop, hoping to bring my machine in for repair that day. Instead I was told they couldn't take it until the week of May 31st! So it's all hand-sewing for me for the time being.

Patchwork Bag

2010-05-17T09:26:00.000-04:00

I made a bag! The pattern comes from an out-of-print book that I borrowed from a friend, featuring designs by Kaffe Fassett and others. It may have been his first foray into quilting? It's an easy pattern, just front, back, two side gussets, a bottom gusset and the strap, plus the same for the lining. I quilted each section using Big Stitch. The fabric was a packet of fat quarters given to me by my daughter. One can never have too many bags, right?

Strawberry Fields Top

2010-05-12T20:26:00.000-04:00

I finished my Strawberry Fields doll quilt top yesterday (see Humble Quilts.) The zizag, or streak of lightning setting was only a little bit challenging and I like the way it turned out. It's the first time I've used this setting - it's very old fashioned looking, I think. Now to find a backing and start quilting!

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T22:06:00.000-04:00

Strawberry Fields Quilt-A-Long

2010-05-07T10:09:00.000-04:00

This is the latest quiltalong brought to you by Lori of Humble Quilts. Lori used some antique fabrics mixed in with reproductions and so did I. You can see that the next step is going to be a zigzag setting. Can't wait!

Sewing Binding onto Home of the Brave Quilt

2010-04-29T10:28:00.000-04:00

The two Home of the Brave quilts that we worked on in January are finished. I am sewing the binding on the second one. After we attach the labels, they will be ready to be presented.

Four Block Quilt

2010-04-26T13:23:00.000-04:00

Another antique quilt from the show in Chicago. I have always loved four-block quilts, so striking in their simplicity. And nothing beats red and green (with a touch of gold) for a color combination.

Lone Star Quilt, #2

2010-04-21T20:17:00.000-04:00

Here is the second of the two magnificent 19th century Lone Star quilts featured prominently at the entrance to the International Quilt Show in Chicago. Notice the gorgeous background fabric - one of the quadrants is different!

International Quilt Festival in Chicago

2010-04-19T11:42:00.000-04:00

Wow! So many quilts to look at, so many vendors to shop! It was a great show, much bigger than anything I've ever attended. This quilt was probably my favorite, part of an exhibit of antique quilts. Love the black diamonds in the star and also the green diamonds outlining the star. Up close, the fabric is gorgeous. I loved that they put this quilt front and center as you entered the show.

Tag Sale

2010-04-15T21:12:00.000-04:00

I am off to the International Quilt Festival in Chicago tomorrow. Very excited! Especially since it is my home town and I will be staying with my sister and also seeing my brother while I'm in town. I wonder if I will meet anyone famous?

Here is one of my quilts to look at while I am gone. Tag Sale is the name.

Dead Sea

2010-04-10T21:52:00.000-04:00

A picture from my recent trip. I bet this is not how you pictured the Dead Sea, is it? Me neither. It is really quite beautiful.

Picnic Quilt

2010-04-06T09:21:00.000-04:00

We returned from our trip on Sunday to gorgeous warm weather with magnolias and cherry trees blooming. Love this time of year in Washington! Just to get in the mood for spring and summer, here is a quilt I made recently which I call "Picnic Quilt." I started with a charm pack called Momma's Apron Strings and added 1930s reproduction fabrics from my stash. It is the easiest quilt you can make, all squares. I've always thought it would be fun to have a quilt to take on picnics or outdoor concerts so this is it!

Neighbor's Tree

2010-03-25T22:47:00.000-04:00

My spring break starts tomorrow so no blogging for awhile. We are going on a trip to Israel to visit our son. I will leave you with this shot of my neighbor's tree, an early bloomer here in Washington. When I return the cherry blossoms will be out.

Pink Flowers

2010-03-21T11:38:00.000-04:00

My quilt guild, Needle Chasers of Chevy Chase, is having our biannual quilt show this December. The show is featuring a challenge to our members to "try something new" maybe a technique you've never done before or doing something in a new way. I have never done beading or embellishments of any kind on a quilt so I decided that would be my challenge. I am planning to embellish and finish the quilt pictured on my blog, "Snowflake Hex" but thought I should begin with a practice piece - thus, "Pink Flowers." It's a mini-quilt measuring 10" x 14". The pattern comes from the book, Creative Quilting With Beads by Valerie Van Arsdale Shrader. I love the way it turned out!

Spring Hath Sprung

2010-03-18T16:16:00.000-04:00

I promised a picture of a crocus and here it is! Of course it would have looked a little better if I had cleared away some of the dead leaves around it but who has time for that? I will have a new quilting project to show as soon as I put the binding on.

March Activities

2010-03-10T20:22:00.000-05:00

Don't you love waking up the morning after you stayed up late watching the Academy Awards and knowing that spring is right around the corner? We have new Oscar winners and the next People magazine full of yummy fashions to look forward to. To me, it's the last big event of the winter. We have been blessed with warm (60s!) sunny weather here in the nation's capital. There is still snow on the ground in the shady spots but Snowmaggedon is feeling like a distant memory.

I have been knitting a shawl and have several quilts in the planning stages. My husband just asked me to make a baby quilt for one of his employees who's expecting a baby girl in four months. It's the first time he's asked me to do that so I'm psyched!

Kathleen's Feedsack Quilt

2010-03-04T15:37:00.000-05:00

I am helping Kathleen finish her feedsack quilt. I made the same one last summer only with green sashing. What a difference the blue makes!

Cheddar Cheese & Crackers Quilted

2010-03-02T09:14:00.000-05:00

Whew, that's kind of a tongue-twister! I finished the quilting and binding on this adorable doll quilt. I chose red binding suggested by another quilt blogger. This thing is heavily quilted, let me tell you. But I had great fun working on it. Thanks, Lori, of Humble Quilts.

March 1st

2010-03-01T18:29:00.000-05:00

I heard on the radio today that March 1st is the "meteorological beginning of spring" whatever that means. Any definition of spring sounds good to me! There is still quite a bit of snow in my backyard and despite a blue sky and sunny day, it was cold today.

Last Days of February

2010-02-23T09:13:00.000-05:00

The month of February is winding down and the snow is slowly melting. It's hard to feel cheerful when all you see are bare trees and dirty snow. At least there are birds at my bird feeder to watch and hear. I have not yet seen a crocus but will report when I do!

Rouenneries Yellow Brick Road

2010-02-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

For the past couple months I've been working on making Yellow Brick Road blocks using French General's Rouenneries fabric. This week I laid out the blocks on the floor before sewing them together. This will be a queen-sized quilt for my bed. Love those fabrics! This is the second time I've made the Yellow Brick Road pattern. It goes together quickly and is lots of fun.

Valentine's Day, Recently

2010-02-16T18:50:00.000-05:00

I was away, in Florida for my nephew's wedding, for Valentine's Day. Honestly, the last couple weeks have been a blur with the Blizzard of 2010, rounds 1 & 2. My son did not attend school for 11 days! Fortunately, our flights were not cancelled and we made it to the wedding. Now we are back, he is back in school and life is slowly returning to normal. I met with my quilting group this morning and you would not believe how productive everyone has been. We quilters are a lucky bunch - we never run out of things to sew.

Snowbound Pastime

2010-02-09T16:38:00.000-05:00

Thank you to Lori of Humble Quilts for giving me something to do during these homebound days!

Cookie Party

2010-02-07T17:24:00.000-05:00

Every year my friend, Kate, has a cookie decorating party. We all take cookies and mail them to our college-age children for Valentine's Day. And keep a few for ourselves. We need energy for all that snow-shoveling!

Blizzard of 2010

2010-02-06T18:19:00.000-05:00

I know you are tired of seeing these snow pictures.

Well, so are we!

It started to snow yesterday at 10:30 a.m. and didn't stop until 5:00 p.m. tonight. We measured 28" in our backyard.

Nine Patch Wedding Quilt

2010-02-04T20:25:00.000-05:00

Here is the finished quilt that I mentioned a few days ago. It was a One-A-Day Quilt Along led by Amanda of crazymom quilts. Loved working on it - so bright and cheerful. I just mailed it to Florida where I will join it next weekend and present it to my nephew and his bride.

Groundhog Day Snowfall

2010-02-03T10:45:00.000-05:00

The snow started around 5:00 p.m. yesterday, on Groundhog Day (I think I heard that he did see his shadow). We woke up this morning to 3-4 inches of wet, slushy snow. It's getting hard to keep up with the measurements since there was already snow on the ground from the weekend. Alas, school was not cancelled for my sulky teenager so off we went. Did you notice the flying cardinal in the picture? Nellie did.