Quilty Gift

A friend just gifted me this book.  Totally made my day.  I've taken two classes with Alice Wilhoit at the Artists Loft in McKinney, TX.  Alice is a great teacher with clever ideas for design.  I enjoyed both classes and am trying to get her to offer an embroidery series.  Can't wait to read this book from cover to cover.

I've completed a couple of Crazy Quilt Blocks for our swap.  I've also been working on a baby quilt top and a commissioned Cinderella Quilt which has kept me from posting and taking photos.

More to come.

Happy Quilting.

Block Swap - Spools of Thread

I signed up for another Block Swap!  This design is by Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts and is in one of her latest books.  The first photo shows the original quilt and the second photo shows a modified version without the applique' border.  I've yet to decide on the outside border. 

Yesterday I pieced colorway one for 20 spools and ironed colorway two.  I've designed my 'sideways' spool to be almost empty with only a few strands of thread.  Looking forward to the array of batiks on this one. 

Embroidery & Embellishments

I took an embellishment class from Alice Wilhoit this past weekend.  We worked covering the seams of our Crazy Quilt blocks with ribbons, buttons and new embroidery stitches.  I learned how to rouche ribbon, which will come in handy. 

I also took a box of junk jewelry I no longer wear and all my broken jewelry.  I'm liking the look of all that old flashy jewelry pruchased to wear once with that one specific dress.  I took a necklace apart  (picture to the righ) and have ideas on the silk ribbon stem of the flower.  Not sold on the button center.  Still auditioning items for that component. 

Last night I pulled out a box of Grandmother's jewelry.  Many of the pieces are in good condition and would make lovely accents to this quilt, but I'm torn between saving them for some unknown use or taking them apart and placing them in various blocks.  If I do use them for the quilt, they would be placed on the squares that I'm keeping or the blocks I'll receive from the swap.

Sewing Hiatus

Its been three or four days since I've been able to sew.  On Saturday with the help of two friends we painted our entry way, hall, Living room and Master Bedroom.  Our Cocker Spaniel puppy arrived on Sunday night and we've been busy putting the house back together and keeping the peace between our two year old Cocker Spaniel and the puppy. 

Saturday is a Sewing Day with the girls and I'm packed and ready to go.