Archives-Quilt # 100 - Something Wild in My Flower Garden

Something Wild in My Flower Garden

This is a quilt I finished in October 1999.  The center is based on an old pattern called Rattlesnake, hence the name.  I made my own patterns and paper pieced the football shapes.  I found the border pattern in a book by Ginny Beyer that I borrowed from our guild library. 
It is 75 x 90" and is machine quilted.  It won a blue ribbon and a special award ribbon for use of color at the 2000 Capitol Quilters Guild Show.  It also won a white ribbon and a Golden Needle Award at the 2000 NC State Fair.
I just recently took a couple of pictures of it outside. 

detail of Quilt #100

I like to put red quilts on the beds for Christmas and I always use this one as one of my choices. 

I have been sewing -

 Saturday I remembered that I had decided to try the Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt this year (I loved seeing the Roll, Roll Cotton Bowl from last year-I have to confess I didn't know why so many were making it at the same time at first).  Well, now I'm trying to catch up. 

 I have some of both steps started so hopefully I'll be up to speed when the next step is published.  Lots and lots of sewing to be done before Friday!

 Not sure how the process works - guess one just shows progress posts on Monday???? - Back to sewing and then catch up on reading for Disciple Class tomorrow evening.

Crown of Thorns,III

A couple of pictures of this quilt that I finished last week. As usual, for me, my pictures are a little skewed. 

I'm not getting much accomplished in the way of sewing these past couple of weeks.  I did make several covered journals, all were of painted fabrics.  One of my friends wanted some for gifts so I hope to make a few more before Christmas.

Trying to decide if I want to make a trek to Joann's tomorrow and check out their home dec fabrics.  If so, I'll need to go early to take advantage of their coupons.  I could stand a new kitchen valance.  And the window treatments in one bedroom are still down.  They are clean and pressed but maybe if I find the right fabric----------------------

The Day After-- Archive Quilt # 104

This was the scene outside Target at 12:15AM.  I went along with Kathy, Arliss and 3 teens.  After waiting in a very long line we entered the store at 12:45.  We left at 2:30AM. Arliss got what she had on her list.  The plan was to go to Belk's at 3PM.  Lucky for me, our house was on the way to Belk's -so I opted for home!  I was probably in bed by the time they hit Belk's.  Enough shopping madness for me.  Actually, it was good to get out after all the feasting and fun to see lots of familiar folks out too.

 

No shopping for me today.  I put away all the fall decor - switched out quilts in the dining room.  I use this quilt I finished in 2000 during the Christmas Season.  I call it Glad Tidings.  It is 50 x 60" and is hand quilted.  I gathered the angel patterns from various sources and then fit the blocks together with the words and stars.  I appliqued them by machine with the button hole stitch.  I guess that was what I would call my folk art period.  I've thought at times that I'd like to make another using brighter fabrics.

My favorite blocks:

Raggedy Angel

Cat Angel

Time to head for the kitchen for some turkey leftovers!

Family Time

This afternoon the girls and I went to see the Rockettes in Durham.  It was a great show!  There was a wonderful Nativity Number to end the show with live animals (and we're talking CAMELS here!)  They had snow machines set up outside even with the temperature in the 60's.  Fun.

Kathy, Shelly, Emily and Marcia



If you look real close, you can see some of the snowflakes!  We went to Pei Wei afterwards.  John, Jesse and Daniel went to the Hurricane game against the Maple Leafs.  Hurricanes won!  So all in all we had a fun, busy weekend.

Hope to fit some sewing in amongst the cooking and shopping this week.

Now Where Was I ................

After much planning and preparation, today was our 2nd Annual Shopping Extravaganza at church.

The balloon tree looks welcoming from the parking lot.  There is also a Santa balloon by the entrance of the Fellowship Hall.

And a view from the kitchen of our little "Divine Diner" area and some of the vendors in the background.  Tom, along with Bob, did a great job as our waiters.

We served plates of  Chicken Salad, a frozen fruit salad, a marinated vegetable salad, crackers and a spiced apple slice.  No complaints!

I thought everyone who came enjoyed themselves.

Tomorrow we will celebrate Christ the King Sunday.  The last Sunday of the Christian year.  In the late afternoon there will be a Hanging of the Greens ceremony followed by a pre-thanksgiving dinner with our food pantry patrons and Table of Grace folks as guests. I hate I will miss it.  Our youngest daughter, a  couple of months ago, decided she wanted to celebrate her birthday (11-11-11) by seeing

 the Rockettes at the DPAC. (Durham Performing ArtsCenter). 

Hope you have a nice day tomorrow.

Machine Quilting - ----

 I'm really not sure when I started this quilt.  I made the blocks a couple of years back.  i had intended to make it as a gift for one of my daughters.  The first delay was the search for more of  the perfect blue-green sashing (I had a piece of the perfect fabric but it was too small).  Then I settled on the blue but the original choice for the border didn't quite work.  More searching.  I finally sewed it together and layered it back in July. 

Just a little more and I will be ready to quilt the borders.  I hope to finish it by the weekend.

We went up to the lake Monday morning.  It was just the prettiest day.  Warm and sunny.  It's amazing that the leaves are still pretty.  I thought we would have to start raking but there are still lots to fall.  Last year they were pretty much finished by late October.  Our gift from Mother Nature!

Tuesday morning they were pumping water at the dam and when  the sun is shining we have these wonderful, sparkling lights.  I just can't stop looking at them.  I guess I took at least 40-50 pictures and some video.  Another gift!  We had already put the boat up for the winter so we enjoyed the views from the porch and dock.

No sewing at the lake this visit!

Today was catching up at home day.  Running errands etc.  Disciple Bible Study this evening (I hope we have less reading for next week). I did manage to finish all mine but it was a struggle to make myself concentrate at times.

Tomorrow is sewing day!  Connie, Cathy and Sally are coming over.  Actually we're going to try some fabric painting. 

Bloggers Quilt Festival

This is my entry for the Bloggers Quilt Festival .   I was so inspired by all the wonderful quilts on display, I know I'm going to have lots of fun reading over the next few days.

This is a quilt that I finished just as I began my blog in January.  A friend gave me the pattern for this quilt back in 1996, I think.  It is a Karen K. Stone pattern called Indian Orange Peel.  I kept putting the pattern aside as it looked just too complicated.  Finally I felt I should try it before I was too old to comprehend the directions.

Indian Orange Peel

Backing

I started the quilt in late November and was finished with the top before Christmas in 2009.  It took another year for the courage to quilt it.  All in all the worst thing about making the quilt was cutting out around all the paper piecing patterns. And the best thing is that now I have a fall quilt to hang in the dining room.

A friend sent these pictures today - They show the colors more accurately. Sometimes the editing program I use makes the colors kinda funky.  Thanks Connie!

Veteran's Hospital Quilts

Today, Pat J. and I delivered 71 quilts to the Veteran's hospital in Durham, NC. We also took magazines and books.

The quilts were made by 3 different groups.  The group I belong to, Undercover Bee, donated 31 quilts.   Pat J. made about 10 quilts herself.  She is very dedicated to this program.
  
The quilts are given to patients in the Hospice Unit and are passed on to the patient's family. 

The director of the Program was very appreciative of the donation.  She told us that she had heard from a couple of the Veteran's wives that they were glad to have the quilts for comfort, and slept with them after their loved one passed away.

These are the quilts I made for this year.

These are 3 more that I had pictures of.

After we dropped of the quilts, we celebrated by having lunch out and then a trip to an area quilt shop that just happened to be having a sale.  How good is that?