All about remembering....

I really enjoyed 'The Quilt Show - Episode 108'. Memory and memorial quilts are such a wonderful way to express caring and affection for others. For this episode I made Alex Anderson's block and created this quilt. It is not a memory quilt exactly. I am calling it 'Virtues' . In all the 'signature' areas I've written a virtue that means something to me.

I simply used Word and found a font I liked, adjusted the size to fit and traced on the quilt with a Pigma pen.

I used Segoe Script for my font and loved it! It has a bit of a handwritten feel to it I think.

It is a lovely little quilt and am very pleased with it. I still haven't decided how I would like to quilt it so that will wait until I figure it out.

Many years ago, I made a friendship (signature) quilt for my Mom when my parents started travelling after they retired. It lived on their fifth wheel bed for many years. I couldn't find a picture of it to share with you but I know I've got one somewhere.

My tip if you are going to make a memory quilt is...if you have to send blocks away to get signed allow yourself A LOT of extra time. It can be challenging to get those blocks back. But it was a wonderful gift that still means the world to my Mom. She loves to be wrapped up with all her family and friend's caring words.

Back to the show...

Alex and Ricky's guest, Mary Fisher was indeed an inspiration for so many reasons. I am always amazed when people touched by a challenging life can rise above those challenges and make a real difference in the world. I`m not sure that I could. She demonstrated block printing. I did that in school so many years ago. Even my brother remembered me doing it! I looked everywhere for my art work. I was sure I had kept it and would have loved to shown it...but it seems to be gone...

I am waiting for supplies to arrive (they are in the mail!) and I am looking forward to trying it again! This will work well for cardmaking as well. While I wait I am going to go on the next Quilt Show - episode #109 with Piping Hot Curves! I am so EXCITED!!!!! I have been wanting to try this out since I first saw this episode a couple of years ago.

Happy stitching!

How can it take over a year?

I finally finished this little 28" square Apple Core quilt! It took me over a year to get it done! Why? Well, mainly because I have too many handwork projects on the go. Partly because I couldn't decide on a quilting pattern. Then about two weeks ago I decided I was just going to get this quilt done...and I did! Now it is going to cover the table that sits beside my rocking chair where I applique, quilt and knit.

The most wonderful thing is that the pattern piece fits perfectly on a charm square. If you are anything like me you can't resist those cute little charm packages and then you get them home and don't know what to do with them! Make an apple core quilt!

Here is a close up of the quilting. It was tough getting back into the quilting groove especially since the last hand quilted quilt was big stitched! Now I have to find another quilt to get in the hoop...

This got me thinking...

...of gathering up all my handwork things and counting them but I became scared so I stopped thinking about that silly idea.

Happy Stitching!

And the winner is....

I am so excited to announce the winner of EQ7!!! Ever since this contest started all I wanted was for it to end so I could email someone and say...You WIN!!!!

I was thrilled that so many quilters came to my blog and entered the EQ7 contest and so many more sent me designs and pictures of quilts! I have spent hours browsing your blogs and you all are so wonderful!

Here are all the entries! It doesn't look like many but it was!

So I know you are excited to know who won but first I want to introduce my Dad  who did the actual picking, so here he is picking the winner (and he made the woodturned bowl by the way- I'm just a little proud!).

And the winner is....a very excited...

Marguerite a.k.a. Rafael's Mum

You can visit her blog http://www.adventuresinquiltingandsailing.blogspot.com/

Congratulations Marguerite! I am so very happy for you!

Happy EQ7ing!

Blueberry Fields!

Blueberry Fields is done! The quilting was an adventure. I had just enough thread to do the design in my head....but it didn't work quite the way I thought it would. I suppose there is a case to be made for doing at least a quick sketch before forging ahead!

I had decided on a grid and in my head I knew exactly where all the lines would cross...but they didn't. So this is a Plan B quilt! But it worked! I had just enough thread to finish it.

And it is so cute! Thanks Lori at Humble Quilts!


And just 3 days left to enter to win EQ7! I am so excited! I can hardly wait to see who wins!

EQ Contest Samples!

We have just a week to go before I announce a winner for EQ7. Many of you have sent samples of your designs and I wanted to share just a few. You are all so creative! I couldn't show every design people have sent me for the contest so I just chose some random quilts designed in EQ or by hand! It always amazes me that people come up with such different designs!  Enjoy!

This one is from Amy. I love how 2 classic blocks work so well together!

Emma sent me this one...doesn't it feel beachy?

Carol sent this Storm at Sea. I've always wanted to make one!

Rhonda did this feathered star. That's another one I've always wanted to make!

I feel my list growing...not good!

Lisa designed this as a T-shirt quilt. I love the shadows!

Gene made this unique quilt called Belt Buckle!

Sandi sent this design. I think this one would make a great guy quilt.

Claudia designed this unique pineapple!

This is a great purse from Joyce designed in EQ!

And Delores is hoping to win EQ7 so she can stop doing this by hand!

I hope you all liked the show and tell! Isn't everyone amazing?

Happy Stitching!

Quiltalong and EQ7

I can't believe so many wonderful people have visited my blog hoping to win EQ7! I've been visiting so many of your blogs! This quilt blogging world is so rich with kindness, creativity and amazing people! I am so pleased to be a part of that!

A few people that have responded to the contest have had private emails and I have no way of reaching you. I have to have your email if you want to win EQ7 so please make sure you add it to your comment or email me through my profile if you want to keep it private. I really want everyone who enters to have their chance at winning!

As I have been nursing my nasty spring cold the last 4 days I finished piecing my Strawberry Fields quiltalong from Lori at Humble Quilts. Mine is now officially called 'Blueberry Bushes'! I had some leftovers from my charm packs so I added a 1/2" border and then a 2" border of the blue. I used up almost every square inch of that background! I have no idea what I'll use for binding. I'm hoping to start quilting it tomorrow so in a few days I should be finished. I really love it! And finally...

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

I made my Mom a Mothers Day card so I thought I would show and tell. Because I was big on sick and low on creativity, Papercrafts magazine came to the rescue. I used to make so many cards but I haven't been lately. It was fun though and most importantly my Mom loved it!

Happy Stitching!

Win EQ7!!!

This contest is now closed. To see the winner please go to the May 21st blog entry! Thanks everyone for entering!


Hurray!!! I am so excited to announce that I am having a contest to give away the all new version of the Electric Quilt - EQ7. Thanks to the generousity of the Electric Quilt Company 10 bloggers were chosen to have contests to give away EQ7 and I was one of them! I am so excited to be doing this. EQ has been a part of my life for many years and it is an incredible quilt design tool. I am thrilled that I am able to give someone the chance to love it as much as I do! Check out all the new features! This is a quilt design program for every level of quilter and every level of computer user! It is a design tool no one should be without!


So a contest we will have! I know you are all excited to win so this is how you enter!

Just leave me a comment and tell me whether you have a previous version of EQ and what you want to design - traditional quilts or contemporary quilts. It's that easy. Please just one comment per person!

Do you want bonus entries? Here are 2 ways to get bonus entries!

1)  If you have a version of EQ right now then design something and email me the image of your quilt and I'll give you one bonus entry. If you don't have EQ then you can draw a quilt design, take a picture of it or scan it and email that to me. I may post your image on my blog too!

2) If you post something about this contest on your blog with a link to my contest then I'll give you a bonus entry too! Just send me an email with a link to your blog!

And for anyone who may not know, you can find my email in my profile!

All comments and bonus entries are due by Wednesday May 19th and the random winner will be announced on May 20th!

Good luck everyone!

So Much Fun to Sew!

Here I am already on Episode #107 of 'The Quilt Show' and I started with Ricky's demo of making folded flying geese. Happily the video demo is on the daily blog of 'The Quilt Show' so anyone can see it! Ricky and Alex were right- they are fun to sew!

First I tried the size that Ricky demonstrated but I like things a bit smaller so I cut 2- 2" squares and 1 2"x3-1/2" rectangle to make a goose that finishes at 1-1/2" x 3". I liked the smaller size and thought it would be perfect for this project. So I started to sew and it WAS fun. It was like a little surprise was waiting for you at the end when you started to press your finished geese.

One thing to make sure of though is that you pin those little loose tips down before sewing them- they are really slippery little devils! And watch that iron tip too. More than once I got mine caught under a fold.

See how cute these pockets are! I would not make these for a quilt you want to use to cuddle under but for a wall hanging it is great. The geese really stand out because you don't quilt them- you just quilt the background.

And finally the finished quilt... it measures about 13" x 20".

If you like this then check out the Moda Bakeshop version 'Loosey Goosey in 3D' that uses charm squares. It is quite a large Flying geese block but it is fun to see what they do.

Now I have been really debating the project that Jean Wells does on this episode. It is cute but not really a new technique to me and not really something I want to do. I did do a bit of thinking though and thought if I was to do it I would pick a theme. I remember my Mom had a pattern for small paper pieced light houses...that would be fun...or how about tiny log cabin variations or hearts or sewing room things...

So I just decided as I wrote this that I am off to the next episode - #108

And it is time to get my blocks together for Strawberry Fields Quiltalong!

Happy Stitching!