Winter Embroidery Table Runner

I haven’t gotten too much sewing/quilting done this past month. My job as a FedEx courier has kept me pretty busy this Christmas Season….very long days and not too much extra time to go to my sewing room and have some fun. I worked almost 14 hours Christmas Eve and got all of my packages delivered! HO HO HO….

This is a pattern from Bird Brain Designs entitled ‘Snow Happens! Table Runner #568, I made this for the 'auction’ we have at my mom’s Christmas Celebration that we are having on January 12th. We hold an ‘auction’ and have lots of fun, one of the family members volunteers to be the auctioneer, everyone brings ‘things’ that we auction off….My mom has a stack of play money for each person, and then will ask questions of everyone….Who is wearing glasses tonight? Who has gray hair? Who has shoe laces? Etc. Etc. I think you get the picture….Well anyone who answers yes, gets some more money. After about 10 questions the bidding begins. It’s lots of fun and you come home with some nice things. One of the items I’m bringing this year, is this Table runner. Even with all of the embroidery it didn’t take too long to complete.

I also was very happy to get EQ7 from my husband for Christmas….and it’s sitting on the new printer/faxer/scanner/copier that he bought for my desk also! What a great guy! He even cleaned off the desk for me….

I pray that you had a great Christmas this year….and remember that we celebrate Christmas because Jesus Christ was born on Christmas day! Happy birthday Jesus!

Happy quilting, Kris

Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!

Only 12 more days of delivering packages before Christmas, It’s only Monday and I’m already anticipating this coming weekend. I get absolutely nothing done around the house these last few weeks, I come home lay on the couch for an hour and then go to bed…get up the next morning and do it all over again. I am so thankful for good weather and roads that aren’t icy or snow packed. Thank the Good Lord for that. Although it is rather cold this morning….-1 at about 7 a.m., though it’s supposed to reach a high of 41 today.

I’ve been doing a little hand sewing, but really not much…I’ve got two borders sewn on my grandmother’s flower garden quilt…..only two more to go and then the applique in the border…..Love it so far….

As you can see in the picture, things look a bit crowded in my living room, we are removing the popcorn ceiling from our family room and have moved all of the furniture upstairs to the living room…….so the living room is rather full now. We have started to prime the ceiling, so the worst is done. 

The only present under the tree is for me and I know what it is….EQ7 Electric Quilt 7, I’m anxious to try it out. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s a computer program to help design quilts, blocks etc.etc…..Hopefully I won’t have too much trouble with it and it will be easy to use.

Well, Have a Holly Jolly Christmas!

Happy Quilting ,

Kris

It’s the busy time of the year!

This time of year is very busy for me…especially with the job I have of delivering packages! I have to really work at not being in the ‘bah hum bug’ kind of mood for the month of December. I work long days in the cold and it’s very stressful. I’m sure I won’t be getting much done in the way of stitching for the next 30 days or so. I need to stop and think about the reason we celebrate Christmas….Jesus Christ was born!

We put the tree up last weekend because we were baby sitting our grandson and we thought that might be something to entertain him. I started putting the ornaments up and he got tired of that in a hurry, I haven’t done another thing to it since then. Hopefully this weekend I’ll get it done.

The many projects I’ve been working on these past few weeks……

This hexie round is made of 1/2” hexies….you can tell by the pins hanging this one up, that the hexies are very small.

I only have to sew on four more hexie flowers and I’ll be ready to start adding my borders and applique. It’s much larger than this pictures shows. These are 1” hexies.

 

And my 8th BOM in my Primitive Garden wool quilt….this one isn’t done yet, but doesn’t have too much further to go.

This is the new BOM I’m starting this month. It’s made using all solid fabrics…very simple blocks and some applique in the borders….not horribly expensive either. The first BOM came with a plastic tub to store everything in as you go….I thought this was a great idea…Way to go Regina and Jamie from ‘Stitch up a Storm’…..

My latest purchases…..I love Kim Diehl books….love the way she designs. Got everything for 25% off, so I couldn’t resist.

My friend Kelly Kreft from Colorado sent me these fruit fabrics…we are both collecting to make a ‘jar’ quilt….so we’ve been sharing our ‘fruit’ finds….Thanks Kelly! 

Have a wonderful Christmas Season…and please remember why we celebrate…

Happy quilting, Kris

Happy Halloween

We hardly had any trick or treaters last night, I think we live too far north and only have about 15 houses in our neighborhood. I guess Norris Ave. was extremely busy with kids last night….especially because of the nice weather. My 22 month old  grandson Walker did stop and we got a picture of him in his golfing outfit.

I’ve been kind of naughty about blogging lately. I guess it’s because I’ve been working on the same projects and I’m getting a lot done, you just don’t see it so much. So it’s kind of hard to take a picture of the same thing from a week ago, and it’s just a little bigger! Kind of boring….

Here is my finished Christmas Table Topper…. it’s 42x42….it was supposed to be a tree skirt, but I just couldn’t cut a hole in the middle of it!

I’ve been mostly working on my mom’s civil war chronicles quilt and my grandmother’s flower garden quilt.

This 1” hexie quilt is now 65x82…so it’s really growing…I think I’m only going to add one more row in both directions and then I’ll add the white border…approximately 6”wide. Then comes the applique….I think I’ll love this one when it’s done. I only wish I was a hand quilter, since it’s all hand sewn, I hate to machine quilt it. I guess we’ll see when the time comes.

Happy quilting!  Kris

Vacation = a whole week of sewing!

I’ve had a wonderful week of vacation spent doing not much of anything, but sewing….FUN!

I decided I wanted to do a smaller project that I could get done in a few days. So I looked through the things I had on hand and found a ‘grab bag’ mom purchased for $25 last December from Cottage Inspirations in Cambridge. There was a book, reg. price of $18 and two tree skirt projects, reg. price of $44.99 a piece in the grab bag. I loved the fabric and the pattern and everything in the book. The book is Peppermint and Holly Berries from Art to Heart. I’m making one of the tree skirts, but am turning it into a table topper instead of the tree skirt. I’m quilting it now, so I’ve done fairly well, even though it has taken me longer to do then I thought it would. It’s 42x42 inch square and the embroidery and blanket stitch applique took a lot of time to do.  Here it is in progress….

And here it is as I’m quilting it. I have to add buttons for the holly berries and eyes to the Santas….finish quilting it and then bind it….should be done tomorrow sometime. I absolutely love it and the price was right too! I have another kit, so I can make another one when the mood strikes….I had lots of fabric left over and think between both kits, I could almost make a third one. These would be great gifts, I can’t imagine anyone not liking it.

I got the 7th Primitive Garden BOM last friday in the mail, and I had it done by Saturday evening….nothing too complicated in this one.  I sure do like doing the wool applique…it’s rather addictive!

I visited my mom on Tuesday and took her to her house for a visit….I got to dig through her fabric stash and take whatever fabric I wanted…Here is what I came home with. I seem to bring a bag full of fabric home with me every time I go and visit her! Thanks so much Mom! Wonderful fat quarters….this picture doesn’t do the colors justice either. The reds are a bright color, not a rusty color like this picture shows. I love to just pet and touch fabric….it makes me smile to just look at this picture!

Happy Quilting, Kris

It’s been too long!

As you will be able to see by all of the pictures below, I’ve been a very busy person. The big project I’ve been working on is finishing my mom’s Civil War Chroncicles Quilt from 2011. She has the center all done and now I will finish all four corners, there is a lot of work left to do in this quilt. The border alone is 60some 6” blocks, and the blocks I’m working on now are 14”. I’m not crazy about this quilt and I wasn’t from the first time I saw it. I love the fabric in it, but I think it’s just too ‘busy’ for my liking. The good thing is that I get to keep all of the scraps from this quilt and that is a substantial amount of fabric! Below is a picture of what this quilt looks like finished. Looking at this makes me think I have a long way to go yet! I’ve also gotten one of the borders sewn on my Farmer’s Wife Quilt, I’m having a hard time deciding what to use for the outer border….when I decide I’ll post a picture of it.

I have to make four of each of these block and I have 8 made so far…..

My wool BOM from Primitive Gatherings has been fun for me. I’m waiting for the 7th block now.

I’ve also been doing a lot of handwork on my large and mini hexie quilts. I’m planning on adding 4 more rows of flowers to my large hexie quilt and then see if I think it’s big enough to add the borders and applique. I have about 6 more flowers to make and I’ll have enough to get it done!

The picture of the single hexie above is my 1” hexies and the picture of the hexies all sewn together in color rounds is the 1/2” hexies. These two qults will look completely different. I’ve decided to mostly concentrate on the larger ones right now because that quilt is almost done.

And last but not least is the dress my daughter volunteered me to alter for a friend of hers. I HATE altering anything, but I’m being nice and doing this one anyway. It’s is almost two sizes too big, and it’s got boning in the seams in the bust. I HATE boning in dresses that need altered! I have the hem taken up and am almost done adding spaghetti straps, I’ve taken in the side seams in the hip area and now I need to finish the bodice part. I’m not taking this dress apart, I will ‘cheat’ and just take tucks under the armpits. No one will ever see those and it will work out okay I think. I sure hope it will anyway, cuz that’s what I’m going to do!

Well, Happy Quilting! I’ll try not to stay away so long next time!

Kris

My grandson Walker and I!

First off here is a picture of my grandson Walker and myself….it’s a horrible picture of me…but boy is Walker a cutie! He’s 20 months old and he’s Grandma’s boy. College football started this Saturday and my team won….Go HUSKERS!

I’ve got all 111 of the Farmer’s Wife blocks sewn together, I just need to decide what to use for the borders now. Over all I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. I had quite a hard time with the cornerstones and I’m not sure why. I ended up ripping out a lot of those and doing them over. I was very frustrated by the time I got done.  I think I might quilt this one myself…we’ll have to see if I’m in the mood when it’s all done.My cat Morris wanted to be in this picture…..Sorry that he’s covering a couple of blocks….He’s a very large cat!

And here is the 5th BOM from my wool Primitive Garden quilt. I’m done except for the vine embroidery….which once I get going on it won’t take very long. I’m thinking I’m going to add a heart or something to the black star….I’m kind of debating on it right now.

My mini Hexie quilt is growing…..it’s a pretty slow process, but I enjoy doing it.

When I went to the Wooly Mammoth in Kearney a couple of weeks ago, I bought a skein of yarn to make a scarf for one of my daughters….It was very expensive, $15.49 a skein….It’s the black one…..I found the gray and orange yarn at Walmart for around $5 and it is basically the same…a little different, but for one third of the price it’s very nice. One skein will make a pretty long scarf. It’s not as fast knitting as regular yarn, since you have to get the knitting needle through a hole in the yarn instead of just looping it around the needle. These will be very nice gifts, relatively cheap to make, and I’m having fun doing it. I hope Lesley, my daughter will like them.

I’ve had a great day off today and I’m having a great time sewing and knitting.

Happy Quilting, Kris

My Vow……I won’t start any new quilts until I have at least one that’s started completely finished.

We’ll see how my vow works out….I’m going to do my best to get some things finished before I start another new project. I am getting the itch to start something new, and I just can’t let myself do that. I did finish all 111 blocks from the Farmer’s Wife Quilt. I need to pick out the sashing and the cornerstone fabric soon. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m a ‘piecer’ not a ‘quilter’…..I love piecing a quilt, I just am not too interested in doing the free motion quilting to finish it. I have to make myself do it.

 

My mini 1/2” hexie quilt has been very fun to work on. I’m ready to start the 4th color around, I’m enjoying this one more than the 1” hexie quilt I’m working on also.  My hand is in this picture so you can see how small these hexie flowers are. My next  color round will be green flowers. This will be a very special quilt when it’s done….all hand sewn!

This picture is of the larger 1” hexie quilt I’m working on too. I’m not sure how big this one will end up…..it will have white borders with some flower, vine and leaf applique in one of the corners.

Here are the four blocks that I’ve completed in my Primitive Garden Quilt BOM….I just got the 5th block in the mail yesterday and I’m ready to start on it. I’m having a wonderful time doing this quilt. And yes….I really do believe I’m obsessed with quilting, my house isn’t as clean as it used to be, and I could stay locked up in my sewing room for 10 hours a day and not think anything of it.I might come out every once in a while and get something to eat and drink, but other than that…..I could stay there forever!  This is an expensive hobby too. Fortunately, of the quilts I’m working on now three (both hexies and the Farmer’s Wife) are scrap quilts, so I don’t have to buy lots of fabric for them.

It’s time to go back to my sewing room and have some more fun!

Happy quilting, Kris

1/2” Hexies are more fun!

I’ve been inspired by a blog I read the other day to make smaller hexies. I like what I saw so much I immediately started in on a smaller hexie quilt. This one will literally take me a very long time to complete, but once I’m done I will really have a very special quilt. This will mostly just be a scrap quilt, the only fabric I will purchase is the neutral   color between the flowers. It will be in color rounds and I’ve decided the center of the flowers will all be from the red/pink family….the only exception will be when I make red flowers and I think the centers will be a yellow then. My little sister Val is busy cutting out the 1/2” hexies from card stock, so that is one nasty job I won’t have to do! You can find hexie templates on many different websites for free.

The large blue hexie is made from 1” hexies and the smaller is 1/2” hexies. They are very tiny compared to the larger ones. Lots of stitching  by hand! I love it! I think I might have a hard time being motivated enough to finish my larger hexie quilt now! I am very close to finishing it….so maybe I’ll get it done…..I can only hope.

I’ve been horrible about working on my Farmer’s Wife Quilt….I only have 9 more blocks to make and it will be done. These last few are taking me as long as it took to make the first 100! It’s like torture to finish these last few…..I will force myself if I have to……Ugh…..

And last is a picture of my new toy….my husband came home with this yesterday afternoon. A Samsung tablet…..it’s been fun to play with. Tons I don’t know yet, but I can get around on it a little bit. I love the kindle book app on it, much better than reading from a kindle.

I also got 35 bags of corn froze this weekend. It makes me feel good to have it in the freezer. Yummy!

Well, another week has started. Have a great day!

Happy quilting, Kris

Vacation is over already….and I feel like I need another one

I really didn’t get too much done this past week except to visit my mom in the hospital every day…..so I made the 30 minute trek to Cambridge Mon.-Sun. So that doesn’t leave a lot of time to sew or make jelly. I did get a bunch more hexie flowers made since I could do that while visiting my mom.  And as you can see….I had to throw in some ‘Husker’ hexies. I am a huge Cornhusker fan! GO BIG RED!

I also got the chance to shop at Cottage Inspirations while in Cambridge. I returned a wool kit that I had bought with a gift card back in January……that gave me $50 plus $20 I had in bonus bucks given to me by my friend Kelly Kreft. It was enough money for a shopping spree, and boy did I have fun. I ended up getting a few spools of Valdani perle cotton and some wool…..the wool is a 5 inch square, with  5 pieces in a pack.

I also found some wool scraps I had while digging through my tubs of fabric. I felted it right away. This was an exciting find! Quite a few years ago, I was making wool vests with appliques on them, so I had bought a few pieces of it back then. I also did some tailoring with it. I think I have a wool skirt I made in the closet that I’m going to cut up and felt. My sister Val and I are going to try our hand at over dyeing also….We are kind of excited to give it a try.

And last, but not least…..I’ve made 5 more blocks for my Farmer’s Wife Quilt. I am cutting out number 99 this morning. Only 12 more to make! Oh Happy Day!

Well, work is calling me, and after the week I’ve had, I’m going with a smile on my face.

Happy Quilting, Kris

Vacation time!

It’s a great week to be inside…..very warm temperatures again this week. I’ve been sewing a little, making jelly and going to the hospital in Cambridge to visit with my mom. It’s been a good week to have a vacation just so I can be with mom. I would appreciate prayers for her, she’s getting old and is having a rough time with her memory and just getting around. My sisters and I have some tough decisions to make in a few days. It’s nice to be able to get lost in my quilting and to forget about the ‘hard’ things that we well be discussing and deciding about our wonderful mother. Mom is my sounding board for whatever project I’m working on, she definitely has opinions and ideas about any current project I’m doing…..I love you mom!

I made Strawberry/Rhubarb Jam and Pinecot (pineapple apricot) Jam this morning! Yummy! It’s fun to get some more jams and jellies put away in my basement. They are wonderful gifts and taste so good on toast or bagels. I’ll be making some chokecherry, and wild plum in the coming week……I think I can make jelly out of anything….I have an ‘eye’ for berries in the ditches!

I should be done with my fourth Primitive Garden Wool BOM in a few days, it’s going very well. I enjoy all of the handwork.

I am up to Block number 91 in my Farmer’s Wife Quilt sampler…..I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. I am having fun with this quilt and will probably start on the Farmer’s Wife Pony Quilt Club Sampler as soon as this one is done.

This is a pattern I bought in Kearney on Monday, they had a sample of this made in the store and I really liked it. I thought it would be really cute done in wool. I wanted to go to the Wooly Mammoth and see what they had for wool and over dyed wool, and found out they are closed on Mondays during the summer. I was extremely disappointed since that was the main reason for my trip to Kearney. Hopefully I’ll get there in the next couple of months or so.

Happy Quilting! Kris

Jelly Making with Kris!

I normally keep over 200 jars of jelly in the basement……but my stock is running kind of low and I decided it was time to get some jelly made. I’ve picked some tart pie cherries, apricots, rhubarb and tame plums, and I’ve literally got gallons of frozen juice in my freezer down stairs. Elderberry, Chokecherry, Wild Plum, Tame Plum, Grape, and about 3 gallon bags of apricots. I’d say I’m pretty prepared! I have other juices too, I just can’t think of them right now without making a trip to the basement to see….and that’s just not going to happen.

So anyway, since it’s been so hot outside and Jelly making is quite a hot job over the stove, I figured the best way to get this job done, was to start early in the morning and make a couple of batches each day. It’s been working pretty good so far too. I’ve made: Elderberry, Almond Cherry Jam, Cherry Jelly, Tame Plum and Rhubarb. I forgot how much I really enjoy doing this.

My daughter and son in law came from KC for a visit this week, so I haven’t gotten a lot of quilting done. I did make a few more Farmer’s Wife blocks and I’ve been stitching on my BOM for my Primitive Garden Quilt. I just got my next BOM in the mail so I’ll be ready to start it this weekend. I am on vacation next week too, so just think of how much I’ll get done!

This is my favorite block so far…..and I’m up to block #84.

I’m almost done with the embroidery! I have a little bit more to do, probably about an hour or so of handwork and it will be done and I’ll be starting on the next one….which is the shovel and some flowers. So far this is my least favorite block of this quilt.

Well, have a great rest of the week!

Happy quilting and Jelly making! Kris