Old Time Stitching

I made my newest granddaughter, Brynn a quilt before she was born. It was nice but I didn't love it. So I have started another one for her. I love fussy cutting the cute little characters out of my fabrics. I also have to hunt and search, so I am getting to re-visit the stash as well!

Here is what the blocks are going to look like, A Square in a Square. I am paper piecing them and will add some sashing in between the blocks.

How cute is this one?!

I am also working on some handwork to do in the evenings. I keep saying that but little to nothing gets done after 7:00pm!

I have some old cutter quilts (they are beyond repair!) that I am making into small quilts (saving them!).

I enjoy this kind of work because you never know how it is going to turn out. That green leaf has the edges basted under to speed up the applique process. I never do that but I kind of like it and may give it a try.

I have a big bag of vintage leaves that I bought a while back. It would take me a lifetime to use them up. It is so fun to dump them out to see what will work. Some are raw edge and some are turned under. A goldmine!

What can I say, this is my favorite pincushion. What are you working on?

Kelly

Churn Dash

Isn't this quilt wonderful!?!? Today I ran into my local quilt shop, The Quilt Block to pick up a pattern. As soon as I saw this I knew I had to make it and bought the pattern and all the fabrics so my wish can come true.
It looks even better in person (don't all quilts?). So if you are interested call the Quilt Block at 610-363-0404. Even if you live far away I think they would be happy to send it to you. Tell them I sent you!

Kelly

Garden Days

It' finally that time of the year. Sitting on the porch enjoying the lovely weather that has been a long time coming.

Between being away, the crummy weather and the quilt show I am way behind in my garden planting. I am a stickler for waiting until May 15th to plant my tender annuals, One year we got a frost on May 11th and I lost almost everything.

This looks a little sparse right now but soon it will all fill in. This year I planted dahlias, something I have only grown once or twice.

This is one of my favorite hostas that never disappoints. In the shade it grows about 3' high and shorter in the sun. I don't know the name.

I almost always get something new each year. This is Japanese Forest Grass, I got 6 to put around the edge of one bed. It is a brilliant green and I like how it grows in a cascading manner.
Sewing has been on the back burner for now but once the gardens are settled I will be back to my machine.

Kelly

Hello

The Penn Oaks Quilt Show 2017 is in the books! This is Stephanie's beautiful quilt that won Best of Show! Not only is it hand quilted and hand appliqued, there are 399 little teeny tiny berries in that border. Congratulations Stephanie! Did you know this quilt was also featured on Quilter's Newsletter Magazine? I am not sure of the date but it is a well deserved cover girl!

Here are some more shots of the show. I will post the quilts so you can see them all soon, stay tuned.

I know I have been gone from the blog for almost a month but I was away and taking some time off with my husband. We spent a week in Savannah GA. This is the gorgeous Basilica St John the Baptist Cathedral. I went to the Latin mass and was brought right back to my childhood. Not only was the mass in Latin but it also was exactly the way it was when I was very young, complete with kneeling at the altar rail for communion. I enjoyed it very much and EVEN remembered some of the responses! If you get the chance to see this go, the stained glass is just amazing, along with all the other art inside.

If you have not been to Savannah you will want to go. It is so charming and a very walkable city that feels more like a large town. We walked on average 3 miles a day and enjoyed it as where we live you take your life in your hands to walk anywhere. We loved our house and I am hoping to convince some sister in laws to do a girls getaway there sometime!

This was one of our favorite  places. It is called Wormsloe. I am sure this iconic picture is something you have seen before. Many wedding pictures are taken here. It was the estate of one of the first colonists and again a very charming property. It is still in the family! That driveway is over 1 mile long and the Live Oaks and Spanish Moss made it so inviting.
We took a guided tour that was so informative and made me realize I would never make it as a colonist! Way too much work trying to survive, let alone live!

I also had a visitor, Barb Vedder came and did a lecture and workshop with Calico Cutters and stayed with me. We had a good time and even got to go to Longwood Gardens, it was on her bucket list. Sorry I cut off your head Barb 😖
If your guild is looking for someone call Barb, her workshop was really good and I got lots of feedback from the students on how much they enjoyed it.

Elliott plays, the violin and trumpet

Griffin (the tall one!) plays percussion

My 2 grandsons, Elliot and Griffin had concerts this past week. It is so amazing how much they have grown! Once they get in school you don't see them as much, time is flying!

We joined a CSA this spring and summer. Look how beautiful these are! It is so much easier to go pick up the box every week than to weed the vegetable garden......

I have been sewing but not much. Now that the quilt show is over I can get back to my normal activities I hope. This applique block will be a long term project (I think I say that a lot!) to take to bees and to work on at night.
So that is a little of what I have been up to.

Happy Mother's Day out there to all you moms!

Kelly