It’s Friday!!

Do you know who Pat Knoechel is?  Well if you don’t, she’s Eleanor Burns’ sister, and she did a presentation at our Guild meeting last night.  She was very personable and fun, and showed us some beautiful quilts.

I think almost everyone in the room purchased a copy of “Quilts from El’s Kitchen”, including yours truly. 

This is the quilt made with all the blocks from the book.  The photo above shows a variation that can be make from one of the blocks.

Another variation of the main quilt.  There are many different variations of color ways and border treatments in the book, AND there’s a recipe to go with each block!  It was a very enjoyable presentation, with Pat even demonstrating how simple it is to make many of the blocks.  I know there will be a quilt like this is my future.

Does anyone remember the Stay At Home Robin that we did several months ago?  Well, mine didn’t quite get finished.  I still need to do an applique border, which I have actually planned on paper.  And then a braid border.

I like the colors of this so much, that I’m also crocheting an afghan in the same colors.

A couple of months ago, I won a gift card to Mad About Patchwork from Kelli’s blog.  I visited their website several times before I placed my order, and I finally decided on some yummy threads.  What did I notice when they arrived?

Your guessed it – they’re the same colors!  I didn’t even realize it when I ordered.  Now I think I need to add another border to my quilt, to incorporate some embroidery.  Or maybe I’ll just work some into the applique border.  What do you think?

Instead of sitting in my car crocheting on said afghan today, I drove around and took pictures of some of the flowering trees in the neighborhood.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                      

Okay, and maybe a few weeds.  Does anyone know what this is?  it was on a very tall stalk out in a weed patch.  I couldn’t get very close to it.

 

 

 

And now I must get to stitching for FNWF.  It’s time for the next step of the baby quilt that I’m making for a co-worker.

Have a wonderful weekend, and be kind.  Sunny

Monday Musings

 

Because of a software conversion at work, I had to work on Saturday.  It was a very long, frustrating day, and I’m so happy it’s over.  I don’t like being cheated out of a Saturday

 

 

                                                                                           

One day last week, I was approached by a co worker, asking if I would consider making a quilt for an upcoming baby shower.  How do you like it so far?

A couple of people have asked me who I’m coming along with my Grandmother’s Flower Garden.  I’ve started working on it again the last couple of weeks.  I might finish in this lifetime.

I also continue to work on the afghan I started several months ago.  And the To-Be-Quilted pile continues to grow.  Other projects keep getting in the way,   But soon….

Kindness matters……Sunny

Two for Two

What a productive weekend.  On Saturday, after enjoying a Spring day, I was inspired to come home and make a small quilt, trying to capture the spring colors I’d been surrounded by all day.  I already showed this, but I’ll post it again.

Then on Sunday, I spent the day quilting with a friend, and this was the result.

 

 

 

 

At this rate, I’ll have all my projects finished before I’m 80!!

I also received two sets of hexies in the mail this weekend.  As most of you know, I’m collecting and making pink hexies, and I tend toward softer colors.  The brighter hexies that I receive from others, will add a lot of depth and interest to my collection.

From Marie in Denmark:

And from Melody in Australia:

 

 

 

 

 

Not much stitching happening today, but I have big plans for tomorrow night!

Be kind to a stranger……Sunny

Inspiration

Are you getting tired of Spring pictures yet?  Sorry, I have more.  Mr. QD is away for a few days, so I made a trip to my brother’s house today to drop off a couple of things, and took the scenic route home, through two parks and a Quilt Shop! 

As you might imagine, the pink fabric will be used for hexies, the light fabric in a swap project, and the dark is for a future quilt.  I really am trying to cut back, and I thought I did quite well today. 
By the time I arrived at the quilt shop, I had an idea in mind, but they didn’t have anything suitable for my plan.  I wanted these colors:

I got home and dug through my stash, and finally found something that would work well enough.  One of the groups that I follow had a challenge this month to make a small quilt using the Contrary Wife block, so here is my version.

Remember, my quilt holder is 1,000 miles away, and it’s late at night, so I’ll take a better picture after it’s quilted.
I had to make a couple of unexpected stops while I was driving, once to let some chickens cross the road:



and once to watch these little lambs cavorting in a field:
And now I must head for bed.  Don’t tell DH, but I’m sleeping with the window open while he’s away!!

Think kind thoughts for the residents of Boston and West!

Sunny

One Flower Wednesday

There are a hundred things I should be doing instead of making hexies, but the fabric is sitting here staring me in the face, and I can’t help myself!

Hubby is watching something very violent on TV, and I want to be in the living room, so I just plugged in some ear buds and turned on Pandora.  Why do people want to watch violence?  I don’t get it.

I’ve been a few minutes late to work each day lately.  Every morning when I leave the house, there are new flowers that are just begging to be photographed.

 

 

 

 

 

It was foggy this morning, and there was some lovely dew on the tulips.

While searching through my picture file to grab these, I ran across a project that I finished last week.  It was a BOM from Jenny of Elefantz back in 2011?  I had done al the embroidery some time ago, but I finished making the “mini quilts” at a recent retreat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last week, I received a surprise package from Di.  Isn’t this the cutest panel?  I envision it being made into a baby blanket of some sort….

 

 

 

 

I guess that’s it for tonight.  I must go check out what the others have done for One Flower Wednesday.  Anyone can join in at any time.  Do you Hexie?

Be kind to yourself……Sunny

More signs of Spring, and a word of caution.

I’ve been seeing potato bags around blog land recently, and when I found some potato fabric, I knew I must have one!

I made this without any difficulty, but when I tried to make a second, I broke four needles!  DH used it last week and was very happy with his nice fluffy potato.  We used it tonight for the last time.

It caught on fire in the microwave!  We took it outside and doused it with water, then cut it open to rescue the potato.  So my word of warning is:  if you use a potato bag in the microwave, don’t leave it unattended!!

Before the dinner disaster, we met at the park and took a few pictures.  I wanted to get pictures of Tulip Magnolias. and DH wanted a new Spring picture  for his Facebook profile.

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And here’s my house a couple of days ago. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now would you like to see what’s inside the house?  Here’s my new Sweetie!

I till have a LOT to learn before you see any beautiful quilting.  Practice, practice, practice……

Be kind!      Sunny

Spring Flower Wednesday

We’ll start with the indoor flowers.  These are for my Inchy Swap partner for April, but I like them so much I may have to make some for myself.

When I got in my car this morning to go to work, I looked up and saw these in the front yard:

These were NOT open yesterday!  We broke a record today with a temperature of 89.3.  I much prefer temps in the 70’s thank you very much.

 

 

 

There was also another kind of daffodils blooming this

morning.

After work, I went looking for Forsythia.  It’s popping up all

over town.

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully, we’ll have some quilting news soon!

Kindness matters…..Sunny

It’s Here!!!

Spring, that is!

These beauties are my very own front yard!  Hallelujah!  DH went to DC today to see the Cherry Blossoms.  I wish I could be retired so I could do fun stuff during the week.

   These pictures were taken with his phone, because when he got down there, he discovered that his camera battery was still in the charger at home!

Be kind to a stranger today…..Sunny