Charming wall hanging complete...

I am about as excited as I have ever been in completing

a quilt!!

But then, this is not just any old quilt...

It all began  in January 2010 
when I was at our guild and someone had some 

"free" quilting magazines
and this wall hanging was on the cover.

"Charming" by Carol Armstrong.

McCalls Quilting April 2007

I was "charmed" from the first look.

So, I took the magazine home and quickly opened it up

to page 56 where Carol Armstrong's pattern and completed

quilt were pictured with instructions.

I studied it for days trying to decide which fabrics I would use and perhaps would need to get some from friends...but then this would make it special...

Each of the 169  2 inch squares is hand appliqued using needle turn

with three lovely little tear drop flowers on the side.

Of course it is hand quilted and hand embroidered.

Each square is a different nature print and has a perfect green border

to enhance the overall nature theme.

Before I could get started, I realized that the floral

applique pattern sheet was NOT in the back of my magazine.

I had no idea who had owned the magazine.


What did I do??
1. Contacted McCalls who checked their files- No pattern
2. Looked on the internet to see what popped up- No luck
3.Tried to contact Carol Armstrong- No success 

Well, my husband often buys me quilt magazines

(isn't that real nice!!!)

and guess what he brought home???

McCalls Quilting February/March  2010 issue.

AND WHAT WAS IN THE issue????

A QUILTER FROM MISSISSIPPI DISPLAYING HER

VERY OWN "Charming" quilt....

Can you believe it?????????

Mrs. Joan Beasley form Mississippi !!!
who worked on it while her son & grandson were deployed.

SO, I wrote her, after finding someone by that name in the online white pages
and she sent me a copy of her pattern in August 2010...

I mean ...are quilters the best OR what!!!

I began to prepare my muslin fabric for the background by using Southern Belle, my favorite applique fabric. 

I had to mark it in perfect grids to guide placement of each square of fabric. 

So I checked it many times before, during and after to make sure they were straight. Look closely at the following pics to see light blue lines.

I used a water soluble fine point mark-b-gone pen in blue. 

Then I went to my stash and to select fabrics with nature prints...trees, leaves, rocks, flowers, moon, stars, animals, sea shells,frogs, birds, and a few scriptures which would make it special...

I began appliqued the squares in the center first

Since our God is the maker of all things, I thought I would place Him in the center.

 trying to make sure the colors were spread out

to make it appealing to the eye.
Then I appliqued the flowers and embroidered the stems.

Friends gave me fabrics and I hunted for the perfect 

green for the border.

It has been a delight to work on and a challenge with all of the 

needle turn applique and hand quilting..

Here are some pictures of my progress along the way.

I love using Downy Wrinkle Release to steam out those seams.

Layering & Basting

 I often use Thermore poly for wall hanging batting
but this time I used Dream Cotton 
and I really like the way the appliqueing and hand quilting looks.

Supplies used were Y L I 
silk for appliqueing,
cotton quilting thread and
basted with Sulky neutral .

and embellished with beads...


AND where does this completed 
January 2012 master piece get the privledge of hanging?

On my sewing room door, of course.
That way I can look at it every time I come and go!!






Blessings,
Kathy
and how blessed I feel to have been blessed with these talents...

oh....I am sending a copy to Mrs. Beasley to thank her...and to McCalls too
look for a post in the future.

Christmas china...

Every year I really hate to put up my Christmas china...

and this year I have two sets that I have really enjoyed using and looking at

as I pass through the kitchen and dinning room!!

When we got married I registered Holiday by Lennox for our fine china

and have never regretted it.

All of the dinner plates, salads, b&b, cups & saucers and serving dishes too.

My special childhood friend, Donna and her husband gave us the sugar dish and also the sugar shell in our sterling, Strasburg!!

What a really nice gift!!!

And they also gave us a place setting too...how generous... and I do not think they have ever been able to eat with us and use it.

I always use it in the dinning room and decorate with red, green, and gold to accent the china colors...

made the Christmas tree napkin rings in ceramics to match.

Still want to monogram some pretty white linen napkins in red to match...

one year!!!

At a friend's yard sale this summer, I came across this pretty

Christmas Tree by Spode pattern 

and thought I would give it to my sister for her collection

but she did not need any more.

SO WHAT TO DO????

keep it for me and use in the kitchen...

Perfect

and  that is exactly what I did.

Got 5 dinner plates, 7 salads and one canister for

$9.00...yes , I said 9 dollars....

bargain, huh.

So the kitchen is decorated with red & white check and Santa napkins

and I really loved it!! 

Have used the red & white checks for about 30 years now.

It is just too hard to put it all away with all of these memories

so, I think I will just leave it out til Valentine's Day

for one last meal...

Blessings all,

KATHY

Christmas gifts...

I really enjoy making gifts at Christmas

and at other times of the year too!!

My family has started "drawing names" so we do not give as many as we 

used to give...

But, I do enjoy making the great nephews something

and this year I actually drew my sister's name.

So what did I make???

I actually found a similar idea on a blog

(not sure whose...so sorry for not giving credit!!)

These are pajama pillows for boys!!!

And here is  my sister with her cosmetic bag

and matching glass case in her favorite color

aqua!!

Also made some soup in a jar for friends

and still have to mail a few

for the new year...

think I will include some cracker mix

with theirs...

What did you make for your loved ones???

Please let me know.

blessings,

KD

Christmas...busy time for homemakers!!!

This is just my time of year...what can I say...3 weeks since I posted!!!

So, what have I been doing????

decorating

cooking

parties

dinners

sewing

enjoying  ...most of all!!!

Here are our two quilted star stockings that I finally completed

and put up today.

I found this wonky star idea from a fellow blogger.

http://thesillyboodilly.blogspot.com/2009/02/wonky-star-tutorial.html

and it is so easy to make...no pattern needed!!

See how the triangles are all different???

I knitted these for us about 25 years ago
and they have been well used.








In fact, it is time for a bath on ole
santa!!!

You can see whose got the most
detail!!!!


And Cliff said today when I put up the new stockings, "why didn't you put Mrs. Santa on yours"    .........after all these years, he still does not get it...but we understand, don't we girls!!!

Remember:
wise men still seek Him!!!


Blessings,
my fellow bloggers
at this most special time of our year!!

Kathy

Thanksgiving and meal planning...

Giving thanks today

We are going to eat Thanksgiving with my friends on "the day" but 

on Wednesday I

still want to cook a turkey just for me and hubby 

to have left overs.

So today I got out a basting bag and bought the turkey.

I can just taste it now.

Green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, dressing with oysters,

 crescent rolls and pecan pie.

Now doesn't that sound perfect???

Maybe it will be cool enough to have a fire and eat

while watching games.

And thankful I am

for...

living in a country where God is honoured

wonderful family & friends

health

nice little house

my favorite car ever

my sewing machine

my talents

my Bible study group

my church

my hubby

my health

having had wonderful jobs

neighbors

Jesus

Well I could go on because the Lord and blessed me and my family

in so many ways for many generations.

Tell me what you are thankful for....

Blessings,

Kathy

Pretty little doll baby bed...

A teacher friend , who follows my blog, asked me to make a doll quilt and pillow for her new/only grand daughter. She also has four boys and this is her first girl in the family!!

Her mother sewed and quilted and she had two of her blocks that we thought would be

so cute made into matching items.

The blocks were made from fabric of her maternity clothes that her mother made for her....

how special is this!!!

Here it it...

The little pink sheets

are one flat sheet and one

fitted sheet.

I found this adorable pink ticking with the little rose buds

on an Etsy site.  It is a reproduction of a fabric that I have on

my own childhood baby doll pillows!!

You can see where I tufted the little mattress

using pearl cotton.

It was really a lot of fun to make

and never measured one single thing!!!

I just cut and sewed...

My friend was pleased and I really wanted to take 

a picture of her with the bed, but she had been working in 

her yard after the storm, Irene, damage and did

not want me to take her "in a mess" !! She, unlike me, always dresses

up very nicely...

I hope her new little grand daughter

really enjoys it for years to come.

Kathy

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Matt 19:11

Beach fun and new fabric...

We were offered a friend's condo at the beach 

and could only go for three days

but we had fun....

The water was still warm enough to walk in and to gather shells.

Nice fall vacation.

Of course I got in a little thrift store and fabric shopping too!!

Two sweaters, a brown Ralph Lauren, a navy Deans of Scotland from the 80's and a black quilted jacket with with pink lining 

and all for $12.00.

Now that is my kind of shopping...

My latest fabric purchases from Mary Ellen's

The Thistlebee Quilt Shoppe

www.thistlebeequltshoppe.com

G basicgrey for moda  # 30150 yellow  & green                            

I took the pics outside so you can see the way the colors of white and pink are added.

These lovely pieces are for a new wall hanging to go in our den. I am planning on appliqueing

with felt and wool some fruits of the seasons...

When I returned, I subbed for two days and then taught a basic sewing class on Saturday.

This cute little half apron is (with permission) from

Angie Asplund's blog 

www.angieasplund.blogspot.com

and her detailed instructions are great to follow.

My two students also used the "Flurry" fabrics...

Here are my samples

which are going to my niece on Monday...hope she enjoys them.

She is a lot younger and will like this popular half style...

a full (cover-up) apron for me!!!!

My week was way to busy for a retired girl

so this week I plan to take it easy...

Blessings all !

Kathy

Hosea 4:6