Ready To Hand Quilt

Yipee! This piece now has borders and is ready to hand quilt! I did machine quilt the borders to anchor them. Now I just need to ease into the hand quilting to save my fingers. Don't forget to post a comment to be added to the 1ooth Blog Give Away drawing. See Oct 22. post for more info.

Verse and Veins

I embroidered the verse - "To everything there is a season." Ecclesiastes 3:11 and then added appliqued and embroidered veins to all the leaves except the ginkgo one. I'm not sure what to do about it and am open to suggestions. Don't forget to leave a comment so your name will be in the Blog Give Away Drawing mentioned on Oct. 22 entry.

Grandaughter Visiting

I went to visit my granddaughter again so no photos to show. But I did some hand work and cut out more circles for the Butterfly tins from a few posts back. She loved playing with them and really liked the orange/purple batik fabric.

Flowers for Tonia

It's been a fun, creative day choosing colors & drawing designs. The appliqued flowers and stems are on. I plan to do some embellishments along with a verse before I quilt it.

Blog Giveaway

My 100th post is upcoming and I am planning a Give Away. So far, blogging has kept me creating and documenting progress and I've met many wonderful art quilters too. So leave a comment including kind criticism and I'll draw a name from the list of comments on the 100th blog post day. The Give Away is this Quilted Art Post Card and Key Chain/Change Purse. (Second photo is of back of Key Chain/ Change Purse.)

Paint Stamped Fabric

This cream colored background is the beginnings of a birthday gift for my favorite Daughter in Love. (OK - so I only have one Daughter in Love but she knows she's special.) Since I wanted another fabric, I blended some gold paint with textile medium and used a sponge brush to apply it to this stamp I carved out of an art gum eraser. After stamping, drying time and then ironing it, I cut it out and it worked well. I plan to do some colorful applique on the completed background.

Being Still

I am purposefully "being still" more these days and even though it's certainly not natural for me it is worthwhile. I started a "hand" project not too long ago and although it's good to have something to sew while riding in the car and in quiet moments here and there, it sure is slow. I'm reminded that fastest doesn't always equal best. It's teaching me more patience and quiet time to think and pray which are good.

Butterfly Tins

There's an amazing 3 day weekend for youth, Chrysalis and college aged folks, Journey that is an opportunity for them to renew or rekindle their commitment to Christ. During the weekend, they receive small token reminders of God's love called Agape. I collect Altoid tins (rectangular and circular) and cover them with butterfly fabric for Agape. This is the first time I've had enough circular ones to use and I found a wonderful batik butterfly fabric that works great.

Nifty Car

While visiting with my folks recently we came across this interesting vehicle. It had 2 tires up from and 1 in the back. You can't see the cute dog with it's bandana resting in the floor.

Don't forget to check out my entry today on http://www.quiltersshowandtell.com/

Updated Photo

Here's a new photo of "New Song" that includes the quilting. I'm not sure if this new photo or the one without quilting will be on http://www.quiltersshowandtell.com/ tomorrow.

Tomorrow on Quilters Show And Tell

WOOHOO! My Fall leaf art quilt "New Song" was accepted for submission on the website http://www.quiltersshowandtell.com/. It will be featured tomorrow. Yipee. (Just realized this photo is before quilting.)

Wavy Edge Stitch

I used the escape Hatch method on this baby quilt -see Oct 6 post. Then Carol R. showed me that I could lengthen a particular stitch #4 on my machine and it stitches a wavy line in addition to the way it looks on the machine itself. It made a nice edge stitch before I started quilting in the middle. I took advantage of the "plain" looking fabric for the verse.

New Painted Mailbox

Well...our mailbox took quite a beating last week. It looked like a elongated triangle. But, this past Wednesday when we were gone to a conference....it was totally demolished and unusable. SO...Here's a new painted one. It didn't turn out as well as I would have like but hey, I'm not real sure when "they" will be back. I chose not to paint my usual Choose Life - Deuteronomy 30:19 on it this time.

Fall Hand Work

I've had this background pieced from another Fall project (posted July 25). I used a freezer paper template to prepare the pieces for applique which I'd do with gray silk thread which will blend nicely. I'm looking forward to having some hand work available. I'm also thinking of hand quilting it...depends on how quickly I want to get it done. A yet undecided verse will be embroidered on the left side of the red ginkgo leaf.

Baby Quilt

Here's the unconnected strips of another 6 inch strip quilt ready to be pieced today. This one is planned to give to a baby in foster care. There are so many babies in need and I hope this small token will wrap it with comfort of God's love. I have a small plastic shoe box with 6 inch strips cut from my remnant bag. Also, as I finish a project, I'll make 6 inch strips from the remains. Then I use them as "mice" when I finish sewing a seam to keep from having to cut the thread. After awhile, there's enough put together for a Preemie Quilt or a small baby quilt.

Stamping Paint on Fabric

I am making a wall hanging for my favorite daughter in love's birthday. OK - it's a bit late, and I only have one daughter in love so far. Anyway, I wanted another fabric so used the stamp I created by carving an art gum eraser. Next I mixed some gold paint with textile extender and used a foam brush to paint the stamp. I think it looks better in person. Hopefully the background will be finished today so I can start the design tomorrow.

Playing With Remnants

While searching my batik remnant bin, I came across some blue and green strips and pieces that are too small for piecing but great for post cards. So, I spread glue stick on a 4x6 piece of thick felt and have fun arranging the strips. They are now ready for a focal design and verse to complete the design side.