Friday, October 21, 2016

Sew & Tell

I felt I needed some wall quilts to put out with my September school decor, so I started by making a cool pencil quilt for the wall by the kitchen!


I wanted primary colors... but wish I'd chosen two lime greens with less value different between them.  I really love the architect handwriting fabric I used for the background!!


Do you do that?  I always find myself critiquing my quilts when they are done... shoulda, woulda, coulda...


The pencil points were done with paper piecing... and I still don't enjoy doing paper piecing at all. YUCK! 


It takes forever as it is so counter-intuitive to me!!  But it certainly ensures perfect piecing and points.


Then I needed a new quilt for over the fireplace.


So I designed and created my BAA (big ass apple) quilt.


This took forever, too... auditioning fabrics for the apple.


I made the pieced background and free-motion quilted a stipple all over it first.


Then I appliqued the tree branch and leaves and apple on top!


I sketched out the apple on paper first with crayons, and the leaves were originally the correct size for the apple...


but when I made them that big on the background, they really took away from the apple, which I wanted to be the focal point...so I made them much smaller.


I am happy with the way it turned out and I got lots of compliments on it!!


I also have a new antique child's school desk, that my dear sister Sally gave me. I cleaned it up and it sits now in front of my quilt ladder in the family room.


I put a pencil and apple and a stack of vintage Dick and Jane books on it!!


It's all put away now, as all my Halloween decor is out!  YAY!


Yogi wants to know what you are working on these fall days? 

Monday, October 10, 2016

Grammie Here!!

Yep!  Finally!!  I'm officially a grandmother! Grammie here!!


My son Anthony and his wife Leah, had their beautiful son a week ago today!!


Meet Neal Wesley Monica!!


Yes, I'm slightly prejudiced, but he is so very BEAUTIFUL!  Just like his Daddy!!


We stayed in Philly after his birth for several nights until they came home from the hospital, and got settled in!!



We Facetime with them often and get to see Neal, and notice how different he looks each time!! 


I did take a few photos during the Kaffe Fassett lecture I attended a bit ago.


I had seen him do a trunk show about 9 years ago and took at class with him then, too.


This lecture was good- he spoke of his love of color and where he gets his inspirations from...


but we didn't get to see any of his quilts, which disappointed us all.


So,what are you up to lately?  Yogi is just dying to know!!

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Hello October!



October!  Hooray!! It's finally October!  My favorite month by far!!  You, too?


I spent all morning putting away my Back to School stuff, and putting out my Halloween decor! 


It's like seeing old friends, each time I pull out favorite things from Halloweens long also...when my boys were little and October was so magical and fun!  


Hocus Pocus, The Halloween Tree, The Worst Witch and The Great Pumpkin have all been on the player in my sewing room for days now!!


This October will be extra special, as our first grandchild will be born any day!! This little man will be born in the same month as his Daddy, my younger son Anthony!  So very many reasons for October to stay a most beloved month!!


Our local quilt guild had a summer challenge where we were given a page from one of those A Block A Day calendars.  We could make whatever we wanted using that block.  One option was to make the block in red, white and blue colors to be made into Quilts of Honor for our Veterans, so this was that block!


I also made four other blocks in fall fabrics, fussy cutting the centers, which I made into a table runner for my dear sister, Sally, who lives nearby.


She loves toile and I found a cool fall toile to use for the background and backing!!!


I also forgot to show you this cute Zebra quilt I made and finished the night before the baby shower we gave my dear DIL, Leah!


It was super fun to make!  Love using all those greys and blues for our little man on his way!! 


Well, gotta close for now, so I can shower and get ready for a lecture and trunk show by Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably that I'm going to tonight!! 


Yogi wants to know if you are excited about October, too!?!