STITCHES OF LOVE

I'm Back

2010-10-15T09:53:00.003-04:00

Where have I been for almost a year, you wonder? Quilting, where else? Not enough time to learn all the tricks for blogging - translate that to how to work the computer and the blog dashboard. For instance, I just had a super cute post for you all - with a cute picture even - somehow, I made it disappear. I've been called stubborn many times in my life -- so here I am doing it again. Only this one won't be as cute cuz I'm now in a rush to get dressed for a hair appointment. Ugh!

We have a new quilt addict in our family! It's my daughter, Brittany! I'm so thrilled that she has decided to play with us! She's a delight - so many fresh ideas - so much fun! She's got a new spin on things and makes us remember what it's like to be young! (For instance, she does a lot of work on the FLOOR - this fanny doesn't get on the floor cuz I'm positive getting back up would not be a graceful sight to see)! I'll leave you with a picture or two!

Happy Quilting!
Julie

Stash Bustin!

2009-11-23T21:38:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone!

This is the best thing I have done in a long time! I've taken off work the week of Thanksgiving! It's so peaceful - today I was able to have lunch at my daughter's house which was a nice break in my day. Lately, my excesses in my sewing room have been calling me and while looking for a particular piece of fabric, I stumbled upon this quilt top from many years ago. It was back during my Yellow Brick Road and Folk Art Christmas stage. I've never really understood the name of this fabric line - it just doesn't scream Christmas - but I like it so much. Now, Edie - until just this past year, she could have single-handedly (is that a word?) stocked a small shop with her vast stash of FAC. Everytime we took a Mystery class somewhere -- Edie brought FAC! Actually, it was really smart -- she always loved the fabric even if she wasn't fond of the way the quilt turned out!

I'm pleased to say that I'm bustin' my Stash! I don't know if all quilters are like me but every January when it comes time for Resolutions - busting my stash is always right up there with dieting. And every year, I never succeed at either one! But there is always next year!

Choo Choo, Beep, Beep, Tooooot!!

2009-11-22T14:35:00.002-05:00

Here's the cutest quilt for a lucky little boy! Ronda made this and included her two dogs and even her husband's boat! We quilted "Cloud Nine" in Magic thread and think it is just adorable. Who wouldn't be on Cloud Nine if you received this for Christmas?

FYI, we are caught up with our quilting right now - so we can have your Christmas quilt done in time for the big day! Just give us a call!

Land O' Cotton!

2009-11-21T13:02:00.004-05:00

Last week, Edie and I were travelin' thru the Land O' Cotton (southwest Georgia to be exact)! We saw field after field of this glorious white raw cotton or a quilters heaven on Earth. I can't even begin to tell you how badly we wanted a few branches of this stuff! But, we did not steal any from the fields. And, yes, it was hard to be good! We did give it the touch test - it felt just like a cotton ball -- imagine that!

We're busy this afternoon working on the Christmas Rush quilts! We'll show you a few later on! Happy Stitching and we hope you and your family have the best Thanksgiving ever!

Winner of Name that Photo!

2009-10-28T22:52:00.004-04:00

I'm a little late in posting this but we did have a winner of the contest a few weeks ago! Donya was the only person who submitted a response so Donya, you win! Maybe I should have tempted everyone with the prize to gather more responses. . . Donya, you win a tiny little wool pincushion made by The Blue Daisy! These little pincushions are each made using a bottle cap and then decorated so beautifully! Funny story about these -- last year, I bought one for Edie and was delighted to give it to her while standing in her kitchen one day. Maybe it was for Easter - can't remember why. . . anyway, she did not give the response that I expected but rather gave me a strange look, turned on her heels and dashed down her hallway. She reappeared a few moments later shoving her hand out to me and said "Here"! Turns out she bought the exact same pincushion for me for my birthday! Too funny! We always love the same things! But, back to Donya, I bet you forgot about the little contest, didn't ya? Or you thought we forgot! I'll give it to you at our next "Sit-n-Stitch" at Edie's in a week or so! (Love those, we get together at Edie's and work on Vintage Christmas - Anne Sutton's applique BOM) -- we eat and talk and laugh and oh, yeah - we do get a little bit done on our blocks! Congrats, Donya! Hope you put the little pincushion to use!

Julie

Zippity Doo Cindy Lou Who!

2009-10-26T00:36:00.003-04:00

Whew! It's finished in time for the end of the month! Love it when I get something completed in time! This was a fun little quilt to make -- I think it would be fun to make this out of the Authentic line of fabrics. . . or a very soft floral or Reproductions or even batiks! Whatever! Carrie Nelson always makes such great patterns -- these Schnibbles can give you a really quick quilting "fix"! I highly recommend them to everyone! On this note, I'm going to bed!

Halloween quilt complete!

2009-10-25T09:17:00.003-04:00

It's finished! And ain't it cute!! Can you see the little spider hanging by the boot? This is the cutest pattern! I'll try to remember to ask Viola the name of the pattern. She said she bought the kit in Utah! Sounds like a great road trip -- I've heard there are many nice quilt shops there.

Last night, Edie and I were working on our fall quilts. I am proud to say that I pulled all the fabrics from my stash except for the background which I purchased a few months ago at Olde Green Cupboard in Jacksonville. Edie is calling hers "Squash Casserole" and I think mine will be "Pumpkin Surprise". You know the fall season brings to mind, what else -- FOOD and all those great Thanksgiving dishes that we only seem to have once or twice each year! Why do we have such delicious foods only once or twice a year? Craziness! Wait, I know -- cuz it is all SO MUCH WORK! Well, I have drifted off the subject of quilting but I must say that I LOVE FALL!

Later, when I go upstairs to my Sewing Room -- I'll take some pictures of what I am working on for Pumpkin Surprise! And I'm using my Accuquilt GO! to cut a lot of the pieces -- LIFE IS GOOD!!

Happy Stitching!

Julie

Almost done!

2009-10-24T00:04:00.002-04:00

Look what we've been up to tonight! It's been hauntingly fun! We are almost finished with this block and then we are putting ourselves and Ruby to bed for the night! We'll get back with you tomorrow. . .

Do YOU dream in quilts??

2009-10-21T22:26:00.006-04:00

Sneak peak of Viola's Halloween quilt

Un-filled shoe must wait for tomorrow

Cobblestone shoe - isn't it cute!

I thought you all might like to watch the progression of this quilt. It is the cutest thing! Viola made it and gave us "free rein" to quilt it as we chose. Let me just tell you that this is so much fun! Tonight we mounted the quilt on the frame, did the top border and started working on the witches' shoes. Aren't they the cutest shoes -- since it was such are large piece of solid black for each shoe, we felt it needed some texture. This is actually a "cobblestone" block but Edie and I think it resembles Edie's leather shoes that she was wearing. (She's already gone home so I can't get a pix of her shoes for you now!) Compare the blank shoe vs the cobblestone shoe -- looks pretty good, huh? Viola, I hope you like it! The second shoe will get stitched tomorrow night -- a girl's gotta sleep a little bit! But, I'll probably dream about this quilt tonight. I "dream" in quilts, how about you? To many people the question is "Do you dream in color"? To me, the answer has always been - "Of course, do you dream in quilts"? So, on that note, I'll put myself to bed for another colorful, quilt-filled dream!

Julie

Name this photo!

2009-10-14T21:09:00.002-04:00

Funny thing - last night we were working away on a quilt when Ruby suddenly made a really unusual sound - (kinda like when your tummy growls so loud it shocks even you). Since we were such attentive, good students in Ruby's maintenance class -- we knew we could find the source of the problem! Immediately, I knew what to do -- send Edie "down under" with a flashlight! Fortunately, she is willing to follow her big sister (yes, even after all these years!) and down she went. In a flash, she was hollering for the hemostat! She found the source of Ruby's growling -- a piece of thread! (Now I wonder where THAT came from!) As I turned back with the requested hemostat, I just had to grab the camera, too! All I could think of was - Ding Dong, the witch is dead! Except it was Ruby on top of Edie instead of Ruby slippers sticking out -- I know I have a warped sense of humor - but that's where my head was at that late hour! Anyway, I'm happy to report that Edie got the thread, Ruby quieted herself and we finished the quilt shortly before the stroke of midnight! All in a Days work! (Hmmmn, maybe that should be the title of the pix). Submit your suggestions before 6pm ET on Friday, 10/16 to have your name in a drawing for a goodie you're sure to love!

Busy Weekend!

2009-10-05T12:44:00.004-04:00

On Saturday, Edie and I went to Suzanne's Quilt Shop in Moultrie, GA for our Saturday Sampler class. We're both working with the 30's colorway. Anywho, it's a fun time to meet with other quilters! This month we went up earlier in the day than usual and saw a few friends from our local guild. We ran into Betty and Char -- they are both terrific quilters and honored us recently by allowing us to quilt some of their quilts. They each gave us permission to show you some of their quilts so here they come! The first two photos are actually the back of Char's quilt which is the 3rd photo. The last photo is Betty's blue & white quilt. I just loved both of these quilts - they were such a pleasure to quilt! Betty also did a really cute tree skirt but my picture didn't turn out - it was cute, too! Edie & I have both tried to make tree skirts in the past but have never been able to bring ourselves to cut the hole in the middle for the tree!!

We also had a birthday party at my house for my daughter, Brittany! She turned 25 on 9/30 - it's been a FUN 25 years with her. The joy of my life! I'm so lucky! Better stop now before I get all mushy -- have you ever tried to shop at Hallmark and find a non-mushy card for a grown daughter -- boy, it's hard! Miss B told me a few months ago that she didn't want to cry at her birthday cards!

Happy Stitching!!

Another pretty quilt

2009-09-30T20:35:00.002-04:00

This quilt was done for our dear friend, Rhonda. She makes beautiful quilts and let's us quilt them! Go, Rhonda! This one was made using Fig Tree fabrics and a dogwood quilting design.

First Featured Quilter

2009-09-30T20:11:00.003-04:00

Just take a look at Judy's pretty pink quilt! Judy hasn't named this one (that we know of) but we like it so much we've called it Pink Climbing Roses! Climbing Roses is the name of the Edge to Edge quilt design Judy chose. Isn't it pretty? We'll show you more customer quilts as we get permission to post them -- thanks Judy for being our first featured quilter!

Scnibbles Completed!!

2009-09-28T13:28:00.003-04:00

I am participating the Schnibbles of the Year hosted by Pink Pincushion and The Quilting Life. It is so much fun. Basically, we all agree to make the same Schnibble each month. When complete, you post a picture of your Schnibble or email it to the hosts. At the end of the month, we should get to see everyone's completed Schnibble. This has been especially fun for me since I got to meet Carrie Nelson this past June in Cullman, Alabama. Edie and I go up for the Quilt Symposium. It's a 3-day quilt show with classes. Last year we took classes from Kim Diehl - her Mocha Stars (which is in her new book - Simple Comforts), loved that quilt but it's still a UFO! Carrie bribes her students with a free pattern if they finish the quilt and send her a picture! It worked with me! If you get a chance to take a class from Carrie - it was a lot of fun - she has great stories to tell!

Till next time...

Happy Stitching!

WooHoo!

2009-09-23T22:06:00.002-04:00

We are so excited! Our blog is getting a makeover (maybe I can have one next) sometime in the next few days! Stay tuned for the upcoming excitement!