Thursday, October 29, 2009

Where is the Hydrangea now?

Very wet and cold. I know the plant is fine but it has never looked like this in all the winters we have had. It has been very wet this fall and then the temps dipped below freezing a few nights. I usually put the dried blooms in my winter outdoor arrangements...we'll see if these hold up.
This was a welcome addition to my morning today...let's be honest...most days.

I am working on quilting the Roman holiday quilt. I ended up using dark red thread. I think it might look better with white but I couldn't help myself, the dark red color is so pretty. I'll take better photos if we get more sunshine!


Soon, we will have to dry these pumpkins off and carve them up...maybe tomorrow.

Have a great fall weekend, enjoy that extra hour of sleep (those of you with no kids at home) and stay safe!

Friday, October 23, 2009

Homework...



Our school is hosting an auction and each class is putting together a themed basket of goodies. The themes I have to work with are "Thanksgiving" and "Arts and Crafts". I really wanted to put something together using fabric I had at home and that worked out! The above (frustrating rotated) photos are the table topper I thought would be for a thanksgiving dinner. I used Moda Shangri'la scraps from another table runner I did...not sure if I posted about that one...hmmmm.
Below is a kids crayon/marker holder for travel. I have made a few of these but I made this one bigger to hold longer markers. It is a bit too long but I like the Moda MoMo Wonderland fabric, hopefully it works for a boy or a girl.

Sidenote: Blogger still rotates photos as I upload if it thinks it should be vertical. It doesn't seem to matter what I do. If anyone knows how to change this let me know.

Have a great weekend everyone, we have a busy but fun one ahead...thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Half-Square Blocks

Yesterday I found this fun blog...http://metrosupialdesigns.wordpress.com/. She has some beautiful quilts and I learned a lot about value and putting fabrics together. She is doing a quilt a long with Half-Square blocks. I love how there are endless possibilities for half-square blocks and I decided to put together a fall table topper with some Shangri-La scraps (Moda, 3 sisters). I am donating this one to a "Thanksgiving" themed basket at the kids' school auction. Here are the options I came up with...Same set of squares...very different looks...
In the end I think I'll go with this one:It actually isn't my favorite but I think it is the best one for this project.
Check this quilt out from Red Pepper Quilts! She used 400 half square blocks for this. It is one of the best quilts I have ever seen, I love it! Someday... It does reinforce that I need to keep fabric shopping, I don't have enough different fabrics to make this. :)

Fall Flash!















We have been busy! Here is a snapshot of the last week. The snow was quick to leave and the leaves were quick to turn color. We still have large Aspens in the yard that are green. It has been an odd fall season.
I did get a bike ride in yesterday but 50 degrees is about as cold as I can go, time to switch to indoor spinning class!
In the two days that we have enjoyed sunshine we hit a few pumpkin patches and enjoyed some family time.
I have also been sewing...more to come.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

It looks like Christmas!

The snow is still on the ground from yesterday (yikes! I'm not ready to put away my bike.) But it does get me in the mood to make this quilt...
This quilt has been on my to do list for over a year. I bought this fabric so long ago to make a quilt for last Christmas. Since then so many fabric lines have come along that I like better...so I buy more fabric, plan more quilts and this fabric just sits (and still looks pretty!). Sorry about the rotated photos!
Monday I decided to whip this up...I may sell it. I have a booth at a little craft sale coming up in November. The fabric is Roman Holiday by 3 sisters for Moda (charm packs and yardage). I don't think you can get it anywhere anymore. I had no pattern, but I have seen this type of modern layout on many blogs and in magazines.
I really wanted to go out a buy a beautiful brown background fabric instead of the dark green/white branch fabric but I was determined to use what I had. I think it is a little busy but not bad. I do not have red binding and I think that might be a must!
What color thread should I use to quilt an all over stipple? I am leaning to dark red...but white might let the fabrics stand out more. I need feedback! Please leave me your vote!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Before the leaves changed...the snow falls...

We enjoyed just one tree changing color this fall. The others are still green, leaves hanging on. Steady snow today in Minneapolis. I made caramel apple pie yesterday but today I just might start the Christmas music!


Friday, October 9, 2009

Blogger's Quilt Festival...Thanks Amy!


This was so fun in the spring when Amy put together an online quilt festival and she has done it again! Go click on the quilt festival graphic over there on the right and start viewing all the amazing quilts!

I think I will enter this...



The fabrics are some of my all time favorites and it is, well, more "me" than anything else I have made. This is the first project that I created without a pattern. The original post with all the fabric details can be found here. Thanks for checking me out!