Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Found Quilts????

Last post, I showed a picture of a little quilt that I pulled from stash. It's nothing great, but as Libby said, "found quilts are always just so sweet". Found Quilts???? I loved it!

Next thing I knew, light bulbs were blinking in my brain and I decided to dig around and see if I could find more quilts in my scraps, strips and stash!!!!

Here is what I came up with.......


The first is copied from another blogger, Karen (with her permission!) and then I spied this post by Wendy with lots and lots of little quilts using this same pattern from Jo Morton! This smallish quilt, with the small blue floral inner border measures 33 x 27 inches.

The next is a block that I just made and cut up! I think I might have seen it floating around somewhere on the web, but not sure. (It's similar to Bonnie's Strip Twist....but not exactly. Her quilt has no biased edges....maybe I should have used her pattern! LOL) This quilt, with the small striped inner border measures 33x 25 inches.



Both of these quilts

are made using 1 1/2 inch strips
....and a few "almost" 1 1/2 inch strips *grin*
And really, there is NO rhyme or reason
in the fabric choices,
just pure, random HAPPINESS!!!!!

Anyway, all this inspiration hit and I just couldn't stop myself....even though I haven't finished my Orange Crush Part 4, my Star Quilt Along block 4, or anything else. I was just obsessed to get these ideas made up!

If you haven't made any small quilts lately, maybe now is the time! Get your thinking caps on.....next post I will issue a CHALLENGE!!!!!!! Are you ready for one????

Happy Quilting!!

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Taking a blogging break....

It wasn't planned, but it looks like I took a bit of a blogging break. I suppose it's because I've been trying to rest and get well.....maybe that's my excuse. I took a break from our Quilt Bee this week, which should prove that I have been trying to take it easy. I really am doing better. Not 100% yet, but so much better.

I did take some time to work on a few things just for fun. One thing I did was pull out Dear Younger Son's Double Four Patch blocks! I made another 7 blocks, all pieced by hand. Here's a picture of some I made....they haven't been pressed yet. (Oops the picture is sideways!!! LOL)


Hand piecing in bed, on the couch, in the recliner....and no iron. I'll have to press them sometime this week. Now, I'm up to 83. Just 17 more and all the blocks will be done. Here's a link to a previous post. Click on the link, then enlarge the picture, you'll see the completed quilt in the book!

I also put some of the blocks together for the Orange Crush Mystery Part 4. Not all of them are done, but I think I got about 18-20 completed. Just plugging away.

Then, just for fun, I threw this little quilt together. I really did just pull fabrics out of the scrap basket. Didn't even really look at them, just put them together. Then pulled a couple of strips out for the border. Certainly not the prettiest little quilt I've ever made, but I think it will look great under a lamp. I have just the place for it. When I get around to it, I'll hand quilt it.



Lastly, I ran to the LQS and picked up a Super Queen batting to finish Dear Older Son's quilt. It's too dark tonight to take pictures, but maybe tomorrow, if I can get someone to help hold it, I can take a picture. It is his graduation quilt......from 4 years ago. Don't anyone fuss at me, I feel awful. It's been something hanging over my head for a while. But honestly, it's large, hand pieced and must be hand quilted....and that's why it has hung in the closet all this time. I don't think he understands the hours that went into it and the additional hours I'll add to complete it. No, it's not like he asked for it, I wanted to make it. All my kiddos will eventually get a hand pieced, hand quilted quilt for graduation....even if it's for their wedding!!! LOL

Hope everyone has had a great weekend and spent some time at the machine. I enjoyed my time of rest, but Monday comes to us all!!!!

Happy Quilting!!!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Give Away at Ohio Quilter's Journey



Visit Ohio Quilter's Journey and answer a question to be entered in the drawing!

Star Quilt Along - Week 3

I was able to get the third block for the Star Quilt Along done. Loving the greens. This green is one I picked up on the sale table a while back for $4 a yard. The rest is being cut into strips for our strip swap with our Quilter's Group. Love sales, especially when you HAVE to buy fabric.

Happy Quilting!!!!

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Summer Quilt Swap is now Open!


For those of you who have been following all the Spring Quilts that have been swapped....now is your chance to jump in with both feet. The summer quilt swap is open - and you'd better make a decision quickly. There is a limited amount of participants allowed, so hop over and check it out for yourself!!!!

Four Seasons Quilt Swap - Summer


Happy Quilting!!!!

Still hanging in there...

Wow, I just don't know what to say. I'm still feeling under the weather. I'm trying to be a good girl and get well, but it's just not working. Dear Older Daughter, Dear Younger Son and I have been trading the crud back and forth for quite a while. DOD is the first to make a trip to the Dr. last week. Double ear infection (one about to rupture). If I'm not doing better by Thursday, I'm making an appt. I've got to kick this pretty soon! It's interfering with my sewing and a woman has to draw the line somewhere!

I cut out Orange Crush Part 4 Sunday while home TRYING to recover from this stuff. This morning, I took a little while to sew together the HST's and then HAD to sew a few blocks to see how they will look! It's looking awful sweet.


I've got the day off from watching my sweet niece. Her daddy stayed home with her today so that I could rest some. I'm heading off to take a late morning nap. Maybe some rest will help....at least it won't hurt! *wink*

Hope everyone is having a great week! Happy Quilting!!!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Mother's Day Give Away!

Visit My Favorite Things and comment to be a part of the Give Away!!!!

Happy Quilting!!!!

Mother

Happy Mother's Day!



This is a bit long, but if you have the time, please read it. Regardless of which stage we find ourself in this journey as a mother, we must remember why our children were given to us. As a mother, our love is to be an earthly reminder of God's unconditional love.

From the website: A Mother's Devotions

One Mother's Love

One of my good friends when I was in my twenties, was an older Christian lady named Doynell. She had been discriminated against all of her life, because of being extremely overweight. She had grown up being stared at in the rudest ways. She had married a kind man with a disability, and they could not have children, so they wanted to adopt. Doynell and Melvin had a home study done, decorated a nursery, and were waiting when I met them. The deepest desire of their hearts was to have a child of their own.

One day I got a phone call from one of my children's surgeons, who knew me well. He said there was a seven month old baby boy up at the hospital, who had lived there all his life. This baby had been given up at birth, but no one wanted to adopt him, or even take him in as a foster child. This baby had normal intelligence, but had disabilities. The doctor was looking for a home for this baby, because he was becoming autistic, and afraid of everyone. Any time a person came near him, they were going to hurt him, and he knew it. This little baby had a terribly deformed face, and a trach. He needed constant, careful suctioning and oxygen, 24 hours a day. He had been born with no connection between his mouth and his lungs or stomach. He was fed by a stomach tube. He also had severe arthritis, and it hurt him to move. He had spent his whole life lying on his back. He was also deaf.

I suggested my friend, and he called the baby's social worker. Before I knew it, Doynell and I were going up to meet this abandoned little one. I remember it well. My friend walked in, took one look at the baby, and her instant, proud, excited response was "that's my boy!" I looked, and my instant response was a silent horror. This poor baby had deformed, close-set eyes, and a nose and mouth deformed and pinched together so he looked more like a bird than a baby. His facial muscles did not work, and he could not change his expression. Frightening gurgling, gasping sounds came from his trach, as he struggled to breathe. When we came near him, he turned his head away from us, his eyes squinted, and he cried in fear, without expression or sound. I couldn't see past the baby's deformities. But all my friend saw was a helpless little baby who needed a mother. A baby boy with curly blonde hair, eyes the most beautiful deep blue, and incredibly long lashes. My instinct was a horrified pity. Hers was overwhelming love.

Doynell spent every day at the hospital with her baby from that day forth until she could bring him home. She learned all his care at the hospital, got licensed, and brought him home. They adopted him, and named him Michael Patrick. She and her husband were both exuberantly grateful to God.

Doynell was completely devoted to her little son. I was amazed and humbled by her absolute acceptance of his disabilities. I was ashamed that I had problems coping with the way he looked, and the way his loud, choking breathing sounded. I couldn't seem to get past that sound, and the look of terror in his eyes while being suctioned. He had to be deep suctioned. Sterile saline solution (if I remember correctly) had to be squirted down his trachea, to loosen the phlegm. Then she would suction. But while the liquid was in, he could not take a breath, and he struggled. His face clearly showed that he was screaming in terror, though he could not make a cry. He would gaze up into my friend's eyes as she suctioned him, with a silent, wild, terrified look, jerking his head back and forth, and flailing his stiff, painful little arms and legs. You could see the intelligence in his eyes. He must have felt like he was drowning each time. No wonder he had grown frightened of life. I don't think I would have been able to do that kind of suctioning. It broke my heart to see his eyes, his terror each time, so many times a day. I deeply admired that way my friend did, without batting an eyelash. She was utterly matter of fact about it. "It has to be done, to keep him alive. There's no sense fussing over something that can't be avoided." She cared for him twenty-four hours a day. She kept his crib beside her bed.

Little Michael lived to be eighteen months old. He never rolled over, or walked, because of his arthritis, but he moved around in the walker. He was a beloved member of his very own family He was receiving infant stimulation, and was quickly learning sign language. I have a picture of him in a walker in their living room, his oxygen tube connected to his neck. He could not smile, for his little face was frozen in this bird-like grimace. But his eyes followed his mother wherever she went. His life depended on her, and he knew it. Doynell loved her baby boy with all the fervent love of any new mother, and more.

What a gift that little Michael had ten months of a life at home with a mommy and daddy, both of whom loved him with all their hearts.

Doynell and Melvin continued adopting children with severe facial deformities, and other problems. Doynell said she was well able to teach her children that people were always going to stare, and not to let it bother them. Many of them died, as their disabilities were incompatible with a long life. She had clear visions of her children in Heaven. I wish her story had ever been told. She died fourteen years ago, but I'll never forget.

She loved those babies with a whole, pure, unconditional love, like God loves us. God doesn't look at us, and say to himself, "this one is too rebellious, too stubborn, too wicked, I can't love this one." He loves each one of us with a holy love. A love so great that we cannot even imagine it.

I'm so glad that God doesn't judge us, like I judged that poor little baby. If only our love could be better. But I have always thought about my friend, when thinking of how unconditionally God loves us.


Tuesday, May 6, 2008

OH MY WORD!!!!!

Look at what came in the mail today!!!! It's absolutely amazing. The pictures do NOT do this little quilt justice! It is made with folded fabric for the little star blocks....and it has the sweetest little bead in the center of each one! All of the pink fabrics are so adorable. I really, really love the precious little cornerstone fabric....bright green with little pink and yellow flowers. The quilting is wonderful too. And how it was folded - perfect! Even the label is super special.




Here are the pictures.....there was even a "folded star" card included with sweet words! Thank you so much Solidia!!! I absolutely adore it. I do apologize to your girls, but this little quilt is staying here!!! LOL

Check out Solidia's blog to see how she made this little charmer. I would LOVE to participate again in a Four Season's Quilt Swap!!!! This has been such fun!

Happy Quilting!!!!

Monday, May 5, 2008

Star Quilt Along - Week 2


I can't believe how quickly these two blocks have gone. They are my favorite star block....the Variable Star. It has so many.....variations!! LOL

Now, whether or not I'll be able to stay on track each week remains to be seen, I'm thinking "so far, so good"! And, remember, I am doing this for fun, there will be NO STRESSING over points!!! he he he

If you want to join the fun visit Amanda Jean's blog, Crazy Mom Quilts. Here is a link to the first block. Enjoy!

Happy Quilting!!!

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Orange Crush Part 3 - DONE!!!!

I finally got out the 2 inch strip bucket and cut up the Orange Crush Part 3! This morning, since we weren't able to attend church.....I used my "quiet time" to sew up the 44 half blocks required. It went pretty fast, and I was surprised. I'd never done anything like this. It's pretty nice not knowing what lies ahead concerning the mystery. Just take one step at a time and sew it, even if you don't really understand! Ahhh.....going with the flow!



Dear Hubby is feeling a bit pooped today. We had air conditioner problems this week and ended up with a new unit. With Multiple Sclerosis, heat makes him terribly weak. If it continues, he ends up almost paralyzed and then unable to breathe. Air conditioning is not a luxury here! It's an absolute necessity. The temps were mild, for Houston weather.....80-85 degrees, but the temps in the house were up to 88 the last day. Too hot for DH!!!! And to those who "helped" with our A/C issues, you know who you are.....I say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I don't know what I'd do without you!!!!

Happy Quilting Bloggy Friends!!!!

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Finally Caught on Film!

A friend sent this one!! Someone finally caught on film
the pot at the end of the rainbow.....That figures!!!

Looking for a tutorial or instructions...


Recently, I was given this omnigrid triangle ruler. I just realized that it can be used to make 1/4 square triangles, like hour glass blocks. Are there any other uses for this ruler....ideas that would make it worth keeping and using? I looked online for some ideas, but I'm having a hard time finding anything.

If you use this ruler, will you share the uses with me? If you have a link that gives tutorials or further instructions, will you let me know?

Thanks everyone!
Happy Quilting!!!

Friday, May 2, 2008

One last picture of these!!!

I've done it! I've completed Dear Mother In Law's placemats. All 6 are quilted and have the binding on them. Tomorrow I will wash them so they wrinkle just right. Next week, I'll run them over to her. If I can remember my camera, I'll take pictures of them on her table. They are a bit big, so I hope they fit! Regardless, they are DONE!!!!

What's next????? LOL

Happy Quilting!!!