Seeing Red, Quilt Binding by Hand, Improv with AHIQ 27, Matchstick Quilting

Mr. colorful neighborhood woodpecker/sapsucker at work.

Hand stitching the binding down on my quilt.

I love the look of matchstick quilting, great texture.

Happy Monday from the Pacific NW!

 Where rain has let up and blue sky and sun are taking turns with clouds.

We're  staying with relatives, busy helping and sightseeing.

In the backyard a woodpecker/sapsucker has claimed a tree. I researched it and read that this kind of chipping away at a tree's bark for sap can kill it. It's not my tree so I'm not involved in the rescue. Plans are now being made by the 'responsible adults' to take steps to save the tree and deter the sapsucker. There's a whole forest out there to choose from after all. 

I've had time here and there to work on hand sewing the binding to the back of my wall/art quilt.

I started piecing it last fall when we were visiting my daughter and her family in New Hampshire.
I started with a traditional log cabin style block and used color to make it exciting.
I've submitted it to a quilt show, who knows maybe it'll be accepted.

The binding is almost done!
I'm linking up with Ann and Kaja for AHIQ 27 celebrating improvisation in quilt design.

Also stop by to visit Victoria Gertenbach @ thesillyboodilly to see her beautiful embroidery/stitching projects and catch her interview on American Patchwork and Quilting Podcast. 

That's the news from the shire where I'm remembering to be thankful.

Have a good week and I'll be by to visit.

NW Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival, Thanksgiving!, Quilt Binding, Embroidery & Buttons

We went here Saturday.

Big Foot was there to greet everyone.

There were colorful bags, quilt fabrics, patterns and more.

Beautiful 'Hawaiian' quilt on display.

Shibori Dragon Quilt Shop had a great display and Japanese fabric.

The big local Sewing Store had a huge display and they were ready to sell!

Mt. Rainier, 14,000 + ft., on the way home, had to get a photo.

I squared up my 18" x 60" runner/wallart, it's ready for binding.

More sewing on buttons and adding hand embroidery on my sewing 'toolies.'

Happy Thanksgiving Week from the Pacific NW!

Where we are staying with relatives, helping and sightseeing when we get a chance.

Saturday we went to the NW Quilt, Craft & Quilt Festival held at the Puyallup Fairgrounds.

There were lots of vendors and everything you can imagine having to do with quilts/crafts.

The crowd wasn't bad. There were other shows going on at the same time at the fairgrounds (guns, junk, antique) so we had to make sure and get the right gate.

It was fun and inspiring.

Today I cut binding and got it sewn together ready for my runner/wall art, 18" x 60".

Tomorrow it'll be done. 

I also put more finishing touches on my needle books; sewed on more mother of pearl buttons and adding hand embroidery.

Amanda Jean at crazymomquilts has fun small projects and a cute pattern for a thread catcher. She also has a great book No Scrap Left Behind, make sure and take a look.

And that's the news from the shire where we are thankful for everything the Good Lord has blessed us with.

I hope you have a good week.

I'll be by to visit.

Free Form Quilted Sewing Pouch Pieced Together, New Fabric Line from Natalie Barnes is Gorgeous!

My quilted pieces cut out for sewing tool pouch.

I began working a row of embroidery to match the other pieces.

Embroidery done, matching the needle books, pincushions and scissor fob.

I attached grey ribbon with mother of pearl buttons for the zipper pull.

It brightened up today almost glowed, around lunch, the backyard view.

Happy Friday and weekend!

From Renton, Wa where we are staying with relatives, helping and sightseeing on the side.

I finished piecing the fabric for my sewing pouch. And to make the pouch I used this free tutorial, excellent by the way, by Anna Graham which can be found here @ Noodle-head.com. Yesterday I finished sewing it together, lining, zipper and all. Today the embroidery got finished up and the grey ribbon zipper pull was added.

Missouri Star Quilt Co. has a wow pattern tutorial on YouTube, 'Josh's Star.'

The fabric used is 'Maker's Home' by Natalie Barnes for Windham.

Take time to look at the gorgeous colors and text prints too.

Text prints are becoming a favorite with me. They make perfect contrast.

That's the news from the shire. 

Where I'm remembering to be thankful.

I'll be by to visit.

Free-Form Quilted Fabric Sewing Tools, Sew Stitch Snap Share

Borders added to my recent  abstract, improv quilt.

Getting ready to cross stitch on a strip of linen/cotton for another project.

More needle books made from my free-form quilted fabric, scissor fob and another pin cushion. 

Happy Thursday from the Pacific NW where we have rain! 

We are staying here with relatives, helping out and sightseeing on the side.

This week I finished sewing borders on my abstract improv quilt, 'Attract'.

I like the sawtooth pieces in the border, maybe I'll put another round of them around the outside.

 I had time to get more sewing accouterments made from my free-form quilted fabric, I've put together 2 pincushions now; 2 1/2" x 6", 4 needle books; 3" x 3", 1 scissor fob; 18" of ribbon, 2 1/4" x 2 1/4". I used match stick quilted fabric for the pages in the needle books, for the scissor fob, and the bottom side of the pincushions. The solids are Kona cotton, the fabric with numbers is by Basic Grey.

I'm linking up with Linda  and  Julie who are hosting Sew Stitch Snap Share.

Thanks Linda and Julie!

Stop on by and get inspired and share your work.

That's the news from the shire,

where I'm remembering to be thankful.

Have a great weekend, almost there.

I'll be by to visit.

Free Style Quilted Pincushions, Kaffe Facett Neutrals Auditioning, some snow.

It snowed a little, Saturday and Sunday.

Today the sun is out full force.

Looking over a new charm pack of Kaffe neutrals, making plans.

And I'm sewing up more pincushions and needle books from my free motion practice piece. 

Slowly cutting fabric for more butterflies.

Happy Monday from the Pacific NW!

Where we are staying with family in Renton WA. sightseeing and helping out.

It snowed here, Saturday and Sunday. Today the sun is out making up for lost time but it's still cold.

I got my new Kaffe Facett charm pack of neutrals in the mail Friday, now I'm planning and auditioning them. I might use some of them in my butterfly blocks.

Today I'm working on pincushions and needle cases that I'm making from quilted fabric that I had practiced free style machine quilting on. I was going to throw it away but I realized that the quilted fabric was a treasure with the texture and fun stitching all over it. So it will be made into sewing accouterments; known to some as 'toolies'; pincushions, needle books, pouches etc. I think they'll make nice gifts.

That's news from the shire where we are staying warm and enjoying the sunshine today.

Remembering to be thankful.

Have a good week, I'll be by to visit.

Butterfly Quilt Blocks, Kaleidoscope of Butterflies 22, Happy November 1st!

I'm using Kona solids, batiks and Tim Holtz  text fabric for my butterflies.

My butterfly for November, Leanira Checkerspot.




Happy November 1st from Renton, WA where there are clouds and rain today, off and on.
The poplar and maple leaves have turned very beautiful colors.
We're helping relatives and sightseeing around the Pacific NW.

I'm linking up with Cathy  and Ann  for Kaleidoscope of Butterflies 22, where we are celebrating butterflies!
My butterfly calendar features Leanira Checkerspot. They're common in western Oregon, Utah, Nevada, Western Colorado, California to Baja California. The adults feed on flower nectar, the caterpillars feed on leaves and flowers of Paintbrush. Their flight is from April-July.
The underside of their hind wing is white with black veins, the 'checkerspot.'

I squeezed in some time to piece two butterfly blocks using Fig Tree & Co. 's  'Painted Lady' pattern.
I also Google searched 'butterfly quilt blocks' images and found that the 'Painted Lady' pattern is based on a common traditional butterfly block. I found one that I liked where the body was the same length as the block. So I decided to piece my butterflies that way. The grey and white batik looks a little bit like the  hind wing of the Checkerspot, I think.

That's the news from the shire where I'm remembering to be thankful.
Have a good day.
I'll be by to visit.