Doing Summer, Apricots, American River and Hand Stitching.....

Apricots from the local farmer's market!

Wild flowers along the American River, yes, there were butterflies.

American River off hwy 50 on the way to S. Lake Tahoe.

Finishing hand sewing binding on 2 quilts.

What's Up Thursday!!!

Summer's up around here. Trips to the local farmer's market. Love Apricot jam!!

Road trip to the river for wild flowers and butterflies.

Slow hand stitching binding on two quilts for my grand daughters. Two 'Piece O' Cake' quilts.

Come on over for Apricot Pie!

Craft Napa Art Retreat 2017, Quilt Binding, Embroidery Stitches....

Satin stitch and outline embroidery work on my kit.

Binding sewn on 'Piece of Cake for Penny' quilt.

This is what it will look like after binding hand stitched down on back.

What's Up Thursday!!!!

I sewed the binding onto the front of 'Penny's Piece of Cake' quilt and I'll be hand stitching that down on the back. Love, love turquoise!

Satin stitch has been finished on my embroidery kit project. Now I have outline stitch and french knots and lazy daisies to work.

Craft Napa 2017 is open for registration and I'm signed up! I'm taking one of Jane LaFazio's

classes, Monoprinted Art Quilts. I'm looking forward to that, big time. 

Lots of inspiration and beautiful surroundings.

We have a lot to be thankful for today. Make a difference; starts with a smile!

Art Quilt Finish, Laura Wasilowski's Free-stitched Embroideries Article...

'Quilting Arts' Magazine June/July 2016 has an article on free form stitching.

Free-stitched Embroideries by Laura Wasilowski, pg. 21 excellent!

My version of 'Jam Art' ,design by Maple Island Quilts.

What's Up Thursday!!!!

This week flew by!! A new grandson has been born, the first in our family! We're walking on clouds and very thankful.

I finished hand stitching the binding down to the back of my version of 'Jam Art'. I'll be calling it 'Tropical Jam'. I gave it a wash and a spin in the drier too. It will look good on a wall so I will add a hanging sleeve. The binding is thin in width on the front, as I don't like the bulky double fold binding  look, and don't use it on my quilts.

Quilting Arts Magazine, June/July 2016 has a great article on free-stitched embroideries by Laura Wasilowski. Her work is beautiful and clever. Stitching enthusiasts, this is a must see and read! 

It takes courage to walk in beauty, to be a voice for good.

Be courageous.

Butterfly for June, Log Cabin Flimsy Finish, Hand Quilting Finish!!

June 2016, Monarch butterfly...

Hand quilting finished on my 'Jam Art' quilt, binding sewn onto front.

Finished log cabin flimsy, 54" x 44", Yes!

Log cabin flimsy close-up.

 What's Up Thursday!!

It's the first of the month butterfly celebration! Monarch butterfly for June 2016. We get a lot of Monarchs through here, N. CA. I've seen a few but the big rush is yet to happen.

I'm linking up with Ann's Kaleidoscope of Butterflies .

I've finished hand quilting my small 'Jam Art' quilt and sewn the binding to the front and will soon get it hand sewn onto the back. I'm linking up with Slow Stitch Sundays @ Kathy's quilts.

My wonky log cabin flimsy is finally sewn together. That took a long time, over a year. I'd work on it, then put it away, then work a little more, etc. Getting the blocks set just right in their 'wonkiness' took a little deliberating.

I'm looking forward to enjoying the beautiful month of June, May went by way too fast I think.

With all the butterflys, flowers and birds this is a wonderful time of the year.

Happy Thursday, remember to get outside and soak up the color!

Modern Patchwork 2015, Improv Ideas, yes, that's from last year!!!...

More satin stitch, my new ruler from Missouri Star Quilt Co.

Modern Patchwork summer 2015, lots of articles on improvisation.

What's Up Thursday!!!

I'm getting in the 'groove' with satin stitch, getting more done on my embroidery kit, Bohemian Paisley by Bucilla.

Last week I found excellent articles in 'Modern Patchwork', summer 2015. 

'Black and White is the New Color' by Malka Dubrawsky @ stitchindye.com/blog 

is full of  improvisational examples, how to's and tips.  

Amy Ellis, Quilting Daily.com, has a super article, 'Sewing Machine Tension and You' that I'll be studying lots, very practical for quilting on your home machine.

What with hand embroidery and reading great articles, I've been busy in the stitching, quilting world.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for all you who share projects and ideas on blogs and in articles in quilt magazines and books. Great inspiration and fun!

New Class, 'Colorful Scrap Quilting', Quilt and Embroidery progress....

Orange with purple border...

Orange with turquoise border..

Satin stitch has been added...

What's up Thursday!

More satin stitch has been worked on my embroidery kit. I like satin stitch, when you work it enough you begin to get a feel for how the stitches should lay.

I finally pieced together the backs for the two twin quilts that have been waiting impatiently to be finished. They both have a lot of orange, one has a purple border and the other a turquoise border.

Today I'll deliver them to the local long-arm quilt lady to work her magic.

I've just signed up for a class 'Colorful Scrap Quilting' by Amanda Jean Nyberg, crazymomquilts
through craftsy.com.
I wanted to quilt along and have a goal to work towards. When I'm in a slump I need inspiration and Amanda has worked up a lot of great quilts with color I enjoy. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Happy Thursday, ever onward, ever upward!!

'Big Stitch' Quilting, more,' Embroidery and Patchwork Revisited' Book Review...

My white Amaryllis in the sun light, it had four blossoms this year.

'Big stitch' quilting almost done on my art quilt.

More done on my embroidery kit project.

Found a great new book, 'Embroidery & Patchwork Revisited', by Janice Vaine.

What's Up Thursday!

I hope you are having a wonderfully productive week. Even if you aren't, look forward to next week, it'll come. Haven't you noticed that creativity comes in rhythms? Sometimes it's a water fall, sometimes it's a trickle.

I found 'Embroidery & Patchwork Revisited' by Janice Vaine, published by Landauer Publishing, and what a good book on all things embroidery and crazy quilting! I highly recommend it for inspiration and excellent examples and directions.

My art quilt is almost all quilted with 'big stitch' hand quilting. Again, I use 3 strands of embroidery thread because that's the way I like to do it for now. Maybe I'll use pearl cotton on the next quilt.

The embroidery kit I purchased at a local fabric store is getting done a little here and a little there.

I do like the colors on the dark background.

My Fabulous White Amaryllis is now blooming, so gorgeous.  I've got to get a picture of it in the morning light, as if I didn't already have a million pictures of it.

Here's a link to light up your day!!!!!!What Makes You Beautiful !