L'il Sunbonnet Boy; better known as Overall Sam (or Bill)

Here's a simple quilt which I recently pieced together.  I appliqued a little Sunbonnet Boy in his overalls with a polka dot heart patch on his knee, onto the quilt to give it a little bit of extra love.  I did try to use what fabric I had on hand but ended up back at Joann's fabric store anyway.  Coupons come in handy for times like this to keep material cost minimal.

Idea File



Cherry Cobbler

Lemon Twist

I'm always on the lookout for quilt patterns that I'd like to make or add to my idea file.  Here are two quilt top patterns that are sweet.  I found these listed at www.shopmartingale.com under Quilting ePatterns, $4.99 per pattern.

Photo issues...

Recently my posted pictures have a dusty look.  It's the lighting, you see.  I need to find a good spot to take my snapshots.  : (  Where oh where? 

Colores quilt progress...

Colores quilt blocks in progress.  These are 14" squares once pieced, including 1/4" seam allowance.  I will make 20 blocks for lap quilt, two done, eighteen to go; approximately 54" x 67-1/2" when finished.

Colores

Cutting 2" strips for this Colores quilt pattern

Sampling of the fabric palette for Colores

Summer 2012; it's is my goal to complete several quilt tops this summer and then to quilt them by either hand or machine quilting for gift-giving at Christmas.  Today I started cutting two-inch strips for this Southwestern-style quilt top.  These blocks will be easy to piece together.  I have chosen a color palette which is uniquely Southwestern.  Choosing the right colors can be a task; however, it's a creative process that I enjoy.

Sunbonnet Sue

Part of my first and favorite quilt, finally completed after all these years.  Sunbonnet Sue and her friend Sam are warm and cozy additions to a variety of quilt block samples.  These are 12" blocks; all the quilting was done by hand.  I love to work on sampler quilts.

New quilt top...shades of yellow and green

Sampler quilt top in the making; shades of lemon yellow and dusty lime green.

This sampler quilt top is nearly done and ready for quilting.  I took most of this fabric from material in my cupboard.  I've read many blogs and clips from other quilters and we all seem to have a common thread that binds.  Ah, the old fabric stash thing.  It's in my mind to sort mine out; use what I have or let it go.  This quilt reminds me of a delicious, fluffy Lemon Meringue Pie.  One mitered corner left to go and then it's ready to be quilted.  I'm debating; should I hand-quilt, try machine quilting, or send it out to be quilted?  Sending it out is not an option.  I dread machine quilting, but maybe it's time to give that a try in the interest of getting it done more quickly.  We'll see.

Dresden Plate

New Look #6574; fabric from my stash includes natural tan linen, rusty orange cotton and black and white checked bias tape.



Created this Dresden Plate applique using the EZ Dresden acrylic tool, with bits and pieces of leftover fabric from other projects.

Here's a look, inside out.  I added pockets which are not part of the pattern.  I also quilted the bottom piece.

I am determined to use fabric from my stash and to try out some of the many patterns I have collected along the way.  June, is it?  Not to early to start sewing gifts for Christmas giving.  I selected a bag pattern, something I've wanted to try.  This is a simple  project which moved along quickly to completion.  The pattern called for interfacing to be applied to both fabric and lining for body.  Instead, I used an iron-on Pellon fusible fleece which I applied to the wrong side of the fabric pieces; I did not interface the lining pieces, to avoid bulkiness.  See the Dresden Plate applique which I created using the EZ Dresden acrylic tool?  Fun and easy to make.  I applied the applique using machine stitching.  I decided to quilt the bottom of the bag to create a firm fabric base that was not sloppy.  The black and white checked bias tape turned out to be a nice contrast and was not difficult to apply.  It covers up and finishes the raw seams around the bottom of the bag.  All in all, this took me two days to complete, working on it off and on throughout the day and night.

Her First Quilt...finished at last!

It's May, almost June 2012.  Earlier this year, I had been busy in the garden with my herbs and flowers, but now I have drifted into a pre-summertime slide and won't give full attention back to the garden until fall.  I'm quilting again.  In the back of my mind, I keep thinking of aprons and summer dresses that I'd like to sew this season, so that will be coming up as well.  Here's my most recent accomplishment, a sweet Sunbonnet Sue sampler quilt which has taken me over 25 years to finally complete, mainly because it kept getting set aside for other projects, other quilts, unexpected interruptions and those kinds of things.  Each block is 12" square.  The quilt should have another column of blocks for better balance, but I'm pleased that it is done at last.  The quilting part I did by hand and I discovered how much more I enjoy hand quilting over machine quilting.  This was my very first quilt project, the one I learned how to quilt on, how to make pieced blocks, how to applique, how to lay out a quilt top to prepare for quilting, and finally how to apply a binding.  Tah dah! 

Happy Birthday, Happy Spring...

See that chocolate cupcake in the picture above?  60 is supposed to be a BIG birthday year for the women in my family.  I spent the day quietly with Ray.  We visited Madd Potters (Emerald Growers) in Fallbrook, where I bought clay pots for my herb garden.  I made my favorite chocolate cupcakes, a batch of 12; not too many, but just enough.  A birthday treat; happy birthday to me!  I ate the very last one for breakfast today, with a cup of coffee.  Here's the recipe:

SIMPLE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tsp. vinegar
1 cup salad oil
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups cold water

Preheat ove to 350 F.  Notice there are no eggs in this recipe?  Put all ingredients in one bowl; mix together to make a smooth batter.  Spoon batter into cupcake tins lined with paper liners.  Fill tins slightly less than 1/2 full (otherwise cupcakes may rise and spill over while baking).  Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until done.  Allow cupcakes to cool and then frost with your favorite frosting.   This is not a very sweet chocolate cake recipe.  The sweetness of the frosting makes these cupcakes just right; chocolate fudge or vanilla frosting are my favorites.  Makes 24 cupcakes.  (Easy to cut this recipe in half, with the same good results).

Tilling the soil...

I am one of those..."She who loves a garden."

There are gnomes in my garden, that's for sure.

Today I gave purposeful thought to gratitude.

I am ever so thankful!

I love to read...

I collect books on gardening, herb lore and other things. 

 Wonderful words and useful information.

Isn't knowledge devine?

 

Aunty's duck...

Here's Henry on Christmas Day; photo taken with new camera which was Christine's (me) Christmas gift from Ray (he's always updating me, you know).  This was Hen's absolute favorite present, from Aunty Donna, of course.

Question of the day...

Socks for Janet, Kiana and Kristen, in that order.

Christine, when will you be posting new sewing projects?  I hope to switch back to sewing very soon, especially since I finally just finished knitting these three pairs of socks; a promise long overdue.  Knitting these was on and off, and then on again; I missed the Christmas deadline.  They will go into the mail to New Mexico this weekend; it's still winter and the weather is cold enough for socks to still be useful.  The joyful part is completion;  completing projects provides a great feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment.

Wishful fashionista...

Pictures I placed into Christine's style file...for fun; for inspiration.  So me thinks we can adapt and tweak these looks a bit to suit Chris better; because she's 60, because she's 5' 2-1/2" (note the extra 1/2"...every inch counts, you know).  In the the picture on the left, change the skirt to a pair of trousers or jeans, and the shoe to loafers, always with comfort in mind.  On the right, scale down this fabulous artsy jacket just a bit, in length and volume, to better fit her petite frame; we can sew this jacket easily, I think.  The styling is devine.  On referring to Christine as petite, this requires certain clarification; she is short but not slender (not anymore anyhows); she is sturdy but, nevertheless, petite...just for the record.

Today's reflection...

I took a class at Herd's Nursery and made this miniature fairy garden

There's me 'n Ray and, of course, then there's Henry; we reside together in peace and we are happy.  I cook and bake and sew and knit and do little artsy stuff from time to time; that's what I do, what I have always ever done, from the time I have kept a home of my own; sometimes in balance, sometimes in chaos, my core strength remains intact.  Ray goes to work and comes home and then goes to work again, but soon he'll retire.  I have two sons but they have gone away from us; grownup men now with lives of their own.  I am a better person than I once was.  Can't change the past, you know; learn to forgive yourself as well as others, and then move forward.  With that, growth happens, or at least I hope so.  I'm all for growth.

Oh Henry!!

See me hiding in the bushes up at Weinie Dog Hill? There's two of them, Sophie and Ruby, on the other side of that fence; weinie dogs, that is. I peek through the chicken wire to see if they are there. Sometimes they peek back and we all go crazy! "Henry, stop it! Come inside!"

2012 begins here...

A quiet New Year at the casita; appropriate time for reflection and contemplation. 

Goodbye 2011...

I enjoy whimsical things and simple living.  Did you know that?  I also love to sip on a cup 'o tea, brewed by me own self.  In 2012, I will grow a potager, a simple herb garden, maybe an apple tree.  Today, on the last day of 2011, I have socks on the knitting needles and a pair of pants cut out and ready to sew for my sis.  All in all, I'm in good shape, come what may.

Merry Christmas!

Can you believe it?  Christmas is here and 2011 is coming to a close.  As I get older, it becomes harder to let go; however, I'm a firm believer in turning pages and new beginnings.  That's what I love about each New Year...a fresh start, a clean slate; life is a series of possibilities.