Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Liz's Shamrock Spring

Liz of A Redneck Dingbat Quilter has been chosen as a finalist in a name that thread contest for Aurifil Threads for the green variegated thread .
Her idea Shamrock Spring !
Please go and vote for her. here!

Think that is an awesome name for the thread!
I am a variegated thread lover!!!
Thanks so much!!

I am still here! Having some bad days with my psoriatic arthritis .
Soon hope to be back busy sewing again!!
We have had Winter come calling again!
Very cold temps in the low 20F's and heavy frosts!
Had some blooming tulips that did not fair too well.
Others seem fine but have some burns on some bushes and tree blooms.
Cold rain today but we need the rain!
Soon we will be past our last frost date here, April 15th...yes that 'tax'day! haha!

So please go on over to the link and vote for Miz Liz please!

Hugs,
Lola

Friday, March 18, 2011

So "Toile" Done

Okay so the post title is my poor effort at being funny with a play on words.
The Midnight Garden toile quilt top is now totally done!


Here it is in all its glory hanging on my design wall( aka table cloth tacked above closet door)!
Binding fabric will be same as the black in the patchwork squares.

This was before sewing all squares and such together.
A floor dry run..;-)
The toile had to be cut so all was facing in right direction!


Center design. A goodly size wall hanging for sure.
Excuse messy cutting table there!
I do really work in here after all.

The baskets are lovely. Diana stitched hers in black .
The colors are not showing up 'real' at all!
I dyed the stitchery fabric myself.
We did change the flower designs a bit.

She added beads to her blooms too.
So now to get layered and on the needle.
I think I have it worked out how I will quilt it.

Next one up is mine. I stitched in a dark red.
My red & cream toile fabric has a bit smaller design on it then the black one.
So mine will not be as large as this one.
Feels good to have one well on the way to finished!
NEXT!!!!!!

Lovely warm day here today 82F!!!
Nice breeze dried the pretty whites on the line.
Flowers, trees and bushes all bloomed out!
So hoping we have a nice seasonable long Spring.
Do not want Summer just yet!

Happy weekend!!
Hugs,
Lola

Thursday, March 17, 2011

O Bit O Sewing



:-) ...all said with an Irish accent me lads an lassies!
Do hope everyone is having a grand St Patrick's Day!
I have found out my Great Grandmother Nora Ring was Irish!!
Been having a bit o fun tracing what bit of my family history I can on Ancestry.com and other sources.
I am sure I will never be able to do what they do on TV but at least I know more than I ever thought I would have!


Some Spring jonquils in a green vase on a fun green runner.

Okay on to the sewing bit.
This is my Quilt Show Wallet I made before the Feb Quilt Show.
Yes used a lot of saved fabric selvages from so may pieces of fabrics.
Some of these are quite old I must say.
When I did all those charity strip quilts I went into my older fabrics to rip and decided to save those edges!

This is totally all my design no pattern. Simple sewing.
Lining fabric , a layer of batting, next foundation to sew the strips on.
Made folded fan pockets. Binding and handles.

Sewed them right through all layers so it was quilted already!
Sorry for pic. Was trying to get a good one close up in window.

Has a long handle on it .
I wear over my head from left shoulder.
Hangs right at my right pocket!


Handle rings I used are curtain rings!
Brass, cheap and easy to use on a lot of different bags/projects!
Yes also super double square stitched those handles and rings.

I also used the strong magnetic snaps to keep it closed.
Covered up the flap one with a small patch of selvages.





Made the pockets for cash and cards easy to get to.
Put them on the outer side not flap side.
Room in bottom for keys even your cell phone if desired.

Have 2 more finished.
They are gifts so cannot show them now.;-)
A fun easy wallet to make any size you would like really !
Keeps your hands free for shopping and looking at the show!!

More sewing to share later!

Hugs all,
Lola

Monday, March 14, 2011

Help for Japan


Pic by IBTimes.

The crisis in Japan is still unfolding with each passing hour.
We all want to help as best we can.
Best to be sure of where you are donating your money .
Here are two great links to read about the best way for you to donate.

USA Today article.

Charity Navigator

All our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to those suffering in Japan.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Adorable Quilt and out of sorts...

Here is one of my favs from the Mid Atlantic Quilt Show.
It is adorable! Love the theme of it.
Awesome work done on this one!
Once again I can not find the artist's info.
Edited to add a link to the quilts maker info on Barb's blog Fun with Barb.
Check it out and also the quilt of the ships I loved too.




Here is a cuppy-cake from the border! Sparkle is there too.

Yummy strawberry short cakes border the middle!

Tea bag draped over the vines.

One adorable cup o tea!


All the quilting was super awesome and made this quilt the lovely piece of art it is!
We really enjoyed seeing it at the show.


Not much sewing getting done around here.
Been feeling out of sorts .
Hope to get back on track soon though.

We have rain today and maybe some storms later.
Not cold out but feels cool and damp..to me.
Guess I best get to it.
Moving in slow motion so may take me a goodly bit to do the few things on my To Do List for the day!;-)

Sure hope every one is doing well!
Hugs,
Lola

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

My Day at Quilt Show

Okay…I am here. Yes I am!


We did the Mid Atlantic Quilt Show on last Thursday opening day.Was a very large turnout of venders and show attendance. A surprise really as some were thinking with the slow economy it would be down. Loads of quilts and assorted other items from traditional as above winner to modern fiber art.

Another winner. Lots of entricate work here.
I was slack and did not write down any maker info! Sorry.

Speaking of the modern art section..was a bit of a hoopla drama over one of the pieces. Here are a couple links you can read about it .

http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=14141898

http://www.kplctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=14141898

http://www.dailypress.com/news/hampton/dp-nws-quilt-festival-xxii-20110225,0,5790292.story

Liz also has some links of pics she took. Alice, Diana and I walked by it but hey was not our cup of tea so went on.We all have our own ideas of what 'Art' is or what we like. I feel this gal had a right to show her fiber art piece which she created to try to make a statement with. As I said I may not find it appealing personally but that does not mean it should be banned.Which is what this one gal wanted to do by removing it. Do I think in any way it was pornographic or meant to be..no. Just my opinion ..which everyone is entitled to have one.

Had a good day but was very worn out from it. Was a good kind of worn out!Had a ball !! We enjoyed seeing some of the quilts on display. Look at all ?? NO! My camera died on one quilt I thought was so pretty. Will share on another post what pics I did get.


We had a good time checking out vender booths as well. Bought a bit of fabric, a foot for my Bernina and cute T-shirt for my DH. Alice and Diana bought some patterns with a bit of fabric.


Some pretty dark red civil war fabrics.
I also bought a bundle of cheddars. Humm where are they????

We had a grand picnic lunch in the lobby area! Liz joined us and she has a post with more pics on her blog. Some very yummy goodness was shared. Would you believe some gals went by us and thought we were nuts!! I DO DECLARE!! I reckon having a good time with friends is a NO NO at the show! Well it is not like we cared!! Hahaha! If you leave to go to a restaurant you lose your parking space!! Besides I will never again pay the outrageous price for a yuck sandwich there again. Even if I just take a Peanut Butter Sammie and water along!

All in all even with the quilt drama, dead camera batteries, rude passersby’s and all the walking, was a FANTASTIC good time with good stitching friends!

Sure wish more of ya’ll could have been there too!!

Maybe next year ok???

A shout out to our pal Elaine who has a broken bone in her foot. She had to sit out the show this year!

Hugs,

Lola