New Look...bear with me!!

Hey everybody...hope the New Year is treating you all well.  I haven't posted in a while due to a brief illness and also because I work for a game distributor so November and December where quite busy.  I'm going to try to re-design the page.  It may take a few days to get the elements the way I want them to be. 
I also have some great projects I've finished that I would like to share; along with pictures to go along with them.  So, bear with me, and hopefully we'll have a new look for 2010.

Merry Christmas To All...

Here's wishing everyone a very Happy Holiday Season.  I haven't posted much this past month because, of all things, I found out I had a hernia and had to have surgery!! Now, mind you, I am 5'5" and weigh 110 lbs. and I always thought that hernias were a guy thing.  Who Knew!!  Anyhow, all is well, and I'm looking forward to a new year of great projects.  My Yo-Yo quilt is two rows from being done and will post that pic soon. I've also ordered the Moda Bake Shop Sampler from Kelly at http://ihavea-notion.com/store/ and can hardly wait to design something with 480 pre-cut 2 1/2" squares.
So I wish you all good health and happiness for the New Year and Merry Christmas to all from me and all the kitties: Muffin, Jelly Bean, Horatio, Dusty and Puss!!

Quilter Generosity Once Again...

All of us quilters are usually very generous in all things, but Jackie at Canton Village Quilt Works has a great giveaway this week. 5 Great Items, including a book! Check out her blog at http://www.cvquiltworks.blogspot.com/ and see all the goodies she is so generously giving away.  Heres a picture of a Moda Sampler Box...it looks better than chocolate!

Good Luck to everyone...although I am secretly cheering for myself!

Color Decisions Made!

Well, I've begun the process of creating a new wallhanging using the templates and principles of the book Strips 'N Curves by Louisa L. Smith. I think the first decision is always the hardest, which is: What colors do I want to use? Then, of course, you must DRAG yourself to the quilt shop and buy some fabric! Just click on the picture above for a better view. Next, cut, cut, cut and sew, sew, sew. Now I'm ready to use my templates and cut from my strip sets.
Above are 2 strip sets: the browns and the puples. I was inspired to try this by Wanda Hanson on her blog at http://exuberantcolor.blogspot.com/ Just click on her topic "Strips and Curves" and just keep on scrolling to see all her great work. So it's back to the sewing room I go!

COLOUR LOVERS CREATE...

I recently came upon this website called COLOURlovers that I think everyone should check out. It's a tool designers and artists of all kinds use to work with colors in new ways and quickly find out what's hot and what's not. This site allows anyone to find their inspiration for color by searching, sorting and filtering through keywords to a color scheme that interests them... or create and share your own! On this site you can create your own color palette ideas or even scan in a piece of fabric and the PHOTOCOPA page will sort and create the color palette from the photo you upload. You can look at all the color palettes other folks have designed and even create a pattern with color of your own.  This is a great tool for all to see. The site is
http://www.colourlovers.com/ P.S. Make sure you allow yourself some time when you visit this site, it can be addicting!

ARE YOU AS OUTRAGED BY THIS AS I AM?

Let me first start by saying to any Fabric Retailer out there that I am all for free enterprise. I am a true capitalist and everyone needs to make a buck.  However, there needs to be a line drawn.  Today I received an email update from one of the many shops online.  I always check them out since there is not a local quilt shop and I buy alot online.  One of the "special features" was the Block of the Month program. So let us add this up:
Start up Fee (whatever that is)           $ 25.00
13 months @ $24.95 per                    324.35
Recommended Templates                     45.00
Estimated shipping for 13 months          75.00            and that's at the low end of $5.00 per month

This makes for a grand total of $469.35   for a "cream, tan & off white quilt measuring 81" X 105".  Naturally, this does not include batting or backing.  Now, I don't know about you ladies and gents, but for
$470 I WANT IT CUT, PIECED AND DELIVERED FULLY SEWN!! Even if these were designer fabrics (which they are not) it would not cost this much to purchase the pattern and all the fabric needed.
So, I just want to say: Buyer Beware!!  It makes me think I'm in the wrong line of work because the profit margin here is close to criminal...and us quilters shouldn't be fleeced like this. 
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS?

Christmas Holiday Wallhangings

This cute wallhanging is appropriately named "Joys of Christmas".  It was made using a lot of fusible web, and echo quilted. I found some of the cutest buttons to embellish this piece. It's only 29" X 34 1/2" in size but just eminates all things Holiday!

I know it's only September, but it is time to start thinking about the Holidays! This wallhanging is called "Sunset Nativity" and was machine appliqued with a fine satin stitch. The sunset fabric just makes the black silhouette pop.  It's size is 19 1/2" X 36".  It almost has a stained glass effect.
Both of these are now for sale in my Etsy shop.  If you'd like to visit the shop just click on the Etsy button in the left column.

SYNERGY TOP COMPLETE!

I can't believe I actually completed the top...now to quilt it!! I'm all out of cotton batting so I'll have to run out Friday and pick some up before I can layer it. HOW WOULD YOU QUILT IT?
I'm a little clueless on this one. Should I just stick to "stitch in the ditch" and just let the pattern be the star? With 41 pieces in each block it seems like the block should shine. What do you think? Just click on the picture to enlarge.

Synergy Blocks Completed!!

The blocks are finally complete!! This is a "Synergy" block designed by Jinny Beyer. It has been paper pieced and it's 10" square. I like to do my paper pieceing on tracing paper. I buy large 14" X 17" pads of paper from Hobby Lobby and trace the patterns myself.  I do a lot of paper pieceing and I find that tracing paper holds up very nicely with the smaller stitches required and it folds nicely for trimming without any tears.
The hardest part of this block was making the fabric choices! Last night I put the blocks together and now I just need to add the borders.  I will update with a picture when that's completed. Click on the picture to enlarge and see the fabrics if you like.

FOLLOW FRIENDSHIPS

One day, once upon a time...I saw a pattern for the curved pieced quilt above.  I like curved piecing, it's much easier than most people think.  Now, if there is one tool above all others that I depend on, it would be my rotary cutter and the acrylic templates I use.  However, for this wallhanging, I had to draw templates onto plastic and draw each piece individually and cut them by hand.  That is the reason why this is only 40" X 40" and is used to hide some of my fabric shelving. NOW FOR THE GOOD PART! I've been a fan of Wanda Hanson at http://www.exuberantcolor.blogspot.com/ for a while now and she has created some stunning quilts inspired by Louisa L. Smith at http://www.quiltescapes.com/. I have wanted to create another quilt using the similar curved design and noticed on Wanda's site that she had acrylic templates lying on her fabric ready to be cut.  OMG...I want those!! So, I sent off a message to Wanda and she was sweet enough to refer me to Quilt Escapes. Hence, the title of this blog "Follow Friendships".  Quilters are just the best. If you ever need help or advice they always come through for you.  My thanks to Wanda.

On, August 25th I posted about my yo-yo quilt in progress and my need for peach and pink fabric scraps. Well today on AllPeopleQuilt.com I came across this great idea for YO-YO WALL ART. I think this is a great project for anyone who wants to do a quick decorating item or use up any extra yo-yo's you have laying about. We all have extras...don't we!!! Here is the link: http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/projects-ideas/throws-wall-hangings/yo-yo-wall-art_1.html

Laptop Cover

Recently there was a "flying" cat who dashed across the table and knocked my laptop on the floor.  Since then I haven't been able to close it properly so I decided to make a cover for it.  In my stash of completed blocks that have never made it into a quilt, I found 18 blocks perfect for this. The colored fabrics are hand dyes I did about 10 years ago and then made these small 4 1/2" blocks.  It slips over the monitor section and has the same design on the back side, then it just lies flat on the keyboard. I quilted it up, and now I just love it. So from this I have accomplished 2 things: I completed a project and cut back on the catnip for the cats!!