Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Be a Hexie Queen August 28

 
Today is my day for Be a Hexie Queen. Many thanks go to Madame Samm and to Debby Kratovil! I signed up for this hop so I would have the opportunity to work with hexagons and do some English paper piecing as well. The first thing I made was on display for the Ho Ho Ho Christmas in July hop--a mug rug.
 
 
I’ve been basting a lot of hexagons since! One kind I’ve been working on is the Lucy Boston type. When I saw those, I knew they would be perfect for a table runner for my nephew’s wedding in December, so I got one “block” put together while on vacation. The colors I chose match the color of the china on their gift registry.
 
In the meantime, my niece was getting married on Aug. 24 and I had a more immediate need to make something for her. I wanted to make a table runner with the half-hexagon braid, but found out she didn’t have a table! A bed runner was born—and are they ever long, especially for a queen-sized bed! I used a jelly roll of Grand Finale from Moda designed by Sandy Gervais and did my own thing for borders and backing.
 
 
Here's the back...

 
I had also already decided I wanted to do something kind of modern for a hexagon wall hanging, so I sewed some of my EPP hexagons together, added 2 more on the background, and have my “hexed snake and prey” wall hanging. I did some echo quilting around the hexies with purple on the lavender ground. I like it, if I do say so myself. 

 
Some of you lovely ladies made coasters or mug rugs with hexagons; I had to try it too. I was given fabric with panels of various kinds of textile workers—this one is the quilter. She makes a great mug rug. I know, the mug doesn’t match, but it’s one of Alaskan artist Barbara Lavallee’s prints and she does such wonderful patterns for quilters to use. I love her work.

 
AND, that was so much fun, I made a school one for one of the teachers at the school from which I retired last spring. I think I’ll make more for the others—after I finish another project(s) I’m working on.
 

 
I almost forgot! I visited Missouri Star Quilt Company while on vacation and found some cute hexagon fabric and pin fabric. Had to get some. I made a little bag with it—it can hold my EPP work—and, thanks to more inspiration from some of you lovely people, a needle book with my first name on the front.

 
I hope you enjoyed seeing all my creations! Be sure to visit the other creative people who are sharing their work today!
Sew and Sow Farm
Just Sew Quilter   (That’s me!)
I love seeing your comments. Thanks for visiting!

Monday, August 26, 2013

Amelia

 
 
Our newest granddaughter was 2 months old Friday. This is Amelia Jean.
Isn't she precious?!
 
 
My day to share for the Be a Hexie Queen blog hop is coming up--August 28!
Stay tuned for that. :)

Sunday, August 25, 2013

 
Since we were getting ready for and gone on vacation, I not only got behind in my sewing the Aiming For Accuracy blocks but in putting them on my blog. Below are blocks 6, 7, and 8. Block 9 is going to be under construction in a day or 2. Then I'll put it up.
 


I don't understand why this photo got turned when I uploaded it Now it looks smaller than it should, and the bees are sideways in the small squares. I intentionally tried to get them positioned correctly in the squares.
 
 
Shoot, I should have put a photo of our 2 month old granddaughter on here. I'll do that next time (I hope), although next time may be for my turn on the Hexie Hop! That's August 28 sew come back then!

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Bagging it!

 
If you had a hard time finding the buttons on my Let It Snow wall hanging for the Ho Ho Ho blog hop, there are only 3 so far: a snowflake in the top left section, a gingerbread boy in the largest center section, and a cardinal on a nest in the bottom section. :) They are hard to see with such little photos.
 
 
Today I want to share the bag I made for my cousin who is a cat lover extraordinaire.
Below you should see the entire bag.
I used that special stiff lining for purses (first time ever--and it sure used a lot!)
I didn't want to spoil the outside with pockets...
 
 
Sew, I put a bunch on the inside!
 

I "wrote" her name on the strap with the lettering on my machine, after which I added a few kitties.


And I "wrote" my name and the year on a pocket, with more kitties, of course.
I love this bag and would be happy to keep it, if it weren't made for someone special. :)
I can't wait to give it to her!
 

 
My hibiscus are blooming so beautifully that I thought others might like to see them.
(My blackberries laden with fruit are behind the propane tank.)

 
Here's a close up. They are so large and such amazing flowers!



Wednesday, August 7, 2013

August 8--Ho Ho Ho Blog Hop--My Turn

 
Ho Ho Ho It’s my turn today. Thanks to Mdm Samm and to our cheerleader Carol for heading up this wonderful blog hop. This is my first one and I have really enjoyed (well, most of the time) making some projects for this event. I hope I can get them posted correctly!
First, I want to show some placemats I finished up a few months ago. The pattern is Take Four by Cary Flanagan and uses fat quarters. I’ve made several different sets in various fabrics. There are 8 of these, 2 of each design.
 
 
Next, especially for this hop, I wanted to make a Spicy Spiral table runner (pattern  by School House Quilts).  I think this is the 4th one I’ve made. If you saw Kathy’s tree skirt at Just Quilt It yesterday, you saw the same technique used as for this runner—fat quarters and a 9 degree ruler. I love the results! (But I have no idea why my photo turned sideways when I uploaded it for this post.)


Well, there were scraps to be used, sew I didn’t want to waste anything and thought these coasters would be cute. They take 6 charm (or 5”) squares for each one.

 
Then I wanted to get a jump on the hexie blog hop, sew I tried my hand at English paper piecing and came up with a mug rug with more of the scraps from the table runner. I machine appliqued the flower onto the mug rug after it was sandwiched sew the applique was also the quilting. I do like it, if I say sew myself.

 
When I saw the Nancy Halvorsen panel and matching fabric, I had to purchase it and make it into a wall hanging. I added a few button embellishments and may add more if I get time. Can you find the 3 buttons I added? For quilting, I did some FMQ around the shapes and stitch in the ditch along all straight lines. I put it on the clothesline as some others on this hop have done and tried to get good photos. As One Other Lady said, it is difficult to get a good shot in the wind. LOL

 
Lastly, I found a UFO when looking for buttons and decided to finish it. Don’t you just love this dolly dress? Wait a minute, it’s not a dress—it is a towel to hang over an oven door handle! It will look quite dear at Christmas time in my kitchen (or someone else’s)!

 
I hope you have enjoyed seeing my projects! Don’t forget to stop at everyone else’s blog to see their creations!
August 8
Just Sew Quilter   (that’s me!)
Thanks for visiting!

Thursday, August 1, 2013

 
Aiming for Accuracy Block 5 is finished! I like it a lot!
Michele has Block 6 out so need to get busy, but first, I must finish my wall hanging for
the Ho Ho Ho blog hop.
 
 
I want to show off my "barn" quilt! I didn't want to put it outside until I added more layers of
polyurethane to protect it from the elements. Now that's done, and here it is.
Isn't it beautiful?
The block is called Prairie Star.
If you want to see a close-up, you might need to come for a visit!