Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Ok, this is the finale!

HI Y'all!


I just wanted to say thank you for all your suggestions and ideas about this star quilt...some people loved the pink...others loathed the pink...Our common thread is that we all love quilting!!  So here is what I have decided to do.  Thank you to those who suggested turning those blue/cream squares around!  That is just what I did, and this is the layout.  I do love the trip around the world setting too, on point, so I have decided to make another quilt, using those pink squares I already have cut out!  Imagine that...me...another quilt!    I like this setting, becasue I can still see all the bright colors in the stars. Thanks again to all!!!  I envision a pieced border too...hmmmm....


Julie

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Another Option??

 Well, another option...a straight set!  I may well chose this, because I am setting the little nine patches I am making on point...what do you think?  Would this solve the problem of not overwhelming the stars?  I like the fact that you can still see all the fun and funky fabrics, some quite old, and all scraps!!
Speaking of scraps...Lori sent me some of her wonderful scraps!  Included was a block, fused to the background.  I blanket stiched around the pieces, then quilted it in a crosshatch pattern, making a pillow.  I don't think you can see the quilting very well...OK, Miss Lori...do you want it back?? 




Have a great day, all!!!

Julie

Monday, June 25, 2012

LIttle Bitty Stars need help!

 HI Y'all!  I am working on the little stars; in fact, all the stars are made...all 120 of them.  So yahoo!  Only scraps were used in these, so you may recognize some of the fabrics in the stars.  I am at a loss of how to set them together.  I think I want them on point, and thought a plain cream would be the perfect foil to set off all the very different, scrappy stars.  It looked yucky!  So I thought...maybe pink?  I just put half of the pinks in place...what do you think?
 See how each star kind of stands on it's own?  I want all those little buddies to shine!  I think maybe the pink steals the show, above? Hmmmm...
Here are the latest stars, the last ones.  Please help if you have an opinion....



Hey, want to know a weird thing?  The old fellow I met at the hospital, the one with the wooden leg?  Guess who goes to our church!?  He was there last Sunday!  It is a big church, and I swear, it is hard to know a fraction of the people who go there!!



Have a great day!

Julie

Friday, June 22, 2012

Finshed my latest string top!! Yahoo!

 Good morning, all!  I finally got all the blanket stitch applique done on my latest string adventure.  It was great fun to do, fun and fast, just a pleasure in every way!  Thanks to everyone for your support and comments, and for those who swapped scraps for fabric with me.  I am really enjoying this quilt a lot!
 Another view...
 You may or may not remember that I was making tiny stars, 4 inch stars, about a year ago.  I have been plugging along on that, and now only have 34 more to go!  My friend Joan sent me some stars, I can pick hers out right away, by the pretty fabrics...thanks Joan!!
 Rosie the quilt model has stepped up her demands for modeling for me.  She wants a designer to design her collars, and a caterer brought in to support her strict dietary standards...models these days are kind of tough to work with!!  Only the best for Rosie!!
And all that modeling work made her tired, so she hopped up to the top of the couch for a little beauty rest...




******************************Nurse's Notes****************************


I met a gentleman in the hospital at work, and he was an inspiration.  Now, I talk to everyone...kind of part of being a nurse...so it was no surprise that I spoke to this gentleman.  An older fellow, he had an artificial leg from the hip down.  He rapped on it and said "I am just fine" when I asked him how his day was.  So he proceeded to tell me that he had lost his leg to bone cancer 30 years prior, and has never looked back, works out each day, eats right...and generally told me "I refused to be a victim to this".  I just loved his fighting spirit, and gentle humor...what a great inspiration he was to me!!   Just a moment, but a good one...



*************************************************************


Julie

Monday, June 11, 2012

Those Strings are taking over!

 Well, remember those string rectangles?  I made 96 of them...a12x8 setting.  Am I out of strings?  NO, but the box is about 1/3 full now.  I have been thinking of a applique border, and this is what I came up with.  The leaves are strings too, panels of strings sewn together, then leaves cut out from them.  As you see, I have one border still to prep with more leaves.
 I like the movement of the chevrons, it is fun looking at the wiggles!!
 The hearts are string too, sewn together, then the heart cut out.  String blocks finish the corners.  Now all this still has to be hand stitched down, so there is quite a little bit of work left to do.  I am putting a scrappy binding too, little bits of binding from all my other quilts.  I love scraps!!
 The strings laid out, in the contemplation phase of what to do next...before the borders were born.
In the string box were some little squares.  Not strings!  and an odd size...What is a girl to do?? I couldn't just leave them in there, LOL!! So I made this little quilt for fun.  I have seen several similar small quilts on the blogs this spring, so thank you all for the inspiration!


Hey...would anyone be willing to part with strings and scraps, in trade for collections or bundles?  I just don't use them, I always turn toward the little pieces.  Just seeing of there is any interest, if you are not a scrapper...maybe we could trade!!



OK, well, have a great day to all!!  Too many projects and not enough hours!!

Julie K

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Are you right or left leaning??

 HI Y'all.  You know, I never, ever would have said Y'all...ever.  Then I moved to Texas, and by golly, I am saying it!!  Above are the rectangle blocks...they are the most fun ever!!  Just grab a strip and sew one on, flip and sew another on.  Try for a 45 degree angle, but don't stress over it...Yahoo!!!  Not a political statement, but I realized after the first few blocks that every other block had to be "stripped" to the left or right, so the quilt would zig zag.
 The rectangles are 4x8 inches.  Looks kind of Gee's bend-ish or something,  yes?
 I am not without companionship while I quilt...Here is Rosie Posie Pudding Pie, the best poodle on the whole block!!  (May be the only one...)  She is so cute...see how little she is?  I thought it was cute that she was holding on to her toy and snoozing.  And her hair ribbons have been in a whole day, but they won't last much longer, I am sure,  LOL!
And this pretty fellow!  He was on the wall, by the garden...isn't he a lovely green?



Have a great day, all!!!


Julie

Monday, June 4, 2012

Happy Monday!

 Hi Y'all!  I found Pinterest; rather, Pinterest found me.  I googled my blog and there it was...a lot of my quilts pinned to Pinterest!  I had no idea who any of these people were that pinned my pictures, but it was kind of fun to see something I made pinned there.   While I was there (if you go, get a cup of coffee...it is addicting!), I found a quilt with rectangular blocks made from strings.  How fun is that!  So of course I need to make them...stat.  Hee!!   I have 96 foundation pieces cut out and am stringing up a storm!!
 Another table runner from the plaid gifted scraps...it is really prettier than it looks...hmmmm....
 And another Barrister's block!  She has a cool thing going...6 inch blocks, every other Wednesday, three blocks per post...and I am really enjoying making these blocks.  See her HERE!
 What to do with the tiniest strings that are left?  Made this.  A tiny little quilt, really, folded in half and a piece of felt sewed down, to hold needles...fun!
I sewed a tiny piece of felt across the middle, to hold the needles, and it really works wonderfully.





Have a great day, all!!


Julie

Hexies, rainbow quilts and plaids!

Good morning to all!!!  Above is a hexagon, for English paper piecing.  My kitten Lucky has discovered them, and decided that they are great...