I'll show you mine if you show me yours...Sunbonnet Sue, that is!

Show me your Sunbonnet Sue!!! This little lady has been around a lot of years...she still has appeal to me. I purchased these blocks already made, on E-bay some years ago...and I put them together with this loud flowery fabric collection. Not quilted yet, of course! Would like to get this one done instead of just hanging it back on it's hanger, and putting it back with the quilt tops...

Here is the whole quilt. The block maker sure used some cute fabrics! I love it!!

Now for the old. The above and below pictures are pictures of an e-bay rescue...I call it that because this quilt is falling apart. The appliques are still strong, but the fabric is very frazzled on all the edges. I think it is from the 1930's? Please, anyone have a guesstimation of the age of this quilt? The sashing looks to be all muslin, but on close inspection, it is actually pink and green print fabrics. Faded to nothing. The back is turned to the front and hand-stitched down to form the binding, and the quilt is hand-quilted. The cotton is bunched up inside the quilt terribly...Just a mess of lumps and bumps!! One lady friend wants this quilt to cut up and frame the pieces of applique... I just cringe at cutting up someone's pride and joy and hard work.

I also have another Sunbonnet cut out and ready to hand applique...I can't find it! At the bottom of a basket I am sure...

NOW, it is your turn! Do you have a Sunbonnet Sue that you will share? It would be such fun to see some other ones!!!

Have a great day!!

JulieK

New member of the family...

Want to hear the latest story? About this little darling machine above? I was at work at the hospital, and a co-worker was talking about her twin grandchildren, due to be born soon. She was selling some "stuff" that she did not want anymore and wanted to get rid of. She is in a de-clutter point in her life, due to her grandchildren being born soon...just clearing out her home a bit. She was selling coins, and old things...and she then said, "I have an old sewing machine...I need to get rid of it!" My ears perked up...but I did not say anything until she said, "It is a featherweight." My hand shot up! She sold it to me for a very reasonable price...and it sews like a dream! It also came with the original hard case, and extra feet, but alas, no book. She said she had sewn her prom dresses on it when she was 15 and 16 and 17 years old. She is retirement age now and has not sewn for many years. I looked up the serial number, and this baby was born on January 22, 1948. Singer has a website you can look up and see when and where each machine was born (manufactured). This machine (Bessie, I have called her) sews so well. Just so neat! And so reminiscent of my parents sewing on their machine.

This little quilt was made from a pattern on Bonnie's website. I am trying to use up all my fabric, and this is my entire batic collection. The border is from the trimmed corner units, made from the blocks. I like the beautiful cheerful colors. Even the background is a batic. A far cry from my usual reproductions!!

OK, this is all that is left of my Dear Husband's PJ's after the lettering on the be-attitudes quilt from previous posts was done. Think he will notice?? Hehehe! he is such a dear not to mind...too much!! By the way, he likes his new Pj's too.

Have a wonderful weekend! I am off from work again! Although the hospital did call at 5 AM and asked me to please come and work overtime...I declined...I just need to recharge a little bit. Hope you have time to do whatever you love this weekend too!

JulieK

Birthiday Blessings

Good morning! You can tell when I am off from work, you hear from me a little more regularly. I finished the above little bag yesterday, a Nancy Halverson pattern. Stippled on the machine. Fun! Hearts are really my thing, since I am a heart nurse, and I just love them anyway.

Here are my fabrics for Judy's Star block of the month. How nice of her to share her patterns! Her finished quilt is just so pretty, I saw it this morning at www.patchworktimes.com. And I finished my first block below...

Turned out Ok, some of my seam allowances was not spot on, and I need to press the whole block. But pretty pattern, right?

*******************Birthday stuff***************

We went out to eat at a mexican restaurant I just love. I had fajitas, and came home stuffed, even though we shared a meal. Yummy!!! And then I received a new bike helmet...this is great, seeing as I fell off the bike earlier in the month...and lots of other goodies. I am spoiled, I tell you!!

*******************odds and ends****************

I am kind of at a loss for what to do today. I need to get in there and do some deep cleaning! And I think that is where at least a part of the day will be spent. Have a wonderful day!!

JulieK

Ok, here is the morning's work. I have gotten all the rest of the blocks(3) pieced and the letters and applique ready to hand stitch. Wheww!! Now the fun part begins for me. I love the hand work! It just seems to bring these blocks alive. The blanket stitching and embellishment and faces will add so much to this quilt. This quilt is all from the stash and reclaimed fabric from blouses, PJ's, etc. Is it scrappy enough for 'ya??

I just love this little block! Fun, fun. Hopefully, I can get with it and get some stitching done. It takes lots and lots of embroidery floss to blanket stitch all around these blocks. The blocks are not put together yet, they are just lying out in order, or not in order as I just noticed. :)

My dear husband made a pie, and it was (repeat, WAS) wonderful! It is about all gone now. Yummy good. Olive oil crust, and he made it so light...he put an egg in the crust, too.

Hope everyone is having a great day!

JulieK

Birthday!!

I am happy to say I have made it to 44 years of age...it is my birthday today! I plan to sew and eat a wonderful meal, and maybe a few surprises will happen along the way today. I will try to post pictures later of the be-attitude quilt in progress. Have a most wonderful day!

JulieK

Olympics!!!

Did anyone just see the finish of the women's marathon! I love it! The winner is about my age...I just loved seeing her win!!! Congratulations to the Romanian's!!! Any Romanian quilter's blogging out there??


JulieK

OK, ENOUGH OF THE SNAKES ALREADY! So, here are some quilts out of the little quilts pile. These have been done some years ago. The above is a bright solid hearty quilt! I made lots of heart quilts at one point in my life. Hand-quilted.

Above is a pink and brown quilt. I wanted it finished, so hired a lady to hand-quilt it for lots of bucks. But I love the colors!! I still have lots of these blocks cut out.

And here, I was trying to duplicate the official Nursing stamp. I had no idea what I was doing at all, but it sure was fun!!!

****************poll**********************

Please let me know if your are doing the Be-attitudes quilt by Nancy Halverson. I would like to share these, they are so cute! Please respond to this if you are doing this quilt! Thank you...

Have a wonderful evening!

JulieK

Snake pictures...beware!

Ok,these are not for the squeamish among us!! Including me! But I thought some people would like to see the snake that my dear husband almost stepped on, mentioned in my last post. Here she is all stretched out! (yes, she is a girl. I don't know how I know, but I just do.)

Here she is rattling her little rattle , just one. At the alert! She is a little one, about maybe 2 feet? We found out that the little ones are quite dangerous, as they expell all their venom when they strike, unlike adult rattlers. She was identified as a "Coon-tail" rattler.

Another picture. Quite the little picture taker, wasn't I?

Have a wonderful, snake free day.

JulieK

Be-attitudes block progress...and some other stuff!

Good morning to everyone!!! Above is the latest Be-attitudes block, the pattern by Nancy Halverson. Of course, my prim little gardener above does not have an expression yet, but she will...soon. These are all hand blanket stitched, and take a bit of time to do. They are SOOO much fun!! I love them!

And the Be kind block, again without an expression embroidered on.

And the Be positive block. Ok, want to hear a funny story? I am using a pair of my husband's old pajamas for the fabric in the letters. Of course, I have have cut large chunks out of the legs of the PJ's (hope I have enough fabric...). My dear husband was looking for clean PJ's, and grabbed these off the ironing board., instead of looking in his dresser drawer. You should have seen his expression when he put them on!!!! It was priceless. I never thought he would miss these, these had holes and were generally pretty old and worn out. He has several pairs of PJ's, but I got him a BRAND new pair to make up!!! He forgave me.... :)

This block is for a dear friend who shall remain un-named until she receives it. This will be a wonderful story when I can tell it!!

Updates::

Ok, I have had my first bike wreck!! It was pretty funny, actually, and no, I am not a bit hurt. I was distracted and got too close to the curb, actually drove into the curb! The bike stopped, but I kept on flying, and went "arse over teakettle"! (please pardon my grandmother's old-time expression). A flip and roll, luckily landed in the soft grass, with nothing but my pride injured. Of course, someone drove by and saw me, and also my dear husband was with me. I actually wasn't a bit upset or embarassed, that is a good thing about growing a bit older, I think!! Hehe!!

**************patient update*******************

My precious patient is much, much, better, off the ventilator, up in a chair, and actually transferred to rehab this week. Yahoo!!!! I am so glad for her and her dear family. Now we have a whole 'nother crew of patients, sick and needing love and great care.

*****************A scary tale******************

We were out of town for a day or two, and stayed in a very nice hotel. Well, we were going out for dinner one night, and my dear husband opened the door, and stepped right over a rattle snake! I was right behind him, and could not talk, it frightened me so, to see him step inches by that snake. If he would have stepped on it, I am sure it would have struck him. When I could breath, I yelled "rattlesnake!", and he turned around and saw it. There were some pretty tense heartbeats there! I am so grateful he did not get bitten, and he was carrying our little poodle dog Rusty, too. I have pictures of the snake, does anyone want to see??

I have been hand-quilting the sampler quilt, and loving each moment of that, too.

Please make it a point to have a wonderful day!!! I am off today, so am getting busy cleaning, laundry, and cooking. Oh yeah, better go to the grocery to have something to cook!!! :)

JulieK

Updates 8-2-08

Hope everyone is sleeping in and has plans for a fun weekend! Above it my second block in the be-attitudes series...the "Be Loving " block, next to the first one "Be Warm". I still need to add some embellishment, but hopefully can find some time to do that today. It seems like a common theme for me is that my quilting life is fitted around my work life, so I post when I am off.

A lady at work said she had a package for me, and when I went to her office I was surprised to be given a WHOLE quilt kit!! This is a Thimbleberries sampler kit. All the blocks are 16 inches square, with very pretty fabrics in each kit. You could have knocked me over with a feather! She said she had been given it by a lady who did not like the kit, and wanted me to have this one. Wow! what a fun surprise!! So that should be fun to do...sometime!!

This is the closeup of the block patterns, you can zoom in if you want!!

For the updates: We are riding our bikes and loving it!! Fun!!!

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The Jalapeno plant: Do you remember the plant that got eaten down to the stalk I mentioned in a previous post? Well, I kept on watering it, and it has new leaves and 20 new pepper buds on it!!! Can't believe it made it from being eaten down to the bare stalk.

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My precious little old lady at work: She made it through surgery, then had kidney failure and respiratory failure, and is back on the ventilator with continuous dialysis. I pray for her, she is just about as critically ill as you can be and still be here on this earth. She is so precious, and her family so loving. That is the part I love about being a nurse, the interactions between family, patient and me.

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Ok, have a most marvelous day!!! And please, everyone stop for a second right now and say a prayer and beam it right to Karen : http://www.leehaven.blogspot.com/ . She is healing up from a bad bout with her MS. She is precious and wonderful and I am sure she would love to hear from you!!!

JulieK