Monday, December 13, 2010

Stuff I've Been Doing and CGC Finish

Wow, the month has just flown by without my goals being completed!!

I have been busy though....Been doing a little dyeing ....will probably put for sale on Etsy, but if anyone's interested contact me... homespunwb@yahoo.com

If interested...I have can send you close up pics and info.

The Three little pigs is the only complete FINISH for the Charming Girls.

Here's the little book I made with the story and the dolls.




The quilt came out really nice.  I have lots of quilting to bring out the designs...if you click once, then again you can see better.

Some more close ups.

Th...th...that's all folks.....

Thanks for stopping by!

Friday, November 19, 2010

Paula's Christmas Challenge


Paula has a great sewing challenge going on right now.  Just click the link above and follow the directions!

There has to be at least 20 submissions for the drawing.  So hurry on over there and enter your Christmas project...old or new.

Here's mine.......




and here's another.......



http://margretmarysplace.blogspot.com/search/label/Christmas%20Table%20Runner

You can click on the links to see the post for each of these entries.

Thanks for stopping by........and don't forget to go over to Paula's to enter the challenge!


Tuesday, November 16, 2010

SewCalGal's Christmas Quilt

Here's my entry for Sew Cal Gal's Christmas Quilt Show.






This was made using the grid fusible interfacing...you place all the squares on the grids and press, then add the seam binding between the squares.  

Easier said than done...the fusible did not fuse too well and I had an awful time sewing down the black binding.

This was definately one of those 'I'd never do again deals" !!  lol
Pretty though.

Thanks Sew Cal Gal for hosting this Christmas Quilt Show!!!




 



Friday, November 12, 2010

Moving right along....

I'm ready to start some stitching on the Three Little Pigs Quilt top.


Since I don't usually use a pattern, nor do I draw anything out before I start a scenic project like this, I thought that I would share the process as I do it. 

Many people ask how to make scenes like this and it really is not hard.  I usually take more time than necessary because it's all in my head and I make it up as I go along.  So many times I get stumped for a few days.

I had a really nice landscape scene fabric and, at first, I wasn't going to use it...was gonna make the quilt more 'cartoon' like.  But I found that I really liked the look of the bridge, water and flowers...but it wasn't long enough...so I added the fence, flowers and grass to the bottom.

I'm please with how it is turning out so far.  This weekend I will do the stitching around the appliques.

Have a great weekend !

Thursday, November 11, 2010

3 Little Pigs...some shots along the way !

I've been working on the Three Little Pigs Quilt...here's what I've done so far...

I started the background from the sky.  Here the tree tops have fusible and it's ready to iron down.

 Here's some pictures of the machine embroidered paper doll pigs and wolf.


I'm trying out some grass/flower fabrics for the bottom and have a paper 'road' in place.
The pictures are a little out of order...couldn't help it...Blogger has it's own ideas sometimes...lol !
  I hope I can keep working on this at the same pace I have since yesterday !!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

November/December Goals for Charming Girls

I'm just pulling some fabrics for my next storybook quilt...3 Little Pigs

1.  The 3 Little Pigs quilt is one of my goals for CG. 

2.  Finish the Simple Thymes BOMs.

3. Prepare fleece to make blankets for Ronald McDonald House.  My daughter Tina will be here for Christmas and she wants to make more of the fleece blankets.  I have soooo much fleece I can to put together for some quilts...we already have 3 made from her last visit in June.

4.  I will finish the Ladybug quilt and get it quilted...I hope!



Sorry I don't have any more pictures...will get some of the Pigs quilt as it progresses.

Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

My two Christmas finishes for Charming Girls

Here are the pictures of the tree table topper and the Merry Christmas table runner as promised.


Is anyone else having a problem with loading pictures with Blogger?  I had to actually POST the table topper picture...then go back into Dashboard to EDIT this post...then I could load the table runner.  I can't put more than one picture at a time and have to post that before I can add another.........SEEMS CRAZY TO ME !  Anyone else having this problem????

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Charming Girls Finishes

I finished most of my goals for September and October. 

I did the String blocks for Heart Strings, I quilted the 2 Christmas items  (table topper and table runner).  I designed, made and quilted the first of my 'storybook quilts'...Cinderella.  The Falling Stars Quilt was quilted at my LQS...the Lady Bug quilt is almost done, just need to applique the ladybugs. 

The only thing I didn't do was the Simple Thymes BOMs and I had wanted to do some of the hand embroidery work, but never got around to it.

Unfortunately, I burned my right hand with a steamer machine...my fault...trying to add more water before the steam cooled enough.  I have several HUGE blister on my thumb and palm...so I didn't feel like taking photos.  Just wanted to get this post done for now. 

If you scroll down you can see just about everthing except the Christmas items.  Will get some pictures at a later date.

Friday, October 29, 2010

BLOGGERS QUILT FESTIVAL



TO ENLARGE...CLICK AND THEN CLICK AGAIN

This is my submission for the Bloggers Quilt Festival.


My inspiration for this quilt was a picture I had taken at a quilt show...before I started quilting.

I started collecting all sorts of fabrics and looked high and low for star patterns.  It took me awhile before I figured out the sizes I needed.



I knew that I wanted lots of colorful stars...and wanted random black and dark blue background squares.


This past year, after having discovered I AM IN LOVE WITH PAPER PIECING, I started searching for 6" and 12" PP block designs.



I found out that paper piecing takes way longer than expected!  AND there is ALOT of waste, for me anyway!  But the end result is just wonderful...I really enjoyed the whole process!



I really wanted to quilt this myself...but after machine basting it and trying to move this large quilt around, I decided to take it to my LQS and have it professionally done.  It came out beautiful, I wanted loops and stars and I got 'em.




For the backing I found this wonderful black and white floral print...I dyed it in my washing machine.  The color came out JUST RIGHT!   I used Rit dye and Cushing Procion dye...first the yellow Rit and then I used the dry Procion to get the varied deep golden tones throughout the fabric back.

Some of these pictures are faded...I'm not the best photographer !!!






A big thank you AMY!
This festival is such fun!

On the other hand...posting this post was NOT fun at all.  I don't know why Blogger changed the picture thing...but it's taken me over an hour to post this.  I have had to publish EACH picture and then open the dashboard and EDIT the post to include another picture....what happened???  It was sooooo easy before the 'improvements'...LOL

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and
HAPPY HALLOWEEN !
Thanks for stopping by.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Cinderella Quilt...It's Interactive !

I really am happy how this quilt came out...There are prairie point surrounding the center of the quilt.  I made rail fence type blocks for the sky and landscape background.  The center block was made first and the rest fitted to size.
The corners have different motifs from the Cinderella story...glass slipper, magic wand, clock striking midnight and the pumpkin patch.



Here are the cute Cinderella finger puppets and carriage.





I found the cutest fabric for the backing...all glittery too!



I made the label as a pocket, so that the carriage and finger puppets can be stored in it.  And for safety while traveling...there's even alittle bag to hold the quilt and puppets!












Hmmmm....Blogger's not cooperating...will have to continue later.  Sorry !!

Well...over the last couple of hours I've been able to upload a few more pictures.  Don't know why there was such a problem.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

I DID IT...I AM ON ETSY

When my daughter was here last week we finally opened my Etsy store.  Here's my banner...unfortunately to find a seller on Etsy you use the username...mine is homespunwb, not Margret Mary's Place...oh well...  I have a button on my sidebar and you can just click on homespunwb and you will be whisked away to MMs Place!


I've had my ups and downs this month as far a mechanical things go !!  All three of my machines were sent to the hospital at different times...it's actually taken more than 2 months to get all back and in running order.  Just got the embroidery machine back yesterday (2nd time it was in).   Right now it seems to be working like a charm...fingers crossed!  I have been busy working on some quilts though and will have a better post in a few days with some pictures.

For now, thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

CGC Finishes for September...so far !

Didn't think we'd be posting September finishes so early...but I have managed to get a couple done and added a couple of things too.

FOLK ART ANGELS QUILT - DONE


Top Section close up....you can click and then click again to get even closer



Middle section



Bottom Section


Whew...I started this quilt in 1998...didn't have any clue what I was doing...knew nothing about binding, so I made a ruffle...BEFORE the quilt appliques were even thought of!!
I ran into some problems doing the embroidery because it was already quilted...but managed anyway.
Good to finally be able to declare it OFFICIALLY FINISHED!

The next goal that I finished are the Heart Strings Blocks.  They were easy to make.  The only problem I had was that alot of the strings were smaller than 1 inch so I couldn't make as many as I anticipated...there are around 30 here.



Oh, I have the Christmas table runner all ready and waiting to be quilted.


A slight change in quilting my Falling Stars quilt...after pin basting and then machine basting...I took it to my LQS and am having it quilted by them....but first I had to REMOVE all those machine basted stitches...that's one way to FINISH a goal...lol

I've added a couple of things to my goal list...

This is a peek at something I am working on.  I have been wanting to open an Etsy store for some time now...hope it will happen soon.  Anyway, I was thinking of making some 'storybook' character quilts with the machine embroidered finger puppets or dolls to go with them to offer in Etsy.

This particular one is Cinderella...I'm auditioning some fabric for the Castle and tried out a design for the carriage...which I'm not liking because the gold metallic fabric gets perforated...the little finger puppets are cute.



And how do you like these fabrics????

Dots....gotta love 'em!

I'm following a quilt along!  They'll be some ladybugs in it!



That will be it for now....keep those machines humming....

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

CHARMING GIRLS QUILT CLUB GOALS FOR SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER

I have tons of stuff to do...having a really hard time thinking of goals TWO MONTHS in advance for the CGQC!  Here goes.........





Hmmm...where to start?  Well, since participating in the Christmas Sewing Party at Kelly's...I got in the mood to make another Christmas item...a small table runner...I've already started fusing some of the pieces.



I definitely will complete 2 more Simple Thymes BOMs for Sept and Oct...getting close to the end now.


I also would love to start on some of my embroidery items...just filling in and embellishing the FOLK ANGEL QUILT, you might remember it from awhile back.



Also, have 6 blocks from a BOM pattern called HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS...3 need embellishing and embroidery and then have to have the batting and backing added.  I am going to try a 'quilt as you go' method...we'll see how it goes.



I got some 'strings' from Julie K awhile back to make string blocks for HEART STRINGS.  I am finally going to apply myself to making them....here is one that I tried...







I have plans on doing some FM quilting...YIKES



I have the Tree Table Topper that I made at the sewing party,

the Merry Christmas Table Runner that I  have started,

then, of course, there's the Falling Stars Quilt, the Pinwheel Quilt and I'm also participating the the FM QUILT ALONG at a Few Scraps!

http://afewscraps.blogspot.com/2010/08/free-motion-quilt-along-supply-list.html

I guess that's enough to keep me busy...lol !!!