an inspiration and a bunch of links

I found some inspiration in posts for the Think Christmas blog hop starting today. Haven't been able to focus much with sewing lately so maybe this will help. (smile)

The first link takes you to the directions for the blog hop and the others link to the placemat and table runner ideas that were inspired by the block designed by Anita Grossman.  Hope these links work! It is a sweet idea for Christmas gifts.

http://lesleythecuddlequilter.blogspot.ca/2012/07/think-christmas-blog-hop-schedule.html

http://threadingmyneedles.blogspot.com/2012/07/its-my-turn_7096.html?showComment=1343672462787#c7708310469363157706

http://quilterinmotion.com/2011/11/21/Promised-Placemats/


http://www.quiltmaker.com/content_downloads/QM_Anita_s-Arrowhead.pdf

Comfort in a Fur Coat

From the same rescue group who gave us Mosley, we have found a new girl to bring into our family. Let me introduce you to Sabra. She just turned four years old and is full of sweet life. Sabra is blending into our family and bringing us great comfort. She looks kind of serious here. I would take another picture but she is busy playing with Mosley and he doesn't want anything to do with a camera.

I have been able to do a little stitching and am working on a gift quilt using my favorite pattern from Back to Charm School. I'm using the leftover charms to make a little version for myself. I love this one block quilt look and thought of making a larger one for a table cloth. Then I started the hand piecing....I don't think I'm crazy  dedicated enough to hand piece anything so big. I'll stick to blocks and small projects for that.

Untitled

Not sure where to start here. June was a good month in many ways but has ended rather sadly. My lab, Sandy, had many good days and walks in the forest but her melanoma came back abruptly last week and we had to say good bye to her. I was very grateful to have these past months with her seeing her enjoy her walks and time with me. I was also grateful that though this return of disease was annoying, she was not in pain. It would have been harder to see her suffer.

The stitching we did this month involved making some table runners for gifts. I can show the pictures now because the birthday girls have now opened their presents. These table runners were from a pattern that was for free and posted, I think, during one of the holiday blog hops a year or two ago. Unfortunately, what I printed out didn't include the designer so I don't know where to give credit for this idea. If anyone recognizes it...please let me know and I'll post it here. It uses fat quarters or yardage and is fast and kind of fun. The quilting is mostly SID and a five point star in the center.
Thanks to Mary, I now have the designer info...head over to Quiltbug at http://www.quiltbug.com/free/table-topper.htm  to see the pattern for the table runner.

I finished the stitching on Blackbird Sings and washed the Transfer Eze off. The stitching looks a little wobbly and loose with the layer of product gone. I should have pulled my stitches tighter and may have to change my feelings about embroidery hoops.  I have since stitched a lobster on a towel...which was on a thin terry cloth towel...using the Transfer Eze and a hoop and the stitches came out nicely. I'll show a picture of that later but the hoop may be the needed change.
I'm machine and hand piecing a little charm quilt that is to be another gift so the picture for that will have to wait as well. The handwork is a helpful distraction here. We are planning to rescue another dog soon to help our hearts  heal. Sandy and Bridget rescued us from loss years ago and another rescue seems like our best idea. Dogs are the best medicine.

giveaway alert

Margaret won the copy of Sonoma Rose that was recently reviewed and given away here. She has enjoyed her read and is now passing it on for someone else to win. Go visit Powers That Bee Quilting to view some of her lovely machine quilting and to enter her giveaway.
I've been working on some gift projects that I can't show till next month and working on some embroidery....more later...:-)

Finished PIGs

 DH helped me with quilt holding for pictures to show some of the quilts I have completed recently. The first one is from a kit I purchased from Fig Tree fall of 2010 at PIQF. This pattern was written with a good plan for dealing with all the bias in this quilt. I used a pattern called Feathered Curls for the quilting.

This one is more Fig Tree fabric that I purchased back in 2005? and is used in a Schnibbles pattern called Four Corners. I love the pale lime green border! I quilted it with feathers from a pattern called Chocolate Feathers.

I used the same Schnibbles pattern to use up still more floral scraps from the quilt I made for my mom last year. Quilted with Feathered Curls. This will go to my cousin who loves romantic and Victorian decor. She is traveling in Italy with my sister right now so I will send it to arrive when they get home.

Today I'm sewing borders on the Double Wedding Ring quilt that I'm finishing from a class back in 2003 (!) I leave you here with views from inside the sewing room and out the front window. I have a good group of helpers :-)

new blogger and quilt show

This is my first time posting with the new format so I'll just have to see how this goes. Elinor is sitting in my lap, 'helping me'.
The local Seven Sister's Quilt Show was this past weekend and I have a few photos to share of quilts I enjoyed.
First of course, a turtle. Really lovely!

 This one was a favorite partly because of the lime green border.

 Loved this country road of mailboxes.

 Nice selection of colors and applique in this one.

 This may have been my favorite in the show. The smaller blocks in borders around the center and the big stitch quilting.

 My friend won a ribbon! This is gorgeous with wonderful quilting.

I have some quilts of my own completed but need to coordinate with my quilt holder to get pictures of them. So more later...

what's on my bed linky party

Bonnie Hunter is having a linky party showing off bed quilts. Here's mine though I actually am not that fond of this quilt and have it turned over showing just the lovely plain backing fabric most of the time. I love Courthouse Steps patterns but apparently not when the strips are cut 2.5 inches and maybe not in such light fabrics. I was going for a blendy look but oh well....live and learn :-)