Stitchery Challenge -Day 2

Stitchery Challenge - Day 1

Quilts & Homecoming

Somebody best tell Old Man Winter to stay away a little longer! I hear-tell that on Thursday we here in Lancaster, PA will dip down to a high of 49 with a low of 33F!! Excuse me?? No I'd like a little more Autumn please. 

In preparation, I will be digging out the electric blanket as our bedroom isn't attached to our heating ducts (gotta love a 221 year old home!) Then again, it IS becoming the perfect weather to burrow under a quilt!

A little boy's Tool Top; QUILTED Straight-Line Meander Freehand

I don't know what the pattern of this top is, but I thought the colors were so vibrant & I love how it melds together. QUILTED with Paisley Meander Freehand.

Scrappy Paths has the most magnificent amount of fabrics. I was tickled as I kept noticing fabric I, too, own, and so I had to wonder which shop(s) we both are frequenting!

QUILTED Puzzle Piece Meander Freehand.

The back of Scrappy Paths is also scrappy!! 

A self-indulgent picture of my younger daughter looking absolutely beautiful, standing next to her dashing date, ready to head out to their Homecoming Dance!

Until next time... keep warm under a quilt :-)

Autumn Update & Ornies

We're still having a fairly proper fall season here in Lancaster, PA, for which I'm exceedingly thankful for. We had a hot spell for a couple days which produced a new population of fleas (we're constantly combatting this one here along the Susquehanna River) & a scrambling for those comfy shorts again.

I love October the most. There are no big holidays to prep & stress over; colorful combinations fly past windows on autumn air; soft sweatshirts; SWEATPANTS; pumpkin anything; cold toes close to warm fires; and snuggling up with my manly BFF under the covers after a long day (and yes I'm talking about Marshall & not one of the "manly" dogs!!)

OMGosh I'll have to post pics of our HUGE pumpkins! I'm not kidding when I tell you at least one had to be rolled out from the backyard! Next post...

Onto the quilts...

A Yellow & Green Batik Top; QUILTED with a Freehand Leafy Swirl

And this Bear Claw Top; QUILTED with an Oak Leaf Panto

I'm thrilled to have this Halloween ornament set finished. It's difficult to get the full effect, but I sprayed them with Instant Antique by Primitive Gatherings. I love working with felt! Not having to turn edges or use a fusible interface takes out extra steps, so you can just start stitching already!

Does it feel unreal that it's time to start thinking about Thanksgiving plans? Or that I'm READY TO START CHRISTMAS SHOPPING?? Or that some have already started shopping??? 

Bring. It. On.

I'm feeling "ready" this year.

Holidays are rough from a stress perspective to begin with ~ trying to get everything "just so", finding those perfect gifts, and trying to fit in all the fun stuff. 

Our family has struggled much with holidays these four years since losing Montie. Every year I feel we've made small steps toward a more joyful season as we become more accustomed to being without him.  Last year I could listen to some Christmas music. And last year I enjoyed wrapping presents again.  But there's still some of "Montie's" wrapping paper in the bin I'll see but won't use & I haven't been able to unpack his ornaments yet much less hang them. In fact, the first Christmas after Montie passed, we bought an artificial tree (which we'd never had) & Maegan braved the stores with a friend and bought for us several sets of coordinated balls, so that we've not unpacked what we used to use. Do you all attach such meaning & remembrances with ornaments? We have so many that we and/or the kids have had since little. I don't know what little baby step(s) we'll take this year, but I feel READY & not just "bracing for it". 

Until then, I'm going to enjoy some more calm of Autumn in October :)

Autumn Arrives

I'm exceedingly happy Fall seems to be happening this year, with a proper cooling down period & not this hot-to-cold stuff we've done the past couple years. The sweatshirts have been needed for most of the early morning dog walks, and I'm thrilled to be wearing Pink sweats today! I love my bummy clothes!!

In other news, we seem to have found our homeschool rhythm, which has me a bit calmer about how to combine working from home while also effectively homeschooling. It's still quite the juggle with many days leaving me wanting more hours in the day & more energy in this middle-aged body! I've been utilizing my crock pot a bunch... so helpful when we're all starving but left with depleted energy to deal with cooking.

Here's what I've had to work on in the Quilting Realm: 

 Green Rail Top; QUILTED with Branchy Spirals (freehand) 

 Garden Twist Top; QUILTED with Leafy Swirl (freehand)

Patriotic Star Top; QUILTED with Stars & Loops (freehand)

I hope you're all enjoying a Slow Sunday! Reading, writing, sewing, sitting, Mountain Men, and football are on the agenda for today...

School starts & Quilting Continues!

Yep, our 11th grade homeschool year is under way, but the quilting doesn't wait! I'm happy to announce I've added to my clientele the piecers at Carolyn's Quilt Shop in Tamaqua. If you haven't been to Carolyn's yet, you should make a trip to visit her:  lots of beautiful fabrics, a vat-full of kits to choose from, and samples abound. There's definitely something for everyone!

The Orange/Green Retro top is quilted in Bubble Meander:

And this Brown Chevron top is also quilted in Bubble Meander: 

Aside from quilting for Stitch & Craft & Carolyn's Quilt Shop, I've been working on a few of my own projects. This wall hanging is really a multi-generational project. My maternal Great Grandmother (Gamla Mor Mor) who lived in Finland started it, and from what I understand she probably did the majority of the handiwork. My maternal Grandmother who came to the USA as a young woman worked minimally on it but held onto it & then passed it down to my mom. Eventually my mom hinted that perhaps I could finish it for "some birthday". 

All the flowers are made from yarn wrapped around small, plastic rings, and the stems are stitched by hand with yarn as well. These were all done when I got it. I just finished it by hand-quilting in an echo pattern & binding it. 

Thanks for visiting me here :) I'm way behind in blogging & have much more to show you! 

Till next time...

Summer Update

I've been totally remiss in updating here lately! So many quilts, so little time!! School will starting up soon, and although that means more busy-ness, it also means a more regimented schedule. Maybe THEN I'll visit here more often!

Here's a Double Wedding Ring I did for Stitch & Craft with freehand Custom Quilting.  Although the quilt itself is beautiful, I love the back more to see all that quilting :)

The pastel hand-dyed fabrics in this quilt are BEAUTIFUL. The photos don't do them justice. 

It's quilted with a freehand Heart Meander.

This half-square triangle quilt was quilted with freehand S-Curls.

Here in Pennsylvania autumn seems to be falling on us early. As I walked the dog the other morning, I could hear the season changing in the rustling leaves that had already fallen. I needed a sweatshirt! And there's already talk of when to close the pool. 

As always I see the close of summer in a bi-polar manner. Part of me still feels the panic from my much younger years, thinking of summer vacation ending. But part of me is giddy anticipating cooler days, soft sweats, cozy fires, and snuggling under a warm quilt!