Maison de Garance Schnibble

The Maison de Garance wall hanging has been pieced. It is an amazing accomplishment. I've come to the conclusion that I don't cut straight or sew straight. One side was an inch longer than the other. That's a lot of 1/4 inch seams being wrong. But I remind myself that I once stopped quilting because I felt things weren't perfect enough. I have to get better but not frustrated.

I really like this wallhanging. I think I'll make more Schnibbles. I felt I was accomplishing every time I left the sewing room. Just enough to bite off.

I've decided to hand quilt so I'll have something to do when I sit with DH watching tv.
I have no idea what this will become. I bought charm packs of Moda white. One night I needed to just sew. This is how far I've come. I don't know how to arrange them and how many more to make. I think some fell of the design wall but I have it complete this far. I don't know if I like it like this. Hmmm.....

New life! I ordered seeds from Burpee. My geranium seeds are sprouting. I'm such a nerd....this is so exciting to me. I took this picture then went to dinner. When I came back there were sprouts in another pot. So much fun!

I've got a set up in the spare bathroom. My goal is to save money on annuals and grow lots of them myself. It's a crazy amount of money to have fresh annuals in the summer.

Happy New Year! Be safe.

Schnibbling and Fat Geese

I have been coveting the Schnibbles I've seen on the blogs. I wish I had caught on to the Year of Schnibbles when it started. I decided I need one for a blank spot in the hallway.

I've never made flying geese. I've heard lots of moaning about them. There seem to be a million rulers. That indicates to me that they are hard. Therefore, I have avoided them. The instructions in the Schnibbles book call for an easy way-kind of like doing HST by drawing the line down the middle.

Little did I know how fat my geese would be. I sewed so proudly.

A flock of fat geese. I can't judge. I'm fat too. I wonder if this is like fat people who have fat dogs.

This is the layout.

And the first couple of rows sewed together with the obese geese scrunched in there.

I'm hoping to get the last rows sewn together tomorrow. I need to go to the LQS to buy some binding and backing. That's just an excuse to go to the LQS.

Joanna

A New Camera!

Santa brought me a new camera. Actually it's from the DH. It's been a long time since I've blogged. My agenda has been full. I married the nicest man on the planet. He's the guy that bought me the spiffy new camera.

Not much commetary to this post. Tonight is a freeze so it seemed like a good time to capture some of the current blooms. I'm learning how to use the camera and loving it.

Turk's Cap

Mexican Flame Bush/Vine

Chinese Lanterns

Bougenvilla

Carolina Jessmine

Azaleas

Hope Christmas was a joyful and peaceful time for you.

Quilt Festival- The Beauty

I'm on my way back to the Internatinal Quilt Festival. This is just a quick post and just one of the pictures I took. I think this quilt it beautiful in it's simplicity. It is made of raw edge pieces. They might all be triangles but probably not. I left thinking " I could attempt that."

Yesterday at Festival I sat down to eat a bite with a new book I bought. A woman joined me and began talking. She knows a whole lot about quilting. It's her 17th year. She told me there were many quilts that won awards that are sloppily done. She went on to talk about sloppy bindings etc. She wasn't impolite....she just knows alot and has an opinion.

I hope I never see what she sees. Ignorance is bliss. My breath is taken away by the quilts. While some are more my taste than others, I am stunned by what people can create. And most of those people are women.

Off to take in more beauty and do some sloppy work in the class I am taking.

Aster Manor #2 In Progress

I started my second Aster Manor Disappearing Nine Patch. It's so quick and easy. My thinking is that this will be a Christmas gift for someone. I was just going to make one but I bought way too much material for the sashing and border that it just seemed cost effective to mass produce. So here is a go at the second version.



I decided to make the center block solids in each of these blocks. I didn't do that with the first version. Below is the nine patch in red before cutting. It was hard to cut that up. I think it's so pretty.



Then one of the brown nine patch blocks.







Here are all 9 disappearing nine patch blocks without the sashing or binding. I'm not sure how I'm going to like this one. With the center blocks being solid and all the others being prints...I feel like I see the same print blocks over and over. Not enough variation. We'll see what it looks like with sashing and border.
This is version #1 with sashing and border. I'll compare both when the sashing and border is added to version #2.

I need an entry level camera for blogging pictures. My fabrics and flowers don't get the credit due them with this camera. What kind should I get????

Kaffe Hexagons

At last year's quilt festival I bought a charm pack of Kaffe prints. I had no idea what to do with them. That little pack has gone a long way. I just love, love, love these prints.

I have a weird hallway space that I have to fill. I've never been able to find prints that I like or want to pay the price for. I decided to frame some blocks that I could later change. I have enough spare fabric, for sure.

So, here is the start to a hexagon design that I'll frame. We'll see where it goes. I think the center of each flower will be yellow.

It's just a few weeks until quilt festival. Think I'll need some more Kaffe.

Nothing but heaven itself is better than a friend who is really a friend. Plautus.

That's a picture of my dog not my best friend. She would kill me if I posted her picture.

Just got off the phone with a friend of over 30 years. Tomorrow night I go out with a friend of over 25 years. Both are my "best friends." I am blessed.

Call your best friend. It will make your day.