So, we went fishing....

... for the first time this year!

Machine Applique Class

On Friday last week, while at work, a coworker and I were talking about quilting. She said that she had signed up for a class @ Karen's Quilt Corner (in Eagle River, WI), but she couldn't go. So, some how all, of a sudden I had the supply list for the class.

The class was yesterday. Was a 10am - 3pm class, and boy did it fly by! We were taught 5 versions of machine applique techniques. I mostly already knew how to do fusible, so that was easy for me, but I have always been alittle shy around the actual machine applique of it all.

So.. 5 samples later, I was happy with all that went on during the class. But at times I felt like I was getting alittle too intimate with my Brother since I was so close to it - watching it stitch..LOL I did have some problems with the blanket stitch... switched out the needle. But I did play with the tension, and that help - ALOT.

Here are my samples -
Applique with interfacing - (Ahh - and I just noticed I didn't finish the butterfly with the antennas.. Opps)


















Applique with satin stitching -


















Blanket Stitch - I had to bring this home to finish it up on the stitching. Love how it turned out!! Going to finish it off, and display it in the bathroom. :)


















Free Motion - I just went at it... and the teacher & other students were impressed. Sorry if I like to play outside the box..LOL And the little red dots were suppose to be berries... naww - looked like ladybugs to me!


















And, Im going back tomorrow to Karen's.... awesome sale of Fat Quarters - 10 for $10!! SWEET!!!

Hen and Chicks - Wisconsin Quilt Blocks on Barns, Block of the Week

Almost didn't get around to making this block tonight - but it wouldn't be Wednesday if I didn't get it done. So its done, and went together very fast! I love the bright colors in it. The original block was green with the HST & center, but I like it with the black better!

Block #20 – Hen and Chicks – Green County
Pattern is here - Hen and Chicks























Find out more about the "Wisconsin Quilt Blocks on Barns, Block of the Week" @ Cre8tive Quilter

Flying Frontier - Wisconsin Quilt Blocks on Barns, Block of the Week

Ahh.. its done! It wasnt the block that caused that "ahh", but it was the Brother. I swear I had to do alot of sweet talking to get the sewing machine to atleast stitch a decent line. I spent alot of time ripping out the loose stitch.

Block #19 – Flying Frontier – Green County
Pattern is here - Flying Frontier





















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The Firefighter's Quilt

As many of you know, I come from a firefighting family. Its in our blood. So, I have been slowly collecting firefighting fabrics, over the years. And then it came time... to do something with it all.

I asked my SIL (who is a firefighter, & married to the Fire Chief {my brother}), if she would be interested in me making them a Firefighting quilt for their couch - since their living room is done in firefighting. Guess what her reply was!?!

I cut out the fabrics into 5" squares, and I did the tumbler cut again. And I L.O.V.E. the results!!!! I just finished up on the hand stitching of the binding today, and was soon outside dodging rain drops to get a few pics.

I pieced and quilted it with the Brother.

Cedar Bend Star - Wisconsin Quilt Blocks on Barns, Block of the Week

Boy this block was whipped up in no time! It took less than an hour. The Brother was playing really nice today, and I'm happy with the results of the block! And if you know me.. I'm a sucker for patriotic type blocks. So, I love the colors in this block, no doubt!

Block #18 – Cedar Bend Star – Walworth County
Pattern is here - Cedar Bend Star




















Find out more about the "Wisconsin Quilt Blocks on Barns, Block of the Week" @ Cre8tive Quilter

Presenting..... our Puppy

Super excited!! Our Pug puppy was born this evening!! Cant wait to meet our little guy this weekend, and see the rest of the clan! Congrats to Mr & Mrs. Doodle, the proud Pug parents!!

One of these cuties is coming home to live with us, around the end of June.

Here are Princess with her puppies. 3 boys, 2 girls and 1 boy went to live in Heaven with Grandpa.

Growing a Christmas Tree...

...is hard work!

Its slowing growing (and getting stitched), but its starting to take form. This is an update on Cabin in The Woods. That dark blob you see is the truck and base of the Christmas tree. Seems like a lot of darker colors right now. Hopefully I will be stitching more greens.

Cabin has been taking a back seat to getting stitched on... been working on hand stitching a binding on a quilt... so its slowly growing. :)

Feel like I hit the motherload...

Makes me happy! But, I'm still sad for the reason for the deal.

I was going to postpone my trip today to Iron River... but I thought I better just go and not have to deal with going tomorrow.

One of the stops I thought I would make was to Wardo's. Well, as I walked in... I found out that it was the last day of business (*Sniff*)

So... EVERYTHING was 85% off! (On Monday it was everything was 75% off with fabric @ 60% off, with no mention of closing)

So... I quickly did a scan of the place - looking for the fabric. And I whimpered alittle when I seen the fabric selection. It was pretty much Fat 1/8th, a handful of fat quarters and 1/2 yards. The whole store was practically empty.

So I started on what I thought I could use.. and picked up a good handful of fabric. Did a little walk around of the store, and came across a plate hanger bracket. I had seen someone use them to display quilts on. So I thought.. why not.

Then I noticed a sign on the wall. Cash Only. Well, guess what.. I don't carry cash on me. So.. since I use to work there, I had asked if I could set my things down by the cash register and walk across the street to the ATM. Get to the ATM.. now I had to decided what to withdraw. So, $60 came back with me to the store.

I get in line to check out...

So..
3 plate hanger display
9X12" Sticky board
2 - bags of plastic pellets
4" hoop
Welcome Kit - I have the book, so I'm sure I can use the kit.
Fat Quarter
9 - 1/2 Yards
19 - Fat 1/8th
















The total was $98.05 and I handed the cashier a $20, since it was $15.59

Good deal?

Evergreen - Wisconsin Quilt Blocks on Barns, Block of the Week

I really enjoyed putting this block together.. but it was the Brother I was having fits with. The tension thread kept getting whacky on me.

And living in the northwoods, this block is so "Me!". :)

Block #17 – Evergreen - Green County
Pattern is here - Evergreen




















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Alittle Inspiration....(for me)

The other week I was looking for local quilt guilds in the area (up here, they are few and far between, as the saying goes).

I came across an ad for a quilt show in Iron Mountain, MI, sponsored by The Spinning Spools Quilt Guild @ Bay College West Campus. Never being in the new campus for the quilt show, I was really impressed. I loved all the natural lighting from the whole ceiling to floor windows. And the quilts just hung from every where! I loved the fact you were able to read the little diddy of the quilt right at eye level.. and I had to walk around with my hands in my pockets not to touch. I was a good girl and only walked out with a charm pack and a 1/2 yd of fabric.

I just wanted to share alittle from the show today - there were no signs or anyone telling me not to take some pictures (and I seen others taking pictures...) so I got out the camera and snapped a few. Enjoy!

Director's Dream - Wisconsin Quilt Blocks on Barns, Block of the Week

I really enjoyed putting this block together, till I get to piecing the parts together. Then, I had to rip out since I wasn't getting the corners to line up. But I love the results!

I ♥ the colors of this block.

Block #16 – Director's Dream - Green County
Pattern is here - Director's Dream





















Find out more about the "Wisconsin Quilt Blocks on Barns, Block of the Week" @ Cre8tive Quilter

TooT TooT!

Thats me tooting my own horn!

I just got home from work, checked my email to find a comment on my April 16th FNSI post about me winning.. of course I hadnt checked out my Google Reader yet. So off I went to see what was won.

And I found on Bobbi's blog that I won for doing the FNSI. Check out what she said about my tablerunner!

Toot toot!

April 16 - Friday Night Sew-In Bistro Tablerunner Top - FINISH

Well 7pm couldn't come fast enough today - seems like those work days just drag on when you have something fun waiting for you at home. Got home around 7:45, made a couple phone calls, kissed the hubby and by 8:15 I was settled in, and sewing.

From the previous post, I said I was going to work with the Bistro charm pack and some Moda Marble.. and well here is what it looked like in pictures.

This is what I started with....















I had to get rid of the smaller cuts. Then I had to sew the 3 squares & 2 rectangles together.
















Then I had to sew them in to a block. 10 blocks to be exact.















Which I sewed those 10 blocks to make the tablerunner top.























Now I had to add the borders.... I added the Moda Marble thin border, then the square blocks..

































On went the borders, which gives me a completed tablerunner top!























Its really hard to get a good picture when the person you use as your holding prop has gone to bed. So I guess I just had to do it myself.


















Pattern credit - Moda Bake Shop - Verna's Cutting Garden Tablerunner
Charm Pack credit - Bistro by Deb Stain, from Moda

Plan on getting it quilted and bond. Soon.

I spy Bistro...

I have had this charm pack aging in my stash.. well I finally found the perfect pattern for it... stay tuned!
















Ingredients
1 Bistro Charm pack - with 40 charms
1/2yd Moda Marble - brown
Batting & Backing fabric

Friday Night Sew-In - April 16th

After work Friday night - will be spent with the Brother!!

As its that time again for ....

Humm, what can I find to sew on Friday - stay tuned!

Purina Nine Patch - Wisconsin Quilt Blocks on Barns, Block of the Week

I loved this block!! If it looks familiar - well it is. Its the logo for Purina. There is a funny story behind this block, but you will have to go here to read it.

Block #15 – Purina Nine Patch - Green County
Pattern is here - Purina Nine Patch





















Find out more about the "Wisconsin Quilt Blocks on Barns, Block of the Week" @ Cre8tive Quilter

Spent the weekend at the Cabin

Ahh.. its so nice to actually be to the point where you have to get more pages out to start stitching on the page above. And today, I was able to get out two new pages to start the highlighting on.

One frustrating thing lately with the Cabin in the Wood design - is that I'm getting actually tired.. where I'm about to fall asleep stitching it. So this weekend was filled with short naps to get my motivation back to stitching on it.

I have a few stitches that are here and there, but are on the next page above... so I still have a few holes.

So, here is what 35,000 stitches in looks like - only 134.050 to go! 26% complete so far!

Puppy Momma

Brian and I are adopting a puppy -- check out the proud puppy parents, arent they the cutest!! Proud puppy momma - Princess (Prinny) along with puppy daddy - PJ. Prinny is about 40 days along here - should deliver around May 4th(ish)

Crossed Canoes - Wisconsin Quilt Blocks on Barns, Block of the Week

I really enjoyed putting this block together!!! I also LOVE the colors too! This block was alot easier than the last one.

Block #14 – Crossed Canoe - Green County
Pattern is here - Crossed Canoes





















Find out more about the "Wisconsin Quilt Blocks on Barns, Block of the Week" @ Cre8tive Quilter