Flannel and Minkee

 This is Kathy's cutie-pie child's quilt that she pieced for a soon-to-be granddaughter!  It is sooooo cuddly!  And quilting the Minkee was a breeze.  The flower design shows up great on the Minkee back.  I loved quilting this quilt! 




I used Fil-Tec Magna-Glide thread both top and bottom and it just sinks so much into that Minkee leaving a wonderful design.  The Magna-Glide thread and Delights pre-wound bobbins are great.  I have never had an issue using this thread.  It's not for every quilt, but for those quilts that just cry out for some "zing!" - give it the Magna-Glide touch and glisten!

Are you looking for "Licensed" fabric?

I was looking through the newest Quilt magazine (Dec/Jan 2012) and found an ad for this site:

www.funfabrics.com

One of the discussions I had with a quilter this past week concerned "licensed" fabric such as Disney fabs, and how they are hard to find.  Wish I had run across this ad earlier!  They appear to have a huge selection of specialty themes and children's fabrics.

Check it out.  It might have what you're looking for.  Just a thought ...

I'll post it over to the right under Info Sites and You Tube Favorites.  


P.S.  I have not ordered from this company so I'm only pointing the way ...

It has to be after 5 o'clock SOMEWHERE ....

So after a long day/week of doing exactly what you LOVE to do, why not sit back, relax, and have that favorite beverage?  Life is grand!

I LOVE this cheap little bottle of Merlot!  I am not a wine expert, but I know what I like and Double Dog Dare is the best table Merlot around ... and for the big ol' price of $3.99!  More money for fabric!  You gotta love it!

It must be Fall!

 




I found this great Sunflower panel in September and knew immediately that this would be a great wedding gift for my sister-in-law.  She's getting married on Oct 22, and sunflowers are part of her theme.  It was fast, easy, but looks oh-so-good!  There's a table-topper to match but that will be later. 

 I quilted it using a leaf pattern.  It's pretty hard to see in that busy busy panel, but it works great.  Now I just have to bind it, put a sleeve on it, and then a label ... I just need about 8 more hours in my day!

Baskets and Stepping Stones

My friend Darlene does beautiful applique work and she gave me her appliqued baskets wall-hanging to quilt.  I asked if I could do a bit of custom work and she agreed.  Her piecing is so spot on and the whole top is beautifully pieced.  I did some curved cross-hatching in 2 of the baskets, some feathers in those big setting triangles, and then different border designs.  (I'm still working on taking better pictures ... hang in there ... I'll get it one of these days!). 

 

Here's a picture of the back of the Basket quilt.  Don't you just love looking at the back of quilts?  Sometimes they give you a whole different perspective on the quilt.

 

My church quilting group is Stitchin' Sallies and our service to God, church, and community is to make Comfort Quilts for those undergoing chemotherapy.  My part in this is that I get to quilt them!  What a gift for me, as this provides me opportunity to practice, practice, practice!  I love these quilts.  Each one is just so unique and I try to enhance the piecers work.   This one I called Stepping Stones.  I have no idea what the original name is for the pattern but it turned out beautiful.  Good work!!

In case this quilting thing doesn't work out ...

So here's the answer(s) ...

So Where in the World was Dancing Bear?

Since time is so limited and I can't take every class that comes down the pike, I'm trying to be smart about classes/road trips that I take.  During the summer I took a trip to PA for a long-arm class with DeLoa Jones and Jaime Wallen.  Great experience.  And then this past week I took a road trip to Panama City, FL  to take a piecing class with Jacqueline de Jonge.  It was a great experience!  She has so many great tips on how to handle difficult paper-piecing and the curves that are inherent in her beautiful Be Colorful quilts.  The class was sponsored by Quilting by the Bay quilt shop.  This is a shop well-worth the trip.  Evidently Jacqueline was there for over a week teaching different classes.  She’s now in Orlando teaching, and then on to the International Quilt Show in Houston. 

Above is a picture of Jacqueline showing us her beautiful quilts …

 

 

So the sunset and the world’s best mojito were enjoyed there in Panama City at a restaurant recommended by a local.  Great view and ... are you ready?    Oysters on the half-shell at $6.99 a dozen!  I did a happy dance because I pay anywhere from $1.75 to $2.50 PER OYSTER here at home!  Sigh …

 

I left Panama City and traveled north towards I-10.  I’m traveling on a 2-lane highway and off in the distance I see this beautiful white and silver-domed building, and getting closer I realized that this has to be a REAL southern town.  In the south, in the early days, our fore-fathers built their towns ‘on the square’ with some sort of historical monument in the middle; however, this building is on a grand scale and is absolutely gorgeous.  It is the Historical Town of Monticello, Florida.  The ‘old south’ had round-abouts before the Brits!  You travel ‘round about’ the historical monument and then on out of town …

 

 

My next stop was … the Savannah Bee Company in Savannah, GA, where I visited my own busy-little-bee daughter.  She manages the River Street store so naturally I had to go visit and since Dancing Bear LOVES herself some honey … voila!  Dancing Bear sitting by the hive, enjoying a swirl of honey!  

It was a great trip ... I recommend both Jacqueline de Jonge as a teacher ... and I recommend the Quilting by the Bay quilt shop.  HAVE YOU SEEN THE NEW BALI POPS?  Saw them Wednesday at QBTB and they are scrumptious!  Love the Cherry, the Plum Pudding, the Lime, and the Watermelon...oh, heck, I love them all! 

Left Savannah at 8:30 p.m. and got home at 12:30 a.m.  Long long trip, but oh-so-worth it!

Now it's on to the business of the day, quilting.  I'll be on the long-arm tonight and all day tomorrow finishing up quilts.  Pictures when I'm done.   And then finishing up the Batik Jacket.  Lots to do! 

and honey, it was a great trip!!

On the road again ...

Only in the south ...

Where in the world is dancing bear NOW?   More later!

I think I will have some, honey!

 

where in the world is dancing bear?

Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore...

Can you guess?  The sun is going down and the world's best mojito has just been downed ... 

More later, gators ...
 

Chicki-Clicki-Bag

Isn't this cute?  (baak bak bak...) Not my own design ... I was at a guild meeting and someone had the picture of this cutie-pie click-it bag and sent it to me.  I finally got it all together this morning.  I actually had the dot fabric that was used in the original so I figure I was meant to make it!

I love chickens so this bag is perfect for me!  One of these days I'm going to have 3 or 4 chickens roaming my suburban backyard ... hoping that the neighbors don't turn me in.  But that's down the road a bit.


I have the Batik Jacket almost finished.  Pictures coming soon.

More later.  Now that I've had my fun, it's back to work for me!