Emerald Braid

Are you ready for St. Patrick's Day? I pretty much have to celebrate this holiday, because of my name and my naturally curly red (well, previously red) hair.

Our new home has several rooms painted in different shades of green, so I've been stitching more green quilts for decorating. I made this table runner last November and it's still on the oak buffet in our foyer.

I used a couple of fat quarters and a white on natural print for this quick and easy project. Simple 5” squares with half-square triangles were laid out in a braid pattern. I pieced it on Annie, my sweet little Featherweight and quilted in a straight stitch with green thread. Emerald Braid is 52” x 13½” finished.

Wishing you a happy St. Patrick's Day tomorrow, and don't forget to wear green or the leprechauns will pinch you!

Accuquilt dies used:

55010 Square 5”
55397 Half-square triangle 4½”
55017 Strips 2½” binding 

Evergreen Palm

Here's another pretty test block that was hiding in my sample box. It's perfect for a pillow cover, and looks great on my couch.

The palm die and some cream & green fat quarters made a lovely combination. I put a layer of cotton flannel on the back of the 16” block, then quilted using scallop stitch and creamy white thread.

White on natural print fabric was perfect for the pillow envelope back. Quick and done!

Die used:
Blue Wren 6359 The Palm 8” finished

Wishing everyone

a very happy Christmas

and a wonderful New Year. 

I'm taking the rest of 2024 off

...see you in 2025!

Cookout Time

I'm ready to celebrate the 4^th of July with a cookout, using brand new hot pads and an apron.

I have lots of these handy hot pads, made with scrappy leftovers from quilts and odd test or sample blocks. These two are the latest in my collection.

The navy smock style apron is reversible, made with medium weight poplin and denim for the straps. I've seen this style selling online for $75 to $150, can you believe it? I made my own pattern, then used fabric from my stash to whip this up in an afternoon.

That was a fun diversion from quilting, but now I'm back to my ever growing list of quilt projects. I'll take a break to grill some burgers on Thursday.

Merry & Bright

Merry & Bright

I love decorating with quilts for Christmas, only I don't start until after Thanksgiving is over. Pulling out all my holiday quilts and deciding where to display them really gets me in the Christmas spirit.

Of course, I always make one or two new ones to add into the mix. This happy little wall hanging is my latest. One of my friends gave me this fabric, including the colorful Christmas tree print used for the borders and backing.

Red, green, aqua, lime, and pink dots make lovely Chinese Lantern blocks that look a lot like ornaments. Quilting was done using white thread in serpentine and straight stitches. Merry & Bright is 32” square.

Accuquilt dies used:
55599 Chinese Lanterns 8” block
55054 Strips 4½”
55017 Strips 2½”

 

Diamonds For Christmas

Diamonds For Christmas

How's that for the name of my annual Christmas design? No, I'm not talking about jewelry, but fabric diamonds instead. 

I love pretty Christmas quilts and use them all over the house for decoration.

Jolly red and green prints are combined with black, gray, and white for a scrappy holiday quilt. I used Blue Wren's diamond in a rectangle die, then added two sizes of half square triangles on the long and short sides to make a square block.

For quilting, I chose a zig-zag utility stitch with white thread on the front and dark gray in the bobbin. A cute Christmas light fabric is perfect for backing and binding. A slightly wider binding frames the quilt nicely. Diamonds For Christmas finished at 53" square. 

Dies used:
Blue Wren
6381 Diamond in Rectangle 3” x 6” finished

Accuquilt
55147 Half square triangle 2¼” finished
55397 Half Square Triangle 4½” finished
55032 Strip 3½” for binding

Wishing everyone 

a happy, safe, 

and relaxing Christmas! 

Wild Crimson

Wild Crimson

Let's start December with a classic red quilt. I cut a variety of red prints into quarter square triangles and started stitching light and dark ones together.

I juggled the blocks around on my design wall till I was satisfied with the arrangement. After adding 2” black weave and 4” red dot borders, Wild Crimson measures 48” square.

A serpentine stitch with red thread across the seams makes a lovely pattern. I especially enjoyed making this lap quilt because I added it to my Christmas donation stack. I'll tell you more about that project later this month.

Accuquilt dies used:
55002 Quarter Square Triangles 6” finished
55017 Strip 2½” (border 1 and binding)
55054 Strip 4½” (border 2)

CHRISTMAS

IS DOING A LITTLE

SOMETHING EXTRA

FOR SOMEONE

~ Charles M. Schultz

American Heroes

American Heroes

Today, Memorial Day, is set aside to honor those heroes who died while protecting our country.

I sewed this 44” wall hanging with red, white, and blue remnants. Simple, yet striking. 

I cut blue prints with two segments of Charming Rings die, and appliqued it to one corner of a 22” square. Then I sewed red wedge pieces together, aligned them, and appliqued. 

I carefully trimmed the excess fabric underneath before sewing all four squares together.  I quilted with white thread in diagonal lines.  

I love the result of my day of playing with scraps. American Heroes is on the wall in my dining room, alongside my other red, white and blue quilts used to decorate our home from now through July 4^th.

Today, remember the heroes.

Dies used:
Blue Wren 6858 Charming Rings 8”
Accuquilt 55439 Wedge 9” 

Starry Snowmen

Today I'm unveiling my second Christmas quilt project. The cute snowman print and wine/cream fabric came from this year's estate sale bonanza.

The block, Shooting Star, is a vintage 1934 Nancy Cabot design. Using Blue Wren's Sliced Square die made quick work for cutting and stitching.

Starry Snowmen

Natural muslin sashing frames the blocks. I quilted with cream thread using serpentine stitch. Starry Snowmen is 54“ square.

The backing is a large wine and cream snowflake and feathered star fabric that my mama gave me years ago. Nice memory...today would have been her birthday and I miss her.

Note: Thanks to those who asked if we were affected by Saturday's awful tornadoes and storms. We are fine, only had one small tree down. There was lots of damage in nearby towns, and unbelievable devastation in Kentucky. Please keep those folks in your thoughts.

Dies used:
Blue Wren
6600 Sliced Square 6”
6015 1½” Strips

Accuquilt 
55017 Strip 2½”

Festive Flair

I can't believe it's December! I've just finished decorating for Christmas with simple touches in each room. Nothing fancy, mostly quilts mixed in with our favorite holiday items.

This new quilt is a modern design using red, teal and pale gray colors. The alternating 8” blocks, four-patch and mill wheel, have been around for a long time. I think the same layout done with scraps and white would look more traditional, so I may try that later.

Quick and easy to sew, Festive Flair is 48” square. I quilted in rows 2” apart with light gray thread. Backing is a red on red print. I used the teal squiggle print for binding.

More Christmas quilting is underway, so check back next Monday for additional bits of holiday cheer.

Dies used:
Blue Wren
6865 Mill Wheel 8” finished
Accuquilt
55018 Value die Square 4” finished
55059 Square 2½” multiple
55017 Strip 2½”

Relish every moment

 

Let Freedom Ring

Let Freedom Ring

I decorate our home with red, white, and blue each year from around Memorial Day through Independence Day. 

Today is Flag Day, a holiday which commemorates the date in 1777 when the Continental Congress of the United States approved the design for its first national flag.

This patriotic quilt uses Friendship Circles die from Australia, a pattern also published here in the early 1930's. I sewed sixteen identical blocks from remnants, and added a 3” border in mixed dots. Tiny red gingham checked fabric is used on backing and binding.

For quilting, I chose a double blanket stitch in white thread to follow some of the curved seams. The centers were stitched using a spiral ruler template.

Let Freedom Ring is 38” finished size, just right for a reversible table topper or wall hanging. I worked up the design in Electric Quilt 8, modifying their Papa's Delight block to match my die.

Dies used:

Blue Wren 6301 Friendship Circles 8”

Accuquilt
55017 Strips 2½"
55032 Strips 3½”

Side note: I'm truly happy to be sewing inside a cool house...it's been 95 degrees outside and heat doesn't agree with me any more. Our cooling system had a malfunction, but my handy husband fixed it right up. FedEx isn't delivering the needed part in a timely manner (Texas to Nashville to Kansas !?! and who knows where next), so it's a good thing he knows how to improvise. A keeper, he is.

Peppermint Snowballs

Merry Christmas y'all...here's a sweet and easy small project that should make Santa happy.

Medium red fabric with tiny white dots, plus a red/white diagonal stripe and a black and white weave pattern contrast sharply with crisp solid white broadcloth. I alternated nine-patch and snowball blocks. Designed in EQ8 and cut with Accuquilt, Peppermint Snowballs is 30” square.

For quilting I used a wide decorative stitch with white thread diagonally across the nine-patch blocks. Then I changed to a straight stitch, sewing twice across each snowball. Binding with the striped fabric frames it perfectly.

Peppermint Snowballs

I've sewed this simple block combination before, and each quilt looks different due to color changes and placement. That's one of the things I enjoy about quilting!


Accuquilt Dies used:
55017 2½” Strip
55330 Snowball 6” finished
55059 2½” Square multiples

Here's wishing everyone

a peaceful and relaxing holiday!

Southbound

If you need some inspiration for a quick 4th of July quilt project and have some red, white and blue fabric, this one should make you happy. My ever-growing remnant baskets provided plenty of scraps for this baby. 

I've been experimenting: mixing die elements to create different designs. Today's quilt uses half square triangles and the trapezoid section of the spool die. I sewed the triangle to the trapezoid, then sewed two together to form a 4½” square. Four of those create an eight inch finished block. 

Southbound

 

I added a 4” border of navy and white stars to frame it. Quilting in free motion with white thread moves from block to block across the diagonal lines. A double serpentine stitch on the border was added using a quilting ruler. 

Southbound is 41” square, but it could be made as large or small as you wish. I could see this vintage block in place mats, pot holders, or a tablecloth.


Accuquilt dies used:
55018 Small Value
55180 Spool

Some people done lost 

their ever-lovin' minds 

Merry Trees

This small Christmas quilt is so cute! Diamond shapes and triangles are arranged to form rows of little trees.

I used Hattie's Choice Accuquilt die again to cut the red and green shapes, then added half square rectangles on each side. A bright border of red with green dots just sets it off. 

Backing is a holiday print of nested squares. Using green thread, I quilted in serpentine stitch horizontally and vertically.  Nice for a wall hanging or table mat, Merry Trees is 23” x 35” in size.

Accuquilt dies used:  

Hattie's Choice 55220

3 ½” x 6 ½” half rectangle triangle 55411 

I'm enjoying a simple, quiet Christmas season. No parties, no nonsense, no drama. We haven't wanted to shop (except a bit online), so we avoided the pressure to buy just for the sake of a sale. It's empowering to ignore others' expectations and satisfying to do what you like.

Remember, it's your Christmas,

so march to the beat

of your own little drummer boy

Spirit of Liberty

I'm celebrating the USA with this week's design, in honor of Independence Day. Made with Accuquilt Parallelogram (55004), it features red and navy prints with white 3 ½” half square triangles on each end to make a rectangle.

I grouped six of each color to form blocks and alternated them to make a strip. Sashing between rows is 3 ½” wide red and navy diamond print on white background. I quilted with white thread in a free motion looping pattern. 

Spirit of Liberty

Binding is a red and white stripe. For backing I used the diamond print but didn't have quite enough left for the length, so I added a row of red and blue 6½” AQ tumbler blocks about a third of the way down.  

Spirit of Liberty is 42” x 48”, but you could make it any size you like by changing the number of blocks or rows. I used EQ8 to play with other layouts before finalizing this version. A table runner using only one strip of blocks or cheerful place mats might be nice.

Celebrate the holiday and be safe!

Ho, Ho, Ho!

With only a week until Christmas, I couldn't resist posting one last holiday quilt. It's a fun one made to hang on the wall or use as a door decoration. The 20” x 30” size made it quick to put together; I finished it in an afternoon. 

I used white on white print scraps for the letters, with a bright red tiny print as background. Crisp black and white gingham frames it nicely. I stitched with white thread in straight lines just under an inch apart.

Just a few more items on my to do list, including pecan pies to bake, and Chex mix to make.

Santa's coming soon, so be good, relax, and enjoy the holidays!

Christmas Sewing and a Cat Mat

I'm still spending lots of time in the sewing room, especially with the cold temps last week.  I made a few more Christmas table mats for the kitchen and got to use more of the fabulous stitches on my new machine. 

Callie Cat has a thing for fabric, too.  She likes to plop down on anything soft...a shirt, a quilt, a pillow, or any material you've left on a horizontal surface.  Even when I'm sewing, I'll turn around and she is laying on the very project I'm working on.  So I decided to sew up a cat mat of her very own.  The dots on the fabric are little cat faces.  I think she likes it.

The end of December is normally hectic and busy, but this year I'm trying to take it easy and concentrate on what's important.  I hope you all seek out your own peace and happiness this Christmas season.  

 

Christmas Cheer

I don't put up a huge Christmas tree or completely redecorate for the holidays. I do add a few decorations to each room to make the season brighter. 

My newest addition for our bedroom is a quilted wreath wall hanging and cute pillows featuring a patchwork ornament and a Santa hat. I didn't have a pattern, so I used EQ7 to lay out the designs. I love how the fabrics add a bright modern touch to the room. The black and white swirled quilt is the back of one I already made.  

Make your space merry with a few well placed items that will make you smile. It doesn't have to be perfect, just festive.  

Twinkling lights around the back door or a special ornament hanging on a cabinet knob give just the right touch of holiday spirit. 

Tiny lightweight ornaments on my Norfolk Island pine make a perfect little Charlie Brown Christmas tree. 

A snowman plate on my kitchen counter adds a simple touch of holiday cheer, especially with those just baked chocolate chip cookies.  

Enjoy the season and have a wonderful, relaxing December.

Christmas Stars

I've been a busy little seamstress! Here's the new snuggle quilt I made for my mama, called Christmas Stars. It looks so festive draped over her bed.  A patchwork Christmas stocking made a nice door decoration.   

 

Sewing isn't the only needlework I enjoy. My crochet hook has been flying through a couple of scarves, a vest, and now I'm working on a cardigan. I learned a couple of new stitches, too.  Did I mention there was a yarn sale last weekend?

 

 

The only problem is with all that crochet and online Christmas shopping, my right index finger is getting a workout!  I need some Aleve for the joint pain...or some spiked eggnog could do the trick. 

 

Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas. ~Peg Bracken

Holiday Season Challenge

Let's face it, December can be hectic. We're just coming off Thanksgiving, which has evolved into a pre-Christmas shopping frenzy. The pressure is on to find the perfect gift, decorate the perfect house, and be the perfect hostess.

I have an idea. Forget the nonsense and enjoy the Christmas season. 

 

What if, each day, we did something nice for someone else AND something nice for ourselves? 

 

That's right. Be generous and selfish every day. Embrace the joy with no guilt. As you buy presents, get little gift for you. Bake your own favorite dish and share it with others. Pay it forward to the next person in line as you indulge in your favorite beverage. 

 

It doesn't matter what religion you are or what you believe. Just be nice.

It's the season for giving. Treat yourself as you give to others, and see how much better you feel about the holidays.

One of the secrets to a happy life is continuous small treats. ~ Iris Murdoch

Trick Or Treat At The Campground

Picture this: It's the last Saturday night in October at Defeated Creek Campground near Carthage, Tennessee. Just before dusk there's a haze of campfire smoke floating in the air, mixed with the scent of grilled burgers, chili, and hot dogs. Campsites are decorated with backlit ghosts, witches, jack-o-lanterns, tombstones, giant spider webs, spooky music, and eerie colored lasers. Some are pretty elaborate; we had two plastic pumpkins illuminated with tea lights sitting on the picnic table.

It's like a neighborhood party and most of the campers hand out candy. Kids (and some adults) were decked out in costume with their sacks full of treats. I saw a tiny witch riding a pink and turquoise bike, several undead zombies, a bumble bee, Duck Dynasty characters, princesses, pirates, and cheerleaders. One little girl vampire in a Victorian red and black satin dress had drops of blood painted over her face, and when I said she looked scary she hissed at me with her fake fangs instead of saying trick or treat. An adorable two year old boy with a head full of blonde curls was wearing an engineer cap and a Thomas the Train costume. Too cute!

We were dressed as retired campers in jeans, flannel shirts and hoodies. It was fun for us to watch and give away goodies while we sat by the fire, even if we don't have kids.  Everyone was well behaved, laughing and enjoying the relaxing atmosphere. Parents and grandparents were walking with their little spooks, having a good time. I'm sure there were lots of ghost stories told and marshmallows roasted once it got dark and everyone was back at their campsite.  Those families will have great memories of camping and trick or treat.  

Happy Halloween!