Nature

Nature does not hurry but everything is accomplished. Lao Tzo
Some of nature's most exquisite handiwork is on a miniature scale, as anyone knows who has applied a magnifying glass to a snowflake.

Rachel Carson
Flowers are heaven's masterpiece. Dorothy Parker
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.

Albert Einstein
Nature is the art of God. Thomas Browne, Religio Medici 1635
The best remedy for those lonely, afraid, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.

Anne Frank
With Passion,

Carrie P.

Thimbleberries

How many of you were in a Thimbleberries Club? I joined one not long after I started quilting. I met some really great quilters and made some pretty neat quilts too. As a beginner quilter I learned a lot from each quilt I made. These first 3 sets of pictures are photos of a photo so that is why they don't look good.
The quilt on the left was sort of a BOM that you could make into little quilts or into a big quilt. As you can see I made mine into a big quilt and I ended up donating it to a group for victims of 9/11. The quilt on the right is made of flannel. It is queen size and it is really heavy.
Here are two more quilts. These are two of my favorites of the Thimbleberries.
Here is a wall hanging I always bring out for the fall.

This quilt is not actually a Thimbleberries pattern. The center of it is though. The center was from another BOM/small wall hanging that I did not continue. So the center was put away for a while. Then I joined another BOM at a local quilt shop. While I was making the blocks from the shop I decided to also make a second set of blocks using the Thimbleberries fabrics. My goal was to work the center panel into the BOM.

I came up with this setting and am pretty proud how well it all came together.
Here is my newest Thimberries. It is not really new because I made the top in 2003/2004. Not real sure how long it has been. I actually had it thread basted because I was going to hand quilt it. I finally decided to pull all the basting out and get it machine quilted.
Here are some of the details of the blocks. Gloria, a lady in my guild does her quilting with a computerized machine. I picked out these designs and then she sizes them to fit the blocks on her computer and then the machine sews all the designs.

Gloria is entering this quilt in the Carolina Longarm Association Quilt Show on Sept 17-18 to show off her work. Maybe she will win a ribbon.
Check out some giveaways: One is at Stash Manicure and the other is at Comfort Stitching.

With Passion,

Carrie P.

Memory is the way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, and the things you never want to lose. Kevin Arnold

Just a Little Something!

This past Friday we had delightful weather here in North Carolina. The humidity was way down and a light breeze from the north was cooling the air down. It was so wonderful to feel a touch of fall in the air. Because it was so nice in the morning I decided to sit outside and do some embroidery. I finished the last block from Crabapple Hill.
And a little something came in the mail too. It came all the way from Australia. From Jenny of Elefantz. Do you get excited over new threads? Well, I do and I am quite excited about this variegated thread. I don't know how I will use it yet but when the right project comes up I will definitely try this thread. I wish you could see how tiny those stitches are on the scissor fob! I just keep looking at it in awe. Click on the picture and maybe you can get a better idea how tiny the stitches are.
Thank you so very much Jenny. It was so very kind of you to send me such a sweet and thoughtful gift. A big hug for you.

With Passion,

Carrie P.

Friendship is the golden thread that ties the heart of all the world.

John Evelyn

Snowflakes and Flowers...

these are a few of my favorite things!


Instead of making little freezer paper templates I decide to make one Templar plastic one and use this applique technique I like.
Look at this machine embroidery design. It was sent to me by Quilting Fiesta because I had sent her some of my fabric scraps for her hexagon quilt. Go to see it here. I am not sure what I will make with it, maybe a towel for the fall. Thanks so very much Fiesta.
I almost forgot something. Check out Cyndi's blog. She is sharing directions for the cutest hexagon Christmas ornaments.

With Passion,

Carrie P.

The thought you now have shapes your experience of the next moment. Practice shaping the moment. Tom Barrett

Shabby Roses

I finally got my Shabby Roses quilt finished. This was a BOM that Jenny of Elefantz generously shared with her readers. If you look close at the blocks I actually am calling my blocks Retro Roses because of the fabrics I used. The fabrics were a line called Tranquility by Sandy Gervais for Moda. Jenny gave me permission to create the "Retro" word in her style. What do you think Jenny? Thanks so much for sharing your talents and creativity with us. You are such an inspiration!
Here are some photos of the details on the blocks. Jill, a lady from my quilt guild, did the quilting on her home sewing machine. She did a fantastic job on the quilt. Thanks, Jill.



Here is the back of the quilt. I decided to use every bit of the fabric I had from the line to make the back of the quilt.
I also wanted to thank Michelle at The Desert Quilter for this award she bestowed on me. I am always honored when I get one of these blogger awards. You know there are rules for these awards and I always have to break them because I just can not pick 15 bloggers from my list to give this award to. You all deserve the award that is why I read your blogs.
I am supposed to tell seven things about myself. I am just going to tell you one thing about me. I am not a big "sweets" eater anymore. I used to be horrible about eating chocolate a lot. No more. Two things that I love that are sweet though is Good Ole' Southern Sweet Tea and Edy's Espresso Chip Ice Cream. I don't eat the ice cream much but I do drink the tea and I guess it satisfies my sweet tooth just right.

With Passion,

Carrie P.

All that I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.

Ralph Waldo Emerson