FMQ Challenge

Nothing like cutting it close with my Free Motion Quilting challenge this month. The challenge this month is brought to us by Don Linn. You can see his tutorial on this post at Sew Cal Gal.

 I printed off a pdf file with this design. This one that I started out with is actually smaller than the print out. This is my practice piece. I did this free hand, of sorts. I didn't draw the design on the fabric. I just looked at the pattern and I added the echo quilting to the design.

 See that center circle in the gray thread? I was going to practice with my regular thread and needle I use for sewing and my quilting looked horrible. I changed the needle to a top stitch needle and thread the machine with machine quilting thread and things were fine. Go figure.

 So the first thing to do was trace the pattern onto mesh tulle. If you look to the right of the hoop you can see where I traced using a black sharpie. Then you put the tulle in the hoop with the tulle touching the fabric and trace with a water soluble blue pen. If you look in the hoop you can see the blue pen tracing. The tulle works like a stencil. Pretty neat idea. Go see the tutorial if you want to try this technique because Don Linn explains it in much better detail plus has tips.

 So here is the pattern done up with my added swirls in the center.

I didn't feel like I had enough practice and I thought it looked a little boring so I added some more quilting which I think looks pretty neat.

With Passion,
Carrie P.

Gadget and Computer Virus

Yesterday I was cutting fabric for a charity block and I was thinking,"I need a new blade."  My elbow was beginning to hurt. Then I remembered I had this gadget that bought last year from I Have a Notion. I have used it several times last year. This thing works. In less than 2 minutes my blade was almost like new again. No more struggling to cut the fabric. I am sure Kelly would answer any questions you might have about this handy dandy gadget. 

I have been keeping all my old blades hoping for the day when someone would invent something to sharpen blades. Some one has. The Cutting Edge Ruler works really well too.

Have you heard of the virus that could shut your Internet service down in July? You can see a video and read more here to see if your computer is infected. I checked my computer and it is good. You only have until July to fix this so don't wait.

With Passion,

Carrie P.

Nature=Inspiration

Do you ever look to nature for inspiration when making your quilts? I am amazed at God's imagination when He created all things. I enjoy His creation very much and try to mindful of how I treat this world I live in. When you look around you see so many colors that can guide you in making a quilt. Do you think Gail Pan was inspired by nature when she designed this block for the Aurifil BOM?

 Could this Lily of the Valley plant inspire you to create a green and white quilt?

 What flower inspired Clover and Violet to design this embroidered block?

 Look at this little chipmunk who has very full cheeks from collecting those little seed pods. His fur could inspire an earth tone quilt.

I would love to know if you have been inspired by nature to create a special quilt.

Good news! the baby cardinals have left the nest. I was not fast enough to get another picture of them before they left. I know they are well because I saw the parents flitting around and one of the babies on the ground waiting for some food. If you want to see what they look like when they leave the nest check out this site.

With Passion,
Carrie P.

Christmas Through The Year

I got to do a little sewing the other day for my entry in Darlene and Cheryl's Christmas Through The Year Club. 

Here is the next pillow form that will be given to my DIL and son for Christmas this year. Very 70's! I was able to make this one in an afternoon. I got the pattern from Moda Bakeshop. The pillow was designed by Jera. A tutorial is also on her blog.

Remember this is the rug from the kids house that I am using for my inspiration. The next pillow is going to have some embroidery on it.

While I was busy working in the garden two giveaways arrived at my house. Yay! Take a close look at the book. There are two pillows that I could make for the kids. This giveaway came from The quiltbarn.
Thanks, Tara!

During the Blog Hop Party which was going on during St. Patrick's Day I won some cute little handmade bunny buttons from Buttonmad. If you like handmade buttons you should go and check their blog and website. WOW! thanks Tamara!

With Passion,
Carrie P.

My Garden

Before I show the garden where I have been spending most of my days, I wanted to show you the baby Cardinals have hatched. You have to look close. The photo on the left shows the babies sleeping and the photo on the right show them with their beaks open waiting on food.

 Ever since the first of the month I have not really done any sewing. A few stitches here and there on my Hop To It block and finishing my Bingo card. It is a busy time for me in the garden. I just had to show you this box I got the other day. Read the side of it. Cute! Inside were three different cone-flowers. I can not wait for them to bloom.

 Well, here are some photos of my garden. I will just let you read what is on the photos to see what I have growing so far.

 I have had fresh salad several times from the different varieties of lettuce growing. The white sheets are row covers to keep the bugs off the new seedlings.

 I love to go up to the garden in the morning and just sit on the bench.

 All those little peat pots were divided up and put in the garden yesterday.  All the beds are full of veggies and flowers. We have a few more beds to make for the rest of the seeds we want to plant.

 Here is one of the pathways my husband made to garden.

I almost forgot about the bed with the beets. I have never grown beets before. My husband wanted to give them a try. I have only eaten the beets that you get at a salad bar. If anyone has any good recipes I would love for you to share them with me.

The deer fencing is on the way. While I was out there yesterday I heard and saw a deer going past the garden. When I moved it snorted at me and took off. I sure don't want deer, raccoon, possum, or bunnies in my garden after all the hard work we have been doing. The joys of living in the country, sort of, we are really just out the city limits but we sure do see a lot wild animals on our little bit of acreage.

Now I think I am going to go sew since I am caught up in the garden. Yay!

With Passion,
Carrie P.