'insert clever line here' . . .

I've run out of different ways to say "Design Wall" so never mind. Instead, perhaps this morning I'll just say . . .

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

Now. On to the design wall (or table or ironing board or whatever).

Saturday I headed over to join our stitcher's group for a Stitch-In Saturday. My goal was to put together my two blocks of the month, which are due Friday. So here are the latest additions to my orange and purple quilt . . .

Block one.


And block two.

And here's how I've decided to set these two . . .

This one definitely looked best in the orange.


And this one is going in the purple.

I need to start thinking of a name for this quilt. It's orange and purple and has batiks mixed in and the purple leafy fabric is Moda's "October," which makes me very happy since I'm definitely an October kind of girl.

Here's my little stitch-in station . . .

Let me introduce you to Kari, our wonderful coordinator!

She was working on getting a quilt pin basted -- it's one she's entering into our fall quilt show!

There was lots of gabbing and sewing and eating. Lots of eating. ;)

Charmaine finished up the block she was working on for a different BOM.

Isn't that pretty?? I love the colors in there with the black and white!

And my friend Kathy is shipping this one off as a gift.

Lucky recipient!

And if you've hung out with me this long, be sure to head on over to Judy Laquidara's Patchwork Times to see what else is going on in design wall land!

Cheers!

:)

patriotic design . . .

I played around in EQ7 over the weekend. I found a design I like. It's a simple pinwheel, but I like the look ... now it's just a matter of putting the colors where I want them. I've got five different samplings that I like. Now it's just a matter of deciding which one I like best. Hubby's already put in his vote. And I admit, I'm leaning towards a particular combination. But I'd love to hear what others have to say, too!

Block 1


Block 2


Block 3


Block 4


Block 5

Which one would you want gracing your table on Independence Day?!?

Oh, and don't forget to go and check out what other fabulous work is going on in the quilting world by visiting Judy Laquidara's Patchwork Times.

Happy Monday!

:)

design within reach . . .

Saturday evening I returned home from a long day out and about, and decided I needed to put away the red and pink and white quilted heart that had been adorning my table since February, and work on a more "summery" design.

In less than three hours, this is what I'd come up with!

Even with a cute little back -- I could probably reverse it if I ever felt so inclined! I'm so infatuated with orange right now. It's my color of choice. Why is that?!?

Ta dah! I love what I can accomplish if I put my mind to it. And what's even nicer is that this is an original Design by Denise. LOL! :)

My BOM's are what's on the design table cloth right now. First, here are the two blocks I completed just in the nick of time on Saturday, for a turn in win! (I'm determined to NOT use my Ooops! card this go 'round!)

So now there are ten blocks completed, six to go. I have two sashed and quilted and I need to audition the rest. Well, first I have to decide whether I'm going to do the four corners in the purple, or do the whole thing in the orange (like I'd originally planned). I just think the four corners in the purple would create eye interest.

I do believe that if I go with the purple corner, this block that I finished this weekend will be a purple candidate:

While the other block I finished this weekend will definitely go orange!

Head over to Judy Laquidara's Patchwork Times to see what other creative genius is flowing in the quilting world!

Last week I watched Sawyer on Thursday, so Kim could run some errands.

He's gotten so big -- he hardly looks like a baby anymore!

He was all about holding that spoon while he ate, too. He held it in his right hand, and ate with his left hand. I wonder if he'll be a lefty or a righty?!?

He loves, loves, *loves* his books! My favorite thing is to sit in the rocker in his room and have him bring me a book and climb into my lap!

Without a doubt -- Neesey heaven.

:)

manic panic . . .

. . . Well, not really. A little, maybe. Maybe I just liked the way those two words sound together. Like a perfect fit!

Speaking of perfect fits, I do have a bit of a dilemma. I *finally* pulled out this months BOM (the one that has to be turned in TOMORROW), and got busy. My hope, at 1:00 this afternoon, was that I could pull it out and have it finished by 3:00, so I could shower and dress for the evening, and catch the store before it closed at 5:00.

No such luck.

Anyway, each month there are two different blocks to piece. One was easy-peasy; I put it together and voila.

The second one has challenged me, because I could make a slight change to how it's put together (we're allowed to do that in this BOM) and change the look a little.

These are the pieces I have, and this is the order they are supposed to be sewn together.

What I'm playing with now is both order & sashing fabric. I really should have started on this earlier, so I'd have time to do this on a design wall Monday or something, when there's the possibility of more people seeing and lending their thoughts! Ah well, my husband said something about procrastination just yesterday . . .

A man who procrastinates in his choosing will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance. -- Hunter S. Thompson

I procrastinated in choosing a suitable day to work on my BOM!

I think I know which one I like best. Or at least I've got my top two. I'm just gonna throw this out there and see what I get back!

1

2

3

4

After I pick up tomorrow's kit, there will only be four more blocks (two more months) to go! I've gotten two blocks sashed and quilted.

My goal is to have all the blocks (including the ones I pick up tomorrow) pieces, sashed and ready for quilting before the end of June!

Tonight I'm off to Big Spring Park to watch The NeverEnding Story, with some folks from our church, Ignite City Church. Should be a fun evening!!

Ciao!

:)

design wall monday, prepping for friday night sew in!

Wow! It's been ages since I've had the ability, desire, wherewithal, whatever, to do a design wall Monday post! But I woke up this morning thinking about this quilt and the fabrics I'd use, so I took that as a sign to get going!

Since I've finished all the redwork blocks for my "Overall Sawyer" quilt, it's time to put the nine patch blocks together that flesh out the quilt top.

The pattern shows it with a solid red, and a red and white fabric. I've always visualized my final product with blues in it -- a bluesy, denim blue -- so I pulled out my stash this morning and pulled out blues, blues & whites, and reds that I thought might work.

These are what I found:

I thought about doing the blue & white with a more solid navy like this . . .

Or this. I really love the blue in the fabric above; it's got that washed denim look to it. I love it! But the blue and the blue & white just didn't cut it. Hmmm.

So I tried pairing the blue & white with the red . . . I really like that red, and it's perfect with the color of the embroidery thread I used! But, nope, I didn't really like that pairing either.

Now mind you, I'm not going to use the sailboat fabric, but I did decide I like the combination of the red, white & blue with the blue solid. It ties the red in nicely from the redwork blocks and still gives me the blues I want. These blocks are relatively small -- 7-1/4" finished -- so I'll want to find a red, white & blue fabric that's a smaller print, but I don't mind doing a little fabric shopping!

To see what's on the rest of the quilting world's design walls this morning, check out Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

If I'm able to get the fabric in time, it's probably what I'll work on for the August Friday Night Sew-in!! If you've not participated in this before, you should really check this out. It'll be my first (I really wanted to participate last month, but wasn't able). You can sign up on Heidi's Handmade by Heidi blog. Click on the button to go directly to the signups! It's this Friday, August the 20th.

There's been a flurry of activity out the back window this morning. Deer have been in and out all night, from the looks of the corn -- there ain't none left! LOL! It was still pretty dark when I first lifted the shade, but I could make out two does. A little later on I looked and there was nothing. Then I looked again and there was one doe, then two does, then nothing, then a doe with three fawns! One of the fawns headed out early, though, so I'm assuming it belonged to a different doe. Especially since the doe and the other two fawns headed out in the opposite direction! As I sit here, another lone fawn is crossing the camp road, heading out of the woods behind the pavilion, over for a bite to eat. It hasn't taken them long to figure out where the good stuff is! Not that there's much left this morning. LOL!

It's also light enough now that the birds have come in for breakfast -- they do carry on so! We put a fountain/bird bath out this weekend, but so far nothing's come in for a drink or a splash. Of course, we've had a bit of rain both days - let it get dry enough and they'll be lining up.

Have a great day!!

:)

inspiration . . .

Someone asked, the other day, on their blog, "What inspires your quilt making?" I had to laugh because just recently one of our friends was talking about a tile job he was doing for his son and daughter-in-law, for their back splash. I was very intrigued by what he was talking about and asked him to sketch it for us. It was very eye catching (and I was a little consumed by it). After sketching and re-sketching the blocks myself, I finally found a photo online that looks similar to what he was doing . . .

It's referred to as a pinwheel tile layout. I found lots of pinwheel tile layouts when I searched for the phrase, but this one was the closest to what he'd sketched.

I thought to myself . . . QUILT!

And I proceeded to draw it out in autocad. And then I pulled it up in paint and filled it in, just to see it!

But because of the way the squares are offset, it's not pieced as squares, but rather as strips . . .

The dark lines indicate the pattern, the dashed lines indicate the strips that would have to cut/sewn together. Lots and lots of strips, with different colors/fabrics!

I haven't seen a pattern for this anywhere I've looked; and I've looked through all kinds of books and online references. Has anyone else?

Happy quilting!!!

:)

design wall monday . . . wedding quilt revisited

For today, anyway, the wedding signature quilt is back on the wall, as I try to make some sense of signatures and the pattern of the particular blocks that got signed and the final design that was supposed to happen!

I did closest family and friends in the center, and then moved outward. Although I did save some of the funnier signatures for the outermost blocks. Joc wants this as a throw in her living area, so they can use it and enjoy it frequently.

I've got enough unsigned squares that I think I'm going to add those (or piece the back with them) so that the couple can add a sentiment for each anniversary or whenever something monumental takes place in their married lives.

Check out Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara to see what others are working on this delightful Monday!

:)

design wall monday . . . on the ironing board

Right off the bat? Don't forget to sign up for my very first GIVEAWAY!!!

Actually, I wanted to share this non-quilt offering (which is on my mat) . . .

Remember on Friday, when I shared the link for the "tie" dyed Easter eggs? Well, while we were out on Saturday, I stopped by the local Goodwill store and picked out these beauts!

In the article, she mentions that the uglier tie, the more beautiful Easter egg you've got. *I* am going to have some of the MOST beautiful eggs ever! *Especially* the green and orange striped one . . . yeeesh! It makes me mindful of a clash between the Scots and the Irish! LOL!

I *do* have a new project in the "getting ready" stage. I'm assembling the parts and pieces of this cute spring project . . .

From this book (which I also picked up in our wanderings on Saturday). This was the weekend that I spent money at a local small business. I'm doing my part to help the economy! :)

As you can see from the cover, this book is full of cute, seasonal offerings. Just perfectly sized for an RV wall. I *had* to get it! The fall wall hanging caught my eye, too. There's also a "Home" hanging that I'll want to try.

This is what I've got so far (on my design ironing board) . . .

I opted to have it say "give me spring!" vs. "give me the simple life". Because I can.

Have a super-HAPPY MONDAY!

:)