School Bells

If I listened closely this morning

I could almost here the school bells

 ringing in the distance.

It's that time of year again

and I've been spending time over

in Mrs. W's 4th Grade classroom Here

  Doesn't she look excited?

She is!

It's a new batch of kiddos and 

there's lots of fun learning ahead.

We've been decorating bulletin boards

making it a fun and encouraging place.

Eager nervous students

are all their places with 

 bright happy faces.

It's going to be a fun year.

Thank you to all the teachers who 

work so hard

shaping the future and believing in our children.

You have been blessed with a special gift.

 Until Next Time-

Prairie Skirts

 If you're looking for a great idea for

a small group activity,

here's a good one.

It's called 4 by 4.

Four members bring

4 quilts and talk about 

their quilting journey.

It's a great way to learn new things

about quilting in general,  

get inspired and 

of course, a fantastic way to get

to know your members better.

This week I was one of the 4 

in my Quilt Therapy group

sharing a bit of our quilt history.

This is one of the quilts I brought.

Prairie Skirts

1983

42" X 42"

*Side note:

I just had to take a photo of the quilt as a horse blanket.

One of the funniest requests I had

when I worked at the quilt shop was

" Do you have a quilt pattern to make 

a HORSE BLANKET!"

***

This quilt was made 

 using fabrics from an early line 

of Jinny Beyers when she was just

beginning to design fabrics for VIP.

 

Her beautiful quilts and 

fabric designs were and continue to influence

quilters to explore interesting and creative ways

to use fabrics to create secondary patterns

within the blocks.

Now this might seem

common place,

but with her India-inspired designs,

 monochromatic palettes, 

complicated border prints,

and rich colors it was pretty new for 

many quilters, including me

way back when.

One of my few claims to fame 

was having this quilt included in 

September, 1985

I had seen the theatrical performance

of "The Quilters"

and had used this variation of a kaleidoscope

pattern to represent the movement 

of women's skirts being blown

by the ceaseless prairie winds.

These brave women's lives

were filled both with hardships and joys

and that's what I tried to show.

I hope that one day

you get to be part of a 4 by 4 presentation.

It's good for us to dig back

into our quilt piles

 and rediscover our quilting roots.

You might be surprised

and even impressed to

see where you have journeyed.

Until Next Time-

Ewe and Me...Done!

 I wish I could say I've been as

busy as a

but 

instead I've been more like a

I've talked about snails before,

I must have a subconscious love affair.

Anyway, 

I finally finished my 

Ewe and Me quilt that was

started in January, 2014

as the quilt of the year on

The Quilt Show.

You have seen it before in various states, 

but now it's officially done.

Janet Stone designed the pattern.

I had my wonderful machine quilter, Kathy,

quilt the majority of it back in Feb.

In March I added 

the quilting to the individual blocks 

representing each letter.

I did the Log Cabin,

the backgrounds and 

borders were done by Kathy.

 I wanted to add my 

interpretation to the blocks,

but I couldn't wrestle doing the whole thing.

 I used a line of  Sandy Gervais fabric

that I had been holding on to (hoarding)

for about 15-16 years!

Really?!

But I do have to admit,

it worked up pretty good in this pattern.

So the quilt has been done since March.  

It's just been waiting for the binding.

So I waited until the hottest day of the summer

and finally got it stitched down.
It seems that the snail
and I might have a lot

in common, not too smart.

 Until Next Time-

A Dibby Dabby Sewing Week

 Some people will say they are having leftovers for dinner.

We call it having a dibby dabby dinner.

Which in essence is having leftovers for dinner,

but some how it just sounds more fun.

This past week my sewing time has been 

like having a dibby dabby dinner,

working on a lot of leftovers.

  First,

I'll call this photo

"Reclining on pool table".

Yes,
my polka dot dresden is all done, pressed
and laying on the pool table along
 with the backing and batting.
Now I'm just waiting for a
phone call from my machine quilter.
****

I bought this kit
in May and look it's only August!

I've pulled out the fabrics and
have started cutting.
 ****

I've gotten behind (again) in
Barbara Brackman's
"Stars in a Time Warp"

I have been trying to find appropriate fabrics,
but just haven't had time to sew,
maybe next week.
****

With a dibby dabby dinner
some of the dabbies can look better
than other Tupperware hidden morsels.

In this case,
I have been having the most fun stitching
the Halloween Mystery Blocks
from the ThimbleCreek Quilts.

 I have been watching Karen at
Moose Bay Muses  having all the fun
making these 6 inch blocks
and then decided I would have fun too.

 Tons of sewing for
such small blocks.

 All you have to do to get the patterns
or purchase a kit,
is to head over
to ThimbleCreek Quilts and
sign up for their newsletter.

 Each Tuesday a new clue is sent out.
 I have tons of
Halloween fabrics/Fall fabrics
 that should be used.
So hopefully, this project
will be some what of a Stashbuster!

Like a dibby dappy dinner
it doesn't look like much has been done
this past week,
but it's a good way to get
"the frig cleaned out once again."
 

Until Next Time-