Love

My "Cousin Ricky" (that is what we call  him) has a son named Ryan who is marrying Nicole.  YAE.  For their wedding shower I decided to make them something I thought they would remember.Young couple been awhile since I've been there so I started looking around the kitchen and this is what I came up with .Aprons. You never buy one when are young.  Only older people where those. Mmm. But they have made a come back with all the cool retro fabrics and all other  cool fabrics.   Then, I came up with my own pattern for aprons. I just took an apron and placed it some paper and outlined it. Simple to make.  I made the back side out of fabric of it made of  music note fabric.  The groom to be is a big music head and I think he turned his wife to be into one too. I also had left over guitar fabric (he plays the guitar) it so I "re purposed it" (as Vern would say) I bought the floral because I thought it was cool and hip as this bride to be is.  Then I had left over so I made them into pot holders. I placed everything in the tote bag and I went green for the shower. Ride on.

 I put all of this stuff into the tote bag and made my own card.  (Go green) Some of MY favorite things were the napkins from IKEA  (I love that place) The spatulas were what they had registered for the knives were just cool colors so I had to buy them and the plastic bags were also some of my favorites from IKEA (I love that place) I also threw in the chip clips from IKEA (I love that place)  because I love those too. This was really fun and special for me.  I am planning on making a quilt for the wedding gift.  Oooh la la

 This is the picture they sent me the night of their shower.  I think they like the aprons.  I was  just tickled to see this picture. Thanks happy couple you touched me. :)

Market Bags

The heat about killed me this summer.  Too hot and too many days of this too hot stuff! So, I started going through my scraps and making market bags. They are different sizes and shapes. The handles are approximately 30 inches long.  They work. I met some college friends I lived with 31 years ago in beautiful Bloomington, IN and had each friend pick one out.  They now have a market bag and a memory.  I like that. Oh, and the weather has changed.  I like that too!

Peaceful Abigail

I think she likes it!

Abigail

 This blanket was made for Abigail Sophia.  All I did was take some scraps and  throw them together.  This fits the mothers personality we're not so sure about the newborns.

                                                                    The back side.

 After realizing Abigail was getting all of the attention, I felt like older sister Hannah should get something also. So, I  took a pair of old jeans and cut them into three inch squares. Then, I sprayed basting spray on the square and attached fun, hip fabric on to them so that they matched. After realizing  they needed something to be put in, I  made a fun, hip bag.  Now big sister can play with her friends on rainy and hot days!

Lets play a game!

After seeing a picture of my great niece on a pink and brown fleece blanket for the 4th of July I went into sewing mode.  I thought that if they were waiting for the 4th of July parade to get started  they should have something to keep them occupied.  So I made a checker board that holds real checkers.  In the middle there is a tic-tac-toe board.  At the other end there is a game board I made that has kids do many inter-active moves. The game board can be played with buttons I provided.  (Clever I know)I had it quilted just like a quilt.  I also left more on one end by the game board so that more people can sit around it and play. I think I thought of everything.

Red, White and Blue on My Porch

 This was my quick fix to some scraps and and a Happy 4th of July design. I  took my red, white and blue scraps and made them into flags.  All I did was cut them out and put a design stitch around it and voila.  Then, I added a strip of white fabric around the top that held them together.  The strip was made similar to binding.  I sewed them together about three inches a part and I love them! They added to my front porch and made it seem like my house should be on a lake on the east coast!  I even caught someone walking down the street admiring them. Happy 4th of July!

 My flowers put in little pots just waiting to bloom.

From the outside.

Pretty Flowers

When ever these flowers bloom I now it is the end of summer.  When summer ends I feel excited as to I know I will be ready to sew again and knock off a few quilts along with coming up a home made gift that all my friend will give me that look like ,"Are you kidding me?" Oh well, sometimes that is just the way it goes

T & S

 Boy do I have a story for you. This quilt was made as a request for a wedding gift from another couple.  It is very hard for me to make a quilt for someone when you don't have much information on the person.  I had shown them the picture of a quilt on my bed that I thought may be similar to what they were looking for. The seemed to like it but added the following information.

Their style is modern craftsman/ Frank Loyd Wright -type. styles; earthy colors (moss green, stone etc.) They also like traveling to Mexico if that helps with the theme.  They also like music, bowling, have two pets (dog and cat).

All I could think of was................ HELP!

 Oh and they wanted a T & S on it.  I had never done this before and let me tell you I did some soul searching on this one. First, I tried to talk them out of it because the way I thougth I would have to do it was to make it the size of each each square and that is all they would see when they looked at the quilt.  I even asked if I could put it on the back. Of course the answer was no. :(  So smart husband jumped in and made the letters below on the computer and I sewed them on .I liked the style because it was soft.  I wanted them to be quiet so they would not eat up the quilt. I think I could do cool things with letters now. Thanks Bob! After I mailed it out with my fingers crossed,  I received the following email.

  Got it. You nailed it. It's exactly what as we imagined and will be perfect for their home. It's           completely awesome. They'll love it as much as we. Check is in the mail.

  Thanks!

  Pat

Amen to that!

Andy's Quilt

 I was so excited to finish this quilt.  This was the third quilt I have made for the same family.  There are four boys and this is  number three. (Andy) This quilt was special. Jenny (the mother) wanted it to look  like the high school colors red and white.  I am not a fan of white.  Gets dirty fast and is stark for a quilt. I compromised and had the binding done in white.  This really made the rest of the quilt POP! Another request was to have Andy's football  jersey's in the quilt. This was also a new adventure for me.  The only way I could do that was to put one in all four corners.  I needed the balance in the quilt or it would DRIVE ME NUTS. I like this quilt. I like how the white makes the quilt pop!

Now to the pictures.  Some friends of ours stopped over and they were driving a 65 truck.  Not sure what kind but it did not have seat belts and the gas tank was behind the seat.  YIKES.  So I had a Sundance moment and started snapping pictures.  A few beers and the blue skies, I could not stop.
 I thought you would like them all.  I was not paying attention to my shadow, just the centering of the quilt and cool- ass truck. That is Pam in the truck holding it up for me.Thanks Pam!! Three down and one to go.

Florida Quilt

This Easter vacation we went to Florida to visit our great friends.  While there I slept underneath a quilt I had made for them in 2008! So, I thought I would take it outside and hang it up and take some sunny pictures of it .  Gus and Max decided they would pose in the picture while hanging by the pool.  The more I looked at this quilt the more I realized why it is in Florida. I wish someone would send me down there to lie around too.

This is the back side of the quilt.  I love, love, love the back side.  The fabrics are sweet and there is just enough of each color to make it sing together.  It looks so peaceful and serene.  Or it could just  be me admiring it. Mmmm....:)

                                                                     A little closer now.

California Dreaming

This Christmas we went to San Diego to visit friends and see what this city was about.  While there we spent time with my college friend  Maria and her husband Michael.  After taking a tour of her home I decided she needed a quilt.  I found the blue, then we went from there. This is what I came up with. It is being sent today and I hope it works well for her spare bedroom.

There is more to this story.  While there, Maria told me of a friend who is single and I told her of my my friend who is single, so in February I sent them both an email.  The status as of now is that they are dating.  That's all I know. I think that is enough.

I also had another revolution while in San Diego and this transpired after I saw my friends house with NO STUFF anywhere!.  Her house had a very peaceful feeling.. So, of course I asked where her "stuff" was.  She replied, "When something comes in, something goes out." mmm so I have gone through may basement and realized I am probably not going to wear those shoes that have been sitting their for a couple of years.. oh and that exercise ball...mmmm just look at me! I am calling  mine cleaning..."phases" but I have taken bags of clothes out along with "stuff." You know, it feels much better. I am still here and it IS a good feeling.  Thanks Maria.

Texas Love

This quilt  was made as a request from a from my niece at Thanksgiving.  After realizing this, I thought how slow I was on making this.  I also thought, how warm it will be there real soon.  When I made this quilt it reminded me of the chili I was cooking that week end.  It is now March and 75 degrees. Oh well better late than never.  It is made out of little brown squares everywhere!

You can't always sew!

Christmas Cards

Sometimes I have a card or two that I just love, love, love. The above is one that made me go back into another time that felt good during Christmas.

 This card came from Korea and it made me feel so good that someone that far away took a minute to write a note to me about our relationship and it was so heartfelt I started to tear up. I love the color pink and this is a nice pink. Thanks Les for making my husband and I feel so good.  Keep on keeping on.

My other feel good Christmas "thing" this year was hanging ornaments in my bathroom on the shower curtain  pole.  They really made me smile when I was in there. It was like I took the holidays into another area.

You can't always quilt

Untitled, a photo by webquilts on Flickr.

Kelsey's Blanket

This was made out of the scraps from a previous quilt (Modern Blue and Brown).  My girlfriend liked it so much it was made for her niece as a Christmas present. It was delivered this morning and I am hoping she will like this and take it to Bloomington as it's resting place during her college years.  Not a bad place to be hanging out if you were a quilt.  Just think of the stories you could tell.

She loves it!!

After the above post was written I checked my phone for messages and there this was.  I think Aunt Becky nailed it on this one.  Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas

This was made by my good friend Burno probably 20 years ago. Every year I put it underneath my tree it makes me smile.  She charged me $30.00  for it way back when. Now looking back at it that was a steal. Little did I know how much work was put into this.  I added the fish on the red part.  Not sure why just did. I think some day this will be passed onto her daughter. What a great keepsake.Thanks Burno!

Hogan's Memories Kelly

This blanket was made with T-shirts from a fellow IU fan's late husband and daughters.  She picked out the fabric and I did the rest.  She emailed me at 3:30AM weepy eyed to tell me how it brought back great memories of her daughter growing up.  I think she liked it. I'm glad.

Hogan's Memories Colleen

This is the same style made for the other daughter.  They both had to be even in my mind to keep the peace.  But I was told over and over they would not  be upset about any unevenness. Sure.  She liked this one too.  I'm glad.

Lexi

This blanket was make for Lexi.  Her mother is young and hip and this is reflected in the style of the blanket. My dear friend Nancy waited patiently as I chose the colors that she requested so that it would be just right for Lexi and her mother. :)

A little closer now.  I love the energy in the blanket.  I hope this does not reflect the child! Oh my.

Love the color

Saw this in New York  during a rainy night walk. I love the way the rain made it shine. We don't have far to go to see great color. It's almost like the city placed the table and chairs in the right spots for my picture. Thank you

"Higgins"

In the washing machine getting close to it's final resting place.I just love how it show cases only a small part of the quilt but still looks so cool! Love. Love. Love it!

In the back yard getting it's last glimpse of green grass and fresh air.

This quilt was made out of scraps and is heading to Bloomington, IN to a great couple, Becky  and Scott hence "The Higgins".  Becky has always been a fan of my "scrap" quilts" and lets me just "go with the feeling".  That is always a great feeling when you can be creative with a client's blessing. Becky it is time to come and pick up your new member of the family.  "Higgins" is ready to go to Bloomington and become "one" with  you, Scott, Stella and Lola!  A great place to be.

Winning Running T - Shirt Quilt

This T-shirt quilt was sewn as a request by a runner. All of the T-shirts are from races he WON! Wow! I wish I could say that but that would mean I would have to practice this sport probably quite a bit. Ugh. I think I 'd rather sew. 

Location:Chicago Riverwalk,Chicago,United States