Embroidered State Quilt

These blocks came from my pastor's wife's aunt and are very beautifully embroidered. It's a quilt that's been aging in my quilt closet for a couple of years now. The states are embroidered in the dark aqua I used for the lattice strips. It's been a hard color to find and to coordinate with for the borders. Last month when we went on a short road trip to see the fall leaves I found the border fabric at the downtown quilt shop in Prairie de Chien, Wisconsin. It is beautiful how the colors all work together. Good thing I took it out to photograph today...I found a couple of lattice strips I forgot to put in along the top row. So I'll be fixing that this evening. It is now ready for longarm quilting in January. I hope it raises a lot of money for our Bible camp.

Anna's quilt

Here's Anna's quilt front and back. It's a t-shirt quilt. Anna's mom sent me the shirts a few years ago and I procrastinated until this fall when it just hit me to do it and get it done now! I worked on it at the retreat I went to earlier this month and I'm very happy to say it's ready to go to the longarmer after the first of the year.

We had a beautiful fall this year. It lasted until the first snow fell on Nov. 13. Last year the snow started on Oct. 12. We loved the extra month of fall this year. We went on a road trip to Prairie du Chien, but found the prettiest trees in our own yard and east of Eau Claire. The quilts shown here include two HeartStrings quilts that will go to Teresa for Minneapolis Children's cardiac ICU. The primary colored on on the bottom is a gift to a co-worker who had a baby boy a week ago. All easy patterns, but striking quilts.

Here are Sue (the blonde) and Mary (the brunette) working on HeartStrings quilts. Mary started this project in Dec. 2006. Since then it has gone worldwide! And loads of quilts are made every year to help various charities. The person that finishes the quilt has the pleasure of donating it to a charity of their choice. Some go to benefits, some to hospitals, some to people who are ill to help them feel better. Many are made of "strings" of fabric. That's leftovers from other projects that are sewn to a fabric base. Nothing goes to waste. What Mary started has been a blessing to many. These photos are from the 4th WI/MN Sew-In.

These are some of the charity quilts we worked on this summer and fall. As we continue to support the local hospitals with quilts for babies we also support Grace Place a home for families in transition. Early in Sept. our guild felt a big emotional blow when one of our members lost her son to heart problems. He was born 20 years ago with heart issues and has gone through numerous surgeries over the years. Living to the age of 20 was a miracle, but still a chock when he passed. In his memory and his mother's honor we are now making quilts for the cardiac ICU at Minneapolis Children's Hospital. These are just the beginning of what we will donate by the end of the year.

Here's Grandson Brandon up at bat. He keeps getting better each season. We love watching him. Later the day this photo was taken he was playing outfield and not paying much attention to what was happening in the game. The batter got a hit that was coming right to Brandon. But Brandon was busy watching the ground. Just as the ball approached Brandon looked up and caught the ball to make the out to end the inning. Running into the dugout Brandon carried the ball in one hand and a 4-leaf clover in the other hand. That's what he was picking while watching the ground as the ball approached. He was called Lucky for the rest of the day.

2010 Charity Quilts

The quilt on top is called Threads of Time. It was designed by Rhonda of Windy Hill Cottage and used as a Block of the Month for a local quilt shop in 2008. Rhonda also long arm machine quilted it. I think it will be a wedding anniversary gift for friends of our's next year.

The quilt on the bottom has a garden theme. This was a kit I bought on a guild bus trip a couple of years ago. It's the colors that attracted me, they are so soft and gentle. I donated it to our church's silent auction and it quickly sold.

Summer Time

Where did all these months go? We've been busy, but not much major happening in our lives. The new library opened in Sept., so much of August was spent moving and getting settled along with the beginning of Sept. This summer also saw us following Grandson Brandon to many baseball games and a trip to St. Louis for my aunt's funeral. So we had the ups and downs of family events.

Early summer on the deck

This quilt came to me as a kit as a Christmas 2008 gift from my library director who loves quilts and knows I love to quilt. I added the backing as the borders and some pretty trims to add something more to the quilt top. The back is pinwale light pink corduroy that I also used for the binding. This quilt includes eyelet, flannel, cottons and satin along with the corduroy. I think it will make a lovely gift to a baby girl.
The sun/shade do make things more interesting when photographing quilts outside. But I love to do it on the deck and so it goes.

Memorial Day weekend

We have had a great weekend! High school graduation party for a young man we are very proud to say we know. Dinner out with friends. Church and visiting with friends. And for the guys, two tractor pulls. Well, actually one. The Saturday night one got called off due to thunderstorms, so it was held today instead.

I completed the embroidery on the block shown here for this month's assignment in an embroidery round robin I'm participating in this year. The two quilts show are recent completions. The pink one is flannel and really doesn't show well here. The other one is great for a large table topper or a baby quilt. I have no destination in mind for it right now.

Now it's time to go marinate the steaks for supper.

First UFO completions for 2010

January has always been a productive month for me. After getting over the holidays and many times making gifts for others, it's time for me to complete some things for our home or just get things done to have the feeling of accomplishment and be ready to start some new projects during the year. The smallest item shown is a table topper in a pattern many friends have used. I've never made this before, but it sure is quick and gives the maker the chance to showcase some lovely fabrics.

The fall wallhanging is a cheater panel with borders made from a charm pack. Quick and cute!

The remaining quilt was a donation as a top to our guild's charity sewing group. After it was longarm machine quilted I bound it. It was then donated to Grace Place, a home for people in transition.

Grandson and his favorite heifer

Colin loves Brownie. He named her and he can always find her in the herd. She's the only Brown Swiss among the mostly Holstein herd, but she sticks out to him. And he loves having his picture taken!

Gift for a Friend

This is a little tablerunner I made for a friend for Christmas 2009. It was one of my first machine applique projects. Quick and easy. Great gift for a snowman lover!

Happy Blocks for a special boy

Friends of ours had a grandson in December and he had a couple of holes in his heart. I had this quilt done and ready to go so it went to him with prayers for recovery. Things are going very well for him and I'm glad I could help wrap him in love.
These are from the Happy Block pattern HeartStrings Quilt Project promoted in late 2008. Mine are not the exact measurements suggested as I used 5" center squares and cut borders of an appropriate size. They work up quickly and make a great quilt.

Christmas 2009

Exchange block for my guild Christmas party. I made extras for special friends and myself. Love to do some embroidery every so often. As I write this it's April and I've been embroidering ever since Christmas, along with my quilting. I've tried wool applique too. Pictures to come as I finish some projects.