Good Morning from sunny Minnesota.  Finally a little sun.  We still have snow and I believe I heard there is more on the way. Ugh:(  We were a little spoiled a few weeks back in March with some 60 degree temps.  It made us think we would see an early spring, then came snow and more snow.  Hopefully the forecaster is right and we only have about a week of cold left to go.  I didn't look at the temp this morning, but was told it was negative 11 and 18 in some areas around us.  Glad I didn't look. 

As I promised - the Bow Tie March of Dimes raffle quilt.  I finished it with time to spare.  Not much time but some.  Maybe it was a stroke of luck, the little gal that came from behind the counter to except the basket was pregnant.  As she walked around she was saying this is my kind of basket and then I saw what she was talking about.  Maybe there will be a couple tickets sold:) 
Here is a photo of the quilt

Here are a couple photos of the basket I put together for the raffle.  I used a jumper seat for the basket and filled it with sheets, wash cloths, toys, lotions, bath soap, wipes and a few other things.  Oh and yes the quilt.

 

I think it turned out cute.  Hopefully the raffle goes well. 

 

A while back, in the fall in fact I made a candle mat for a swap.  The fall candle mat swap on QATW.  I had a lot of requests for the pattern, I told those that requested it on Facebook to PM me their email and I would send it over to them.  Well as it went I only received one PM.  I just thought oh well.  Here, come to find out last week Facebook has a hidden folder.  I found the folder and low and behold there were many requests for the pattern.  So, I spent some time this morning drawing the pattern to send on over to them.  Which made me think, I should share it with you all as well.  Some of you may remember it. This will make a great fall table mat.  I just cut my base the size I needed and repeated the pattern twice.  I think it would be so cute on a pieced cotton table topper too.  Some thing as simple as a 4 patch even.  Hmmmmmm maybe I will have to do that.  Let me know if you have any questions. 

Here is the photo of it

 

And you can download the pattern PDF here  I hope you enjoy the pattern.

 

Now I need to get busy with the final block for the BOM over at QATW.  As I said before I have it all drawn.  Need to get it stitched up and ready to post.  Block 4 is due to release in a couple weeks.  That will be here before we know it. 

 

 

 

Happy Stitchin

Laura

 

 

 



 



I often wonder where the time goes.  I wish there were 7 more days in a week.  I've almost finished a baby quilt for a March of Dimes raffle, there are just two sides of the binding left to hand stitch.  I have the backing ready for my Charming Stars quilt, finally.  Next will be to sandwich it and quilt.  It will get done.  Then there is block 5 for the Quilting Around the World BOM, it is drawn and waiting to be put together.  I am thinking as soon as the baby quilt is done this will be my next project.  I really don't want to wait until the last minute, to get it done and with the way the days fly by May 22nd will be here in no time.  I also have the Angel table mat in process and I think she is turning out very cute.  I have her traced onto some primitive muslin to stitch for a wall hanging as well. I am thinking just a back stitch in different colors of thread.  I like that look.

Speaking of the Quilting Around the World - In the Garden BOM.  Have you been working on your blocks.  Block 4 will be released in just a couple of weeks.  If you haven't joined us yet, you can follow the link HERE and get your patterns.   If you haven't joined QATW yet, please allow a day or two for the approval process.  You can then check back in and print the patterns. 

I will have some project pictures to share in a few days.  I hope you will share some of your projects too. 

Even though I haven't shared much here, I've been keeping up with some of the blogs I follow.  If you have some time check them out.  They have some wonderful information and lots of inspiration. 

Happy Stitchin!
Laura

Here it is March 16th already.  We have had a few nice days, with temps in the high 50's and low 60's.  It was so nice, I started to plan my garden and then Minnesota played a joke on me.  I woke up to wet, heavy snow.  This on top of many inches of rain yesterday.  Wish I would have had my rain gauge out.  Just North East of us they received over 4" yesterday and last night.  The forecast is for up to 18" of snow in some areas around us.  I sure hope we don't get that here. 

Anyway in celebration of spring I have a simple little candle mat pattern for you.  Sorry, it took me so long to get this out.  This isn't as detailed as most of my patterns are, so if you need me to break it out into parts, please post below and give me few days to get it done.  When drawing your parts just be sure to extended them down behind each other and you will be fine.  This is the mat I was telling you about in my previous posts.  Where Sue Spargo meets Laura Bailey.  It was tons of fun, doing all of the stitching, I need a lot more practice too.  I think it will be just as cute if you just use a blanket stitch on it.  The butterflies are part of the "In The Garden" BOM over at Quilting Around the Worlds website QATW You are welcome to go on over and join if you are not a member.  If you aren't a member, you have to go through the steps to join and then give the Administrator a bit to accept your membership and then you are free to download the pattern.  The admin is usually on top of memberships, but please be patient incase she is busy.  She will get to it as quickly as is possible. 

Now for some pictures of the mat. 
It is hard to see in my pictures - The hearts are surrounded by bullion knots and covered with sparkly little seed beads.  The rim of the cup and the rim of the saucer are also done in bullion knots.  The flower petals are done with Palestrina knots.  The butterflies have the Palestrina knot, bullion knots, the Pekinese stitch and a beaded French knot.  What Sue has you do is to stitch all your piece down with a matching thread using a whip stitch and then you go back and add all of your ornate stitches.  I cut the heart out with a tiny pair of scissors.  At a guess there is between 80 and 100 hours of stitchin here.  But, it was well worth the time and was so much fun.  I am glad I did it.  Also, this was my first time using wool threads - they glide through the wool like butter.  So, of course I purchased more.

Here is the link to Crocus_Heart_Tea_Cup_pattern Please let me know if you have any problems or need any help.

 

Now onto the next project.  I have been doodling the past few mornings and I think my next wooly project is going to be a "Garden Angel"  I have her all sketched out, so I may just play with some wool and get her ready to stitch in the evenings when I get home from work. 

 

Please take a little time to check out a few of the blogs I follow, you will find they have posted their new BOM's.  Sorry, I haven't had the time to post the links for February.  There are some really cute patterns out there.

 

Happy Stitchin!

Laura

Goodness time flies when your busy.  Most every spare minute I've had, has been spent stitchin on the candle mat for a swap over at QATW.  I decided what I was going to do some time ago.  I've always been in love with hand work and all the wonderful threads and stitches, so I decided to have Sue Spargo meet Laura Bailey:)  I purchased a Sue Spargo class over at Craftsy.  Now I know, I have oodles of books with every stitch that has ever been done and every way in which to use it.  I feel we aren't ever done learning and I love to learn from other wonderful seamstresses and stitchers.  I love Sue's work.  Now you are probably thinking, how can that be.  Sue is bright and exciting and you are muted and dull:)  Well that is where my statement "I decided to have Sue Spargo meet Laura Bailey" comes from and besides, I really do like bright and exciting.  It just needs to be in someone else's house.  I can stitch it for them.  Anywho, the candle mat I am making is in reserved colors with lots of stitchin.  I may need to slim it down some to finish it in time.  But in the mean time I am having a blast adding all the embellishment stitches to it.  My biggest problem is deciding which stitch and which thread to use.  Which leads me to the fact that once I took Sue's class I had to buy more thread...........OOOOOHHHH NO:)  Here is the link to Sue's Craftsy Class, I purchased it on sale.  Keep an eye on it, Craftsy has lots of sales.  I don't think you will be disappointed if you like doing wool hand work.  I really like the dimension it gives.   http://www.craftsy.com/class/embroidering-texture-and-dimension-by-hand/4793?_ct=iuqhsx-kdyluhiqb-huikbj-sekhiu&_ctp=4793
Of course I have to give you the link to Sue's wonderful site as well, you may need some more thread too:)  http://www.suespargo.com/index.php  to get to the thread she sells you will need to go to the store section at the top.

I need to share this wonderful quilt I found while checking in on my friends over on Facebook (which really isn't for my friends, it is more for the quilting and wool applique groups I belong too, but don't tell my friends) It was posted by Quilting Digest - Quilt by Lisa Smith Green, made from Sue Garman's "Ancient Stars" pattern.
http://suegarman.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/endless-quilts.html



I love star quilts.  Oh your wondering what ever happened to my Charming Stars Quilt.  Well life got in the way for a few days and it got put on hold now until I get the candle mat done.  There is a time limit on the mat and the only time limit on the quilt was to try and finish it for the February contest over at QATW.  I didn't make that deadline, so I quit rushing to get it done.  I have the top finished and am piecing the back.  It wont be long once I have a chance to get back to it. 

Happy Stitchin
Laura

Today my seam ripper came and much to my surprise a beautiful pen with it.  I love them both.  Isn't this seam ripper to die for and my B-day stone.  What more could a girl ask for.  The pen is absolutely beautiful and writes like a dream.  I can't thank them enough for the wonderful work they did.  They will be well used.  As I said before I don't often have to rip, but I would be completely lost without my stiletto. 

So, for todays progress.  I finished the Charming Stars top and went to find the backing fabric I thought I had.  That's right thought.......well I thought wrong.  Then I have this brilliant idea of piecing a back together and this is going to be fine when done, however it is like piecing another quilt.  That being said, I don't think I am going to finish it in time to enter it in the February Finishes contest.  Oh well at least it motivated me to finish one, from the UFO pile. Maybe I did win the contest, I just need to look at it like my prize is a brand new homemade quilt.

 

I better go and get ready to put the new kitchen sink in, as hubby will be home soon.  I am excited to get it done. 

 

Happy Stitching! 

It's Friday.  That means I have 2 fun filled days of quilting coming up.  My plan is to finish my Charming Stars quilt and hopefully start another out of a bunch of scrappy CWR 4 patch blocks I have done.  Of course I will have to play with some wool too.  I need to get going on my spring candle mat for the swap we have 4 times a year over at Quilting Around The World.  They are so much fun and to get a new wool candle mat 4 times a year, what a treat. 

So, I posted block 2 in the mystery wool BOM over at QATW.  It must have been a hit as it has been download a few hundred times.  I sooooo glad everyone likes the blocks.  Hopefully we keep them interested right to the end.  I managed to get 4 of the 5 blocks designed and finished the stitchin.  So, I am taking a break from it for just a little bit to get some of my other projects done. 
Here is block 2

 

I better get busy sewing the borders on my Charming Stars quilts so I can get it quilted and get the binding on it.  I may just get it done in time to meet the deadline of the February finishes contest over at QATW.  There is never a lack of things to do over there that is for sure.  If you get a minute stop over and check it out. 

http://www.quiltingaroundtheworld.com/forum/default.aspx

 

 

Oh and don't forget Stacy West at Buttermilk Basin is releasing block 2 of her little wooly quilt along today too.  I haven't noticed that it being released yet, so keep your checking back.  Here is the link to her blog.

http://buttermilkbasin.blogspot.com/

 

Enjoy

Laura

 

 

While I have a collection of beatiful seam rippers that I very rarely use, I sure couldn't pass one up made by a friend.  My mistake was making the following statement and oh yes I went and said it. "I rarely use a seam ripper, the stiletto on the other hand I use all the time."  Well since making that statement, over the last couple days I have used my seam ripper more then I think I ever have
Moral of the story..........KEEP your mouth silent...........LOL - I can't wait to get my seam ripper
It should be here tomorrow.  I will post pictures and if anyone is interested, I will find out if she wants to make a few more. 

Also, in celebration of spring.......you need to check back often.  I am working on a candle mat pattern and I think it will be free to all of my followers. 

Here is the quilt giving me so many issues.  One I am trying to keep my blocks with the same patterns a bit of a distance from each other.  Two I should have looked back at my pattern to see that I needed to start with different blocks at the top.  This picture is before I put the second side on.  Will post a picture of this when I am done.  Rule number one - Just because you some what design the pattern......still go back and look at it, just to be sure you are doing it right.  Although, if I do that, I wouldn't get to use all of my beautiful seam rippers.

The charming stars are blocks from a swap over at Quilting Around the World. You can access the website HERE

 

Happy Stitchin!