"What a Fool Believes" finally finished!

Only took me 10 years from start to finish on this quilt. I haven't been posting pictures lately because my memory stick on my Sony camera was missing. Hunnybunny found it under the huge (old) computer monitor, so I'm just getting around to posting this. Everything I learned about quilting, I took out on this quilt. Free motion, using homemade templates (that was before I learned you could buy them!); hand-piecing, which I had to do when I started as I had no machine. Now I have six. :) I did finish this with a machine as I learned that the back has to bigger than the front.
It most definitely was a learning experience. The reason it was named "What a Fool Believes" was because every time I went to the fabric store, that was the song on Muzak.

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds....top done

I had a few ....mishaps....as you can see. That's what I get for trying to get done in a hurry. Nothing to keep your ego in check like a major mess up.
I did alot of reading on working with diamonds, and the information all pointed to one secret ingredient: starch! I must have used a whole can of heavy starch on this top.




I was going to use fusible, black bias tape in between the diamonds, to give it a stained glass look. I think I'm going to skip that unless you all tell me otherwise. The borders will be pieced with the scraps from the diamonds. I certainly have enough of those.

WIP Wednesday: 24.....it's not just a tv show

It's the number my oldest son will reach on his birthday coming up in May. With "Stars Fell on Alabama" finally out of the way, I have been cutting fabric as fast as I can. No, I don't have a title yet, but I'm thinking it must be a Beatles song since there is so much Beatles fabric. And you know I try to name my quilts after song titles.

So, suggestions would be appreciated for a name. The Legal Adult is big into John Lennon. It's cut into harlequin diamonds, so "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" is a possibility. I'm planning on doing the stained glass effect and quilt the top of it in between the diamonds with black bric-a-brac.

In a bind over binding

I'm sure you all think I've fallen off the planet, but I'm still here. And I'm still working on that Stars Fell on Alabama quilt. It's the sewing of the binding that I'm having trouble with. In case you can't tell, I absolutely REEK at hand sewing. Apparently, there's a technique I'm not aware of.
I've searched the net for how-to's on the subject, even watched video tutorials. Either I'm so blind that I can't see the stitches they are presenting, or I'm terribly uncoordinated. My choice of binding fabric was hard to match because it's variegated. So, I went with the most prominent color: blue. I won't even start on how sore my index finger is from doing this.


You can see from this picture here that this is where I started. I'm definitely ripping this out.





So, I pose the question to you all: how do you do an invisible stitch? I'm thinking it's alot like the applique stitch, but I've only done machine applique.
Any help is greatly appreciated!

Winners of my Fall Into Fall Quilters Blog Giveaway

Here are the winners of the Fall Into Fall Quilters Blog Giveaway. I thought you might want to see who the lucky recipients are.
This 1 yard piece of fabric is from Caryl Bryer Fallert's Gradations line is going to none other than Terry from Terry's Treasures! Congrats, Terry!
The fabric that "called" to me was won by Rose of Quilted Hills! I hope I don't freak her out with the wildness of it. I haven't heard back from her, so if you know her, tell her to email me so I can send her fabric.
This book by Jan Krentz, Lone Star Quilts & Beyond is going over to Fiesta at Quilting Fiesta! So there you go. Thanks to those of you who entered. It was a blast having that many comments and seeing so many new blogs! Thanks allot!

The Stars Fell on Alabama Last Night

Moonlight and magnolias, starlight in your hair

All the world a dream come true

Did it really happen, was I really there

Was I really there with you

We lived our little drama, we kissed in a field of white

And stars fell on Alabama that night

I can't forget the glamour, your eyes held a tender light

And stars fell on Alabama last night

Chorus:I never planned in my imagination, a situation so heavenly

A fairy land that no one else could enter

And in the center, just you and me, dear

My heart beat like a hammer, my arms wound around you tight

And stars fell on Alabama last night

Chorus:I never planned in my imagination, a situation so heavenly

A fairy land that no one else could enter

And in the center, just you and me, dear

My heart beat like a hammer, my arms wound around you tight

Ah, stars fell on Alabama last night ...

This quilt is named for this song, made famous by Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra. This is Grandma Hunnybunny's quilt top without borders. But at least I finished sewing this together today. It amazes me how much I can get done when I pop a movie into the computer...or in my case, back to back movies.

Progress on the "Stars Fell On Alabama" Quilt

Okay, here's my progress on the "Stars Fell on Alabama" quilt for my mother-in-law, Grandma Hunnybunny. Someone asked me why I name my quilts after song titles, with the exception of the Boy Scout Quilt. Well, here's the short answer: composers do a much better job of coming up with a name than I do. And truth is I am a huge music fan, so what better way to combine the two?












The only reason I have posted three pictures for you is so that Grandma Hunnybunny can see it. She knows it's not a surprise after all this time. The surprise would be if she gets it this year.
Just F.Y.I., the blocks are complete, I just stuck it up on the design wall to get my placement of colors right. I have yet to sew all the sashing together or cut the borders.

WIP Wednesday: Shirt off my back

Pickle took this picture, not bad if I do say so myself. Maybe he's going to be the next blogger in the family. Heaven forbid!

So, here's Simplicity 2898

Now, this is what it was supposed to look like:












I will not beat myself up for such obvious mistakes, but I am grateful to have only spent $4 on the fabric. My buddy Robin says make another while the iron is hot. So, stay tuned.

Work in Progress Wednesday

Did you think I had forgotten? Well, I wouldn't blame you if you did. I've been working on some separate projects that don't have anything to do with quilting. But I always come back to the design wall.

Here's A little more work on "Stars Fell on Alabama", which should've been done by now, but life does get in the way. Pretty cool design wall, huh?
It's the back of some table cloth material that I got at half price at Hobby Lobby.

To the right, you can see the finished blocks. I have a only a few to finish of these. There's only 25 in the quilt. You'd think I'd have it done quicker because of that, but not me. I'm special.....



Oh, and Happy Anniversary to me! We've made it six years this past Sunday. He's still such a babe!

WIP Wednesday: The Boy Scout Quilt....Delivered!

Two years is way too long for someone special to receive a quilt! But when you have more ambition than ability at the time, it's totally understandable.

I started this quilt as a thank you to a special scout leader named Chip. He had a great influence on the boys in our pack and now in the troop. What I admired about him was his willingness to give of himself, a trait that is lacking for allot of us in this day and time. And he made time for my kid, the Rock Star. The Rock Star got interested in guitar because of this man.


He's like that with other kids as well, and makes time for his family, too. For those of you who have read about my adventures with Jane, he's her other half.

Here's the label that Debra made. Isn't it grand? Go and see her for your label needs, too!


He looks happy and he was over the moon about it. Chip even took it to his special music room to see where he'd like to hang it.

Words really can't express everything I learned while doing this quilt. Just a few things, machine applique, machine quilting, using a quilt pounce, binding, measuring, and figuring out my creative style. I think I was more blessed by doing this quilt than any so far. I'm just tickled it's going to such a special man!

Quilt Everyday....the Results

You remember the challenge issued to "Quilt Everyday"? Well, here are my results:


Finally finished binding the Scout quilt! I had never done a GOOD binding before, so I'm at least pleased it turned out.

Debra is making me a label for it and I'll post it when it arrives. I'm more excited about the label than the quilt!

This is for Grandma Hunnybunny, but I'm not sure I'll make it by May. But I've been cutting out the fabric,(my biggest handicap) for a month now.

Something quilty this way comes....WIP from the past

You all remember my Quilt of Valor that the Quilt Studio web ring took as a project? My part was the piecing, and I did have my issues with it.
The next step was quilting it, and it was done by the wonderful Deb at Contemporary Traditions. Didn't she do an awesome job?! She was kind enough to let me use her pictures. What's funny is her camera actually made the quilt look correct...color wise. My camera made it look like a cream color. I guess I need that Ott-Light after all!

I don't know about you, but I really love these feathers. Man, did she make it sharp!

Also, she gave us a tutorial
featuring this quilt. I'm still pretty apprehensive when it comes to borders, and she was nice enough to break it down for us.

So, go to her website and give her some love!

WIP Wednesday....on Thursday.

Don't get too excited....two posts in one day, that's not like me at all. But for those of you who thought I wasn't quilting, here you go. The binding is being sewn on. I've actually worked on some Boy Scout neckerchiefs this month, but that doesn't constitute quilting.
I'm determined to get this to the recipient by the end of the month or die trying. Of course, I've said that before in the course of two years trying to finish it. Glad he's a friend of mine.
Maybe it will turn out after all.



My first edge that even remotely looks straight. But don't ask how many times I'm ripped it out and started again. I know, I know, ripping is bad, that's why I use a scapel.

Progress on the hobo bag and a Legal Adult update

First and foremost, I'd like to thank you all for your kind thoughts and wishes about The Legal Adult. Your words and prayers have meant much. The Pickle and Rockstar accompanied me to the airport to drop big brother off. I haven't flown since before 9/11, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. We weren't allowed to wait in the terminal with him. That really reeked because we hadn't said our goodbyes. Imagine saying goodbye in front of the security guards and a bunch of people waiting in line behind you...it wasn't the way I wanted to say goodbye. But we did see him through security and I gave him the sign language sign for I love you. He did the same, held it to his heart, and reached out in my direction. I was absolutely FINE until he did that. The next thing I know, the tears finally showed up. Oh, I wasn't sad for him, I was feeling wretched for me. I've done this with him before but this time, I knew it would be awhile before I saw him again. He called me when he landed, and he's doing well. Anyway, thanks again for your support!

I want to show you what I did with my thanksgiving break. It was my first time trying to bead anything, so I read up on it online.




I bought most of the beads from Michael's.



I used fishing line to attach the beads. It's not like from the tackle shop, just check the beading area of your Michael's or Hobby Lobby.







The best thing I found was a needle with a collapsible eye. Really saves your sanity.

WIP Wednesday: Quilt of Valor (top, at least) ready to mail

Hello, y'all....

I'd bore you with the crazy details of why it's taken me so long to do this quilt top, but let's just say I found a few more of my quilting weaknesses. So without further adio, I give you a Quilt of Valor quilt top.This was a quilt kit from the Quilt of Valor Foundation.


Here's a link to our friend, Quiltfrenzy's webpage for directions. It's called a Faux Log cabin, and had the piecer read her directions, I'm sure it would have turned out better.






But to quote Hunnybunny,"It is what it is...."...(How profound!)





I also won a eBay auction for some quilting software last week! I rarely EVER win, I usually just get the Buy It Now option. But I saw this Quilt Design Wizard, made by The Electric Quilt Company, so I thought I'd at least try it. I'm sure I'll go up to the EQ6, but this will tide me over.

Spiderman birthday and yet another late WIP

Yes, friends and neighbors, it was almost 4 years ago that I had this little baby, The Pickle. (This is a sort of sentimental post, so bear with me.) He has been a wonderful gift to Hunnybunny and I, and even his big brothers, although they won't admit it. The anniversary of that great day is coming up, and I simply can't believe it!

For some unknown reason, I have done things differently with this son. When I had this one back in 1985, I just didn't try to do things. I was in my 20's and still nursing a bad self-esteem, so come time for birthdays, I ORDERED the cake. We had some really great cakes. But now, I feel that there's just something about a mama making a homemade birthday cake. I tried when The Pickle was having his first birthday, and it turned out okay. But the last couple of years I (and Grandma Hunnybunny) have bought cakes from Wally World. So, I decided to try a Spiderman cake.

It's not bad, at least it LOOKS like Spiderman. Pickle keeps going to the fridge to "check on his cake".







In other non-family news, here's my WIP for QOV:. It's coming around. Now if you want to see something wild, check this out:


That is the PIECED BORDER of one Geronimo for her very FIRST QUILT!
Here's what it will look like. Pretty ambitious for a first time quilter. Hey, I saved this from a magazine and still haven't used it yet. I think we can expect extraordinary things from this young lady. She isn't even a teenager, yet.

The Pickle moves up, and a late WIP Wednesday

Yes, that would be MY son....the one with his fingers in his mouth. He moved up to offical pre-kindergarten yesterday. I had him continue to go through the summer so we didn't have to re-learn how to sit quietly, stand in line...things like that. It was a Bible-school/VBS atmosphere, with lots of memorization, crafts, and games. He begins Handwriting Without Tears in two weeks.


Here's a better picture of him....the ham!




And with all his buds. This was our biggest accomplishment, sitting for any length of time.



As for my WIP, I have all the fabric cut out for my QOV, now I'm sewing them together.

Here's the first finished block. Sorry the picture's a little fuzzy