Monday, March 31, 2014

A rare thing

Got a picture of my dad and stepmom and had to share since it is very rare to get a picture of him not goofing off :

 

He doesnt like to drive too much anymore, but I guess a golf cart is totally different-even if that is how you get to and from the clubhouse!

 

Sunday, March 30, 2014

2 Flimsies

Finally feeling well enough to have some extended sewing time! Listened to an old Ellen Degeneres and Jerry Seinfeld DVD, and sewed away!

Finished this leader/ender quilt. I have no person in mind to give it to rifht now, but I am sure something will come up and I will be ahead of the quilt giving game!

I have decided to put Hello Kitty borders on it, as some of the scraps I used were from Hello Kitty material.

 

 

The next quilt that got to the flimsy stage is a quilt that I thought would br queen size for our bed, but I lost interest in it with the "celery" solid. I fortunately bought enough charm squares to make a whole new quilt, plus shams and a couple of pillow cases. I just need to find a better color to go with them. I also made enoigh of these blocks for a donation quilt!

My hubby out on a new LED lighting system on the harp or my Bernina from "INSPIRED LED"

This my Bernina with just the light it came with:

Then with the light I got from Nancy's Notions:

The both of those with my new LED:

Such a difference! I love it!

 

 

 

Friday, March 28, 2014

Best Finds For Me

I love when I purchase something and it becomes my go-to, know it works find!

These three things are "keepers"

These scissors I bought from Karen Kay Buckley. They are serrated and grab fabric so beautifully-for my hand applique project:

 

Next, I will forever use this super expensive glue stick-just because it is the perfect width or container and the perfect quarter inch glue roundness-unlike other glue sticks that are too fat and get glue everywhere! I refuse to pay the full price, but when Joanns has them in sale, I snag some! Still now cheap, It will be my guilty pleasure glue!

This is the hand applique quilt that. I am starting for my 30th Wedding Anniversary quilt. It will be both pieced and hand appliqued! I already have about 100 leaves glue basted and about 200 grapes done. I will be doing the borders by hand and the entire middle will be pineapple blocks, no applique in the center! I have completed one block so far. There are alot of pieces in one block, it's paper pieced and I love to paper piece!

 

The third new to me idea was to scrap piece on top of adding machine tape, so I went to Office Depot today and got a package with 3 rolls! Can't wait to start on that, I usually donate my scraps, but the other day, I pp some scraps and loved pulling out scraps and remembering which projects they were from!

 

 

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Small Things

Only two small things finished this week:

A 5x8 pad cover, and a composition book! Both are in Spring/Easter materials!

 

 

Monday, March 10, 2014

Old Man River

I had a weight lifted off my shoulders today! Taught an "dual anti-platelet therapy" class today. Alot of work goes into a class, and alot of nerves before you start! I have 7 more classes to go, but today's was well received and the jitters left soon after it started! I love the people I work with!!

So I got in my sewing studio and just started chain piecing this new spring looking quilt! No phone, no TV, no radio, simply the hum of my Bernina..........HEAVEN, NIRVANA.......

 

 

 

 

And the beautiful sunset.....

 

 

 

JOELLEN

 

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Bragging rights!

My friend, Sandy just finished her hummingbird.......

I might be a wee bit jealous!

But it gives me hope!

JoEllen

 

A Day with Friends and Applique

At The Road To California Quilt Show this year, I saw Cathy Van Bruggen in her booth demonstrating her applique technique. I bought every product she sold plus her DVD. I was in love with her patterns especially the little bugs she puts in them. Imagine my surprise when. I learned that day that she teaches and lives only 20 minutes away from me!!! I signed mysel and three buddies up faster than they could think about it and WAITED for March 8th to come.

Cathy was such a wonderful hostess, we ate breakfast and lunch (included in the class cost). Her house is just beautiful, the grounds large and her sewing studio immense!

We had a morning of stems and leaves--relaxing and productive,

 

.a grand lunch, and the we learned a more challenging technique when we attempted to make a hummingbird(many parts----need much practice there!!).

 

This one is on Cathy's Van Bruggen's quilt!

This is the one I made:

Alot of practice needed!!! It would also help if I put the hummingbird's belly in the bottom instead of the top! Oh brother.......
I WILL eventually have a block that looks like this:
God willing!
Anyhow, we had a wonderful day, full of learning and laughter.....isn't that what it's all about?

 

Cathy, hands on showing us how to put her pattern to cloth.