Birthday Postcard

Here is this years postcard for Grace.  No I still don't do applique very well, and no I have not read any posts about how to make these.  But for some reason for her 1st birthday I made her a fabric postcard and here she is already three.  And so far I have made three.  Guess I'll have to see when she is 15 if she is still getting postcards from her grandma.  And what to do when there are more grandkids? 

 

These postcards are like the Christmas stockings - everytime there is a new addition to the family I have to make a new stocking.  The first stockings were made by Jesse and Jennifer's great granny.  And for some silly reason I thought everyone should get one.  Maybe it is time for the tradition to pass to the next generation.  Jennifer or Victoria are you ready to learn about making granny's stockings?  Hopefully it won't have to pass a generation like it did with me.  If so, I figure there is only 7 or 8 years until Grace is ready to pick up the needle and thread and stitch one up.

A year from now I will be trying to figure out what picture to sew on Grace's postcard. Trying to come up with something clever to say on the back.  And thinking about the first three postcards and the ones yet to come.

 

                                                            HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRACE.

February 14, 2011

Not much new since last week.  Just a few more of the plaid shirt blocks and lots of time to think about setting ideas.  But I believe I have a good excuse for not getting much done.  During our last snow storm on Tuesday I took a terrible tumble off a slick step.   After a few x-rays it was decided that nothing was actually broke.  Thank Goodness!  But, my right hand is still in a splint and the bruises just keep getting darker and darker.  Trust me - I would much rather be sewing.  Hopefully next week I will be able to get back at it.

Have a great week. And be sure to visit Patchwork Times to see all the Design Wall posts.

Monday February 7, 2011

These are the blocks I have been working on with my shirt plaids.  I have quite a few of the dark plaids but have figured out that I need quite a few more of the lights.  So another trip to the Salvation Army is in my future.  You can go to my last post to see more information about the shirts that are in these blocks.  I haven't decided yet how they are going to go together or how big this project will be.  We'll see.

I am also quilting on my RRCB.  It would be going so much faster if I could just see where I have already been quilting.  My thread blends in so well on all those strip blocks.  Makes for slow going.  I decided to just go with meandering on it.  So far it looks good.  It's just not very far along.  Patience, Patience.

Visit Patchwork Times to see all the great projects that are posted.

Plaids

I started with this.  These are shirts I have been buying at Salvation Army.  All plaid and all 100% cotton.   Jennifer and I have been having fun going to look for them.  So far there are 15 different shirts/materials.

This is what I have ended up with.  Lots and lots of usable material.  At this point I am not planning to mix this with my quilt shop cottons.  I'm just hoping to get something made with these plaids.  The shirts were a Bonnie Hunter idea from her blog Quiltville quips and snips.  The plaids may be too busy to use on their own.  I'll just have to see what it looks like.  Whatever "it" may be.

                                      

And this is what I have been playing around with.  No it's not an original idea. But I don't have a pattern for this so I sat down and figured it out.  The small one is only 4" and not quite as big as I wanted.  So on to the 5" block.  Much better.  The large one is 10" and has the 5" block for a center. 
I have wanted a quilt with a Churn Dash block in block for years.  Between the Churn Dash and a Star pattern I wouldn't be able to say which was my favorite.  I carry around a bag that I made from a Georgia Bonesteel churn dash pattern that was done in red/white and blue.   It was a difficult pattern to follow and I knew I could do better, so I did.  Yipee!  Hopefully, I will have lots to share in the near future.