Dear Jane Journey Continues...

Well, As I said in a post last week, it is

time to face the Triangles and Corners of the Dear Jane Quilt.

So this past weekend I made myself

"GET BUSY"

Here is my progress:

The above triangle is LS9 - Kiwi

I believe there are 52 pieced triangles in the Dear Jane quilt.

This is TR6 - Carla's Candle Flame

The triangles will form the border of the quilt.

The above block is a Kite or Corner for the quilt.

This one is BLC - Goshen

There are, of course, 4 Kites for the quilt.

They are far from perfect, but they are done, and it is a start

on the part I have been dreading and putting off.

Thank You, Dear Rosa for the gentle nudge :)

Hugs & Blessings,

Terry

Birthday Siggy Quilt Promoted from UFO to PhD :)

A couple weeks ago I posted this picture of my pile of 90 Birthday Siggy Blocks.

Then I started working on the alternate blocks for this quilt top, and this picture was posted.

Then I was able to get 1 row put together, and I came to a standstill...don't know why, just did????

This weekend I was determined to get this quilt top together!!!!!  And I DID :)  Now I can get it sandwiched and then I will be tying it off with a very pretty shade of Lavender Perle Cotton.

The blocks are 5 inch squares, there are 11 across and 17 down, so this will be a nice size quilt.  The Birthday Siggy blocks were received in 2008, and the quilt WILL be done in 2010...not too bad :)  So I am promoting this UFO (unfinished object) to a PhD (project half done), sounds good don't you think?

Huge Thank Yous to all you Dear Janers who sent me all these Awesome Birthday Blocks...WE have made a beautiful quilt, that I will truly cherish :)

Click on the picture and see if you can find your block, just don't pay any attention to the toes sticking out from the bottom of the quilt top :)  They belong to my daughter!!!

Hugs and Blessings,
Terry

I've Gone Gold!!!!

I have gone "GOLD", and not in age....that was back a few years ago (LOL).  And not as in King Midas, with the golden touch, darn it, I could use some extra gold in my life!

Over the past weekend I made my 50th Dear Jane block, so that means I have received my Gold Award :)

What I think is kind of neat, is that my 50th block happens to be made with a golden colored fabric, and... it happens to be the Dear Jane Siggy Block (D-13 Field of Dreams).  The block we use for all those Siggy Swaps :)  Well now to continue the journey and hit the next Award marker.
And as my dear friend Rosa reminded me, just recently....I really

need to get started on those triangles and corners.        OH MY!!!!!

Siggy From France

Yesterday I received this beautifully embroidered siggy from Ghislaine Veit who is from Saint Cyr sur Mer, France :)    I also received a short letter from her, which is written in French!  Well it has been around 40 years since I took French in high school, but I gave translating it a try....I think I got most of it, not quite all of it.  So here goes:  She thanked me for the siggy. It seems she has 2 daughters and 5 small children (grandchildren, I think).  And has been quilting since her retirement 5 years past.  She hopes that I accept her siggy with pleasure.  (I do accept her siggy with much pleasure)  There are a couple other sentences that I just could not figure out :(  And to think that I thought I would never use those French classes...who would have thought that they would come in handy... in quilting of all places :)

I looked up where she lives and found that it is located on the southeastern coastal region of France.  It is a community based on agriculture and tourism.  In their town square is a replica of the Statue of Liberty!  

Trouble with a Capital "T"... YIKES!!!!

Trouble with a Capital "T", Yep, that's what I'm in :(

No doubt about it...

I received this email today (long sad sigh)

Subject Line:  Blogless

"Hello!  Somebody hasn't blogged since March 2nd.

I wonder if a new sewing machine might be the cause.

Don't forget to eat and sleep now and then."

Love, Mother

I still hate to be called down by my Mother.  Especially when she is right!!!!

I can just hear the disappointment in her voice (sniff, sniff)

So I am blogging a little tonight.  I do have quite a lot to catch up on...

But, I did get a new sewing machine.  A Janome Memory Craft 6500P.

I have never had a machine like this before :)  I've always had inexpensive machines.  And I still love my little Brother XR65 machine.  He is only in semi-retirement...we've made many, many things together :)  And we are not done yet.  Lots of memories, there!

This "bad girl" can do just about anything!!!!  Most of which I'm

still learning about (LOL).  So here are some pics of my new girl....

Isn't she just beautiful?????  I have done a lot of sewing over the weekend and I am learning lots of new things that I can do on this machine :)  So many stitches, and I am suppose to be able to quilt on it, too!!!  OH MY GOODNESS!!!!  I hope I  can master this machine.  By the way, her name is Miriam Bess, after my two Grandmothers.  They had a lot to do with my love for sewing and quilting :)  No, I take that back, they had everything to do with my love of sewing and quilting:)  My love of drawing, painting, reading and music came from my Mother.                      

And I also got this box of embroidery thread FREE with the machine :)

I will be back tomorrow to post some more, but tonight, I have got to get all our tax stuff together for the accountant :(

HUGS & BLESSINGS,

Terry

P.S.  I love you Mom, hope this makes you a little happier with me :) Remember the grin that I use to give that could melt your heart....well that's the grin I'm grinning now.  Is it working????? (PEEP) giggle, giggle, giggle

My New International Siggys

I have been working on a new design for my International Siggys.  These are the ones I will be sending out :)  I change my design every year, at least so far I have.  I find new fabric or a new center design I want to try, so it changes :)  This will be my 3rd year in the International Swap, I have received many beautiful siggys.  I haven't been real active, I only have around 40 so far. But this year I plan to change that!

Anyway here is a picture of my progress so far:

I found this fabric on line and fell in love with it.  I've actually

had it for about a year :)  My favorite color combination

of late has been lavender/purple and greens...so this fabric

works really well.  And since embroidery is becoming

a favorite past-time of mine, I am embroidering flowers in

what will be the centers of the siggy block.  Then I will

sign & date them, and get them sewn together and

mailed out :)

Well, I believe that catches me up on my blogging.  Hope you enjoyed you time here:)

Hugs & Blessings to everyone.

Terry

p.s.  Don't forget, on most of my pictures, if you click on them, you can get a closer look :)

Dear Jane Blocks

I finally got to work on my Dear Jane blocks some more today.  I was able to get 3 done :)  So I thought I would share some pictures of the blocks I did today.  For those not familiar with the Dear Jane quilt, it is a quilt that was made by Jane Stickler during the Civil War Era.  I am using Civil War Reproduction fabric for mine.  My quilt is named "Recollections With Jane", (everyone names their quilt)  and each block is a 5 inch square :)  Yes 5 inches.  

The block above is called Megan's Mountain Laurel and I think I counted about 45 pieces in this little 5"x 5" gem.  I have to admit that when I was working on this one...I was questioning my own sanity...or lack of sanity!!! 

This little purple block is called Hani's Crown, and it only has 21 pieces :)

And my final block for today is Jane's Tears.  This just has the 4 "teardrops" machine appliqued on the 5 inch square...very easy!

Well my blocks are far from perfect, but I'm having fun and being challenged in doing them, so I'm happy :)

Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along - Block #1

Yesterday was the first installment of the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along from Moose on the Porch Quilts.  This is my first block.  I'm using "Recipe for Frienship" fabric from Moda, the Mary Engelbreit collection.  It should prove to be very colorful, don't ya think?

Monday, March 1 Sewing Accomplishments :)

Yesterday I was able to get my Basket Case Block done for March.  Can you believe it...I actually got it done the day that the directions were posted!!!!!!

I'm not a very good machine applique person and I don't have the first clue how to hand applique in any form - so for now this is how applique blocks will look done by me.  I am hoping to try to learn to do some needle-turn applique this year :)

You should see the list of things I want to learn to do this year... we shall see?????    

Another Finished UFO!!!!!

Drum Roll, Please.................Tadah............My Dear Jane 2009 Secret Pal wall hanging is finished *VBG*  My Dear Secret Pal from last year (who isn't a secret anymore) sent me the six blocks complete with sashing, and all I had to do was sew them together and add the border and quilt it!  Lots of batiks in it, so I went with a deep purple batik for the border.  Look at all those little Friendship stars she made, WOW!  Then I machine quilted, and VOILA, it done.  I love it!  I think this will go in my sewing room.  Thank you so very much Susan from Texas :)

Monthly UFO finishes: 1 in January, 2 in February :)

International Siggy Swap :)

This week I received this cute siggy from Celine Combet from the United Kingdom.  The hand prints are to celebrate her children as well as all children, as they bring so much joy to our lives:)  Thank you very much Celine.

Quilts for Kids Kit Arrived :)

I am so excited... my first Quilts for Kids kit arrived today!!! I can't wait to get started on it, I think that it will be my weekend project :) I have been looking & looking for some type of quilting project that I could do to help and bless others, and now I have found it. I don't remember if I heard about this on a group or read about it on a blog, but I'm so glad & thankful that I found it :)

For anyone who doesn't know about "Quilts for Kids" here is a little about them.
You can request a free kit from them, or use your own stash/leftovers, if you request a kit from them it comes with all the fabric you need for one quilt. You make the quilt (they are small quilts), send it back to them and they pass them out to children in hospitals.

If you want to find out more about this organization here is their addy www.quiltsforkids.org

Now, as with most quilts, my quilt will need a name...any ideas out there???
The fabric is bright colors and has robots on it!!!!!

Hugs to everyone :)

Another International Siggy :)

Today's mail brought me yet another ever so cute Siggy :)
This one is from Helen in Australia. Now isn't that little Koala, just about the cutest one you've seen? She also sent a card with a picture of a Koala on it and her note paper has the same Koala as the siggy:) I am so glad that the International list is picking up again:) It is so much fun to receive these wonderful little blocks and cards, notes, and letters in my mail box:) Happy Sewing to all you Siggy Makers out there. Keep up the great work!!!!

International Siggy Received :)

Isn't this just an adorable siggy??? The hat fabric and

appliqued hat are just toooo cute!!! Love the whole theme of this one :)

Diana said in her letter that she chose the hat theme because her maiden, "Hoet" means hat in Dutch. She and her husband live in Canada now but she is actually of Dutch descent. I just love receiving the letters with the siggys, you get to learn so much about others all around the world:)

I have to get busy making some more siggys of my own to mail out. I am completely out of the little sweeties!!! I think it is time to change the theme

of mine....I will have to think on this for awhile, I want to come up with something special:) Current received siggy count is 42 :)

A Surprise From My Secret Pal :)

Was I ever surprised when the UPS guy came knocking at my door yesterday. I knew I had not ordered anything, but there he was, package in hand :)

I took the package from him with a smile and said "thank you". I look at the address and yepppers it is for me, but according to the return address it is from me???? Well that can only mean one thing- it must be from my Secret Pal :) But she has already sent me a February package....uuummm....

I open it, and what do I find... it is a Birthday package!!!!! :)
How very very kind of her. Look at the pretty things she sent me. Love it all!
Many thanks to my Secret Pal.






More Birthday sharing later, it has been a busy day and I am quite tired. So off to bed I go (zzzzzzzzz.......). OMG!!!! I must be getting O-L-D, aaahhhhh, say it ain't so!!!! *grin*

Next UFO in Line :)

This is the next "Unfinished Object" in my stack to get done :) Wish I could call it a PhD, but alas, it isn't even close to being a Project half Done. (LOL) Anyway this is my 2008 Birthday Siggy Swap Quilt...well it will be, soon... I hope!


Once again this project originates from the Dear Jane Alternate-List...are you beginning to see that this group is absolutely Siggy Obsessed????? Strange critters, aren't we?!?!


I was lucky enough to receive 90 Birthday Siggys back in February 2008, yep this is my Birthday month , as a matter of fact tomorrow is my Birthday:) What better time to start this quilt, right? Anyway here is my stack of siggys, waiting to become joined together with alternate 9 patch blocks.




And here is my progress on the alternate blocks. I chose lavender since it goes with February (amethyst, violets, etc).



Wish me luck. Wouldn't be really cool if I could get this finished this month? A Birthday present to myself and another UFO finished:)

Oh, And Happy Birthday to all you February Birthday People. We are just the best aren't we???? And that includes you Rosa *grin* Be nice my friend, cause I remember how old you are!!!!

Latest Winter Pictures

Here are a couple pics of the icicles hanging around our house. These were left after last weekend's winter storm.

Yes, in the picture below the icicle is actually sideways!!! I'm thinking maybe the wind might have been a little strong, when this one started to melt. (LOL) You can click on the picture to get a closer view.

The picture below is of our front door. No we don't use that door much.

And right now it would be rather dangerous *grin* I do believe I will just stay inside for the rest of the winter!!!!
I was hoping these might be the last winter pictures for this year........
But, I hear we may be receiving another winter storm this weekend :(
So there may be more pictures coming!!!!!

International Siggy Swap

This week I received this really cute siggy from Sophie Billerbeck who lives in Hamburg, Germany. Hamburg is in North Germany. Sophie has lived many places, as she told me in her letter. Her journey started in her hometown in East Germany, then Switzerland, London, New York, and finally Hamburg. How many wonderful things she has to have seen :) Love the Siggy :)

February UFO Finish :)

Yes, Yes, Yes!!!!! I have finished another unfinished, forgotten project.

That makes one in January and one in February, I'm on a roll :)

This one was begun in 2008..."SIRS" was it's name, which stands for Special Irish Rose Swap.

This was a Signature block swap. Siggy swaps are so much fun. Receiving little quilt blocks from all over, with all kinds of different designs, gotta LOVE it!

The Dear Jane Alternate-List group came up with the idea... anyone with Irish blood running through their veins would be eligible, or anyone wishing they Irish blood running through their veins, or anyone who really liked green LOL

Well, here is my finished product and just in time for St. Patrick's Day.

Wall Hanging or Table Topper???

God's Special Valentine Gift

We woke up to a foggy Valentine's morning, but what was really cool was the ice formation on everything. And I do mean everything, bushes, grass, cars, trees, porch furniture, clothesline...everything had ice crystals all over them.

I was told that this is called "frozen fog"...I can't say as I had ever heard of that before...have you? One thing I do know is it was absolutely gorgeous.

I'm hoping that these pictures show how amazing it looked. I think if you click on the pictures, they will enlarge and you can really see the beauty. The ice crystals were just standing straight up, kind of like they were praising God. Very awesome sight :)

See, God is still giving us gifts, if we take the time to look for them.

Another FREE Block of the Month :)

Well, as many of you may already know, Val Laird has a beautiful BOM offer starting this month. The patterns are free for your personal use. The first one looks so pretty and dainty. Can't wait to start this one :) I'm sure these will be absolutely "to die for". :) Go check it out at http://val-laird.blogspot.com

Book Review Gift

My second most favorite thing to do after sewing is reading. And my favorite reads are Amish based books. I love reading about the Amish, I love visiting Amish communities, I admire their commitment to family and God. And, of course, I love their quilts and cooking!!!

Well, I recently did a book review on Christian Book Distributors of Wanda Brunstetter's book "The Simple Life". I love that book, it is a devotional type book. Each day there is a little snippet from one of Mrs Brunstetter's books along with a little inspirational verse and a recipe. I read mine each morning, helps to kick start me :)

Well, I was lucky enough to be one of the first 5 to review the book...so I received a signed copy of her book "Going Home" and several book marks, one of which was also signed!

Just made me sooo happy :)

Dear Jane Secret Pal Package Arrived

My wonderful Secret Pal sent me this Awesome February/Valentine Package. It arrived on Friday, so it started my weekend off on a very happy note :)

Love all the Valentine things, they are just toooo cute, especially the socks :)

The fabric is so "spring-like", which is wonderfully welcomed, since as I type this we are under a winter storm warning! ( 5 inches of snow on the ground, another 4-8 possible and the wind has picked up so now we have drifting, and it 10 degrees) You guessed it I will be sewing :)

The bag is a Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Scone mix, which I will be trying very soon (yummy). The box of chocolate candies.....well, uh...they are all gone!!! They were very good (LOL)

I love reading the notes she sends too. Helps me to feel like I am getting to know her :) It's so nice.

Weekend Sewing :)

I'm running a little behind on posting my sewing accomplishments from the weekend, but as they say, "better late than never" :)

So here we go. First, I was able to get my February Basket Case Quilter's block done.

I haven't done much embroidery work for awhile, and I must admit I was a little rusty, but I will also admit that I very much enjoyed it. As a matter of fact I think I will be doing more embroidery work in the very near future.

I was able to get my Quilting the Psalms blocks caught up for February. When I first started these blocks, I just wasn't sure about the bright colors. Brights just haven't been my first choice in the past, but some of the bright colors are growing on me :) I really like the way the black makes the bright colors POP.

And I found my Dear Jane blocks again *grin* They were put on the back burner for quite some time, while I worked on the 8 Quilts for the grandkids for Christmas last year. Anyway, I was able to get 6 done over the past weekend. Looking forward to more this week. I have to admit I missed Jane, and I'm glad to have her back out. Oh...I have named my Baby Jane, She will be known as "Recollections With Jane". I have noticed that when I work on these blocks, that I think a lot... about the Civil War Era, Jane Stickler's life, as well as my grandmothers, mother, and my past... so I felt "recollections" fit.

Saturday Winter Wonderland

Saturday Winter Wonderland = A Sew In Weekend, OH YES!!!

This morning we woke up to about 5 inches of very wet heavy snow, you know the kind perfect for snowball fights and snowman building :) That is if you are into to that kind of thing...which I'm NOT, so I will be sewing & loving every minute of it.

The picture is looking out my back door this morning. The snow was so wet and the wind was blowing so much that the snow stuck to just one side of the trees, makes for pretty pictures.

I will update my sewing progress tomorrow night - hoping to have a lot to blog :) Back to sewing.

Oh, don't forget, you can click on the pictures to enlarge them for a better view :)

Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along!!!

I know, I know, I know...the last thing I need to be doing is another BOM!!!

But hear me out, this isn't the ordinary BOM, this one is different (LOL). Oh My Gosh, how many times have I said that???? Anyway this time it's TRUE. *grin*

This one is made using a Jelly Roll, see, now that is different. So just jump right on over to "Moose on the Porch Quilts", she's on my blog list, and check it out :) And this one doesn't take a year to make. Starts in March and finishes in August (still has 12 blocks, though). Yep it's more than one block per month.

I have a jelly roll, Recipe for Friendship by Mary Englebreit, that I had no idea how use...well now I do! And just so happens that I have 2 yards of a coordinate fabric to go with it. I think this will be a lot of fun.
Here is a picture of my fabric choices for this project *VBG*

New International Siggy Arrived :)

This beautiful siggy arrived in mail box today:)

This one was made by Simon Stanislava from Croatia!!!

Simon is new to the International Siggy Swap group, and says she is enjoying receiving so many different siggies. I know that I sure did enjoy receiving hers.

She also said the Gothic "T" in the center was for the first letter of my name.

This is how she personalized it :) Love this siggy, and looking forward to receiving a few more in the weeks to come *grin*