International Incoming

This Birdhouses card is from Bobbie in Australia. The daisies are dimensional and there is lots of sparkles on the card.

This crazy Christmas card is from Anne in France. Lots of shiny trims and what an interesting way to do the edging. I'm going to have to copy that technique.

K is for Koi is from Anne in the UK. Say, I had some of that fabric and used it in my Oriental Madness quilt. Machine embroidered Koi and lilly pads.

K is for Kiwi is from Debbie in New Zealand, of course. Gee, I thought kiwi was a fruit. Well, what do I know?

Incoming

A postcard from Beth in New Jersey. It's always nice to get pictures of fall leaves because it' s always green in Florida.

Here is a Crazy Christmas card from Brigitte in France. Tres Jolie, n'est pas?

And another block from the F8 Christmas block swap. This one is from Ely.

Mystery Solved

I bought this pattern a few years ago..............................

And so I made this.............................

But this purse (more like a large sack) has been looking kind of sad lately, so I made this............

TaDah! Did you guess a purse? Don't fib, no you didn't. I did cut the pattern down a bit this time and added lots more pockets inside and out. Oh, and in case you might be wondering, it did shrink and pucker like crazy.

The last Cross Stitch, The last Swap Blocks

I promised someone, (don't remember who) that I would post a picture of my last cross stitch piece. It is a ring bearer's pillow I made for my son's wedding. It was done on 32 count linen. There were 6 shades of blue in the ribbon. There was a satin ribbon attached about where the hearts are, so that the rings could be tied to the pillow. The back is satin and there is a heavy satin ruffle under the lace (because the lace was too floppy). I really love this piece andI am glad I made it but I nearly went blind doing it. It is the reason I don't do cross stitch anymore.

The last three Christmas F8 swap blocks are done and gone in the mail. I have to admit that I kind of lost my enthusiasm the last two weeks and I am glad my blocks are done.The very last block is for Donna in Ontario. I never did get any fabric from her, so she said to use some of my own. So that ought to confuse you when you look at these.........you might think I don't know coming from going.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving bloggers.

A Mystery Part 2

As you might remember, I swapped most of these black and white nickel squares at Swap-Bot and they were not of the best quality. Someone asked me if I would swap again. That would depend on what I was going to do with the fabric. Surely, if I were going to make a quilt that I intended to put in a show, I would not depend on traders at Swap-Bot. But for this project, the fabric I received was just what I expected and wanted.
It now measures around 28" x 28". I used 100% cotton batting and a really cheapo piece of flannel for the back (which will not be seen when this project is complete). I used several different colors of machine quilting thread. There are straight lines and squiggly lines and some free motion quilting (smack me if I ever say I'm going to fmq again, please). It's a good thing you can't see the quilting. If you could you would know why I am a hand quilting kind of gal.
Anyway, with all these crappy materials, I am hoping the whole thing will shrink and pucker when I wash it.
Are you still wondering what it will be? Well, it is NOT a baby quilt, or a doll quilt, or a wall hanging. If I ever get it finished, and if it doesn't fall apart in the wash, I will post pictures. I am finally finished with all the charity blocks I have signed up to make, so maybe I will be motivated to finish this project.

Disappointed again

It has been two weeks since I put out a request about my Squishy Swap Quilt. I emailed a gal who I thought made one of the blocks. She has not even bothered to reply one way or the other. I posted my questions at The Quilt Show. There had been 94 views of the post but not one reply. Back when Alex Anderson shut down her message board, several members headed over to HGTV so I posted there as well. From them I got some sarcastic remarks.
I did get one reply here on my blog from Gizmo (thanks Giz) who claimed a block as hers. So one block is Gizmo's and one is Tristan's. That makes 29 blocks and I only know who made 2.

I don't know why those Alex Anderson groupies are such a hypocritical vicious bunch.

Zizzy-Dot Swap #3 - Altered Lace

I am afraid Dotti has outdone me this time. Her card is most beautiful and delicate. Here's her card.

Here is my card.

Incoming

I just love these hot fix jewels. I have got to get one for myself. Here is Sue from Tennessee's version of Under the sea. Don't you just love the colors?

More jewels and dimensional roofs in a Birdhouses card from Donna in Michigan. Too cute! Move these cards to the tops of my current favorites list.

Some new Postcards

I was chatting with a woman at work last week. I happened to mention fabric postcards and of course she wanted to know what they were. After a brief explanation, she said she just had to see some. So I brought about 10 of my favorites in to work for her to see. She really liked them but wanted to see what I had made. I really didn't have but one or two so I told her maybe when I had some I would bring them in.
She told one of the ladies who owns my company. She came to me and said she would love to see what these postcards are as she just loves handmade stuff. After she looked at what I had she said if I have any for sale she would love to see them as she often buys that sort of new and different thing.
So besides working on my black & white checkerboard project, and making some blocks I owe a few people, I have been feverishly making postcards. Some of them are for upcoming swaps I have signed up for (why make 4 when you can make 6) and some of them are just experimental. I will not tell you which is which just yet. So help me out....... which ones do you like and which ones are losers? How much would someone pay for these? I have seen postcards for sale anywhere from $7 to $35.

Things that make me want to scream

A typical post on a hypothetical message board:

I need donation blocks for a sweet orphan boy. The pieced blocks must measure 12" finished (that's 12 1/2" unfinished) and be predominately blue. I must have these blocks in my hands 2 months from today.

Typical replys:

1. I have some terrific purple fabric, can I use it? (read the statement)
2. What size should the finished block be? (read the statement)
3. I don't know if 2 months is enough time to make one block. (you can't be serious)
4. I can't make you one because blah, blah, blah (who cares anyway)
5. Can I make a Sunbonnet Sue block? (for a boy, read the statement)
6. I won't make one because I don't like blue. (why did you bother to post)
7. Does anyone have a pattern for a 12" block? (have you ever done this before)
8. I want to make an appliqued block because I never did one before and I need the practice (please don't send me the block)
9. What does hypothetical mean?

Anyone want to add some questions to this list?

A mystery

I joined a black & white nickel square swap, knowing that I would probably get crap back. But that was OK because I hadn't planned on making a quilt with the fabric. What I did get back was not that bad (but certainly not quilt shop quality). What was more of a bummer than the quality is the fact that some of the squares were cut with pinking shears, and no where near 5". I cut them all down to 2 1/2" and started this checkerboard. It needs to be 14 squares by 14 squares and workmanship is not even an issue. Can you guess what it will be? Anyone want to start a pool on when I will finish it?

Another block received

This lovely block is from Cheryl in St Cloud Fl. It's a keeper dont you think?

A little quilt show

Here are some of the itty bitty quilts I have made for the Ami Simms Alzheimers Art Quilt
Initiative. They all measure 9" x 12" or smaller. They were a lot of fun to make. Check out all the quilts that have been made so far.

No news is good news

Yup, there's nothing much to report. I have been trying to get ahead on some postcards (no pictures yet) and I have been working on a chinese coins quilt for charity (also no pictures yet). I have not gotten very far on any sewing , between outside the house work, housework, exercise classes, well there aren't enough hours in the day.

I did receive another F8 swap block. This one is from Patti in Kentucky.

I am going to have to cut this post short. I feel a big rant coming on. I have been noticing a nasty tone to much of what I have been reading and I just don't want to go there right now. Maybe we'll just rant about those twisted seams instead. ................Maybe tomorrow.

The ZizzyDot Swap

You remember my new friend Dotti challenged me to a postcard swap with the topic Strings and Things a short while ago. So for my turn I challenged her to make a postcard using Rust. I had seen a few bloogers out there playing with rusting and I wanted to try it too. So, here is the results of the 2nd Ever ZizzyDot Challenge swap.

First is Dotti's and under that is mine.

Christmas Squishy Quilt

Were you a member of the now defunct Alex Anderson Message Board? Did you then join it's offshoot site called Squares? Did you participate in the first Annual Squares Squishy Swap? Did you make any of the blocks in the above quilt?
I never did write down who made which block and I sure would like to put a name with the block. I have asked this question in a few different places but no one is answering the question. I always hear the quilters are the nicest people but I don't agree. Some quilters carry grudges for a long time.

15 &16

I don't want to insult anyone, but I really have a hard time with reconciling blue with Christmas. I have lots of fabrics to coordinate but blue just isn't one of them. Add to that, the fact that this print is directional, well, I'm just not happy with it. I sure hope it meets with Shelby in Ohio's expectations.

Karen in NE Mississippi sent a forest green fabric and had no special requests, just have fun. It was easy to match it up with some of my stash. The scan came out a bit on the gray side, but trust me, it is green.