June Small Quilt of the Month

The June Small Quilt a Month Challenge Quilt was a quick one!  I had fun using "leftovers" from a larger quilt that I've put together but still needs to be quilting.  Then I used other fabrics from a charm pack I'd ordered from Keepsake Quilting.  I love the patriotic and retro prints, and I have a special doll in mind for this quilt.  I hand quilted this one and it turned out nice and straight, but my grass makes it look a bit wavy here!

The pattern from this quilt comes from Kathleen Tracy's book:  The Civil War Sewing Circle.

May Small Quilt of the Month

Well, I am managing to almost keep up with the Small Quilt a Month Challenge - put the last stitches in the binding today for my May Quilt.  The pattern selected was "Civil War Stars" from Kathleen Tracy's book Civil War Sewing Circle.  I've had this Tom and Huch fabric medley for years and have been trying to figure out how to use it.  Instead of using 4 patches as the block centers, I fussy cut out the small vignettes of Tom & Huck.  There are a few things I'd do differently, but I am pleased with how it turned out.  I think the goal of making one quilt a month helps you "just do it" and maybe learn by trying instead of spending too much time over analyzing!  Please forgive the wrinkles - I need to do a better job "staging" my quilt photos!




I am looking forward to the June Quilt - it is going to be an easy one, and I'm going to try for something to match a larger quilt that I've pieced, but only begun to machine quilt.`

Izannah Walkter progress

On Friday night, the stockinette was applied to the heads. It is a stange, but wonderful feeling, to watch these little people become who they are are.  Personalities are emerging, friendships are forming, and bonds are being made.  They are no longer wads of clay, fighting change.  Now they are growing, like buds forming on flowers, trying to become something larger than the sum of their parts.

Tonight, they are a group of aliens, with antennae sticking out of their heads.  Actually, their ears have been made and glued on, and stick pins are holding them in place.  For some reason, that just didn't seem like a very dignified way to have one's photo taken!

Mother's Day Weekend

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend.  After my daughter's piano lesson on Saturday morning, my husband, daughter and I drove to the Eastern Shore to spend the day with my Mom.  We went to the Farmer's Market in her town, had a terrific lunch at a little place called The Lemon Leaf Cafe, visited a few little shops,and spent the afternoon visiting and helping around at her house.

In addition to some lucious tomatoes, strawberries, cucumbers and pies, I picked up a few pieces of pottery from a local artisan.



My husband replaced a self-closing hinge on her door from the house to the garage, and stained the new threshhold for her front door, that he'll seal and install later in the week.  I helped Mom stake up some flowers in her garden. 

This morning, we went to early church, and the ushers gave all the mothers carnations as we were leaving.  Since my son was ushering, he picked out this one for me.

After church, we made our usual trip to Target for Starbucks, then went home to change before heading to Six Flags to "break in" our season passes and pick up the annual coupon book.  We rode a few rides, enjoyed walking around a bit, had pizza and Cold Stone ice cream before heading home.  The weather was very nice - not too hot, a gentle breeze, sunny - so it was a good day to be outside.

Wishing all the mothers, and people who have mothers, a wonderful day.

Head Work!

I've been slowly scuplting my Izannah Walker heads with paperclay over my softbodies/heads.  This is the first time I've worked with this material, and it has been a good learning experience.  The next step is to cover these with a knit fabric - if I decide that these are done!

All Gesso'd Up

In addition to the Small Quilt a Month Challenge, I have been working on another project.  I am taking Dixie Redmond's on-line Izzanah Walker workshop.  It began April 1st, and wraps up at the end of June. I am feeling a bit behind, having been delayed by my 13 year old sewing machine ceasing to work, and then a false start with some fabric I had on hand that just wasn't going to work.
I have managed to get three torsos and heads sewn, and the heads are now gessoed up and ready to go!  The next step is scultping with paperclay, something new for me to learn!  I am looking forward to trying a new medium out and seeing how well I do.  Wish me luck!

April Small Quilt A Month - Doll Nine Patch

I am actually keeping up with my Small Quilt a Month challenge!  Here is what I did this month.  April's quilt was designed by Kathleen Tracy and shared in the Small Quilt Talk Yahoo! group, rather than being based on one from one of her books.  This one was quick and simple.  I used a charm pack that I'd gotten a year or two ago from Keepsake Quilting for all but the borders, binding and backing.