Wordless Wednesday

Fishing off the Coast of Hawaii

Remember...

...Freedom isn't Free



Sunday---Precious Promises

When wisdom enters into your heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto your soul; discretion shall preserve you, understanding shall keep you.  Proverbs 2: 10-11

Tiny Stars in the Pink

This AAQI quilt  Tiny Stars in the Pink is a little piece made from bits and pieces in my scrap box.  I started by picking out a multi-color print and then found pieces of fabric that would blend or accent that print.  The interesting part was taking the bits and pieces as they were and stitched them together to form the center fabric.  

Added a border, some star sparkle and hand quilted.  The little quilt is 9 x 8 inches and is #18.  Wishing you a fun and safe Holiday weekend and as always Happy Quilting.

Wordless Wednesday

Spring in the Yukon

New to Me

For the past few years I have been wanting to improve on my free motion quilting attempts.  I have a bottom of the line New Home machine and I try to free motion with her, but no real luck.  I know that free motion takes practice, but I was always unable to control the stitch length and would become discouraged.  So I decided that if I would ever get the opportunity I would upgrade my machine, just to free motion quilt.  Well, this past summer the opportunity became available to me.  In the form of a Bernina 830.

She is beautiful---in her previous life she was used by a dressmaker and did very little quilting.  I read through the owner's manual and set her up with her darning needle, lowered the feed dogs and we were ready.  The difference was unbelievable.  Oh, I still need to practice and I do, but she does a wonderful job even for a real beginner.  There is a weight, which adds control  that is not in my little New Home.  So, I set up the New Home for piecing and general stitching.  The Bernina is set up for quilting.  I read a sewing machine review and it said if there was a Sewing Machine Hall of Fame the Bernina 830 would be one of the first inductees.  I agree, this is a great little machine.  We're going to have a good time together.  Happy Quilting!

Sunday---Precious Promises

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, it we faint not.  Galations 6:9

Celebrate

Celebrate is my completed quilt for the Liberated Round Robin 2.  From the beginning of the LibRR2 I knew my completed quilt would be headed to AAQI.  So I started small.  Our first step was to find a block and start dividing and adding.  I started with a vintage log cabin block hand pieced and made from feed sack.  I added the black fabric.  Our second step was to take crumbs and make fabric.  I found more feed sack and made fabric to add to the log cabin.  Step 3 was to add color.  Purple was my color of choice.  Seemed to me there were bits and pieces of purple in the feed sack and since purple is the Alzheimer color---that had to be my color of choice.  The final step was to make the quilt your own with Serendipity.  Maybe add a border, embellishments, embroidery---just what ever you thought would make your quilt special---"pop".  I added square purple beads and finished it with hand quilting.  The little quilt was completed during the week that the Federal Government announced a pledge of more money for Alzheimer's Research.  Now that is something to Celebrate.  What exciting news to help find a cure for this devastating disease.  The quilt measures 9 x 8 inches.  Wishing everyone a relaxing weekend and Happy Quilting!

I'm Joining the Parade

I'm going to join the Hand Made Parade on Fridays.  I've added a button so that you can zip over to view the many great contributions.  Maybe you would like to join too!  The parade begins tomorrow!! Happy Quilting!

It's In The Mail

For the past three years I have entered the Alliance for American Quilts (AAQ) quilt contest.  The quilts are judged for the winners, they are shown at different venues throughout the country and finally auctioned off on eBay with all proceeds going to AAQ.  The proceeds help AAQ work to preserve the heritage of quilts and quilt makers.  This years challenge title is Home is where the Quilt is...

When I started thinking about this years quilt, the only think I knew I wanted was a bright quilt.  I started with a liberated log cabin and then just added a variety of pieces at random and this is what happened.  I was surprised when I was finished piecing that the quilt did appear to have the look of a house.  The house shape of the quilt was AAQ's requirements for entry.  I added metal words that remind me of home, some buttons and embroidery.  This quilt is machine pieced, hand quilted and fun to make.  Besides the good work AAQ does, another thing I like about the AAQ contests, they make you think outside the box.  I found this years theme to be a challenge, I'm happy I entered and I hope my little quilt brings in some dollars at the auction.  I titled my entry Home Sweet Home.  As always, Happy Quilting!

Maggie's Quilt

This little AAQI quilt is in honor of Maggie.  Maggie is our new rescue yellow lab.  She has been with us about a month and is a wonderful girl.  Maggie is about 6 years old and I have always heard that when you adopt an older dog they know they have been given a break and will forever be appreciative and aim to please you.   Well, I can say that is true in Maggie's case.  She wants to please us every minute of her day and night.  So this little quilt is just sending a secondary message----if you want to add a dog or cat to your house hold take a look in the local shelters or animal rescues facilities there are wonderful animals wanting and needing good homes.  Have a great Monday and Happy Quilting!

Sunday---Precious Promises

The Lord shall preserve you from all evil:  He shall preserve you soul.  The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.  Psalms 121:7-8

Friday Flowers

Are You That Person

Tom Russell created this new image for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.  It's another way for all of us to think about what we are doing for the cure and can we do more.  Help find a cure with a quilt, make one,  buy one or spread the word.  Have a great Wednesday and Happy Quilting!

Elephant Pooh----Really!!

I call this little AAQI quilt Elephant Walk.  It is an unique quilt in that the quilt is not only made with paper, the paper is made from elephant pooh.  Mr. Ellie Pooh which is an Eco-Fair Trade company specializes in making gifts and paper from elephant pooh.  The elephants in Sri Lanka are being killed at an alarming rate.  Humans are depleting their habitat so when elephants come looking for food, they are shot and killed.  Mr. Ellie Pooh is trying to show the local farmers that they can profit from elephants and that elephants can be a vital part of the economy.  Stationary is only one of the products offered by Mr. Ellie Pooh.  You can learn more at http://www.mrelliepooh.com/.  The quilt is 9 inch square, machine pieced, machine quilted. So here is hoping Elephant Walk will benefit two causes.  An elephant never forgets--- maybe someday humans will be able to say the same.   Have a great Monday and Happy Quilting.

Sunday---Precious Promises

I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prosphesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:  and also upon the servants and handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit.  ...And whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered.  Joel 2:28, 29, 32

Friday Flowers

AAQI Quilt Tops

Seven quilt tops for AAQI are waiting for quilting and embellishments.  These seven are the beginning of the sixteen I've promised my self to have in the mail by September.  I'm going to experiment with this group of sixteen.  More machine quilting, more liberated piecing and just more thinking outside the box.  Why not join me and make a quilt for AAQI and try something that is outside your quilt making comfort zone.  Experiment, have fun and support the cause.  Happy Quilting!