I should be doing the ironing...

...but it is more fun to do my projects. I have been stitching today but more about that in my next post. Then I decided to do a fun project that I thought up over Christmas.

I found this wooden sign on sale in a garden center just before Christmas. I could see right away what I could do with it as a quilter.

So I pulled 5 fabrics from my stash cupboard. I was honestly thinking about the dark chocolate, strawberry filled Leonidas (bonbons) that I soooooo love while I was doing this one. *wink*

Traced the heart onto a sheet of paper and then measured and made an inch smaller version of the heart.

Then I drew 5 sections on the paper to create a crazy quilt heart.

This is a heart?

Yes, just trim it half way between the two lines.

Cut out a heart shape in a piece of cardboard and glue a piece of quilt batting to it.

Then glue the heart onto the cardboard. Make a large cup of tea as you have to take a break and let the glue dry.

Glue the heart to the wooden sign and then glue trim around the edge to finish it off.

And suddenly a plain wooden sign becomes a fun quilted hanger.

I always say a quilt is only really finished when it has a label. But when I finished this quilt back in December, I did not get the label made. So I thought I really had to get it finished. I use small scraps of muslin for my labels. Even if they are a bit small, they work if I use pinking sheers to finish the edges. They are fun to sew on the back of the quilt with a contrasting color in a primitive quilt stitch. I often use calligraphy to write my labels and then draw something fitting to the quilt.

I am searching for a set of fine tipped permanent markers as my set is drying out. Does anyone know where I can order some?


For this label, I drew some snowflakes and was thinking of many of you in America who are getting hit with another snow storm today. You can send the snow here if you would like! I would love to share. *grins*

In the meantime...my ironing still awaits!

Sunshine and showers...

Life is full of sunshine and showers. First some sunshine...


Last night, everyone brought their first blocks of our theme quilt. I am going to take photos as the year progresses to share the various quilts. My block (above) ended up going in a different direction than I expected. I wanted to make a sepia quilt but when I started pulling out my fabrics, I can across a set of fabrics that Annemarie gave me. I decided this was a perfect project to use them in so my quilt is now pinks, beiges and browns. I choose to substitute a few of the flowers in the field for ribbons daisies. When I was a little girl, I always said daisies were my favorite flower. Nowadays, I do not have a single favorite flower as I love all old fashioned flowers.

The slideshow contains all the blocks that were brought last night. If you want to see them larger, just click on the slides.

And the showers you ask? We had a big sadness last night as one of the members had to tell everyone that her breast cancer has spread into her bones. She is receiving treatment to reduce the pain. We are all hoping it will help and that she will receive the gift of time. So if you are inclined so, please say a prayer for Joke that she has the gift of time. She is dear to me.

Love in in the air!

Love is in the air...
Everywhere I look around...
Love is in the air...
Every sight and every sound...


Oh sorry, I didn't hear you come in. *grins* Sorry that I have been away so long. I am not really away, just very busy with many projects. All fun things. I am also always very busy the week before my quilt group comes each month. Tonight is the night and they will be showing their progress with the first block of our theme quilt Leanne's House. I have the block done but thought it would be fun to wait and show it to you along with the others. Now all I have to do is turn on my memory switch and take photos. I am really forgetful lately. It can be dangerous when you even forgot to turn the fire off of the gas under you dinner pan. *sigh*

But anyway, I am really off the subject now...I was working on the second block this past week and thought I would share a little glimpse. As you can see love is in the air. Just perfect with Valentine's Day just around the corner. Why love is in found in my sack of potatoes. *wink* I pulled this potato out of the bag to make dinner the day I finished sewing love so needless to say I did not have the heart to peel it. Forgive the pun.

So how is your Wednesday?

Jolly Monday with Mary...

It is another jolly Monday with Mary! And let's step in time.....

"Step in time, step in time
Come on, mateys, step in time
Step in time
Step in time, step in time
Step in time, step in time
Never need a reason,
Never need a rhyme
Step in time, you step in time!"

Can you see the chimney sweeps dancing among the chimney pots? I was thrilled to see Mary up among the chimney pots herself.

"Round the chimney!
Round the chimney, step in time
Round the chimney, step in time
Never need a reason,
Never need a rhyme
Round the chimney, step in time!"

Speaking of time, I am enjoying "Enjoy your time" from Blue Ribbon Designs. I just love working with the Needle Necessities thread and hope to get up to the LNS in Roden in the coming months to buy some ThreadworX which is the replacement thread for this company. It has been a joy to stitch with so I guess you could say that I am taking this saying literally. *wink*

What about you? Are you enjoying your time with needle and thread? We are back to cold and snow so the perfect weather to sit indoors and stitch. So many are having a more severe winter and I am wondering if you are noticing that you are getting more done now as a result? No matter where you are or what your weather...enjoy your time!

Fun finishes...

Sometimes you have those fun finishes that you just put off for far too long. This is one of them. I first mentioned this piece back on my old blog NeedleNecessities in January of 2007. I just found this old piece among my things and decided that it was time to update it.

I had stitched this piece before I even immigrated to Holland so well over 23 years ago. I framed it in a cheap and ugly frame when I moved over here to use in my kitchen. I thought it would make a cute double sided pinkeep. You can find my step by step photo instructions on my old blog StitchingTogether. Pinkeeps are not difficult to make and a great way to showcase your stitching. I have a tray in my quilt studio with my pinkeeps which I go through and pull out seasonal ones to decorate with in my home.

So my first stitching UFO for this year has taken this drab piece and turned it into...

...this fun and decorative one.

Fabrics with Jane!

Thank you all so very much for your kind comments about my first UFO finish. I wanted to share with you my next UFO. It is one that I had started a couple of years ago but, due to far too many things going on with my quilt group, I have neglected.

A couple of years about Makower UK came out with a line of fabrics called the Jane Austen collection. I love the collection and ordered a number of the fabrics immediately.

The fabrics were inspired by the quilt that Jane and her sister Cassandra made. It is still in her home in Chawton which is a museum. I have been fortunate enough to have been there a couple of times. It is amazing to walk through her home knowing she sat there and wrote or visited with others over a cup of tea. Of course, speaking of tea, even Jos enjoyed going to Chawton due to the excellent care of the lady who owns the tea shop across the lane. She had him supplied with a nice pot of tea and the newspaper.

I also started working on a reproduction of this quilt many years ago but lacking enough fabrics at the time for it, it too has become neglected. *sigh* This was in a time when I did not have as much stash as I now have. One day I will pick this project back up again too.

This was one of the first projects on my list of UFOs to finish this year as I really love this unique project. Makower UK also created the pattern for the Pride and Prejudice quilt. I put on my Pride and Prejudice audio book to get really into the mood and start working on my patchwork. I had it completed up to the triangle borders before it became a UFO. But no longer! I have completed the next two borders with one more to go. I am really excited to get this one ready to sandwich and start the quilting.

"Her needlework both plain and ornamental was excellent, and she might have put a sewing machine to shame."

~James Edward Austen-Leigh speaking about Jane Austen

Happy in two's!

That is me on this Sunday evening! Happy in two's as the animals are ready to enter Noah's Ark. My first UFO is finished for 2010. This one was a fun way to start a new year of quilting. As I mentioned, I created a charm quilt out of these stitchery blocks. It contains 138 different fabrics. Thanks so much to Lynette for a very fun stitchery set!

And since I count a quilt as really finished only when I have sewn on the label, I did that the moment I finished the binding. Now I have my first of six UFOs completed for my yearly goal. Reason for a happy dance indeed.

Enjoy a child's rhyme about Noah and the animals and have a great Sunday!

Now in come the animals two by two
Hippopotamus and kangaroo.
Now in come the animals three by three
Two big cats and a bumble bee
In come the animals four by four
Two through the window and two through the door.
In come the animals five by five
Four little sparrows with their red breasts white

Well, here come the animals six by six
The elephant laughin' at the monkey's tricks
In come the animals seven by seven
Four from home and the rest from heaven.
In come the animals eight by eight
Some was on time but the others was late
Now in come the animals nine by nine
Some was a'shoutin' and some was a'cryin'.

In come the animals ten by ten
Five black roosters, five black hens
Now Noah says, "Go shut that door
The rain's started droppin' and we can't take more."