Sewing Tuesday!

It was a busy weekend but now the garden spot is ready for a little more new topsoil and the final tractor work and I can already taste the green onions and tomatoes!!! Hurry spring!! I'm really not wishing time to pass too quickly but my sweetheart is reading the garden books and talking about what to plant and my mouth waters at the thought of home-grown veggies! He has also fixed a small area along the back deck to be my herb garden and I'm looking forward to that as well. I've never grown herbs but I read many of your blogs where you use the fresh herbs and freeze for later and I'm anxious to try my hand at it.

This will be a great day with a Lord of the Rings dvd marathon followed by the two Narnia movies and lots of sewing! I just need to put the flowered border on this quilt and it will be ready to prepare for quilting!

I'm also going to use these charm packs to work on two gifts. I can't do more than give a sneek peak of the fabrics.

I was thrilled to be the winner of Rose's giveaway. She was offering her own beautiful set of BOM patterns for Tender Moments along with some threads and needles. It is a gorgeous pattern and I'm thinking of making it to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary later this year.

If you enjoy stitcheries, please visit Rose's blog Threadbare Creations. She generously offered a complete free pattern you can download called Life's Treasures. It's lovely and would be special for yourself or as a gift. Quilters are so generous with their talents!! Thank you, Rose.

I'm off to sew. Enjoy your day and happy stitching. Blessings to you! Karen

Whirl Into Winter Giveaway

A huge thank you to all of you who left comments telling what you love about quilting or quilts. Most comments mentioned the creativity that quilting allows, the love of fabrics, the enjoyment of the process from choosing fabrics to the final quilting, and the joy that comes from giving quilts to those who will treasure them. There was also overwhelming appreciation of the fellowship and friendship that comes from meeting and sharing with other quilters even those who will never be met face to face but who become very dear across miles and even oceans because of a shared love of quilting. I feel so fortunate to visit blogs and share a few minutes with quilters whose tastes reflect my own and those who venture into new areas I can only appreciate!! I hope you will return again and visit with me and brighten my day with your comments.

The winner of my giveaway (randomly chosen by my sweetheart from a bowl full of names) is Barbara, who said that "being creative is my favorite thing about quilt-making." Barbara, I'll email you and will have your package in the mail quickly.

Thank you again to everyone who participated in the giveaway and thank you to Debi for organizing such fun!

Have a happy day of stitching, Karen

Ready to Sew!

Whew! The house is clean, the closets reorganized, furniture moved and I'm ready to sew :) It's such a good feeling to get things in order for the new year! Of course, we're planning some painting and carpeting but I won't think about that just now!

While cleaning out drawers and boxes in my sewing room, I found some "projects under construction"...some from many years ago. So, I started by finishing one of those pieces. This was a practice block from one of the first quilting classes I took (more years ago than I care to tell). It isn't perfect but I really like it so I hand quilted it and made a little table topper for next Christmas.

This morning I cut out the pieces for this quilt. I loved the colors when I saw it at a shop during the quilt shop hop last June. The pattern can be reused for fat quarters or 5 " squares.

Thanks so much to all of you who left comments on my giveaway as part of the "Whirl Into Winter Quilt Bloggers Giveaway." I set noon CST tomorrow, January 14, as the last time to leave a comment. The winner will be annnounced on January 15. I'm overwhelmed at the number of comments I've received and the kind and gracious words. I visited every blog represented and found some wonderful quilters and crafters. Hopefully some of you will visit here again and some new friendships will result.

For now, I'm off to my sewing room! Happy stitching, Karen

Happy New Year!

The year has begun with a bang! Yesterday was very busy as we helped clean and paint at our daughter's new home. The house is almost new but they are adding touches to make it very much their own. They will be moved in by the end of the month and we'll all happily settle down.

Thanks to everyone who commented on my giveaway. I visited the other giveaway blogs and there are some lovely gifts out there. One problem I've encountered is that some of you who commented have your blogs set to "no reply" so I have no way of contacting you! I don't want anyone to be left out so please be sure you have an email address on your blog or that you put your email on your comment! Thank you so much!!

I visited many blogs and, by visiting Simone's blog, I found Ellie's blog with a lovely stitchery BOM pattern. If you enjoy stitchery or applique, check this out! It's so cute!

Hoping your new year has started well and wishing you many blessings!

Whirl Into Winter Giveaway!!

The holidays are over and it’s time to Whirl Into Winter with the Quilt Bloggers Giveaway organized by Debi. What a nice way to add excitement to January!!

Between January 1 and January 14 at noon CST, leave a comment on this post and tell me one thing you love about quilting or quilts. Only comments answering this question, left on or after January 1, 2009 will be counted. Please be sure I can get your email address on your blog profile or leave an email address so I can contact you.

Here is my wintry giveaway.


This is a quilt pattern called “Warm and Wintery” by Cotton Way which uses a pack of charm squares. You will get a charm pack “Miss Jump’s Scrapbag” from Moda and a yard of creamy background fabric to get you started on the quilt. To round out the wintry theme, I crocheted a cuddly scarf from Homespun yarn and will send some packets of tea and cider to keep you warm. There’s a little snowman sled just for fun!

Be sure and check out all the blogs participating in the giveaway, AND, leave your comment here on January 1st!!

One thing I love about quilting is that it ties me to generations of women whose creativity produced beauty from scraps. What an inspiration to take ordinary things in life, even the scraps, and make something unique that will bless and comfort ourselves and others.

Thanks for visiting my blog! Do come back again.

A huge thank you to all of you who left comments telling what you love about quilting or quilts. Most comments mentioned the creativity that quilting allows, the love of fabrics, the enjoyment of the process from choosing fabrics to the final quilting, and the joy that comes from giving quilts to those who will treasure them. There was also overwhelming appreciation of the fellowship and friendship that comes from meeting and sharing with other quilters even those who will never be met face to face but who become very dear across miles and even oceans because of a shared love of quilting. I feel so fortunate to visit blogs and share a few minutes with quilters whose tastes reflect my own and those who venture into new areas I can only appreciate!! I hope you will return again and visit with me and brighten my day with your comments.

The winner of my giveaway (randomly chosen by my sweetheart from a bowl full of names) is Barbara, who said that "being creative is my favorite thing about quilt-making." Barbara, I'll email you and will have your package in the mail quickly.

Thank you again to everyone who participated in the giveaway and thank you to Debi for organizing such fun!

Mail Call

It’s such fun when the mail brings packages!

I was so thrilled to be the winner of Jeanne’s giveaway as part of the Fall Into Fall Blogger’s Giveaway. Here’s all the nice things Jeanne sent…the cutest Halloween bag filled with Halloween fat quarters, this great fall pattern and quilt postcards and Halloween candy.





Thanks so much, Jeanne, for a great giveaway.

Danetta had three prizes in her Fall Into Fall Giveaway and my name was picked for this great book. As you can see from part of my stash (forgive the messy stack), I can certainly make use of these patterns.



Thanks, Danetta! The book is great!!

After being the fortunate recipient of these ladies’ generosity, I plan to participate in Debi's next giveaway and pass along the kindness.

Quilting bloggers are the nicest people!!!

Giveaway!

You must visit Jen and enjoy her beautiful batik folded flowers. She is giving away gorgeous batik fabrics and sample folded flowers perfect for someone to try this technique and create a project. These fabrics and flowers would be lovely for a number of project ideas. Jen is having a different giveaway each week with something for everyone so be sure and check back often.


Hope you are having a successful sewing week. I have finished two gifts but I have to be very careful since the recipients read my blog. Let's just say these are birthday or Christmas gifts for two beautiful ladies who were both born in the fall (which is coincidentally my favorite season :)

Here's a peek at a couple of the fabrics.

I can hear some chuckles now :) I have some ideas for coordinating items. We'll see :)

Have a nice day and do visit again. Wishing you blessings.