Underground Railroad

Now that the baby quilt is done, it is time to start on something else.  Ever since I first started reading the Elm Creek Series books, I really became more interested in the history of the Underground Railroad and how quilts were used. If they really were used as maps.   I purchased the book from Quilt in a Day that has many of the different blocks that were thought to be used.

I purchased some fat quarters in Civil War fabrics online and decided to make the smaller version with 6" blocks. ( great price 15 FQ for $12)
Here are the first three I have done so far.  This is also the first time I have ever attempted these blocks in any quilt.

If you look close enough you can see my mess up!  But I'll wait until I finish the other blocks before redoing this one!   I am slowly but surely learning after 50 years, why things say READ DIRECTIONS FIRST!

Baby Quilt

A friend of my daughter's was expecting his first child in July.  They knew it was to be a little girl, so Lauren decided that she would need a Pink John Deere baby quilt!  (Lauren is great a picking out fabric for her mom to sew together!)  Here is what a picture of what it ended up looking like.

She picked out most of the fabric at Hancock's and I had to order the striped JD from Ebay.

The backing was a texture fabric that we both felt would be better than flannel.  I tried using some of the many stitches my new Janome has but I need lots of practice to get that perfected! 

Well Miss Emma Grace entered the world yesterday weighing in at 8lbs 0 oz.  

Aloha Quilt

I just finished reading The Aloha Quilt, most recent book in the Elm Creek Quilts series.
It was about two best friends starting a quilt camp in Maui. One was going through a life changing divorce and needing to start her life over, while the other was happily married and the owner of a quilt shop and a Bed & Breakfast inn.  Throughout the book there was a great deal of the history of
Hawaiian culture as well as Hawaiian quilting.  Surprisingly, there was good instruction on making a traditional Hawaiian quilt.  I an ready to create my own.

As I was enjoying reading the book, I could almost visualize the beauty of the Islands, it makes me ready to take a trip.  Not going to happen anytime soon, but that's ok.  My sister Barbara has a love for Hawaii and after reading this story I have decided that Barbara should make a trip to the islands. 

Barbara has reconnected with old friends still living on the islands. She seems to find pictures and stories with a touch of the islands.  She has always like bright colors in everything.  Barbara says she is afraid of flying but I don't think that is enough of a reason NOT to visit a place she holds so dear to her heart.  Life is to short not to live it to the fullest even if that means you might be a bit scared!

I really have enjoyed reading quilting stories from the Elm Creek Series as they take me to different times and places in history.  Right now I am reading The Lost Quilter about a runaway slave and the underground railroad. 

I purchased the Eleanor Burns quilting book The Underground Railroad Patterns.  I hope to make a small wall quilt using the civil war historic blocks.  I am looking forward to finding the right book on Hawaiian quilting techniques. 

Blog of The WEEK!

Whew Hoo!  My blogspot, QuiltingKrazy was picked as the Blog of the week by American Quilter's Society!  Now how cool is that!  I had best get busy tonight and update my Blog! I just couldn't wait to get my "Blog of the Week" button on my site!

Christmas in June

Here is my first attempt at Inchies !  I sign up for a Challenge Amanda's Christmas Challenge. Starting in June, each month your are suppose to create a Christmas gift.  Then by the time December rolls around you already have 6 handmade gifts to give away!

July we are to make a place mat or table runner.  Got to find an idea for this one!

Recycled Quilting and Garbage City

My niece, Patty, has has traveled the world to some of the most beautiful and exotic places most only read about or see on TV,  (courtesy of her husband's work)  as well as some not so great places.  Patty is also a wonderful artist in many different mediums.  She recently posted pictures on her facebook I found so fascinating I have to share. She is currently living in Cairo.

She and her friends made one last trip to a place called "Garbage City" to visit the women's recycled crafts stores. 

Cairo has been recycling their garbage for 50 years.  An army of collectors, the Zabbaleen, have not only been cleaning up the city, they have been improving their own lives.  Mokattam girls have learned to keep their environment clean,  because the reward is - income - that meets a real need. Many of the girls have learnt to read and write for similar reasons. The crucial difference between this and other literacy programmes, is that literacy addresses a real need - generating income. For instance, a girl must be able to read and write her own name if she wants to weave personalised rugs that fetch her more money. 

Married women started approaching the Association: like their daughters, they too wanted to earn. The association showed the women how to recycle square cotton pieces - too beautiful to be sold for mattress stuffing - into patchwork quilts.  This simple act of recycling patchwork has spiralled into larger benefits for women. Each woman is given a sewing machine and an iron when she produces a perfect bedspread.

Here are some pictures of the quilts they have made.

For instance, a girl must be able to read and write her own name if she wants to weave personalised rugs that fetch her more money. And a gift who wants to staff a sale at a posh hotel must know how to read the price list. "Otherwise she won't be chosen,"

They reuse everything. The trash collectors and their trucks bring all the trash home. The ground level of the apartments is used for sorting trash. Families live above the trash and even the kids help collect and sort. The usual paper, glass, plastics are separated and many thrown away objects end up at the Friday Market (even old tooth brushes). All organic waste gets fed to the animals. It is quite a system.  Here is a link to read an article about the system.  http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5327/is_n198/ai_n28655572/?tag=content;col1

HOT WEEKEND!!

This has been the hottest weekend so far this year. I have become accustomed to the nice weather here in NC and have forgotten the icky steamy weather back in FL in the summer. Oh well, I guess that is a good thing.  I have used the weather as an excuse to stay inside all weekend long. I have gotten some things done that needed and got to work on a quilt.  I started out trying to figure out the back for Eddie's tie quilt by using the fabric I had bought for the top.  I started by thinking 8" blocks would work good since some on my fabric left over was in 18" widths.  I got out the computer and pulled up Quilt Design Wizard.  Yep, that did the trick.  Here is what I came up with.

I really like it to much to use as a quilt back!  So now  I gotta think about it.  I did learn one thing for sure, I LOVE MY 1/4" FOOT!!  That and my new machine, Izzie,  make things so much easier.

Adorable Doll Quilt

This just an adorable doll quilt I found at Sew Mama Sew blog.

She has the simple tutorial

posted for you to make it. I can't wait to make one!

Christmas In June!

Christmas Challenge 2010



I have just stumbled across Amanda's Blog where she is busy organizing a challenge for Christmas. Basically you make 1 item each month from now until the end of November. So that is 6 items all together. Everyone is encouraged to join in... This sounds like a great way to get a head start on your Christmas projects, if you want further information just click here Christmas Challenge 2010


The Challenge
Basically we will make 1 item a month from now until the end of November. So that is 6 items all together.

Item List:
June: An Ornament for the tree- your choice of what to make and what medium you use. e.g. fabric, paper etc.
July: A Place mat or Table Runner- your choice of style.  Medium: fabric
August: A Table decoration/ centrepiece - your choice of medium again.
September: A Doll - you can choose to make an Angel or Santa or a Reindeer etc. what ever you choose it has to be made from fabric.
October: your choice - make it from fabric.
November: your choice - any medium.
The theme is of course Christmas so all items must be be Christmassy. 
 
Sounds like a great idea to me! 

Quilt of Roses

I went downtown to my local and favorite quilt shop Needle & Thread after work today to show off my Tie quilt but mainly to visit with good friends! Terri has a new quilt class coming up soon on this Quilt of Roses.

This quilt looks very difficult to sew but it is done in strips so it can be done easily.

Here is a picture of this quilt from the reverse side as it hangs in the shop window with the sun behind.

It gives it a stain glass appearance to me.  I really like it!

Memory Tie Quilts

I am making progress on my TIE quilt.  I still plan to add a small border on to this using the skinny part of ties.  Then add a light grey border about 4" on the sides and 6" on the top and bottom. Then bind it with the dark grey from the center.

I do love my new camera, see how close up on the detail it gets!

I do love my new Janome Sewing Machine!

Check out the stitching.

This picture was taken in my office at work. My new favorite spot to take pictures on my quilts.

AQA Knoxville TN show

I found this quilt somewhere on the net!  I fell in love with it!  It started with the "French Braid" pattern.  Although it was made to represent "Under Tennessee Skies" it looks to me like the "Blue Ridge Mountains" in North Carolina. 

Here is a link to see a photo collage  from start to Finish on this quilt!

The details in the quilt to represent many different things in TN is amazing.

Under Tennessee Skies

Deja Blue Squared

Today I finished another quilt that I named Deja Blue Squared.  Most of the Fabric I used is from a company called "Studio e Fabrics".  The color line was called Deja Brew and had a coffee theme.  I first found several fat quarters in this line at a quilt show last summer, I just loved the colors. I collected several more fat quarters at other shows for the past year with no idea what I was going to do with it.  I used a pattern called Squared Squares that Lauren wanted for her green quilt and decided to use that pattern with this fabric.  Lauren took the quilt top to work one day to show Rhonda and she fell it love with it!  So I finished it tonight and tomorrow it goes to a new home!  To Rhonda's house! I just love the feeling I get when I complete a quilt and send it on its way to a new home! It's such a warm and fuzzy feeling.

I quilted squares within the square and then did loop de loops and hearts in the center squares.  My free motion quilting still needs practice.

My hands

I went to OrthoCarolina yesterday to the Hand Center. I went to get my hands and thumbs checked out.

He told me that I have all the symptoms of carpel tunnel with the tingling and numbness in my thumb, index and middle finger. It mostly happens during the night but happened at work the other day.

He also said that in my thumbs whats known as CMC Arthritis.

Carpel-Metacarpel joint. I looked it up on the internet and one site said..."this occur mostly in women in their fifth decade!" Well they hit that right on target! Or I did!  This all started a few months after I hit 50.

The metacarpel is the bone in the thumb that joins the wrist. The carpel is the bone in the wrist. The space between the two bones is narrower than it should be and I also have a bone spur. I could see that  plain as day on the x-ray. He moved my thumb and boy could he and me feel that spur rubbing against the other bone. OUCH! 

My options for both issues are 1) do nothing 2) splints 3) injections 4) surgery.

Well I got splints to help the carpel tunnel by sleeping in them and then wear during the day if my thumb bothers me to much.  It limits the movement on the thumb. I have one for each hand.

I had an injection in my left thumb back in October and it worked for about 4 weeks.

Then back came the pain. I have an appointment next week with my arthritis doctor and I plan to get another injection to see how long this one last. Then I plan to ask for the orthoscopic surgery.  I figure I had best try the injections twice so insurance wont fuss about the surgery.  Everything I do I use my thumb!

Alan and I finished putting my new cart together today. Using a screwdriver and socket just about killed my hands!  I have very little grip strength in anything I do.

 I do like my new toys!

Now to start cutting the grass and use the weed eater!

I hope the weather is a bit cooler tomorrow.

By the way, I will continue to quilt pain or no pain!

Should I ?

I have this quilt top that was originally created to use as a backing for Lauren's quilt. Everyone at the quilt shop thought I should make it into another quilt.  So now as I look at it I think one color should be removed and replaced with a different color fabric. So, what do you think?

So can you immediately see what needs to be replaced?  The redish brown "picture frame" in the center just

doesn't look like it belongs with this color screen.  I have another green with green swirls I am planning to use for the backing, and I think I might use that to replace.

Trip to Lowes

Yesterday my husband and I went to Lowes hardware to get some bird seed for the feeders we have. He and the cats enjoy watching the birds and the squirrels out the window during the day.  We also needed more mulch for the garden to try and keep the grass from taking over. Of course while we were there he had to look at just about everything.  He looked at the weed eaters (which we badly need) and asked several questions and "I" now have a new 2 cycle weed eater with a shoulder strap!  Several months ago he bought "me" a new John Deere Lawn Mower with a cup holder!  He kept telling me I needed a cart to pull behind the mower. SO...while we were at Lowes he bought "me" a new 10cubic foot dump trailer to pull behind my new John Deere!  He is just so thoughtful!  As we walked around Lowes and he looked and touched everything, I decided that him in Lowes is like me in a fabric store!  Can't get enough!

Quilt Labels

I finally got my brother-in-laws t-shirt quilt finished!  YEA!

 I was going to mail it off today when I realized that I had forgotten to put a label on it.  I always forgot that part!  So here is a picture of my quilt label.

I also put a label on Alan's Quilt .

While I'm sitting here uploading these pictures, my cat Hunter comes to help.

The weekend

This weekend I almost felt like I was back in Florida.  The days started out sunny, hot and humid then came the thunderstorms and lots of rain!  Then in a short time later, rain was gone and the sun was back out! and humidity was high!  ugh

I got the four corners on the tie quilt together and the fence rail center block. Now I'm not sure what I am going to do to put this all together.  Here are a few pictures.

I am just not sure what type fabric or color to use as the background. The darker shade is Blank Quilting's Rock candy in a pearl grayish. The center sqaure is just laying on a yard of that fabric.  The corner ties are sewn on a 20 square of the pearl white rock candy.  The outside border are the narrow part of the neck ties just layed down. My original drawing was going to be way to large/wide so I had to revamp my plans. Still tying to figure that out!

I also got the back down for Steve's t-shirt. I tried to put it on my Flynn quilt rod system but that didn't work! So now plan to use the spray basting to get it together.  The quilt is quite big so pinning is just not an option.  I am taking it to work Monday and use the foam board we have there in warehouse to spray baste it. I will have plenty of room. Here is a picture of the top.

Ties for Eddie

I finally got started separating all the neck ties Eddie gave me to use in making his quilt.  I sorted by color and plan to use red, blue, brown, and maroon for the four large dresden corner pieces.
Here are a few pics of the plan!

I now have to figure out what color fabric to use behind these!  Any ideas???

UFO's

Finally working on UFO's.  Got three top done!  Steve's, Kristen's and one for whoever!
Now to get the backing sewn together then quilted! 

EQ7 Giveaway!

10 Bloggers were selected as winners to received the new version of the EQ7 software program from Electric Quilt.  How cool is that!  What is even cooler, those 10 lucky recipients were given a copy of the EQ7 to GIVE AWAY!  To possible even you!!!!!!  Now that is really COOL!  Just visit
Prairie Primrose blogspot and post a comment about the contest!  That's it!  While your there look around at things Ann is working on or has finished.  I am inspired the by the Out of My Box  Quilt Show challenge and the flower she is working on. I oh so want to try that!  The fabric she is using looks ok uncut, but once the flower was cut and put together, that fabric became ALIVE!  Just Beautiful.  Thanks for sharing Ann!
You can also click on Contest Page to enter other sights that are giving away a copy of EQ7.

Eddie's Tie Quilt Pattern

A friend at work recently lost his father very unexpected. He was out of town when this happened, had to rush home and then take care of all the arrangements. His Father always wore ties and always kept a crisp dollar bill in his shirt pocket. Eddie had heard that I had finished a quilt for someone using her husbands shirts and ties, and told me that one of the things he kept of his fathers was all his wonderful bright colored ties!
I told him I would be glad to make a memory quilt using the ties for him. It took me awhile to come up with a design, but I finally did...

My plan is to use the bottom of the ties as they are in the large Fan blocks to show the point of the ties.

Then in the smaller fan blocks I plan to take the ties apart and cut the shape from the fabric of the ties.  The center fence rail block will be cut from the tie fabrics too. I think in that block I will sew in a crisp dollar bill with just the edge of it showing.   The smaller border frame, I am planning to use the narrow part of the ties that I cut off from the ones in the large fan blocks.  I have no idea what other color of fabrics I will use with this.  The ties are all bright, bold prints and designs.  I think the first thing to start with is the large fan blocks and find the fabric to use as a foundation piece.

Wish me luck in this creation!!!!!!!!!!