Swatch Sheets for Hazel Ilene's Quilt Along

I checked in with Shelly on her Prairie Moon blog and her new blog for the Hazel Ilene's Diary quilt along and I went ahead and signed up. It will be a year long event with small quilting tasks to do along the way while I enjoy reading portions of her mother's diary. It sounds like so much fun. Shelly already has many fine vintage photo uploaded to go with her mother's story.

If it sounds interesting, I'd like to encourage you to click on the button in my side bar.

Hope you can join us in the fun. Bloggers and well as readers are signing up to quilt along.

My baskets hold fabrics for both the 67" x 84" and the smaller one that will be 33 1/2" x 42". Both will be planned around a red and a creamy golden yellow color scheme.

Snowy Peppermint Runner

Just before Christmas I was browsing on the quilter blogs website and ran across a very cute red and white striped table runner called Snowy Peppermint Runner.

It was designed by Jodi of Pleasant Home. I just loved the fresh look of the true reds and bright whites of her fabrics. Plus, the ends of the runner had such cute prairie points. I do remember learning to make prairie points back in my college days, but I had never before actually used them in any quilt. I love them a lot. I just never happened to use them in any design. Now I had the perfect excuse to fold some little squares into the cool looking embellishments!

This was so easy to make, that I'm sure I'll do more later for gifts. I got so excited about it once I had sewn the edge and turned it right side out, that I put it onto the table right away.

I do need to go back in for some simple machine quilting, but I just couldn't resist setting it up on my kitchen table!

Happy Holidays & Looking Forward to 2010

Hello fellow bloggers and readers. I hope you've had some nice holiday gatherings and have had the chance to get together with family and friends. Best wishes for the new year in 2010!
For one recent project, I used a bunch of red and white prints in the cutest little table runner. I will post more about it tomorrow.

I am looking forward to using up some of my red, cream, and tan fabric stash in a new quilt project. I will be doing a quilt along with Shelly P. She has made up a fabulous mystery quilt that goes along with her mother's 1951 diary. Along the way she will share vintage photos, recipes, stories, transcripts from the diary, and of course the directions to make the quilt.

The quilt along has its own blog called The Life of Hazel Ilene. You may want to check it out and join in!

I am getting excited to start another year of Thimbleberries Club. I have signed up to do the Village Green quilt in large throw size. It should be fun. I noticed that many of the blocks feature very cute houses. I've always wanted to do a house or school house quilt, so now is my chance. I kept up pretty well with the blocks from the 3's Company 2009 quilt, so now I will begin to sew those together.

I do have a large stack of RED color blocks from the 4 seasons color block swap this summer. I really should invent or design something creative for those 6 inch blocks. I also have so many wonky roses made up for a Little Bouquet Quilt and I need to get busy on that hanging too.

So much to Sew!!! I'd better schedule time to work on all these ideas in the new year.

Quilt Lover's Home in the Pink

This is the last set of photos from the Christmas home tour that my mom and I went on at the beginning of December. The pink stucco house is owned by Janet Papenfuss and is known in our home town as a landmark beneath Grandad's Bluff.

Her beautiful collection of Christmas and winter quilts was made by her mother.

This soft pink tree was on display in the sun room, that was accessible from both upstairs bedrooms.

The paper pieced cardinal quilt had a wonderful display place above the main floor fireplace.

A very full poinsettia was displayed on the coffee table.

Another sun room was on the main floor just off the kitchen. What a quiet place to sit and read a book.

Time to relax by the fire in the cozy basement. The white tree with the black and white ornaments was perfect for the harlequin floor.

An Art Lover's Home

Welcome to the home of Barry and Jennifer Friends and their family. This home was a real treat to tour because the Friends have an amazing art collection. I so loved seeing how the family displayed the paintings and sculptures throughout the home. There were many lizards tucked in unsuspecting places.

The picture to the right shows my mom entering the house at the beginning of the tour.

There was a very nice atmosphere as someone was playing the piano in the living area.

The dining room had the most beautiful mint green and white striped wall paper. It was definitely set off by the black and white valances and the colorful art work.

Views to the east looking toward my two of my teacher friends homes. Our music teacher lives in the dark brick house with the green roof. The white stucco house belongs to my good friend that is retired from teaching second grade.

What an interesting house and the garage even included a guest house room. It had great accommodations and included everything except a kitchen.

Letter to Santa

Dear Santa,

There are a few things I could use from The Fat Quarter Shop. I hope you have time to put them in your velvet gift bag before you leave the North Pole. I will be staying over atmy sister's house and will hang my stocking there! Hope you can find me!

The Boutique charm pack by Chez Moi would be great to stuff in the stocking.

I could use the Thimbleberries Twice the Charm Roll in the Dusk Village Green color. I'll be making the large throw with the Village Green pattern. It's always nice to have some extra long chunks of fabric available to make coordinating runners and candle mats.

To continue my Holly Jolly and Merry & Bright decorating theme into next year, I could also use the pattern from Schnibbles called Scratch. It seems like something I'd like to make with my large stash of Sandy Gervais fabrics that I so love. The bright colors really go well in my "Gingerbread Kitchen".

It would help me stay organized if I had the sewline pencil case. I have several colors of the leads already and one pencil, but it sure would be nice to have the case to keep all the supplies together. This is my favorite pencil for marking quilt tops before handquilting. I would use it often.

I've been a very good girl and will continue to be in the new year of 2010. Hope you and Mrs. Claus have a very lovely Christmas.

If these things are too hard to get so close to Christmas, I always love gift certificates to the spa, garden books, and expensive diamond jewelry.

Fondly,

Kathy

Inchies Ornament

Inchies Ornament
Originally uploaded by quilterinagarden

My turquoise and purple inchie ornament looks lovely on my white tree this year. I had fun making this little trio of squares and want to make more soon.