Finishes!

Motivation to sew or search for new things for my stash never seem to be an issue.... but getting into the habit of blogging is another story! I am all for suggestions from you seasoned bloggers, ok just suggestions in general! but, anyway! I have finished 3 quilts in the time since my last post.

When I started quilting 2 years ago everyone was making a red and aqua quilt, I only had 2 pieces of red fabric, one of them being a 5X5 (thats inches!), so I saved and stashed and made a hexagon one,

Roll Tide! I had scraps from past Alabama projects and used them on this queen sized chevron quilt, ahhhh football season.

This quilt was pieced by my great-great aunt 15 years ago just prior to her passing. My grandmother had me fix where it was coming apart and then quilt it for a Christmas present for another relative. It is densely quilted, I quilted for 3 days, 8+ hours each day. I did enjoy seeing fabrics from my past amongst the fabrics. I made the backing out of flannel remnants that were left from pajamas I'd made for the recipient in the past.

 

Let me start by saying I was PETRIFIED to make a hexagon quilt, I knew I would mess it up! Then I came across a tutorial here and she made it look so easy! I am planning another one soon just so I can be a little more adventurous and turn those babies!

 

The sewing room calls!

Time to Sew and "stuff" but no time to post!

The past 2 weeks have been a whirlwind of sewing and preparing for the World's Longest Yard Sale. Every year we have a yard sale the week before so we can have disposable funds as we dig through the hundreds of miles of other people's things that we cannot bear the thought of not having as our own.

The girls at their snow-cone post

 

 

My Grandson passing the time

 

 

First Day at the World's Longest Yard Sale

 

In between times I put finishing touches on my sister's 40th birthday present

 

She just finished her master's degree and put up with my 2 boys for a month of her summer off. I made the squares from Heather Ross' "Mendocino", The swimming sisters just seemed appropriate! I got the idea from "Cut to Pieces" I loved how she put her pillow together! The blanket is a throw, I am not sure I would have had the patience to make it much bigger!

I added hand stitches after this and bound it in Tula Pink's raindrop fabric and pieced the back (OH! and felt hung on the wall DOES NOT work the same as flannel, ahhhh, live and learn!)

with some brown flannel I had on hand and a table of human properties and characteristics... she is going to be a school counselor, I thought it may make her smile :)

 

 

There are several other things I managed to finish these past 2 weeks but my machine is feeling neglected after 4 days of inactivity! Thanks for the look and have a wonderful Sunday!

 

 

 

Another Trunk Done! (well except for the inside)

I have a ton of trunks that I have been given or purchased at auctions, call it an illness!

 

I hate to admit this but, this one has sat on my front porch used as a footrest and rusting away in the elements. It has a curved top and the metal on the front and top are stars. I just didn't have room or any ideas what I should do with it. Then it hit me! My daughter will be 16 in  a few months and what do you give a 16 year old for her birthday? OK she would probably want a piece of technology but once upon a time it was a hope chest, a sign of aproaching adulthood and freedom. So I dragged to poor thing inside and set to work.

I painted the stars silver and the rusty (scary like get a tetnus shot before beginning to work on it) top was decoupaged with some scrapbook paper. Oddly enough it stablized where it was squishy (oh so technical aren't I?)

I stained the wood, the kind with poly in it because when I am done, I am done! I also brushed it on the areas I painted it silver so it would still have the older look to it.

I painted the hardware black and the remaining metal a very dark gray, sadly it looks black in the pics. and then did a light silver glaze over the pretty hardware to make it stand out.

I plan to finish the inside with scrapbook paper that I have hoarded for years thinking I was going to actually use it for its original purpose.

 

The trunk is hiding in plain view as I have nowhere to hide it and the lovely girl just sits and stares at it telling me how cool she thinks it is, I'll take that as a good sign :)