Happy Holiday from my family to yours

Love quilt

Ohio Rose update

Here is the quilt over the ironing board.

This is how it looks as of 8:36 tonight.

Penny

The New Block of the Month

Heather out did herself this time, the new BOM, "Foolish Goose Tracks", from "Burning the Midnight Oil" has been announced.

http://burningthemidnightoilquilts.com/block-of-the-month-quilt

Even though there is no applique on this one, I still plan on making this top. I'm going to use civil war prints by Marcus Brothers.

Let the fabric hunting begin. LOL
Penny

How did you spend your snow day?

Around 7am the snowflakes began to fall resulting in another SNOW DAY!!. The girls and I made 9 different kinds of cookies, 2-3 dozen cookies each batch. It's a lot of cookies lol The house smells soooo good. This is the girls working on cookies.

I think there is 9 inches of snow out there. Also today my hair dresser called, she had some openings and wanted to know if I wanted to get a perm LOL

in the middle of a storm I jumped into the truck and got my hair and nails done.

I feel like a new women.

Penny

Just a note to my friends

The pot is on, the cups are waiting,

Favorite chairs anticipating,

No matter what I have to do,

My friend there's always time for you.

Penny

Last minute Stocking Stuffers

While digging in a trunk of my grandmothers I found this pattern for a needle holder in her old grange book. My grandmother was a Grange leader for many years. I followed the directions and added the flower and ribbon embellishments.

On the inside there is a small piece of batting to secure the hand sewing needles. Each of the three girls will get one in their stockings. I try and give all the children something hand made each year.

Penny

Taylor's Tulips Top is DONE

YES!! that's right!!

The top is DONE!! I love the way it turned out. I can't wait to start the new Burning the Midnight Oil BOM in Jan.

Penny

Ginger Bread Man Terrorist

This poor Ginger bread cookie cutter has been deemed a Terrorist. LOL He was found in a box being mailed to Canada. LOL Customs agents rejected his first attempt into the country, but after a repacking, he reached is final destination. LOL

I sent a Christmas package to a friend in Canada, days later the box was returned. The metal cookie cutter did not make it threw the x-ray machine at the border. I repackaged the box, wrapping the cookie cuter in fabric and this time the box went threw just fine and the box was delivered Friday. LOL
Well my friend, Aunty-Social, has a warped sense of humor and made our little terrorist look the part. LOL This is just to funny. The Ginger Bread Man Terrorist was born. LOL
Merry Christmas

Plans for the day

The weather here in PA is blowy, cold and it's going to rain. So, today I'm just going to stay in and sew. I have a quilt top to pin on the Grace frame, the one for Samantha's boyfriend, and I plan on working on the Ohio Rose quilt. I want to get all the applqiue pieces for the sashing strips ready today.
So, we will see if I get my goal for the day done LOL
I will keep you posted
Penny

One done One more to go

Samantha's art teacher had hired me to make this quilt. She is giving it as a Christmas gift. It measures 63x75 and is made using homespun fabrics. The block pattern is something I came up with. I may have seen it in a book or magazine somewhere who knows. The blocks are 12 inch x 12 inch finished

There is a 6 inch x 12 inch vertical strip and six 2 inch horizontal strips sewn together. The art teacher designed the black medallion you see appliqued in the center of the quilt.

The same daughter made her boyfriend a Turning Twenty quilt and that is now on the frame waiting it's turn. When that is finished my Pinwheel and Posies quilt is getting pinned on. Thanks to Judy for letting me barrow her Grace frame and Janomie, I am getting a few things done around here lol

Penny

How will I spend my snowed in Day?

Well, yesterday it continued to snow and the girls had no school I love a snow day!!

Today in QuiltChat we exchanged our Stockings, it's a tradition that's done every year. Each of us were assigned a secret swapper and each of us make a stocking for that swapper and fill it with little quilty gadgets. The friend who sent to me was Eva/Nisse.

My stocking was sooo pretty, made from homespun fabric filled with a fq, that will match some fabric I have in my stash. There was also a knit picker and quilter tool ID tags. BUT, tucked down in the bottom of the box wraped in tissue paper was...........Electric Quilt 5.

She went WAY over board and sent me EQ-5. OH MY GOODNESS!!!

I love it, love it LOVE IT!!! When I opened my box I was speechless

SO, Guess how I am spending my snowed in Day? LOL Shouldn't take you long to figure it out. I am so excited.

Thank you so much Eva, Bless your heart.

Penny

Icy day here in PA

Well, winter is finally here and it's about time. We woke up to some freezing rain that coated the deck. The girls were upset that there was no delay. But, they are getting out early. The school is closing at 12:30 just what I want to do after it has been sleeting for 3 hours, drive across town to pick up the girls at school. We live in a small town and the school does not offer them bus service. SO, I get to be mom taxi, drive 6 blocks, all down hill pick them up from school drive 6 blocks back UP hill. LOL

Anyway, the Ohio Rose blocks are coming along, I now have 8 stitched, 7 glued and the rest of the 20 block parts cut out. I am hoping to have all 20 of the blocks glued onto the background by this afternoon. The goal for this quilt is to have it put together by the end of next week. I already have fabric waiting for the next applique quilt project. LOL

As if I don't have enough to do, in between there somewhere I have a quilt to finish for a teacher at school. She has hired me to make a quilt for a Christmas gift. I made a Turning Twenty using homespun fabrics. It really did turn out neat and a great gift for a man. The backing is a black paisley and she wants it stippled with black thread. My goal for that one is to have it done by the middle of next week.

Keep checking back, I will update you often on how my Ohio Rose quilt is coming along.
Peaceful Piecing
Penny

Looking for Ladies Handkerchiefs

If you have some ladies Handkerchiefes laying around and don't know what to do with them I will take them off your hands. I am going to be working on a special project for my mother and I an in need of ladies handkerchiefs. Any size, any color, any print, as long as they are clean, and have no holes. If you can spare one or two please e-mail me for mailing instructions.

ninepatches9@yahoo.com

Thank you so much.

Hugs

Judy, you asked for it and.............

Here it is, LOL the first block

Yesterday my mother was kind enough to give me a "JUST CUZ" gift. SO, Judy and I met at Joann Fabrics and I was able to build my quilt stash a little.

My daughter, Samantha, has claimed the "Antique Ohio Rose" as "HER" quilt and asked for it to be made using purple.

So, only 428 flower petals, 114 flower centers, and 124 leaves. LOL

Penny

New Project Ohio Rose

This pattern was in the April 2008 issue of "Quilter's World" magazine.

In the magazine it is called, "Antique Ohio Rose". There are, 112 flower centers, 448 flower petals, and 128 leaves. The finished quilt will go on my daughters bed and instead of pink she would like the flowers purple.

I will start this project as soon as my BOM is done.

Penny

My Bom Is half done

For the past 6 months I have been working on "Burning The Midnight Oil" block of the month, "Taylor's Tulips".

Heather Finnell has out done herself. This has been a great project and a real challenge for me. I have had to push myself to do the applique. But, with a new found technique I am now finding applique can be fun.

There I said it. LOL Applique can be FUN!!

So, Heather I hope 1/2 done still meets your expectations. LOL

I'll finish the applique tomorrow and put on the borders.

Penny

current project

I was hired to make a quilt using homespun fabrics.

This is a block pattern that I am using, each block is 12.5 unfinished and I made 30 of them.

Step Mom

Our 80 pound dog has taken over the care and cuddling of the kittens.

She has become step mom

Ultimate Cowboy Challenge

The barn where I board my horse has this "Cowboy Challenge" every year and WOW what fun!!!

They took the time to set up all kinds of different obstacles to test the horse and rider.

Cross a bridge

Jump or walk over rail road ties
Cross a ditch

Cross a dirt road

Jump a ditch

Ride up to the chicken coop and remove an egg (while in your saddle)

Ride a few feet and give the egg to a judge without breaking it.

Back through some hay bails

Get mail out of the mail box

Cross the road

Walk into the pond and around a fence

Cross the road

Remove a tarp from a barrel and drag it be hind your horse (LOL) lost a few riders there

Cross the road open the gate into the arena

Shoot a 22 at a target while on your horses back.

Close the gate

Finally, Load your horse onto a trailer

The whole time you are being timed, lol and earning points.

It was so much fun, and a great lesson as to what you need to work on for next year LOL

Although Bear and I had to pass on the pond, and the tarp he also would NOT load onto the trailer. LOL
All in all we had a great time. It is so neat getting together with other riders and just letting loose and having fun. After the ride a dish to pass dinner was shared by all of us and there was even a bond fire.

It was just a great!!

Enjoy the photos.

Penny

Please ware a helmet

I hope the story below will be enough to show you how important it is to ware a helmet.

It was copied from an e-mail.

I am writing this letter to each of you tonight after having Witnessed a horrible accident this past weekend. It happened in New York - a weekend "get away" with family reunion and wedding we were Attending, but the best thing was we were meeting with friends I've Made over the years back where I was raised as a kid. I couldn't Wait. We all met at Mendon Ponds, a beautiful park I'm sure, to ride Together. We never got to ride. A series of calamities happened that Will forever change our lives and snuffed the life of one of our Riders. She never got to go home to her son. One of the horses had a bad time in one of the trailers, so a couple Of the other horses were spooked. One of the riders, a woman, got On her horse to try to settle it down and ride it down a bit before
We rode off. She was not wearing a helmet. Another horse, the same one who had problems in the trailer, bucked his rider off and in Doing so the saddle slipped, sending the horse flying around the Parked vehicles, close to a road and eventually, as the saddle was Still hanging under its belly, the horse took off for parts unknown (later he was caught and has some lacerations, but otherwise Survived). His rider did not. Somehow, her head was smashed against a low Limb on a tree, the next thing we knew, she was lying on the ground. What we thought was her breathing was actually her blood pumping out Of her body as her brain was no longer functioning to tell the rest Of the body to shut down. We didn't know all that and of course did Everything we could, thinking she was still alive. Part of her brain Were on the front of her along with a lot of blood. Why am I sending you this message? Because those of us who were her Friends, who were there are still in mourning with this tragedy. Could it have been avoided - we don't know. But what we do know is That a helmet would at least have protected her head and multiple Head injury was listed as the cause of death.

So, the next time you Think that wearing a helmet is not cool or for sissies - try to stop Being so selfish about your beauty and think about what an accident Like this does to everyone else around you. Thank God she died, as There wasn't much brain left on her left side. Does this sound Gruesome? I hope so, because as I'm writing this, I'm crying so hard I can't read what I'm writing. Please, wear a helmet when you ride. The image of my friend lying on the ground with bits of her brain Splattered around in a pool of blood is am image that will be with me For years. Please, put on your helmets - think of those who will find You, those you leave behind, your friends and relatives. They care - And maybe you are doing what you want to do, but there are those of Us left who need to try to go on with our lives who will forever be Left with a bloody, gruesome scene that will never go away.

PLEASE - WEAR A HELMET.

Going out on a limb

Well, a few years ago I had a quilt judged at the Lancaster Pa quilt show. Well, it's time to try again. I have decided to enter my Feathered Star. It was machine pieced and hand quilted.

There is still a lot of quilting to get done, but I have 4 months to finish. Wish me luck and keep your fingers crossed.

Penny

Pansies in the Park

This quilt top was made using Thimbleberries 100% cotton high quality fabric.

It measures 90 inches x 120 inches. This quilt also has the deep country colors that Thimbleberries has built it's reputation. The quilt is shown here on a Queen size bed. It is not quilted, but can be machine quilted and ready for Christmas. $525.00

To Build a Village

This quilt measures 86 inches x 110 inches. It is made from 100% cotton thimbleberries fabrics.

It is shown here on a Queen size bed. Again, it has the deep country colors.

It is not quilted, but can be ready for Christmas. This first photo is blurry and I am sorry about that. $485.00

Quilters Garden

Made from Thimbleberries fabric line, this quilt measures 82 inches x 110 inches.
It was machine pieced on a 1948 Singer Feather Weight sewing machine and machine quilted using my APQS quilting system.
The quilt has been kept in a smoke free environment out of direct sunlight.

The deep country colors include, green, purple, blues, golds, and burgundy.

The quilt is shown here on a Queen size bed.

This quilt is $475.00

Nine Patch Swap

NinePatch will hostess an Amish Nine Patch Swap

Each nine patch block must measure 12 inches finished and be made using the block pattern below.

The 12 inch nine patch block will be made using Kona Cotton Solid Black and Amish Jewel tone solids.

Each Nine Patch block will be made using Five, 4 ½ inch jewel tone blocks and
Four, 4 ½ inch square Kona Cotton Black squares
See photo below

Black, is one of those fabrics that color can vary.
So, I am asking you to use Kona Cotton Black Fabric ONLY!.

Kona’s Black is a true Black and the color will be consistent no mater where you purchase your fabric.

Kona Cotton Black11 as well as the jewel tone solids can be found on line for a good price at.
http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/Category--Quilting-Fabric--m-01

This would be a great way to play with fat quarter cuts of solid jewel tones.
See suggested photo below

The 12 inch finished nine patch blocks collected will make a stunning Disappearing Nine Patch Quilt.

Swappers will be sending in to the hostess “sets” of quilt blocks
Each set will consist of Twelve Nine Patch blocks that measure 12 inches finished.
Swappers may send in as many “sets” as they wish.

However, if sending in multiple sets of 12 please no more then 6 blocks using the same solid jewel tone fabric. This will make it much easier for the hostess to ensure you receive a verity of colored blocks.

Blocks must be received by the hostess no later then February 15st 2009 .
Blocks will be swapped and returned no later then February 25th, 2009.

The hostess has the right to reject any blocks that do not comply with the above rules of the swap

For mailing instruction or questions please email NinePatch at
NinePatch@quiltchat.com
Thank-you


Nine Patch Block Pattern
Please make your blocks using the pattern

Installment #5 is done

My installment #5 is done,

I love it!! I also thought you might want to see the back
of some of my blocks as well. I am a bit fussy about how
the backs look.

Enjoy,

Penny

Nine Patch Block

Playing with Black and Jewel tones

Quilts for sale

I have listed some of my quilts for sale. If you would like to see them click on the link below
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/567944113OPYzkc
Thanks
penny

It's DONE!!!

My Baltimore Blues quilt is done.

It is all sashed and ready to be quilted. I a lot of fun with this project. Applique can be fun :)

Penny

Friendship is sewn with love and measured by kindness.

The love, friendship and kindness, sure did show today.
There are no words that can express the love I share for my special "QuiltChat" friends.
I was puzzled as to why Nancy (Bear Paw) would be sending me a box? Samantha broke the tape and the quilt came into view and my eyes began to swell with tears. When we removed the quilt from it's temporary cardboard home, my chin began to quiver. I was shocked and overwhelmed. Thank you for making me feel so special, and thank you for the love you sent me today. God has truly blessed me with wonderful friends. We are all so lucky to have this common thread, QUILTING, that brings us together as friends. A special thank-you goes out to Nancy for
hostessing this project and to Beth for the quilting. Hugs to you both.

I Love you all
Penny

God has truly blessed me

Today a group of my very dear friends, 11 total, gathered together to celibrate my 46th birthday. We went on a 2 hour trail ride then enjoyed a dish to pass dinner after. The food and fellowship was wonderful!!! Randy, my dear husband, stayed behind to keep in eye on the food while we rode. Yes, there was still food left when we got back lol. My two daughters Samantha and Jessica rode with us. It is so nice to have something the three of us can do together that we all enjoy. The fall leaves are almost at their peak here in PA so the views were breath taking.

It was a lovely day! I give God thanks for all the blessings in my life, family, friends and the good health to enjoy them.

Have fun looking at the photos.

Penny