Santa Came Early for ME!~!

My custom made saddle was delivered today.  I am thrilled!  The saddle fits Bear like a glove and feels like riding in a Cadillac.  Larry, the saddle maker, went out of his way to get all matching hardware for the bridle, breast plate and saddle.  Who knew that stainless steal would be so pretty. The quality of the leather is amazing.  It is still so strange to me, I was able to pick ever aspect of this saddle.  It is a little Australian, a little English, and a bit more Western.   Worth every nickel, dime and quarters. 

 

My Center is Done

Yep, the center is done I will do the hand embroidery while I watch TV tonight.  I still have the leaves to make but when they are done I will have all the components to add the borders. 

Nine Patch Blocks

The 4 nine patch blocks are now done.  Now onto the sewing down of the butterflies. 

 

Step 4 finished

Butterflies and flowers are all turned and ready for applique.

 

 

 

onto step 5

Step 4 so much fun

So, I have now ironed on all the freezer paper templates onto the back of the fabrics.  Now I will use my funny looking appliqué scissors to cut out around the templates. 

Step 3 templates done

I have cut out all of the freezer paper templates,

4 butterflies

20 flowers

22 leaves 

 

Step 2 weekend project

Fabrics have been chosen.  I pulled from my 1930’s stash. 

 

Sorry for the Interruption

The hubby took me Christmas shopping.  I am very happy to say that I am ALMOST done.  :)

So, I will get back to my weekend project starting NOW!  lol

Weekend project step 1

I have scanned and printed my pattern sheet.

Next cut them a part and staple them onto 4 layers of Reynolds Freezer Paper.  Now, I will go and cut the out and iron them onto the back side of my chosen fabrics.

 

See you in an hour

Weekend Project

I thought it would be fun to let you follow along while I work on a small project this weekend.  It is call, “Butterfly Garden” designed by Kay Murphey.

It’s a 25 inch square wall hanging with nine patch blocks with appliquéd butterflies and flowers.

I will be using a few of my 1930 reduction prints and a small white on white. 

I am going to try and update you every hour on the progress.  Let me know what you think. 

I have met a wonderful author

I am so excited, through a friend I have met  Patricia Vandenburg  She has written a lovely book and also has  an inspirational blog site. 

“Layers of the Heart” this is one of those MUST follow blogs

http://greeneyes616-layersoftheheart.blogspot.com/

Chatzy

Hello friends, life has kept me so busy and it seems to get harder and harder to keep in touch with my friends.  SO,  to help I have created a place for us to visit with each other.  It’s pretty easy, follow the link below. 

http://www.chatzy.com/679292150290 

I’m in and out of the room so check in often.

Have a wonderful day

Headed to Huston

That’s right! A dear friend of mine lives just miles away from the sight where the International Quilt is is being held and she has invited me to stay with her and we are going to the show!!!!    I am so excited.  I get to spend time with her and her husband, visit old friends and go to the show all in the same 4 days.  I’m flying out on the 3rd and fly back on the 7th.  This will be my first time I’ve ever been that far west.  

Current Project

I am currently working on getting my

“Charlotte’s Scrappy Quilt” by Debbie Beaves

I bought the kit at a local quilt shop months ago.  The top is finished and now it is on the long arm

 

Look out Huston here I come

That’s right!  I am going to Huston to attend the International Quilt Festival http://www.quilts.com/newHome/shows/viewer.php?page=FallFestival

I am flying out on the 3rd and will be at the show on the 4th.  I’m staying with a life long friend and I’m also going to see a some friends that I have made through the internet.  I am so excited!!  It is going to be a great trip. 

A long over due update

Wow hard to believe that 3 months have gone by since my last post.  So, where should I start?

Well, my Love Bird Lane block of the month top is finished. 

I have to work on the borders.  I am going to try something different.  This border will be scalloped and another flower border is going to be sewn on.

I was hired to make a Heart of Roses quilt for a couple who are celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary.

My dog Chloe was poisoned and after weeks of treatment I had to put her to sleep.  The poison had done to much damage to her digestive track.  We have a suspect to the poisoning but no hard proof. 

But, on a happy note.  I have adopted a new dog from our local ASPCA.       

Maggie, a 2 year old Black Lab.  She is such a special dog.  While at obedience class the instructor asked that Maggie and I stay after class.  The instructor took Maggie into another class room and worked with her.  Maggie has been trained beyond the normal companion dog.  With out a microchip or a tattoo it is difficult to know for sure but the instructor feels that Maggie was trained to be a service dog.  She recommended that I take her on to a different class.  Maggie and I attended that class and wow do I have a lot to learn.  LOL Maggie proved to me that she knows it, and now I have to learn how to use what she knows.  

I hope you had a wonderful summer and were able to get some quilting done.  I will try not to wait so long between posts. 

Penny

Installment #1 done

I have finished installment 1 of my "LoveBird Lane" block of the month.

IT ARRIVED!!

My, "LoveBird Lane" block of the month arrived today!!!

It is sooo pretty. The photos on line do this block of the month no justice.

A huge thank you to, "Quilts in Montana" for all their help with this project. http://www.quiltsinmontana.com/

Off the the sewing room to get this month's installment done. Watch for the update. :)

Heart of Roses is DONE!!

Well the binding is on and the quilt is on the top of the pile of quilts to return to Joe.

I just know that Sharon is smiling down on this quilt.

Heart of Roses update

The Heart of Roses quilt is DONE!!!
I am going to work on the binding after dinner. I will post photo tomorrow!! I am so excited.
Penny

Today's progress on the Heart of Roses

These are photos of the Heart of Roses quilt center. I am thrilled with the way it is turning out. Holy cow it has been a lot of work but well worth it so far. I can't wait to be able to give it to Joe Joe, Sharon's husband.

Heart of Roses

Well, I pinned the last of Sharon's quilts onto the long arm today. This quilt is called, "Heart of Roses" and is all hand appliqued. Sharon and I first saw this quilt in Lancaster and we both bought the patten book. Sharon has made so many of these. She was a master at needle turn applique. The reason it is the last to be pinned on was because I was so worried about doing this quilt justice on the long arm. Sharon would have hand quilted this quilt and I want to honor her with the best quilting I can do.

Well, I think she would have been happy with it so far. I am really proud of how it looks so far.

Left side of the pillow tuck

Center applique of the pillow tuck

Left side of the pillow tuck applique

Border

I will post more photos at the end of my time at the long arm tomorrow.

Been a while I see

Gosh, where did the month go? Life here has been really busy. With the lovely spring weather we have been having I have been riding, a lot. I joined a local riding group and they have organized rides each weekend. This ride was at Eagles Mere PA, we rode 16-18 miles in the state park.


Bear is the Paint

Bear's butt is on the far left.

I have also been quilting like crazy. I uploaded new photos onto the website

http://www.pennyspatches.com/

click on quilts for sale to view some of them.

I hope your month has gone well also and that you have gotten a chance to sew.

Peaceful Piecing,
Penny

Quilts for kids

Well, they are done and packed in a box ready to send.
Five quilts, all going to "Quilts for Kids"

To learn more about "Quilts for Kids" or to request your own free kit please click on the link below.

http://www.quiltsforkids.org/

I challenge all of my friends to make at least one quilt.

Penny

New Photos

I uploaded new photos onto the website. Click on the link, and look under, "Customer Quilts".

http://www.pennyspatches.com

Really happy with the way they turned out.

Penny

Quilts for Kids

Our daughter Samantha joined the, "Quilts for Kids" challenge. She ordered her free quilt kit last week and it arrived Thursday. http://www.quiltsforkids.org/

Once we opened the kit and saw the pattern I pulled fabric from the stash and joined her on her mission. The tops we made will become quilts for an ill children. Here we are with our finished tops.

It was so much fun working along side Samantha on this special project.

If you wish to join us and make your own quilt for an ill child here is the link to order your quilt kit. There is no fee for the kit, just the cost to return the finished quilt. I am offering to stipple any of the Downy quilts for $5.oo each. This will cover the cost of batting and return mail. .

Peaceful Piecing.

It is DONE

I was hired to custom make a quilt they had seen on line. So, they brought me a photo and an Internet link. I had no pattern, only the photos. The center was a Lone Star, and a dear friend shared the pattern for that. But the rest of the quilt I was on my own. There was a lot of math involved with this one.

Well, after months of sewing, and quilting and other projects thrown in, their quilt is DONE!! Now, keep in mind, I didn't quilt this one. I subcontracted the machine quilting. At the time, I didn't think I was ready to do something this fancy. But, I think I am ready now, and will do mine.

I am so proud of the finished project. I hope they will be too.

Here is the quilt on a queen size bed

The bottom corner

Edge scallops

Between the stars

Inner border

Rode today

Got to ride today, the first time in months.

I love Spring!!!

Pillowcase Challenge

When my friend Sharon passed away from cancer her husband was kind enough to give me all of her fabric. Then I learned about the, "American Patchwork and Quilting Million Pillowcase Challenge". I couldn't think of a better way to honor Sharon's memory than to use her fabrics to make pillowcases and donate them to our local Hospice in her name.

So, yesterday I gathered Sharon's fabrics and started cutting 26 inch bodies, 8.5 inch bands, and 2.5 inch contrast strips. Samantha helped me mix, match, and ironed while I sewed.

So, today I was able to complete 50 pillowcases.

The cases will be delivered tomorrow. I know that Sharon is smiling down on us.

http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/millionpillowcases/

Have you ever wondered......

....what 30 quilt tops folded and stacked upon each other would look like? Well, wonder no more, I can show you. LOL
I am trying to get them done, one quilt at a time. lol

Flying into Spring is done

That's right, it's done!! The photos are not the best, I will try again tomorrow.