Here is my pillowcase for the1136th Transportation Unit from Maine that is going to Afghanistan.  A mother and grandmother of someone in the unit thought it would be great for the soldiers to take something from home with them.  They requested people make pillowcases with Maine wildlife.  So, how much more Maine can you get but lobsters?  I am not sure about the flames on the border piece.  The colors are perfect and you do need flames to cook the lobsters but do you really want to sleep with your head on flames? 

Here is what I am hoping to win!

Here is what I am hoping to win from http://cvquiltworks.blogspot.com/.  Isn't she nice to bring us back presents?

October Schnibble is DONE!

Well, maybe not totally done.  I still need to quilt and bind it but the top is done and it is only the 27th.  It varies from the pattern a little.  First I reversed the colors of the blue and green in the 9-patch blocks.  I liked having the blue in the same position in all the 9-patch blocks.  Second change was the piano key border.  I really wanted more of the blue and green on the outside.  I am really pleased with the results.  Tomorrow I will post how I made the snowball blocks.  I changed that a bit also.

Cindy Lou Who

Cindy Lou Who: Everybody seems to kerbabbled. Isn't this just a little superfluous?


I am loving my Cindy Lou Who quilt althought perhaps I should name it the Stu Lou Who quilt since I am making it as a baby quilt for a little boy.  Tomorrow (I hope) will be the big unveiling.  I just need to finish the border and I'll have the top done (and here it is only the 27th of October!)
 
Cindy Lou Who: [kisses the Grinch on the cheek] Your cheek's so...



The Grinch: I know. Hairy.


Cindy Lou Who: No.


The Grinch: Greasy? Stinky? Do I have a zit?


Cindy Lou Who: No. Warm.  (and so is my Stu Lou Who quilt!)

Terry's Scrappy Heart

Here is my block for Terry's Quilt sponsored by A Yankee Quilter.  I gave it to Laurie last night.  It was really fun to make --I am pretty sure I learned how to do it from a tutorial on one of the blogs that I follow but when I tried to find the tutorial to give credit, I couldn't find it.  Sorry.

Here are the steps I took to make it.

1. Sew together red scraps to make a fabric block.

2.Cut the fabric in half and shape it into heart halves. Feel free to turn the fabric so the fabric doesn't match on the two sides.

3. Sew the background fabric on to the heart halves.

4.  Sew the two halve together.

5. Trim to size and voila!

This was so fun I think I will make a whole quilt like this.

Looking Forward

I am looking forward to this weekend!  My stress levels  are now good enough that I can tackle the last of my reading to complete my grad class.  I have guiltily been debating whether I can play with quilts or do the reading this weekend when it occured to me that it was not an either/or proposition.  I could commit to read one chapter a day and then I can spend the rest of the time on quilts!  Yeah ME for figuring out something so simple.  LOL

So this weekend I get to:
1.  Finish preparing a talk for church and my Sunday School lesson,
2.  Read two chapters on cost-benefit analysis and annotate
3.  Create my 9 1/2" block for Terry's Quilt
4.  Finish my fabric self-portrait (I'll show it to you when it is finished)
5.  Work on the granddaughters' Doll Pocket Christmas presents
6.  Start my October Schnibble (I have my color palette chosen and have started making 5" charm squares for it)
7.  Use my paint sticks to create some autumn leaf fabric (this is what I am really drooling to do!)

That should keep me busy and happy!

Stepping Stones and Jelly Roll

I had a wonderful long weekend visiting my daughter and her family in NH.  While I was there I made my first pilgrimage to Keepsake Quilting in NH.  I don't know if it is America's favorite but it was the largest quilt shop I have been in.  The fabrics were wonderful.  Unfortunately I had already spent my quilting money for the month so I could basically only drool.  I did buy one jelly roll and a paper-piecing pattern named Stepping Stones.  I will need two more jelly rolls but I have enough fabric in my stash to make them.  Oh, I want to start this weekend on it!  I love paper-piecing!

Doll Pocket

When I was at the New England Quilt Museum I bought the "Pocket Doll" pattern by the Ragtime Doll Company.  I thought the cute 5 inch doll would be a quiet activity for my granddaughter when she was at church and a great Christmas present from Grammy.

This last weekend I was in NH visiting my daughter and grandchildren.  Since I was away from my sewing machine, I got started on the pocket doll.  Got the doll made and a couple of outfits.  Now that I am back at my sewing machine, I will make the pocket for her.  What do you think of her and her wardrobe so far?

Pillowcase request

Hi,
I just received this email and I thought perhaps there are Mainers out there in Blogland who would be interested in helping out with the project.  So, I am passing the opportunity along.  I have contacted Mary Ann and she needs the pillowcases by January at the latest.

From: wmaobr@hotmail.com


Subject: pillowcase request

Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:55:14 -0400

My daughter, Susan McIver, whose son and nephew. (both these men are my grandsons) are being deployed to Afghanistan and she has come up with the idea that we could get together and make pillowcases for the men and women, all 177 of them. We could make the cases with Maine wildlife fabric and this way they could take a bit of Maine with them when they go. Wouldn't it be a nice thank you to them for all they do for us and our country.

These men and women are from the 1136th. Transportation unit in Calais, Bangor and Sanford.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could make this happen?

For more information I can be reached at or by email at wmaobr@hotmail.com

Thanking you in advance,

Mary Ann O'Brien

September's Schnibble

Finally and at last, I have it finished!! It is definitely not show quality but I think turned out okay. I used Mary E. fabric for the centers and some of her coordinating fabric for the surrounding geese. As you can see, I added another row of blocks to make it a bit longer so that it would be a baby quilt for a co-worker. The quilting is all machine quilting in the ditch except for the red border which has linked hearts.

I don't know how well they will show up but here are two more pictures from the quilt. One is the back fabric--a cute animal fabric in black and white-- and the other is one of the center fabrics "Affectionately Yours".

Shibori and Sashiko

Here is the same pattern done in both Shibori (0n right) and Sashiko (on left). What do you think? I missed pulling some threads tight on the Shibori but overall it turned out interesting.

I have in mind a willow tree beside a brook for my next Shibori and Sashiko project. It will be a free hand drawing and then I'll sew and dye from there. But first I have to finish my September Schnibble, order my October Schnibble, make a 9 1/2 inch quilt block for Yankee Quilter's quilt for her friend Laura, and teach youth how to make a fused wall hanging self-portrait.

I was making great progress on my September Schnibble Sunday until I broke my needle. It is assembled, pen basted, and half quilted. I will finish it tonight and hopefully post the picture tomorrow. I am starting to like it again. Do you do the same thing I do? I love the concept I have in my head for a quilt. Towards the middle of the middle of making the quilt, I detest it and think it totally sucks but continue working on it. By the timie I finish the quilt, I fall back in love with it again. This Schnibble is not perfect but I think it is cheerful. It will make a good baby quilt. Wish me luck tonight so you can see it tomorrow!

October

Here I am ... it is October and my schnibble is not quite done. It could have been but work has been tough and I don't have the energy when I get home to even think about it. I have high hopes over the weekend. Hopefully by Saturday night you will have a picture of my September Schnibble and the new Shibori that I have started.

I also have to start a self-portrait quilt over the weekend. Wednesday I am teaching 10-11 year old boys and girls how to make a fused quilt self-portrait. I think it will work best if I have a sample for them to see, don't you? I am kinda excited that I get to, maybe, get someone started on a quilting obsessed life. LOL