Sunday, December 13, 2009

It's been too long!

My goodness, it's been a busy month.  Work has been intense and I've been away on a couple of business trips.  I haven't been able to get in much stitching and my poor blog and blog reading have fallen WAY behind.  : (

I'll catch you up and show a couple of fun things.

My first block for the Civil War Bride Quilt is ~almost!~ done... just need to stitch the butterfly's antenna ... and give it a wash and press.  I'm loving applique! 




Last weekend I brought it with me to a local quilt shop to pick out fabric for the bottom of the block and was humbled and touched by the nice compliments. 

This little stitchery is from a free pattern, First Snow, I found in this post from chez Elisa's blog.  Her blog is in French... and no, I don't read French.  I right clicked on the pattern and saved the JPG.  Check out the gallery of pics... lovely.




Okay, I had intended on steering clear of the whole wool craft thing.  You know how it goes... I've got plenty of projects lined up already... and then Paulette-the-temptress :-) went a showed a snowman penny rug pattern by Cath's Pennies and it was instant love.  (I've told Paulette I need to keep my credit card far away when I read her blog, lol... she's always showing great projects.)

So here's another project on my to-do list, which I'm planning to get done before Christmas.  Aren't those snowmen cute? 



Since I'm mentioning projects on my to-do list, I'll show you a couple more.  These next two are projects that I designed back when I decided to do quilting.  Both are wall hangings.  I drew up the patterns and purchased fabrics... and they've been locked away in plastic for a long time (don't ask)... waiting their turn.

This is the first one I did.  I call it Basket and Stars.  I want it to have applique in the middle strips. 



I call this Winter Dusk.  Here, with our snowy winters, dusk takes on these wonderful shades of blue that I've always loved.  I wanted something that was reminiscent of those colors and had a wintery "feel". 



Do you realize I've never made a whole quilt? I do. I think about it a lot.  I'm feeling the need to get one finished. Up until now everything I've done on my quilting adventure has been done by hand, and the ambitious projects I started with (CWB quilt and Nearly Insane) will take a long time before they're done.  I think it's time I dust off my sewing machine, but it might need to wait until after Christmas. 

We decorated last weekend.  Our Christmas tree makes me smile every time I look at it. 



Google Reader has been giving me problems, which has made keeping up with blog reading more difficult.  Slowly I'm working on catching up.  I've been missing seeing everyone in blog-land.  I wish everyone joy and many smiles.  I'll try not to be gone so long.

10 comments:

Robin said...

Good to see that you're alive and well! And it looks like you're keeping plenty busy, too. :) The CWB block is gorgeous!!! Beautiful work.

You know, it's not about the finished product. It's about doing what you love. I have a friend who just loves picking out fabrics and starting new things. I'm not sure that she's ever actually completed one of her projects either, but I know she is happy. :)

Pat said...

Your tree looks very pretty...and I, too, love that snowman penny rug, but I'm going to resist buying another penny rug pattern that would just sit with my OTHER penny rug patterns and wait for who knows how long to get done! LOL

paulette said...

Hi Beth!
I wondered where you went!! Glad you are healthy and busy! VERY busy by the looks of things! Your applique block is absolutely gorgeous!! Well done! Did you see the FREE BOM that Sentimental Stitches is putting out...called Beyond the Cherry Tree (or something like that!) Check my side bar for their blog...you will love it! It is a reproduction of an actual antique quilt! Thought of you when I saw it!
I'm so glad you are going to make a penny rug!!;o) You are going to have to start shopping thrift shops now...looking for old wool blazers...and of course stumbling onto other good things!
Take care!
Paulette

Nat Palaskas said...

Nice CWB block and you shoud get compliment for something so gorgeous like that. Love your Christmas tree. It looks very happy and bright - Hugs Natima

Donna said...

That CWB block is absolutely beautiful!

Deb said...

Bravo, Bravo!! Beth your CWB block is gorgeous!! and your other new projects look like so much fun..understandable with so much on the go.. glad to see when you have time the projects you are working on..no appologies necessary..it is a quilters world you know!!

Kaaren said...

I missed you!

My you've been busy so I can understand why you've been MIA.

Your CWBQ block is gorgeous.

Is the snowman penny rug your first time working with wool? A word of caution...it's addictive...working with wool, i.e. I'm going to do the CWBQ in wool on cotton. A "new" project for the New Year.

Enjoy it all and glad you're back!

Crispy said...

Well you certainly took to applique like a duck to water, your block is WONDERFUL!! Looks like a lot of great projects are in the works. I had to laugh as not actually getting a quilt done, something that I'm working really hard on doing :0)

Crispy

Karen said...

Merry Christmas! What a beautiful tree. Your CWB block is perfect. Excellent stitchery and wool projects. Basket and Stars and Winter Dusk are going to be beautiful. Lots to work on, but oh so much fun!

Carrie P. said...

Yes, it has been to long. So glad to hear you weren't sick.
Your block is just fabulous. You should be very proud.
I went and got that cross stitch pattern too. I looked at the gallery and it is so neat to see how everyone finished theirs.
I added Cath's blog to my list a couple weeks ago. Her stuff is adorable. Haven't bought anything yet.
Have fun making your quilt. Love the fabrics you have chosen.
Lovely decorations. Have a Merry Christmas.