"Wild Flowers"

It started off like this:

So I started gathering my fabrics and fused them:

And I proceeded to do my thing after I cut a hunk of blue and fused that on first:

Eventually I had a mess going on which is the "norm" for me when I'm concentrating:

And I continued to fuse my brains out, (as my dear husband says when he comes in the kitchen for lunch) until it got to this point:

Then I got out my threads and went to town.  Aren't they so pretty together????



Pretty soon I was all done..........



You can click on that picture to take you to my Flickr stream and read what colors I used if you want.  Here's a close-up:



I really like it.  It's a bit more sophisticated than I normally do, and maybe that's what I like about it.  Actually, this was a painting that I found in someone's favorites and I knew I had to put it to fabric.  I hope they don't mind, whoever it was????

And I finished off the back as I normally do, except I forgot to sign it and it is missing a dowel in the sleeve for hanging.  I better do that right now before I forget.



Don't look at that big glop of threads on the bottom there.  A bird must have been building a nest while I was sewing.  LOL  Enjoy!

Is it March yet?

Boy oh boy, I'm running out of stuff to show you.  This week again, I've been sewing for other people in private swaps not due until the end of March.  Don't think for a minute that I will wait that long to ship them though.......hello!!!  I'd either go nuts from anticipation or will lose the poor little things by that time (although I do try to pile them all together in one spot on my dining room table.)  I'm not a very good secret keeper to be truthful!  I just thought that if I do all of them now, I might be able to concentrate on the doll swap.  I have so many ideas for that swap, that I am going crazy just trying to keep them all straight in my head.  I did draw one this weekend, and I might have bitten off more than I can chew.......

Here's the beginning:



And then, the next day, I continued working on it:



It's going to be 20 inches square and I think I am going to applique the whole thing....(if I can afford all the Steam a Seam I'm going to need.  LOL)  It will be quite a project!  I even found the cutest bus and little car buttons for it today.  I really need a sailboat button, but couldn't find one of them anywhere.  I might have to forget that idea, who knows?  I even went out for solids today thinking that if I'd use patterned fabric it might look like a clown town.  I'm hoping it turns out as cute as I imagine.

So, that's about it for me.  I've been going out for lunch with friends and shopping so my sewing has been limited too.  I hope to show you more next time.

What happened to the week?

Holy cow, what happened to the week?  It seems like it was just Monday and now tomorrow, it'll be Friday already.  (You can tell that I work out of the house, can't you?)  Who else wouldn't really know what day it was?  Duh!  Funny thing is that I feel like I haven't done a thing all week, and yet, I've been so busy.  You knew that I had joined the mug rug swap and the doll quilt swap and then, dummy me (although I really wanted to cut down on swaps) went and joined the QT Mini Swap for February/March.  Not only that, but I agreed to a private swap for those same months.  Am I crazy?  Eikes......who do I think I am anyway?  And knowing me, I won't just make one each for the mug rug and doll quilt swaps.  Last time, I think I made 10 for the doll swap just in case we needed that many angel quilts.   I am the angel mama, you know!!!  (A very important post, I'll have you know!)

Anyway, I won't disappoint you....although I did make two for secret this week that can't be shown yet, I can show you two mug rugs that I whipped up two days ago.  Who knows who'll get them since my partner doesn't seem too wild about either one.

Here's the first with the front and then the back:





Don't look too closely at those lousy stitches on the back.  My hands really cramp up in this cold weather that we've been having.......supposed to be 22 below zero wind chill here tomorrow morning.

Oh, and the other one......kinda classic front and (hopefully better stitched) back:





Anyway, that's it for today, I'm afraid.  I really like the two I did for the secret swaps, but I can't show you those yet.  Boo-hoo!  Oh well.....stay warm!

2010 Revisited

2010 haunted me today....well, not in a bad sense, actually in a great sense!  Let me tell you a story.  Last year, after the doll swap was over in about March or April and I had nothing else pressing to do, I decided to try my hand at art quilts.  Now, usually those are rather small, stiff so they can be hung or framed, and tend to contain hand embroidery of some sort.  I ordered a bunch of Kona solids and went to town and finished some in this order:













Did you notice all those curved pieces in there and all the french knots?  I'm surprised I still had skin on my fingers after all those knots since I hate thimbles.  LOL  Well, anyway, on with the story.  There was one more block that I never finished.  I pieced it and I loved it, but it was too big and I was a "chicken" to cut it apart 'cause I really liked its look so I hid it under my template rulers.  Well, today when I was searching for my 2 1/2 inch template square I ran across it and "wa-la", the light bulb went off immediately and I got to work!  I was in my glory!!!  Check out what I did:



Isn't he cute?????  I adore him!  I had a time of it with the bird though.  I think I made three in all different colors, but when I made one in black, I knew it was right.   Here's a close-up:



Sorry about twisting your neck there!!  I try to be artsy-fartsy, you know!  So now, my original art quilt  is now a doll quilt and measures 15 x 18 inches.  Perfect!  Too bad it's not exactly my partners tastes though.  Oh well, I guess I'll just have to make some more...................I'm sure I'll find one that'll be just right for her!

Remember?

Remember the last post with all the circles?  Well, being the industrious person that I am, I couldn't let all those "cuttings" go to waste so this week, I made this:





(In case you're interested, like lots of my friends on Flickr, those teeny tiny nine patches were not pieced, but rather just colored in with my Micro pen......call me a cheater.......but I thought it would bring extra interest and I just couldn't help myself.  LOL)

Then, I also used those cuttings for this little 6 1/2 inch round mug rug:



See all the million french knots:



Last, but not least, I finally finished that commission quilt.  Poor Katy asked me to make her a quilt on December 15th..........tough to be waiting awhile, huh?  I know, I know....shame on me.......BUT, remember that I had my stuff packed away for the holidays and I did use all that time to think.  (I know you're all laughing at me, but believe it or not, commission quilts are the hardest thing for me to do.  I want it to be as perfect as possible since they're paying me big $$.)  I'm hoping she's pleased.  I really like it!!



Poor girl doesn't even have it yet.  In fact, I'm not mailing it until later today.....but (smooches to you Katy), she let me post it for everyone else to see.  Wasn't that sooooo nice?  Now......back to the drawing board!  The doll swap and mug rug swap are underway!