Sweet Thimbles

Rosewillow issued a "Too Good To Cut" challenge on her blog.  The premise of the challenge is that we all have fabrics that we love so much that we are reluctant to cut and include in a quilting project!  Isn't that the truth!  What if another great idea or pattern comes along later?  What if I run out!?

These sweet fabrics would fit this category for me.  The original set of fabrics have cohabitated nicely in my sewing room for quite some time and are now joined with bits from a baby quilt for a young friend among other fabrics. I think they will live happily ever after in this new Sweet Thimbles quilt! 

The thimbles are cut from 2 1/2" strips with 25 thimbles in each row.  As you can see I have begun to sew the rows together so I'd consider this top to be about halfway finished. 

While I see other quilters have a handy design wall in their studios, instead I have a design bed.  Yes, that means I'm really sewing in a spare bedroom. You can see another in progress project peeking out below- a patriotic pineapple quilt.  This might explain the thought  behind the blog title.... distracted.

Fall Quilter's Garden

I have long desired to visit Sisters, Oregon for the outdoor quilt show but the timing just hasn't worked out.  So, instead each fall and spring I host a Quilter's Garden at my home.  Our theme for Fall 2009 was Christmas Quilts.  How exciting to see new quilts and old favorites all hanging together! We have a great time visiting with each other and exploring the quilts and patterns everyone brings.  We hang quilts from the trees, over the fences and benches, and in the gazebo.

These are a couple of my own quilts- a Million Squares Christmas quilt with "Dear Santa" and "Merry Christmas" words pieced in the borders and a Santa applique quilt from long ago.

Also mine, a large Christmas thimble quilt for my favorite cousin (technically it's a Tumbler quilt since they are 4" tall instead of 2" or smaller)  The quilt on the right is an amazing redwork stitchery quilt by Maudie!

We always have a wonderful day together and leave inspired to start a new quilt!

Thimbles for Malia

My favorite cousin created this enthusiastic quilt for her granddaughter.  She plans to use it on the floor as a play quilt and said "you can just stipple it" but I couldn't make myself do it!  The fabrics were so exhuberant that I just had to quilt in some of the flower,fern and curly elements!

Being such a new long arm quilter I hesitate to "show off" with these closeups after seeing so many amazing examples of quilting online but... I can always claim beginner status!

My Blog List

I have added some of the quilt related blogs I subscribe to here on my page.  As a long time blog follower, I have found many interesting and inspirational blogs through lists on some of my favorite pages.  I love blogs that keep their focus on quilting, show lots of great pictures, and tell great quilt stories.  How exciting to travel with them to their favorite quilt shops and quilt shows! 
So, enjoy some of my favorite places to visit!

Title Quilt- Bright Pineapples

While I have experimented with paper piecing, it is not my favorite piecing method. The Pineapple Ruler from Possibilities made this bright and happy quilt possible!  So a collection of brights and black/white fabrics plus the amazing ruler can quickly become tranformed into this quilt that has been designated for a future grandbaby.... when baby's wide awake, of course!

 

A Million Squares

The pattern for this quilt is from Bonnie at Quiltville.com but my friends and I refer to it as a Million Squares quilt.  What a fun way to use a collection of fabrics in an organized or scrappy way!  Just stitching one up starts you thinking about all the other color combinations you need to explore!

This particular quilt was made as a gift for a special friend, Cara.

I'm a new machine quilter (Handi Quilter 16 purchased in August 2009). It is exciting to be able to create a quilt all the way from choosing fabrics to quilting and binding all on my own!      

In the Beginning...

I have finally come to the realization that a blog is the most efficient way to share my quilting journey.  I have no particular quilting style so I never really know what quilt might be next... so it's always an adventure!

This patriotic thimble quilt was created from my collection of patriotic, red, white and blue fabrics... some are well aged while others are more recently purchased.  I was inspired to create thimble quilts after attending quilt market in Houston 2009.  I was fortunate to meet Biz Storms and though I have not yet been brave enough to stitch up thimbles in the tiny 1 1/4" size shown, the book Small Blocks Stunning Quilts is still an inspiration of color and style!