Knight at Night

It's finished!!!  I spent 2 hours this afternoon finishing up my Knight.  I wrote the tale of the Knight on the background before I quilted it.  I didn't want the quilting to overshadow the writing, so I used black.  I added chenille for the reins and a cape.  The flap at the top is not quilted.  I wanted the look of a banner.  The kids love it.

The knight at night sat upon his faithful horse
He was on his way to see his fare maid at the harvest fair
The wind blew his blue pennant, causing it to snap
On his journey he slept in fields with flocks of sheep munching on phlox
He sang songs on the road, as he rode to the fair to see his bonny lass.
He sang until he was hoarse (of course)
He has been to Rome to see the Parthenon
He went to Jerusalem to seize the Holy City.
He rowed across the Irish Sea… all for his fare maid Mary.
Now he roams no more, home he returns.
He seeks to marry the merry maid, Mary.
What a lovely pair the two shall make
The Knight and the lovely Maid of Pears.

Thanks for stopping by
Happy Quilting
Caren

Spring is a great time for starting something new.....or a dozen things!

I am almost through with the Knight.  I worked on him an hour last night.  The deadline is Monday.  I think I will get him finished.  No pics until he's done!

I started a new "little" quilt Monday.  I wondered how difficult it would be to draw a paper pieced birdhouse block.  Turns out...not that difficult.  I forgot to take a pic of the drawing.

I did have a slight mistake with the right side of the roof.  The bottom slant is going in the wrong direction!  OOPs.  I'm thinking of adding a vine with 3D leaves and a flower.  A black button will be the opening.  I used red to keep in with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  I know most of the quilt is green.  I have had difficulty with using red this month!  I don't know why, I love red.

This is another project that has been keeping me busy.  We have started our Spring Garden.  These are nice veggies.  The tall ones are early peas.  My girls like to pick them, before they are ripe, and eat them straight off the vine.  The others are various tomatoes and carrots.  The bell peppers have another week before they start coming up.
Gotta go  the Quadratic Equation is calling!
Happy Quilting
Caren

Red Finished

I have finally finished my Red quilt for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  It is working double duty.  It is also my first registered quilt for the Alzheimer's Priority Quilts.  I have made 2 others, but those are for my Guild group Alzheimer's project.  This one was registered today.

I decided to have some of the flowers showing their backs and some showing their front.  I painted the yellow fabric last year.  I think the yellow and red looks really good together.  I wasn't sure at first how it would look.  It's awfully BOLD. 

With the lace hanging past the bottom it measures exactly 12 inches.  I hope they use the same ruler!  They won't take it if it is over 12 inches!

The title is "Flowers for Dora"  #6620.  She's my grandmother and she has Alzheimer's.  She taught me to quilt.  One of the funniest things she told me was, "every quilt must have red."  She NeVeR wore red.  She was pink and peach all the way.  I think she really liked red though!  So this is for Grandma.

Happy Quilting

Caren

REd Quilt

I worked on my yo-yos.  Thicker  thread and a bigger knot seems to be working.  This little quilt is for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  This months color is RED.  It will also be a quilt for the AAQI.  This is my progress so far.

I like the backs of the yo-yos better than the fronts.  The gathered side is the "front", but my gathers tend to be uneven!



Yo-yo Backs.



Yo-yo fronts.

What do you think?  I like the texture of the fronts, but they are so uneven.
 
Happy Quilting!
Caren

YUK!!

I have had very little time to sew lately.  I have been studying for my test.  I have a monster math test in March.  Did I mention I hate math!  Hate is too strong of a word.  I have found a new appreciation for the logic in Algebra, now that I am older.  But I still HATE word problems.  I really don't care when, and at what speed 2 trains will meet.  Personally, that sounds like a terrible accident waiting to happen!

I do plan on trying to make more flower yo-yos.  I think I need stronger thread and a bigger knot!  If this fails, back to the drawing board!

It's Girl Scout Cookie Time!  I know I have a Brownie and a Daisy!  I have more cookies than I know what to do with!  Have you bought your cookies yet???

I hope you have gotten more sewing done than I have.  Math is calling, I must go.

Happy Quilting
Caren

Progress

Thank you for the birthday wishes.  I will be getting a pair of hiking sandals for vacation this summer.  We are going to the Smokies.  I can't wait.  My little girls gave me bling!  All of you mommies know what happens when kids go shopping!  My little one (she's6 1/2)  gave me this large heart "ruby" ring with diamonds all around.  She was so proud of it.  It is very bright and shiny, just like her.  My eldest (8) gave me a glass heart necklace with rock chips and beads on the chain.  It had a matching pair of earrings!  When I took the girls to school today I was all decked out!!

I have been using my day very well.  I have my iguana fused to the background of Coco's quilt.  I had to reduce the drawing by 50% to make it the right size.  Isn't he cute.  I think he needs a pink leash.  The hats need detail work to finish them off.  I reverse appliqued the window.  It was the only way to make it look like a window, and not a box stuck on the top!  That was my first attempt at that!

Here is my progress on my Knight.  This is just fused on.  If I have time today I will add some foil or metallic tulle for his boots, gloves, and helmet.

Gotta go, Girl Scouts is calling.
Happy Quilting
Caren

It's My Birthday!!!

It's my Birthday!!!!

I won't tell you how old I am, I'd have to look it up anyway!  I want to thank all of you in the blog world for dropping by and reading my crazy ideas!  It has been so fun.

Now on with the quilting!  I worked on the red Alzheimer's quilt, I spent an hour making 1 little flower shaped yo-yo.  Only to have it come apart :(  I think I need stronger thread, or a bigger knot.  I'll try one more than I will look for alternatives in 3D flowers.

Coco is coming along, I have added the window and hats, no pic yet.  I am waiting for the iguana to be added.

My new project, like I need another one.  Is for the Forum Challenge over at Quilting Arts.  It is on Homophones.  So I wrote a little tale about a Knight at night.  Here is the sketch (don't laugh at the stick figures I only had 5 minutes).

I bought this group of fabrics to make the knight and his horse.  The background will be black.  The metallic tulle is for all of his armour and chain mail.  The tan is a pseudo suede.  It has a nice soft feel, and I hope it does not ravel.

The top edge of the banner has a 3D "fringe".  It mimics the edge of the battlements.  I don't know how I will construct that!  I don't know if I can turn an edge like that.  If all else fails, I will use prairie points!  Any way, my birthday present to myself will be starting this project.  I have until February 28 to finish it and upload the pictures.

Happy Quilting

Caren

Coco and more

I am feeling much better, today.  Winter decided to show up again.  Unlike the rest of the country, the south has had unseasonably warm weather.  I'm talking shorts in January!  Not today.  We woke up to a chilly 34*F. (That's cold for us!)

I worked a little on Coco's window today.  I wanted something that would show up, but keep the window in the background.  It may be too similar.  I mitered the corner to give it a "window" look.  Of course when I placed it on the block, I realized most of the miter will be cut off:(  Oh well.  We will see how it goes.

I also started on my Red Scrap Challenge.  I have a big bowl of red.  My grandmother, she taught me to quilt, said every quilt must have red.  Now, this is coming from a woman who never ever wore red.  The brightest color she wore was peach.  I have a sneaking suspicion that she really likes red, but was never allowed to wear it.  It's an "inappropriate color" for nice girls!

Anyway.  I'm making another Alzheimer's Quilt using the red.  I drew this sketch out.  A simple vase of flowers on a table.

In honor of grandma, we have red walls! The wooden table fabric will also be used to make the hat stands in the Coco quilt. 

I originally thought about adding a lace doily on the table.  I'm not sure.  Which looks better.  The doily won't be that big!

Well I've got to run.
Happy Quilting.

CoCo goes shopping Update

Ok.  I drew a little this morning.  Trying to flesh out the window for Coco to be walking past.  I decided she needed a hat.  Therefore, she is passing a hat shop.  We seem to be in a very short supply of these lately.  Especially in the US!  I love hats.

I like the hats on the stands, better than the hats on the dummies.  I'm thinking ribbon embroidery for the detail on the hats. I also need a name for the shop.  Millinery Shop, just sounds too boring.
I also sketched out her pet iguana.  I've always wanted a pet pig, but I thought an iguana would just be too much fun.  So unexpected for a Diva in pink!

He has to be scaled down, but this is the basic design.  I can't wait to get started on this.  I have to get a little better, before I cut fabric.

I still  have to come up with a red Alzh. quilt for the Scrap Challenge.  I also have to come up with a design for the Quilting Arts forum Challenge.  The theme is Homonyms. 
This one is making my brain work too hard!

Happy Quilting
Caren