What do you call a scared tyrannosaurus?

A nervous rex. This came from a book that I will tell you about at the end of my post....just thought it was cute :)

These bags are called Hioto Bags and I think they make great Gym bags and overnight bags too. I use mine almost everyday when I go to the gym. It is very big and I can fit all my necessaries into it (except my shoes....that happens when you are 6 feet tall and have a size 12 foot). I've made between 6 and 8 for gifts and here are some that I've made recently and have given away.

Pam's Bag
Rachel's Bag

Tracy's Bag

They are reversible you can make them in any size as long as you adjust the fabric accordingly. I'm not sure where the pattern originated but I've seen these bags everywhere. You might notice I put those great bag tags on them too!!!

Yesterday was a great BARGAIN day for me. I went to a few garage sales and to a Church Rummage sale. I was able to get several 100% cotton men's shirts for 2.00. The church was finishing their sale and told the group to fill a bag for 2.00. I had no trouble filling a bag. I also got some really neat vests to use for fabric postcards. I also got a few needlework books and a joke book for kids. So here are a few for you to stash away for the future:

Why did the football coach go to the bank? To get his quarterback!!!

Why did the chicken cross the playground? To get to the other slide.

What do you call a skunk in court? Odor in the court.

Why did the radish kiss the banana? Because it had appeal.

I hope you find the opportunity to use them on a young person....or an old person :)

If you have not been by the store recently....you might want to do so soon. I have added several new things to the store and I'm adding more tomorrow as well. There are some really great bargains...so check them out.

Smiles,

Kelly

Ideas!!! Need some? Got some!!!

If you are anything like me, I'm always looking for a new idea to give as gifts. My girlfriend, Mary Jane, taught me to make these fabric note pad covers. I really enjoy making them and I enjoy giving them as gifts even better. These can be made in several sizes to hold a variety of size note pads. I like this size because it fits into my stitching bag nicely. I take it with me to write ideas down or tips as I come across them. This one was given to my neighbor, Janell, for Christmas this past year.

Another great idea was posted by Susan McConnell yesterday on her blog. She said that she uses Glad Wrap Press and Seal to do machine quilting. Check this out on her blog. I think it is a great idea.

Another gift that I like to give are the Criss Cross Coasters, Hot Pads and Pot Holders. I've given mine all away as gifts so I don't have a picture of one for you. However, I do know that All Sorts blog had posted a tutorial on them with really fun fabrics back on 11/21/06 (told you I love to look at blogs :).

I've seen quite a bit of salvage sewing lately on many blogs. I think the Criss Cross coasters would look very cute made with salvages. If anyone makes some, please e-mail me a pix to post. I don't have enough salvages to make a small square much less an entire coaster :)

The last idea I want to share today is the fabric flowers that I saw on Blair Peter's Craft Wise blog. These flowers are lots of fun and I think they will be great on purses, on a blouse, jacket and/ or hat.


Yesterday I went to the recycle center to do my recycling. As many of you already know, I collect the Box Tops for Education. Well, when I go to the recycle center I see a ton of card board boxes with the box tops still intact. So I spend 30 minutes or so tearing off the labels and putting them in my pocket. Perhaps most people have never seen a grown woman garbage pick in their entire lives because I get the funniest looks from people. Today a man asked me what I was looking for.....I so badly wanted to say I'm looking for something I threw away by accident......but I did not....I just replied....the Pink Box Tops for Education worth 10 cents each!!! I got 4.60 worth of box tops today....that is cash to the school!!! So people really are throwing money into the recycle bin. I don't get into the bin...I just take the ones I can reach (I'm 6' tall) but now if there were lots of quilting or stitching magazines in that bin....you bet your booty I'd climb right in to get them no matter who was watching!!!

Smiles,
Kelly

Stand By for A Station Identification ERROR

Remember when the TV would say that? I don't ever hear that anymore. I can even remember the voice...it would say, "Please Stand By for a Station Identification." Well I need to Identify an error that I made.

The "Tag You're It Give Away" experienced an error!!!! OOPS

I promised to draw a name for every 25 comments that were left between April 1 and April 15. There were a total of 57 comments. So I needed to draw again....so this morning I did a random number generation and it was 45....which is

PunchneedleandMe....Starr won too.

Also, the first announced winner was incorrect. The Cottage Quilter e-mailed me an pointed out that I made a mistake. The winner was KatC....How nice and honest was that? Since I love giveaways and I appreciate her help....The Cottage Quilter is getting 4 as well.

I have not heard from Khris for the "New On The Market" post. Khris please e-mail me at IHaveANotion@yahoo.com and let me know what your choice is...bag tags or magnets.

Thank you all for your understanding and Congrats to the winners :)

The Perfectly Imperfect Kelly

Cockle Doodle Doooo!!!

When I saw this Rooster I felt energized. Perhaps it is the colors or perhaps it is because when I look in the mirror in the morning I can identify with all that red up in the air!!

Kathy Wilson had these items posted on her blog. As you all know I love to blog-surf* on occasion. I wrote and asked could I pretty please, pretty please, pretty please have her as a guest artist. Like so many kind and generous gals...she agreed. This is a little bit about Kathy and her work:

"I was born & raised in Tennessee. I love all types of art even though my passion is quilting & oil painting. My inspiration comes from my grandmother who was a quilter & my mother who was an artist. I have been interested in all types of hand work. My very first quilt was one that I cross stitched & then hand quilted. It was a work in progress for about 10 years. I started oil painting 3 years ago. I wanted to learn something different so I thought I would give it a try. The Crazy Patch block is also something new I wanted to try. Maybe one day I will complete enough blocks to make a quilt. The "Rooster" block is from a block of the month series designed by Maggie Walker. It is titled A Country Journal. You can find her work at http://www.maggiewalkerdesign.com/"
I also was attracted to the crazy quilt work because I also enjoy embroidery. When I belonged to a SAGA group in MI I learned many of these stitches. I made some wall hangings and a pillow (gave them away as gifts) and I really like seeing all the handwork.

Have a great day....there is frost on the grass and it is cold here....but I bet it is warm by noon :)

Smiles, Kelly
*Blog-Surf...I have no idea if this is an official term or if I just made it up because it made sense....I truly think it could be added to the X Games...like those skateboard guys and the BMX bikers....can you see a new category of all of us quilters and stitchers....old ladies by the X-Games standards (mostly very young guys)....I can hear the commentators now....they might treat us like Simon Cowell treated Susan Boyle. If you are not sure what I'm referring to, google Susan Boyle and make sure to see her sing, "I Have A Dream"...I loved it and she surprised everyone...and we'd surprise those fellas at the X Games :)

AND THE WINNERS ARE.....

TAG YOU'RE IT Give Away Winner is : The Happy Cottage Quilter!!! I used the Random number generator at Random.org and the number it gave me was 31!!! So, I need to hear from The Happy Cottage Quilter so I can find out what your favorite color is and I'll make those 4 bag tags for you!!!

Khris won the choice of 4 Bag Tags or 4 Magnets...your choice. This was for the Easy Reach Thread Carousel feedback. The Random number generated was 11.

Girls...please e-mail me at IHaveANotion@yahoo.com and let me know what your selections are.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment and participated in this give away.
Smiles,
Kelly

Annie Get Your Gun? Or AMO Case?

Tonight I finally made it to the Toledo Needle Arts Guild meeting. I tried to go last week but they meeting date and location had changed a few months ago and I did not know that. Well it sure was worth the wait. I met some very nice ladies and got to see a few projects that people were working on.

One of the gals at the meeting was sharing her organizational system for storing her threads and beads. Out of her bag came two AMO Boxes. One was for 416 Mag and the other was for a 45 caliber. I almost fell out laughing. She had found them at a hunting/fishing shop. They were perfect for holding her thread and beads. So, if you are in need of some of these "specialty boxes" perhaps you better skip the stitching shop and head over to your local gun supply store!!!
I don't recommend taking your threads on an airplane in those however. You are certain to be stopped and checked thoroughly :)

Another humorous thing that happened tonight was an announcement that needlework supplies can be donated to women in detention centers. The gal continued sharing that there were 35,000 hours of sewing/stitching that had been donated to the community by these women in the detention center. Hmmmm....female criminals get more time to stitch and sew than we do? What is wrong with this picture? I want to know what crime I need to commit in order to get time to sit and stitch. April 15th...I was wondering if Tax evasion would be enough to get me some stitching time. Too bad we already filed our taxes!!! Then I wondered if we did not donate our items would these gals just come to our houses and just take what they wanted? (I am soooo bad)

Lastly on the humor....an announcement was made that there will be a "Stitch and Pitch" sponsored by the Mud Hens (a baseball team here in Toledo). Admission to the park that night would be 8.00 and you can bring your knitting and/or stitching and do your needlework while you watch baseball. Well...my mind began reeling from there....next I thought it would be better if we went to a "Stitch in the Ditch." The entire group of us could dawn our bathing suits and lay in a ditch and stitch for a photo opportunity. Then of course the photos could be made into a calender and the guild could use this as a fundraiser. God only knows where my mind would go next.....I stopped myself!!!

I had to post this picture. I took this picture last Saturday when Rick and I took the boys to an Easter Egg Hunt in Maumee. A church had hired a helicopter to drop 20,000 eggs. I snapped this picture and thought I would share it.

Smiles,

Kelly

PS....do you think if we all committed an appropriate crime together that we could end up in the same correctional facility and sew, eat, sew, eat, sew, eat....all together? I guess we might all be good at stabbing...well at least stabbing our fingers ....I'll think of something :)

Just let me know if you are in on the DEAL....we'll get a "guest list" together and the code for the operation will be, "RETREAT". Yes I have lost my mind and I just need more sleep.

Have A Heart!!!

Have you ever just had one of those days? Well, other people do too!!! So I made up these little hearts and filled them with rice and lavender. Sometimes either early in the morning or late at night I think of funny things to say. This time I wrote this note and attached it to each one of these and gave them away. You might try this too....feel free to use my statement....but not for sale of course....just as gifts to your friends. The pattern was not mine and I don't know whose it was/is.

I am a heart sachet given to you as a symbol of gratitude for all you do for people (some said children) each and every day. I can be heated in the microwave and placed on your temples or cheeks for sinuses and headaches. If you put a cup of water in the microwave with me, you’ll have moist heat relief.

I can be placed on top of your desk, dashboard, or counter as a reminder that you are appreciated. When frustrated and tense you can lift me up- smell me- and breath in the calming effects of lavender. On really bad days, you can throw me at those who torment and anger you and innocently claim you were offering aromatherapy!!
Enjoy and have GREAT DAY!!!

Kelly

It Was COLD and RAINY Today :(

Hey where is the Spring weather? It was cold here today and it rained....I thought it would turn into snow. Schuks!!! I really wanted to be outside today doing some yard work. Not today!!

The cold weather made me think of the hats I made for Aaron and Zach. I learned about Polar Fleece hats at the Feb. Retreat I went to in PA. The book with the pattern is, "Polar Fleece Pizzazz." It is a great book. There are patterns for hats and fleece socks too!!! I sware before next winter I'm going to have a collection of polar fleece socks that I've made for myself. I love those socks.

Speaking of loving something. Do you think Zach loves his Pokemon cards?

Back to the topic!!! Which today is my Fish Applique Wall Hanging. Perhaps the reason I like the things I make so much is because they have such age on them....like fine wine!! :)

I started this wall hanging about 3 years ago. It was soaked and the pattern ruined when my basement flooded a year ago. Then I resurrected it and became determined to finish it. Well...I know you must be thinking....well it is probably finished. Wrong!!! I need to get it quilted still. It's been suggested that I (MJE) hand quilt it myself. Hmmmmm, I just love it so much that I think I will have it machine quilted and ready to hang. Guess I need to get off my boot-ay and get it done.

In case you have not noticed....I've started following a new blog. There are lots of free patterns and tutorials listed. How fun is that? I'm excited about seeing what gets posted there.
Have a warm day....Especially you Lettie....in Hawaii.....yea...please do stay warm. Unlike us por- ole folks in OH :)

Just 2 Days to post your comment to be included in the bag tag giveaway.

Smiles,

Kelly

Circle Quilt Pattern

I forgot to mention that I saw a copy of the Fons & Porter Easy Quilts Spring 2008 (cover said to leave on news stands until 4/09) and there was a free pattern to make a circle quilt.

Thought maybe some of you might be interested.

Kelly

Spring Is Almost Here...I Have Buds

Spring is almost here. I have buds on my tulips!!!! Hurray. I'd go out and take a picture of them and paste it here....but it is dark outside now. So instead, I put a picture of a recent punchneedle project I completed. The pattern is by Angela Anderson . She offered it as a give away back in March. If I were a faster reader I would have realized I had to have it done by March 16th. When I became aware of the deadline, I realized I had to commit myself to sitting down and finishing the project. As life happens, Zach got sick....my business picked up....it was always something. I was mortified that I let Angela down. I e-mailed her and asked what I could do to make amends. I believe in making amends. She said it was OK she understood. So I sat down and finished the pattern on Saturday. I'm so proud of how well it turned out. I've only made about 6 pieces of punchneedle. I have a long way to go but I'm still happy with my progress so far. I used regular sewing thread for all but the center.

Speaking of things taking off....I can't believe how many hits and visits I've had on my blog on Easter Sunday. Geez, I never thought Easter Sunday would be a day to get on the computer. I'm so very pleased with the feedback I've been getting. Thank you all for your kind words and suggestions.

Speaking of suggestions, someone asked about a dust cover for the NEW Easy Reach Carousels. There has been a pattern added to my website for the dust cover for the Easy Reach Thread Carousel. Now that is fast!!! Thanks to Virginia!

I received lots of positive comments on the gifts I've received. That was nice too. Many people e-mailed me wanting one of Mary Jane's "Bosom Pin Cushions." So I added 4 to my website as well. So if you want to own one of those beautiful Bosom Cushions....just feel free to click on over to the shop and order yourself one. While you are at it....order one for a stitching friend's birthday too :)

Need some feedback here: I have an idea to add a book dedication page to my website. Anyone who wanted to dedicate a sewing book/DVD in honor of someone/anyone or group could purchase the book from me (at cost plus postage to send it to the designated Library or Guild) and I would then send it to a library of choice or to a guild of choice. Do you think that would be a good program? Any other ideas like that? Please let me know. I'm all for giving back and I think that might be a wonderful way to honor a loved one or friend. Just post your comments so I can get more ideas. I would somehow get a "book plate" or something dedicating the book/DVD to affix to the book/DVD.

Hugs,

Kelly

Wooo Hooo It's Easter!!!

Easter has become one of my favorite holidays. I love that it beckons in Spring and all the beautiful flowers associated with Spring. The Egg Hunts are a ball to watch and the coloring of eggs is a great time too. I think another reason I really like Easter is that people don't "expect" gifts. It is like Thanksgiving in the sense that people gather to celebrate and enjoy one another's company. There is no big stress about gifts or expectations (at least not for me :)

Soooo, to continue with the theme of "FAVORITES" I'm going to share some pictures of some of my favorite hand made gifts that I've been given. Let me preface this by saying it does not include things given to me by my children. Those are very precious to me and I feel private about those sort of things. These are items I've been given by other stitchers and crafters.
Because it takes soooo long to upload pictures I'm only going to share 5 with you today.

The first is a Friendship Block Miniature that was given to me by Mary Jane when I left PA and moved to OH. She had lots of wonderful, kind, interesting, smart, loving, beautiful gals sign their names to a block and made it into a miniature wall hanging for me. I treasure every name on that quilt. What an incredible reminder of 11 very sweet months of friendships built while I lived in Mansfield, PA. Oh yea, it also has the first fabric post card I've ever received. Pretty cool ay?

The next is a bag I keep my hexagons for a mystery project I work on when I need a hand stitching project to carry with me. Mary Jane made this from scraps of fabric I had used while making a table runner for my sister-in-law. I threw the scraps into her trash and much to my surprise I found this bag in the mail as a gift. I cracked up laughing. My trash became my treasure!!!

This is a "Bosom Pin Cushion" that is worn around my neck. Mary Jane had made this (her design) and I just loved it. She gave it to me and then taught me how to make one. That is what I absolutely love about stitchers, quilters, and crafters.....they are so willing to show me how to do something and share their techniques with me. I really admire this tradition and I follow in these ladies footsteps. I always show others how to do what I know how to do and encourage their work.

XXXDDD????ZZZZ and other curse words...I back spaced and the picture deleated. I'm not going back through all this to add the picture. I'll just add it to the next post!!! There is more than one way to slice a cake!!!
IMAGINE A PICTUE OF A GREEN SCISSOR FOB HERE

Here is a great gift from Kay Lyman of Mansfield, PA. She made this scissor fob and I really like the green beads and the tassel. She gave it to me at a "Quilt Tea" where we both displayed our work. I admired it and she gave it to me. Green is one of my very favorite colors so I enjoy this scissor fob quite a bit.

Kay also made this Pin Cushion. She had made several to sell at the "Quilt Tea". I think it is so cheerful and fun. I keep it on my sewing work table for my pins and needles. It is weighted on the bottom so it does not tip over.

These are the things that make me smile and keep me creating when I'm alone in my sewing area. I'm very blessed to have such great friends and generous too!!!

Smiles,

Kelly

Here Is The PIcture Of The Green Scissor Fob

This picture was deleted (by whom I do not know....or don't want to reveal) from my Easter post...so here is the picture. The green scissor fob given to me by Kay Lyman.

Kelly

Some Of My Favorite Creations

Yesterday I shared some of my favorite gadgets. Today I'm going to show you some of the things that I've made that I love. I have these things in my sewing area and I enjoy looking at them. I have approximately 1/3 of our basement as my sewing area. I feel very lucky to have that much space.

The first picture is of a sewing notions bag I made from a Jan Kerton pattern. She taught a class that I took on how to make this lovely bag. It was so much fun. I loved the little sewing notions on the side and the teddy bear. The front of the bag has a bear smiling and the back has a frown.

I carry my scissors, needles, thread, bees wax and threader in this bag.

This is a paper weight I made while in Australia. If you read a previous post you may remember I met up with Jan Kerton while in AU. I was invited to a stitching group and I made this paper weight while I was there. This is another of Jan's designs. I guess I really like her designs as I have many more. I like the quality of the materials she uses and learning new techniques that she teaches. If you ever get a chance to take one of her classes....I promise you won't be disappointed. I'll also say you will probably laugh a lot and have sore cheeks from smiling so much.

I really like the beautiful colors of ribbon used in this Ribbon Needle Holder. The pattern came from a gal in my Michigan Smockers Guild. I was at her house one night before a meeting and she pulled a box out from under her bed. She showed me the needle case and I fell in love. I could not believe she had the thing under her bed in a box. After much coaxing she agreed to teach a class and that is when I learned to fold ribbon flowers and make this needle holder. The velvet behind the flowers makes the needle holder feel lush in your hands. Can you imagine putting something like this under your bed? Not me baby!!! I'd like to see what else she keeps under the bed and in the closets....but it is still considered rude to snoop :)

Last but not least is my smocked scissor fob ball. Again, I made this while living in MI. That wonderful Smocking Guild had a group get together and we made these scissor fobs. I'm not that good at Smocking. It is nice to look at but I probably would not have made anything smocked if the ladies were not so willing to teach me and pleat my fabric for me. The heirloom stitching and sewing they do is breath taking. My little scissor ball....not so breath taking....but it sure does make me smile when I see it!!

I hope you've enjoyed traveling through my sewing space with me. If not...don't leave a comment to that effect :) I just want to think my things are all that and two bags of Frito's!!!

Smiles,

Kelly

Some Of My Favorite Gadgets

These are some of my favorite sewing "gadgets" that I use all the time. I will post more pictures of my sewing area and my favorite things that I have there. The first one is called a "Bosom Pin Cushion." It was designed and made by Mary Jane Ehlich of Covington PA. I remember seeing Mary Jane with one around her neck as she was teaching some gals to hand quilt. I thought to myself....boy I'd sure like to have something that handy to plant my needles when I'm sitting and sewing. I had no idea at the time that she made them and sells them. I just love wearing this Bosom Cushion especially at retreats. I get the best feedback from the other stitchers when I wear it.


This is a close up of the little pocket that holds your thimble. I think that is so neat....a little thimble pocket. That keeps me from searching under the seat cushions for where my thimble rolled away to. It always rolls off my lap and down the cushion.

The next picture is a close up of my Hawaiian applique. I'll show the entire picture in another entry. But this is an example of when I used the Piping Hot Binding tool. See how nice the binding came out? This little tool is so handy when making piping. I use it for piping on my larger quilts too. If you look closely at my Circle Quilt from another post you will see the nice piping on that too.

And here it is.....waaahhhh laaaaahhhhh the Piping Hot Binding tool. No magician required :)

Can you tell I've never used the binding that came in the bag? I like the cotton piping the best. That is the piping that is included and the booklet. The tool is laying on top....it is acrylic. Very useful tool. I lent it to my Mother when she made a slip cover for her sofa. She wanted the piping on the edge of each cushion. Now there is a woman with courage!!!

I stumbled into this little gadget. It is called a Gypsy Gripper. It grabs onto my ruler and templates so I can move them easily. I never knew I would really like something like this...but I really like it. It is very helpful when I'm cutting lots of pieces. I don't have to keep sliding the ruler over and over and over. I just pick it up and move it. I usually use green tape to mark my measurement lines so I don't even have to continue to look at the numbers on the ruler. I think that bright light adhesive tape rocks!!!

OK, now this next thing I know you are going to laugh and say, "Who the heck would buy that thing." I am one of those people who can't stand it when I can't get something stuck in a small space. For example, I hate vacuuming out my van and I can't get those crumbs between the seats and those bolts or the shifter in the middle....crumbs get into that too. Then there is the dryer screen. I can never seem to clean that thing well and the vacuum hose I have won't fit into that space. The hose is just not small or flexible. How about those dust puppies and crumbs inside your keyboard, your sewing machine, your serger, your embroidery machine, your table saw, behind narrow book cases.....OK I'll stop. Well, I'm the nut who bought this thing and absolutely loves it. I'm giving it as birthday gifts to my siblings this Sunday. (They're all coming for Easter and to celebrate their birthdays) This fits into your hose on your vacuum and then there are little tools that attach to the flexible hose. You can get into almost any small or narrow space with this little fella. So now you know my secret!!!

Yes this is a picture of my kitchen floor. Please don't notice that I've been writing blog entries and not moping like I need to. A girl just can't do it all.....in one day anyway :)

OK, that is round one of my favorite things. I do happen to have some of these on my website so you can check them out. I always list items at much less than retail....so you have extra money for supplies to do your creating!!!

Kelly

NEW on the Market!!! Be the first to see it here!!!

Virginia Lauer of Illinois has just come out with her "Easy Reach Thread Carousel" and I'm lucky enough to be able to carry these in my store!!! I thought they were so neat and I'm all for supporting other women who have an invention or creation and they want to take it to market. There are two Carousel's. One is for regular size spools of thread and the other is for king cones. The notions caddy can fit on the side to hold your tools. Isn't this soooo cool? I think they are so cool that I'm going to offer everyone who leaves a comment on this entry the opportunity to win their choice of 4 Bag Tags or 4 Magnets!!! Just leave your comments on what you think of Virginia's Thread Carousel's and I will draw a winner on the 15th of April. Now that is two give aways going on at one time on this good ole blog. Wooo Hooo!!!

All you have to do to have a chance to win....is leave a comment. Only one comment per person please. If you are interested in purchasing one or 10 of Virginia's Thread Carousel's please click on the link to my store on this blog....upper right....

Smiles,

Kelly

Easter is almost here and today is Passover

This is a smocked Easter egg that I learned to make when I belonged to the Smocking Guild in Michigan. I made several to give as gifts and saved only a couple for myself. Unpacking them each year is like a new surprise.

Last night I drove all the way out to the Toledo Botanical Garden for what I thought was a Toledo Needle Arts Guild meeting. I was there promptly at 6:30 with my stitching in my bag and I was excited. I've been wanting to go for over a year and just have never made it to a meeting. The conference rooms were filled with people that were obviously not stitchers. No bags of threads, hoops, needles....nothing....zip, zero, zilch. I phoned Rick (my husband) and he googled the Needle Arts Guild and it meets in a completely different place and the meetings are no longer on the second Wed. of them month....they are on the third Wed. Well, I guess I was relieved they did not change their meetings to the first Wed of the month. Guess I'll have to wait another week to meet the gals there.

My scheduled time out did not go to waste....oh no....I stopped at Sally Anns and got several new spring tops and two pair of carpi's. Not all is lost!!!


These are some magnets I made to give the boy's teachers in their Easter "baskets". I put some batting in the top to make them puffy. I especially like the Dr. Seuss magnets....sooo darn cute.

Hope it is warm and sunny in your part of the world today. Don't forget to leave a comment so I can enter your name in my drawing to win 4 bag tags. You have to leave a comment to win!!!

Kelly

You just have to see this gals bags!!!

I was just getting ready to sign off and I clicked on someones blog. Then on another and another. I saw the name: Polka Dot Pineapple and I just had to go and see what was there. My very lucky night...I saw the cutest bags and this gal has a give away going on. Of course I left a comment....I'm not stupid!!! :) She also has tutorials and they are very cute.

So here you go: http://mousechirpy-polkadotpineapple.blogspot.com/

Ya can't say I don't share!!! Cuz you know I do....and I love it.

Good night all....and Good morning AU
Kelly

Circle Quilt

This is a quilt I made for my living room. I really like the circles and how they play together. Janet Bellinger of Wellsboro, PA was teaching the class at Needles Quilt Shoppe. I decided to take the class and went into Needles to select some fabric. Up until this point I had mainly made quilts as gifts for others.

Katie and Mary,owners of Needles Quilt Shop , encouraged me to pick fabrics that go with my furniture and make a quilt for myself. Well, that was a novel idea. Make something for myself!!! Hmmmm.

Our furniture was in storage and had been for almost a year. So I dug out some photos of my furniture and took them into Needles. Mary and Katie stacked so many bolts of fabric on tables that I thought their arms would fall off. I'm sure their arms have huge muscles from all that hauling and toting those bolts of fabric. I went through the stack and selected the ones I liked the best. They encouraged me to pick things I might not otherwise select as they would enhance the other fabrics I had chosen. So I stretched and got some with little flowers, stars, dots, etc.

Once I started the practice piece for sewing on a curve, I was off and running. I finished the top in less than a week (if my memory serves me correctly!!).

This is the Quilt Label:

“Around and Around”
In the year 2005, I took a circle quilt class from Janet Bellinger of Wellsboro , PA at Needles Quilt Shop. Katie Mader & Mary Guinn, the shop owners, inspired me to make a quilt for myself and assisted with the selection of fabrics.
Janet did the long arm quilting and my friend Mary Jane Ehlich helped me put the piping and binding on.
Completed July 2007 by:
Kelly Howlett March Jackson

Janet has made many circle quilts and she also is a long arm quilter. Who better to do the quilting? She finished it and then Mary Jane and I sat and worked on the piping and the binding. Mary Jane had just gotten the "Piping Hot Binding" tool. It was so great. The piping was made in no time and the edges were nice and even; very easy to sew on the edge of the quilt top.

I'm very proud of this quilt and happy that all these other women have helped make the finished project so beautiful. The quilt hangs over a chair in my living room. I love wrapping up in it on a cold evening. Speaking of cold evenings....it was snowing again....hmmm...April....come on SUNSHINE and warmer weather :)

Kelly

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

The punchneedle projects completed by Starr were, "Brenda at Country Stitches http://www.countrystitchesonline.com/ " designs. Starr said, "That's the first time I tried her Valdani threads cause I have heard so much about them and wanted to see for myself what everyone was talking about."

The purse was designed and punched by Starr. I guess I forgot to mention these things. Oops. It is a lot like quilting. The top can be pieced by one person and another person does the quilting. Sorry Brenda for the mistake as your designs are beautiful!!!

Kelly

Who Ordered The SNOW???

Snow on April 6th? Who ordered this stuff? It sure was not me!!! I enjoyed the snow all winter long and now I'm done with it....but I guess it is not done with us here in OH. I did not let the snow get in the way of my plans to visit with Starr Burgess and work on improving my punchneedle embroidery.

I had a great afternoon....did I say GREAT.....ok.....you got it then. I had been looking forward to visiting and seeing more of her work so I was so grateful that my husband was able and willing to take the boys for the afternoon. I have posted only a few of the pictures I took because of the upload time on blogger. I will upload more again soon. These are some samples of her work:



This sits on Starr's sewing table. How fun is this? Everything in her room was organized and kept in drawers and rolling carts. I just wanted to sit for hours and look through the books, magazines and threads. It is so much fun to look through other people's things....mine don't seem nearly as exciting. I've named her "Gadget Girl" because Starr has all the gadgets. I saw things today that I did not even know existed. My "to buy" list just got longer!!! Yikes



The thread used in the back ground-tan and white-is variegated thread. I really like the dimension it adds to the work. None of these works were finished/framed. We just folded back the fabric and snapped a picture.

Starr uses different gauges to achieve the 3-d effect in the flowers and border. This is much more visible on the following photos.

The sheep in this photo was punched in fuzzy thread. The sheep really stands out and is fuzzy and warm looking. The flowers just pop off the fabric. Again, we just folded over the fabric and the photos don't really do the work justice.


The fine detail in this piece really caught my attention. I have been having the most difficult time getting my work to look like a fine detailed picture. After a few demonstrations and some instruction I was able to understand how this effect is achieved.

So are you wondering if my piece is completed? Well it is not. I was planning on working on it this evening and I spent the better part of my night working on getting these photos to upload. I have made a beautiful slide show of her work but I could not get it to load on blogger. So I will figure another way to share all these lovely works.

Now lets hope there is no more snow here until December......Kelly