Must See -- Day 4 Wool Lovers Blog Hop

 - Oh My Goodness - 

If you haven't already hopped around to the Day 4 Crazy About Wool bloggers you really should ! 

Thursday, September 26

A Quilt and a Prayer

Kat and Cat Quilts

Rosebuds Cottage

By The Bay Needdleart

Sugarlane Designs

Sheila's Quilt World

Pieced Brain

There are some awesome projects, tutorials, and eye candy out there -- not to mention some Giveaways!

Be sure to stop back tomorrow to see my Wooly Fun !

Special Thanks to Denise at Pieced Brain for hosting an awesome Blog Hop!

Hugs,
Karen

Super Wool Lovin' Tuesday and Quilting the Garden Progress

Morning bloggin peeps!!   Today is Day 2 of of the Wool Lover Blog Hop.

If you haven't already, hop along and visit the bloggers below to see some neat things made from Wool -- Oh I just love wool!  Some of the participants are having giveaways - so be sure to visit them all !!

Tuesday, September 24

Marla's Crafts

Bird in the Hand Primitives

Secretly Stitching

Marjorie's Busy Corner

Sew Many Yarns

Val Spiers Sews

Quilted Crow Girls Design

If you Missed Day 1 of the Blog Hop -- check out these creative items!!  

Monday, September 23

CJ Stitching and Blooms

Negligent Style

Sweet P

Reluctant Quilter

Racie Baby

Patchouli Moon Studio

The Raspberry Rabbits

Stay tuned for Day 5 of the Blog Hop -- I'll be posting then (sneaky peek below)....

Onto my busy schedule...  

As I mentioned in a previous post - I'm so excited to have started "Quilting the Garden" by Blackbird Designs.  This most fantastic quilt is made of up of twelve 20 inch applique blocks.  My friend Debbie finished the quilt some years ago and is guiding a few of us through the process.   Are you interested in the process ?  I could share...    Here is what I've been up to:

Block 1:  Winter Bloom - Making fabric color choices...

Cutting into my stash (ouch -- its one of those things that "hurts so good")....

Stitching, stitching, stitching

Gawking at my results --  my beautiful stash of fabric finally being used.  I have been collecting and saving fabrics for this quilt for literally YEARS !  You can see one of my most recent purchases here.  

(Thank you Miss Rosie's Quilt Co!)

Flower 2 Peek

Flower 1

Getting advice on leaf fabrics...

Making berries...

and just being thrilled with where its all going!

Oh... I mentioned a sneaky peek didn't I? ... 

Stop back Friday to see my entry in the Wool Lover Blog Hop! 

Until then -- keep a smile on your face and have a wonderful day!

Hugs, 

Karen

Winter Apple Flimsy is Done and a Celebration!

It's not pressed, it's not layered, but the quadrants are sewn together and the applique is complete!!

Yippee!  

Now for layering and basting!  I can't wait to get this top under my domestic machine for quilting

Now let's talk about the celebration!  

My good friend Debbie Wick is celebrating her first ever published pattern!  How about that for exciting!!

The patten "Pomegranate Holiday" will be published in the Winter issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects Magazine !  

Wait until you see this unique table topper -- it's a beauty !!   Debbie has a wonderful way of working with wool/cotton combinations - - and she included one of my favorite things in her pattern.  I won't give it away but this issue is a must have !!

Congratulations Debbie!  Well deserved!

Visit Debbie's Blog and leave a comment  for a chance to win a full Year Subscription to Primitive Quilts and Projects !!  Tell her Karen sent ya!

Thanks for stopping by today and have a wonderful week!

Hugs,

Karen 

9.11 and Work In Progress

I have a lot to be excited and thankful for in my quilting world this week!

First, the needle turn on all four quadrants of "Winter Apple" by Blackbird Designs is done! {Happy Dance}... I'm ready to sew them together, add two more appliqué pieces in the center, then baste and machine free motion quilt!  Woohoo!  You can read progress notes about Winter Apple here, here, and here.

Next, and this is something I've wanted to do for  Y-e-a-r-S!   Tonight we have our first meeting for Quilting The Garden!  

This has to be one of the most beautiful appliqué quilts I've ever seen.  I will talk to my friend Debbie (who is guiding three of us through the process) tonight to post pics of her completed quilt!  It is just beautiful.

Above is my current take on background fabric and main border fabric.  These may change tonight when I get together with Debbie, Bonnie and my sister Janet...

Notice that top background fabric, the pink ticking?  It is a very old fabric and I've looked high and low for it.  If anyone ever stumbles across yardage I would LOVE to purchase some!  Having eyes and ears on the street makes a difference!  Thank you!

Lastly,  I finished my Kim Diehl "Penny Garland" Wool table topper...   Here I have it draped over the back of my couch... I just can't seem to get the right lighting to show the rich background fabric...  It still needs a label.

You can see other posts of  "Penny Garland" here, here, and here.   Love this little item!

One last thing...  here is my husband raising the American Flag lakeside this morning...

We will never forget this day in the States... September 11th... Those who lost their lives are always in our hearts and prayers.  World peace...  that is something we can all be hopeful for... in my thoughts...

Thanks for stopping by today, stay cool, safe and keep quilting!

Hugs,

Karen

Linking up to my favorite Linky Parties today -- check out my sidebar and see some fantastic projects !

Yippee! Penny Garland Wool Applique Finished

Need a little more time to get "just the right" photos... in the meantime here is a sneak peak !!

I quilted on my Janome Horizon and used Hobbs Wool Batting.

You can see progress pictures of "Penny Garland" here and here.

More to come...

Sew happy it's finished.

Hugs, Karen

Appliqué Thursday - Penny Garland ready for quilting

Yippee!!   Penny Garland (modified), a wool applique pattern by Kim Diehl is basted and ready for machine quilting!  You can see more Penny Garland posts here, here and here.

Top is layered and pinned

The wrong side of the applique top -- prior to being layered

My backing fabric - nice tones for using gold toned thread in top and bobbin...

I'm using Hobbs Wool Batting... 

I tried something new today... I used a clear plastic as an overlay and test drove quilt designs with a dry erase marker...

Clear plastic overlay -- with one quilting idea

Ahhh -- more quilting trial runs...

It worked swell... but I still couldn't make up my mind...

Right now the plan is to stitch around all of the wool... And then see where my heart takes me from there...

Thanks for stopping by...

Linking up to some awesome Linky Parties -- please check them out on my sidebar -- lots of great projects to see out there !

Hugs,

Karen

Work in Progress - Winter Apple Needle Turn Appliqué

By Blackbird Designs...  Was started more than two years ago and I'm thrilled to report that I'm nearly done with the 4th quadrant of this awesome Lap quilt!

I just LOVE the fabrics and the pattern of this piece.  I was lucky to have attended an appliqué class taught by a good friend, Debbie Wick.  You can see Debbie's finished Winter Apple here.

Isn't Debbie's piece beautiful?  She had her piece quilted by an amazing long arm quilter locally.  I only hope that mine will finish as beautifully as hers. On this piece I plan to outline stitch all of the appliqué and then have a hand at a little More McTavishing!  Woohoo I'm so excited.

Below is pomegranate #2 on the final quadrant just waiting to be stitched.

Here is quadrant #1 which was finished a LONG time ago and is therefore very wrinkled.

Here is quadrant #2... And there is another one just like it completed as well.

I'm thinking this weekend I'll stitch, stitch, stitch and get this flimsy done!

I am using Mettler #60 fine embroidery thread and some Auriful #50 as well.

I am also using Clover Gold Eye Appliqué Needles (No. 12) 

I mark my darker fabrics with soap stone and use Sew Line or Primsacolor Verithin pencils... Both are awesome!

Thanks for stopping by today! 

Karen