Quilt Retreat

OK I've only been without my sewing machine for a couple of days and I'm already having withdrawals!!! I cut up several Valentine type fabrics and made a little skirt for Ellie. The waist looks way too big so when she tries it on I may need to remove a few strips and tighten the waistband a bit. But I think it turned out cute.Here is the almost completed table runner from our quilting day on Wednesday. Thank you Suzanne for letting me use your machine. I ran out of bobbin so decided to wait until later to finish up the binding. WHAT WAS I THINKING??? My machine isn't working. Why didn't I just wind another bobbin and sew the rest of the way around so I could have some hand work to do. Oh bother.
Here are a few pictures of our fun day at Suzanne's wonderful bonus room. (It is sooo big and roomy and comfortable.)


Me and my big smile because I finally got it right. You see, my first couple of strips were on backwards so my braid was going the wrong direction. After a couple of attempts and unpicking I finally got it right. You can see Judy busy working on her French Country looking table runner in bright yellow and blue. She used a different pattern with Flying Geese.

Sorry Martha, we got the back side of you working diligently on your runner. Martha used lovely spring colors with a tie dye looking back. Dee put her runner aside for a moment and worked on a word scramble Suzanne had challenged us to do. Some of the words were quite impossible.Here Debbie is working quietly on one in golds, browns and blacks. It is really beautiful.Nancy is doing a little cutting for a border on her Valentine runner. Alice was there too but she must have been a little camera shy today.Judy again working on the final border before trimming and ready for the binding. It is so much fun to work together on a project and see how different they all look with different fabrics.

Thanks Suzanne for a great day of sewing, laughter, story telling and a scrumptious lunch too.

Happy Quilting! Lynda

Family Time

I love having my children come home for a visit. Daughter 2 came for a few days since she will be starting a new job and not sure when she can come again. Daughter 3 and Ellie decided to come also. We did have a good time together as always. We tried making chocolate souffles. They turned out pretty good. Only 1 problem.....it made 8 and there were only 4 of us to eat them so we each had to have 2---- since they aren't good after sitting and deflating.Ellie and dolly were quite pleased with the new quilt. Poor dolly kept slipping out tho....I think it may have had something to do with the way she held her....upside down quite often.
I spent Wednesday sewing with a few other ladies. We each made a table runner. Pictures hopefully soon. I forgot my camera so Suzanne, our teacher for the day, said she would e-mail me a few to share. Sadly, my sewing machine has been sounding pretty rough lately and it wouldn't even sew a single stitch!! Luckily Suzanne had an extra one I could borrow for the day. Now I have to wait to put the binding on until I get my Viking back from repair. What will I do with my time now??? Just got a call from my quilter and she has my 1920 kit quilt completed. Oh I can hardly wait to pick it up to show you.

Happy Quilting! Lynda

Ellie's dolly needs a quilt

Ellie is coming for a few days visit. Decided her dolly needed a little quilt. This is a tiny twister quilt made from some leftover 5 inch squares. No batting, solid yellow background and binding. Just stitched in the ditch. I think her dolly will like it.Happy Quilting! Lynda

Ellie's new hat

I found this pattern for a Jack and Jill hat by Izzy & Ivy designs that I thought just needed to be made for Ellie. I read over the instructions several times and finally cut out all the pieces and started making the hat. The instructions were a little difficult for me to follow completely. It told me to make a buttonhole in one part but never had me use that button hole for anything the rest of the pattern. I don't make clothing very much anymore so I may be a little rusty on following those kinds of patterns. I made a couple of mistakes but eventually the hat turned out really cute!

Here's Ellie wearing her new hat. She only wore it long enough for a few pictures tho. I will make it again because I think it turned out quite well. My daughter thought it would look great in black and white striped fabric for a train conductor hat for a little boy.....some day.

I've also been making a couple of quilt backs and taken one of them to the quilter. I finally got the rest of the fabric for the Rick Rackasaurus quilt too. Can't wait to get that one finished. My niece should be having her new baby boy soon and I want to have it ready to give to her.

Happy Quilting! Lynda