MMXI

i have mixed feelings about the new year...i'm happy to see a new year with all the possibilities it promises, but another passing year means i'm another year older *giggle*

don't forget the

 BOM starts tomorrow!!

i've shown some of my quilty friends the first block and they were very excited to get started!

cutting bias binding

if you make quilts, binding is inevitable.
i use bias cut binding exclusively and took some pictures for a tute last time i made some.

so here is how i cut and make bias binding

Cutting Bias Binding .pdf

here is a tutorial from way back on how i join the beginning and end of my bindings with a seam.


EDITED TO ADD:
two people left comments asking my opinion about difference/benefits between bias binding and straight grain..i don't think bias is 'better' but it does have some benefits over straight grain.here's my answer to thier comments:

i don't think bias is 'better' but it does have some benefits over straight grain.

i think bias lasts longer than straight grain because of the simple fact that since you cut bias on, well, the bias, the edge of the quilt has all the different threads of the weave cris-crossing. straight grain binding would have the same thread laying on the edge, so it could fray and break causing a small hole that would become a bigger hole- think the worn out knee of a pair of blue jeans- once it gets 'fuzzy' it's not long before the whole knee goes. i've seen vintage quilts where the patchwork is all worn and fabric is missing, but the bias binding is still perfect.

i also think that it is easier to sew to the quilt. i've tried straight grain a couple times (with and without a walking foot) and i always get puckers and pleats. plus if you don't get it perfectly cut on the straight of grain, when you go to wrap it to the back and hand stitch it down, it gets these weird little warpy wrinkles in it...bias doesn't do that since it's stretchy and it'll ease into itself...

plus i've noticed on my big bed quilts when you grab the edge and pull to cover yourself up, the straight grain binding doesn't 'give' and will break the stitches, where bias stretches...

i just prefer bias binding. i've gotten use to it and gives me the finshed look i want. also- i make alot of totes with bound edges and the bias works better for that application for the wear tote edges get.

some say they don't lke bias because it takes more yardage than cutting straight. it's only like an extra 1/4 yard or so and based on $10/yd that's only $2, so if you look at from the grand scope of things- you'll normally have over $200+ in fabric for the patchwork anyway, what's two more dollars ? :)

hope this helps with your decision to which you choose for your quilt. i'll be the first to stand and say that my way IS NOT the only way of doing things in quilting. i just want to share how i do things and the why so that maybe you'll be inspired or learn a (shall i say) easier way to do something....

the big reveal!

i finished the christmas-present-to-myself quilt!  i showed you the backing fabric as i was loading it on the frame! here's a reminder...notice my helpful studio assistant!

so what quilt did i pair it with....Footnotes!

*SQUEE!* i want to buried with this quilt. it is hands-down my favorite of all my quilts.

it is a queen sized quilt: 90" x 103". it is all based on 2.5" cut strips and squares. blocks finish at 12".

this is my favorite shot.... i was sewing the binding on. yup- my sewing machine has an eye. i have these stickers.

that was my grandmother's machine. my grandfather bought for her for their 10th wedding anniversary. she taught me how to quilt on it, and i still use it to this day. the serial number has it produced in 1954. i'll blog about my vintage machines one day.

i quilted it with my topo meander.







and a flimsy transformed into a beautiful quilt and they lived happily ever after. the end...

white christmas!

we had a white chirstmas for the first time here in the ATL area since the late 1800s...we got a light powdering back in 1983, but that doesn't count...

here's a shot of the house and my punny attempt at christmas lights. notice they are on the inside...

look how big those flakes are.

mini-mon got a nice snow coat

here's barney's reaction to the news of  snow... i have to admit i agreed.

we spent the christmas weekend on the couch in front of the TV.

hope your christmas was festive and the very best wishes from us to you in the upcoming new year. (this is the end of the first decade of the millenium)

merry christmas y'all!

they're forecasting snow with accumulation for tomorrow *fingers crossed*

i finished quilting the quilt with the oh-so lovely batik backing i showed yesterday...i'm working on the binding, so i'll post monday...the kiddos are coming tomorrow, so it's just me and davis tonight...

merry christmas to me

i decided to give myself a present for christmas!

i'm loading one of my flimsies to quilt....this is the backing! i love it and have had it for at least 10 years!

sweet!

it's not a quilt til it's quilted.....stay tuned!

butterfly round robin

 remember back in july i went and hung out with dory and kristina in CA? remember the butterfly applique block i designed to teach dory hand applique? since kristina did it too, we decided to let the blocks be the center of a round robin between the three of us. we took pictures to blog about it. we traded alphabetically....


kristina, me, and dory

i mailed mine to dory...and i recieved kristinia's first.

i added a subtle curved piced border because i thought the applique was subtle.

 since i put the last border on dory's, i know what her's looks like, but i haven't seen kristina's finished quilt, so i'm looking forward to her blog post...

then i received dory's. kristina got dory's first, so i put the last border on it.

i orginally had an idea for the border, but half way thru it, i didn't like it and ripped it off. plus i had a better idea.

i helped kill a rattlesnake at dory's, so i designed a rattlesnake looking border. hey- gotta memorilize the deed somehow :)

and here's mine!  dory put the first border on, then kristina finished with the last one.

now i have a quillt that i will look at and remember my time hanging in the yurt with the girls!!


i will link to their blogs as they post about theirs...

kristinia posted about her's here and read about dory's here

how is a flimsy like a rabbit?

they keep multipling! i'm not complaining, that means i'm getting all these UFOs finished up! but, i need another flimsy like i need another hole in my head...here's a quick shot of MY tops that need to be quited....final count- 31! does anyone know a good machine quilter? *snicker*

i worked on this one yesterday.  i made these oak reel blocks back while i was waiting on something to ship....so i'm calling it "anticipation"  there is a nice feeling seeing it as a flimsy..

just need to find a border from my stash

A.R.K.

toady i was on the receiving end of an Act of Random Kindness and i felt the blessing of the season!

davis and i stoped at Steak & Shake for a quick lunch and across the aisle was an older couple. the lady had the most unique Santa Claus necklace. i caught her attention and mentioned that i liked her necklace and she told me (proudly) that her husband had made it....he had handcarved it!

we continued to chit chat and she mentioned the big chicken and i mentioned that i went to a quilt shop close to the big chicken...you know....

so we get up to leave and she asks if i'm in a hurry...i say no and she mentions that her husband has gone out to the car to get me something...?

so, he comes back carrying a small plastic bag....

oh my cutie pie goodness! my very own hand carved santa....the thimble is my grandmother's thimble for scale...he will live in my thimble cabinet.

thank you mr. ransom! you have no idea how tickled i am! you made my day!

he doesn't have a website to share...if you want, i have his contact info.

Christmas is a necessity.

There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we're here for something else besides ourselves. ~Eric Sevareid

guess what it did today?

i'll give you three guesses, but the first two won't count.

just a light powder....nothing like the blizzard in the north midwest, but snow none the less!!!

the last one!

this is my last christmas quilt for a customer!!!


it was a biggie, 103" square.

(remember you can click on the picture for a larger view. then click the back button to come back here)

i quilted it with an E2E feather meander except....














...i quilted the center square star with some custom motifs cause, well, i got tired of feathers :) i starting to really like to quilt big pebbles in my backgrounds...

weekend review

what a FUN! weekend!

davis and i had the whole hunting club to ourselves! all 1000+ acres of it! that was a first.

it was cccoooolllldddd, so we had a nice roaring fire

we woke up early saturday morning and got into our hunting stands in time to listen to the woods wake up. that is something to experience!

davis killed a black coyote early saturday morning. i was so hoping that the early shot meant a big buck, but a rare black coyote at an impossible 110 yard+ shot would do just fine. i walked down to his area and saw where his shot. i swear, that bullet must've zig zagged through the trees. there was some bushy stuff so thick you could barely see his stand thru it. yay- another fawn and turkey killer taken out of the woods.

couple hours later i had the oppurtunity to take a doe. it was an easy shot between the pine trees at around 50 yards. since we are teaching Barney to deer track, we went and got him from camp and loaded him on the trailer and off to get my doe.
barney found her in seconds flat (what a nose!) good shot placement meant she didn't go far and we have some meat in the freezer and i removed a potential hood ornament from the world.

sunday was extrememly windy, so we sleep in. davis went to put new batteries in his game camera, and i stayed and started packing up camp.

all loaded up and ready to get home to a warm bed and a hot shower!

a beautiful sunset was our company during the ride home!

it's monday, so back to work. i have some quilt stuff to share later!

just a couple of pictures...

first, the completed flimsy from the freebie christmas pattern i posted yesterday. the inner border is 2" finished and the outer border finishes at 6". i plan on using a bright fushica pink and tangerine orange pieced binding. i have no idea what i'll do for the backing. i'm thinking i might use a sheet...they come in fun colors and a queen cotton sheet at my local chain store is only $11.

this flimsy bashed approximately 9 yards from my stash....didn't even make a dent!

and i haven't posted a picture of barney in a while

i love those little piggie ears!

lucky hates having his picture taken, so this is rare. if i get the camera out, he quickly disappears from the room. i think he looks very worried and concerned...i think he's waiting for me to turn my head so he can run.

that stupid random number generator sucks!

i have been doing some thinking lately and i one was about doing a giveaway for Christmas, but that would benefit only one lucky reader....then that thought spurred another. i like doing giveaways, but it's not fair to everyone. remember in school if you were caught with gum, the teacher would ask if you brought enuf for everyone? then she'd make you spit it out? i feel the same about giveaways...just the other day i read a blog where the writer won EIGHT blog giveaways in one week!!!
last week while i sat in the woods hunting watching trees grow (apparently the deer missed the memo that it's hunting season) i came up with the great idea for a Christmas present giveaway that everyone could get one of! one that all will benefit from. a freebie quilt pattern!!! you'll want to download it quick, cause it won't be available for long...

so with out further ado-

BLOCK HEAD QUILT PATTERN pdf
(link disabled- look for the next freebie soon!)

if you use this pattern, i'd love it if you shared pictures!

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Season's Greetings!