Halloween Decorating!

Making the mini quilts in the last two posts got me all fired up to decorate for Halloween.  I found my storage bins of Halloween goodies and got busy.   It's my excuse to decorate with a few funny cats.  Does this guy not look like he has eaten way too much candy?

 I made this bloke out of wool felt many years ago.

 I had so much fun making this little quilt a few years back.

 A vintage vignette in my family room.

Somebody helping me show off the mini quilt and pumpkin on the coffee table.

 A wool felt penny rug made a couple of years ago.

 There are six of us in our immediate family and six crows on the mantle.

 A couple of funny faces!  Have fun decorating for Halloween.  A change is as good as a holiday.

Another Halloween Small Quilt!

I loved making the white and orange quilt so much I thought I would make another one.  This is another pattern from Betsy Chutchian's book, Just Treats, No Tricks!

 The pattern is originally known as Xquisite - but named Bats for this this quilt.

I am so happy with this little quilt.  It was easy and fun to make!  There is a pattern in the book for a red and white one for Christmas.  Perhaps I will make it!

A Halloween Mini Quilt Finish!

Betsy Chutchian has published a new book entitled "Just Treats, No Tricks".  It is full of adorable Halloween quilts and projects.

I particularly liked "Popcorn"!  It was a really quick make!  Fun to do too.

Here is my version and I absolutely love it.  Those little squares are so tiny!  I free motion quilted it on my domestic sewing machine.  I think it will look so good with a couple of Halloween things on it on a table.  I can't wait to start the next project called "Bats".  I will post it as soon as I am done.

World Wide Blog Hop!

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I so appreciate you stopping by.  Karen of Faeries and Fibres nominated me to partake in this blog hop.  Please visit Karen's blog - you will be so happy you did.  She has wonderful tutorials on her blog, as well as Quilt-a-longs which are so much fun.  Her instructions are wonderful.  She goes into a lot of detail and one is never left wondering about the next step.  Her work is STUNNING and she is just a lovely lady!
Right, let's get right into those questions!!!
WHAT AM I WORKING ON?
I am working on so many projects.  I have knitting projects on the go, crocheting projects, hand piecing projects as well as sewing machine projects.  That is part of my problem.  I probably have too many projects which I am working on.   Both my grandmother's taught me to knit and crochet when I was a little girl.  They both loved handwork and I saw the joy it brought them and was very enthusiastic to learn.  My mom also knitted and she helped me make my first jersey.  It wasn't until we moved to the USA, in 2000, that I started quilting.   I love pioneer history and stories of how women made quilts with what little they had.  I often think of those ladies when I am stitching away at my projects.  After all, we had the same end goal - keeping our families warm and comfortable.

 2.  HOW DOES MY WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS OF IT'S GENRE?

This is a tough question for me to answer.  I don't know that it really does differ.  I like so many styles and will make reproduction projects and then the next one might be a modern project.  I think a trend through my work is that I like color - A LOT!  It has been very difficult for me to pin point exactly what my style is because I really do love so many of them.   This photo has three project on the back of the chair in front of my sewing machine.  The little Halloween quilt needs binding.  The yellow and grey rows are for a quilt for my bed.  The turquoise peeking out at the bottom is a Christmas Quilt which I am busy quilting.

 3.  WHY DO I CREATE WHAT I DO?
I do what I do because I have to.  It is as necessary as breathing to me.  Honestly, I work on something every single day.  A day without stitching leaves me feeling like the day has been wasted.   Even if it is only a few stitches.  I have a project on the kitchen table, because I can get a bit done while I cook.  You know that watched pot never boils - well I don't watch it - I stitch until it does!  I have a project on the sofa for evening stitching.  There is always something I am working on at the machine for those five minutes of free time.  I love making things to make my home a warm, comfortable environment for my family.

4.  HOW DOES MY CREATIVE PROCESS WORK?
This is another tough question.  I am a very visual person.  I will see something I like and want to make it.  It could be the colors which make the project so pretty or the design.  There is usually one element which makes me want to make one of my own.  I don't stress too much about fabric choice.  That seems to be a bit easier for me than for many others.  When I get started I will make a few blocks and then sew them into rows, add a few more blocks  and sew them into rows.  I just can't sit down and sew a bunch of blocks in one sitting.  It gets boring very quickly.  I might have stitched together 3 or 4 rows of a quilt and then need to cut out the fabric for the blocks for the next rows.  Many of you will probably think I am a hot mess!!!  It works for me though.  If there is a technique which I have not tried before, I will get it sorted out in my head before I attempt it.  I need to feel clear about what I am about to do.

I would like to introduce you to two quilters who have stunning blogs of their own.
Ellyn at Ellyn's Place makes wonderful projects.  She likes color and makes wonderfully modern quilts.  She is a really good seamstress too and has made several wonderful garments.
Sarah at Sarah did it, has a really neat blog.  She has several linky events which are so much fun.  She has help for hexaholics, the bibliophile files, and a blog post written by her cats on a Friday which always crack me up.  She has a wonderful sense of humor.
Please stop by and visit them.  They will be answering their creative questions next Monday (29th of September).

A Wall Hanging Finish!

I really like making big quilts and afghans!  I love making wall hangings too because they are quick makes.  I can also quilt them happily without wrestling the gator under my machine.  I have just finished a Little Bites by Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. pattern called Grain!  I like how the patches were put on point and I really like the pieced border.  The light outside today is so pretty so I took the quilt out and laid it on my sons chopping block.

 I had so much fun quilting this project.  I am trying to expand my repertoir of quilting patterns for Free Motion Quilting.

 I have nailed pebbles and really want to try feathers.  I am sure that is going to take a whole heap of practice.

 I like dense quilting and always tend to FMQ densely.  In fact, I struggle to do huge quilt designs.  I have tried but somehow they always turn out rather densely.  I love the binding fabric.  Looks like bark!

It is still very much summer here in Texas although we had a teaser last weekend with temperatures in the 60's and 70's for a few days.  It was heavenly.   My hibiscus are enjoying the 90's (as opposed to the  100's).  Still a bit hot for me though.  I hope you are enjoying the last days of summer!!!

A Mug Rug for Swap Club!

I host the Swap Club at our LQS and we have a bunch of fun coming up with ideas and picking our project.  I usually try to make an original pattern for the swap.  Since our swap was in September we decided on a Halloween Mug Rug.  I had so much fun putting it together.  The bat is made from wool felt and has been embroidered.  Stem stitch, lazy daisy stitch for the leaves, and french knots for the flowers.  

 I free motion quilted and echoed the "boo" on the bat in the quilting.  It took all of 5 minutes to quilt and I was having so much fun I wished it was bigger.  Adding cursive writing into your quilting is really easy.  This little guy was so much fun to make.  Of course I had to swap him and I miss his face - well, I will just have to make another one.  I have not told you my sad story about mug rugs.  I never use them - they are so cute and precious that I could not bear to add a coffee ring or tea drops to the design.  So I hang them on the side of a cupboard I have in my kitchen as art!!!  Crazy to the n'th degree!  Thank you for stopping by and have a great day.

The Bibliophile Files for August!

Sarah at Sarahdidit.blogspot.com hosts the Bibliophile Files once a month.  It is super to see what other people read and what they recommend.  It gives good ideas for that trip to the library!  Here are my reads for August!  The Book of Lost Threads is a book about a daughter who, as a young adult, finds her biological father.  It explores the development of their relationship and the characters of the people close to them.  Not the best read ever - a rather gloomy sort of a tale.

 I have found another author who writes whodunnit stories in conjunction with a group of knitters who are apt to sit and solve the mystery as their needles click away.  The main protagonists are an interesting assortment of people.  Entertaining.  I love the titles of these books.  Clever!!!

 That's it folks!!! I would love to get more reads under the belt for September!  See you next month with another edition of The Bibliophile Files!