Snow in South Louisiana? ! ?

Our middle grandson is enrolled in a very nice preschool.  Every year they have a snow day. They bring in ice and make snow.  The children love it.  Here are a few pictures of the fun they had today!

Making snow

another UFO finish! Ducks!!!

Here is another top I quilted this week. I put this one together a few years when someone gave me some duck prints.  I tried the round feathers again!
It is beautiful and sunny today so I took these photos on the back patio.

I have 8 more quilt tops in the pile to finish!
Wish Me Luck!

Free motion quilting....???

I am determined to learn how to quilt feathers and designs on my quilts using my regular machine.
I found a nice round feather stencil that is getting easier to follow each time I use it.

My question to all you great quilters out there is ........do  you draw out a stencil design all the time or do you just do feathers and stuff on your own free hand.  

I feel like I am cheating when I trace a design on my quilt top to follow.  I feel as though I should be able to free motion with out having to trace it.

Please, suggestions and tips on how to get better at this.  You can see some of my work on previous posts on this blog.

I practice, practice, practice!!!!!

another finish

I finally finished this quilt top.  I made it many years ago.  It was a perfect way to practice my round feathers. I did one on each of the blocks.  It made for an interesting back for the quilt.

Grandsons in Quilts

I took these photos over the last few weeks.  Just want to share what we love most.
They love wrapping themselves up in one of my quilts.
Too Cute!  

cleaning my sewing machine

I am so bad about cleaning my sewing machine.  I always seem to be to anxious to get to the sewing part that I do not want to take the time to brush out the lint.  I am almost embarrassed to show you how bad it was.

Here is a before picture........I'm so bad huh?

  I put the bobbin so you can have an idea of how much I got out of there.

Looks so much better...I still need to get out the vacuum and get the rest but at least now I have a happy machine and I can get busy sewing again!

How often do you clean out your machine?

working on another unfinished quilt (made with vintage fabric)

I put this quilt top together about 10 years ago.  I decided it was time to quilt it.  I thought it was a perfect quilt to use to practice my round feathers.  I have about 18 more circles to do then I plan to do some free motion fill in quilting. I am not sure how I will bind it.  I am thinking of using a blue or red fabric cut on the bias and I will  try to go around the curves.  It measures about 54" by 68".  The fabric is vintage and still in great condition.  I found the fabric in a box I had with some of my mom's stash.  She was a seamstress and did a little quilting. She mostly made clothing. She passed away back in 1984 and I kept some of her fabric.  I was not quilting then so I'm not sure why I kept it.  I'll post a couple of pictures when I finish it.

My sewing plans for 2014.

I am a fabriholic.....are you?

 Last June I decided to stop buying fabric for a year..  I did pretty good.  I only bought a few yards of fleece in December, that's not fabric is it?

When we moved into our new home in October I realized that I had more fabric than I would ever be able to use. I gave some fabric to a friend's daughters who are just learning how to sew and I gave some to our local library where we did some sewing lessons.  

For 2014 I plan to complete UFOs before I start a new project.  I just ordered a big roll of warm and white batting so I will be busy quilting over the next few weeks.  I'll post photos as I finish them.  

What are your sewing plans for 2014?

A Stocking Swap....wanna play along?

I took part in a Stocking Exchange a couple of years ago and it was fun to do.   If you go to
Wasteland Wallowing
http://wastelandwallowing.blogspot.com/2014/01/stocking-swap-begins.html
you can see what it is all about.  I hope some of you decide to join in on the fun.

hugs
beebee

Happy New Year!

I pray 2014 will be a wonderful year for everyone.

Merry Christmas

I found this picture on line.  I think it is beautiful and shows us what Christmas is really all about!

Merry Christmas from our home to yours. 

I think I need to make a tree skirt in 2014. 

Hat Hat Hat

I finally got our oldest grandson here to model a hat for me. I made this one yesterday. This one is made for his aunt so it is a little big for him.  I think the grandies will get lots of use out of their hats this winter.


Is he cute or what!?!

Still another hat!!!!!

We have our precious Reed over for a visit and to spend the night.  He loves his Angry Bird hat.
He is such a cutie!

another hat

I finished making hats for the boys. E was here today for a few minutes so I had him model for me so I could get a picture for my blog

He is so funny!

My favorite Christmas song!

I have read on several blogs that people are asking their readers to indicate their favorite Christmas song.  My favorite is "Walking in the woods with my Paran"
It is sung to the tune of Walking in a Winter Wonderland.
You can hear it here.  What is your favorite Christmas song?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOu7R_QJmGU

Bear on a quilt!

My friend Jan has done it again.  She made this adorable quilt for her grandson.
Beautiful paper piecing.

Christmas program time

Our two older grandies were both in school Christmas performances.  They were so sweet and did a  great job.

On Thursday evening, Alden's kindergarten class sang some cute Christmas songs.

We brought Reed with us to see the show.  I love these precious boys.

Today, Reed's preschool class performed a little Christmas play and he was a reindeer.  Cutie pie!

My DH and I love being able to spend so much time with our grandsons.

cute hat

I found this idea on this blog http://lovelaughquilt.blogspot.com/  She always has the best ideas and she does beautiful work.
These little hats are easy to make and you get the tutorial here..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNMPT_brigA
  I have learned so much from the Crafty Gemini.  Her tutorials are great.

I made this little hat for my youngest grandbaby
Quick and easy to make.

Birds on a quilt...angry ones....

My grandson is obsessed with the game Angry Birds on my phone and Ipad.  He has lots of the toys.  I finally found some fabric and made this for him.

This is the front of the quilt.  It is about 48 inches square.

This is the back of the quilt.  I decided to use the left over half square triangles on the back.

Since we moved I no longer have my quilt frame in my sewing room. Not enough room in there so we put it in the garage.  Today my DH helped me get it set up and I quilted the Angry Birds quilt.  It was a little cold to be out in the garage but not really that bad.  

I plan to finish several quilts this winter. It really is not too cold out there.  Today it was in the low 50's

2 Christmas quilt tops

Several months ago I made a few blocks with some Christmas fabric I had.  I put them in a bin and found them a couple of days ago.   I decided it was time to use these blocks and finish putting together 2 quilt tops.

To make the blocks I sewed some strips from a jelly roll together then made them into half square triangles.  Sometimes I just pull out fabric pieces and precut strips and just start sewing.  The fabric usually leads me to what it wants to look like.

Here is what I came up with.

This one measures about 45 inches square.  I plan to add a couple of borders.

This one is about 60 inches square.  I don't think I will add a border.