Weekend Fun

TRIP TO THE ZOO

My husband and I, along with his daughter and our 2 granddaughters took a trip to the Kansas City Zoo.  What a wonderful weekend it was.  The weather was sunny and warm.  We walked, and walked and walked, but also took the train, tram, boat ride and the sky lift.  Soo much fun.  

 Feeding time

 Elegant, aren't they!

 Nap time.

 We have us a climber!

 

The giraffe is one of my favorites.   Maybe it's because I have a long neck too!

 

This is a face only a mother could love!

Alpha male! 

I hope everyone gets out and enjoys the spring.

Thanks for visiting,

Cinder

Baskets and Pillows

LOVELY FOGGY MORN

 

 This is what awaited me this morning.  What a lovely sight.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 PAST BASKETS

Here are a few of my baskets that my sister has.  

This grapevine handled small basket was woven with cream colored corduroy material, jute and dyed reed.  I love how each grapevine handle can look differently.  On the potato basket, I dyed the reed in walnut hulls and dark green Ritz dye.  The ribs of both baskets are made with creek bank willow.

The large potato basket is made from reed, scraped willow bark and willow ribs and rim.  I put handles on this one, but (oops) the dog chewed one side off.  I will have to put some time in on repairs, it's looking kind of loose and worn.  The small egg basket is woven with sea grass, dyed reed and pansy fabric, with a grapevine handle. 

This small unique basket has willow ribs, barbed wire handle and woven with torn denim jeans.   One of my favorites!  I made sure that the barbs were spaced apart in the center so your hand would not get stabbed!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PROJECT LIST

I'm still working on it!  Here are the wool cut up for the braided rug:  blue, red, green, tan and plaids.  The rug is starting to take shape and looks good.

More on it later and I added a...

NEW PROJECT

Ok, so I added one more task to my list.  My sister, (I talk about my sister a lot, but I do have 3 brothers too!) needed some pillows to match a rocking chair seat that she recovered.  Glad to do it for her.

 

Old pillows and new fabric.  They're going to look good!

Thanks for visiting

Cindy

Duckling Quilt, Fan Quilt and Spicy Spiral Table Runner

1930's VINTAGE QUILT PATTERN

Here it is, my Duckling quilt.  The colors pop, although the picture doesn't reflect that, and I really enjoyed working on it.  It was machine sewed together, then I hand quilted it.  I drew wavy lines free hand on the border and sash to make it look like the ducks were flying in the sky.

I found a nice yellow spotted fabric for the back and use the same print from the blocks for the binding.

 Just a reminder....

The Kansas City Star published free quilt patterns from designers and readers from 1928 to 1961 in the hopes of increasing female readership.  This one is an Eveline Foland design called Ducklings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UPDATED CHORE LIST

Quilts

1 Duckling quilt in the quilting frame - COMPLETED

1 Fan quilt being hand tied - COMPLETED

1 quilt no longer in the quilting frame (I'm not happy with it)

3 quilt tops done, ready to be put together  - 1 OF THESE QUILTS NOW IN FRAME

9 sets of blocks in various stages of incompleteness (is that a word?)

5 different piles of fabric ready to be cut into blocks

and lots and lots of fabric just waiting....

Rug

1 wool braided rug fabric ready to be cut into strips

Table Runner

2 different piles of fabric picked out ready to be cut -
1 COMPLETED

Needlepoint

3 pillow canvases

Deer antlers 
3 antlers to be made into baskets - someday

Not bad!  I'm working right along.  The quilt in the frame that I'm hand quilting  I call  "Cappuccino", the colors are warm and gorgeous.  I'll continue working on the needlepoint pillow, (which is slow work) and maybe put a dent in the wool rug project.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FAN QUILT

This quilt came to me completely done, along with a bunch of fabric.  I used a light pink for the back and hand tied it.   I like the bit of lace that was used.


I have some of these fabrics in my stash!  I gave this quilt to my sister as an extra blanket when all her grandchildren come over.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SPICY SPIRAL TABLE RUNNER

This table runner I made for my sister from fabric I had in my stash pile.  She wanted blues and yellows.  I only has a small amount of the blue check, so I pieced some together. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for visiting,

Cinder

Polyester Quilt and 1950-1960 Quilt Blocks

1970's QUILT

This full size polyester quilt was made by my sister-in-law Mel's grandmother, Trula Whitlock, from Arkansas.  Mel held on to it for many years and this past fall I took on the task of quilting it.  I found a large piece of teal double knit fabric at my favorite thrift store that matched.   



This quilt is multi-colored, notice the fluorescent orange and yellow in the center!   



Trula did an excellent job hand sewing the squares together.  ALL the points matched perfectly and have stayed secured over the years. 

     

Quilting was a task as polyester moves around.  I had to tape the back to my basement floor, pinned the top on and hold them down with gallon bottles of water.  I'd sit on the floor to tie it, using a running stitch all the way across, then cut and tied it.

To finish, I just folded the back over to make the binding.  I didn't tell Mel that I started quilting it, I just surprised her by mailing it to her and not telling her I'd finished.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mel recently sent me a box full of Trula's blocks and 2 quilt tops last week! 



The incomplete Sunbonnet Sue quilt was make in the 1960's for Mel.   There are lots of extra pieced Sunbonnet Sue's and Mel thinks Trula was going to make one for all the girl cousins.  I really like how frugal our past quilters were.  If there was not enough fabric, they just sewed some small pieces together to make a one large one.   Trula did this on several of the Sunbonnet Sue's.  The circle "dinner plate" blocks are interesting, I've haven't seen it before. 

Thanks Mel and Trula, I will do you both proud and do my best.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snow, Snow, Again!

I really enjoyed the snow this year.  This particular day it was an absolutely delightful.  It clung to the trees and fences.  The snow in the picture has melted but now it is snowing again.   

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PROJECTS

This year my goal is to finish lots of the projects that I have started/accumulated over the years.  My problem, (oh I have lots of problems), is that someone is always giving me unfinished items to work on and I can't wait to put them on my shelf.  My sister is always amazed when she comes over and sees what I have added to my "pile".  

So, here is a breakdown:

Quilts

1 Duckling quilt in the quilting frame

1 Fan quilt being hand tied

1 quilt no longer in the quilting frame (I'm not happy with it)

3 quilt tops done, ready to be put together 

9 sets of blocks in various stages of incompleteness (is that a word?)

5 different piles of fabric ready to be cut into blocks

and lots and lots of fabric just waiting....

Rug

1 wool braided rug fabric ready to be cut into strips

Table Runner

2 different piles of fabric picked out ready to be cut 

Needlepoint

3 pillow canvases

Deer antlers

3 antlers to be made into baskets - someday

What will I seriously get completed?

I'll keep you posted,

Thanks for visiting

Cinder

Needlepoint Pillows and Quilt

BUCILLA NEEDLEPOINT

A co-worker gave me 3 needlepoint pillow/chair seat canvas a few weeks ago that her mother bought at an auction.  I thought the wool floral design was so beautiful, the colors so vibrant. 

 Of course I ran right out to Hobby Lobby and bought a skein of mohair yarn.  The color is called biscuit and was soooo soft. 

 

 And it came with instructions!   For only $6.50.

 I'm getting my sofa reupholstered soon and now will have 3 matching pillow to put on it.  Can you image something matching in my house instead of my "interesting" collection of hodgepodge items?  I'll keep you posted on how it all turns out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

QUILT AS YOU GO

At a family dinner last month, my mother-in-law, Norma, told me how to make a quilt-as-you-go quilt.  I couldn't wait to get started.  I had these yellow and orange fabrics pick out for a future project. 

 

 First I cut strips.  I chose 2 1/2"  wide strips, but they can be any size.   Then I spray starched the strips.  I was thinking that the strips may move around as I'm quilting and starching would make them stiffer and hold in place better.  I cut my batting and back fabric and pinned them together.  I decided to make a crib size.   I laid out the color order that I wanted the strips, then took the plunge....

The first and second strip were placed at the end on top of the batting facing each other and I used my walking foot and sewed all the away across.  Then I ironed the second strip so it laid flat and placed the 3rd strip on top, sewed it down and just repeated the process.

Above picture shows the top strip sewed down and the bottom picture shows the same strip ironed and ready for the next strip.

 This quilt was fun and quick, but I'm not the best machine quilter.  (I prefer hand quilting)  

My lines aren't exactly straight, it looks like I've been drinking while I quilt!   (Honest I don't drink!  Just ask Sherri, she'll vouch for me)  Now all I have to do is put the binding on it.  If I make another one, (and I probably will) I'm thinking about wider strips and having them vertical instead of horizontal.  

Thanks for visiting,
Cinder

Quilting Frame and Quilt

NEW QUILTING FRAME

OMG!  What was I thinking?  Did I take measurement?  NO.  Did I consider the size of my living room?  NO.  Did I consider the weight of the frame just to move it?  NO.  Did I want it?  YES.  Do I like it?  YES, YES, YES!!!  I'm talking about my new quilting frame. 

Look at how much space the frame takes up, but I have the whole Duckling quilt on it and still have some (hum) room to move around in the living room.  My "area" is on the far side of the room and only encroach on my husbands side when I have to work on the the right side.  And... he doesn't seem to mind that its there.  Wow! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 SMALL CRIB QUILT

This small quilt I made last year.  I only had small amounts of each of the fabrics and this is what I ended up with.  The colors go well together and I used a light purple for the back.

 

What I did differently was add some of the fabric to the binding and I really like it.

 

 I machine quilted this one, but I'm not very good at it.  I prefer hand quilting.

 

 This quilt is going to a 4 month old little girl.  Her mother is a Physical Therapist Assistant student that I have been working with on her first clinical affiliation at my facility, which is skilled therapy in a nursing home.  She's been with me for the whole month of January and tomorrow is her last day.  What a good therapist she will be.  Her patience, communication skills and knowledge base is very good.  I know our patients have enjoyed working with her and so have I.  Best wishes to her on her continued studies and next clinical experience.

Thanks for visiting

Cinder

Baskets

 DEER ANTLER BASKET

Here is a collection of some of my baskets that I use every day.  This basket was one of the first deer antler baskets that I made around 2001.  It was very different then regular handled basket, as I had to make sure that it was balanced and would sit without falling to one side.  I helped this out by adding the stone with a hole in it that I got from my friend Sherri.  The ribs are willow and the reed was dyed in walnut hulls.

 This basket is in my bathroom holding wash clothes. 

 

 POTATO BASKET

This basket was made in 2004 from reed that was dyed in walnut hulls and yellow ritz dye.  I also used sunflower fabric for weaving.  The rim is an old embroidery hoop that was my grandmother's.

 This is where I keep my curlers. (Yes there are some of us out there that sleep in curlers!)

  

WILLOW BASKET

I purchased some bamboo handles in the mid 1990's and made this fun basket from willow and dyed reed.  To dress it up I added a green satin ribbon.

 

 

 This basket holds my makeup.  It's getting pretty beat up from daily use and some of the ribs are getting broken.  I'll use it until it wears out and enjoy every minute of it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UPDATE:  I'm soooo excited.  I just purchased a new quilting frame this week and can't wait till it arrives.  NOW I'll be able to hand quilt crib to queen size quilts!  Up to now my frame only allows full size as the largest and that would put a strain on it.  Oh what fun I'm going to have.  And my husband is sooo happy to have it in the living room!!!!

 Thanks for visiting