This One Is Purely for Me

As I said in my last post, I had made a quilt based on the cover of Kaffe Fassett's book, Glorious Patchwork. I gave it to someone I still love dearly, but I really wanted to keep it. Anyway, this one is for me. It's not the same, and it's still not according to any pattern. I just sort of made it up as I went along.

It is going to live here over my quilt frame. I love it there already. You may notice that I moved the one that was in that spot. It is now covering my quilt machine, so I still get to see it every day, too.

Here are some looks at progress as we went along.

And this is fresh from the washer and dryer after quilting. I like the way the aqua blocks seem to glow.

When I took Buddy out late the other night I saw this little tree frog between the screening and the hardware cloth. I thought he was trapped, so I woke up Mr. Muddling to come and free him. He just tapped on the screen and the little frog went right back out though that tiny little square in the hardware cloth. I was shocked. And sorry to have ruined Mr. Muddling's sleep. Fortunately he still loves me!

This is not a great picture. I was using a flashlight, but here is the frog, safe and sound.

Adventures and muddling, that's what we have here, as usual!

Hope you're having a wonderful week.

Hugs and kisses,

Muddling As Usual

I have been working on a quilt similar to one I made several years ago. It has always been one of my favorites, and I decided I wanted to make one to live here.

I've been making these blocks for a coupe of weeks now.

I've put them up on the design wall and then expanded to two design walls. I've remade blocks and rearranged blocks and it is beginning to look like the never ending project. But I WILL finish it. 

This sugary bit of deliciousness is a fried apple pie.

My sister Sue lives in Colorado and has an apple tree that has been very generous to her and her sweet husband this year. She decided to try drying some of the bounty. I was the very fortunate recipient of some of that and right away made some of these goodies. Mr. Muddling and I enjoyed them. Quite a lot!

Looking out into Ruthie's garden I see the althea is blooming beautifully. It is also called a rose of Sharon.

Mostly it's just a muddy mess out there. We've had lots of rain and more to come.

But, I need look no further than the kitchen windowsill to see my sweet African violets blooming their little hearts out for me! I do love them.

I hope there is something you love seeing in your world today!

Hugs and kisses,

A Horses Panel Wallhanging

I bought a panel with horses a while back, with our daughter Mary in mind. She is a lover of horses. I had no idea how I wanted to use the panel, so I just let it marinate in the stash for a time.

Then I saw a video Donna Jordan of Jordan Fabrics posted. Surprisingly enough (!!!) I had this wood tone fabric already in the stash, too. 

I changed the cutting directions she gave to make it work for my fabric.

I used a very small meandering stitch. It took me as long to quilt this little panel as it does a full size quilt! We'll get it in the mail to our baby girl, probably tomorrow. Hope she and Matt love it as much as I do!

Just for the fun of it, no makeup at all, but a big cup of coffee. Mr. Muddling is the one who choose that very dark blue nail polish!  So funny. He and Miss Ru went round and round when she wanted to wear the dark colors. Of course she won. 

For a while it looked like there would not be any lemons this year, but now there are lots on the little tree on the upper left. The African violets are still gladdening my heart in the kitchen window, and Mr. Muddling bought another orchid for me! I do love flowers, and I am so thankful for the ones I am privileged to enjoy.

We've had threatening weather all week, but only a very little rain. Our dogs do not like the thunder, but thunder is mainly what we got!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and lots of fun!

Hugs and kisses,

Winding Ways Number 2

I posted Winding Ways Number 1 back in December. I fully intended to get the second one done soon, but life intervened.

Now, Number Two has been completed and delivered. The first went to the husband and this one went to the wife. Can you see the circles? Once you see them, they are always there. I love that secondary design!

Here it is in Ruthie's garden. The blocks, borders and binding are all made of batiks. The Go! Cutter makes it so much simpler to assemble. The pieces go together perfectly.

In the early morning light showing off its crinkly beauty.

The backing is this small red and white print. Altogether a happy and I think a pretty quilt. I like it a lot!

We were in the grocery store yesterday and they had some pretty little orchids. I had to get another.  Makes me happy to see such a lovely little bunch of blooms right there in my window.

I hope you're having a good week. We've been promised rain, but so far - nothing. Oh well. Life is still good anyway!

Hugs and kisses,

World Traveler

When I saw this new collection of fabrics at Connecting Threads I knew immediately I needed to buy a fat quarter pack and make a quilt for a special person.

Next Sunday will be the last Sunday service at our church where our much loved Pastor Sulynn has blessed us all for the past six years. It is a bittersweet time. She is still going to be in ministry, but it will be on a larger arena. There will be lots of travelling involved, hence "World Traveler".

This is made using the Accuquilt Go! Cutter and the half hexagon die. I added a few extra fabrics into the mix, then added a one inch rust colored inner border and another border of some of the Kaffee Fassett Liberty print from several years back.

These photos were all taken in different parts of our back yard, just to give it a head start on the "travelling"!

I decided to add this fleece backing because you just never know when you might need a warmer quilt in your travels. This print is supposed to represent undersea life, but it could be most anything! One thing for sure it is - colorful!

In the early morning light you can really see the wavy line quilting and all that crinkly, comfy wonderfulness. I believe it will serve her well.

Meanwhile there are still lots of pretty things happening out in our own backyard. It's a good life our good God has given us here and we are so thankful!

I had a partial cornea transplant this week and it went extremely well. Follow up with the surgeon will be on Wednesday and the stitches should come out then.

I hope there are lots of wonderful things in your world. Even for those of us who don't travel the whole world, there are still so many beautiful things to enjoy!

Hugs and kisses,

Under the Sea

Our very dear niece asked me to make a Little Mermaid quilt for her. 

I found the Little Mermaid panel on ebay. There were some underwater pieces in my fabric collection, and they lined up to play along with some batik with a fishnet pattern. 

It took me a little while for it to come together in my mind, but after it did, I had a lot of fun making it.

Miss Janome came out to do the blanket stitch applique.  

And I found this perfect backing for it also in my stash. It has already been sent to its new home in Arizona, and I had a lovely picture sent me of our niece wrapped up in her new quilt with a big smile! I don't mind telling you it made my day.

My African violets are making me very happy there in the kitchen window. The roses and carnations came to me from my darling son a little over a week ago and are still quite pretty.

We've had a lot of rain this week and I don't mind one little bit. It has given us a delightful break from the heat and the dry we've dealt with for too long.

I hope you are having a good time where you are and finding lots that is making you happy!

Hugs and kisses,

Thirty-Six Patch and Pinwheels

But first a gratuitous chicken picture. Don't they look like they're sharing juicy gossip? Seriously, chickens are endlessly entertaining, or maybe I'm just easily amused!

I finished this one for the USO Lounge at our local airport.  

The backing is this blue small print, and the binding is a multi-color stripe.

It's a pretty quilt, isn't it! It is always satisfying to have one come together as you hope it will.

I received this lovely bouquet from a dear friend in the UK.  I've been spoiled this week by many people, especially my dear Mr. Muddling to celebrate my birthday. I am so thankful for each and every one of them!

It's a good life, and I do hope you're having a good weekend!

Hugs and kisses,