Filmstrip and Pumpkin Spice

 

At long last this one is finished. It will go to the USO Lounge. I'm calling it Filmstrip. Can you see it?

 

It started out as just the navy blue and those darker repro colors. It seemed a little too dark to me, so I added in some neutral strips. It seems happier to me. You can see from the two outside shots that it is really not that dark a blue. It looks darker inside.

 

This is a Quilt Archeology project called Pumpkin Spice from Pam Buda of Heartspun Quilts. 

 

The colors in this one too, are much more vibrant and true when the picture is taken outside.

  

I had ordered a pack or oranges and purples from her web store and this was one of the oranges. Coincidentally it was the orange in the kit!

I had a lot of fun making this little cutie. I cannot claim to have done a perfect job, but I did enjoy making it. And that's what it's all about! 

 

We had some stormy weather last night, but today is lovely! It will be back to hot tomorrow, so we have been enjoying this cooler while it lasts!

 

I can certainly not call myself a regular blogger, but I do like to keep this online diary of some of what's going on here at Muddle Manor. I miss so many of the blogs I used to love when I first discovered blogs. To those of you who still write your blog, thank you! You are a blessing to me!

 

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend with lots of good things to anticipate in the week to come!  God is good! Always.

 

Hugs and kisses,

Elaine 

 

Two New USO Quilts!

 

This is the panel I showed last week, which has now turned into a quilt. It is such a pretty line of fabric, it would be hard to go wrong.

 

As you can see, it is happy all over the back yard!

 

I really love it so much. I hope our service members passing through the USO Lounge at IAH will be blessed by it.

 

My friend Sandy made this one. I think they will like this!

 

She did such a good job on it!

 

And would you just look at this - she embroidered each of the service names into the quilt. 

(Don't ask what I did to the color here. I have no idea. The background is a pretty brown. The first two pictures give you a better idea.) 

 

 

This is what's on my design wall, not assembled yet. I had some sashings left over from Jellystone, so I thought I would make a coin quilt with them. The solid strips framing them are a navy blue. I wasn't altogether happy with how this was looking, so I've made some changes. I'm not sure when I'll get it finished, but it is always good to have another project (or two or three, but who's counting!) in the works.

 

I hope you are doing something that gives you joy! 

 

Hugs and kisses,

Elaine

 

 

Jellystone - The Quilt

 

This is Jellystone, a pattern from Carrie Nelson, a.k.a. Miss Rosie's Quilt Company. 

I have to thank Jo Kramer, of Jo's Country Junction, for I first read about the book from which this pattern is taken - Miss Rosie's Spice of Life Quilts - on her blog here.  The cover photo on the book is the one I wanted to make, but when I got the book, I changed my mind!

 

 I DO like the cover photo quilt, and I might actually make it one of these days, but when I saw Jellystone, I quit looking! These are some progress shots.

 

And here are more pics of the finished quilt. I do love it so much!

 

A little look at what's going on outside here at Muddle Manor, on a background of a lovely sunset cloudscape. The little toad was a night time visitor in the chicken yard.

 

To be perfectly honest, I don't remember when I bought the fat quarter pack containing this stunning panel from the wonderful Thimbleanna, but now that we are making quilts again for the USO, I opened it up, washed all the fabrics, ironed them and started cutting. I just took the finished quilt off the frame. I will show you the finish next time! Deb Strain is the designer of this Moda line and it is perfectly lovely.

 

It is still very hot here, but we are promised a respite next week, only high eighties! LOL - I'll take it! 

 

I've been watching Queen Elizabeth's funeral service. It has been very moving and beautiful. What a legacy she leaves behind!

I hope your week is going well and that you are finding things you love and enjoying them. God has given us a wonderful world in which to live!

Hugs and kisses,

Elaine

 

 
 

Exciting News!

 

I had an email recently from our contact at the USO Lounge at our local airport. They had not been accepting any of our quilts for quite a while because of covid restrictions and cautions. 

But now they were ready to start receiving them again. My friend Sandy and I were so excited! And we already had these ready for them.

Last Thursday Mr. Muddling and I took a box of the eight quilts above to meet our contact person from the USO, dear Robin, and drop them off!  

We are all so glad to once again have this outlet for our quilting passion, and to know they will bring comfort and a blessing to the service people who pass through that airport lounge. 

 

It may not shock you to see that I have already finished this one which has been in the works for quite a while.

 

 This red, white and blue is already in the line up for the next delivery.

 

The backing is a different blue print.

 

Looks ready for a lie down, doesn't it?

 

We are so thankful we can do this for our service men and women. I appreciate their service and the sacrifices they make for our country.

 

I hope all is well in your part of the world and that you are finding ways to be a blessing to someone, even yourself!

 

Hugs and kisses,

Elaine 

 

Batik Tumblers and Chocolate Covered Cherries

 

I purchased the Accuquilt Go 4 inch tumbler die a while back. What a fun die it is! I had a larger and a smaller tumbler die, but like Goldilocks, this one is just right! It was so much fun putting this little quilt together. Perhaps you might be able to guess that Mr. Muddling has already claimed it for his own.  

 

Remember in my last post I showed the pattern I planned to use for the Kim Diehl fabric, Chocolate Covered Cherries? I decided to add sashing and a small friendship star between each block. I am pleased with how it finished.

 

 

 Here's a better look at the finished product. I really like it. This one is for a special friend and will be headed her way next week.

 

Like a lot of you, we've had brutally high temperatures lately. Houston is always hot in the Summer, but this year seems even worse. Maybe it's me. Anyway, I'm not doing a lot outside in the daytime. However, at night, it cools down a little and I love to look at that night sky. We've had some pretty clouds and the moon is wonderful. We even got a little rain on Wednesday! Glorious rain!

 

I hope all is well in your part of the world and that there are things that are making your truly happy! God is still good, and I am so thankful for that!

 

Hugs and kisses,

Elaine 

 

Kim Diehl and Sandy Gervais

 

A while back I reserved a pack of Kim Diehl's new line of fabric, Chocolate Covered Cherries. Got to love a name like that, don't you. I got an email it was ready to ship, and it arrived this week!

 

I was looking through this book for a project to use that beautiful fabric.

 

I was intrigued by this pattern by Sandy Gervais, "Spring Mosaic". 

 

Here are the first few blocks made with that new fabric. I think it's going to work quite well! I'm thinking about adding sashing, though it's not in the pattern.

 

 

I cut most all of the pieces with my Studio die cutter. I love how much easier it makes it for me to make quilts!

 

We've still had no appreciable rain, nor has a "nor'easter" whipped through here, so it's hot. But air conditioning is a wonderful thing! And so is having something to do that does not require going outside. God is good!

 

I hope all is well in your corner of the world and that you are having some fun!  I am thankful for our blog world where we can share our interests, frustrations and happiness!

 

Hugs and kisses,

Elaine 

 

Two Baby Quilts

 

We have two friends who are about to become grandparents. 

I saw a fabric called Bramble Patch by Hannah Dale in one of the quilting magazines that arrive here regularly. I just fell in love with it and had to have some. I found it at Fat Quarter Shop online and bought enough to make me happy. 

This first little quilt is made of four patches and framed five inch charms.

 

This one is a framed panel from that line. I love the little forest animals. They are so sweet!

 

I quilted both at the same time using the same solid gray for backing and binding.

 

You can't tell a lot about the quilts here, but they are fresh from the washer and dryer and so wonderfully cuddly! I hope each baby and his parents will love them as much as I do!

 

This is the plaque we placed in Ruthie's garden to commemorate our friend Dawn. 

 

 

Ruthie would like it.

 

The tumblers I cut from batiks have now been assembled into a quilt top. The backing and batting are all ready. Now I just have to get it loaded and quilted!

 

Isn't it good to have plenty to do inside on these so hot days. I seem to forget how hot it gets here in the summer, but I have remembered now! The very best thing to do in Houston is hibernate in the summer and go out and about in the winter!

 

I hope you are finding ways and means to stay busy and happy where you are.

I'm thankful for so many things and for so many people. I'm thankful for you!

 

Hugs and kisses,

Elaine