I'm leaving

Just a quick note to those who visit my blog.  My Gramps has taken a turn for the worst.  I'll be leaving this evening to help care for him in his final days.  Due to the fact that he lives in such a remote area, my phone and internet will not work.  I'll be at the mercy of land lines and no cable tv! Yikes! I'm taking my computer so I can still design quilts in EQ during my downtime.  And of course I'll have a hand stitching project to help pass the time if needed.    Thank you to all of you that have supported me during this process.  I'll see in a few days, hopefully this will be a quick process.

Lea Anne

I'm Back

No quilty news to report.  I've spent the last 4 days teaching my aunt to care for my Gramps.  I took "My Tweets" applique project along with me to work on in down time.  NO DOWN TIME!  Our days were nonstop from 5 am to 1 am, yes that's not a typo, average sleep a day was 4 hrs.  

I did manage to get a few snapshots of the mules and horses in Gramps pasture.

 

 This ole mule would come up to the fence everyday and wait for dinner table scraps.   

Back in the studio I've stood and stared at the design wall, drawing a blank.  Let me tell ya, Stella has lost her groove.  However the yellow border strip isn't making a big impression on me at this time.  Well neither is the pink.  

I'm off to get my groove back by surfing the web and opening up the stash cabinets.  

Lea Anne

Confession to make

Most of you know me as Lea.  Well that is my name, part of it anyway.  Friends and family  call by my full name which is Lea Anne.  I only use Lea for more formal situations.  Today I'll start signing my post and e-mails as Lea Anne.  OK so it's not the kind of confession that needs a priest.  You all thought you were going to get some real dirt on me didn't you!  Of course not, I'm an angel....now I do need a priest for that big lie!  My about me thing over there to the right has change a little also to reflect my "new" name.  

Back in the Studio things are still the same.  Designing(scribbling) a couple new quilts.  Not quite ready to cut and stitch just yet.  So I've bagged them up till the time is right.

 Here's just a little snippet of 2 new designs

                                          

Lea Anne

Truly Scrumptious

It was a quilty mail day yesterday.  Who doesn't love quilty mail!  The best package was this lovely little package from Corrie at Quilt Taffy!  Their Etsy shop is full of delicious fabrics and patterns.  Isn't funny how you get so excited to tear open a package even when you know whats in it!  But what makes it even more exciting is I won it on the Quilt Taffy Blog!  (SQUEEAL!)  Thank you so much to Corrie and Des, you have TRULY made this a SCRUMPTIOUS Day!

 And this was also in the mail, an added bonus of eye candy that I wasn't expecting. Does anyone else keep these just to look through for inspiration?  I've about 2 years worth that I occasionally flip through.  Yep its an addiction!  How do I know, because my heart races when I flip through the pages, and if I can't look at something quilty everyday I start getting anxious and need a fix.  Sad, but healthier than ingesting harmful toxins. 

Oh so now you want to know what was in the package....LOL!   I just had to leave you hanging, just to see if you had the addiction too!  

TADA!  SCRUMPTIOUS!  SCRUMP-DIDDLY-UMP-SHUSH!  I've loved and wanted this fabric from the moment that they announced it, before it was even printed my saliva glands went all haywire and drooled on my keyboard.  But being that I'm on a fabric diet...You know how it is only buy what you need to finish a project.   But if your not buying its all fair game!

Well it took about .05 seconds for me to rip that cement bound package open.  And within minutes the designing juices started flowing.  I had to lay them out and add some of my leftover Marmalade to the mix.  Notice how they are in stacks of three?  Oh these little juicy morsels are being prepared for cutting.  My pattern needed 6 more charms, and the Marmalade worked in just fine. 

Now I told you earlier how when this package came I squealed like a little girl. But what I didn't mention is that I started singing.  Yep right there in the driveway, package in hand, whirling and twirling.  Its a good thing I live in the country, because city folks might have called 911 about the crazy lady dancing in the driveway.    Since the day I saw this fabric I've been singing this song every time I see it.  "Truly Scrumptious"  from the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  I've loved the movie since a child and my children were totally sick of watching it by the time they left home.  And to this day if its on TV I'm watching it! (I have it on VHS but don't own a VCR, need to update the movies to DVD)  Well if you have no idea what I'm talking about here's a little clip from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Enjoy!

Lea

Design Wall 9-16-13

Isn't it just a fine wonderfully beautiful Monday Morning!?  The heat wave has passed leaving the mornings crisp here in Podunk.  Sleeping with the windows open with my favorite quilt is just what a gal needs to feel refreshed and ready for the days inspiration.  And as always there's tons of it!  If your feeling like you need a little kick in the inspiration patootie, grab a cup of Joe and  head on over to Judy's to be amazed and inspired!    Oh what the heck lets link up with Connie over at Freemotionbytheriver also.  I've jumped in here to edit and add a link to Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesdays!  This is the first time I've linked up with Lee, what a great blog!  

  I'll admit not work much on my design wall this week.  Most of the work has been in my head and in EQ.  I'm a design as you go kinda quilter.  A couple of sections sewn together, the top middle and the one to right of the top middle.  Looking pretty cheery!  What do you think about "Carnival Carousel" as a name?  

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Most spare time has been on this monster.  The sashing detail takes awhile, marking and ruler work overload!  Even the free motion to make the diamonds pop is so tedious.  And that ripper you see at the bottom right isn't there for props! 

 The set in sections....tons more ruler work.

 Tickle me with a feather, they are everywhere on this quilt!  

Well my cup of Joe is just about empty, that means it's time to get moving!    I've been using this cup for about 15 -20 years.  My ex-husband was a Camel smoker and saved up Camel dollars to get this cup free.  He didn't like it after he got it.  Well it fits my hand perfectly, I like a thick cup, stays hot longer.  So EVERYDAY this is washed and ready!

Lea

I don't feel this old

Meet Alyn Koloni my newest grandbaby.  My daughter says her hair is speckled with blonde.  This makes grandchild number 2.   Hopefully I'll be able to see her sometime soon.   When do you start feeling like a granny?  

Lea

This is how I want my grandkids to remember me!

She made my pattern!

There's nothing like seeing someone make a quilt using your design.  It just tickled me pink.  Can you believe I almost forgot to share this cutie with you?  This is Annelies from Sew Blessed and her Cherry on Top Quilt, that I designed.  SEW CUTE!  Okay so I'm a little bit biased....

You can find the pattern here on my blog under the tutorials tab at the top of the page.  If you've made or are making any of my patterns I'd love to see them, and share them here!  

Lea

Keeping Busy!

 A lot of small projects being made but no quilts.  I found these apples awhile back and they've been sitting on top of one of my cabinets.  They need a home....So....

I started digging and found these, left overs from my bag making days a few years ago.

Weaved up a basket in about an hour and covered a coffee can with fabric and ric- rac.....AWWW!  

Over the past weekend I did some sewing. Made these cute curtains.  The valance was supposed to be full curtains but I made a bad cut and ruined the whole plan!  Oh well plans can change!

Take the mistake and make a cute curtain for the door!

Adorable little cherries for the rod pocket!

The ironing board needed a new cover so I covered it with soft pink, its under these mini design boards made from cardboard boxes and leftover fusible batting from my bag making days also.

 And finally last night I managed to get one section(top middle) of this sewn together.  Before I go any farther I need to decide where to go from here.  I've played around with a couple of ideas in my mind just need to work them out on paper or EQ.  

That's it!  Now the plan is to do some quilting.  The quilt on the frame is starting to get dusty from sitting there waiting.  I'm such a procrastinator when it comes to the quilting.  See you in a few!

Lea

Treadling along

I was so excited when mom called and told me to come and get her old treadle.  Its been buried under a pile of junk for over 20 years.  Before that it was in the garage, then used as a plant stand.  Yep the typical vintage sewing machine horror story.  It was such a let down to see this machine after 20 years.  She looks so good from here.  Well for 116 years old, born in 1897.

Most of the decals are still there, and some of the paint is starting to peel.  The shuttle area has some surface rust, but nothing that can't be fixed.  I've not a clue how to properly care for her.  I suppose the first thing to do is give her a drink of oil!  But before I jump in both feet first I'll need to do a little research.

This is the saddest part, its also peeling.  Breaks my heart.  If you have a treasure and you don't take care of it....sigh....it soon becomes junk.  Thankfully I rescued this one before its death.  I think with a little TLC she might be able to pull through.  

But for now I'm putting her in safe place where no more harm can be done. OOPS! I almost forgot to show you this.

 And when you open it up!  Not sure if it originally came with the machine.  But its the best preserved part of the whole bundle.  

Lea

Designing Again!

The Internet is a quilters downfall.  So many inspiring ideas!  I'm linking up with Judy again today because I just love seeing what everyone is doing.  How can a quilter resist?  So much inspiration.  And that's how this one came to be.  Somewhere in the last few weeks I saw a quilt like this one on the wall.   So much for killing the UFO's and WIP'S.  But you'll be happy to know they are all nicely organized. 

This week cleaning the studio and tweaking the room has taken forever.  Before my movable design wall was nothing more than a sheet of foam.  Saturday I bound a piece of batting and pinned her to the wall, its about 80 x 90.  The plan was to frame it with wood trim, but who wants to drive into town.  And as much as I change my mind that was just to permanent.  The gray binding gave me the framed look without all the extra work and expense. 

Well it's back to the room of doom!  Momma called yesterday and told me to come and get her sewing table and old machine.  How old? late 1800's!  It would've been nice if she had done that before the big studio clean up.  Now I've more moving and work to do other than sewing.  

Lea

Cleaning day in the studio

Have mercy!  What a mess in here!  How does it get so messy.  Most of yesterday was spent digging through boxes and bins, rearranging fabric.  Until I ran across Grannies old machine.  Tucked away in my cutting table cabinet.   The cleaning of the Studio came to a dead stop while I cleaned and oiled this old beast.  My goodness it weighs more than all my other machines put together.  Obviously machine maintenance wasn't a top priority for Granny.  She runs so smooth.  The tension knob was all goofed up, so I took it apart and reassembled, works great now.  The bobbin casing tension  was set so high I could barely pull the thread through. 

 Just a little more tweaking to get those stitches perfect.  A new needle might help, hard telling how long that ones been in there!  I've looked online for the owners manual with no luck.  The only way I can get it to sew a straight stitch is to put the needle all the way to the left.  Other wise it sews zigzag....hummm...the name of the machine is Zigzag Deluxe, maybe it was sold for doing zigzag?

Well I better get back to catching dust bunnies, boy can they multiply quick!

Lea

Teapot Pin Cushion

Pinterest can be dangerous for the quilter that has to many UFO's.  I saw the free pattern for this cute little pin cushion.  Not an easy one to put together but OH SO CUTE!  You can find the printable pattern over at 

Join the mood Blog.  

A few tips should you decide to make this little teapot.  Make your seam allowances bigger, and for the handle and spout make the finished size just a tad bigger.  My first try at making them I couldn't turn them right side out.  The tute suggests doing it by hand but I did mine by machine.  Another tip for machine  piecing is to iron the pieces to freezer paper or stabilizer for sewing.  I used freezer paper, reduced stitches to 1.2, and the paper easily ripped away.  Of course after getting all the piecing sewn together by machine they had to be put together by hand.  I first glued basted them to hold them in place and then hand stitched the handle, spout, lid, and top ball.  The lid base called for one piece, I used two and sandwiched my ric-rac(glue basted)  between them machine stitched leaving a gap and turned.  Oh it was easy, only took 8 hours!  But well worth the time.  Now I just need an itty bitty little cup and saucer!  

Lea

A woman is like a teabag, you never know how strong she is until you put her in hot water.

-Eleanor Roosevelt

Inspirational free pattern

Oh dear, I've been working out of the zone.  WAY OUT of the zone!  Other quilters can be such an inspiration in so many ways.  It's funny how you never meet them but yet they're an active part of your daily life.  Well Jan has been an online acquaintance for a few years through  The Quilting Board.  There's been times when I've about spewed my morning coffee reading her post, and then there's the days when she's had the words of wisdom that we all need from time to time.  

You can find her thread on this quilt here.  Recently she worked up a quilt pattern to share with her quilty online friends.  She requested that we use her colorway...Orange being the main color.  Let me tell you this first.  There's two colors in this world that just don't appeal to me in quilts.  Purple and orange.  However I do have plenty of Purple in my stash but very little Orange.  So that's the first challenge, working with orange.  And the second is that this quilt is more on the modern side.  What drew me into this quilt was her inspiration picture.  What a fun looking group of ladies!  Love the dresses!  Imagine going into town wearing one of those....yep you'd get some attention!

Here's her block design based on this picture.  Not just one shade of orange but TWO!  Boy she's really pushing my comfort all out of whack!

Okay so whats a gal to do but just jump right in with both feet.  (You can jump in also,  post your pictures here.)  I've about 7 or so orange fabric and I sure wasn't gonna run into town to buy more!  Working with what I had on hand I  came up with this...Not to bad.  The one thing about this that I love is it's Bright!

So I took the picture of the block into EQ and made a quilt.  I'm thinking that this might be doable as a scrappy, yes more orange fabrics will be needed.  But my thought was to maybe keep the same colors but move the placement of color in each block, thus cutting down on the amount of orange I'd need to buy!!  Oh it's been fun playing with a color out of my norm.  

You know this quilt reminds me of the Siddi and Southern quilts I posted about a few months ago.  

Thanks Jan for inspiring me to use up some of my orange and work out of the comfort zone.   

Lea

Just a bowl of cherries

You know I was thinking....the needs to be quilted box isn't full.  Well we can't have that, can we?  So I've still tons of scraps from the brights chosen for the tulip quilt.  Why not use them up.  And look at this I used a pattern from a magazine, can you believe it!?

Remember a couple of months ago when I had the table full of magazines?

Well they were never put away I left them opened, stacked and set aside.  Monday I decided to pick one! 

Because I wanted a quickie, I choose not to follow the pattern exactly, imagine that!  The cherry blocks in this quilt are applique, that's not quick.  I replaced it with cherry fabric.  I've about three more yard of the cherry fabric(large square in quilt).  I also had to pull out the black yardage for frame.  

 Even though I had to dip into the yardage it still used up quite a bit of scraps.  I also made one other change to the pattern.  It called for the square in a square with all 4 corners the same.  I thought it looked better with scrappy corners.  

Since this quilt and the tulip quilt are the colors of my Studio they haven't been stuffed in a box, they are folded and hanging on the the quilt rack on the wall.  Well my goodness I better get that box full of something! 

Lea