Sewing Placemats...

Why is it that I always sew gifts for others and don't make myself anything? Oh, I have good intentions of making another of whatever I'm making for me, but I never do! :-/ Well, my Secret Sister must be wise to me because she sent me a kit for placemats! She had all the fabrics needed bagged up and everything. So yesterday I took a sanity break and sewed for me. :-) Aren't these placemats cute? I am ready for autumn! The pattern is from This and That patterns and is called 'Dining Delights'. It was a fun sewing day! :-)

Hope you are having a fun time sewing too! :-)

...and my other Swap. ;-)

...you didn't think I was only doing the florals did you? LOL :-) Well, they say confession is good for the soul, so here's to helping my soul! ;-) We are also swapping 'pairs of squares' in autumn prints. Those lovely greens, golds, cranberries, burnt oranges, plums and brown tones of autumn! My favorite time of the year! I hosted this same swap 2 years ago and so many of the swappers told me they'd used up all their squares, so it was time for another swap. I found a beautiful creamy golden background fabric and have been making blocks with my squares from the last swap. Now I'll have even more squares to play with. :-)) This is a peek at some of the great fabric squares that have been coming in for this swap. Don't they make you think of cool, crisp days? :-)

Until next time~ happy stitching!

Swapping Fun...

I love to swap fabrics and blocks with my friends on the HGTV Quilting Forum. Even though I have only met a very few of the ladies 'in person', I feel like I know a lot of them. :-) I met Bingo~Bonnie there a few years ago when she first started swapping. And now she hosts the hugely popular FQ Bingo Game every year. ;-) And the fun little mini-9-patch swap. Somehow quilters always seem to get off of the topic of quilting, and chat about other things and that is when you learn about each other. A few years ago we did a 12 inch 9-patch swap, and we have revived it again this year. One of the ladies mentioned how she'd love to swap floral 9-patch blocks, and next thing I know, I was hosting it. LOL :-) Many of us plan to take the blocks and cut them up to make the disappearing blocks. I'm planning to make a tablecloth out of my swapped blocks... won't it be cute?! That is, unless it is just too beautiful to put on the table! ;-) My blocks are all finished now, and everyone's will be here by August 15th. Now what to do while I wait??? :-)

Until next time, happy stitching!

More about my new machine...

Thanks for visiting and asking about my new pfaff ladies! :-) It came with this assortment of books and flyers, as well as a box of attachments. The little dial tells how to set the various levers of the machine to make those stitches. Pretty fancy in its time! I've played with them some, but hope to play more soon! As far as I can tell it was purchased new in 1954, but I don't know when it was built. It had a certificate of lifetime gaurantee (for the original purchaser). I don't know if there is a website that will tell me anymore than that~? I'll keep researching. ;-)

Have a happy weekend!

Ahhh the Sewing Machine...

...a girls best friend! I think of that little ditty often, especially when I get a new aquisition. :-) This little beauty came home with me last week. It's a Pfaff 130, made in Germany and has the mongramming dials etc. I'm sure it was considered very 'high tech' in its day. It weighs a ton, and sews beautifully. ;-) Isn't it lovely??? :-)

Wool!

Doesn't this look like a whole lotta fun?!!! :-)

While at the quilt show, my Mom and I watched a felted wool applique demonstration. The demonstrator gave hints on threads, how to attach your appliques, etc. She had some really cute patterns in her vendor shop and was also selling pieces of wool. They were beautiful, but a little pricey for our budgets, ~~so we went to the local thrift shop! We seached the racks for 100% wool items in colors we liked. Took our purchases home and ripped them apart-- after the kids got into them and modeled for us! LOL ;-) We felted them and viola`~~our own felted wool for appliquing! And this is the photo after my mom took some of the wool! ;-) I have a few cute tabletopper patterns, and won one in my basket too. I can't wait to get started, but I'm thinking I should wait until the weather is a little cooler to have wool on my lap. :-)

Happy stitching!

I'm baa-aa-ack! :-)

We had a wonderful little vacation! We visited our familes, met my new grandson :-)), attended a quilt show.... I need to take a few photo's and come back and show you my newest sewing machine! It's a beauty of a little machine, but really heavy!

In the meantime, I'll leave you with this photo.... it is a large basket filled with Christmas goodies! I won it at the quilt show! :-)) They had 4 baskets to represent the 4 season's of the year. When you purchased your ticket, you got a chance at one of the baskets. You couldn't buy more chances. I put my chance in the winter themed basket. They drew the names on the last day of the show and my Mom and I happened to be there. I was so surprised to hear my name! I let out a whoop! :-) Just look at all these goodies! ~doilies, placemats, patterns, a tabletopper, a bag, a bowl~ oh my! :-) I shared the winnings with my Mom and DD... who were both wishing to win too. ;-)

Have a happy weekend!