Category Archives: Quilting

Hummingbird #4

Posted in Hummingbirds, Quilting by
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Block #4 For Dad

This block is dedicated to my Dad. He has the flu and I am worried about him. Sending prayers and thoughts to you Dad. Love you.

Dad is just as creative as my Mom. My parents owned a flower shop/bakery combo and thanks to them, I can make a bow better than anyone I know (including dad ;-)). I also know a lot more about house plants and flowers than anyone in IT should.  Several years ago, my parents sold their shop and moved away from our home town. I think it has had a couple of owners since, but it still bears his name. The current owners seem very nice and have named the shop dog after my dad. The story goes: they got so tired of people coming in and asking for Dad, that they got a dog, named it after him and now when people ask to see Andy, they point to the dog.

What I want to know is why I was never allowed to have a shop dog when I worked there. Seems a bit unfair.

Thoughts on This Project

I am struggling on how to photograph these guys consistently. I am almost ready to break out the tripod. Almost…

January 4, 2015
Block #4
Days on Project: 4
Blocks Made: 4
Quilts Dad already has: 1 Snuggly Rag Quilt

For Dad

Hummingbird #3

Posted in Hummingbirds, Quilting by
For Brittany

For Brittany

This block is dedicated to my cousin Brittany. She is having a baby TODAY! And in honor of her, and for good luck, she is getting a bird.

Brittany is a wonderful person, beautiful inside and out. She is going to make a great mother and we could not be more excited for her.

Happy Baby, Brittany!

Thoughts on This Project

This isn’t exactly my first rodeo; I have paper pieced many times so I am mostly just frustrated that each bird is taking an hour. But today’s bird was even more difficult. Maybe its because it is dedicated to a woman that is currently in labor. Maybe…

Lesson learned for today: If you are printing your foundation  paper with your inkjet printer, double check that is it printing at full size and is not scaling. UHG. So this little birdie is, in fact, little. But it still counts…

January 3, 2015
Block #3
Days on Project 3
Blocks Made 3

For Brittany

Hummingbird #2

Posted in Hummingbirds, Quilting by
For Mom

For Mom

Another one bites the dust…

I dedicate this second block to my mother. I had a hard time writing this post. I love my mother and she is wonderful. I could tell you about how she can cook, sew or make just about anything, how she took care of me while I was sick, how she is my biggest fan and loves me no matter what. But, I imagine this is true of most mothers. So what can I write that you don’t already know?

She passed those mad skills down to me (aside from the cooking). She also passed down some personality traits as well. Like her, I am fiercely independent and a bit stubborn. Admittedly, I am decidedly more stubborn than she is (I find these things only intensify through the generations). So when mom taught me how to sew and bought me my own sewing machine, she knew I wouldn’t listen to anyone trying to tell me how to do something and just gave me the manual. If it weren’t for my parents encouraging this independent streak of mine, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today. They taught me to think and learn for myself. They encouraged my creative spirit but let me make my own path.

Love you mom.

January 2, 2015
Block #2
Days on Project 2 
Blocks Made 2
Quilts Mom Already Has: None (Can you believe that?? How did that happen??)

For Mom

Hummingbird #1

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Block #1 For Maimie

Block #1 For Maimie

Why does everything have to be so hard…

Today is the first day on this project and it almost didn’t happen. At 9:00pm last night we lost power to my temporary sewing room, and I wrecked my back so bad early this week I can barely sew. But I did it anyway. After all this fuss, I certainly couldn’t miss the first day.

So today, I dedicate this block to Maimie. Maimie is my co-worker, friend and fellow quilter. From what I can tell, she has quite the stash (way more impressive than mine) and helped me out earlier this year by giving me the perfect fabric for a last minute quilt for my nephew who made a pretty sudden, unexpected arrival. I could not have done it with out her!

I call Maimie “The Finisher”. She finishes everything and has finished more projects than I have started. I, on the other hand, have more than a dozen projects that have never been finished (otherwise known as “UFOs”. This is for her, in hopes that by dedicating this first one to her, it will inspire me to finish this project and use 2015 to finish a few other projects as well.

Today was my first real test. I could have thrown myself a pity party and parked my butt in front of the TV, but I got up and got something done.

January 1, 2015
Block #1
Days on Project 1 (One Long Day…)
Blocks Made 1
For Maimie

One More Day…

Posted in Hummingbirds, Quilting by

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I have one more day until I start this new project to make a block a day for 365 days, dedicating each block to a friend or family member. In the last few days I have been prepping for it. I have picked a block, organized my fabric and practiced making the block. There are a few things I have come to know:

1. There is no way that making a block every day for 365 days is going to happen if I don’t get faster at this. If I don’t, it will remain just a romantic notion and I will have a cute wall hanging by April.

2. I need organization and planning (see #1)

3. The title I chose for this project is pretty lame. Since the block is going to be a hummingbird, we will just call it Hummingbirds.

4. The original thinking behind who would get a block dedicated to them was just as lame. Mostly because I want to make blocks for people that have brought joy and laughter in my life but I probably wouldn’t make them a quilt as I don’t know them anymore, not really (Facebook doesn’t count). And the converse is true as well, there are a few people who have the lion share of quilts and they are totally getting a bird.

Here are some facts and thoughts about hummingbirds.

1. When we bought this house this year, the first thing we noticed were that there were dozens and dozens of humming birds living in a tree. They are magnificent and are so loud you can hear them from inside the house. Until then, I had never seen one sitting still perched on a branch. It was just perfect.

2. If you google them you find some interesting quotes:

“The hummingbird spirit animal symbolizes the enjoyment of life and lightness of being.”

“Appearing out of no where the Hummingbird springs joy in the heart, and there is magic in the air in this moment of fleeting serendipity”

Who doesn’t need a good spirit animal, right?

A New Year – New Project – The Ones That Got Away…

Posted in Hummingbirds, Quilt Blocks, Quilting, Quilts by

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

About a year ago I came across a blog – “A Thousand Quilted Cranes“. A designer was commemorating all of those that touched his life (either positively or negatively) by making cranes dedicated to them. I was inspired to do the same, although I could never quite figure out the best way to do it. I didn’t want to shamelessly copy him and do Margaret Rolfe’s crane… that is his. Although it is tempting, as this crane is beautifull. I also struggled with what I would write about each person (and am still struggling with that), how many I would make, how I would pick them, etc…

I was working on binding for a quilt this morning for someone who’s baby is already 6 months old and it hit me. I will dedicate each block to someone I would have made a quilt for. Odd, I know. You might be thinking, “Well why didn’t you just make a quilt for them?”. I only have one answer for you… LIFE. It gets in the way.

I have a full time job, responsibilities and a serious addition to cable TV. I don’t have a prioritized list of who is more important when it comes to making quilts and there is no way I can make one for everyone. In the end, it usually comes down to what is going on in my life at the time. For example, if you are having a baby and I don’t have time to start a quilt for you, you will most likely get something nice from a store. But know that I desperately wanted to make you something. If you are lucky, I started a quilt and told you about it. That ususally means you will eventually get it (even if it’s 2 years from now).

I start this project this week, today in fact. I will pick a design, create a separate page on my site for those that are interested to track my progress and start making blocks January 1. The ultimate goal – 365 blocks – a years worth of would be quilts.

I don’t have anything to show right now so I leave you with more UFO’s from Quilt Festival this year.

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It’s hot out there!

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I’m not sure why but I always find myself binding a quilt in the summer when it’s 100 degrees outside. Typically… It’s my fault: poor planning… But this year we had an unexpected arrival. I am now a proud aunt of a beautiful baby boy. His shower was today and it was adorable. All baseball themed. Thanks to Karen for getting it quilted so fast and Mamie for the baseball fabric. It turned out great!

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2014 – Flying By…

Posted in Quilting, Quilts by

My last blog post was in October. I was super excited about Quilt Festival coming up and I could not wait to meet up with my good friend Kay to shop ’till we drop and take our classes together. And we did just that! It’s almost fitting that today would be the day that I start blogging again after a very busy first half of the year. Because, this morning Kay and I registered for fall festival classes! I have been excited all day, not to mention tired; given how early we got up to make sure we we got the first picks! I can’t wait to see her and catch up.

Even though I haven’t been blogging this year, I have been quilting!

Here are a few projects I have been working on:

I took Gyleen Fitzgerald’s Trash to Treasure pineapple class last year and created this wall-hanging. I am hand quilting (eek) it as I have time.

Scrappy Pineapple

This is called “The Trippy Quilt”. It is pattern I found on Pinterest and was determined to make it. It still needs to be quilted, but, of course, thats on the “to do” list.

Trippy

The latest quilt is for my friend Kristi’s new baby, Riley. I have had it back from the quilter for awhile, it only needs to be bound. So it is next up 🙂

'Lil Birdie

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…

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Hello friends, my favorite time of the year is here! International Quilt Festival season!!! Let the classes, late night sewing, manic shopping and general craziness begin! It all started for me this week, I got the quilt festival bug as I starting digging through all my supplies, double checking when my classes are, planning lunches, and thinking about it 24/7.

While doing this I found all of the projects I bought in the previous years and I wanted to pull them out and start working on all of them, all at once. But… I found the will power not to and settled for re-organizing them and getting back to my 30 Week Wonder. I got a little behind while making the quilts for my beautiful cousins but I was able to make three blocks in the last week. So I am getting back into the swing of things. Including blogging!

Allie's Quilt

Allie’s Quilt

String Pieced, Quilt as You Go

String Pieced, Quilt as You Go

Back of the Quilt

Back of the Quilt

But Back to Quilt Festival…

My good buddy Kay and I are taking two classes together this year. We met several years ago in a very horrible Quilt Festival class (the teacher to remain nameless) and we have been taking classes together ever since. Quilters really are great people, I can’t wait to see what new, fun people I meet this year. Kay and I are taking Gyleen Fitzgerald’s Trash to Treasure pineapple quilt class and a 3D illusion class and both look really good.

Just before Quilt Festival I will be taking Jacqueline de Jonge’s Be Colorful class for the 3rd time. I am determined to finish the quilt I started last time I took her in this class.

What will you be doing this quilty season?

Get Quilty Ya’ll

-P

Quilt Show, Gettin’ Stuff Done and Plugging Along On the 30 Week Journey.

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For those of you who know me personally, you know this has been a rough week for me. Typically, when my head is in this kind of space I can’t sew. There is no joy in it. However, for some reason, I found some peace in it this weekend.

Yesterday I attended the Quilt Guild of Greater Houston’s quilt show and it was really good. Pineapple quilts everywhere, I loved it. I typically don’t buy much at these smaller shows, but I stocked up on thread and even bought fabric for a new project (yes, another project).

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I also finished the binding on my red and white log cabin quilt, Fire and Ice. Karen Shively quilted this for me and I absolutely love it. I am so proud of this quilt that it is going to be the first quilt I hang on the wall. I practically tore my sewing room apart to get a good picture of it tonight.

Fire and Ice

Fire and Ice

And finally, I finished Week 7 of the 30 week wonder quilt today. It is my lease favorite. But I figure, I can always redo it with different fabric when I start to put them together. Hey, I have 20 weeks to change my mind…

Week 8

Week 7

Have a great week!

Paula Sue