Cross Stitch Update

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I’m so glad that I started doing regular cross-stitch updates.  It’s made me do some crazy things…like this week.  I actually fully finished TWO things!!!

Check out my two little pillows…no matter that they aren’t in season.  I’m just thorough happy that they are finished.


A crazy thing happens to me.  When I know I have to make a cross-stitch post on Fridays and I know I don’t stitch anything very quickly, I know I need to come up with something that will make the blog post a little more interesting…so, I finished these as my “a little bit more interesting” item this week.

Normally I would have let these sit for a long time and probably would have even forgotten about them.  Not this time.  I just tackled them.


I put it off because I want it to be perfect and I know I’m not one who can do it perfectly.  So things sit.  Last week I watched a floss tube of The Proper Stitcher.  She was saying finished is better than perfect.  Me, my philosophy has always been it’s better in the drawer so I don’t have to fret over how not perfect it is…

I decided to take her advice and just finished the two pieces.

These were both stitched in DMC floss which is supposed to be colorfast.  I looked a the bottom of my iron. It looked clean so…
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What I’m Reading: American Daughter

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Several months ago I put a bunch of books on my Overdrive online library holds.  One of the books was American Daughter by Stepanie Thornton Plymal.

As I said I have the book on my list.  I was notified that the book was available.  I went to get the book immediately and it somehow disappeared.  I was disappointed.  I opted to put the book on the list again…and wait again.  Finally, I got a notification that it was available and I was able to get it.

So…was it worth the wait??
YES.  It was worth the wait.

I have come to really enjoy memoirs.  I love hearing what made a person become who they are.  Sometimes they are really sad.  Sometimes I get angry.  Sometimes I want to scoop the person up and tell them, wait…you are going to overcome all of this.  I especially appreciate the ones where children come of age and put adult meaning to their lives.

This book was exactly that.  The story is engaging.  It’s a perfect mix of present-day and flashbacks.  I listened to the book over the course of a 24 hour period.  That’s a real sign that I loved the book.

I think I can safely say, that I think it was my favorite memoir to date.  That’s saying a lot!!

Here is what Amazon had to say: Continue reading →

Community Quilts from Karin

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Karin sent me pictures of finished community quilts and I’m so happy to be sharing them with you today.

Karin writes:
“Grab a cuppa and have a seat. I have 4 finishes for you today! First up, we have another amazing quilt from the talented Cresco ladies, perfect for the car lover!

Looks like they started with a simple little panel block and added cornerstones and map swatches, then a round of stripes, then brightened it up with rounds of yellow and green, finally reaching that pretty flame fabric that pulls it all together. I started stretching my chops on this one, quilting piano keys, freehand no less, ribbon candy, loops, and swirls and I tried a hook and point, similar to your hook and bumps. 
I may have gotten lost or boxed in once or twice, but a finish is a win, in my book. :)

For the backing, I used some great I Spy fabric, generously provided by Susan McC, from Austin, TX, and the remainder of a couple of sheets you had sent.  Batting was courtesy of your readers’ donations, thank you sooo sooo much!

Finishing up at 40 x 48, this quilt and the next 3 are going to our local fire station to comfort someone in need.  I had the pleasure of meeting the Captain last week, and he told me that they are the busiest station in the county, and all donations are gratefully received and appreciated.

Next up…
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Quilt Top Delivery

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Sandra from the Cresco Ladies stopped by.  Look what she left…


YES…THREE BAGS FULL OF QUILT TOPS!!  Oh my word.

So…grab a beverage and enjoy the show!!  Sandra worked her magic and came up with this design for some crumb blocks.


This was one of four, I think, quilts that were all similar.  Someone donated the panel to make a fabric “book”.  The ladies turned them into quilts.

This one had a different background fabric.


Here they put together a banner fabric panel with some other fun fabrics.


Here is another that uses the same banner.


If you have half square triangles you no longer want…the gals will happily take them and put together a top like this one.

It would be perfect for a wheel chair.

I love the inner border on this one…clever!

All of the prints in this one have to do with travel.


I didn’t realize I didn’t get this one straightened out until after I had them tops all packed away.  Sorry for the wrinkly picture.


There were lots in this batch that were kid themed.  This is a cute strip quilt.


The animals on it are so cute!


There were two that used this panel with girls.

Charm squares sewn into four patches make up the next top.

I loved this one and am so tempted to steal this idea.  My 1 1/2″ strip bucket is over flowing.  This would be the perfect quilt pattern for them.


Next is a four patch with a sashing between the rows.

This one is the same style.


This one with Sunbonnet Sues was so cute.


Many in this batch were baby or small lapsized.  I know in pictures it’s hard to tell.


Here is another that would be perfect to make to clean out my scrap buckets.

This one says ALOHA!!  So bright..so cute.  I’m betting these were donated pinwheel blocks and the gals came up with this great design.


This one used the same sashing.  More pinwheel blocks too.  How fun.


Here are more pinwheels.

Lots of work went into making the pinapple blocks for this one.


Here is a nine patch beauty.


I love seeing quilt tops that were likely made from something I donated.  See that circle print?  I had a quilt with that fabric as the backing.  I passed the leftovers on.


This one had bunnies featured on the blue print…


A blog reader had sent some panel pieces that were cut out.  I passed them to the Creso gals.  Here’s what they came up with for them.


Here’s a closer pictures of the panel.


There were more panel pieces.

Simple pattern designs can come together nicely when fabric coordinate for well.


This one had a rabbit/garden theme.


This one had a note on it stating it was for Ray.  I’ll pass it on to him next time I have something else to send with it.


This one says, HELLO FALL.

Panel blocks came together to make this one…

This was another book panel quilt…This was Jonah and the Whale.


This one was Christmas Themed.


I have recently passed on LOTS of panels so the ladies have been busy with them.  Including this one…


Check out the panel block in the middle of this one.  They sure built it up to make a nice quilt.


Everything in this quilt was fishing related…

This quilt had a heart theme going on.

This one was made from cheater cloth…

I had to look at this one twice to decide if it was charm squares but then realized it was nine patches.

You might remember this coming in the mail a bit ago.  The center came from a blog reader and it all had wavy edges as apple core quilts do.  It was really too small to be a quilt all it’s own.  I just knew Sandra would tackle this and make it into a nice quilt.  The border fabric goes with it perfectly.


I believe this one was panel blocks…not pieced blocks.  I told you this group of quilts featured lots of panel quilts.


I love this quilt.  I would to title it “Be Yourself”.  Do you notice the one different blog in the mix?  I love it and encourage all you to “be yourself”.

I am pretty sure these four patches were orphan blocks.  They make a great center on this quilt.


I know many of you sending goodies look at some leftover four patches and debate whether they should be tossed as there aren’t many…yet hate to toss them as they are fabric and take time to make.  They really can be made into a great project.  If you don’t want to do it pass them on.  The ladies love getting pieces like the extra four patches and making them into a great quilt.

Another panel quilt…In person it’s so much better.   For some reason the photo doesn’t show it off as nice.  The blue in the background around the house looks so good with the border fabric.

This was an all over Christmas fabric that the ladies bordered with some Christmas print fabrics.


This one was all low-volume fabrics…Love the sashing with this.


Here’s one for the princess lovers out there…

The idea to put the white on the diagonal was fun.


This on was an all over fabric too.

Here is a simple rectangle quilt…but the colors are GREAT!


This one was some all over prints with some panel prints too I think.

This was another simple but great top as again, I love the colors together.

Last of the bunch was a string quilt.  The Decorah group I work with ties quilts so I passed the last bunch of string quilt to them.  I guess it’s time to start a new pile for them.  I take this one along with a few others and start a new box for them.


…and so the circle keeps going.  I keep giving fabric…quilts keep coming in…quilts go out…I get pictures in…It is a WONDERFUL circle to be a part of.  A big shout out to the Cresco Ladies for all the work they do as part of the big circle.  What a lot of quilts!!