Thursday, July 16, 2015

SOME NEW QUILTING IDEAS....

Well here we are to Thursday afternoon, and I decided to go ahead and put up a new post, even though I really don't have too much to share other then what has been swirling around in this old head of mine.  I have been taking it REALLY easy these last few days and honestly it has felt really good. But if you have gotten to know me at all, you know that I really prefer to be good and busy, so you wouldn't be surprised then to hear that I have been giving some serious thought as to what project to begin on next in my sewing room. I am thinking honestly that I could start on Christmas sewing already, and it really wouldn't be that out of line, but then again I do have a couple of other things I really have been wanting to get to, and this might be just the opportunity that I've been looking for. I have a place on the wall that is quite large and kind of in my sewing "area" so to speak, but also is a pretty big area in our family room as well, that I have a picture that I do love hanging there now on, but I really want to replace it with a quilt. At Christmas time last year I hung one of my new Christmas quilts there and I just LOVED it. Ever since then, I have been TRYING to think of something that I could hang there year round that I would just love as well.  I did go ahead and leave the other one that I made and hung in my living room/dining room area over my buffet last Christmas, as it didn't have as much of a total Christmas theme and the colors were quite perfect, and honestly I have just loved having it there. Quilts used as wall hangings are just soo warm, homey, personal, and perfect in my opinion, that I don't think I could ever have TOO many, lol.  Soo whenever I have the opportunity to browse, be it online or in a store, I have been looking for an inspiration.  I think sometimes it would be nice to have something seasonal that I just switched out every 3 months or so. You know, a Fall one, then my Christmas one, then maybe a spring one, and a patriotic one for the summer time.  Now of course I already have my Christmas one, and a summertime patriotic one would really be pretty easy to come up with I think. A Fall one shouldn't be too hard, and lets face it, neither should a spring time one for that matter. I intend to make all of them in the colors that would easily go in that area.   But where to start?  And WHAT should it be?  Meanwhile honestly I haven't found anything that has caught my eye completely and seemed just like what I "see" in my head. Then....I REALLY do need a new quilt for our bed in the worst way, so "maybe" that should be my next project. But again, though I know the colors I want it to be, I have yet to find a pattern that really grabs me.   And then!!  one of my nieces got married last month and will be in California in December for a wedding reception of sorts, and I really want to make her a quilt as well. Now for this one I know just what pattern I want to use, and the basic type of fabric and colors I want, but I haven't purchased a thing for it yet. Soo where do I begin, and what should I start with?  This is what I have been sifting through in my head these last few days.  I think I mentioned before that there WAS a quilt store quite near me that closed their doors last spring.  And another one a bit farther away that also closed theirs and moved to a new location.  So I really haven't had one near me for a while now where I could just go and browse around in for ideas.  I really do much better with a GOOD visual of something in comparison to just seeing something online.  So I decided it was time to find a new store.  I went to goggle and began and you'll never guess what I found!  In the exact same location as the one that is closest to me and closed it's doors last spring, ANOTHER one has opened up!  Now I asked several women at the time if anyone knew if this might happen etc., and everyone said and acted like there was no way.  So I guess I just assumed it wasn't to be the case,  Well I was wrong, and they have been there since last March!  I was practically giddy. Just the idea that there might be fabric I could go and look at and feel that I haven't seen before practically kept me from sleeping last night [not really, lol] but you quilters and seamstresses know what I am talking about.  And then I went ahead and looked up directions to where the other store had moved to and decided I would make a day of it checking them out.  The only thing that would have made this day more fun would have been if my sister Diane could have joined me.  But she has a pretty busy summer lined up, and so I set out alone.  I went first to the one nearest me and honestly is was SOOO good, and the women were SOO friendly and helpful, that it was easy to spend close to two hours browsing around and chatting.  I even considered maybe not even going to other one, but I did, but let me tell you first what I found there.  Well actually it was MANY things, but the one I am considering seriously is a kit.  It is a pre-cut applique of older women [I think there is 4 of them] ALL holding or working some sort of quilting paraphernalia that is honestly the cutest thing I may have ever seen.  It had a cute little saying underneath which for the life of me I can't think of now, but it too was just darling.  One of the gals that works there was in the process of looking for fabric to use as borders for this so that she can finish it up and hang it on the wall.  Honestly it would be JUST perfect for my area that I described, but I have a few reservations that I am going to dwell on for a while first.  While it IS the perfect size, and it IS the perfect theme and feel, the colors of the pre-cut pieces were not exactly what I would have chosen for MY room.  Not that I don't like the colors, just not sure how they would go in there.  I think I could use colors for the borders however that would go just fine with the women, but also tie in the colors in my rooms so I don't think this is enough to keep me from going with it. However, it is A LOT of applique.  Now all of the pieces are pre-cut and pre-glued, but still.  And according to the woman who made it she used an extra technique to get them to stick better, because if you use to hot of an iron she said it tends to take the glue right off.  Might this whole thing prove to be a little TOO fiddly for a gal who HATES fiddle?  A distinct possibility.  And then she finished off all of her applique with ABSOLUTELY perfect blanket stitch which looked wonderful but it was tiny and I will admit I am not very good at that yet.  It was kind of pricey too so I am going to dwell on that a while.  The other store was just as you described it Kris if you are reading this.  Small and cute but without a whole lot of anything to offer.  I doubt if I will be back.  Soooo how was this long involved story just to tell you I can't decide what to get started sewing on, and I found a new quilt store, lol.  Other then that there is not a lot to tell you.  Luke has been running a slight fever the last couple of days so he must have picked something up on their trip, but the others have been fine and he was feeling better this afternoon.  I taught them both a new song while they were here [the wheels on the bus!] and Luke does amazing well with it so I sang with him on the phone a few times today and he really enjoyed it.  I took my grandsons Jeffie and Cody to the movies yesterday afternoon and we all had a good time.  How I enjoy them!  The movie....not so much, lol, but the next one we chose will surely be better.  They LOVED it which is all that matters after all.  Hope you all have a GOOD week-end. Blessings to you all!  Debbie  I will leave you as always with some cute pics!

MELODY AND I DISCUSSED SEVERAL TIMES WHAT COLOR OF EYES WE THINK CLAIRE MIGHT END UP WITH....THEY ARE BLUE BUT DIFFERENT FROM SAM'S.  SHE IS SHOWING HER HERE WITH HER ONE EYE IN THE PIC, LOL, THAT THEY ARE REALLY JUST LIKE HER'S,  I THINK SHE IS RIGHT!  SAM'S ARE A VERY LIGHT BLUE.

HAPPY GIRL!

LITTLE VINNY WAS SOO CUTE WITH HER.  HERE HE IS GIVING HER A LOVE WHILE HIS MAMA WAS HOLDING HER

ANOTHER PICTURE OF THE HAPPY GIRL.....I LOVE SEEING ALL THE THINGS I MADE HERE BEING PUT TO USE....THE QUILT SHE'S LAYING ON, HER TOP, HER BOW AND HER MOCCASINS!  LOL  SOO CUTE!




8 comments:

  1. What a BEAUTIFUL post!!! You had so MUCH to share!!!! Love seeing the baby decked out in all her finery!!!
    And what a beautiful baby she is!!!
    I have started working on some Christmas sewing!! You know the saying....'It's Christmas in July!!!' Next Tuesday when we work on our Santa paintings I am going to put some Christmas CDs on!!!

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  2. That she is! Well dressed and cute! Another quilt store...oh my, you'll have so many choices. You really do have quite the list of projects lined up.

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  3. I was with you as I read every word of this fun post, but I really had to smile when I read the sentence, "Might this whole thing be a bit too fiddly for a gal who HATES to fiddle?" I am still smiling at that. I can't wait to see whatever finished products you come up, because they are always worth waiting for:) As for the pictures you shared of sweet little Clare...priceless!

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  4. I envy you having a good quilt shop nearby. The ones I like are at least an hour and a half away (at least 85 miles). :-( I do as much online shopping as I can but there are times when I'm looking for a specific kind of print, a specific shade of a color or fabrics to coordinate with existing fabric or a project underway (when I need a border fabric or fabric for setting triangles, for example) and only then will in-person shopping do. I can't wait to see whatever you decide.

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  5. Decisions, decisions! Oh but such fun decisions. Hope you have a great time figuring it all out and get just the perfect material you want. Such adorable pictures!

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  6. Such a pretty girl in all of her very pretty clothes. I love that picture of your DIL holding Claire with Vinny looking on. You know I almost gasped when you said, starting on Christmas things, which is very, very good idea. I but my goodness, I don't know if I could. :) If I was smart though. :) I have a wall like that. I kept one of my favorite quilts on it. I have this huge rug I want to make for it, but as of yet, I have never started, so I know what you mean about that.
    I am glad you rested this week. I hope you have a lovely weekend. I hope you get some rain. :) We might get a little from this hurricane, but it is coming from your direction so I hope you do too.
    Have a wonderful weekend Debbie

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  7. Debbie, you are a project girl through and through!! You are never without one...or two...or ten!! :D I'm sure whatever you start with, it will be beautiful!

    Great photos of your darling grands!!

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!