Frankfort Girls

A week ago Friday, the girls were here at my house for a morning of sewing and catching up. All 5 of us were in attendance!! Hooray! We have had partial groups over recent get-togethers, so it was nice seeing everyone.

I was stitching the binding on the quilt that I was giving as a wedding gift. I've shown it before, but with my sporadic posting this month, I will go ahead and repeat it.

 

 

The fabric is French General, and the bride has recently been on a trip to France with her brother, so the French influences in the fabric will be perfectly suited to her, I think. If you want to see the binding, click here. It's in a post from a few weeks back.

As for the girls, I have pictures of Terry and Sheryll's projects, but not Sharon or JoAnn's. Now what's up with that??

Here is Sheryll's latest applique project. I tell you, she is the queen of applique, for sure. I should take some cues from her, and make myself practice more so that I could feel a bit more confident in my abilities.

 

Won't this be a wonderful wall hanging for Christmas? I will have to ask Sheryll for details, as I don't know if this was a kit or if she pulled the fabrics herself. She is good at it, so I wouldn't be surprised if she did. All homespun. It will be so perfect in her house.

 

 

Terry was binding her Carson's Courtyard. If you recall, I made my own version of this quilt last month, and Terry's quilt was my inspiration. She redid some of her blocks to more pleasing fabrics, and now has her finished, too.

 

Well, I have about 30 essays that need to be graded, so I can't stay any longer. Back to the grindstone!

 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

 

 

 

 

Frankfort Girls

We met at Sheryll's house last Friday, and had a special guest. Shame on me for not getting a picture. Terry brought her 4-year-old grandson Troy with her. He was a sweet little thing, and he entertained Sheryll's husband very well. Or was it the other way around???

Anyway, quickly, I will show you what we worked on. JoAnn was absent this morning, so I will show you what the others were working on. I will show you mine in another post.

Terry was binding this beauty. I remember seeing it once before and I was intrigued by the great design of those black triangles criss-crossing through the quilt. I have asked Terry to find the pattern for me so that I can make it! Her borders are black prints and the entire thing just looks so great.

Sharon O. was quiltng this wall hanging. You may remember that she was just beginning this a few months back - she was hand-piecing the foundation-pieced blocks - interesting.... So now it is nearly finished and looking so fresh and spring-y.

Seems like I am always apologizing for picture quality. Well, this one is washed out because the sun was shining on it. I need to start being more mindful of this. Sheryll was quilting in the setting squares. You can see that she is repeating the basket motif in the quilting. It is brown and pink and is really very pretty - which my picture doesn't really show. Sorry, Sheryll!

We had a great morning and enjoyed our time together - as we always do. We solve a myriad of problems - of both major and minor magnitude. You know how it is, right?

Happy Quilting, Friends!

A Bit of the Backyard Garden

Since most all of the recent pictures I've taken have ended up blurry, I am left with showing off some of DH's pretty flowers in our backyard.

I know, some of these are blurry, too.

Maybe I should get my eyes checked? I am currently satisfied with my dime store readers, but perhaps I should bite the bullet and see a doc? Maybe I just rush too much?

A lone purple coneflower behind a new variety (for us) of lily. We really like it, and wish we could remember how we acquired it.

A lily, deep red with golden centers. We love these colors. Makes a garden look so inviting.

Pampas grass in the rear, with a variety of lilies and coneflowers in front. We have a little garden architecture there, too, on the pedestal. We have had the pampas grass for so long that DH now divides it up and uses it all around the yard and down the lane.

The back of our house. We added on the screened porch in 2003 (10 years?!! Can't believe it's been that long!) See more pampas grass, a different variety, however. Also more lilies, sweet bay magnolia trees and crepe myrtle, which is just about to begin blooming.  We have a fountain there in front of the bay window, which we love (the fountain, that is; well, we love the bay window, too.) *an English teacher ought to be more precise, wouldn't you think??* 

That window above the corner of the porch is my sewing room. When the weather is nice and I open the windows, I get a good cross breeze and I get to hear the fountain. The bay window is our dining area, and we enjoy watching birds at the feeders there. We have a massive squirrel population, a direct result of birdseed, and our dog is hopeless at scaring them away.

So, the Frankfort girls were here on Friday morning. Only three of us were in attendance. It's been ages since all 5 of us have been able to attend at the same time! I will go ahead and show you the blurry pics. There are only two, so I suppose you won't mind too much.

Sheryll was working on binding her newly quilted brown and red log cabin. If you recall, she was putting this together a few months back when we were all sewing at Terry's. Click here to see.

Sharon was making a Santa stocking for one of her grandchildren. You will not believe this, but she had this entire stocking nearly done, (I should have taken a picture of it!) and realized that the sock was going the wrong way. So she is starting over. Now wouldn't you call that a labor of love? This was a complex cross stitch pattern, too! What a great gramma she is!

I have been working on my Carson's Courtyard. I will show you pictures of that tomorrow. I spent the weekend just a tad under the weather. I am feeling better now, but I have a fearsome cough and I sound like I swallowed a frog when I talk. It slowed me down, both here on the blog and on my stitching!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Frankfort Girls

Buried in the craziness of last week was a very pleasant 3-hour visit with Terry, Sheryll and our hostess, JoAnn, in her new home on Vine Street. Sharon O. was unable to be with us. After a tour of JoAnn's lovely turn of the century beauty of a home, we had a light brunch and then stitching.

And talking.

And more talking.

We hadn't been together in several weeks! It has been even longer since all 5 of us were present.

Here are the projects we worked on while talking.

JoAnn pulled out a quilt top that she recently finished. It has a sweet story to tell. The fabric is from the clothing of a woman whose granddaughter is newly married. The bride was a high school friend of JoAnn's son, and the girl has remained close to JoAnn ever since. The girl herself at one time wanted to make a quilt of her grandmother's dresses, but never got very far on it. JoAnn worked on this as a surprise for her.

The blue setting strips are all denim from shirts. The prints and corner stones are other pieces of her clothing. Only the outer border contains fabric that is not 'Grandmother vintage.'

While we visited, JoAnn worked on this appliqued wall-hanging that was originally Terry's. (Long story short: A few months back, Terry brought a bunch of half-done projects out and let us pick through them. She'd decided that she was no longer interested in them. This is what JoAnn picked.)

Sheryll worked on this applique panel which will be a part of a larger effort called A Little Porch Time, from a book of the same name, below.

 

Terry was binding this darling little quilt. The simplicity of it is just so appealing. Sweet!

I regret that I did not take a picture of my project, but you've seen it before. I worked on binding the bridal quilt the Frienzies made. I had volunteered to do it and with all that I had going on, I hadn't given it the time necessary - it is a king-size quilt! So I got a good bit of it done at JoAnn's and then took it to Quilt Camp and continued there. I needed just about an hour more, so I finished it off Friday night at home.

Tomorrow will be Way-Back Wednesday, and then on Thursday, I will finally get to the NQA show in Columbus.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Quilting With the Frankfort Girls

On Friday, four of the five Frankfort girls met at Sharon O's home for a morning of coffee and fellowship. We were served a lovely snack - flavored butter for our muffins and strawberries. Very tasty. I wish I'd thought to take a picture of it! What a shame. You'd have loved it!

Anyway, here are the projects we worked on while we visited.

Sharon O., our hostess, was attaching the borders on this foundation-pieced wall-hanging.

JoAnn was also binding - this star wall-hanging. Most of the fabrics are from the Amish Shop Hop back a couple of years.

And, guess what, more binding...this was Terry's project for the morning. Cheddar and blue. Really pretty.

I, too, was binding. There's a certain baby quilt that is now finished, but I am holding off picturing it until the blessed event - or until the next time I see the mother-to-be.

Off to sew at Sherrie's this morning. I may or may not have pictures...stay tuned!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Tidbits

I'm in a bit of a rush today, so this will be short and sweet. I have a rather fun little adventure I will be going to today, and hope to share a good deal about it tomorrow or the next day.

So, yesterday was Frankfort Girls Friday; we met at JoAnn's, and I have just 2 projects to share. Now that I think of  it, I could have taken a picture of JoAnn's WIP (work-in-progress), but I just never thought of it.

Terry had a sweet little table runner that she finished binding while we were together. Looks so easy and simple. I'm pretty sure Terry has just the spot in her house for this little gem.

Sharon O. was attempting a new technique - paper piecing. She was doing it by hand, too, since it was technically not paper, but lightweight interfacing, instead, she brought it along to work on with us. This will become a wall hanging for spring. Bright yellow and red tulips will brighten any spot.

In the bits of time I have had, I head back to my sewing machine and whittle away at those fish blocks. I just love how it is turning out. Here's a representative look at "the catch" from yesterday. These blocks with the white block will be outer blocks. WHAT??? How many times can we say "block" in one sentence?? Let me try that again...The blocks with the white square will be around the outer edge of the quilt. (That sounds so much better!)

Happy Qujilting, Friends!

Cincinnati Quilt Show

I'm scheduling this post several days out because I will be attending a quilt show! Click for the show information.

The Duke Center in downtown Cincinnati will be our location, and I am attending overnight with the Frankfort gals. We have gone together 3 times, now, I believe.

I will try to take lots of pictures and check out the bargains for you.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Counted Cross Stitch

Mostly - almost exclusively - this blog is about quilting. However, a few of the quilting friends do other projects besides quilting.

The Frankfort girls met Friday morning at Sharon O.'s house for our regularly scheduled event. Almost all of us were working on things we've been working on for awhile, so there was only one show and tell. Sharon had finished a counted cross stitch project.

Ah-mazing, isn't it? Such intricate work and detail. It is going to be framed, Sharon says. Won't that be a lovely addition to her home?

I'm still at work on Kissing Fishes. Pictures forthcoming. Hope you are having a wonderful Sunday!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

 

More Quilting With Friends

After class at OU-C this morning, I took my machine and my Erin's Diamonds quilt to Terry's house for a day of stitching with friends. Yesterday, I stitched with the Frienzies; today I was with the Frankfort girls. Tomorrow - yes, I have a date for tomorrow, too, but I will fill you in on that afterwards.

So, today, I had a great time with everyone. I managed to get all the remaining diagonal rows stitched together for Erin's quilt. I did not stop to press or sew rows together. My single focus was to finish the rows. Period.

Chuck the cat looks right handsome against the colorful diamonds.
He didn't seem to care that I was making mistakes,
even with the quilt spread out on Terry's bed.

Now I did do a fair amount of unsewing, if you know what I mean. Honestly, I could have accomplished so much more if I hadn't had to have the seam ripper in my hands so frequently! It was really confusing getting the side triangles onto the correct diamonds, and I made more than a few mistakes. But the rows are together now, and after I press them (carefully), I will begin attaching them. By tomorrow at this time, I hope to have the entire quilt top assembled.

The other girls were all busy on their various projects, and since I was so zeroed in on my own, I did not get many pics of things.

JoAnn is enrolled in a class at one of our local shops for the Mill Girls quilt. She was getting caught up with her blocks.

JoAnn also shared with us this sweet little spring/Easter wallhanging that she made last week.

Sheryll was making massive amounts of half-square triangles. She is starting a quilt that I have long admired called Autumn Flight by Primitive Gatherings. It looks spectacular; I will be sure to follow up on this as Sheryll progresses.

Sharon O. was having machine troubles, so she was doing menial work - trimming up things, straightening her sewing basket, and so on. No pics of her activities. *sad face*

Terry was working on a UFO from about 3 or 4 years ago. She was referring to this as a summer quilt, so I assume she plans on using it this summer on her bed. It is a pattern from the Spring/Summer 2007 issue of Quilt Sampler Magazine, called Rosy Chic.

One thing all of us did was enjoy Terry's active - and sometimes, hyperactive - pets. Here is the most hyper of all - Millie. Doesn't she look like she is posing for a doggie centerfold? This adorable pooch has personality plus, for sure.

Well, I need to be pressing my diagonal rows of diamonds. I have great hopes of completing this soon! Gotta' stay busy on it!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

 

Coffee and Quilting

Yesterday morning we Frankfort gals met at Sheryll's for our regular Friday session. Every other Friday--does that make it bi-monthly? An old English teacher ought to know this, but for some reason it seems off. Oh, well, I digress...
We were all a-twitter about our projects, and just you wait and see what all they have been working on! There is so much that I plan to stretch it out over the next few posts. You will come back to check, won't you?
Here are the things our needles were busy on yesterday.

Terry was busy stitching down the binding on this fall-themed table topper/wall  hanging. Very pretty, both its colors and its meander stippling.

I have shown this project of Sheryll's before, but I didn't get a good, clear shot. So this better highlights the work she is doing on this wall-hanging/table topper; it's Alphabet Song by Threads That Bind. Sheryll is a master when it comes to embroidery. Her stitches are spot-on.

JoAnn was working on binding this wall-hanging. I think I have shown this project before, also, but I don't think I have given any particulars. It is selected parts of the Mrs. Lincoln's Sampler. The parts she omitted are the appliqued parts.

Sharon was also doing some hand-embroidery. What delicate work! This is called Blue Hydrangea by Primitive Gatherings.

My project was finishing up the quilting on this little doll quilt I made back in January or February in the quilt-along with Humble Quilts. I still love this little thing, so I am glad I am devoting some time to quilting it.

What on earth?!? Let me explain...A few weeks ago, or maybe longer, Sharon told us about these cherry-flavored M&Ms that were only available at Christmas time and Valentine's. None of the rest of us had every heard of it, so she brought us a little container to sample. Whoa! These are delicious! It is something you just have to taste - I suppose the closest thing I can think of is chocolate-covered cherries, but these are better, IMO.
I have a couple of show-and-tell items for you to enjoy; one came from Sheryll. This is the basket table runner we made at Mary's barn about a month ago. I got pictures of mine and Terry's but not Sheryll's. So that bit of old business can be removed from the agenda. now.

I have found a little gem on Pinterest, and have made a prototype. It is a lip balm carrier that can be hooked onto a key chain or a purse strap, or anything really. I am envisioning cyclists using something like this when they don't want to carry a bag or anything of any size. Fun to make, and it only takes a D-ring, and two strips of 2"x9" fabric. Sweet!
Okay, so you promise you will be back tomorrow for some lusciousness? Quilt lusciousness, that is. The girls who went on that guild retreat brought home some beauties.
Happy Quilting, Friends!

Happy Quilting, Friends!